Reveal
387 episodes - English - Latest episode: 14 days ago - ★★★★★ - 7.6K ratingsReveal’s investigations will inspire, infuriate and inform you. Host Al Letson and an award-winning team of reporters deliver gripping stories about caregivers, advocates for the unhoused, immigrant families, warehouse workers and formerly incarcerated people, fighting to hold the powerful accountable. The New Yorker described Reveal as “a knockout … a pleasure to listen to, even as we seethe.” A winner of multiple Peabody, duPont, Emmy and Murrow awards, Reveal is produced by the nation’s first investigative journalism nonprofit, The Center for Investigative Reporting, and PRX. From unearthing exploitative working conditions to exposing the nation’s racial disparities, there’s always more to the story. Learn more at revealnews.org/learn.
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Episodes
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.
Essential Workers
April 04, 2020 07:00 - 50 minutes - 45.9 MBWhile much of America shelters in place, farmworkers, grocery store clerks and airline employees remain on the front lines of the coronavirus crisis. But what’s being done to protect them from catching and spreading the virus? Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
Quarantine Nation
March 28, 2020 07:00 - 50 minutes - 46.2 MBQuarantines are supposed to contain the new coronavirus, but are the right people going into isolation, and are federal guidelines strong enough? Plus, why California abandoned medical stockpiles that could help doctors treat COVID-19. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
COVID-19 in the ER
March 21, 2020 07:00 - 49 minutes - 45.5 MBAs the new coronavirus spreads, an ER doctor in Seattle explains how he and other front-line physicians are learning to treat patients and keep themselves safe. Plus, more than eight years after the end of the Iraq War, an Iraqi man is suing a U.S. company that ran interrogations at the notorious Abu Ghraib prison. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
A Message from Reveal
March 19, 2020 07:00 - 1 minute - 1000 KBAl Letson with a programming note on Reveal's upcoming episodes
Containing the Coronavirus
March 14, 2020 07:00 - 48 minutes - 44.5 MBAs the new coronavirus spreads through the U.S., we chronicle how it came to California, with the voices of first responders, experts and passengers quarantined on a cruise ship docked in San Francisco Bay. Plus, we hear the story of an African American man who decades ago was shot and killed by a police officer who later became leader of the Ku Klux Klan. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
American Rehab (Trailer)
March 11, 2020 07:00 - 1 minute - 3.02 MBReveal is launching its first serialized investigation: American Rehab. In the midst of the worst opioid crisis in America’s history, Reveal uncovers a type of rehab that is flourishing by turning tens of thousands of people desperate for treatment into an unpaid workforce. The eight-episode series will run in Reveal’s podcast feed from March 28 to May 2, 2020.
The Refuge Revealed
March 07, 2020 08:00 - 51 minutes - 47 MBOil rigs may soon be coming to the nation’s largest wildlife refuge. We find out what that could mean to the people who live there. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
The Tell-Tale Hearts
February 29, 2020 08:00 - 50 minutes - 46.6 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.
Scuttling Science (Rebroadcast)
February 22, 2020 08:00 - 50 minutes - 46.5 MBAdvisory panels slashed, environmental regulations rolled back – how the Trump administration uses questionable science to justify its policies. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
Six Years Separated
February 15, 2020 08:00 - 50 minutes - 46.7 MBAn asylum-seeking migrant girl is separated from her family at the border and enters U.S. custody at 10 years old. Now, she’s 17 and still in a shelter, even though her family is ready to take her in. They just can’t find her. They turn to reporter Aura Bogado for help. We then revisit our 2019 investigation into an immigration judge who rejected nearly every asylum case that came before her. Finally, we follow a transgender woman as she tries to claim asylum Don’t miss out on the...
