The inspiration behind “Post Reports,” The Washington Post’s flagship daily news podcast, is to help listeners better understand the most important and interesting news moments, through expert insight, analysis, and transparency into Washington Post reporting. The show features a curated mix of stories throughout the week that highlight the breadth and depth of what The Post covers – from breaking news of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore to the deep investigative reporting about police abuse.
This entry highlights the range of our work with three episodes: “The Baltimore bridge collapse reveals who is most vulnerable,” “A son reported his dad for Jan 6. Can the family heal?,” and “When police officers are predators: One teen’s story.”
When the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed in the middle of the night in The Washington Post’s backyard, our colleagues jumped on the story, quickly learning everything they could about the ship that had collided with the bridge, the response from law enforcement to close the bridge to traffic, and the construction crew that was on the bridge as it crashed into the Patapsco River. In the episode of Post Reports that Martine Powers, Teo Armus and producers Elana Gordon and Rennie Svirnovskiy put together, we hear an immediate and revealing recounting of everything we knew about the bridge collapse in the 48 hours after it happened.
On Christmas Eve 2020, Guy Reffitt sent a text to his family group chat. He was furious about the outcome of the 2020 election — which he believed was stolen from former President Donald Trump —- and he was going to do something about it. That’s when his son, Jackson Reffitt, went to his room and filed a tip to the FBI. The Reffitts are one of the families that was shattered by the insurrection and its aftermath. Now, they’re trying to put the pieces back together – and they let our reporter and producer listen in.
In this intimate episode of Post Reports, we hear the Reffitts struggle to work through their political differences, and their feelings of hurt and betrayal.
And finally, a Washington Post investigation found that over the past two decades, hundreds of police officers have preyed on children, while agencies across the country have failed to take steps to prevent these crimes.
In this episode of Post Reports, enterprise reporter Jessica Contrera shares the story of Nicole, a teenager who was abused by a New Orleans police officer, and her fight for justice. The episode showcases Contreras’ deft investigative skills, bringing listeners into the reporting process, and gives Nicole agency to tell her own story. Hearing her voice directly is moving and powerful.
Together, these episodes show how affecting Washington Post reporting can be in audio – listeners hear the voices of victims, of families reconnecting, of those who are held accountable for wrongdoing. Post Reports delivers this work, each weekday afternoon with a standard of excellence, accuracy and a compelling listening experience.
