Open to Debate is the nation’s only nonpartisan, debate-driven media organization dedicated to bringing multiple viewpoints together for a constructive, balanced, respectful exchange of ideas. Open to Debate is a platform for intellectually curious and open-minded people to engage with others holding opposing views on complex issues. Through weekly debates distributed on public radio, in podcasts and digital videos, Open to Debate systematically brings opposing viewpoints together for a respectful and open-minded exchange of ideas.
The John Cage 4'33 Podcast Live Taping is an exclusive event where audiences gather to witness the recording of a podcast dedicated entirely to silence. Un-cage your mind.
Radiolab is on a curiosity bender. We ask deep questions and use investigative journalism to get the answers. A given episode might whirl you through science, legal history and into the home of someone halfway across the world. The show is known for innovative sound design, smashing information into music.
Mike Pesca has established an eleven-year connection to his audience as host of The Gist. For 30 minutes each day, Pesca challenges himself and his audience, in a responsibly provocative style, and gets beyond the rigidity and dogma. The Gist is surprising, reasonable and willing to critique the left, the
If you’re looking for hype, fake outrage, and groupthink, kindly keep moving. Our mission at What a Day is simple: to be your guide to what truly matters each morning (and the fun stuff you might have missed) in just 20 minutes. Host Jane Coaston brings you in-depth reporting
You’ve been overwhelmed with headlines all week — what’s worth a closer look? One Thing takes you beyond the headlines and helps make sense of what everyone is talking about. Host David Rind talks to experts, reporters on the front lines and the real people impacted by the news
Criminal is an award-winning podcast about true crime. Stories of people who’ve done wrong, been wronged, or gotten caught somewhere in the middle. Criminal is one of the most popular podcasts in the world, and was named one of the Best Podcasts of 2023 by The New York Times.
While maintaining the civility and fairness that are the hallmarks of public radio, OTM tackles sticky issues with a frankness and transparency that has built trust with over one million weekly radio and podcast listeners. OTM can be heard weekly on more than 400 stations and a biweekly podcast. It
Have you ever heard a commonly held belief or a fast-developing worldview and asked: Is that idea right? Or just good on paper? Each week, host Jerusalem Demsas and a guest take a closer look at the facts and research that challenge the popular narratives of the day, to better
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The Cascade PBS Ideas Festival is a full-day celebration of big ideas and bold conversations in Seattle's historic Fremont neighborhood. The event brings together live podcast recordings and television tapings from major media outlets across the country. Thousands of PBS supporters, curious minds, and emerging thought leaders have enjoyed hundreds of engaging sessions featuring politicians from across the aisle, celebrated authors, and iconic figures. Now in its ninth year, the Ideas Festival has become a can't-miss annual event where people come together to explore the issues shaping our world.
Each year, some of the most celebrated voices in podcasting and media make their way to Seattle to record live at the festival — productions from The Atlantic, The New Yorker, NPR, PBS, CNN, Vox, The Wall Street Journal, Slate, Pushkin, Spotify, and beyond. The festival has welcomed live editions of Fresh Air, Radiolab, Revisionist History, Criminal, On the Media, The Political Scene, What a Day, The Gist, Amicus, The Weeds, Open to Debate, Decoder, Radio Atlantic, One Thing, Text Me Back, The Journal, Critics at Large, A Word, Good on Paper, Seattle Now, Your Last Meal, What Next, and more
The Cascade PBS Ideas Festival has hosted hundreds of speakers such as Jane Goodall, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Malcolm Gladwell, Nancy Pelosi, Macklemore, Judy Woodruff, Nikole Hannah-Jones, Jeff Flake, Ibram X. Kendi, Amy Klobuchar, Anthony Fauci, Monica Lewinsky, Robby Hoffman, Eddie Galude Jr., Laverne Cox, Adam Schiff, Jon Tester, Jake Tapper, Ross Douthat, Al Franken, Tonya Mosley, Eric Holder, Michael Barbaro, Carl Bernstein, Ezra Klein, Amanda Knox, Matt Damon, Dahlia Lithwick, Heather Cox Richardson, Robert Gates, Andrew Yang, and Governor Christine Todd Whitman.
Beyond the stage, the festival offers a full day of discovery. Elliott Bay Book Company sets up a pop-up bookstore stocked with titles from every speaker, and a dedicated Q&A Corner gives attendees the chance to continue the conversation one-on-one after each session. After Show Meetups invite guests to connect, and find community with fellow attendees. Food trucks, interactive installations, a happy hour, music and a live DJ round out the experience — making the Ideas Festival as much a celebration as it is a conversation.
Interested in learning more? Reach us at events@cascadepbs.org
