Studio 2

WHYY

Everything you need to know about what’s happening in the Delaware Valley – from news and politics to science and the arts– delivered with a fresh perspective, all in an hour.

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100 episodes
Updated Thursday

Episodes100

Newest first

May 20 · 52 min
What to make of the primary election results
What do yesterday’s primary results signal about the current political landscape? We’re unpacking local and national results and looking ahead at the key races to come.
May 19 · 51 min
Online health trends: fact versus fiction
Why are so many Americans turning to influencers for medical advice? And which online health trends are truly backed by science?
May 18 · 51 min
The rise of independent voters
According to a recent Gallup poll, 45% of Americans now consider themselves independent. What’s behind the rise?
May 14 · 51 min
Hacking your budget in an uncertain economy
In an uncertain economy with rising inflation, Americans are finding creative, even unorthodox ways to save money. Our experts share budgeting tips and tricks.
May 13 · 51 min
Inside America’s emergency room crisis
Why are patients stuck in the emergency department for days waiting on a hospital bed? We’re talking about the chronic overcrowding that is ailing American hospitals.
May 12 · 51 min
Inflation, redistricting war, Pa.’s role in control of U.S. House
Inflation hit its highest level in three years — driven by surging costs for energy, food and housing, according to a Bureau of Labor Statistics report released Tuesday morning. Just a few days ago, the Trump administration declared an economic victory thanks to a stronger than expected jobs report. Still, the latest data shows prices rising faster than wage growth, and a new CNN poll showed President Trump at a career low approval rating on the economy. Those polled put much of the blame on the war in Iran, putting Republicans on the defensive heading into the midterms. Against that backdrop, the recent Supreme Court ruling weakening the Voting Rights Act has unleashed a new round of redistricting wars, with several southern states moving swiftly to break up minority-majority congressional districts that reliably vote Democratic. Locally, Pennsylvania is seen as key in the fight to control the House of Representatives, with four seats currently held by Republicans that Democrats think they can flip, including in Bucks County and the Lehigh Valley. In Philadelphia, voters have their eyes on the heated 3rd Congressional District democratic primary, plus new immigration bills signed by Mayor Cherelle Parker. On this hour of Studio 2, we get perspectives from both sides of the aisle about these headlines and more.
May 11 · 51 min
How mega-mergers are reshaping media
Who are the billionaires redrawing the maps of our media ecosystem? What will change if some of the biggest names in entertainment and news fall under the the same umbrella?
May 7 · 51 min
The best living American songwriters
The New York Times Magazine released a list of the top 30 living American songwriters, from Taylor Swift, to Stevie Wonder, to Jay-Z. Who made the cut and who didn’t?
May 6 · 52 min
Dying on the Inside: What happens to aging women in prison?
Soon, 1 in 3 incarcerated people will be over 50. But prisons are not equipped to handle the aging population. A new podcast by Studio 2’s Cherri Gregg explores this dilemma.
May 5 · 51 min
City roundup: school closures, Uber tax, ICE bills
We’re diving into the top local news stories impacting Philadelphians.
May 4 · 51 min
Fallout after SCOTUS guts Voting Rights Act
A recent Supreme Court decision is shaking the American political landscape. What does it mean for the midterms and for the future of democracy?
April 30 · 52 min
Tavern Revolution 250: The Hessians
We’re talking about the role of Hessian soldiers in the American Revolution. Plus, an astonishing recent discovery at the site of a 1777 battle.
April 29 · 55 min
3rd Congressional District Democratic primary debate
State Rep. Chris Rabb and State Sen. Sharif Street debated the issues and made their case for why Philly voters should send them to Congress.
April 28 · 52 min
The wild cost of weddings
The average wedding now costs around $35,000, a figure that can rival a down payment on a first home or years of student loan payments. In response to rising prices, many couples are rethinking tradition altogether, opting instead for backyard ceremonies, courthouse weddings or cool, casual parties in place of formal receptions (think: food trucks and DIYs). Guests have been spending crazy money, too. Between travel, attire, gifts and pre-wedding events like showers and bachelorette parties, attending a wedding can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Are weddings today worth the cost? Guests: Esther Lee, Editorial Director at The Knot Lauren Ladouceur, wedding content creator @WeddingsWithLaur
