The Broadside podcast

The Broadside

·

  WUNC  

Each week, The Broadside highlights a story from the heart of the American South and asks why it matters to you. From news to arts and culture, we dive into topics that might not be on a front page, but deserve a closer look. Along the way, we explore the nuances of our home—and how what happens here ripples across the country. Hosted by Anisa Khalifa, The Broadside is a production of North Carolina Public Radio-WUNC. Find it every Thursday wherever you listen to podcasts.

Each week, The Broadside highlights a story from the heart of the American South and asks why it matters to you. From news to arts and culture, we dive into topics that might not be on a front page, but deserve a closer look. Along the way, we explore the nuances of our home—and how what happens here ripples across the country. Hosted by Anisa Khalifa, The Broadside is a production of North Carolina Public Radio-WUNC. Find it every Thursday wherever you listen to podcasts.

 

#72

How North Carolina became Japan's favorite state

North Carolina has been cultivating a special relationship with Japan for more than four decades… and the rewards for the American economy are only accelerating. This week, we find out how tax incentives, BBQ, and Bojangles helped make the Tar Heel State the epicenter of Japanese investment in the US. Featuring:  ---Teruhiro "Terry" Kawabe, President and CEO of Morinaga America ---David Robinson, Honorary Consul of Japan to North Carolina ---Andy Steinhauer, General Manager at Health & Nutrition North America plant in Raleigh, NC ---Brian Gordon, Business & Technology reporter at The News & Observer Links:  ---Read Brian Gordon's continuing coverage of [Japanese investment in North Carolina at The News & Observer here] (https://www.newsobserver.com/profile/263041588/brian-gordon) . ---You can find a [transcript of this episode here] (https://www.wunc.org/2025-01-23/the-broadside-transcript-how-north-carolina-became-japans-favorite-state) . Donate: The Broadside is made possible by contributions from listeners like you. Support WUNC-North Carolina Public Radio and this podcast by [making a donation here] (http://wunc.convio.net/site/Donation2?2885.donation=form1&df_id=2885&mfc_pref=T&utm_campaign=fall_drive&utm_source=housefile&utm_medium=podcasts&s_src=podcasts_a&utm_content=podcasts_a) . Sign up for [WUNC's new Politics Newsletter here.] (https://www.wunc.org/wunc-politics-newsletter-sign-up?utm_source=broadside&utm_medium=podcast) ... Read more

23 Jan 2025

21 MINS

21:42

23 Jan 2025


#71

Segregation academies and a forgotten migration

Throughout the South, state legislatures are adopting and expanding school voucher programs designed to allow parents to use public funds to pay for private school tuition. But this modern day push for school choice is connected to a dark past that recalls America’s long and sometimes forgotten history of resisting integration in the classroom. Featuring:  --- [Jennifer Berry Hawes] (https://www.propublica.org/people/jennifer-berry-hawes) , reporter with ProPublica ---Crystal Sanders, author of [“A Forgotten Migration: Black Southerners, Segregation Scholarships, and the Debt Owed to Public HBCUs”] (https://uncpress.org/book/9781469679808/a-forgotten-migration/) Links:  ---Read Jennifer Berry Hawes reporting on segregation academies and school vouchers [here] (https://www.propublica.org/article/segregation-academies-school-voucher-money-north-carolina) . ---You can find a [transcript of this episode here] (https://www.wunc.org/2025-01-16/the-broadside-transcript-segregation-academies-and-forgotten-migration) . Donate: The Broadside is made possible by contributions from listeners like you. Support WUNC-North Carolina Public Radio and this podcast by [making a donation here] (http://wunc.convio.net/site/Donation2?2885.donation=form1&df_id=2885&mfc_pref=T&utm_campaign=fall_drive&utm_source=housefile&utm_medium=podcasts&s_src=podcasts_a&utm_content=podcasts_a) . Sign up for [WUNC's new Politics Newsletter here.] (https://www.wunc.org/wunc-politics-newsletter-sign-up?utm_source=broadside&utm_medium=podcast) ... Read more

