Episodes

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20090531

Matt Frei presents an insider guide to the people and the ideas shaping the United States today.

Matt gauges the health of the nation in an interview with one of America's top agony aunts, and reveals the city you'd least expect to be beating America's economic blues, by attracting some of the country's top entrepreneurial talent.

And as politicians in Washington argue over who knew what about the use of torture, the programme asks what happens when the soldiers who carried out the abuse return home to civilian life.

Matt Frei presents an insider guide to the people and the ideas shaping America today.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20090607

Matt Frei speaks to Van Jones, adviser to President Obama on the subject of green jobs, and meets the young Republicans who are looking to revamp the Grand Old Party.

The programme also visits the small town of Greensburg, Kansas. In 2007 it was destroyed by one of the fiercest tornados on record. Today it is being reborn as a 'green town' and has been heralded by President Obama as an example to the world.

Matt Frei speaks to Van Jones, adviser to President Obama on the subject of green jobs.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20090614

Hosted by Matt Frei from the BBC studio in Washington, DC.

Featuring the contrasting tales of two states: why the California Dream has turned into a nightmare and why Iowa is at the cutting edge of social debate.

Plus the enduring appeal of Nancy Drew, the fictional girl detective who has inspired senators, First Ladies and at least one would-be Supreme Court Justice.

Why the California Dream has turned into a nightmare and the appeal of Nancy Drew.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20090621

Matt Frei interviews Sunny Schwartz about her Resolve to Stop the Violence Programme (RSVP) for the San Franscisco Sheriff's Dept - which has cut violent recidivism by up to 80 per cent. The programme also reports from Miami on the extraordinary story of the 70 sex offenders who sleep under the Julia Tuttle bridge.

Plus a real slice of Americana. Linesville boasts one of the biggest tourist attractions in Pennsylvania - ducks walking on the back of fish, fed bread by an estimated half million tourists each year. The threatened banning of bread feeding, and its replacement by pellets, provoked a revolt in the town, and inspired a song.

Matt Frei looks at different responses to America's prison crisis.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20090628

Kevin Connolly talks to Tina Brown about her website The Daily Beast and the future of the news media.

He takes a trip to Virginia's Shenandoah Valley to find out how the baseball players of the future live with local families for a summer league which may open the door to undreamed of sporting success.

Armistead Maupin reflects on 40 years of Gay Power since the Stonewall riots, and examines gay retirement options.

Kevin Connolly talks to Tina Brown about her website The Daily Beast.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20090705

Matt Frei presents an insider guide to the people and the stories shaping America today. Combining location reports with lively discussion and exclusive interviews, the show provides new and surprising insights into contemporary America.

Matt celebrates Independence Day, lifts the lid on the underside of America's capital and talks to the small-town mayor with big plans for how to turn around America's struggling cities. He also hears the story of an unexpected American patriot and is joined by a very important visitor.

Matt Frei celebrates Independence Day and hears the story of an unexpected patriot.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20090712Matt Frei presents an insider guide to the people and the stories shaping America today.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20090719

Matt Frei presents an insider guide to the people and the stories shaping America today. Combining location reports with lively discussion and exclusive interviews, the show provides new and surprising insights into contemporary America.

Matt talks to Jane Roe; she gave her name to the most famous legal decision in American history, Roe versus Wade. But now Norma McCorvey is a full-time anti-abortion activist, and she was arrested in the Senate for protesting at the hearings to select Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sottormayor. We hear about her extraordinary journey.

It has stopped raining in Texas, in the worst drought since 1885. Cattle farmers fear they will soon have to slaughter their herds. Why has the rain stopped falling in the Lone Star State?

And how would you like to be told you are a genius and handed half a million dollars? The programme examines the secretive MacArthur Foundation and their 'genius grants'.

Matt Frei talks to Jane Roe, of Roe-versus-Wade fame. Plus, the drought in Texas.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20090726Matt Frei presents an insider guide to the people and the stories shaping America today.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20090802

Jane Little asks why a growing number of Americans are convinced that their President is in the White House illegally. The 'Birther' movement is the latest in a long line of American conspiracy theories; why is America such a fertile home for offbeat movements?

Why are Indianans in a spin over what time it is?

What do Hollywood's animal stars do when they retire?

Why some Americans are convinced that their President is in the White House illegally.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20090809Matt Frei presents an insider guide to the people and the stories shaping America today.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20090816

Matt Frei presents an insider guide to the people and the stories shaping America today. Combining location reports with lively discussion and exclusive interviews, the show provides new and surprising insights into contemporary America.

Matt asks why communists are still banned from entering the USA, and why Delaware is the only state in the Union without a national park.

He also explores the world of competitive eating, and meets the man who can eat a turkey in a matter of minutes.

Why communists are banned from the USA, and why Delaware doesn't have a national park.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20090823

Kevin Connolly meets a woman who was rejected by Dragon's Den but made it big with her invention in America.

He also hears drag racers' thoughts on the future of the American car industry, and discovers the perennial appeal of Julia Child, the woman who turned America on to the joys of French cooking.

Kevin Connolly hears drag racers' thoughts on the future of the American car industry.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20090830Is the political influence of Irish America over with the death of Ted Kennedy?

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20090906

Matt Frei presents an insider guide to the people and the stories shaping America today. Combining location reports with lively discussion and exclusive interviews, the show provides new and surprising insights into contemporary America.

We go to the biggest gambling city of them all, Las Vegas - the town that's the capital of blowing itself up and reinventing itself, and which is hurting big in the recession. The Las Vegas strip today is lined by unfinished mega-projects and bankrupt resorts, local unemployment and foreclosure rates are surging, and folks just aren't imploding casinos like they used to. For an insider's look, Matt talks with Las Vegas demolition man Josh Clauss.

Adam Burke leads a sound-rich tour of subterranean Las Vegas, including the the storm drains running under the casinos which are inhabited by a remarkable community of homeless people.

Matt referees a discussion on diverging approaches to homelessness and panhandling in American cities. His guests are Anthony David Pirtle, a board member of the National Coalition for the Homeless, who was homeless himself between 2004 and 2006 due to his schizophrenia, and Ron Book, board chair of the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust, and a proponent of never giving money or food to panhandlers.

Plus, a chance to experience the formerly iconic American pastime of going to the drive-in to see movies outside - with the sound piped through your radio.

Matt Frei takes a look at how the recession has hit Las Vegas.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20090913

Matt Frei presents an insider guide to the people and the stories shaping America today. Combining location reports with lively discussion and exclusive interviews, the show provides new and surprising insights into contemporary America.

Matt Frei talks with historian Richard Norton Smith about growing incivility towards the President, and what American football teaches us about American politics.

President Obama kicked off the academic school year with a speech directed at students aged four to eighteen and was full of advice and encouragement. Americana speaks to high school senior Casey Tong about her impressions of Obama's speech. Tong attends the same school that President Obama attended in Honolulu, Hawaii, and she has some of her own advice to offer the President.

Producer Dan Collison offers a montage of Hawaiian voices telling of the impact of a foreigner who came to Hawaii, stayed, and is causing significant impact: a frog called the Coqui.

Historian Richard Norton Smith discusses growing incivility towards the President.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20090920

Matt Frei presents an insider guide to the people and the stories shaping America today. Combining location reports with lively discussion and exclusive interviews, the show provides new and surprising insights into contemporary America.

Matt Frei talks to Tom Friedman about President Obama's busy media schedule and Washington's policy promises.

Thomas L Friedman, author and journalist, joined The New York Times in 1981 as a financial reporter specializing in OPEC- and oil-related news and later served as the chief diplomatic, chief White House, and international economics correspondents. A three-time Pulitzer Prize winner, his foreign affairs column, which appears twice a week in the Times, is syndicated to 100 other newspapers worldwide.

Americana takes a look at why so many people in the US move so often. From Michigan to Arkansas, moving companies, storage centres and truck rental services help Americans to help themselves move.

Demographer and sociologist William H Frey breaks down the truths about migration across the United States - the hotspots and burnt-out locations that motivate relocation.

William H Frey specialises in US demographics. He is currently a Senior Fellow with the Metropolitan Policy Program at the Brookings Institution in Washington, DC, and Research Professor at the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research. Dr Frey received his PhD from Brown University in 1974.

From coast to coast, Americans think about the so-called American Dream, but for some, the goal of owning their own home and the obsession with success can distrupt their actual slumber. Producer Krissy Clarke probes the American dreamworld.

Matt Frei asks pollster John Zogby if the pulse of America is picking up or slowing down these days. Zogby has been keeping tabs for 25 years.

John Zogby is head of Zogby International, an interactive polling group that focuses on public opinion. His company examines the nuances of language and has successfully predicted election results with its unique research methods.

Matt Frei talks to Tom Friedman about President Obama's busy media schedule.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20090927

Kevin Connolly talks to veteran CBS journalist and anchorman Bob Shieffer about how President Obama and his predecessors have trimmed their foreign policy initiatives to better suit cold reality.

