The FRONTLINE Dispatch

A recent FRONTLINE documentary investigates the aftermath of the U.S. and Israeli military campaign against Iran's nuclear program. In this episode of The FRONTLINE Dispatch, the filmmakers discuss combining on-the-ground reporting with cutting-edge visual forensics to understand the precision of the strikes, the civilian toll and the status of Iran's nuclear expertise.

A Ukrainian battalion fights to reach and reclaim a Russian-held village in 2000 Meters to Andriivka, the new documentary from the Oscar-winning team behind 20 Days in Mariupol. Host and filmmaker Raney Aronson-Rath speaks with filmmakers Mstyslav Chernov and Michelle Mizner about this unflinching, intimate portrait of modern warfare and the human cost of every advance.

RFK Jr. ascends to the top ranks of government. Raney Aronson-Rath and filmmaker Michael Kirk examine his alliance with President Donald Trump, his rise to Secretary of Health and Human Services, and his efforts to turn his long-held beliefs into federal policy—concluding FRONTLINE’s serialized adaptation of The Rise of RFK Jr.

As COVID-19 upends daily life, RFK Jr. emerges as a leading voice of dissent. Continuing FRONTLINE’s serialized audio adaptation of The Rise of RFK Jr., Raney Aronson-Rath and filmmaker Michael Kirk examine how the pandemic unified his beliefs, expanded his audience, and propelled him from the fringes into the national spotlight.

RFK Jr. emerges from a turbulent adolescence determined to reclaim his legacy. Raney Aronson-Rath and filmmaker Michael Kirk trace his rise as an environmental advocate—and the private contradictions that complicated his public mission—continuing FRONTLINE’s serialized audio adaptation of The Rise of RFK Jr.

How did Robert F. Kennedy Jr. evolve from Democratic political heir to MAGA-aligned power player? Host Raney Aronson-Rath and filmmaker Michael Kirk trace his path from Hickory Hill to the Trump administration and introduce FRONTLINE’s serialized audio adaptation of The Rise of RFK Jr.

In this episode of The FRONTLINE Dispatch, host Raney Aronson-Rath speaks with longtime FRONTLINE correspondent Evan Williams, director of The Rise of Germany’s New Right. Together, they unpack how the hardline Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has surged in popularity, drawing young voters on TikTok, capitalizing on economic anxiety, and reframing nationalism for a new generation.

What happens when you grow up poor in America—and stay in touch with the same filmmaker for more than a decade? FRONTLINE filmmaker Jezza Neumann and documentary participant Kaylie Hegwood reflect on “Born Poor,” a film following three children, including Kaylie, from their lives as “Poor Kids” into young adulthood. Fourteen years after filming began, Neumann and Hegwood discuss poverty, perseverance, and what it really takes to break the cycle. Produced by Joel Patterson. Hosted by Raney Aronson-Rath.

Watch the full documentary, Born Poor, on FRONTLINE’s YouTube channel and PBS.org.

Want to be notified every time a new podcast episode drops? Sign up for The FRONTLINE Dispatch newsletter.

From The Sunday Story on NPR’s Up First, hosted by Ayesha Rascoe.

As North Carolina struggles to build back after Hurricane Helene, NPR correspondent Laura Sullivan travels to New York and New Jersey years after Superstorm Sandy to find how recovery efforts fell short. And we learn special interests are shaping how we put communities back together.  

This episode was produced by Graham Smith and Andrew Mambo. It was edited by Jenny Schmidt and Robert Little. Kwesi Lee mastered the episode.

This series was co-reported with NPR and FRONTLINE, Jonathan Schienberg, Kate McCormick, Dana Ervin, Lauren Ezell Kinlaw and Refael Kubersky.

You can watch Hurricane Helene’s Deadly Warning on FRONTLINE’s website, FRONTLINE’s YouTube channel, and the PBS App. 

From The Sunday Story on NPR’s Up First, hosted by Ayesha Rascoe. 

NPR correspondent Laura Sullivan examines how the nation is failing to rebuild after major storms in a way that will protect them from the next one. 

As climate-related storms become more frequent and severe, NPR and FRONTLINE investigate the forces keeping communities from building resiliently, and the special interests that profit when communities don’t. Despite billions in federal aid, outdated policies, weak building codes, and political resistance are putting lives and homes at continued risk.

This episode was produced by Graham Smith and Andrew Mambo. It was edited by Jenny Schmidt and Robert Little. Kwesi Lee mastered the episode.

This series was co-reported with NPR and FRONTLINE, Jonathan Schienberg, Kate McCormick, Dana Ervin, Lauren Ezell Kinlaw and Refael Kubersky.

You can watch the documentary Hurricane Helene’s Deadly Warning on FRONTLINE’s website, FRONTLINE’s YouTube channel, and the PBS App.