NOW  in the Inkwell

The Future of Public Radio, starts October 2, 2025

The loss of public funding forces us to confront questions about the very identity of public radio. Will stations shift toward a more commercial model, relying heavily on corporate sponsorships? Can they adapt to new digital platforms while retaining their commitment to accessibility and diversity? Or will public radio lean more deeply into community-driven models, where audiences not only consume content but actively support and shape it?
 
We have assembled an illustrious panel of subject matter experts with substantial experience in Public Radio to discuss the looming challenges facing public radio stations, content producer networks, and distribution platforms as public funding is being disrupted.
 

JOIN the live conversation

 

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If  you have a comment or question, send via email to inkwell at well.com.

To read all previous Inkwell interviews, go Here.

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Recently in the Inkwell

 

“The Spinach King: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty” by John Seabrook,  Sept 18 – Oct 6, 2025

Acclaimed journalist and New Yorker staff writer John Seabrook joins Inkwell to discuss his deeply personal and provocative new book, “The Spinach King: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty.” Drawing from a trove of family documents inherited after his father’s death, Seabrook uncovers the complex, and often dark, legacy of Seabrook Farms – his family’s frozen food empire that once dominated agriculture in southern New Jersey. The conversation explores themes of power, exploitation, family dysfunction, capitalism, and historical memory, as John reflects on uncovering painful truths, reconciling with his past, and telling the long-silenced stories of exploited workers whose labor built his family’s fortune.

VISIT the archived conversation

 

In Formation, a cult publication exploring what technology does to us, September 5 – 28, 2025

We’re discussing In Formation, a cult publication exploring what technology does to us, written by insiders who know the industry from the inside out. We’re specifically focusing on the latest Issue #3, which upholds the magazine’s reputation for meticulous production: heavy stock paper, elegant design, and eclectic content ranging from a graphic novel and photo-essay to a flexidisc of music by The Layoffs (a band of the magazine’s own art crew). The tone blends the serious with the satirical, offering sharp critiques of tech culture. True to tradition, the only advertisement appears on the back cover—this time for Espolòn Tequila, following Absolut’s iconic placements on the first two issues.

VISIT the archived conversation

 

 

New Season of Dr. Who, April 8 – June 5, 2025

The highly anticipated new season of Doctor Who premieres Saturday, April 12, 2025 — streaming on Disney+ (where available) and airing on the BBC. Here on the WELL, we’ll be reviving our Whovian conversation in the ongoing discussion “Finding Doctor Who,” which first kicked off last May with the debut of Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor. Join us as we dive into new adventures, unpack timey-wimey twists, and celebrate the next chapter of this iconic series.
 

VISIT the archived conversation

 

 

 

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Visit the rest of the topics: g inkwell.vue


The books and commentary we’ve spotlighted over the years run the gamut from timely political commentary, to noteworthy blogs, to gardening and cooking books, to parenting issues, to the social implications of new technologies. We’ve delved into the evolution of online culture and communications technologies, and we’ve explored improvisational and collaborative branches of music history. Who can say what we’ll talk about next?

Previous Discussions

The State of the World 2025

The State of the World 2024

The State of the World 2023

The State of the World 2022
The State of the World 2021     

The State of the World 2020
The State of the World 2019
The State of the World 2018
Virginia Eubanks: Automating Inequality
Roger McNamee: Brain Hacking For Dummies
Ellen Ullman: Life in Code
Julie Rehmeyer: Through the Shadowlands

Hosted by: Jon Lebkowsky (jonl), Emily Gertz (emilyg), David Gans (tnf), and Alan Chamberlain (axon)

Host emerita: Julie Sherman <julieswn>