APM Presents - News & Talk Specials
Outside/In: The Repair Mindset
In 1989, writer and activist Bill McKibben penned his first book, “The End of Nature.” It was one of the first books about climate change for the general public, and he wrote that continuing to burn fossil fuels would “lead us, if not straight to hell, then straight to a place with a similar temperature.”
Which makes it surprising to hear that nearly forty years later, as the U.S. is rolling back climate regulations, Bill is striking a decidedly more optimistic tone.
In “The Repair Mindset,” Outside/In host Nate Hegyi looks at the state of climate action at both the collective and individual level. He paints a nuanced portrait of how long-time activist Bill McKibben has changed, how he’s stayed the same, and what his story tells us about the state of the climate crisis. Plus, a practical look at one way you can help lower carbon emissions, save money, and look good doing it.
One hour
Broadcast Window: April 1, 2026 - June 30, 2026
Call to Mind Mental Health Series
May is National Mental Health Awareness Month. American Public Media’s acclaimed mental health series, Call to Mind, is back with five new public radio broadcast specials. Join veteran journalist Angela Davis for vivid and thoughtful explorations of vital mental health issues that shape our lives. Each hour-long program features sound-rich stories from across the country that amplify the voices of people living with mental health challenges as they journey to live well.
Five, One hour specials
Broadcast Window: April 6, 2026 - August 31, 2026
Witness History: Pride Month
From the BBC's Witness History, this is a special episode to mark June as Pride Month. We're looking back at some of the major moments that changed the lives of LGBT+ people and communities. It’s history told through the people who were there.
One hour
Broadcast Window: June 1, 2026 - June 30, 2026
Selected Shorts: Pride Inside
The 1969 Stonewall riots were a watershed moment socially and politically, inspiring the Gay Pride movement, transforming private lives and public perception. One of its legacies was that lives that were once hidden could be shared. And found to be, of course, like any other, with the usual measure of humor and heartache and, finally, acceptance.
This special program celebrates that legacy, with stories by queer writers. Our first work, “No Bikini,” by Ivan E. Coyote, read by Becca Blackwell, shares a bold childhood moment; in two stories established couples face change. The first is “Sleepless,” by Michael Cunningham, read by Mike Doyle, the second, “Snowfall.” By Deesha Philyaw, read by Michelle Beck. And in “Song for the Kicked Out,” poet
One hour
Broadcast Window: June 1, 2026 - June 30, 2026
The Poetry Cafe: Live from Kenya
We’re feeding your mind, your body and your soul live from Nairobi, Kenya at The Kenya International Theater Festival. In part one, we interview the cast of Song Unburied, a theater production from Zimbabwe about the cultural and spiritual impacts of British colonization. In part two, we talk with Divine, an acclaimed poet from Nairobi about the evolving poetry scene in Kenya.
One hour
Broadcast Window: June 1, 2026 - September 7, 2026
The Making of U.S.
This year, America will celebrate her 250th birthday — marking the anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, 1776. In “The Making of U.S.” (pronounced “the making of us”), we take a deep dive into some of the things that make America, America, giving you a Civics class refresher. We’ll break down topics like the war for independence, the Constitution, and how our representative Democracy is run.
One hour
Broadcast Window: July 1, 2026 - September 15, 2026
Off the Path
Off the Path hits the road to find strange stories and amazing histories hidden in plain sight. To recognize America’s 250th anniversary, this special explores some of the most fascinating stories lost to history — well, mostly. They’re kept alive by scholars, re-enactors and other history buffs who still celebrate them today.
One hour
Broadcast Window: July 1, 2026 - September 15, 2026
Outside/In: Milk, Microplastics and the Puzzle of Public Health
Trying to make healthy choices in 2026 can be perplexing.
Public health measures that have been around for generations are being questioned and rolled back by the very agencies that once imposed them. At the same time, consumers are contending with new health threats that we still don’t totally understand: forever chemicals, ultra-processed foods, and microplastics.
In this special, we look at the debates around two health-related topics—raw milk and microplastics—where concerns about how to live a healthy life are leading to unusual, and in some cases controversial, choices.
One hour
Broadcast Window: July 10, 2026 - September 30, 2026
C4E Presents: Forever Chemicals
PFAS—the "forever chemicals" found in everything from firefighting foam to nonstick pans—represent a rare issue uniting political opposites: the Make America Healthy Again movement's concerns about environmental toxins and progressive environmentalists' fight against corporate pollution.
Collaborative for the Earth investigates the growing body of evidence linking PFAS and other industrial chemicals to skyrocketing cancer rates among younger adults, rising autism diagnoses, and other unexplained health trends, while exploring why these chemicals have received far less attention than vaccines or other public health flashpoints.
From communities living on contaminated sites and conflicting explanations for declining U.S. public health, this special asks: why has it taken so long to confront the chemical crisis hiding in plain sight?
One hour
Broadcast Window: July 15, 2026 - October 15, 2026