KQED Forum

The World Cup Heads to California | KQED With the United States, Mexico and Canada sharing hosting duties, the games could become a flashpoint for tariffs, visas and more. “Men in Blazers” host Roger Bennett previews what’s to come.

🎙️ON AIR:

We're talking to @meninblazers.bsky.social's Roger Bennett about Iran pulling out of the 2026 World Cup, and other potential geopolitical shakeups ahead of the games, which could become a flashpoint for tariffs, visas and more.

❓How are you feeling about the upcoming World Cup?

📻Listen:

Local Businesses Were Hit Hard by Tariffs. Now They Want A Refund. | KQED We’ll talk about how local businesses are responding, the impact on consumers, and how despite this court ruling, tariffs are here to stay.

🎙️ON AIR:

We're talking to journalists @zoetillman.bsky.social and @ddesrochers.bsky.social and local business owners about the impact of Trump's tariffs on consumers and how despite the Supreme Court's recent ruling, tariffs are here to stay.

❓Have you been impacted by Trump's tariffs?

📻Listen:

How to Keep Track of all the Corruption Concerns of Trump 2.0 | KQED We talk with CREW president Donald Sherman and investigative journalist Andrea Bernstein about the many ways corruption appears to be occurring in the second Trump Administration.

🎙️ON AIR:

We're talking to investigative journalist Andrea Bernstein and @citizensforethics.org president @donaldonethics.bsky.social about the many ways corruption appears to be occurring in the second Trump Administration.

❓What are your Qs about corruption in this administration?

📻Listen:

Child Sex Trafficking is a Big Problem in the Bay Area. How Can We Stop It? | KQED We talk about the prevalence of this sex trafficking, efforts to stop it, and the organizations helping survivors.

🎙️ON AIR:

We're talking to advocates, survivors and nonprofit leaders about the prevalence of child sex trafficking in the Bay Area, efforts to stop it, and the organizations helping survivors.

❓What are your questions about or experiences with child sex trafficking in the Bay Area?

📻Listen:

Anthropic-Pentagon Clash Spotlights Role of AI in War | KQED Airdate: Tuesday, March 10 at 10 AM Anthropic sued the U.S. Department of Defense on Monday over its decision to designate the San Francisco AI company a “supply-chain risk to America’s national…

🎙️ON AIR:

We're talking to @rokhanna.bsky.social, @sheeraf.bsky.social and @cnas.bsky.social's Paul Scharre about the relationship between Silicon Valley and the Pentagon and the ethics and effectiveness of using AI in war.

❓What are your questions about how AI could be used in war?

📻Listen:

In Second Week, Iran War Expands Through Region | KQED We talk about the war in Iran, its impact on international alliances, and what might come next.

🎙️ON AIR:

We're talking to @myacoubian.bsky.social, @dassakaye.bsky.social and @latimes.com's Nabih Bulos about the war in Iran, its impact on international alliances, and what might come next.

❓What are your questions about what is happening in the Middle East?

📻Listen:

Why Is California's Cannabis Black Market Still So Strong? | KQED Airdate: Monday, March 9 at 10 AM Journalist Scott Eden's new book, "A Killing in Cannabis," tells the story of a tech industry veteran who set out to make his mark in the newly legal marijuana…

🎙️ON AIR:

We're talking to journalist Scott Eden about a murder in the Santa Cruz mountains and the continuing dominance of the black market cannabis industry. His new book is “A Killing in Cannabis."

❓What do you think it would take to fix California’s cannabis marketplace?

📻Listen:

Bay Area Legends: Celebrating the Trailblazing Life of the Nation’s Oldest Park Ranger Betty Reid Soskin | KQED Airdate: Monday, March 9 at 10 AM Betty Reid Soskin was a civil rights pioneer, musician, and the nation's oldest park ranger when, at the age of 100, she retired from Richmond’s Rosie the Riveter…

🎙️ON AIR:

Betty Reid Soskin was a civil rights pioneer, musician, and the nation’s oldest park ranger when she retired at 100. We’ll listen to Forum’s interviews with Soskin over the years and talk with those who loved and worked with her.

❓What part of her story impacted you?

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Unpacking the Latest Developments in Iran | KQED We’ll look at what comes next for Iran’s government and what we know about the U.S. and Israel’s strategy.

🎙️ON AIR:

We're talking to @arashtehran.bsky.social and @sinatoossi.bsky.social about what comes next for Iran’s government and what we know about the U.S. and Israel’s strategy.

❓Do you have a connection to Iran? How are you processing this weeks' developments?

📻Listen:

KQED Radio - Tune in Live Radio | KQED Stay connected and informed by tuning into KQED's radio for engaging news, captivating stories, and thought-provoking conversations.