Imagine Mayor Luke Ravenstahl's delight when he got a call from President Obama's office asking whether the city of Pittsburgh could host the 2009 G20 summit. Kevin Connolly talks to the mayor about how this former steel town is handling the influx of guests while emerging from a collapsed economy.

President Barak Obama, along with Prime Minister Gordon Brown and President Nicolas Sarkozy has acted swiftly to let Iran know that the hiding of nuclear weapons would not be tolerated. Josh Tyrangiel, of TIME had an exclusive interview with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmajinedad. Host Kevin Connolly talks with Tyrangiel and with humorist and best-selling Iranian-American author Firoozeh Dumas about how relations between Iran and the United States may proceed.

American folk culture is about apple pie, grilled cheese sandwiches and how to pack a suitcase. That's according to The Old Farmer's Almanac, anyway. Inside its covers are scarily accurate weather reports as well as tips, tricks and legends which could make toes curl. Kevin Connolly picks up some age-old wisdom from Almanac's editor, Janice Stillman.

Kevin Connolly takes a stroll among the war memorials of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to sample American views on the war in Afghanistan. Is the president is on the right track, or could the conflict become the next Vietnam?

Kevin Connolly talks to CBS journalist Bob Shieffer about Presidents and foreign policy.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20091004

Matt Frei presents an insider guide to the people and the stories shaping America today. Combining location reports with lively discussion and exclusive interviews, the show provides new and surprising insights into contemporary America.

After Chicago learns that it will not host the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, Americana talks to locals to learn who the real winners and losers are.

Swag - the mugs, scarves, baseball hats and t-shirts sold on corners around the world - can be big money-makers and big message-senders. T-shirt fans from around the US weigh in on the impact a t-shirt can have.

As the US Supreme Court begins its new session, Americana talks to top constitutional law experts about what's on the Court's docket and the possible implications these Supreme Court cases may have on the future of justice in the United States.

Chickens are clucking and pecking their way into some surprisingly urban locations across the United States. Writer Susan Orlean reflects on what it means to have the feathered friends close at hand.

Matt Frei presents an insider guide to the people and the stories shaping America today.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20091011

Matt Frei is joined by two prominent commentators on the American political landscape: Michelle D Bernard, the president and CEO of the Independent Women's Forum (IWF) and an MSNBC political analyst, and Ron Brownstein, the political director for Atlantic Media Company, the publisher of The Atlantic and National Journal.

Bernard and Brownstein weigh in on the accomplishments of President Barack Obama, who is the recipient of the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize.

They find out what is going on with the conservative movement these days. Are politicians still wielding power or have the top media voices taken centre stage? And how is it possible that Sarah Palin's book is wracking up such big sales before it has even been released?

Syndicated sex columnist Dan Savage tells us just how hot the United States is for a good sex scandal. In light of David Letterman's on-screen announcement about his sexual relations, and the sordid history of major figures transgressing, Matt talks to Dan about the line between the appropriate and the passable in American sexuality.

The cold shoulder that the US has given Cuba may be warming up a little. Matt Frei talks to the BBC's Michael Voss in Havana about the changing relationship between the US and its communist neighbour.

And 90 miles north of Cuba is Miami, Florida, hometown of Congressman Lincoln Diaz-Balart. Although he has family relations to Fidel Castro, he is a fervent anti-communist. He argues that the US should not be pandering to the Cuban regime.

Matt Frei hears about President Obama's Nobel Peace Prize.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20091018

Matt Frei presents an insider guide to the people and the stories shaping America today. Combining location reports with lively discussion and exclusive interviews, the show provides new and surprising insights into contemporary America.

President Barack Obama makes his first visit to New Orleans since becoming president. Matt Frei talks to New Orleans-born trumpeter Irvin Mayfield about what life is like these days in the city still coming back to life from the ravages of Hurricane Katrina.

As major news networks scramble to innovate and meet the changing demands of their audiences, Matt Frei talks to former CBS Evening News anchor Dan Rather about the ways Americans consume news.

Many American big-city newspapers are holding on for dear life - and sometimes not holding on at all - but some small-town papers are doing just fine. Matt Frei talks to publisher Gloria Trotter in Oklahoma, who has co-published the Tecumseh Countywide News and Sun for the last 26 years. She explains how small papers like hers are managing to continue going strong.

After 40 years of Monty Python humour, many Americans can still quote a trove of the troupe's lines, verbatim, and with very bad English accents. Hayes Davenport, editor of the Harvard Lampoon, tries to explain why.

Obama visits New Orleans; the decline in anchor-led journalism; small-town newspapers.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20091025Matt Frei presents an insider guide to the people and the stories shaping America today. Combining location reports with lively discussion and exclusive interviews, the show provides new and surprising insights into contemporary America.

Matt Frei examines what some might call the engine of Wall Street: greed. The Obama administration is going after the hefty bonuses paid out in America's financial district, and Matt visits the street itself to get insider scoop from Rolling Stone magazine's Matt Taibbi, The Nation magazine's Katrina vanden Heuvel, and bonus consultant Marc Hodak. We also hear from a man who has been selling New York skyscrapers at a discount.

Americans minds have begun to turn to thoughts of gloom and doom, anghosties and goblins. With the Halloween season upon us, we hear an excerpt from Edgar Allen Poe's The Raven, dramatized for us by Emon Hassan, producer, director and editor of Hassberry Theatre Company.

Adaptation of The Raven radio script by William Spear; narrated by Thos Shipley, with an original score by Kevin Mahonchak.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20091101

Matt Frei presents an insider guide to the people and the stories shaping America today. Combining location reports with lively discussion and exclusive interviews, the show provides new and surprising insights into contemporary America.

Americans love golf and President Obama is no exception. Matt Frei takes a swing of the club and a look at how exactly the 44th President of the United States, Barak Obama, manages to make so much time to play. He is squeezing in more golf than his predecessor, even in the midst of juggling the challenges of economic recovery and international diplomacy.

Matt Frei talks to former White House press secretary Dana Perino about life on the other side of the podium. After a few years fielding questions on behalf of the George W Bush administration, Perino tells Americana how she feels the Obama administration is handling the media storm so far.

If she looks like Sarah Palin and talks like Sarah Palin, does that mean that Michele Bachmann will be the new Sarah Palin? Bachmann has represented Minnesota in the United States House of Representatives for three years. In that short time she has managed to become a well-known voice within the Republican Party. Matt Frei talks to her about how she has amplified her opinions so effectively and what her hopes are for the Republican Party in the future.

What exactly does a Governor do? Matt Frei talks with Governor Brian Schweitzer, who moved from ranching to running one of the largest states in the US, Montana. Governor Schweitzer took office in 2009 and shares his insight on what it takes to be one of the 50 most powerful state leaders in the nation.

Matt Frei invites the a cappella group Sonos, who are currently touring around the United States, into the Americana studio. With FX pedals and well-known indie tunes, Sonos makes the studio vibrate with a whole new sound.

Matt Frei examines President Obama's love of golf and talks to Dana Perino.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20091108

Americana heads west to sun-soaked Los Angeles. Guest host David Willis is joined by satirist, comedian and commentator Harry Shearer to examine the week's top news through lively discussion, and maybe even a song.

David takes flight with Amelia Earhart, but this Earhart has no record of crashing - she sticks to reporting the traffic over the packed streets of Los Angeles. David rides in the news helicopter with this distant relative of the first lady in flight.

It's a thin line between loving the entertainment world and causing trouble. David Willis tags along with the LA's paparazzi to learn more about the industry and to discuss how much is too much love of the stars - even for Hollywood.

American country music singer Toby Keith visits Americana with songs that embody the spirit of the USA. Keith's music tackles topics from beer, to trucks, to romance, and discusses how politics, too, can become intertwined.

Guest host David Willis is joined by satirist, comedian and commentator Harry Shearer.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20091115

Matt Frei talks to newsman George Stephanopoulos and civil rights attorney and political commentator Arsalan Iftikhar about the news that's in the forefront of American minds.

The three discuss America's strategy for moving forward in Afghanistan, the healthcare debate and the impact of the Fort Hood shootings on the American military and America's civil liberties.

Americana visits Dearborn, Michigan where community members discuss the challenges faced by American Muslims in the wake of the shootings at Fort Hood. Dearborn has one of the largest concentrations of American Muslims in the world. Matt Frei talks to Kamran Pasha about how American Muslims at Fort Hood are feeling about their service.

The American company Kraft Foods has put in a hostile bid to takeover Cadbury. Americana travels to Hershey, Pennsylvania where Hershey Kisses line the streets and tourists come to visit the chocolate town. Chocolate lovers there are asked, 'How would you like it if an international company tried to launch a hostile takeover of your chocolate company?'.