16 Jan 2025

22 MINS

22:42

16 Jan 2025


#70

The gambling gold rush is here

In 2018, the US Supreme Court ruled that states could legalize sports gambling. Since then, 38 states have taken the plunge, including our home state of North Carolina. The payoff has been lucrative. But it also has a human toll. Featuring:  ---Jason deBruyn, Supervising Editor for Digital News at WUNC ---Jason Quick, Senior Writer at The Athletic Links:  ---Check out Jason Quick's [incredible reporting about gambling addiction] (https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5777632/2024/10/14/sports-betting-addiction-problem-fans/) . ---You can find a [transcript of this episode here] (https://www.wunc.org/2025-01-09/the-broadside-transcript-the-gambling-gold-rush-is-here) . If you or a loved one need help with problem gambling you can find it at the National Problem Gambling Helpline. That number is 1-800-GAMBLER. There are also state programs across the country like the North Carolina Problem Gambling Helpline which is 1-877-718-5543. Donate: The Broadside is made possible by contributions from listeners like you. Support WUNC-North Carolina Public Radio and this podcast by [making a donation here] (http://wunc.convio.net/site/Donation2?2885.donation=form1&df_id=2885&mfc_pref=T&utm_campaign=fall_drive&utm_source=housefile&utm_medium=podcasts&s_src=podcasts_a&utm_content=podcasts_a) . Sign up for [WUNC's new Politics Newsletter here.] (https://www.wunc.org/wunc-politics-newsletter-sign-up?utm_source=broadside&utm_medium=podcast) ... Read more

09 Jan 2025

23 MINS

23:28

09 Jan 2025


#69

That time we almost destroyed the world

On a chilly evening in 1961, a B-52 crashed in rural eastern North Carolina near the town of Goldsboro. Any plane crash is bad, but this one was particularly dangerous because onboard that bomber were two nuclear weapons. The event was perhaps the closest the United States has ever come to accidentally detonating a nuclear bomb—and kicking off a nuclear war. Featuring: ---Jay Price, Military and Veterans Affairs reporter at WUNC and The American Homefront Project ---Stephen Schwartz, independent nuclear weapons expert and author of “Atomic Audit: The Costs and Consequences of U.S. Nuclear Weapons Since 1940” Links: ---Read [Jay's article from 2018] (https://www.wunc.org/news/2018-05-24/remembering-a-near-disaster-u-s-accidentally-drops-nuclear-bombs-on-itself-and-its-allies) marking the 50th anniversary of the Goldsboro nuclear accident.  ---View [photos of the Mars Bluff Crater] (https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/mars-bluff-crater) left behind by the nuclear accident in Florence, South Carolina. Donate: The Broadside is made possible by contributions from listeners like you. Support WUNC-North Carolina Public Radio and this podcast by [making a donation here] (http://wunc.convio.net/site/Donation2?2885.donation=form1&df_id=2885&mfc_pref=T&utm_campaign=fall_drive&utm_source=housefile&utm_medium=podcasts&s_src=podcasts_a&utm_content=podcasts_a) . Sign up for [WUNC's new Politics Newsletter here.] (https://www.wunc.org/wunc-politics-newsletter-sign-up?utm_source=broadside&utm_medium=podcast) ... Read more