🎙️ON AIR:

We're talking to librarians and authors, René Peña-Govea and Susie Nadler about how the Bay Area influences their work and how to keep young people reading.

❓What books are your kids raving about right now?

📻Listen:

Ranchers vs. Wolves: Navigating a Controversial Comeback | KQED After a century-long absence, gray wolves are returning to California. How do you think the state should manage our wolves?

🎙️ON AIR:

We're talking to conservationist Kaggie Orrick, Sierra County supervisor Paul Roen and @nationalwildlife.bsky.social's @bethpratt.bsky.social about gray wolves' controversial return to California after a century of absence.

❓How do you think the state should manage our wolves?

📻Listen:

Understanding the Sierra Avalanche Tragedy | KQED the avalanche that killed nine backcountry skiers near Lake Tahoe last month has highlighted the dangers inherent in the sport. We'll explore what safety experts are doing to address the dangers and…

🎙️ON AIR:

We're talking to outdoors reporter Sarah Wright, "The Avalanche Hour" co-host Sara Boilen and @coavalancheinfo.bsky.social director Ethan Greene about the risks inherent to backcountry skiing and what could be done to address them.

❓What do you want to know about avalanches?

📻Listen:

ICE Looks to Expand Detention Centers – Including in California | KQED Airdate: Wednesday, March 4 at 10 AM As recent court decisions make more people vulnerable to ICE detention, the Trump administration is purchasing massive warehouses that could detain upward of…

🎙️ON AIR:

ICE is looking to expand detention centers, including in California. We're talking to @uclacilp.bsky.social's Ahilan Arulanantham, California Assemblyman @matthaneysf.bsky.social and @calmatters.org's @wendyfry.bsky.social about the legal landscape.

❓What are your Qs?

📻Listen:

How Do You Get By In the Pricey Bay Area? | KQED We examine the price of living in the Bay Area, how it has shaped us and hear your experience.

🎙️ON AIR:

We're talking to KQED's Erin Baldassari, Stanford economics professor @nealemahoney.bsky.social and Stanford predoctoral researcher Abigail Lucia Sanchez about how people in the Bay Area make do with the sky-high cost of living.

❓How do you get by in the pricey Bay Area?

📻Listen:

Why Are American Kids Such Picky Eaters? | KQED We talk to Helen Zoe Veit about children's appetites, and what we can learn from the past to expand kids’ palates — and help parents feel less overwhelmed at dinner time.

🎙️ON AIR:

We're talking to Helen Zoe Veit about children's appetites and what we can learn from the past to expand kids’ palates — and help parents feel less overwhelmed at dinner time.

❓Are you a picky eater? Or an adventurous one? Have you been that way since childhood?

📻Listen:

What Does It Take to Be a ‘Good Woman’? | KQED We talk to Savala Nolan about her new book of essays, "Good Woman: A Reckoning," which blends history and memoir as she examines the confining expectations of womanhood.

🎙️ON AIR:

We're talking to Savala Nolan, whose new book of essays, "Good Woman," examines the confining expectations of womanhood.

❓Have you stopped trying to be a good woman? What does being a good woman mean to you?

📻Listen:

The Vast Reach of Jeffrey Epstein's Network | KQED Airdate: Monday, March 2 at 10 AM Weeks after the Department of Justice released millions of pages of documents related to accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, new questions are emerging about…

🎙️ON AIR:

We're talking to experts about the latest disclosures in the Epstein files, and what Epstein’s ties to political, academic and business elites reveal about the structure of power and influence in our society.

❓What Qs do you have about the handling of the Epstein case?

📻Listen:

US and Israel Bomb Iran, Kill Khamenei. What Comes Next? | KQED We talk with experts on Iran about what the attacks mean for the future of the Islamic Republic and the region, and what might happen next.

🎙️ON AIR:

We're talking to experts on Iran about what the attacks mean for the future of the Islamic Republic and the region, and what might happen next.

❓What Qs do you have about the latest developments in Iran?

📻Listen:

KQED Radio - Tune in Live Radio | KQED Stay connected and informed by tuning into KQED's radio for engaging news, captivating stories, and thought-provoking conversations.

🎙️ON AIR:

We're talking to @nymag.com's E. Alex Jung, writer, Candice Lim, and Pixar's, Domee Shi about the world of fan fiction.

❓Are you a fan of fanfic?

📻Listen:
www.kqed.org/radio

Who Runs the World? Fanfiction Writers! | KQED We're tracing how communities of queer, female, and frequently thirsty fans became a force too big for publishers and Hollywood executives to ignore.

