Marketplace

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Channel • 11 Shows

Business

Business

Updated daily
Business

Business

Updated weekly
Government

Government

Every-two-months series
News

News

Updated daily
Kids & Family

Kids & Family

Updated 11/11/2025
Business

Business

Updated daily
Business

Business

Weekly series

07/01/2025

Why anime is everywhere all at once (rerun)

Hey smarties! We’re on a break for the holidays and revisiting some of our top episodes from 2024. We can’t do this show without you and we still need your support. If you can, donate today to keep independent journalism going strong into 2025 and beyond. Give now to support “Make Me Smart.” Thank you so much for your generosity, happy holidays and we’ll see you in the new year. Anime seems to be just about everywhere these days: film, music videos, the NFL and big streaming services like Netflix and Hulu. “Anime is colossal. In terms of raw revenue, anime and the NLF are tied at about $20 billion in [annual global] revenue,” said Chris Plante, editor in chief and co-founder of Polygon at Vox Media. “When you think of anime, it can be seen as niche, but the reality is that couldn’t be further from the truth.” On the show today, Plante explains anime economics, what’s behind the rise of anime in the United States and some of the problematic aspects of the medium. Later, we’ll discuss how climate change is impacting cherry blossom season and why the commercial real estate crisis could be a big problem for regional banks. Later, one listener calls in on a landline about landlines. And, this week’s answer to the Make Me Smart question comes from a digital illustrator based in Long Beach, California. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Who watches anime? Polygon surveyed more than 4,000 people to find out” from Polygon“Anime Market to Reach USD 62.7 Billion by 2032” from Yahoo Finance“Anime Is Booming. So Why Are Animators Living in Poverty?” from The New York Times“Sony Jacks Up Prices for Crunchyroll and Kills Funimation” from Gizmodo“From Niche To Mainstream: The Unstoppable Global Popularity Of Anime And How It Happened” from BuzzFeed“Streaming and covid-19 have entrenched anime’s global popularity” from The Economist“Naruto Movie in the Works With Destin Daniel Cretton” from The Hollywood Reporter“Cherry blossom forecast: We predict peak bloom in D.C. around March 21” from The Washington Post“Early jacaranda bloom sparks debate about climate change in Mexico” from Reuters“Commercial Real Estate Market Plunge Has Lenders Facing a Brutal Reality” from Bloomberg“Comic: Tienes economic anxiety? Artist Julio Salgado reflects on changes in creative industries” from the Los Angeles Times Are you a fan of anime? Tell us about your favorite anime series! Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

07/01/2025

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30 min
18/09/2025

Rep. Ayanna Pressley on the troubling rise in Black women's unemployment

This week, the Federal Reserve cut interest rates and made it clear that its attention is turning to the labor market. It’s showing cracks, particularly for Black workers. On the show today, Massachusetts Rep. Ayanna Pressley joins Kimberly to discuss rising Black women’s unemployment in the United States and why she’s calling on the Fed to do something about it. Plus, Kimberly digs through your anime recs. Which ones have you seen? Here’s everything we talked about today: "Pressley urges Fed chair to address Black women's unemployment as the figure rises" from NBC News"There are worrying signs buried in the August jobs report" from Marketplace "Rising Unemployment Among Black Women Is a Bad Economic Sign" from Time"Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle slays the U.S. box office with record-breaking debut" from Polygon Join us tomorrow for “Economics on Tap.” The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.

18/09/2025

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13 min
01/05/2025

Buy less, pay more?

This week, President Trump acknowledged his tariffs were resulting in costlier items in the U.S., but maintained his position that China was taking the majority of the heat. If people can’t afford to buy as much, might that be a recipe for recession? We’ll discuss, and answer a listener’s question on what exactly is a recession. Plus, how uncertain economic conditions might make someone reconsider a luxury cheese purchase. Here’s everything we talked about today: - Recession defined by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) - “Trump says US kids may get '2 dolls instead of 30,' but China will suffer more in a trade war” from the Associated Press - WATCH: “Trump says kids may get '2 dolls instead of 30' because of trade war with China” from the Associated Press - “Trump, on Tariffs, Says ‘Maybe the Children Will Have 2 Dolls Instead of 30’” from The New York Times - “Spending by American companies on computers in Q1 grew at the fastest pace since 1983” by Marketplace - Check out the Canadian cheese shop Kimberly mentions in this episode Join us tomorrow for “Economics on Tap.” The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.