Matt Frei is joined by George Stephanopoulos and Arsalan Iftikhar.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20091122Matt Frei presents an insider guide to the people and the stories shaping America today. Combining location reports with lively discussion and exclusive interviews, the show provides new and surprising insights into contemporary America.

As Sarah Palin kicks off her book tour around the nation, Americana takes time to learn more about the women that represent America as well as the women who work each day to make it run. Although females account for over 50 per cent of the population, women in the United States are under-represented in the halls of Congress and the boardrooms of corporate America. Matt Frei talks to National Public Radio's senior news analyst Cokie Roberts. She's the author of the best-selling book We Are Our Mothers' Daughters, and helps to highlight the week's top news as well as the many views and characterizations of women's lives in the United States.

Matt Frei talks with Democratic Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez of California and Republican Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee about the challenges of working in positions of political power and representing diverse constituencies. American women from around the nation weigh in on the challenges of the glass ceiling or lack thereof.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20091129

Matt Frei presents an insider guide to the people and the stories shaping America today. Combining location reports with lively discussion and exclusive interviews, the show provides new and surprising insights into contemporary America.

Matt Frei talks to American storyteller, musician, humorist and radio personality Garrison Keillor for some tips on Thanksgiving reading, holiday stories and all things American.

Matt gets the inside track from David Plouffe, President Barak Obama's 2008 campaign manager. They cover everything from Thanksgiving 2007 on the election trail to whether he'd consider running a Sarah Palin 2012 campaign.

From news anchor to cranberry relish-maker, Matt talks to one of the founding women of American public radio news, Susan Stamberg. She shares a few Thanksgiving tips, including her recipe for cranberry relish and some advice about how to outsource the bulk of the Thanksgiving feast preparations.

Matt talks to Master Edward Winslow, an American Pilgrim from the year 1627.

Matt Frei talks to Garrison Keillor about Thanksgiving and all things American.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20091206

Matt Frei presents an insider guide to the people and the stories shaping America today. Combining location reports with lively discussion and exclusive interviews, the show provides new and surprising insights into contemporary America.

Matt talks to Joe Lockhart, President Bill Clinton's press secretary during his impeachment trial, and columnist Neil Steinberg of the Chicago Sun-Times. The three discuss the week's top news including President Obama's plans for Afghanistan and joblessness rates in the US, and offer some public relations advice to Tiger Woods.

Americana gathers an informal town hall in Forsyth, Georgia to hear the thoughts and reactions of 'average Joes' to President Obama's decisions on Afghanistan and the challenges ahead.

Matt talks to farmers from the open stretches of the United States as they prepare for their civilian deployments to Afghanistan.

As the ban on smoking in restaurants takes place across the state of Virginia, Matt talks to local bar owner Barry Pruitt about the last puffs in his bar and about the fading romance between the tobacco leaf and Virginia.

Retired four-star General Jack Keane shares his thoughts on President Obama's strategy for Afghanistan.

Matt talks to former Clinton press secretary Joe Lockhart and columnist Neil Steinberg.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20091213

What do an American lumberjack, an ocean fisherwoman, a Republican senator and an evangelical Christian all have in common? They each have an opinion on climate change. Host Matt Frei is joined by Jon Meacham, the editor of Newsweek, to discuss American views on climate change and the week's other top news.

Matt Frei leads a roundtable discussion with American moms about the responsibilities they shoulder in times of economic crisis and in times of holiday cheer.

Hanukah begins this week and according to writer and performer Josh Lefkowitz, 'tis the season for Christmas envy.

Matt Frei is joined by Jon Meacham, editor of Newsweek, to discuss climate change.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20091220

Matt Frei presents an insider guide to the people and the stories shaping America today. Combining location reports with lively discussion and exclusive interviews, the show provides new and surprising insights into contemporary America.

Matt is joined by Joe Scarborough, the host of Morning Joe on MSNBC, for a round-up of the week's news in the week before Christmas. We will likely talk about former VP candidate Joe Lieberman, now wielding power in shaping the US healthcare reform debate, Time magazine's Man of the Year Ben Bernanke and lobbyists in American politics - from the days when President Ulysses Grant used to hang out in the lobby of the Willard Hotel in Washington, DC.

Then we go to Houston - power base of Conservative standard-bearers such as Tom DeLay, Dick Cheney and the Bush family - for an interview with Annise Parker, elected to be the city's first gay mayor.

Garrison Keillor explains the fate of a toxic holiday food that is often given, rarely eaten: the fruitcake.

Not many alligator handbags under the Christmas tree in America this year - bad news for Louisanna's alligator farmers. We head to the swamp to meet one of them.

Matt Frei presents an insider guide to the people and the stories shaping America today.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20091227

Host Matt Frei is joined by evening news anchor Katie Couric to discuss the most striking American stories of the past decade.

As many across the United States enjoy a white Christmas weekend, a cappella ensemble Sonos warms up the Americana studios with their performance of White Winter Hymnal.

Matt Frei talks to author Sherman Alexie about Christmas in Native American homes, both on and off the American Indian reservations. Alexie's most recent book, War Dances, explores the many shapes and styles of fatherhood found across the United States.

And Americana hears about one particularly disastrous Christmas dinner. A simple sandwich next year might turn out to be a better option than this family feast.

Host Matt Frei is joined by evening news anchor Katie Couric.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20100103

Host Kevin Connolly is joined by journalist Farai Chideya to discuss the beginning of 2010. What will be the big stories? What might the decade have in store for America?

Kevin talks with Tea-Party Conservatives about what the ideal US government would look like if Tea Partiers continue to succeed in making a powerful impression on the masses dressing up in colonial attire and raising their voices.

Comedian Margaret Cho talks about what will be funny in 2010, how to make jokes and complain even if things are going your way.

The American football season is coming to a close, with College Bowl football games still to come. Match-ups of college teams bring droves of American fans to bars and parties across the nation. Kevin visits a sports bar in Washington DC to get a sense of the excitement and to talk with Washington Post sports writer Gene Wang.

Kevin Connolly meets Farai Chideya, Tea-Party Conservatives, Margaret Cho and Gene Wang.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20100110

It's sex, drugs and rock and roll on Americana.

Matt Frei tackles the week's top news with the help of cultural commentator and blogger Jimi Izrael. The two discuss the future of American security and civil liberties, fancy gadgetry, marijuana and pornography.

Matt talks to restaurant owner Steve Horwitz about his new dispensary, Ganja Gourmet. The restaurant's t-shirts read, 'Our food is so great, you need a license to eat it!' Serving only marijuana-enhanced foods, only prescription-carrying customers can enjoy the cuisine but the business model could be replicated in other cities and states.

In Las Vegas a huge convention is taking place showcasing the newest gadgets and technological advancements, but it's not the Consumer Electronics Symposium - it's the Adult Entertainment Expo. The two Las Vegas conventions overlap in timing and in content. Reporter David Willis shows Americana the place where porn meets tech.

Americana wouldn't be complete with just sex and drugs - it needs rock and roll too. Friday 8th January would have been Elvis Presley's 75th birthday. Americana pays tribute.

Matt Frei tackles the week's top news with the help of cultural commentator Jimi Izrael.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20100117

While a nation waits for Obama to deliver his State of the Union Address, Americana asks why wait? We deliver our own State of the Nation programme.

Kevin Connolly hears from the celebrated Haitian American author Edwidge Danticat to learn more about what life is like in Haiti and the view from the United States.

James Fallows, national correspondent for The Atlantic, joins us to discuss the long-term outlook for United States, and attempts to answer the question 'Can America rise again?'

The United States Census just launched its 2010 campaign. Its work will have a last political, social and economic impact on the country. Census Director Robert Groves explains how the survey works and what powers he has to say 'no' to the man in the White House.

We also hear from some of the nation's newest citizens at a naturalization ceremony in Richmond, Virginia. At a time when so many in the US feel demoralized about the country's future, Americana hears what makes these newbies feel optimistic about officially joining the country.

There is one US citizen who continues to inspire Americans around the nation, even though he is no longer with us. On Monday the United States observes a national holiday in honour of Martin Luther King Jr. Americana hears from third graders in Illinois about what they'd ask Martin Luther King Jr if they had the chance.

Kevin Connolly hosts a 'state of the nation' programme and talks to author James Fallows.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20100124

Matt Frei presents an insider guide to the people and the stories shaping America today. Combining location reports with lively discussion and exclusive interviews, the show provides new and surprising insights into contemporary America.

A look at Massachusetts - what makes a mostly blue state go red? Two local state leaders take sides to explain the Massachusetts of today. They weigh in on what elections in November may look like with the recent Supreme Court ruling which removes monetary limits on corporate spending during federal elections.

As American troops arrive on the ground in Haiti, the picture of American military operations overseas is refreshed. It's not all about fighting terrorism.

After a week of pointed jokes and fierce deliberations, Conan O'Brien agrees to a 45 million dollar severance package to leave NBC's Tonight Show. Americana learns about the legacy of the late night show and what might come next as host Jay Leno returns to the spotlight.

