Reveal
274 episodes - English - Latest episode: 16 days ago - ★★★★★ - 5.8K ratingsFrom prisons to protests, immigration to the environment, Peabody Award-winning Reveal goes deep into the pressing issues of our times. The Atlantic says “the experience of each episode is akin to a spoonful of sugar, even when it’s telling a story about Richard Spencer’s cotton farms or a man’s final days as a heroin addict.” Reveal is a project of The Center for Investigative Reporting and is co-produced with PRX. The show is hosted by Al Letson and partners with reporters and newsrooms around the world, including The Washington Post, ProPublica, APM, The Marshall Project and The Investigative Fund. Reveal is a Pulitzer Prize finalist and has won many broadcast journalism awards, including a duPont and three national Emmys.
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Episodes
An American Murder in Istanbul: Justice for Halla
February 20, 2021 05:00 - 51 minutes - 47 MBAn American journalist and her mom are found murdered in Istanbul. Police say they caught the killer. Friends and family say the investigation was incomplete. In collaboration with ABC News and freelance reporter Fariba Nawa, we dig into the investigative files against the convicted killer and learn that the U.S. government chose not to get involved in the investigation. This show was originally released on Oct. 10, 2020. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Revea...
Timber Wars
February 13, 2021 05:00 - 50 minutes - 46.2 MBThirty years ago, activists and scientists turned a fight over the spotted owl and ancient trees into one of the biggest environmental conflicts of the century. The process transformed the way we see – and fight over – the natural world. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
The Ticket Trap
February 06, 2021 05:00 - 50 minutes - 46 MBSports, theater and concert fans are itching for events to start happening again. So are clever ticket sellers who’ve figured out ways to cash in on unsuspecting customers shopping online. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
How the Pandemic Changed Us
January 30, 2021 05:00 - 50 minutes - 45.8 MBRacial justice, police accountability, mutual aid, climate activism and warp-speed vaccines – we examine the ways our COVID-19 year changed American society. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
A Transfer of Power
January 23, 2021 05:00 - 49 minutes - 45.3 MBRage, chaos and conspiracies defined Donald Trump’s last days as president. As the nation swears in Joe Biden, we look at the long shadow cast by the White supremacist and anti-immigrant forces that brought Trump to power. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
The Evolution of All-American Terrorism (rebroadcast)
January 16, 2021 05:00 - 50 minutes - 46.2 MBLong before the attempted coup by his supporters, Trump fanned the flames of white supremacy & domestic terrorism. This week on Reveal, we track the increase in right-wing domestic terrorist attacks since 2016—and ask whether law enforcement has taken these violent threats seriously enough. This is a rebroadcast of a show that originally aired June 27, 2020. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
Democracy Under Siege
January 09, 2021 05:00 - 48 minutes - 44.8 MBA mob of Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol, aiming to block the certification of Joe Biden’s election victory. How did we get here? We examine President Donald Trump’s rhetoric over the last four years, as he stoked conspiracy theories, coddled White supremacists and laid the groundwork for inciting violence. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
Take No Prisoners (Rebroadcast)
January 02, 2021 05:00 - 50 minutes - 46.3 MBThis episode originally was broadcast July 28, 2018. In December 1944, Frank Hartzell was a young soldier pressed into fierce fighting during the Battle of the Bulge. He was there battling Nazi soldiers for control of the Belgian town of Chenogne, and he was there afterward when dozens of unarmed German prisoners of war were gunned down in a field. Reporter Chris Harland-Dunaway pieces together what led up to that event, who was responsible and why no Americans were held account...
When Lighting the Voids (Rebroadcast)
December 26, 2020 05:00 - 50 minutes - 46.6 MBThis week, we present a special episode of Reveal produced by our partners at StoryWorks, a documentary theater company. “When Lighting The Voids” is an audio drama inspired by Reveal’s investigation into a deadly explosion at a Mississippi shipyard. This deconstructed mystery is based on real accounts, real events and real people. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
Policing Pregnancy
December 19, 2020 05:00 - 50 minutes - 46.3 MBIf the Supreme Court reverses Roe v. Wade, states could set their own rules about abortion. Some states have already closed clinics, and for those that remain they’ve added obstacles—like collecting personal data about people who get abortions and declaring that fetuses have civil rights from conception. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
All the President’s Pardons (Update)
December 12, 2020 05:00 - 51 minutes - 46.7 MBPresident Donald Trump has granted clemency to several controversial people, including former national security adviser Michael Flynn and Trump’s friend and political operative Roger Stone. But what about the people who have applied through the official process and are waiting for answers? We go beyond the headlines and tell the story of a pardons system that’s completely broken down. In 2019, we focused on the case of Charles “Duke” Tanner, a former boxer who was sentenced to life ...
