SoundStack

60 Minutes executive producer Bill Owens has resigned amid mounting pressure on Paramount Global to settle a $20 billion lawsuit from Donald Trump. What could a deal with the president mean for Shari Redstone’s legacy? Kim Masters and Matt Belloni dive in.

Plus, Masters speaks to Jared Hess about his pop-culture-shifting filmography which includes cult classics Napoleon Dynamite, Nacho Libre. He’s currently enjoying the wild success of A Minecraft Movie, as that 2025 video game adaptation careens towards a billion dollar box office haul. Hess reflects on the unpredictable nature of success in filmmaking, and says he’s especially grateful to producer Mary Parent for understanding his oddball comedic sensibilities and inviting him into the world of Minecraft.

A measure long sought by Texas Republicans is now on its way to the governor’s desk: A voucher-like plan to use public dollars to pay for private education. We’ll get details from Blaise Gainey of The Texas Newsroom.

A massive plan was once proposed to keep Texas from running out of water in the late 1960’s… Voters said no. How the debate has resurfaced decades later.

And a big win for opponents of local marijuana decriminalization moves in Texas.

The post After yearslong fight, school voucher bill clears Legislature appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

After lawsuits and a long delay, the Texas Education Agency releases rankings for schools in the Lone Star State. The school rankings are more than just an indicator of how well students are doing, they can have ripple effects on the schools themselves, as well as on housing prices and more. KERA’s Bill Zeeble joins us with what the report cards tell us.
After record levels of deaths connected to police car chases, what, if anything, do Texas lawmakers plan to do?
A historic theatre, once a hub for Mexican American entertainment, is coming back to life in San Antonio.
Plus, Texas breweries rebrand themselves as public spaces.

The post How Texas schools fared in long-awaited TEA accountability grades appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Healthcare providers and people on both sides of Texas’ abortion ban are working together – kind of – on an effort to clarify the law.
The VA is trying to trim its budget without affecting patients. A closer look at the plans and their potential holes.
The number of nurses in Houston public schools has dropped by 50% in the past year. Now there’s an effort at the Texas Capitol to set requirements for having nurses on campuses.
What you need to know as the federal government restarts collections on federal student loan borrowers in default.
And: We’ll introduce you to Porfirio Salinas, the Texas painter who captured the Hill Country in a way that inspired Lady Bird Johnson.

Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can support our work by becoming a sustaining member at supportthispodcast.org.

The post Houston ISD has half the nurses it did last year appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

The week of April 22, 2025 on The Metallica Report…

As soon as the show in Syracuse concludes, Steffan and Renée are hard at work recapping the M72 2025 kickoff, still riding high off the energy in the JMA Wireless Dome. And no report is hotter off the press than Steff’s conversation with Robert Trujillo in the back of his van, leaving the venue. We also get the inside scoop from Robert and Kirk Hammett on what this year has in store for their doodles. Then, continuing our theme of instant reactions, our hosts catch up with fans as they exit the very first screening of the band’s new documentary, Metallica Saved My Life.

The Metallica Report – your official, weekly guide for all things Metallica, straight from the source. New episode every Wednesday.

Upcoming Tour Dates: https://www.metallica.com/tour 

M72 map - https://m72map.metallica.com 

“Metallica Saved My Life” Film: https://www.fathomentertainment.com/metallica-saved-my-life 

Kirk & Robert on their Upcoming Doodles: https://www.instagram.com/metallica/reel/DIpk8GhvyWV 

Music from The Metallica Report: https://metallica.lnk.to/TMR-music 

Wanna be featured on a future episode? Submit your questions or comments: http://metallica.com/podcast

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Supreme Court halts deportations under the Alien Enemies Act. We’ll have the latest on the case involving migrants held in Texas.
He was called a “monster” by one of the survivors of the El Paso Walmart mass shooting. We hear from victims and relatives of those killed as the gunman is sentenced.
Pope Francis once made a high-profile visit to the Texas-Mexico border where he celebrated Mass on the banks of the Rio Grande. Residents on both sides of the river remember the People’s Pope.
How the tariff war with China could affect Texas.
And we talk to the South Texas author of the new novel “Futbolista”

The post Remembering the ‘People’s Pope’ appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Let’s explore ways to create a more sustainable podcasting workflow, reduce waste, and inspire listeners to take eco-friendly action.

