Host of 'Reveal'
Al Letson is a playwright, performance poet and actor. He is also the host of Reveal and host and executive producer of State of the Re:Union, one of the fastest-growing public radio programs, airing on more than 200 stations and winner of a 2013 Edward R. Murrow Award in the news documentary category.
A revealing year In this episode, we look at some of our best reporting from 2017 and how Reveal has made an impact in our world.
Fire and Justice In 1988, two powerful explosions shook Kansas City, Missouri, killing six firefighters. Nine years later, five people were convicted of arson and sent to prison for life – but were they innocent? Reveal investigates problems in the case and whether federal agents pressured witnesses to lie. We also follow the life of one of the defendants and his bid for freedom.
The Pentagon Papers: Secrets, lies and leaks This episode of Reveal tells the story of Daniel Ellsberg, a former government strategist responsible for leaking the Pentagon Papers – thousands of classified documents that called into question America’s war in Vietnam. Our story juxtaposes Ellsberg’s story with that of Robert Rosenthal, our former executive director, whose first journalism job exposed him to the top-secret documents.
Where criminals get their guns Across the country, criminals are arming themselves in unexpected ways. In Florida, they're stealing guns from unlocked cars and gun stores. In other places, they're getting them from the police themselves, as cash-strapped departments sell their used weapons to buy new ones. On this episode of Reveal, we learn where criminals get their guns and what cars can teach us about gun safety.
Her own devices: Is a contraceptive implant making us sick? In Texas, women with limited access to abortions are traveling across the border to find a drug that will induce miscarriages. In Mississippi, anti-abortion groups are opening crisis pregnancy centers across from abortion clinics to persuade women to keep their babies. And one company offers permanent birth control through the insertion of a simple device – that's ended up causing health complications for thousands of women. We look into pregnancy and the ways people try to prevent it, end it and save it.
Pizzagate: A slice of fake news On this episode of Reveal, we look at #Pizzagate, the fake news story that inspired an act of domestic terrorism. This story takes us into the world of right-wing Twitter trolls, pro-Trump political operatives and fake-news profiteers from St. Louis to Macedonia.
Farming while black Reporter John Biewen of Scene on Radio tells the story of one black farm couple who say the USDA treated them unfairly because of their race.
Inside Trump's immigration crackdown Reveal examines efforts throughout the US to deport immigrants faster, detain them longer and prevent them from obtaining visas that might offer a path to legal residency.
Too many pills A Washington Post/60 Minutes partnership with Reveal tells the story of how a DEA insider and his team of lawyers and investigators tried to stop drug distribution companies from flooding America with truckloads of pain pills. His effort was met with backlash from his own agency, the drug industry and Congress.
All work. No pay. Life at a rehab work camp. Desperate to reduce crowding in jails and prisons, court systems all over the country are trying diversion – alternatives to putting offenders behind bars. Reveal peeks behind the good intentions and uneven results.
Does the time fit the crime? The number of women in US prisons and jails has increased more than 700 percent since 1980. And for 25 years, Oklahoma has led the nation in locking up women. Reveal looks at the causes behind this spike.
Street fight: A new wave of political violence In the aftermath of the violence at a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, militants from the left and the right are taking their battles to the streets. This week, we examine who they are and whether they're hurtling the country toward more civil strife.
What is Trump's plan for Middle East peace? On his first foreign tour, President Trump has promised "peace" between Israel and the Palestinians. Are there any details for re-starting talks that have been stalled for the past three years?
Will the Senate write a healthcare bill in secret? While Democrats and Republicans argue White House relations with Russia, another question is being decided behind closed doors: who gets help buying health insurance and who doesn't? We hear how the pros and cons are being shrouded in secrecy.
Replacing Obamacare: Now you see it… now you don’t As the Senate deliberates replacing Obmacare, health coverage for millions of people is at stake. There've been no public hearings, and a draft measure won't be made public. Is the House version so unpopular that that Senate is hiding a version that looks much the same?