Considered one of the 100 most influential figures in the United States, talk show host Tavis Smiley talks to Matt Frei about The Tavis Smiley Show and his goals for the future.

Matt Frei presents on how the state of Massachusetts turned from blue to red.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20100131

The US budget is over three trillion dollars. Matt Frei talks to US budget expert Stan Collender to translate what all those zeros in 'trillion' mean for the federal budget and national debt.

Matt Frei talks to Grammy Award-winning musician Steve Earle about how one in ten Americans face unemployment. They discuss how those numbers affect real Americans and the songs sung about them. Americana hears from three people who have lost jobs in the last year, from South Dakota, Nashville and Oregon.

Americans are counting down the days until one of the largest national unified television viewing experiences arrives, the Superbowl. The Superbowl typically draws over 90 million viewers. It also draws over two million dollars for a 30-second window of advertising. The most controversial ad in the Superbowl line-up this year brings the abortion debate to the field.

This will be the 44th Superbowl and sports writer Don Steinberg notes that the nation also just elected its 44th president. Matt Frei talks to Don to learn when, if ever, US leadership is more impressive than in its championship football games.

Matt Frei talks to Stan Collender about the US federal budget and national debt.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20100207

Matt Frei is joined by conservative commentator Tucker Carlson for a look at the week's top news. Up for debate are America's renewed examination of the 'don't ask, don't tell' policy, which excludes gays and lesbians from military service, and if President Obama's chief of staff is about to lose his job.

Matt talks to actor John Lithgow about his current work and the way Americans can reinvent themselves - sometimes fictionally.

In 1960 four young African American men sat down for lunch at a counter in North Carolina, but when they were refused service they refused to stop asking. They inspired actions for racial justice across the country including sit-ins, protests and marches. Fifty years later, a museum opens on the grounds of that famous lunch spot and Americana hears from Joseph McNeil about what it was like for him when he first sat down behind that Woolworth Company lunch counter.

Matt Frei is joined by Tucker Carlson, Joseph McNeil and John Lithgow.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20100214

Matt Frei talks to John Heilemann and Mark Halperin, the authors of the bestseller Game Change, a candid account of the Obamas, the Clintons, McCain and Palin. Up for debate: political gridlock, the rise and fall of John Edwards and what 'real change' is needed in America

American news types have given us a new word: 'mirandize.' The White House has come under attack after it was revealled the FBI has read underwear bomber Umar Abdulmutallab his 'Miranda' rights. His what? Matt talks to lawyer Robert Shapiro - best known for his successful defence of OJ Simpson - to find out what role these Miranda rights play in the US justice system. Who do they apply to and why they are so important?

Will America ever send a man to the moon again? President Obama has set NASA off on a different course, one that does not involve the planet made of cheese. So a perfect time to hear from the last man to set foot on the moon, Captain Eugene A Cernan. He tells us about that final journey and shares his throughts about what might happen when Americans can no longer reach for the stars - or the moon or Mars.

The America's Cup, the oldest active trophy in international sport, is once again its up for grabs. Faced with high-tech yachts made of carbon-fibre, we cannot help but pine for the boats of days gone by and old-fashioned boat building. We've a slice of boat building life from two guys in Martha's Vineyard in New England who are carving out their living in the old-fashioned way.

Matt Frei hears from authors John Heilemann and Mark Halperin and lawyer Robert Shapiro.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20100221

Americana goes underground, for Washington Confidential.

Kevin Connolly talks to Pulitzer Prize-winning author Garry Wills about his new book, Bomb Power, and the theory that getting the bomb - and preventing others from getting it afterwards - has turned America into a secretive behemoth.

Kevin takes a tour of Washington's most significant espionage locales with spook-watcher Eamon Javers, and ponders the evolution of an industry which has been the secret beating heart of this town since intelligence services first came into existence in America.

Kevin dons his smoking jacket and sits down with Ed Walker, the host of Sunday night detective serials on American radio, the Big Broadcast.

Kevin Connolly talks to Pulitzer-winning author Garry Wills.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20100228

Americana: Presented by David Willis in Washington, DC.

As American politicians debate healthcare reform in Washington DC, Americana hears from a few people in Baltimore who feel left out in the cold.

After a week of pure political threatre, David Willis heads to the briefing room of the White House's West Wing. Political analyst Marc Ambinder shares an insider's view of how the big decisions are made and declared to the world.

From Texas - writer Mary Karr discusses her personal journey from health to alcoholism and back again.

And we've a view of the United States from Cuba, courtesy of an interloper called Matt Frei.

Finally, Washington's elite haven't yet found a cure for America's healthcare problems, but throughout time they've found ways to cure their personal ailments. David Willis visits the neighbourhood apothecary to learn the remedies sought out by George Washington, Abe Lincoln and others.

Our email is "americana@bbc.co.uk" and for a daily dose you can follow us on Twitter #bbcamericana.

David Willis hears the views people in Baltimore about the healthcare debate.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20100307

Host Matt Frei talks to Democratic political strategist Donna Brazile for her view of the week's top news.

The FBI is ready to close more than 100 murder cases committed during the Civil Rights era. Matt talks to special agent Cynthia Deitle about her efforts to close the cold cases, even as some argue not enough has been done to solve them.

Americana hears from visionary musician Yo-Yo Ma. The award-winning cellist explains what's distinctly American about music from the melting pot.

In San Francisco, California the hottest thing on the block just might be curry. Matt Frei visits local food cart operators to learn more about the trendiest mobile foods and the crowds they draw.

Matt Frei hears Democratic political strategist Donna Brazile's view of the week's news.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20100314

Matt Frei talks to conservative commentator SE Cupp about how and where politics and religion collide.

The Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) flew boldly for the United States during World War II but they were not acknowledged as anything more than civilian volunteers. Former pilot Maggie Gee is among the women who will be awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in recognition of her work years ago.

Matt Frei talks to Bill Wasik, senior editor of Harper's Magazine, about the quirky and enlightening Harper's Index. Numbers don't lie, but what truths do they expose?

And though thousands of miles of railroad tracks were meticulously laid all across America, the history of rail travel in the United States has not been a smooth ride. With high speed all the rage Matt Frei talks to award-winning author and historian T.J. Stiles for a discussion of America's railways and their potential for success in the future.

Matt Frei asks conservative commentator S.E. Cupp about politics and religion colliding.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20100321

Americana: Presented by Matt Frei from Washington DC.

Matt Frei talks to Carl Bernstein, who along with Bob Woodward did for President Nixon. Carl talks about the value of staking out the truth even if it means going forward alone.

Author Jonathan Raban joins Matt Frei to talk about his most recent escapes and the challenges and benefits of being a lone wolf.

And Matt hears from historian and journalist Ellen Fitzpatrick about her new book Letters to Jackie. The collection of letters sent to Jackie Kennedy on the death of her husband John F. Kennedy highlight the emptiness that loss can bring and how the words of Americans from all over the nation served to abate that pain.

Our email address is americana@bbc.co.uk, follow us on Twitter @bbcamericana.

Matt Frei talks to journalist Carl Bernstein and writer Jonathan Raban.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20100328

Americana: Presented by Matt Frei. So what's next on America's political agenda? Matt is joined by NBC news anchor Brian Williams. The two discuss what's next on the political agenda now that health care reform has been passed by Congress and signed into law by President Obama.

American voices illustrate the issues vying for legislative attention. Matt Frei talks with an immigration reform advocate and undocumented immigrant herself.

And Matt Frei talks with Emergency Financial Manager of Detroit Public Schools, Robert Bobb, about how to deal with an education crisis.

It's not all politics. Americana hears from musician Mark Seliger about the musical journey of his band, Rusty Truck.

Our email is americana@bbc.co.uk and you can follow us on Twitter too @bbcamericana.

Matt Frei presents an insider guide to the people and stories shaping America today.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20100404

This week on Americana, Matt Frei looks at how America treats its friends, and its enemies.
Jonah Goldberg, editor-at-large of the National Review, joins Matt to talk about President Obama's relationships with the international community.
We also hear from Iranian-American journalist Roxana Saberi, author of the new book, "Between Two Worlds: My Life and Captivity in Iran." Saberi became a cause celebre in 2009 when Iranian authorities detained her for 100 days and accused her of spying for the US.
We look at the trend of the multi-generational homestead, now making a comeback in the suburbs for economic reasons. Matt visits with one family in which four generations share the same space. It's not just The Waltons anymore.
And, who loves their intellectuals more, Democrats or Republicans?

Email: americana@bbc.co.uk
Twitter: @bbcamericana.

Matt Frei looks at how America treats its friends and enemies.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20100411

David Willis takes a look at the creative packaging that can make it or break it, in America. He talks to author David Remnick about his new biography, "The Bridge: The Life and Rise of Barack Obama." The book illuminates the ways that the 44th American President crafted his image and landed in the spotlight of the political stage.