Reproducing Racism (Rebroadcast)
December 05, 2020 05:00 - 50 minutes - 46.3 MBAs racial disparities in health come into the spotlight amid COVID-19, we explore how the legacy of racism affects maternal health in the U.S. Plus, we hear from doctors working hard to turn things around. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
Fancy Galleries, Fake Art (Rebroadcast)
November 28, 2020 05:00 - 50 minutes - 46.5 MBThe story of how two well-respected New York art galleries sold more than $80 million in fake art, and why almost no one ever was punished by authorities. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
The Bad Place
November 21, 2020 05:00 - 50 minutes - 46.7 MBThe vacant building that once housed the Riverside Academy in Wichita, Kansas, was covered in haunting graffiti: “Burn this place.” “Youth were abused here … systematically.” “This is a bad place.” The facility, run by the for-profit company Sequel Youth & Family Services, promised to help kids with behavioral problems. But state officials had cited the facility dozens of times for problems including excessive force by staff, poor supervision and neglect. Don’t miss out on the nex...
Trump’s Global Echoes
November 18, 2020 05:00 - 8 minutes - 7.89 MBThe United States has traditionally been a leader of democracy internationally, taking a big role in establishing institutions such as the United Nations. But President Donald Trump’s “America First” priorities have left a leadership vacuum in important international organizations. What will it take to turn that around? Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
United, We’re Not
November 14, 2020 05:00 - 51 minutes - 47.1 MBWhere does America go from here? We talk with an asylum-seeking family, a Georgia woman on abortion access, and West Virginians on the impact of Black Lives Matter. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
The American Divide
November 07, 2020 05:00 - 50 minutes - 46.7 MBUnborn babies' hearts are at risk as EPA caves to chemical companies’ 20-year effort to whitewash the science on the risks of an extremely dangerous and prevalent chemical, TCE. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
Stopping a Movement
October 31, 2020 04:00 - 50 minutes - 46 MBIn what may be the largest protest movement in the nation’s history, millions of Americans have taken to the streets this year to protest racism and police brutality. In response, the federal government cracked down, filing charges against protesters in 31 states. We also learn how Austin, Texas, voted to slash its police budget. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
Remembering a White Supremacist Coup
October 24, 2020 04:00 - 50 minutes - 46.4 MBOn the eve of a contentious election, Reveal looks back to the nearly forgotten election of 1898 in Wilmington, North Carolina. A coup d’etat gave birth to much of the structural racism that still plagues our nation today. This suppressed history left a deep scar that the local community is still working to overcome. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
An Adolescence, Seized
October 17, 2020 04:00 - 50 minutes - 45.9 MBA 10-year-old Honduran girl came to the United States seeking asylum. Instead, she was detained – away from her family – for nearly seven years. Reporter Aura Bogado follows her story. After a lawsuit against the U.S. government, we discover that tens of thousands of children have been held in custody for months, instead of days. And nearly 1,000 have spent more than a year in shelters. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
Whose Vote Will Count?