01/05/2025

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11 min
05/03/2025

Angel City FC and the rise of women’s pro soccer

The National Women’s Soccer League’s regular season kicks off next week. And thanks in part to a record-breaking media rights agreement and the growth of women’s professional sports across the board, the league is gaining more attention — and investment — than ever. Angel City Football Club became the highest-valued women’s sports team in the world last year when Willow Bay and Bob Iger acquired a controlling stake in the franchise for $250 million. Julie Uhrman, the team’s CEO and co-founder, says Angel City is just the beginning. On the show today, Uhrman explains how she and her co-founders got investors to see their vision, why a game day experience that leaves you with FOMO is key to Angel City’s growth, and how to watch the NWSL’s season. Later, how proposed funding cuts at the National Institutes of Health could leave a generational impact on the United States’ reputation as a science leader. And Adam Grant, host of the “Re:Thinking” podcast, answers the Make Me Smart question. Here’s everything we talked about today: “How Angel City became ‘the most valuable women’s sports team in the world’ with new owners” from The Athletic“Ranking new 2025 NWSL team jerseys: Which kits hit?” from ESPN“Without the Draft, NWSL Clubs Are Navigating a Changing Landscape in College Recruitment” from Sports Illustrated“NWSL announces landmark media partnerships with CBS Sports, ESPN, Prime Video and Scripps Sports” from NWSL“National Women’s Soccer League Playoffs Docuseries Gets Premiere Date At Prime Video” from DeadlineListen: Adam Grant’s interview with Sabri Ben-Achour on Marketplace Morning Report Got a question or comment for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

05/03/2025

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24 min
29/10/2024

Why do we have pennies? (and more money questions)

Ryan and Bridget are back in the studio to host another live call-in show to answer the quick but not always easy questions listeners have about money. Together, they break down the difference between credit and debit cards, explain why pennies exist and show you how to spot fake money. But things take a turn when their soundboard develops a mind of its own. If your family is interested in learning more about any of the questions we answered in this episode, check out our website. We’ve got discussion questions and tips! This episode is sponsored by Greenlight. Sign up for Greenlight today at greenlight.com/million.

29/10/2024

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23 min
14/04/2025

Brexit ... but make it American

Nearly a decade after Brexit, the British economy is still feeling the fallout. Now, President Donald Trump seems to be pulling from a similar playbook — with tariffs that could reshape the U.S. economy in eerily familiar ways. (Shocker, we know!) But first: Trump threatens to send Americans to prisons in El Salvador. The constitutional crisis alarm bells are ringing. Plus, poop in space is a bigger problem than you might think. Here’s everything we talked about today: "Trump again threatens to send Americans to prisons in El Salvador" from Axios"Fox Nation Plans Game Show About Isolated People Guessing What Trump Did In His First 90 Days" from The Hollywood Reporter"Trump admin shrinks federal Medicaid funding available to states" from Axios"HHS Lays Off All Full-Time Cruise Ship Health Inspectors Amid Illness Outbreaks: Report" from The Huffington Post"NASA offers $3M in competition to recycle human poop in space" from UPI"How Brexit, a Startling Act of Economic Self-Harm, Foreshadowed Trump’s Tariffs" from The New York Times"Meet the Comedian Putting Trump Voter Regret to Music" from Rolling Stone Got a question for our hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

14/04/2025

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15 min
18/11/2025

Are we on the cusp of another big health care debate?

For the Affordable Care Act, it’s been one battle after another. The ongoing fight over the ACA subsidies at the center of the government shutdown are just the latest flash point in the law’s 15-year history. KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner joins Kimberly to break down where things stand with the ACA and whether we’re on the cusp of another national healthcare debate. Plus, the other health policy changes coming under the Trump administration. Here’s everything we talked about today: "The State of the Affordable Care Act" from KFF Health News"Oz: Trump administration weighing ACA subsidies extension" from The Hill "8 Things to Watch for the 2026 ACA Open Enrollment Period" from KFF "Obamacare sticker shock is more shocking in some states than others" from Politico"GOP plans to replace Obamacare have failed. Here’s what lawmakers propose now." from Washington Post We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

18/11/2025

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21 min
26/09/2023

Ponzi schemes, tricks and scams!

Listener Kaitlyn was talking to her dad about investments and things strayed into the world of Ponzi schemes. Kaitlyn’s wondering what they are and how they work — good question! Bridget and Ryan want to answer Katilyn’s question but the topic conjures up some bad memories for Ryan. Luckily they get some help from Brenda Hammer, lead investigator from Bridget’s favorite show, “Scam Slammers!” Brenda uses her expertise and investigative skills to help Ryan pick out where he went wrong in the past and give some good tips for avoiding scams our listeners (even young ones!) might encounter in their everyday lives. If your family is interested in learning more about ponzi schemes, check out the page for this episode at our website. We’ve got discussion questions and tips for learning more! This episode is sponsored by Greenlight. (For a limited time, get $10 when you sign up for a Greenlight account at greenlight.com/MILLION).

26/09/2023

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29 min
27/11/2025

From "How We Survive": The Dry Line

Hey Smarties! Happy Thanksgiving. Today we’re sharing an episode from the latest season of Marketplace’s climate podcast, “How We Survive,” that has to do with the future of what’s on your dinner table. As the planet heats up, the climate of the Midwest is changing. It’s pushing the invisible line separating the humid East and arid West eastward which has major implications for our food supply. In this episode, Amy Scott drives across Kansas to find out how farmers are adapting.

27/11/2025

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34 min
09/07/2024

Powell testifies before Congress

Markets mixed; Powell says labor market has cooled; Drug middlemen under fire; Non-alcoholic beer brand doubles in value.

09/07/2024

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1 min

Daily business news and economic stories