As Earth Day approaches, it’s a perfect time for podcasters to reflect on their environmental impact and take actionable steps toward sustainability. While podcasting is largely a digital medium, it still consumes energy, data, and resources—and increasingly, AI tools like ChatGPT and other platforms also play a role in your workflow, using significant computing power. By making small yet meaningful changes, podcasters can contribute to a greener industry while maintaining high-quality content.

We’re diving into sustainable podcasting—simple steps you can take to reduce waste, conserve energy, and make your show a little greener!

The equipment you use for recording, editing, and publishing your podcast can have a significant environmental footprint. Consider these changes:

✅ Use energy-efficient devices – Choose ENERGY STAR-rated computers, LED lights, and low-power audio interfaces.

Earth Day Challenge: Record and edit an episode using only battery-powered or solar-powered devices!

Podcast hosting and distribution rely on energy-intensive data centers, which contribute to carbon emissions. AI platforms you use for editing, scripting, or generating content also depend on large-scale cloud computing, which consumes significant energy. While there aren’t dedicated “green” hosting providers in podcasting yet, you can take steps to reduce your podcast’s digital impact:

✅ Optimize audio file sizes – Use efficient formats like AAC or MP3 (note Spotify only supports MP3) with optimized bit rates to reduce data storage and transmission energy.

Earth Day Tip: Encourage your listeners to stream over Wi-Fi instead of mobile data, which requires more energy from cellular networks.

By managing your digital footprint—including AI usage—you help reduce energy consumption while maintaining a high-quality listening experience.

Even digital content has an environmental cost, as cloud storage and AI operations require electricity. Keep your podcast’s footprint minimal:

✅ Clean up old backups and files – Delete unnecessary drafts and duplicate content to reduce cloud storage usage.

From Houston to Fort Worth, thousands of Texans joined people across the country over the weekend in a national day of protest against the Trump administration.
The Texas Newsroom’s Blaise Gainey gets us up to speed on what’s happening at the state Capitol with six weeks left in the legislative session.
Four Houston-area suicides among members of law enforcement are drawing more attention to an issue some peace officers are reluctant to talk about openly.
And: Many Texans are mourning Pope Francis, who has died at 88.

You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org

The post Harris County deputy suicides raise questions about mental health support appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Texas Extras are special and extended content put together just for our podcast listeners!

Texas Standard recently revealed our Top 10 list from April: the Top 10 Typewriter Rodeo poems from the past decade. Each poem is pretty short, usually just about a minute long, but we still didn’t have time to play them in their entirety in our on-air Top 10 – which just felt like a shame. We remedy that for you here, enjoy!

The full transcript of this episode of Texas Standard is available on the KUT & KUTX Studio website. The transcript is also available as subtitles or captions on some podcast apps.

The post Texas Extra: Our favorite Typewriter Rodeo poems appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

After opening investigations into several media companies in recent months, The FCC has found its latest target– MSNBC. Why did FCC chairman Brenan Carr claim that specific broadcasts on MSNBC were not in “public interest?” Also, what’s behind the Writers Guild’s decision to block members from working on a Martin Scorsese produced film? Kim Masters and Matt Belloni investigate. 

Plus, Masters speaks with actress, activist, and filmmaker Daryl Hannah, whose new concert film, Coastal, offers an intimate look at her husband, the legendary Neil Young, on his 2023 solo tour. Hannah also recounts a painful experience with Harvey Weinstein on the Kill Bill press tour, and reveals what prompted her to proclaim “Slava Ukraini” at this year’s Oscars.