October 03, 2020 04:00 - 50 minutes - 46.5 MBFrom problems with vote-by-mail systems to voter suppression, we travel to Wisconsin and Florida to examine the potential for chaos in the 2020 elections. Then we hear from postal workers about handling the huge number of mail-in ballots. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
Catching Amazon in a Lie
September 26, 2020 04:00 - 50 minutes - 46.5 MBAmazon says its warehouses are safe for workers, but we’ve obtained numbers that show they’re getting hurt much more often than the company claims. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
COVID-19 in Confinement
September 19, 2020 04:00 - 50 minutes - 46.3 MBAt a time when self-isolation is the best way to avoid the pandemic, we examine two places where people have no choice but to live with strangers: nursing homes and prisons. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
America's Ring of Fire (Rebroadcast)
September 12, 2020 04:00 - 50 minutes - 45.9 MBWildfires are getting bigger, more expensive to fight and closer than ever to where people live. The consequences can be deadly. We examine how wildfires got so dangerous – and how some are fighting back. Parts of this episode originally were broadcast Oct. 8, 2016. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
The Robert Mueller of Latin America
September 05, 2020 04:00 - 51 minutes - 46.9 MBCrusading prosecutor Iván Velásquez has been called the Robert Mueller of Latin America. He’s known for jailing presidents and paramilitaries. But Velásquez met his match when he went after Jimmy Morales, a television comedian who was elected president of Guatemala. Morales found an ally in Donald Trump. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
The Refuge Revealed (Rebroadcast)
August 29, 2020 04:00 - 50 minutes - 46.6 MBThe 40-year fight over drilling for oil in one of the world’s wildest places, Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, is coming to a head. The Department of the Interior has just removed the final hurdle to allow oil industry bids for the right to drill in the refuge. Opponents say climate change is warming the Arctic twice as fast as the rest of the planet, and the plants, animals and people living there are struggling to adapt. In this episode, we examine the future of the refu...
Lost in Transplantation (Rebroadcast)
August 22, 2020 04:00 - 50 minutes - 46.4 MBQuickly delivering donated organs to patients waiting for a transplant is a matter of life and death. Yet transportation errors are leading to delays in surgeries, putting patients in danger and making some organs unusable. This episode originally was broadcast Feb. 8, 2020. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
Monumental Lies (Update)
August 15, 2020 04:00 - 51 minutes - 47.5 MBThe Civil War ended more than 150 years ago, but the Confederacy didn't completely die with it. Monuments, shrines and museums are found throughout the South. We teamed up with Type Investigations to visit dozens of them and found that for devoted followers, they inspire a disturbing – and distorted – view of history: Confederate generals as heroes. Slaves who were happy to work for them. That twisted history is also shared with schoolchildren on class trips. And you won't believe w...
American Rehab Chapter 8: Shadow Workforce
August 08, 2020 07:00 - 52 minutes - 48.5 MBFor decades, work-based rehabs have spread across the country. No one knows how many are out there, so we counted them ourselves. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
American Rehab Chapter 7: The Work Cure
August 01, 2020 04:00 - 50 minutes - 46.2 MBOne man’s journey into Cenikor leads to almost two years of backbreaking labor. The program will change him. But can it help Chris Koon with his addiction? Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
American Rehab Chapter 6: The White Vans
July 29, 2020 04:00 - 23 minutes - 21.7 MBBefore sunrise, a line of passenger vans heads to job sites across Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Cenikor didn't want to show us where they were sending rehab participants to work. So we followed the vans to find out. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
American Rehab Chapter 5: Reagan with the Snap
July 25, 2020 04:00 - 34 minutes - 31.2 MBCenikor rises from the ashes, thanks to the inventor of NFL football pads, the war on drugs and the endorsement of an American president. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
American Rehab Chapter 4: Cowboy Conman
July 18, 2020 07:00 - 51 minutes - 46.8 MBHe’s a liar, a killer and a wannabe country music singer. Luke Austin finds Synanon in prison and borrows from its philosophy to create Cenikor. But graft and violence nearly destroy it. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
American Rehab Chapter 3: A Venomous Snake
July 11, 2020 04:00 - 1 hour - 55.1 MBAfter amassing a small fortune, Synanon’s megalomaniac leader turns the revolutionary rehab into a violent cult, with mass sterilization, a paramilitary group and a rattlesnake in a mailbox. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
American Rehab Chapter 2: Miracle on the Beach
July 04, 2020 07:00 - 54 minutes - 49.8 MBCenikor’s bizarre form of rehab has its roots in Synanon: a revolutionary rehab that started in the 1950s on a California beach. Its charismatic leader, Charles Dederich, mesmerized the nation by claiming to have developed a cure for drug addiction. The program became a phenomenon and quickly spread across the country. But soon, Dederich wanted to profit off its success, and this “miracle” began to change. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter tod...