As British leaders prepare to step into their first televised debates there is much that can be learned from America about what to avoid in order to come out on top while under the bright television lights.

Award-winning film producer Jerry Weintraub talks about how to spot a winner among a sea of possibilities. From "Karate Kid," to "Ocean's Eleven," "Ocean's Twelve," and "Oceans Thirteen," the successful film producer knows what works and what doesn't in this nation of dreamers.

And Americana takes a trip up the northeast coast, to Maine. The last remaining U.S. sardine factory will package its last fish despite efforts to keep the factory running after all these decades.

Email - americana@bbc.co.uk
Twitter - @bbcamericana.

David Willis presents an insider guide to the people and the stories shaping America.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20100418

Americana: Presented by Matt Frei

From under the florescent lights of Times Square, Matt kicks off his journey to some of New York City's flashiest and most creative hotspots. This week is all about banks, booze and some well known brands

First, Americana heads behind the scenes to an advertising agency to learn the recipe for a winning commercial.

The from the newest and flashiest corners of New York to the classic beauty of its shorelines. Matt heads to Brooklyn to visit Coney Island. Voices from the sea shore explain the tastes, thrills and traditions of Coney Island past, present and future.

And from a city that buzzes with the hottest new trends and plastered in sparkling eye-grabbing billboards - there are also secrets brewing below the surface. Americana dips under the radar to visit a moonshine still in a secret New York location.

Our email is americana@bbc.co.uk and folow us on twitter @bbcamericana.

Matt Frei presents an insider guide to the people and the stories shaping America today.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20100425

Presented by Matt Frei from Washington, DC. Matt Frei talks to Republican legend Newt Gingrich about the calls for change coming from outside the current administration. At the same time, new cracks are forming from within the Democratic Party. North Carolina First party member Chuck Stone explains why he's just as angry as those from the Tea-Party at the other end of the political spectrum.

Also conversation with Richard Clarke, America's first terrorism czar. Up for discussion - just how serious is the threat from home-grown terrorists and what kind of anger is brewing inside the borders of the United States?

And to calm the tattered nerves of this nation, Matt Frei takes time to taste some of America's most beloved comfort foods, the sweet potato pie, collard greens and macaroni and cheese of American 'soul food'.

Our email address is americana@bbc.co.uk, or follow us on Twitter @bbcamericana.

Presented by Matt Frei from Washington, DC.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20100502

The BBC's North America Editor Mark Mardell presents Americana.

Princeton professor and award-winning author Melissa Harris-Lacewell discusses the top stories buzzing across the United States this week.

Arizona has gone "maverick" and passed new immigration legislation meant to tackle the influx of illegal immigrants into the south western state. Arizona Governor Jan Brewer signed the legislation into law and now leaders and activists around the nation are voicing their opinions on this controversial measure. Some states have said they may follow in Arizona's footsteps while other states are calling for boycotts of Arizona, opposed to what they say is a bill that may encourage racial profiling.

Also this week - the best selling author Mary Higgins Clarke. She's been a successful novelist for years but it's her real life experiences that have taught her the most about survival and the human spirit. She shares some of her lessons learned with Americana.

And one of America's most celebrated opera singers, Denyce Graves, remembers civil rights pioneer Dorothy Height. This week she led the musical tributes to Ms Height in front of the President inside Washington's National Cathedral. Denyce Graves graduated from the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in 1981 and studied voice at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and the New England Conservatory.

Email: americana@bbc.co.uk
Twitter: @bbcamericana.

Mark Mardell presents an insider guide to the people and the stories shaping America today

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20100509

David Willis presents an insider guide to the people and the stories shaping America today, featuring location reports, lively discussion and exclusive interviews.

From the failed bomb attack in New York City to the oil spill off the coast of Louisiana, it's been a messy week in America. David Willis is joined by Professor Robert Reich, from the University of California at Berkeley, to discuss the top stories capturing attention across the US this week.

One of Hollywood's most glamorous and iconic film production houses, MGM studios, is facing a financial crisis. David talks to film industry expert Kenneth Turan to learn more about this unfolding drama.

Later, beyond the bright lights and painted backdrops of glamorous Hollywood, southern California may be just as well-known for its violent neighbourhoods. Americana boards the LA Gang Tour bus to learn more about the notorious corners of the city and how former gang members are working together to lead 'hood tours for the greater good.

And the King of Rock and Soul is still going strong. David Willis meets Solomon Burke and talks to him about his musical career, God and his very, very large family.

Our email address is americana@bbc.co.uk.

Presented by David Willis from LA.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20100516

Americana, presented by Matt Frei from Washington DC,

So Wall Street needs new rules: This week Matt hears from Elizabeth Warren, Gottlieb Professor of Law at Harvard Law School. She's devoted much of the past three decades to studying the economics of middle class families. Now she talks about her achievements as chair of the five-member Congressional Oversight Panel created to oversee the implementation of the $700 billion bank bailout..

Also - one of America's most celebrated composers John Adams joins us. The master of the minimalist, he makes the case for leaving popular culture at the door.

Director Neil N. LaBute is with us too - perhaps best known for films like 'The Shape of Things', 'Death at a Funeral' and 'In the Company of Men'. On Americana he reveals what reactions he hopes to provoke with his latest project; a TV series about white supremacists.

And the food critic Todd Kliman pops the cork on America's best keep vineal secret. Once the favourite tipple of Presidents and the envy of European vintners, the Norton grape is coming back at last, albeit quietly.

Our email is americana@bbc.co.uk - and follow us on twitter @bbcamericana.

Matt Frei welcomes a cast of rebels to Americana.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20100523

Americana: Presented by Matt Frei from Washington DC.

Like so much about this country, America's borders are record breakers.

To the north it enjoys the world's longest shared border.

And to the south, two thousand dusty odd miles that has the distinction of being the world's most frequently crossed international border.

For most Americans, it's a line that's being crossed far too many times.

So in a week that's seen Mexico's President in town, we'll hear from both the troubled far south west and a much less reported border dispute among the lush farmlands in Northern Vermont.

Our email is americana@bbc.co.uk
Follow us on twitter @bbcamericana.

The programme investigates a border dispute among the lush farmlands of northern Vermont.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20100530

Americana: Presented by Paul Adams from Washington DC.

We are on a classical journey - Paul Adams presents and is joined by libertarian social scientist and scholar Charles Murray for a look at the stories bubbling up around the United States this week.

Across town, Americana visits Washington D.C.'s John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for a conversation with Tony Award-winning actor Laurence Fishburne. This week he takes the stage as Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, champion of civil rights in the United States.

And the Peter Carey, who moved from Australia to the US explains his interest in a lasting and brilliant journey across the US by a 19th century frenchman. Inspired in part by the travels of Alexis de Tocqueville, Peter Carey discusses his newest book "Parrot and Olivia in America".

Finally, what does Memorial Day sounds like from a soldier's mp3 player?

Americans across the country are taking note of Memorial Day to honour fallen soldiers. Producer Jake Warga hears from US soldiers stationed abroad to hear what songs help them through some of their toughest times.

Email americana@bbc.co.uk & on follow us on Twitter @bbcamericana.

Paul Adams is joined by libertarian social scientist and scholar Charles Murray.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20100606

Americana: Presented by Matt Frei from Washington DC.

This week - An oil spill special. This week Americana takes some time to listen to Louisiana. Who is listening to them?

From the inside of T-Pops coffee and bait shop in Golden Meadow, Louisiana Matt Frei talks with shop regulars who have family ties to fishing and oil about how they are making sense of the spill.

Joan Walsh, Editor in Chief of Salon.com, joins us to discuss the political impact of the oil continuing to gush into the Gulf of Mexico and how the United States may pursue its energy policy and upcoming national election campaigns.

And Pulitzer Prize winning author and southerner Rick Bragg shares his eulogy to the shoreline, a look at the view from Mobile Bay, Alabama.

Rick Bragg, an American journalist known principally for his non-fiction, won the Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing in 1996. He is Professor of Writing at the University of Alabama, and has a home in Mobile Bay, Alabama.

Email - americana@bbc.co.uk and follow us on Twitter @bbcamericana.

Matt Frei presents an insider guide to the people and the stories shaping America today.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20100613

Americana: Presented by Matt Frei from Washington, DC. This week - America's tough guys & muscle cars.

This week Chicago Tribune columnist Clarence Page explains the rough and tough reputation of Chicago's politicians and how bullying and insider connections play out in Washington D.C.

Former FBI agent Robert Wittman walks Americana through the marble halls of the Penn Museum to understand how thieves operate and how undercover agents can stop them in their tracks.

Matt also chews the fat with celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain. The foul-mouthed New Yorker makes wearing an apron nothing to mess with.

And General Motors is getting tough with its image. First step, Chevrolet will no longer refer to its cars as "Chevys".

Americana talks with automotive columnist, and car aficionado, Dan Neil about what it means for Chevrolet to peel away from its nickname.