🎙️ON AIR Who Runs the World? Fanfiction Writers!

We're talking about fan fictionFan fiction, where fans reimagine their favorite characters in new – often steamy – stories.

❓Are you a fan of fanfiction? www.kqed.org/forum/201010...

KQED Radio - Tune in Live Radio | KQED Stay connected and informed by tuning into KQED's radio for engaging news, captivating stories, and thought-provoking conversations.

🎙️ON AIR:

We're talking to director, David Mendizábal, and real life and on-stage couple Jimmy Smits and Wanda De Jesús about their new production of Arthur Miller's “All My Sons.”

❓Have you seen or are you planning on seeing "All My Sons?"

📻Listen:
www.kqed.org/radio

Ethical Questions Arise from CA’s Commercial Surrogacy Industry | KQED We unpack why, and the reforms advocates want to see to improve the informed consent of both surrogates and intended parents — and to keep their children safe.

🎙️ON AIR:

We're talking to @newyorker.com staff writer Ava Kofman and family law specialist Deborah Wald about the ethical concerns arising from California's commercial surrogacy industry and the reforms advocates want to see.

❓What Qs do you have about commercial surrogacy in California?

📻Listen:

AI is Changing Fast. How Are You Using It Now? | KQED We talk about how AI is evolving, and how to think about the ethics of using these tools.

🎙️ON AIR:

We're talking to technology reporters @nitasha.bsky.social,
@heatherkelly.bsky.social and @wired.com's Maxwell Zeff about how AI is evolving, what the risks are and how to think about the ethics of using these tools.

❓How are you using AI tech tools in your work, your life?

📻Listen:

Michael Pollan Explores Labyrinth of Consciousness in 'A World Appears' | KQED We talk to Michael Pollan about his new book "A World Appears: A Journey Into Consciousness," what he uncovered and challenges of studying a phenomenon that he says we'll never understand completely.

🎙️ON AIR:

We're talking to @michaelpollan.bsky.social about the mysteries of sentience, thought and selfhood. What is consciousness for, and why did it evolve? Pollan's new book is "A World Appears: A Journey Into Consciousness."

❓What Qs do you have about consciousness and its study?

📻Listen:

Mexico Braces for More Violence After Killing of Cartel Leader | KQED We talk about what the killing of 'El Mencho' means for Mexico and the United States and what could happen next.

🎙️ON AIR:

We're talking to @theglutster.bsky.social, @cuny.edu's Oswaldo Zavala and the head of the North American Observatory about the killing of Mexico's most notorious drug cartel leader, El Mencho, and what could happen next.

❓What Qs do you have about the drug trade in Mexico?

📻Listen:

California Businesses Thrown Into Uncertainty Again After Supreme Court Blocks Trump Tariffs | KQED We’re joined by legal and economic experts, as we investigate what a tariff policy reversal could look like for California.

🎙️ON AIR:

The Supreme Court ruled Friday that President Trump does not have the authority to impose his sweeping tariffs. We're talking to experts about what this means for California.

❓Have you made changes to your business, or spending habits, because of tariffs?

📻Listen:

Pilot of Experimental Aircraft Asks ‘Why Fly?” | KQED We talk to Paul about the history of flight, why it captivates us, and how she tried to pilot her way through heartbreak.

🎙️ON AIR:

We're talking to pilot and author Caroline Paul about the history of flight, why it captivates us, and how she tried to pilot her way through heartbreak.

❓What are some risks you take that others in your life think are irrational?

📻Listen:

Daisy Hernández Rethinks Citizenship and the Meaning of Belonging | KQED Airdate: Monday, February 23 at 10 AM Citizenship allows you to vote, get a passport and run for office – and it's supposed to be a promise of protection, equality and belonging. But as immigration…

🎙️ON AIR:

We're talking to Daisy Hernandez, whose new book "Citizenship" argues that today citizenship often replaces race a powerful instrument of exclusion.

❓Are you a noncitizen residing in the U.S., or an American citizen who’s felt “lesser than”? Tell us your story.

📻Listen:

Are Democrats Well-Positioned for the Midterms? | KQED We talk about the future of the Democratic party.

🎙️ON AIR:

We're talking to @theatlantic.com's @markleibovich.bsky.social and Aimee Allison, founder of She The People, about the future of the Democratic party.

❓What grade would you give Democrats since Trump came to office? Why?

📻Listen:

🎙️ON AIR:

We're talking to journalist and author, Bonnie Tsui and neuroscientist, Dr. Daya Grant about how athletes can bounce back from “the yips.”

❓Have you ever lost access to a skill under pressure? What did you do?

📻Listen:
buff.ly/2yjEK6w