02 Jan 2025

18 MINS

18:17

02 Jan 2025


#68

The ballad and the flood

This week, we visit the small town of Marshall in western North Carolina, a region ravaged by Hurricane Helene earlier this year. But this story isn’t about the storm or climate change or the walls of water that rushed through the Black Mountains in September. It’s about what happened after. How people create systems to help each other. And how the best aspects of humanity can shine in the wake of a disaster. This episode comes to us from [Outside/In] (https://outsideinradio.org/) . Produced by our friends at New Hampshire Public Radio, it’s a podcast where curiosity and the natural world collide.  Credits: ---Outside/In host: Nate Hegyi ---Reported, written, produced, and mixed by Justine Paradis  ---Edited by Taylor Quimby ---The Outside/In team also includes Felix Poon, Marina Henke, and Kate Dario. ---NHPR’s Director of Podcasts is Rebecca Lavoie ---Special thanks to the folks at Poder Emma and Collaborativa La Milpa in Asheville. Thanks also to Rural Organizing and Resilience (ROAR). Donate: The Broadside is made possible by contributions from listeners like you. Support WUNC-North Carolina Public Radio and this podcast by [making a donation here] (http://wunc.convio.net/site/Donation2?2885.donation=form1&df_id=2885&mfc_pref=T&utm_campaign=fall_drive&utm_source=housefile&utm_medium=podcasts&s_src=podcasts_a&utm_content=podcasts_a) . Sign up for [WUNC's new Politics Newsletter here.] (https://www.wunc.org/wunc-politics-newsletter-sign-up?utm_source=broadside&utm_medium=podcast) ... Read more

26 Dec 2024

39 MINS

39:46

26 Dec 2024


#67

Deck your halls with Rauch balls

In this special holiday episode, we meet the Jewish man from Gastonia, North Carolina who became the world's largest manufacturer of Christmas ornaments and used his power to make his home more tolerant of all religions.This episode comes to us from Jeremy Markovich. Jeremy is the creator of a newsletter and podcast called the North Carolina Rabbit Hole, where he explores the strange and quirky corners of his home state. You can find all of his incredible work at [ncrabbithole.com] (https://www.ncrabbithole.com/) . ---This story was adapted from: " [The Unlikely Ornament King of Gastonia] (https://www.ourstate.com/the-unlikely-ornament-king-of-gastonia/) " which appeared in Our State's December 2016 issue. Music in this episode: ---"Dad, Get Up" by [Peter Lamb and the Wolves] (http://www.peterlambandthewolves.com/) (Raleigh) ---Additional Music: Blue Dot Sessions, U.S. Marine Band Special Thanks: The Rauch Family, Jack Betts, Don Walser, Kimberly Simpson, Alexis Castanos, and Todd Dulaney. Donate: The Broadside is made possible by contributions from listeners like you. Support WUNC-North Carolina Public Radio and this podcast by [making a donation here] (http://wunc.convio.net/site/Donation2?2885.donation=form1&df_id=2885&mfc_pref=T&utm_campaign=fall_drive&utm_source=housefile&utm_medium=podcasts&s_src=podcasts_a&utm_content=podcasts_a) . Sign up for [WUNC's new Politics Newsletter here.] (https://www.wunc.org/wunc-politics-newsletter-sign-up?utm_source=broadside&utm_medium=podcast) ... Read more

19 Dec 2024

24 MINS

24:41

19 Dec 2024


#66

Tony Hawk and the skateboard rabbit hole

On a rainy day in 1979, a photograph was taken of a young girl skateboarding down a street in Fayetteville, North Carolina. 45 years later, that photo went viral with a little help from the most famous skater who ever lived: Tony Hawk. This week, we find out who the mystery girl in the picture was and why the snapshot was so ahead of its time. Featuring:  ---Jeremy Markovich, writer of the [North Carolina Rabbit Hole] (https://www.ncrabbithole.com/) ---Tony Hawk, skateboarder ---Shaunda Shane, skateboarder Links:  ---Check out [Jeremy's article] (https://www.ncrabbithole.com/p/tony-hawk-fayetteville-nc-girl-skateboarder-1979) about tracking down Shaunda Shane. --- [View photographs of Shaunda skateboarding] (https://www.fayobserver.com/story/lifestyle/2024/11/04/who-is-the-mystery-skater-shared-by-tony-hawk-shares-fayetteville-observer-photo/76047957007/) from the Fayetteville Observer. ---You can find a [transcript of this episode here] (https://www.wunc.org/2024-12-12/the-broadside-transcript-tony-hawk-and-the-skateboard-rabbit-hole) . Donate: The Broadside is made possible by contributions from listeners like you. Support WUNC-North Carolina Public Radio and this podcast by [making a donation here] (http://wunc.convio.net/site/Donation2?2885.donation=form1&df_id=2885&mfc_pref=T&utm_campaign=fall_drive&utm_source=housefile&utm_medium=podcasts&s_src=podcasts_a&utm_content=podcasts_a) . Sign up for [WUNC's new Politics Newsletter here.] (https://www.wunc.org/wunc-politics-newsletter-sign-up?utm_source=broadside&utm_medium=podcast) ... Read more

12 Dec 2024

18 MINS

18:58

12 Dec 2024


#65

Can we save Christmas (trees)?

