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The Middle
The Middle
Thursday at 8pm & Friday at 11am-Noon CST
Hosted by Jeremy Hobson

The Middle is hosted by Jeremy Hobson, a public radio journalist and former host of NPR’s Here & Now and Marketplace Morning Report.

Jeremy grew up in the midwest, where people don’t spend every waking minute thinking about politics - but do have a lot of sway in our politics.

With The Middle, Jeremy and his team hope to use the unique position of public radio to facilitate a conversation focused on those overlooked but important voices.

Call in to The Middle at 844-464-3353

  • What America 250 Means to a Divided Nation
    On this episode of The Follow Up, Jeremy speaks with journalist Ray Suarez about America's divided response to the nation's 250th anniversary celebration, and what should be taken away from it beyond politics.Together, they listen to and discuss some of your voicemails and emails about what America 250 means to you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
  • What does America’s 250th birthday mean to you?
    On this episode of The Middle, we ask: What does America's 250th birthday mean to you? As this year's celebration has become increasingly politicized, we explore what this historic milestone means to Americans across the country beyond the political debate. Jeremy is joined by veteran journalist James Fallows and Martha S. Jones, a historian and legal scholar at Johns Hopkins University, for a conversation about the nation's past, present and future. As always, we hear from listeners across the country about what this July 4th celebration means to them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
  • Princeton Historian Julian Zelizer on America 250 and the Potential for Big Changes Ahead
    On this episode of The Follow Up, Jeremy speaks with Princeton historian and author Julian Zelizer about America's 250th anniversary, which many Americans appear to be tuning out. They listen to and discuss some of your voicemails about what you’d change about America. #TheFollowUp #Podcast #AmericanHistory #America250 #Semiquincentennial #USPolitics #PoliticalHistory #JulianZelizer #JeremyHobson #Democracy #CivicEngagement #CurrentEvents #HistoryMatters #AmericanDemocracy #Constitution #PublicRadio #PoliticalPodcast #USHistory #NationalConversation #Politics Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
  • America 250: What Would You Change About America?
    On this episode of The Middle, we ask what you would change about America as the nation approaches its 250th birthday. Looking back at some of the biggest turning points in American history, we open the floor to hear what you think still needs fixing - from healthcare and foreign policy to social issues and the structure of our political system. Jeremy is joined by journalist Mike Pesca, host of The Gist and How To!, and California Congressman Ro Khanna. As always, we hear from listeners across the country about the changes they'd most like to see in America. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
  • A Former Teacher on the Biggest Challenges in Today's Classrooms
    On this episode of The Follow Up, Jeremy sits down with Kate Berger, former teacher and current Chief of Program at Teach For America Colorado, to discuss the biggest challenges facing educators today. From adapting to AI in the classroom to navigating the lasting effects of the post-pandemic world, teachers are balancing unprecedented demands while confronting rising stress and burnout. Kate shares insights from her experience in education and leadership, while listeners from across the country weigh in with their own thoughts. #Education #Teachers #TeacherLife #Teaching #EducationPodcast #Podcast #EdChat #TeachForAmerica #ClassroomInnovation #ArtificialIntelligence #AIInEducation #StudentSuccess #TeacherBurnout #MentalHealth #EducationLeadership #PostPandemic #FutureOfEducation #SchoolCulture #EducationReform #Learning Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
  • The Challenges Facing Teachers
    On this episode of The Middle, we ask: what are the biggest challenges facing teachers today?From burnout and budget cuts to the rise of AI in the classroom and the persistent threat of school shootings, educators are navigating a growing list of complex issues that can make it harder to help every student succeed.Jeremy is joined by Hechinger Report editor and writer Jill Barshay and Kurt Russell, a high school history teacher in Oberlin, Ohio, who was named the 2022 National Teacher of the Year.As always, we hear from listeners across the country to get your perspective on the state of education and the challenges facing teachers today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
  • Is Social Media the New Tobacco?
    On this episode of The Follow Up, Jeremy speaks with journalist Femi Oke about social media addiction, and whether current fears about it are starting to cause a backlash among users. They also talk about the benefits of social media, and about how journalists have used it in the past and how that has changed over the years. Listeners from across the country weigh in with their thoughts as well. #SocialMedia #DigitalCulture #MediaLiteracy #PublicDiscourse #DigitalCommunication #SocialMediaImpact #OnlineCommunities #Misinformation #FutureOfMedia #TechAndSociety #DigitalLife #MediaInnovation #NewsMedia #InformationAge #DigitalCitizenship #SocialNetworks #MediaTrends #TheFollowUp #FemiOke #DigitalTransformation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
  • What is Social Media Addiction Doing to Us?
    On this episode of The Middle, we ask: what is social media addiction doing to us? The average American is spending hours per day on social media apps like TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, X and Facebook. Studies have shown that social media addiction can lead to depression, lack of sleep, even weight gain. Jeremy is joined by Dino Ambrosi, founder of Project Reboot, which aims to help young people reset their tech habits. As always, we take calls from listeners across the country to hear your perspective. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
  • How Trump Lost Public Support for his Immigration Crackdown
    On this episode of The Follow Up, Jeremy speaks with Tribune Content Agency columnist Mary Sanchez in Kansas City about how President Trump's immigration crackdown has affected immigrants and the economy overall, and why Trump has lost so much public support for his efforts in the last 18 months. Listeners from across the country weigh in with their own thoughts as well. #Immigration #BorderSecurity #ImmigrationReform #USPolitics #BorderCrisis #MigrantCrisis #AsylumSeekers #ImmigrantRights #SecureTheBorder #DACA #Dreamers #Citizenship #IllegalImmigration #LegalImmigration #RefugeesWelcome #MigrationPolicy #BorderPatrol #HumanRights #AmericaFirst #ImmigrationPolicy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
  • How Has Immigration Enforcement Changed Since Minneapolis? (Part Two)
    On this special episode of The Middle, we continue our conversation about federal immigration enforcement recorded before a live audience in St. Paul, Minnesota shortly after the fatal shootings of two American citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, by federal immigration agents earlier this year. Later, Jeremy gets an update from Minnesota Public Radio's Catherine Richert on how the shootings and continued ICE presence shape life across Minnesota today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices