About this episode
As Puerto Rico rations resources and seeks help from the US government, the mainland media has mostly been preoccupied with Donald Trump's provocations towards the NFL. This week, what's actually happening on the island (and with the NFL). Also, a look at the radical history of the Star-Spangled Banner; how the Catalan independence referendum is being suppressed by the Spanish government; decoding the FBI's new crime statistics; and a look back at Hugh Hefner's impact on American culture. 1. Puerto Rican columnist Sandra Rodriguez Cotto [ @SRCSandra ] talks about how the local press are handling the wreckage following Hurricane Maria. 2. Brooke examines this week's NFL news frenzy. 3. University of Maryland assistant professor of musicology Will Robin [ @seatedovation ] reveals the national anthem's long history of musical defiance and radicalism. 4. Thomas Abt [ @Abt_Thomas ], a senior fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School and Harvard Law School and a former deputy secretary for public safety for New York State, talks about the politicization of violent crime data. 5. Vicent Partal [ @vpartal ], founder and editor of VilaWeb, a Catalan news outlet based in Barcelona, explains the modern Catalan separatist movement and the Spanish government's efforts to suppress this weekend's referendum. 6. A look back on Hugh Hefner's legacy through two interviews with and about him. On the Media is supported by listeners like you. Support OTM by donating today ( https://pledge.wnyc.org/support/otm ). Follow our show on Instagram , Twitter and Facebook @onthemedia, and share your thoughts with us by emailing onthemedia@wnyc.org.