From the White House to your living room, North Carolina’s iconic Fraser fir is the most popular Christmas tree in America. But this holiday season, something is threatening to wipe it out —  and the $250 million dollar industry associated with it.  Special thanks this week goes out to Kate Sheppard of The Assembly. Featuring:  ---Steve Riley, contributor at The Assembly Links:  ---Check out Steve's article about [the race to save America's favorite Christmas tree here] (https://www.theassemblync.com/environment/agriculture/christmas-trees-fraser-fir-north-carolina-root-rot/) . ---You can find a [transcript of this episode here] (https://www.wunc.org/2024-12-06/the-broadside-transcript-can-we-save-christmas-trees) . Donate: The Broadside is made possible by contributions from listeners like you. Support WUNC-North Carolina Public Radio and this podcast by [making a donation here] (http://wunc.convio.net/site/Donation2?2885.donation=form1&df_id=2885&mfc_pref=T&utm_campaign=fall_drive&utm_source=housefile&utm_medium=podcasts&s_src=podcasts_a&utm_content=podcasts_a) . Sign up for [WUNC's new Politics Newsletter here.] (https://www.wunc.org/wunc-politics-newsletter-sign-up?utm_source=broadside&utm_medium=podcast) ... Read more

05 Dec 2024

20 MINS

20:01

05 Dec 2024


#64

The mystery of the Brown Mountain lights

For more than a century, people near Brown Mountain have witnessed unusual displays of shimmering and sometimes even exploding lights. A skeptical scientist has spent years trying to solve the mystery. This week, we’re heading to the mountains of western North Carolina for an episode produced by [Atlas Obscura] (https://www.atlasobscura.com/podcast) in partnership with Visit North Carolina. Donate: The Broadside is made possible by contributions from listeners like you. Support WUNC-North Carolina Public Radio and this podcast by [making a donation here] (http://wunc.convio.net/site/Donation2?2885.donation=form1&df_id=2885&mfc_pref=T&utm_campaign=fall_drive&utm_source=housefile&utm_medium=podcasts&s_src=podcasts_a&utm_content=podcasts_a) . Sign up for [WUNC's new Politics Newsletter here.] (https://www.wunc.org/wunc-politics-newsletter-sign-up?utm_source=broadside&utm_medium=podcast) ... Read more

28 Nov 2024

17 MINS

17:15

28 Nov 2024


#63

Storytelling's surprising digital age revival

Trading stories is an ancient and deeply human experience. But today, most of the stories we consume come to us through a digital screen. So it might surprise you to find out that we're in the midst of a revival of the old school style of storytelling. Turns out, sitting in a crowded room with other people, sharing funny and tragic and unbelievable stories live and in person has never been bigger.   Thank you to Nancy Reeder of the [North Carolina Storytelling Guild] (https://www.ncstoryguild.org/) for reaching out and pitching this show idea. And special thanks also goes out to linguist and former Broadside guest Brody McCurdy for providing us with audio from the [Voices of Chatham] (https://languageandlife.org/voices-of-chatham-a-rural-north-carolina-communitys-determination-to-cope-with-inevitable-change/) project, an ongoing oral history and documentary recording the history, culture, and language of Chatham County. Voices of Chatham was created in collaboration between NC State’s Language & Life Project and the Chatham County Historical Association.  Featuring:  ---Ellen Bland, organizer of [Mill Town Yarns] (https://www.bynumfrontporch.org/events/2025/1/11/mill-town-yarns-presents-bynum-stories-and-songs-bfp) in Chatham County, NC ---Willa Brigham, [professional storyteller] (https://www.storytellingcenter.net/tellers/willa-brigham/) ---Alan Hoal, founder and chair of the [Old North State Storytelling Festival] (https://www.oldnorthstatestorytellingfestival.com/) in Cary, NC ---Jeff Polish, founder and executive director of [The Monti] (http://themonti.org/) in Durham, NC Links:  ---You can find a transcript of this episode here. Donate: The Broadside is made possible by contributions from listeners like you. Support WUNC-North Carolina Public Radio and this podcast by [making a donation here] (http://wunc.convio.net/site/Donation2?2885.donation=form1&df_id=2885&mfc_pref=T&utm_campaign=fall_drive&utm_source=housefile&utm_medium=podcasts&s_src=podcasts_a&utm_content=podcasts_a) . Sign up for [WUNC's new Politics Newsletter here.] (https://www.wunc.org/wunc-politics-newsletter-sign-up?utm_source=broadside&utm_medium=podcast) ... Read more

