Make Me Smart

4.6 (5.4K)
BUSINESS
UPDATED DAILY

Each weekday, Marketplace’s Kimberly Adams makes today make sense along with her Marketplace colleagues, breaking down happenings in tech, the economy, and culture. Because none of us is as smart as all of us.

1D AGO

Is craft beer's popularity going flat?

On today’s show, Kimberly is joined by Marketplace’s very own Henry Epp to chat about his reporting on the “maturing” of the craft beer industry, and just who's sipping all those IPAs and sours. They'll also get into how the Trump administration is using the government shutdown to consolidate power. Plus, we’ll play a round of Half Full/Half Empty! Here’s everything we talked about today: “For years, craft beer was booming. Now, it’s ‘maturing’” from Marketplace“Trump charts path to total control amid government shutdown” from Axios“AOL’s dial up internet takes its last bow, marking the end of an era” from the Associated Press“Colleges turn to video essays to counter AI-written submissions” from Marketplace Tech“Robots are learning to make human babies. Twenty have already been born.” from The Washington Post“Buy it in ChatGPT: Instant Checkout and the Agentic Commerce Protocol” from OpenAI“The future of loyalty” from Business Insider

26 min
2D AGO

Another budget breakdown. Why are we like this?

Messy fights over funding the federal government have become all too familiar in American politics. Why are we like this? On the show today, The Brookings Institution’s Molly Reynolds joins Kimberly to explain how shutdowns became Congress’ political weapon of choice and why the federal budget process has gotten even more complicated under the Trump administration. Plus, we hear from you, our dear listeners. Here’s everything we talked about today: "Congress has long struggled to pass spending bills on time" from Pew Research Center"Government shutdown continues as Senate Democrats hold firm on health care demands" from AP News"How John Thune sees the shutdown ending" from Politico"What are Democrats' demands in the government shutdown fight?" from Marketplace Show your love for Make Me Smart and our community of curious listeners! Donate now to get us one step closer to our Fall Fundraiser

22 min
4D AGO

Checking the pulse of the Las Vegas economy

Las Vegas is facing a months long decline in tourism, partly due fewer international visitors to the United States overall. So is Las Vegas dead? “Marketplace Morning Report” host David Brancaccio went to find out. He joins Kimberly on the show today to share what he’s hearing from business owners and tourists about the city’s economic slump. Here’s everything we talked about today: "Sin City tourism slump signals wider economic slowdown" from Axios"An Empty Strip And Fewer Tips: Is Las Vegas In Trouble?" from Time"Las Vegas is hurting as tourism drops. Are Canadians behind the Sin City slump?" from CBC News The way forward is together! Step up and be one of 2,000 Marketplace Investors before our fundraiser ends Friday. Give now: https://support.marketplace.org/smart-sn

18 min
5D AGO

From "How We Survive": The climate crisis is an economic crisis

Hey Smarties! Today we’re sharing a special bonus episode from “How We Survive.” It’s a conversation between host Amy Scott, “Marketplace” host Kai Ryssdal and Pulitzer Prize winning science writer Elizabeth Kolbert. Together, they dig into how the climate crisis is triggering economic disruption. Plus, some solutions to be hopeful about. And, we get a peek into Kolbert’s forthcoming book, ”Life on a Little-Known Planet: Dispatches from a Changing World.” In this collection of her most influential essays, Kolbert takes readers around the globe, telling stories about caterpillars, whale conversations and the people trying to preserve our planet. This conversation was recorded live, over Zoom, in front of an audience. You can watch the webinar here. The event is presented by Odoo with additional underwriting support from The Economist.

51 min
SEP 26

Make Me Smart: Fat Bear Week Edition

On today’s show, Alaska Public Media reporter Ava White joins Kimberly to make us smarter about Fat Bear Week and the issues that are top of mind for Alaskans right now. Alaska residents receive an annual check funded by the state’s oil royalties. But its purchasing power is lower than ever. We’ll get into it. Plus, we’ll weigh in on AI live translations and a rise in Hamburger Helper sales during a round of Half Full/Half Empty! Here’s everything we talked about today: "Meet the superfans going wild for Alaska’s fattest bears" from Alaska Public Media"Alaska ignored warning signs of a budget crisis. Now it doesn’t have money to fix crumbling schools" from KYUK”The 2025 Alaska Permanent Fund dividend will be $1,000” from Alaska Public Media"North Slope leaders applaud tax breaks for whalers in the GOP megabill” from KNBA"Why are restaurant chains opening beverage-focused spinoffs?" from Marketplace"AI is taking on live translations. But jobs and meaning are getting lost." from The Washington Post"Touchscreens in cars are finally on their way out. Good riddance" from Fast Company"Hamburger Helper Sales Rise as Americans Try to Stretch Their Food Dollars" from The New York Times It’s Half-Priced Hoodie Weekend! Give $10 a month to support our journalism today, and we’ll thank you with a cozy Marketplace zip-up hoodie: https://support.marketplace.org/smart-sn

