More than a decade after “Serial” pulled mainstream Americans into the world of podcasts, what are the genuinely new and interesting podcasts on the scene? Our panelists share their picks, and we take audience submissions for the top podcasts of 2025. Our guests:

---

Connections is supported by listeners like you. Head to our donation page to become a WXXI member today, support the show, and help us close the gap created by the rescission of federal funding.

---

Connections airs every weekday from noon-2 p.m. Join the conversation with questions or comments by phone at 1-844-295-TALK (8255) or 585-263-9994, email, Facebook or Twitter. 

Connections is also livestreamed on the WXXI News YouTube channel each day. You can watch live or access previous episodes here.

---

Do you have a story that needs to be shared? Pitch your story to Connections.

When you fly, what is your airplane attire? U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy recently told Fox Business that he wants Americans to "dress up a little bit" for air travel. It's part of his broader push to "bring civility back" to flights and return to what he calls the "golden age of travel." Would a dress code lead to less fighting, better manners, and a more pleasurable flying experience overall? We discuss it with our guests:

---

Connections is supported by listeners like you. Head to our donation page to become a WXXI member today, support the show, and help us close the gap created by the rescission of federal funding.

---

Connections airs every weekday from noon-2 p.m. Join the conversation with questions or comments by phone at 1-844-295-TALK (8255) or 585-263-9994, email, Facebook or Twitter. 

Connections is also livestreamed on the WXXI News YouTube channel each day. You can watch live or access previous episodes here.

---

Do you have a story that needs to be shared? Pitch your story to Connections.

We sit down with W. Kamau Bell. The Emmy and Peabody Award-winning TV host, comedian, filmmaker, and author is in Rochester for an event at Nazareth University. His upcoming stand-up performance brings silliness to the sociopolitical issues of the current moment. We talk with him about a range of issues — from politics to public service to family life and more. In studio:

• W. Kamau Bell, Emmy and Peabody Award-winning TV host, comedian, filmmaker, and author

---

Connections is supported by listeners like you. Head to our donation page to become a WXXI member today, support the show, and help us close the gap created by the rescission of federal funding.

---

Connections airs every weekday from noon-2 p.m. Join the conversation with questions or comments by phone at 1-844-295-TALK (8255) or 585-263-9994, email, Facebook or Twitter. 

Connections is also livestreamed on the WXXI News YouTube channel each day. You can watch live or access previous episodes here.

---

Do you have a story that needs to be shared? Pitch your story to Connections.

New data reported by CBS News on Wednesday shows most people detained by the federal government during some recent high-profile ICE raids do not have criminal records. The Trump administration has said the crackdowns are aimed at unauthorized immigrants with criminal backgrounds. But according to data from early September to mid-October, the number of people without criminal histories who were detained after raids in Chicago, for example, increased by more than 1,400%. Local advocates who work with immigrants say the raids have devastating consequences for families. We discuss the issue — and several recent ICE raids in the Rochester area — with our guests:

---

Connections is supported by listeners like you. Head to our donation page to become a WXXI member today, support the show, and help us close the gap created by the rescission of federal funding.

---

Connections airs every weekday from noon-2 p.m. Join the conversation with questions or comments by phone at 1-844-295-TALK (8255) or 585-263-9994, email, Facebook or Twitter. 

Connections is also livestreamed on the WXXI News YouTube channel each day. You can watch live or access previous episodes here.

---

Do you have a story that needs to be shared? Pitch your story to Connections.

After several more controversial pardons from President Trump, legal scholars are debating how to reform the pardon process. Trump's pardons come on the heels of a wave of pardons from President Biden, shielding family and close associates from possible future legal consequences. What changes should be made to the process, if any? Our guests discuss it. In studio:

---

Connections is supported by listeners like you. Head to our donation page to become a WXXI member today, support the show, and help us close the gap created by the rescission of federal funding.

---

Connections airs every weekday from noon-2 p.m. Join the conversation with questions or comments by phone at 1-844-295-TALK (8255) or 585-263-9994, email, Facebook or Twitter. 

Connections is also livestreamed on the WXXI News YouTube channel each day. You can watch live or access previous episodes here.

---

Do you have a story that needs to be shared? Pitch your story to Connections.

