Podcasts: Talk The Talk
Talk The Talk
Weekdays 8:00 -10:00 a.m. EST; rebroadcast 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. EST
Bill Newman and Friends host newsmakers, activists, authors, & artists – including:
Mayors Monday(Northampton, Holyoke, Easthampton) & Amherst Town Mgr Paul Bockelman, Salman Hameed’s Universe, the Comedy Quiz, Black In the Valley (Professor Amilcar Shabazz) Political Gold (Josh Silver), Our House (Congressman Jim McGovern), DA David Sullivan, Writers Block (Megan Zinn), Science and Sensibility (Brian Adams), Righting Wrongs (ACLUM Carol Rose), State Senators Comerford & Mark, Representatives Sabadosa, Duffy, & Domb, ArtBeat (Donnabelle Casis), Cool Films (Larry Hott), Feminist Futures (Carrie Baker), Talkin’ Baseball & Fair Play (Duke Goldman), Your State U (MTA Pres. Max Page) All That Jazz (Ruth Griggs & John Anz), Exec. Editor, DHG & Gfld Recorder, Dan Crowley.
Author, Speaker, Poet, Musician
9/25/25: Author JL Spear on “Daemon Protocol,” an AI thriller. Paul Newlin & Marianna Massed: the Whately Civic Assn’s new speakers series (Newman is first!) Renown poet Martín Espada: in conversation w/ Andre Dubus III this evening. John Anz w/ star pianist Mike LeDonne, N’ton JazzFest performer—this Saturday.
To (Y)our Health
9/24/25: N’ton City Council Pres Alex Jarrett: municipal health — money, schools & priorities. CDH Dr “Sunny” Shukla: yr health & weight management. GCC science prof Brian Adams w/ Tom Ricardi on rehabbing raptors. David Boles & Stacey Lennard: our rivers’ health & Saturday’s Source to Sea Cleanup.
Just the Facts Please
9/23/25: Pol Consultant Josh Silver w/ N’ton City Council Pres Alex Jarrett: true facts on N’ton’s budget. Prof Kerstin Nordstrom on Wed’s SciTech Cafe w/ Prof Marta Sabariego: how the brain learns from frustration. Duke Goldman: free speech & sports.
Equinox
9/22/25: Astronomer Grant Wilson on to discuss UMass’ Sunwheel on this Autumnal Equinox. Angela Flournoy: “The Wilderness,” reading at Odyssey. UMass Prof Amilcar Shabazz updates on Amherst Black Reparations Committee. Amherst Town Mgr. Paul Bockelman on public construction projects, the Civic Academy, and Friday’s Cuppa’ Joe w/ Paul & School Super Dr. Xi.
Two Presidents,1 Rep, 1 Prof, & 5 Artists
9/19/25: UMass Pres Marty Meehan & MTA Pres Max Page on $, politics & the future. Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa: saving rural hospitals. Amherst Prof Austin Sarat: on freedom (?) of speech today. David Knowles, Jeannine Haas & Jean Koester: “Seeing Violet” in Ashfield. Donnabelle Casis w/ Siddhartha Shah: the Mead’s amazing exhibit.
Shots
9/18/25: Immunologist Dr. Jonathan Bayuk: covid & flu shots & RFK, Jr. Gazette & Gfld Recorder Ex Ed Dan Crowlwy: covering elections & bullets in Belchertown. Rabbah Riqi Kosovske: Jewish High Holidays & the War in Gaza. Nhmptn Jazz Festival Pres Ruth Griggs w/ the extraordinary Zaccai Curtis.
Moving On
9/17/25: N’ton election results & at-large candidate Ben Spencer. Prison Policy Initiative’s Jacob Kang-Brown: federal immigrant detention. Brian Adams w/ N’ton Youth Comm Co-Chair Helen Tejirian & Mothers Out Front Coordinator Denise Lello: this weekend’s climate action event. City council candidates Garrick Perry & Gwen Nabad: the vote, housing, & what’s next?
Free Speech
9//16/25: Nhmtn School Comm member & beloved former principal Gwen Agna on schools & politics. NEPM reporter Karen Brown: her investigation of gambling in MA. A cheesy Comedy Quiz w/ Maddy Benjamin, Scott Braidman, Buz & Dan. Smith Prof. Carrie Baker: Charlie Kirk and free speech.
Resist!
9/15/25: UMass STPEC Dir Toussaint Losier: social justice in the age of Trump. Megan Zinn w/ Mike Curato, author of the graphic novel “Gaysians.” Political analyst Josh Silver on tomorrow’s Northampton Preliminary. Hannah Moushabeck of Interlink Publishing & activist Christian Reader on next Saturday’s Read & Resist Festival.
Unruly Treasures
9/12/25: MTA Pres Max Page w/ Jason Wozniak, organizer at Debt Collective. Garrick Perry, incumbent & Northampton city councilor at-large candidate. OTones’ Mary Witt & Forbes’ Library Dir Lisa Downing: launching the Hess Performance Stage. Author Jeanne Birdsall on “The Library of Unruly Treasures.” Donnabelle Casis w/ Cima Khademi & Leila Rahnamaabadi, exhibitors at APE’s “My Mind in Bloom.”