21 Nov 2024

18 MINS

18:22

21 Nov 2024


#62

The world's biggest video game is from North Carolina

Fortnite was an unlikely hit from an unlikely place: North Carolina-based Epic Games. Innovative game design and smart leveraging of social media and live streaming catapulted it into becoming one of the world's biggest video games. And today, Fortnite is a bona fide cultural phenomenon. But can the memes and viral dance moves go on forever?Featuring:  ---Brian Gordon, Technology & Innovation reporter for The News & Observer ---Jamal Michel, video game and culture critic Links:  ---Check out Brian’s [multi-part series on Epic Games and Fortnite] (https://www.newsobserver.com/news/business/article292473374.html) . ---Read Jamal’s [recent piece in The New York Times] (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/18/arts/video-games-women-gamergate.html) about the history of female characters in video games. ---You can find [a transcript of this episode here] (https://www.wunc.org/2024-11-14/the-broadside-transcript-the-worlds-biggest-video-game-is-from-north-carolina) . Donate: The Broadside is made possible by contributions from listeners like you. Support WUNC-North Carolina Public Radio and this podcast by [making a donation here] (http://wunc.convio.net/site/Donation2?2885.donation=form1&df_id=2885&mfc_pref=T&utm_campaign=fall_drive&utm_source=housefile&utm_medium=podcasts&s_src=podcasts_a&utm_content=podcasts_a) . Sign up for [WUNC's new Politics Newsletter here.] (https://www.wunc.org/wunc-politics-newsletter-sign-up?utm_source=broadside&utm_medium=podcast) ... Read more

14 Nov 2024

20 MINS

20:57

14 Nov 2024


#61

A Day in the Life: The artist

This week we're launching a new kind of episode where we spend an ordinary day in the life of someone doing something extraordinary. Join us as we tag along with renowned North Carolina-based muralist Dare Coulter while she works to bring a very big and very public artistic vision to life. Featuring:  --- [Dare Coulter] (https://www.darecoulter.com/) , professional artist and muralist Links:  ---View Anisa and Charlie’s [horse drawings here] (https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/d8/95/b451755e4e4098a227eb081a36c6/horses.png) . ---You can find a [transcript of this episode here] (https://www.wunc.org/2024-11-07/the-broadside-transcript-a-day-in-the-life-the-artist) . ---Check out more of Dare's artwork on her [Instagram] (https://www.instagram.com/darecoulter/?hl=en) and [Facebook] (https://www.facebook.com/dareart/) . Donate: The Broadside is made possible by contributions from listeners like you. Support WUNC-North Carolina Public Radio and this podcast by [making a donation here] (http://wunc.convio.net/site/Donation2?2885.donation=form1&df_id=2885&mfc_pref=T&utm_campaign=fall_drive&utm_source=housefile&utm_medium=podcasts&s_src=podcasts_a&utm_content=podcasts_a) . Sign up for [WUNC's new Politics Newsletter here.] (https://www.wunc.org/wunc-politics-newsletter-sign-up?utm_source=broadside&utm_medium=podcast) ... Read more

07 Nov 2024

21 MINS

21:05

07 Nov 2024