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.  

Frozen Out in the Cold

1/21/26: Former Amherst Town Council Member Andy Steinberg—crisis in muni budgets? Baseball historian Duke Goldman & Howard Bryant’s Kings and Pawns: Jackie Robinson and Paul Robeson in America. All Out Adventure Exe. Dir.’s Karen Foster Cold Plunge, Cool Films with Larry Hott Come See Me in the Good Light & Mistress Dispeller.

sabadosa

Minding Our Ps & Qs

1/16/26: MTA Pres Max Page: death by 1,000 cuts? Rep Lindsay Sabadosa: our democracy, ourselves. Amherst Coll Prof Austin Sarat: Trump, higher ed & troops on the streets. Josh Silver: behind the headlines, polls & pols. Donnabelle Cass w/ Smith Coll Museum of Art’s Emma Chub – the extraordinary exhibit “Don’t Mind if I Do.”

Dr Jonathan bayuk

No Net

1/15/26: Dr. Jonathan Bayuk: flu is rampaging & the medical system failing. Gazette & Gfld Recorder Ex Editor Dan Crowley: Trump’s attacks on the press & behind local headlines. UMass Legal Studies Prof, Atty Jamie Rowen: Trump, Venezuela, Greenland & int’l law. Ruth Griggs w/ star flute and sax musician Anna Webber: coming to the Iron Horse w/ her nonet.

The Big Picture

1/14/26: Amherst Councilor Lynn Greismer: schools & the 2026 financial cliff. Phil Ringwood, Ex Dir, Dial Self: homeless youth here. Hillary Caws-Elwitt: light eaters, romantic turtles, talking trees & books. Amherst Cinema’s Alex Horbeck & George Myers: films you really want to see.

Looking Forward and Back

1/13/26: Pat Goggins on commercial rent in Northampton. Prof Amilcar Shabazz on violence in America – yesterday & today. Bishop Talbot Swan: MLK as a radical prophet. Duke Goldman: the Red Sox let another star go.

Taking Time

1/12/26: Amherst author Jill Shulman: choosing a college & taking time to tell them who you are. Megan Zinn w/ Jedediah Berry, author of “The Naming Song,” winner of the 2025 Mass Book Award for Fiction –a decade to write. Holyoke Mayor Joshua Garica, Treasurer Rory Casey & Councilor Megan McGrath-Smith: years to change the 1879 law. UMass Prof Amilcar Shabazz: years later, are we honoring MLK’s legacy?

Max Page

A Stitch in Time

1/9/26: MTA Pres Max Page: strong unions, Social Security & the state budget. Community Action Pioneer Valley’s Lev Ben Ezra & Jess Thompson: the working poor & Volunteer Income Tax Assistance. Astronomer Salman Hameed: space station troubles, aliens & galaxies w/o stars. Donnabelle Casis w/ Hannah & Anneke Corbett: “Stitchin’ Kin.”

Proof

Proof

1/8/26: Heartbeat Theater’s Kimberly Gaughan & Jason Rose-Langston on “Proof.” Human rts atty Laura Pitter: Trump’s justifications for ICE’s killing & Maduro’s abduction. UMass Prof Cole Fitzpatrick: new local data on car fatalities. Ruth Griggs w/ Valley Jazz Voices Dir Jeff Olmsted: Saturday’s fabulous concert @ Bombyx.

Brumation & Torpor?

1/7/25: DA David Sullivan: Venezuela, fentanyl & local prosecutions. Broadside Bookshop co-owner Roz Kreshak-Hayden: navigating Picture Main St & new books she loves. Mass Audubon’s Tom Lautzenheiser: brumation, waking up winter, & meadow-jumping mice. Larry Hott’s Cool Films: “The Alabama Solution” & “The Perfect Neighbor.”

Recent Headlines

2 days ago in Sports, Trending

Ohtani has grand slam, 5 RBIs as Japan routs Taiwan 13-0 in its WBC opener

Shohei Ohtani doubled on the first pitch of the game, then hit a go-ahead grand slam and an RBI single in a 10-run second inning to lead defending champion Japan over Taiwan 13-0 Friday night in its World Baseball Classic opener.

3 days ago in Entertainment, Trending

Britney Spears arrested and released, California sheriff’s records show, though charge is not clear

Britney Spears was arrested Wednesday night in Southern California and booked early Thursday, according to the Ventura County Sheriff's office, which didn't say what charge she faces.

3 days ago in National

Dow drops 1,000 points after oil spikes to its highest price since the summer of 2024

The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped more than 1,000 points Thursday after the price of oil spiked to its highest level since the summer of 2024 because of the war with Iran.

3 days ago in National

Savannah Guthrie makes offscreen visit to ‘Today’ show, first since her mother went missing

Savannah Guthrie made an off-camera appearance Thursday at NBC's "Today" show studios to thank colleagues for their support since her mother Nancy went missing from her Arizona home a month ago.

3 days ago in National

Trump fires Homeland Security Secretary Noem after mounting criticism over her leadership

President Donald Trump on Thursday fired his embattled Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, after mounting criticism over her leadership of the department, including the handling of the administration's immigration crackdown and disaster response.