Berkshire Eagle Podcasts

There's something new in the Sunday edition of the Berkshire Eagle!

Join Berkshire Eagle Editor Kevin Moran and Feature Editor Lindsey Hollenbaugh as they discuss "Berkshire Landscapes," the new art and lifestyles section debuting this Sunday. Find out why you'll want to set aside some time, grab a cup of coffee and dive into this section full of features focused on art, lifestyle, food and more.

Not sure what to do this summer? New England Newspapers Inc. has you covered!

Join Berkshire Eagle Features Editor Lindsey Hollenbaugh and Arts Editor Jeffrey Borak as they chat with host Carrie Saldo about the upcoming release of "Summer Previews," our go-to reference guide for culture and more in the Berkshires, Southern Vermont and nearby Connecticut and New York.

Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art director Joseph Thompson discusses the museum’s rich history, the institution’s impact on the regional economy and the future of Mass MoCA following the opening of Building 6 at the sprawling complex of former mill buildings in North Adams.

Thompson was interviewed by Berkshire Eagle reporter Adam Shanks. The Berkshire Eagle Podcast is hosted by Mark Mills.

In this edition of the Berkshire Eagle Podcast, host Mark Mills presents coverage of a forum held on Saturday, April 22, at the Stockbridge Public Library on the impact of fake news on America’s democratic institutions.

The discussion explored how fake news has infiltrated public discourse and what consumers and established news outlets can do to combat the false stories and insidious effects of phony news reports.

Panelists included Bill Everhart, editor of the editorial page of The Berkshire Eagle and Elizabeth Jensen, ombudsman for National Public Radio. The moderator was veteran journalist John Felton of Lee.

After last November's referendum approving the recreational use of marijuana, the Massachusetts legislature is setting the rules and regulations for how the new law will be implemented. That discussion includes the possibility of setting age 21 as the legal minimum for purchasing marijuana, alcohol and tobacco products. Under current state law, 18 year olds can buy cigarettes. But public health officials are calling for raising the age to 21, as Pittsfield and many other local communities have already done.

In this edition of the Berkshire Eagle podcast, host Mark Mills speaks about raising the state smoking age to 21 with Gina Armstrong, director of public health for the city of Pittsfield, and with Berkshire Eagle editorial page editor Bill Everhart.

Berkshire County homeowners, businesses and non-profits are fighting a proposed electric utility rate increase that is now under review by the state Department of Public Utilities.

At a public hearing in Pittsfield, state and local officials and area residents testified that the proposed hike is unfair, exorbitant and greedy. Eversource said additional revenue is needed to offset investments in infrastructure and higher operating costs.

In this edition of the Berkshire Eagle podcast, host Mark Mills speaks about the Eversource proposal with The Eagle's Business Editor Tony Dobrowolski, reporter Carrie Saldo and Editorial Page Editor Bill Everhart.

While protest demonstrations from the Four Freedoms March in Pittsfield to the Women’s March on Washington have drawn boisterous crowds showing their opposition to the Trump administration, local groups are springing up in the Berkshires and around the country to take on the quieter work of political organizing, lobbying lawmakers and educating voters.

Berkshire Eagle podcast host Mark Mills speaks with local activists Geraldine Shen and Leslie Sears about their post-election political organizing. They are joined by Berkshire Eagle reporter Carrie Saldo, who has written about the “Indivisible” chapters taking root in the Berkshires.

Part 2: Audio from the Massachusetts Broadband Institute's public hearing soliciting feedback on proposals submitted by six 'last mile' providers to bring broadband to underserved communities in Western Massachusetts.

Audio recorded and provided courtesy of Bill Densmore.

Audio from the Massachusetts Broadband Institute's public hearing soliciting feedback on proposals submitted by six 'last mile' providers to bring broadband to underserved communities in Western Massachusetts.

Audio recorded and provided courtesy of Bill Densmore.

The U.S. reached the Moon eight years and two months after President John F. Kennedy called such an accomplishment “the key to our future.” It has been eight years and five months since Gov. Deval Patrick called to close the state’s “digital divide” — with the finish line as much as two years away for some towns.

In this week's podcast, the Eagle Eye Team explores why it has taken so long for broadband internet service to reach homes in many rural towns in the Berkshires.