American Rehab Chapter 1: A Desperate Call
July 04, 2020 07:00 - 22 minutes - 20.7 MBPenny Rawlings is relieved to finally get her brother into rehab at a place called Cenikor. She doesn’t realize that getting him out of treatment is going to be the bigger problem. This is the first chapter in Reveal’s American Rehab series, exposing how a treatment for drug addiction has turned tens of thousands of people into an unpaid shadow workforce. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
American Rehab 1: A Desperate Call
July 04, 2020 07:00 - 22 minutes - 20.7 MBPenny Rawlings is relieved to finally get her brother into rehab at a place called Cenikor. She doesn’t realize that getting him out of treatment is going to be the bigger problem. This is the first chapter in Reveal’s American Rehab series, exposing how a treatment for drug addiction has turned tens of thousands of people into an unpaid shadow workforce. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
An Old Hate Goes Viral
July 01, 2020 07:00 - 15 minutes - 14.2 MBSince the coronavirus started spreading in the United States, members of the Asian American/Pacific Islander community have been verbally assaulted, coughed at and spit on, and even physically attacked. This is the latest chapter in an ongoing saga of hate and racism spreading alongside a public health crisis. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
The Evolution of All-American Terrorism
June 27, 2020 07:00 - 50 minutes - 46.7 MBThe Trump years have seen an increase in domestic terrorist attacks linked by hateful ideologies that thrive online. Reveal teams up with Type Investigations to track each case and determine what the government has done to fight them. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
Unrepentant
June 20, 2020 07:00 - 49 minutes - 45.7 MBDespite revelations of clergy sex abuse and promises of transparency, a prominent Jesuit university does little to punish priests who cross the line. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
Divided States of the Pandemic
June 13, 2020 07:00 - 49 minutes - 45.1 MBThe federal government’s early failures to manage the coronavirus shifted a heavy burden to local officials. We look at how decision-makers in two states, California and Florida, found their way to shutdown and beyond. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
The Uprising
June 06, 2020 07:00 - 48 minutes - 44.3 MBAs Americans take to the streets, we hear from the person prosecuting the police officers charged in George Floyd’s killing. We also hear from protesters around the country and remember the history of policing in black communities. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
Home School
May 30, 2020 07:00 - 50 minutes - 46.5 MBOnline learning works only if you can get online. Why tens of thousands of families are still caught on the wrong side of the digital divide. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
Reproducing Racism
May 23, 2020 07:00 - 50 minutes - 45.9 MBAs racial disparities in health come into the spotlight amid COVID-19, we explore how the legacy of racism affects maternal health in the U.S. Plus, we hear from doctors working hard to turn things around. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
Homewreckers (Rebroadcast)
May 16, 2020 07:00 - 50 minutes - 46.6 MBAfter the housing bust, a group of men profited by destroying the American dream of homeownership for hundreds of thousands of families. On Reveal, we learn how these Homewreckers did it and expose how that’s putting our economy at risk amid the COVID-19 pandemic. This episode originally was broadcast Oct. 19, 2019. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
(Un)protected
May 09, 2020 07:00 - 49 minutes - 45.5 MBAt a time when America is relying on health care workers more than ever, we look at why there’s not enough protective gear to keep them safe. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
Harpooned by Facebook (Rebroadcast)
May 02, 2020 07:00 - 50 minutes - 46.6 MBAs the pandemic sends more people online looking for entertainment, we look at how Facebook and other companies gather information about their users and turn it into profits. This episode originally was broadcast Aug. 3, 2019. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
Pandemic, Protests and Profits
April 25, 2020 07:00 - 49 minutes - 45.7 MBProtesters around the country are pushing to loosen stay-at-home orders, even though health experts say that could lead to a spike in coronavirus cases. Meanwhile, some Amazon workers say not enough is being done to protect them. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
The Cost of COVID-19
April 18, 2020 07:00 - 49 minutes - 45.5 MBCan the biggest stimulus in modern U.S. history stave off home foreclosures, save businesses and prevent the worst economic crash since the Great Depression? Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
Detained and Exposed
April 11, 2020 07:00 - 49 minutes - 45.6 MBSocial distancing, hand-washing and self-isolation are supposed to keep us safe from the coronavirus. But if you’re locked up in an immigrant detention center, it’s impossible to follow those rules. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.