Podcast
On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti
Get ready for your aha moment: Every weekday, host Meghna Chakrabarti pierces your news bubble to expose the whole story. Getting answers to the questions that need to be asked, examining our history and the human condition. No topic is too complicated or off the table. It’s all On Point.
- News chart
- #146
- Episodes
- 415
- Releases
- Daily
- Typical length
- 40 min
- On air since
- 2025
- Latest episode
- 11 hours ago
Episodes
415 episodes, newest first
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37 min
Why U.S. military bombings haven't stopped the global cocaine boom
Show notes
Since last year, the U.S. military has killed 240 people from Latin America while bombing alleged drug smuggling boats. With cocaine prices falling globally, whether the killings are deterring drug traffickers or just changing how drugs reach American streets.
*** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint
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40 min
Should Greek life be abolished or reformed?
Show notes
The Cornell Seven case has reignited the debate over whether fraternities should be allowed on college campuses at all. How to find the line between enriching community support and a system that might institutionalize harmful behavior.
*** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint
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49 min
The Jackpod: Not on bread alone
Show notes
On Point news analyst Jack Beatty looks back at a time when social values played a bigger role in American political life and hears a call for that ahead of this year’s midterms.
*** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint
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45 min
Min Jin Lee's new novel asks: Is education worth sacrificing for?
Show notes
In her sweeping follow-up to "Pachinko," author Min Jin Lee zooms in on learning centers, or hagwons, in the South Korean diaspora. "American Hagwon" examines whether education can really deliver a perfect life.
*** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint
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37 min
Could the biggest election security threat come from the federal government?
Show notes
From running tabletop exercises, to citing Civil War-era laws protecting voters, state election officials are on guard against threats; and not just from abroad. What state officials are doing to protect the midterms from federal government interference.
*** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint
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39 min
The case for 'anti-fascist economics'
Show notes
Inequality, inflation, gas prices are all on the rise. Economist Isabella Weber argues the way to solve America's affordability crisis is to change how we think about economics.
*** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint
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39 min
Does Trump's Russian diesel deal betray the U.S.?
Show notes
Congress passed the Lindsey Graham Sanctioning Russia Act with a bipartisan vote. This month, President Trump waived those sanctions. Why many legislators, policymakers and military strategists are saying the president betrayed U.S. interests.
*** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint
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40 min
Israel's election and what it means for U.S. support
Show notes
Israel goes to the polls in a razor-close election. What the results will mean for the trajectory of the war with Iran, ongoing conflict in Gaza and the West Bank and the future of U.S.-Israel relations.
*** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint
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45 min
The Jackpod: One cheer for private health insurance
Show notes
On Point news analyst Jack Beatty on why Sen. Bernie Sanders’ proposal for Medicare for All warrants more scrutiny than it's getting in progressive political circles.
*** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint
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38 min
Did Anthropic just make a big mistake?
Show notes
AI company Anthropic says you can no longer be "abusive or cruel" to its model, Claude. And Claude itself will decide what counts. Many in the AI world say that's dangerous.
*** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint
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48 min
On Point Live: The North Carolina factor
Show notes
North Carolina voters will help decide the balance of power in the U.S. Senate. Join Meghna Chakrabarti for a special -- and spicy -- conversation live from Greensboro, N.C.
*** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint
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46 min
How should we be talking about the Cornell case?
Show notes
Cornell University is at the center of a rape allegation that has raised difficult questions about how we talk about consent, sexuality and justice. Do we have the right language to have these discussions?
*** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint
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39 min
How a few tight Senate races could define Congress
Show notes
A number of Senate races are too close to call -- defying expectations and upsetting established political affinities within certain states. What does this say about the midterms and the direction of American politics?
*** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint
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42 min
Are we on the verge of a new Cold War?
Show notes
The Pentagon is rethinking America's nuclear weapons strategy – including lowering the barrier for their use in the battlefield. Why national security analyst Joe Cirincione says this could spark a new nuclear arms race.
*** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint
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26 min
The Jackpod: A rough start for Gen Z
Show notes
On Point news analyst Jack Beatty looks into the impact that AI is having on the job market for Gen Z graduates and the difference that choice of college major can make.
*** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint
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36 min
Can the U.S. and Canada still be friends?
Show notes
President Trump's war on Canada is intensifying -- from high tariffs and import bans to public personal attacks. How Canadians view Trump's trade war -- and the future of U.S.-Canada relations.
*** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint
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38 min
The political scramble for the new South
Show notes
The South is the fastest-growing region in the U.S., with states like Georgia and Texas seeing a surge of younger and more diverse people. Experts say that could mean generational political shifts in the Sun Belt.
*** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint
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36 min
Who owns America's farmland?
Show notes
More than 20% of all farmland in Iowa is owned by someone, or some company, out of state. That's pushing land prices up, and it's becoming a major issue in the governor's race.
*** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint
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40 min
AI is steamrolling through math. Why does that matter?
Show notes
AI is solving some of the toughest math problems in the world, including ones that have stumped mathematicians for decades. What it means for human ingenuity when there are no more hard problems left to solve.
*** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint
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36 min
Tales of shipwrecks from around the world
Show notes
Marine archaeologist Sean Kingsley has explored more than 350 shipwrecks -- from pirate ships in the Bahamas to British India Steam Navigation ships off the coast of Ireland. We ask him what discoveries he’s made so far and what else he hopes to find.
*** Thank you for listening. Help power On Point by making a donation here: wbur.org/giveonpoint
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