Current's The Pub

Probably no one knows as much about both public radio and economics as Adam Davidson does. So when he emails us and says he’s been developing a grand economic theory about how podcasting is (or should be) changing public radio, you can bet we’re going to give him 45 minutes to talk about it. Davidson compares public radio’s current market position to that of the big three American automakers — Ford, GM and Chrysler — in the late 1970s and early 1980s.  Also on the show: - We consider "Garth Marenghi's Darkplace" and the magic of Britain’s Channel 4, a public media entity that exists to commission daring work from independent producers. - What is this “public benefit corporation” thing that Ira Glass is forming to run "This American Life"? - Michigan Radio p.d. Tamar Charney and host Adam Ragusea disagreed over podcasting but without getting disagreeable. NPR CEO Jarl Mohn and reporter Zoe Chace? Not so much.