The honor walk
February 12, 2020 08:00 - 13 minutes - 12.4 MBA new ritual called an honor walk is bringing solace to families who’ve lost a loved one and consented to have organs donated. Hospitals are organizing these walks as a way to honor the gift of life that will be passed on to those who will benefit from transplants. * *Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
Lost in Transplantation
February 08, 2020 08:00 - 38 minutes - 35.4 MBDelivering donated organs quickly to patients waiting for a transplant is a matter of life and death. Yet transportation errors are leading to delays in surgeries that put patients in danger and make some organs unusable. * *Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
Don’t Count on the Census
February 01, 2020 08:00 - 51 minutes - 46.7 MBThe census is approaching, but experts warn the count will be inaccurate. From the controversial citizenship question to a flawed online rollout, we look at why the census is struggling and whether efforts to save it will work. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
Catch a Killer With Your DNA (rebroadcast)
January 18, 2020 08:00 - 51 minutes - 46.9 MBThis episode originally was broadcast Oct. 5, 2019. Genetic genealogy is a powerful crime-solving tool that combines DNA science with family tree research. Where will it take us – a crime-free world or a dark dystopia? Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
The lost homes of Detroit
January 11, 2020 08:00 - 50 minutes - 46.1 MBEntire blocks of Detroit look abandoned because people fell behind on property taxes and lost their homes. But hundreds of millions of dollars of that tax debt never should have been billed in the first place. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
The Pentagon Papers: Secrets, lies and leaks (rebroadcast)
January 04, 2020 08:00 - 50 minutes - 46.3 MBThis episode was originally broadcast in May 2016. Back in 1971, a 22-year-old journalist named Robert Rosenthal got a call from his boss at The New York Times. He told him to go to Room 1111 of the Hilton Hotel, bring enough clothes for at least a month and not tell anyone. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
Take No Prisoners (rebroadcast)
December 28, 2019 08:00 - 50 minutes - 46.6 MBThis episode was originally broadcast July 28, 2018. In December 1944, Adolf Hitler surprised the Allies with a secret counterattack through the Ardennes forest, known today as the Battle of the Bulge. In the carnage that followed, there was one incident that top military commanders hoped would be concealed. It’s the story of an American war crime nearly forgotten to history. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
Think Globally, Report Locally
December 14, 2019 08:00 - 54 minutes - 50 MBA high number of high school sports concussions. A low number of arrests for sexual assault. Reveal’s Reporting Network digs in. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
When Tasers Fail (rebroadcast)
December 07, 2019 08:00 - 50 minutes - 46.6 MBA Taser is supposed to help police resolve a situation without using their guns. But in police departments across America, Tasers aren’t always living up to their promise, sometimes with lethal results. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
Building a Wall Out of Red Tape
November 30, 2019 08:00 - 51 minutes - 46.9 MBWho qualifies for a visa? How much does it cost to become a U.S. citizen? Stories about the invisible barriers immigrants come up against when trying to apply for legal status. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
Amazon: Behind the Smiles
November 23, 2019 08:00 - 50 minutes - 46.6 MBShop. Click. And the next day, your purchase is on your doorstep. Amazon has changed the face of shopping, but at a surprisingly high cost to its workers. With Black Friday and Cyber Monday coming soon, we look at what’s behind those smiling packages to reveal the dangers of working at Amazon. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
Pushed out
November 20, 2019 08:00 - 10 minutes - 9.83 MBBlack girls are being pushed out of school and into jails at alarming rates, but this issue often is overlooked because youth incarceration reform focuses so much on boys. Reporter Ko Bragg explains how the cycle begins and what researchers hope will break it. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
Development Arrested
November 16, 2019 08:00 - 50 minutes - 46 MB**How does a seventh grader end up in solitary confinement in an adult jail? Reporter Ko Bragg takes us to Mississippi to learn about a set of laws that automatically send kids into the adult legal system for certain crimes. ** Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
The Secret List of Convicted Cops
November 09, 2019 08:00 - 50 minutes - 46.4 MBA reporter is threatened with prosecution, an officer outruns his past, and our host sits down with the president of the largest U.S. association of police officers to ask the question: When police officers misbehave, why does it stay secret? ** *Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.*
Pardon Me (Rebroadcast)
November 02, 2019 07:00 - 51 minutes - 46.8 MBAs the House of Representatives continues its impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump, we go back in time to the Nixon administration, when the threat of impeachment and a presidential pardon changed the course of history. We then examine the pardons system and learn why it has stopped functioning as originally intended. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
The Lynching of Thomas Finch
October 26, 2019 07:00 - 50 minutes - 46.6 MBIn 1936, an unarmed black man was killed by an Atlanta police officer who later became leader of the Ku Klux Klan. We explore why the city doesn’t recognize the case as a lynching. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
Homewreckers
October 19, 2019 07:00 - 51 minutes - 47.2 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 -- many of whom are close to President Donald Trump -- did it and meet a woman who fought back. This episode is based on Aaron Glantz’s new book, “Homewreckers: How a Gang of Wall Street Kingpins, Hedge Fund Magnates, Crooked Banks, and Vulture Capitalists Suckered Millions Out of Their Homes and Demolis...
Losing ground (rebroadcast)
October 12, 2019 07:00 - 50 minutes - 46.5 MBIn 1996, Eddie Wise, the son of a sharecropper, purchased a farm with a loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Twenty years later, the USDA foreclosed on the property and evicted him. Reveal investigates his claim that he was discriminated against because of his race. * *Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
Losing ground (rebroadcast)
October 12, 2019 07:00 - 50 minutes - 46.5 MBIn 1996, Eddie Wise, the son of a sharecropper, purchased a farm with a loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Twenty years later, the USDA foreclosed on the property and evicted him. Reveal investigates his claim that he was discriminated against because of his race. * *Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
Catch a Killer With Your DNA
October 05, 2019 07:00 - 50 minutes - 46.4 MBGenetic genealogy is a powerful crime-solving tool that combines DNA science with family tree research. Where will it take us – a crime-free world or a dark dystopia? ** *Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.*
Commander-in-Tweet
September 28, 2019 07:00 - 50 minutes - 46.2 MBThese days, a presidential tweet can dictate the news cycle for days on end. But is it driving us to distraction? Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.
America’s Drug War, Revealed (rebroadcast)
September 21, 2019 07:00 - 51 minutes - 47.4 MBHow a baggie of crack cocaine packed with fear, distortion and misconceptions, and one presidential address in the 1980s, helped shape the war on drugs. Don’t miss out on the next big story. Get the Weekly Reveal newsletter today.