26 min
SEP 25

The music industry vs. AI

Today we’re diving into the business of music. Trapital founder Dan Runcie joins Kimberly to explain what Anthropic’s recent copyright settlement with authors could mean for record labels who’ve sued AI companies, the “fair use” debates dominating the music industry, and why even the biggest stars are struggling to create chart-toppers these days. Plus, we’ll celebrate a win from one of our listeners. Here’s everything we talked about today: "The Generative AI Music Sweepstakes" from Trapital "Anthropic Agrees to Pay Authors at Least $1.5 Billion in AI Copyright Settlement" from Wired"Labels Claim Suno Pirated Songs From YouTube in Bulked-Up AI Copyright Lawsuit" from Billboard"YouTube copyright fight: Rick Beato warns UMG claims over short music clips could end his channel" from TechSpot TikTok from Lizzo"Kneecap, Faye Webster & 400 Other Artists Remove Their Catalogs From Israel: ‘No Music for Genocide’" from Billboard Join us tomorrow for “Economics on Tap.” The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.

19 min
SEP 23

What happened to American soft power?

President Trump is not a fan of the United Nations—he made that clear in his speech to the United Nations General Assembly today. Under Trump, the United States has pulled back from several efforts, including U.N. organizations, that have contributed to the country’s so-called soft power goals. On the show today, Joshua Eisenman, professor of politics in the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame, joins Kimberly to discuss the changing role of the U.S. in global politics and how China is seizing this moment to gain more influence. Here’s everything we talked about today: "Trump tells UN in speech that it is 'not even coming close to living up' to its potential" from AP News"Geopolitics of Trump Tariffs: How U.S. Trade Policy Has Shaken Allies" from Council on Foreign Relations"How China Stands to Gain as the U.S. Steps Away From the U.N." from The New York Times"The Global South Won't Give Up on China" from Foreign Relations It's Marketplace's Fall Fundraiser! Give now and be one of 2,000 donors in 10 days: https://support.marketplace.org/smart-sn

21 min
SEP 19

The aftermath of the Hyundai plant raid

On today’s show, Kimberly is joined by Marlon Hyde, business and economics reporter for WABE in Atlanta, to unpack the fallout of the massive ICE raid at a Hyundai facility in Georgia in which hundreds of South Korean nationals were arrested. And, we’ll get into what Atlanta small business owners are worried about these days. (Spoiler: it’s tariffs.) Plus, we’ll play a round of Half Full/Half Empty! Here’s everything we talked about today: "Immigration raid at Georgia Hyundai factory tests state’s longstanding relationship with South Korea" from WABE"Hyundai says it will spend $2.7 billion expanding part of the Georgia complex raided by ICE" from AP News"Atlanta develops human rights action plan for 2026 FIFA World Cup" from WABE"After another subpar summer of going to the movies, what's next?" from Marketplace"Finally, the era of free in-flight WiFi is near" from The Washington Post"Costco's New Shopping Hours Are a Sign of Tierification of US Economy" from Business Insider "People are boycotting Disney, Hulu, and ESPN after ABC yanked Jimmy Kimmel off the air. Will it work?" from Fast Company We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

32 min

See All (260)

Kimberly Adams

Host
Dan Runcie

Guest
Marlon Hyde

Guest

4.6

out of 5

5,409 Ratings

Make a premium- I hate adds and the value you guys bring is worth it

Sep 3

Balancingthebooks

Title
Still good, less fun

Sep 17

TJ b4

Format changed this summer. Have to wonder how much was host burnout/overwhelm (what many of us feel these days) or funding changes. It’s still very informative, but it’s so much less spontaneous & less fun. Now it sounds like all the other reporting podcasts. I used to really enjoy the banter, laughs, & fun & the realness of the hosts. Really miss that. Not sure I’ll be listening every day now.
Epstein Distractions

Sep 6

JulBelJorJon

You need to talk about how Trump, like Netenyaju, are attacking citizens, innocent people with tax dollars to distract away from their histories and associations with violence against children, women, innocent people to try to avoid prison time to pay for their sins- for supporting pedophiles, rapists, groomers, like Epstein and Maxwell whom Trump is prepping to pardon. Instead of investing in fixing the housing crisis, public education, healthcare, childcare, veterans care, senior care, crippling student loan debt, Trump- the fat rich Tyrant- is wasting billions of our tax dollars on manufacturing a recession, making prison corporations rich to cripple our economy and hurt women, specifically. Since Trump wants an all white nation, young white women are in explicit danger who are now being enticed to have babies with dollars & those who refuse will be forced. Sound the alarm to correct the future that Trump is trying to build. Your future selves will thank you for it.
Unfiltered analysys

Apr 15

omahagirl19

This is just what I need these days. An unfilered analysis of the chaos thats happening around up. I've been a fan of Kai's from Marketplace and love the energy Kimberly brings. Thay are telling it like it is these days and I'm all in for it.

Each weekday, Marketplace’s Kimberly Adams makes today make sense along with her Marketplace colleagues, breaking down happenings in tech, the economy, and culture. Because none of us is as smart as all of us.