Our email: americana@bbc.co.uk and follow us on Twitter @bbcamericana.

Matt Frei presents an insider guide to the people and the stories shaping America today.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20100620

Americana: Presented by Matt Frei from Washington DC.

America - the land of many languages.

It has been a week where an increasingly infamous Brit - step forward BP CEO Tony Hayward - struggled to find the right words in front of some of the world's most powerful ( and angry ) politicians.

Americana takes a closer look at language. We are helped on our journey by America's National Spelling Bee Champion Anamika Veeramani about the Bee and the toughest words of the English language.

Matt talks to Ammon Shea - a lexicographer who has read the Oxford English Dictionary cover to cover. He explains the flexibility and sometimes rigid traditions of "American English".

American is home to over 325 languages. Amish and Mennonite Americans, often known for their tight communities and traditional ways of life, explain why it's worth preserving the Pennsylvania Dutch language and how, try as they might to keep English conversation to a minimum.

And spy novelist Alan Furst was born and raised in the United States, but writes his tales of espionage and mystery in a European style English. Americana uncovers the truth behind the choice and the setting for the novels.

Email americana@bbc.co.uk
Follow us on Twitter @bbcamericana.

Presented by Matt Frei.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20100627Matt Frei investigates changing neighbourhoods: the good, the bad and the ugly.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20100704A 4th July Special presented by Matt Frei.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20100711Presented by Matt Frei.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20100718Presented by Steve Evans from Washington, DC.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20100725Presented by James Reynolds.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20100801David Willis presents Americana from Washington DC.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20100808Presented by Matt Frei. Featuring Washington rules and Looney Tunes.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20100815Americana is off to the beach.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20100822

This week Simon Winchester presents Americana with a look at the way America communicates.

The right to carry a gun is protected by America's Second Amendment to the Constitution. Writer Dan Baum demonstrates what its like to carry a concealed weapon through the American streets and he explains how guns impact the way Americans feel and communicate as they go about their days.

As eBooks and internet reading gain traction in the United States, Americana discovers an old fashioned press where monotype still prints the page.

Skip Prichard, CEO of Ingram Content discusses the future of books. Though mobile devices and hand-held readers are gaining popularity, the way that Americans read books today may be very different from how they will read books in the future.

Simon Winchester examines American communication: from guns, to the press, to lighthouses.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20100829

In this week's 'back to school' edition, former Secretary of State Rod Paige talks about the crisis in American education, the author Martin Cruz Smith recalls a childhood in Pennsylvania and New Mexico - and Pulitzer-prize-winning Louisiana poet Yusef Komunyakaa returns to New Orleans five years after Hurricane Katrina struck.

Former Secretary of State Rod Paige talks about the crisis in American education.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20100905

Americana talks to the conservative economist, Thomas Sowell, about how he believes America's greatness is being taken apart piece by piece.

The social historian, Anna McCarthy, explains the impact of television on the American people - from the classic broadcasts of the 1950s to reality programmes today.

And the clarinetist, Andy Statman, demonstrates his theories that traditional Jewish music has influenced the classic American sounds of jazz and even Country and Western.

Conservative economist Thomas Sowell on how America's greatness is being dismantled.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20100912

The American journalist H.L. Mencken was known as the Sage of Baltimore. This week, his ideas and acerbic insights guide Americana through an examination of life and politics in Baltimore... and a look at contemporary American politics more widely.

Matt Frei talks to the award-winning journalist George Packer about the relevance of H.L. Mencken's words today and considers the inefficiencies of the U.S. Congress.

The political analyst, Bill Adair, dissects the campaign messages that currently saturate America's TV screens.

Baltimore's mayor, Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, explains what issues are most important to the city.

And one of Baltimore's most successful stars, the film-maker John Waters, joins Americana to discuss how his hometown continues to influence his career.

A look at the acerbic wisdom of the journalist HL Mencken, aka the Sage of Baltimore.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20100919

Presenter Matt Frei talks to David Plouffe. After managing Barak Obama's successful campaign for President, David Plouffe is back to work pushing for "change", but this time the White House is hoping he can put his 2008 magic to work for the Democratic Party's midterm election campaign.

In 1962 the Mormon Tabernacle Choir demonstrated a new style of international diplomacy when it reached across the Iron Curtain to perform the world's first international satellite television broadcast in front of Mount Rushmore. Two members of the choir recall what it was like to send music across enemy lines and reflect on the changes they thought might be possible.

Matt Frei talks to Noam Chomsky. Over 40 years, he's explored ideas of war, conspiracy, conservation and communication. Americana asks him how his ideas have changed over time and how Americans may continue to transform in the future.

This week, Americana explores US styles of change with David Plouffe and Noam Chomsky.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20100926

As members of the Tea Party movement campaign enthusiastically ahead of this year's midterm elections, the political analyst Michelle Bernard and the national political columnist John Heilemann parse what members, supporters and scholars have to say about the Tea Party.

Keli Carender is credited with organising one of the first Tea Party rallies - she reflects on how the movement has blossomed. The Tea Party candidate Joe Miller from Alaska explains his hopes for change in America. A Harvard University Professor, Jill Lepore, explains how she thinks the Tea Party has crafted a fable from American history in order to propel its message.

And the presenter Matt Frei talks to the American crime novelist and creative writer, James Ellroy, about his newest book, The Hilliker Curse, a memoir.

Americana examines the enthusiasm, faith, myth and making of the Tea Party movement.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20101003

In the UK, the coalition government is calling for legislation to recall MPs, who don't live up to the standards of their electorate. Recalling public officials is a familiar pastime in the United States. Over the past two years, mayors across the USA have faced more attempted recalls then ever before. Matt Frei talks to Mayor Doug Isaacson of North Pole, Alaska. Mayor Isaacson faces a recall vote next week and shares his opinion of this tool of the American democratic process.

Former correspondent and columnist Dave Kindred recalls the glory days of the local DC paper also known as The Washington Post. Matt Frei joins him for a few good stories at the after-hours hang out - the Post Pub.

Photojournalist Ruth Gruber is 99 years old and now retired, but her career was long and adventurous. Her passion for reporting even propelled her to visit Nazi-controlled Germany, though she herself is an American Jew. She recalls the highlights and high suspense of her career chasing stories and challenging expectations.

The anatomy of a recall, US style. Matt Frei talks to the mayor of North Pole, Alaska.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20101010

Matt Frei talks to the Harvard University professor, Robert Putnam, about his newest book, American Grace. They consider faith and the impact of religious affiliation on the culture of the nation.

Americana follows the historian, Walter Borneman, on a vintage train ride to retrace one of America's most famous transcontinental rail routes. The railway played an essential role in America's westward expansion.

And the author and activist Alice Walker, perhaps most famous for her novel, The Color Purple, has published a new book of poetry, Hard Times Require Furious Dancing. She explains her style of faith and how to find and share hope when facing challenging situations.

Matt Frei talks to author Alice Walker and Harvard's Robert Putnam on faith in the USA.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20101017

This week, Americana steps up to bat around the relationship between Americans and baseball. The historian, John P. Rossi, explains how and when baseball became so deeply intertwined with America's national identity. The sports writer, Frank Deford, reflects on the heroes of the game and the National Symphony Orchestra musician, Glenn Donnellan, performs a few songs on his homemade 'batolin', a violin made from a baseball bat.

A look at the heroes, history and music of that most American of sports, baseball.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20101024

Michelle Malkin, one of America's most prolific right-wing blogger journalists talks about the conservative movement today. Valerie Plame and Joe Wilson discuss their experiences with the Central Intelligence Agency and the film that tells their story, and fly fisherman Lefty Kreh, who has fished with Ernest Hemingway and Fidel Castro, tries to teach presenter Matt Frei a thing or two about catching and casting in the waters of the eastern United States.

Matt Frei talks to Michelle Malkin, one of America's most prolific right-wing commentators

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20101031

Americana examines the defining and redefining of a nation.

Once every ten years, when U.S. Census figures are updated, American politicians have the opportunity to draw crooked lines to map out districts of political supporters to their advantage. The abuse of power is called gerrymandering. The honest practice is called redistricting. Americana talks with the filmmaker Jeff Reichert about his new film on the history of gerrymandering and about the debate unfolding about how best to keep the system of redistricting honest.

Matt Frei talks to former poet laureate Rita Dove about how to define the culture of a nation through poetry.

And Garry Wills discusses his new book "Outside Looking In: Adventures of an Observer," a memoir that grapples with how to define oneself.

Matt Frei explores the defining and redefining of the United States.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20101107

Americana examines the impact of this week's midterm elections.

Now that the elections have come to a close President Obama heads overseas for a visit to India. Americana hears from a few citizens about what it means to carve out a sense of cultural identity as an Indian living in the U.S. today.

