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Bird flu is spreading fast among wildlife including foxes and raccoons in Panhandle counties.
Twenty-seven candidates are running to become the next mayor of San Antonio – the city’s biggest field in recent memory – as voters head to the polls next month.
Deployed Resources, a Texas company that grew into a contracting giant building tent shelters, is turning its focus to deportation.
Looking to buy a vehicle? What you should know about the car market amid tariff uncertainty.
And: The history of cascarones – colorful confetti eggs – a Texas Easter tradition.

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For the first time ever, the Texas House votes to approve the use of taxpayer money for private school education. Blaise Gainey of The Texas Newsroom shares what comes next.
Many farmers in South Texas say a water treaty with Mexico is costing them dearly. Now the Trump administration appears ready to get involved.
Thousands of acres of Hill Country land have been set aside to create a new state natural area, and Texas Public Radio’s Jack Morgan got a preview.
And: Politics and water take center stage in the new documentary “Thirst for Power,” based on a book by Michael Webber. He joins the show with more.

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An area known as the Roosevelt Reservation is getting renewed attention thanks to an executive order allowing for military control. What it could mean for border communities.
Texas disability organizations are closely watching a legal fight involving the Social Security Administration.
SpaceX is becoming the go-to provider for military launches. How the Texas-based company secured contracts that used to go elsewhere.
The Dallas Wings landed star University of Connecticut point guard Paige Bueckers with their No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft.
Why an Austin drag queen is giving weekly lectures on state politics.
And: We celebrate the birthday of Tejano superstar Selena with a visit to her hometown museum.

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The week of April 16, 2025 on The Metallica Report…

Steffan has set up shop in the middle of HQ on a rehearsal day as he and Renée count down the days until Syracuse hosts Metallica for the first time in 29 years! After a surprise guest quickly crashes the pod, Steff chats with superfan Todd Styles, and Renée gets the rundown on the M72 Blood Drives from Darren Irby of the American Red Cross. Our hosts also discuss the M72 Takeover Events happening throughout the North American tour. 

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 

Takeover Events: metallica.lnk.to/M72Takeover2025 

M72 Map: https://m72map.metallica.com 

American Red Cross x Metallica Blood Drives - https://www.redcrossblood.org/metallica 

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

Live Metallica: https://livemetallica.com 

Local Metallica Fan Club Chapters: https://www.metallica.com/fans/local-chapters 

All Within My Hands: https://www.allwithinmyhands.org 

Music from The Metallica Report: 

Listen to a special preview of Kim Masters’ conversation with Daryl Hannah about her documentary Coastal. The film will be in theaters worldwide for one night only, on April 17th.

How a secretive gambler known as “The Joker” and his partner helped take down the Texas Lottery.
A new order from the Trump administration took effect yesterday requiring documentation of cash transactions along the U.S.-Mexico border.
A plan to expand the Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge in the Panhandle is now in peril. The Texas Standard’s Michael Marks explains.
nVidia is coming to Texas: The chipmaker that powers much of today’s AI for the first time will build its supercomputers in the U.S.
And: Actors with disabilities find a place on stage with Big Heart Theater in Dallas.

The post Plan to expand Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge is in peril appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Monetizing a podcast in 2025 isn’t as simple as slapping ads on your episodes and calling it a day. Some revenue streams are thriving, while others? Not so much.

Today, we’re breaking down what’s working, what’s fading, and what podcasters should focus on to actually make money in 2025.

Then vs. Now: How podcast monetization has evolved from basic ads to a mix of diversified income streams.

What’s Changed?

✅ More podcasters are using multi-platform revenue models (YouTube, social media, newsletters).

Who’s Making the Most Money? – Big networks vs. independent creators vs. niche podcasters.

CPM-based ads vs. Dynamic Ad Insertion (DAI) – Is the traditional CPM model sustainable for indie podcasters?

Brands in 2025: What Are They Looking For?

✅ More niche-specific partnerships.

How to Land Sponsors in 2025:

✅ Creating brand-friendly content.

Pro Tip: Even small podcasts can land affiliate sponsorships or direct brand deals—it’s all about audience connection.

Are listeners actually paying for premium content?

Subscription platforms in 2025: Apple Podcasts, Patreon, Spotify, Substack, and other direct-to-fan monetization.

What’s working?

✅ Bonus episodes, ad-free content, and exclusive interviews.

What’s NOT working?

❌ Generic paywalls with no real incentive.

Key Insight: The most successful subscription models are tied to strong community engagement—not just extra content.

The Rise of Hybrid Podcast Events – Live-streaming + in-person experiences.

Types of Monetizable Events:

✅ Ticketed live podcast tapings.

Why Some Podcast Events Flop:

❌ Overestimating audience size & demand.

Case Study: How podcasts like My Favorite Murder & The Last Podcast on the Left turned live shows into major revenue drivers.

Almost half of all Texas counties don’t have a hospital or birth center that provides obstetric care. A look at the challenges and what’s being done to support pregnant people across rural Texas.
How some Houston fourth graders are calling for changes at school by petitioning for reusable lunch trays and learning how to make their case to lawmakers.
More than just a launch site? The countdown is on for local residents to decide whether join a new town called Starbase.
Texans looked good at the Masters, but there was another narrative that had golf fans glued to their chairs. Golf journalist Kevin Robbins with the drama.

The post Could SpaceX’s Starbase become an actual city? appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

As the Trump administration announces (and delays) tariffs, Hollywood is bracing itself for industry disruptions. What’s on the horizon for the entertainment industry amid erratic stock market fluctuations? Kim Masters and Matt Belloni investigate. (The Banter runs from 00:01:01 to 00:07:48.) 

Plus, Masters speaks to Michael Shannon about his directorial debut, Eric LaRue. The actor tells us how the film's producers managed to quickly pack up and relocate from Little Rock to North Carolina after Arkansas enacted a strict abortion ban. Shannon also admits that despite the movie's dark subject matter, he found making it surprisingly fun. Plus, we get a taste of his R.E.M. cover band, which just wrapped a nationwide tour. (The interview segment begins at 00:07:49.)

The Texas House has approved its version of the state’s two-year budget. Blaise Gainey of The Texas Newsroom gets us up to speed on what Texas’ representatives want to spend taxpayer money for, and where they’ll have to work out the kinks with the Senate.
A test for President Trump in South Texas – and how a certain bakery there came to play an outsized part in the political drama.
They call it Y’all Street: What the emergence of Dallas as a financial center means for Texas and the big money business.
And: Five years after COVID, how have high school sports changed?

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