April 27 · 51 min
The Big Fix: How to power our future
America’s power grid is buckling as energy demand soars. Fuel shocks from the war in Iran are only exacerbating concerns. So how do we keep the lights on?
April 24 · 15 min
Studio 2 Extra: Philly author Emma Copley Eisenberg
A collection of short stories called “Fat Swim” by Philly author Emma Copley Eisenberg is slated for release on April 28th. In it, Eisenberg explores queer relationships, Philadelphia’s social landscape, and bodies – how they shape us, why some authors avoid talking about them, and why they should start.
April 23 · 51 min
Why We Talk Funny: The Real Story Behind Our Accents
Linguist Valerie Fridland guides us through the history of accents and why certain ones stick while others disappear, and what they reveal about power, identity and belonging.
April 22 · 51 min
Fact, fiction and future for U.S. scientific and medical research
Billions in potential cuts to the National Institutes of Health could dramatically reshape the future of American science. The Trump administration’s latest budget proposal calls for a 10% reduction in funding to NIH funding and additional cuts to other science agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency and NASA. Congress ultimately beat back steeper proposed cuts to NIH last year and appears poised to do so again, but the science reductions that have gone through have left many doctors and researchers reeling. Labs have tightened budgets, clinical trials are being scaled back or delayed, and a generation of young scientists faces an increasingly uncertain future. The Trump administration has specifically targeted initiatives it sees as political, including researching health outcomes for women and minorities, as well as climate change and mRNA vaccines. Amid other priority shifts, experts worry there could be ripple effects that stall progress on cancer, Alzheimer’s and other rare diseases. This isn’t a typical partisan fight. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have raised alarms about what’s at stake, framing NIH funding as essential to public health, economic growth, and America’s global leadership in science. So why are cuts still on the table and where will the impact hit hardest? On this episode of Studio 2, the fight over health, science and our country’s global edge. Guests: — Max Kozlov, science journalist at Nature — Allie Sinclair, Joan Bossert Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania and an incoming Assistant Professor of psychological sciences at Rice University
April 21 · 51 min
AI and the future of work
Are doomsday predictions of AI’s impact on workers overblown?
April 20 · 43 min
Economic check-in: Stocks surge, consumers wary, Fed Chair pick
Consumer sentiment reached an all time low last week, according to a long-running University of Michigan survey. Are Americans right to be glum about the economy? President Donald Trump has waved away economic concerns, pointing to a thriving stock market and continues to call for interest rate cuts. And if his nominee for Federal Reserve chair gets the green light in Tuesday’s Senate Banking Committee hearing, he just might get them. So who is President Trump’s pick to lead the central bank? And what might new leadership mean for inflation and the economy? Guests: Lydia DePillis, economics reporter for the New York Times Patrick Harker, Former President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia and professor at The Wharton School

Studio 2

What to make of the primary election results

Online health trends: fact versus fiction

The rise of independent voters

Hacking your budget in an uncertain economy

Inside America’s emergency room crisis

Inflation, redistricting war, Pa.’s role in control of U.S. House

How mega-mergers are reshaping media

The best living American songwriters

Dying on the Inside: What happens to aging women in prison?

City roundup: school closures, Uber tax, ICE bills

Fallout after SCOTUS guts Voting Rights Act

Tavern Revolution 250: The Hessians

3rd Congressional District Democratic primary debate

The wild cost of weddings

The Big Fix: How to power our future

Studio 2 Extra: Philly author Emma Copley Eisenberg

Why We Talk Funny: The Real Story Behind Our Accents

Fact, fiction and future for U.S. scientific and medical research

AI and the future of work

Economic check-in: Stocks surge, consumers wary, Fed Chair pick