As America continues to build and refine its relationships overseas Matt Frei talks to author Robert Kaplan. His newest book is called, "Monsoon: The Indian Ocean and the Future of American Power.".

As President Obama heads to India, Americana looks at the impact of India on U.S. culture.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20101114

The British author Jonathan Raban presents the programme from Seattle.

He talks to Seattle's former mayor, Greg Nickels, about the city's tech and environment revolution.

A husband and wife team of loggers out in Washington State explain how the job's changed since the days when lumber was the industry which made Seattle rich.

Dock owner and 'ancient mariner' Mike Wollaston discusses Seattle's seagoing history.

And we take a walk around the house Microsoft built - a tiny cottage where Seattle's bright young things show off the gadgets we'll all be using tomorrow.

The British author Jonathan Raban presents the programme from Seattle.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20101121

Americana examines how the USA, in establishing its autonomy from Britain, went on to earn acceptance from its neighbours and garner a sense of belonging across its citizens.

Award-winning author Ron Chernow explains how the character and leadership of America's first president, George Washington, live on.

Jennifer Egan explains the ways that people strive for acceptance across time.

And Kyle Eastwood - bass player, world traveller and son of Clint Eastwood - talks about his journey to be accepted as his own man: a musician and artist in his own right.

Americana examines the US effort to be accepted - among friends, neighbours and citizens.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20101128

As Americans continue to celebrate, and recover from, the Thanksgiving holiday, Americana examines US food choices and "going without". Professor and UN special advisor, Jeffrey Sachs, discusses the increase in poverty and hunger across the nation. Nationally renowned California chef Alice Waters explains why she thinks everyone can, and should, care about eating organic food and the customers and staff at The Dinner Bell restaurant in Mississippi offer a different view. Squirrel hunter Hovey Smith steps into his backyard in rural Georgia to share some hunting tips and a family recipe for squirrel stew.

As the holiday season hits the USA, Americana examines food choices and money struggles.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20101205

Matt Frei examines the big cities and small towns of the United States. Sir Harold Evans, former editor of the Sunday Times, reflects on the ways that America transforms with time; award-winning actor Robert Duvall explains the understated charms of some of the USA's most enduring locations - its small towns; and Christian Lander, creator of the website, 'Stuff White People Like', talks about his newest book, Whiter Shades of Pale," a tour of America's most liberal, white, cities.

A portrait of the White American Liberal, plus actor Robert Duvall praises small town USA.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20101212

Alice Rivlin, the first director of the United States Congressional Budget Office and Christopher Whalen, the author of 'Inflated: How Money and Debt Built the American Dream', discuss America's relationship with debt and the prospects for improvement in the future.

Presenter Richard Wolffe talks to Gore Vidal. The internationally renowned essayist, playwright, and dramatist reflects on what made America great and what threatens the strength of the nation.

And during this lame duck session of the United States Congress, Americana heads to the fields of Iowa to talk to champion duck caller Todd Copley about what can be accomplished outside of the Congressional chambers.

Gore Vidal; the USA's history and current relationship with debt; and ducks too.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20101219

For a better understanding of Washington DC beyond the Capitol, Matt Frei travels to Ward 8, in the south east quadrant of the city. He talks to DC's political legend, Marion Barry. The four-term Mayor of the '70s, '80s and '90s explains some of the current divisions the city faces and talks about his hopes for the District's future.

Hours north and west of Washington DC, Americana calls on North Pole Mayor Doug Isaacson. He survived a recall vote earlier this year, now he has to make it through the holiday season working next door to Santa's headquarters.

In the melting pot of the USA, there are many holiday traditions but nearly every major city hosts a production - or two - of the Nutcracker ballet. Alastair Macaulay, Englishman and Chief Dance Critic for the New York Times, explains his current effort to uncover what it is about Tchaikovsky's work that Americans seem to adore.

Washington DC's 'Mayor For Life' Marion Barry on the real truths about the capital.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20101226

America's top military award is the Medal of Honor and 25-year-old U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Salvatore Guinta recently became the first living recipient from the Afghanistan War to receive that award. He tells Americana what it means to receive the Medal and a bit about the harrowing actions that ultimately led to his national recognition.

In the land of make-believe C.S. Lewis was a master-crafter of fiction but some, including prominent leaders in the United States like Sarah Palin, understand the young adult novels to be full of complex religious metaphors and important truths. Americana talks with fans and scholars to discuss the land of Narnia.

Far, far away, in a land not of make-believe, deep in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, two sisters are escaping into a world of books. The two explain what it takes to survive a cold, dark winter, in a town of scarcely 300 people.

A 25-year-old US Sergeant on what it means to wear America's highest military honour.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20110102As the new year begins, all across America people are setting resolutions in the hopes of living a healthier life in 2011. Goals could include a new diet, less alcohol, or just a bit of regular exercise. New York City Health Commissioner, Dr Thomas Farley, takes Americana along on his daily jog through Central Park (even as New York is buried under the snow from a recent storm) and explains what can be done to improve the health of all Americans.

Every ten years, the US Census Bureau releases a fresh report on where, why and how Americans live from coast to coast. As the population of the United States continues to multiply, the Latino community is among the fastest growing segment of the population. Reporter Rajini Vaidyanathan visits the culturally rich, increasingly influential Latino community of Baltimore Maryland.

New Year's resolutions come in all shapes and sizes. So too, do champion chess players. Samuel Sevian just became the youngest US Chess Master at the age of 9 years, 11 months and 11 days. His goal is now to become an international master, but first he agrees to a game against presenter Jonny Dymond.

Though the understanding of America is refreshed each decade with the help of US Census figures, for Elonka Dunin the greatest mystery of America remains unsolved. She is one of the nation's leading cryptologists and she explains how the Kryptos code, located at the Central Intelligence Agency's headquarters in Virginia, continues to stump even the brightest minds.

How fit is America? A jog in Central Park and humiliation by a 10-year-old chess master.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20110116Live free or die' is the slogan found on the license plates of vehicles throughout New Hampshire. It's America's most libertarian state. As the nation reels from the shock of the mass shooting in Tucson, Arizona, SE Cupp and Chris Hayes explain how the American ideals of individualism and freedom, which form the foundation of libertarianism, attract followers and debate from the conservative and liberal sides of the political spectrum.

150 years after the American Civil War, Harold Holzer's book, 'The Lincoln Mailbag: America Writes to the President, 1861-1865,' offers a look back in time to the criticisms of a US President governing during another turbulent period of Americn history.

Matt Frei talks to film actor Eli Wallach about his vibrant career alongside such Hollywood greats as Clint Eastwood, Cary Grant and Marilyn Monroe. This year Eli Wallach will receive an honorary award from the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. He shares stories from a lifetime on the ever-changing American silver screen.

Live free or die says the US's most libertarian state. What is American libertarianism?

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20110123With a federal deficit casting its shadow, some in the US Congress are calling for an end to federal funding of public broadcasting. Americana talks to Congressman Doug Lamborn and to Vivian Schiller, the President and CEO of National Public Radio, to learn more about how radio is financed (without the help of a national licence fee) and what impact cuts in federal dollars could have on the future of public broadcasting.

As President Obama continues to call on members of Congress to reach across the aisle to bring about legislative progress, Arlen Specter can offer a bit of advice. The long-serving former Senator from Pennsylvania was a Republican for 44 years before switching to the Democratic Party. He shares stories of some of the earliest political lessons he learned from his father, a Russian Jewish immigrant, and talks about his hopes for the future of the American legislative process.

She was a stripper, yes, but Gypsy Rose Lee was among the most famous American performers of the 20th century. Her biographer, Karen Abbott, explains how Gypsy Rose Lee revealed not just an ungloved hand, but some truths about her era, the nation and its insecurities.

And in advance of the President's State of the Union address, a few Americans give their impressions about the state of things from their view, in Uniontown, Pennsylvania.

With no licence fee, US public broadcasting still makes it happen. Americana asks: how?

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20110130President Ronald Reagan 100 years:

Next week would be the 100th birthday of former President and Republican favourite Ronald Reagan. His son Ron Reagan shares the name but became quite different from his father. He talks about life inside the home of Ronald and Nancy Reagan and about what it was like to grow up in the shadow of the actor, turned governor, turned President of the United States.

Small Business in America:

President Ronald Reagan was a champion of America's small business economy. Today, more than half of all Americans either own, or work for, a small business. Butch and Rita McNinch own Dutch Diner in President Reagan's hometown. They talk about the challenges of, and value in, operating a small business in Tampico, Illinois.

JFK 50 years in Arts:

This month marks the 50th anniversary of John F Kennedy's Presidential inauguration. The Washington DC arts centre which carries his name is celebrating that anniversary though a series of special concerts remembering JFK's legacy. The Kennedy Center's Music Director Christoph Eschenbach and Hollywood film star Richard Dreyfuss share their impressions of the work and the man.