Snow now covers the ground, and the holidays are approaching. What's on your radar as you settle in for winter in Rochester and the Finger Lakes? This month's edition of CITY Magazine is its Winter Guide. The annual exploration of things to do includes books to read, classes to take, sports to try, art to experience, and more. We're joined by the CITY team for the hour. Our guests:

---

Connections is supported by listeners like you. Head to our donation page to become a WXXI member today, support the show, and help us close the gap created by the rescission of federal funding.

---

Connections airs every weekday from noon-2 p.m. Join the conversation with questions or comments by phone at 1-844-295-TALK (8255) or 585-263-9994, email, Facebook or Twitter. 

Connections is also livestreamed on the WXXI News YouTube channel each day. You can watch live or access previous episodes here.

---

Do you have a story that needs to be shared? Pitch your story to Connections.

A local organization is sounding the alarm over an issue that is affecting an increasing number of young people. As reported by WXXI's Noelle Evans, a new report from Common Ground Health shows that in 2023, self-harm was the leading behavioral reason that young people ages 6 to 21 in Monroe County visited the emergency room. How can families, caregivers, and schools help support students' mental and emotional well-being? Our guests share their expertise. In studio:

---

Connections is supported by listeners like you. Head to our donation page to become a WXXI member today, support the show, and help us close the gap created by the rescission of federal funding.

---

Connections airs every weekday from noon-2 p.m. Join the conversation with questions or comments by phone at 1-844-295-TALK (8255) or 585-263-9994, email, Facebook or Twitter. 

Connections is also livestreamed on the WXXI News YouTube channel each day. You can watch live or access previous episodes here.

---

Do you have a story that needs to be shared? Pitch your story to Connections.

We sit down with Karin Deutsch Karlekar of PEN America. The organization's Writers at Risk programs advocate for journalists, advocates, and academics who face threats around the world. A recent crackdown on free speech has affected American writers and their work. We discuss the state of free speech and what organizations like PEN America are doing to help protect it. In studio:

• Karin Deutsch Karlekar, Ph.D., director of Writers at Risk at PEN America

---

Connections is supported by listeners like you. Head to our donation page to become a WXXI member today, support the show, and help us close the gap created by the rescission of federal funding.

---

Connections airs every weekday from noon-2 p.m. Join the conversation with questions or comments by phone at 1-844-295-TALK (8255) or 585-263-9994, email, Facebook or Twitter. 

Connections is also livestreamed on the WXXI News YouTube channel each day. You can watch live or access previous episodes here.

---

Do you have a story that needs to be shared? Pitch your story to Connections.

Predictive AI is becoming more advanced, and big companies are already using it daily. For instance, UPS uses predictive AI to map out the most efficient routes for drivers. What does it all mean for you and your life? We talk about it with our guest:

• John C.S. Loury, co-founder and president of Cause + Effect Strategy

---

Connections is supported by listeners like you. Head to our donation page to become a WXXI member today, support the show, and help us close the gap created by the rescission of federal funding.

---

Connections airs every weekday from noon-2 p.m. Join the conversation with questions or comments by phone at 1-844-295-TALK (8255) or 585-263-9994, email, Facebook or Twitter. 

Connections is also livestreamed on the WXXI News YouTube channel each day. You can watch live or access previous episodes here.

---

Do you have a story that needs to be shared? Pitch your story to Connections.

How can we make downtown Rochester more walkable — and how could that transform the area? We explore those questions with guests from Reconnect Rochester in advance of the group's Rochester Street Films event. This year's film, "Walkable USA," tells the story of Hammond, Indiana, which is working to transition from a city that most people drive through to one that becomes a destination. The team at Reconnect Rochester says Hammond can teach us lessons about how to develop an adaptable downtown that's safe, thriving, and inviting. Our guests help us examine the challenges Rochester faces, solutions that could help drive change, and how realistic those changes are in the current environment. In studio:

---

Connections is supported by listeners like you. Head to our donation page to become a WXXI member today, support the show, and help us close the gap created by the rescission of federal funding.

---

Connections airs every weekday from noon-2 p.m. Join the conversation with questions or comments by phone at 1-844-295-TALK (8255) or 585-263-9994, email, Facebook or Twitter. 

Connections is also livestreamed on the WXXI News YouTube channel each day. You can watch live or access previous episodes here.

---

Do you have a story that needs to be shared? Pitch your story to Connections.