Herman Cain Next Republican Up?:

Some people claim that the legacies of both Presidents Reagan and Kennedy have grown larger than life. It might be hard to imagine the beginning stages of their successful careers but for Herman Cain, the beginning is the most exciting part. Cain is seen by many as the under-dog candidate as he aims to be the next Republican (Tea Party) President. He talks to Americana about his hopes to lead the nation as the 45th President of the United States.

Ron Reagan steps out of the shadow of his father's presidential legacy to tell his story.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20110206Presidential Doctrine:

Long after U.S. leaders step down, or lose their seats in office, American Presidential doctrines live on. After a week of protests in Egypt, American diplomacy experts Susan Glasser, Editor-in-Chief of Foreign Policy Magazine, George Friedman, founder of the private intelligence agency STRATFOR and journalist David Millar explain the history of America's past Presidents and how they defined their stances on international policy.

Walk the walk and talk the diplomatic talk:

Future American diplomats, aka American University students, demonstrate what it takes to sit down at the negotiating table and get what you want. Cydney Gumann and Derek Tobias demonstrate the skills, strategies and trends in contemporary American negotiation.

Esperanza Spalding

And Esperanza Spalding has negotiated a space for herself at the top of the music scene. The genre-busting, culture-mixing bass player talks about her music and about how she's created a space that invites everyone in to listen.

Presidential Doctrine: a thing of the past, or a must-have for President Obama?

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20110213The American Filibuster:

As the row over filibustering in the UK heats up, Americana takes a look at the history of this increasingly popular senatorial tactic in the U.S. Can it be put to good use - or is it really just the resort of the time-wasting obstructionist?

Melting Pot Myth?

The BBC's Matthew Wells tests out the immigrant's dream of melting-pot New York. Are the streets paved with gold - or is the myth finally wearing thin?

Reclaiming Racist Language:

Throughout America's struggles with integration, the vocabulary of 'us' and 'them' has spawned some unutterable words. Students from Maryland explain how they are reclaiming the language of racism.

Joyce Carol Oates:

And one of America's pre-eminent authors, Joyce Carol Oates, talks about her new memoire; a raw and candid appraisal of life after her husband's death in 2008.

As the row over filibustering in the UK heats up, we look at the US use of the tactic.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20110220Philadelphia's Return to a Balanced Budget:

As Washington insiders wrangle over the annual Federal budget, guest presenter Adam Brookes takes Americana on the road to Philadelphia -- where Mayor Michael Nutter describes how he has steered his city back into the black. Can the Federal government learn anything from Philly?

Virginia's relics of Elizabethan English:

After stopping for traditional cheesesteaks in Philly, Americana rides the mail boat from the mainland to Virginia's remote Tangier Island. It's a place where some say the remnants of Cornish speech from Elizabethan times can still be heard in the language of watermen today but as business on the sea faces challenging times the dialect may soon disappear.

A look at how Philadelphia balanced its budget, and who's speaking Elizabethan English.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20110227American Unions:

Credited with creating the 40 hour work week and minimum wage, American labor unions are also criticised for creating headaches and hurdles for American businesses. With comment from James P. Hoffa, President of the Teamsters union and son of the late Jimmy Hoffa, experts Judith Stein and Kevin Williamson discuss the history and possible future for unions in the United States.

Protest Songs:

Writer, performer and satirist Kinky Friedman explains the useful melodies and sarcastic wit of protest songs both popular and less well known.

Raising the volume:

Colin Goddard was a student at Virginia Tech University in 2007 when gunman Seung-Hui Cho burst through the classroom door to shoot and kill 10 of Colin's 17 classmates. Goddard recovered from his multiple gunshot wounds and now travels the country to call for increased gun restrictions. He shares his thoughts about the gun debate with Americana.

Matt Frei examines the history of unions in America and what may come next.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20110306America's role in the Middle East:

With violence, protests and chaos rampant in parts of the Middle East Americana asks former U.S. Ambassador Marc Ginsberg what could and should the US do to protect American interests. What impact will the unrest have on the average US citizen?

Drunkenness of Nations:

The legal drinking age across the United States is 21 years old but in Wisconsin, the state with the worst binge drinking problems in the nation, some minors can be served legally. Americana checks in on a Wisconsin watering hole to find out what people think about the relationship between alcohol, youth and trouble.

And author Dan Okrent explains how American drinking styles compare to the habits and patterns of other countries around the globe.

Boxing Clubs:

From state to state, Americans are facing massive budget cuts during this recession and when school budgets feel the pinch its often after school programmes which disappear. Americana talks with a boxing coach in Ohio who is picking up the slack and helping kids stay off the streets.

With unrest and uncertainty in the Middle East what could or should the US do?

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20110313Budget Crunch Time:

Weeks have gone by since President Obama presented his budget to Congress and there is still a stalemate on Capitol Hill. Christina Romer, former chairwoman of the President's Council of Economic Advisors, explains what tough choices loom on the horizon of the nation.

American Talk Radio:

With tough times come a serving of tough love and American talk radio stations aren't shy about dishing it out. The BBC's Jonny Dymond makes a confession about his feelings for talk radio and American commentator Bill McKibben reconsiders his political leanings with the help of a prominent talk radio host.

Police Department with Volunteer Forces:

While the Federal government considers trimming and slimming its national programmes, many states across the U.S. are already making less with.less. The Fresno police department actively recruits volunteers to serve amongst the shrinking ranks of its highly trained officers. Chief Jerry Dyer and one of his (increasing numbers) of volunteers explain the new realities of public safety.

With a stalemate on Capitol Hill, Americana looks at the tough budget choices ahead.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20110320The Death Penalty:

America's first settlers brought the death penalty with them from Britain and ever since, crime and punishment have been continually debated and revised across the United States. Katty Kay talks to Governor Pat Quinn of Illinois who recently banned capitol punishment in the state.

Freedom Bail Bonds:

If you get arrested and you don't have the cash to make bail, a bail bondsman can help you out, but he'll track you down if you try to skip town. David Gambale of Freedom Bail Bonding explains the business of doing business with (potential) criminals.

James Lee Burke:

And best-selling author James Lee Burke talks to Americana about the cornucopia of creative criminal stories born from the United States.

The death penalty arrived with US settlers. Americana looks at crime and punishment today.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20110327American Opinion on Involvement over Libya:

With US warplanes among those flying over Libya to enforce the no-fly zone, Allison Keyes gathers a roundtable discussion with the American people to learn what they think of the latest US efforts in the Middle East.

Ageing in America:

Growing older in the United States can be a complicated experience. Authors Susan Jacoby and Arnold Weinstein say the romantic storylines of books and movies can play a part in the process of coming to terms with ageing. Americana visits with older Americans in a retirement community in Maryland to find out what they think about the myths and truths of ageing.

EL Doctorow:

EL Doctorow joins Americana to talk about his newest book, a collection of short stories called All the Time in the World.

EL Doctorow discusses his newest book, All the Time in the World.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20110403What's up with Science in America?

The US federal government pledged 45 billion dollars for science and technology research while reeling from the most recent recession, movies like Jurassic Park and Avatar glamorize and popularize science innovation, so what's fact and what's fiction? Americana examines the state of Science and innovation in America today with Mariette DiChristina, Editor in Chief of Scientific American (The monthly magazine was founded in 1845-- it's the oldest continuously published magazine in the US), and author Chris Mooney. His most recent book is, 'Unscientific America: How Scientific Illiteracy Threatens Our Future.

Top American science students at work: Montgomery Blair High School

The BBC's Adam Brookes visits an American high school where a science magnet programme is attracting and exciting students to do original research before, during and after school.

The Power of Memorization: Josh Foer

Memorizing facts is often discouraged as a shallow style of learning but champion memory athlete and author Josh Foer joins Americana for a discussion, demonstration and explanation of the value of memory in today's world of quick internet searches and fancy technology.

Amish Mud Sales:

And the BBC's Jane O'Brien visits with a community that is less interested in the snazzy scientific innovations of the future and still interested in examining what the past has to teach. Americana attends an Amish Mud Sale.

Science, technology and engineering can drive growth; are they driving America forward?

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20110410~Americana investigates the American Civil War.

Civil War Today:

Yale's Professor David Blight joins Matt Frei to discuss the political, social and racial tensions of the Civil War era, still reverberating through America today.

American Voices of the Civil War:

The experiences of ordinary Americans at the Battle of Antietam - STILL the bloodiest single-day battle in American history.

Dean Faulkner Wells:

Dean Faulkner Wells, niece of the double-Pulitzer-prize-winning writer, William Faulkner, recalls her own upbringing in America's Deep South.

A look at how the political, social and racial tensions of the Civil War resonate today.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20110417As American companies clock some of the fastest growth in 60 years, with CEOs and executives pocketing salaries and stock options to match, Matt Frei takes a closer look at the widening gap between rich and poor in America.

Film-maker Morgan Spurlock talks about his newest film funded entirely by product placement.

And musician and Louisiana native Tab Benoit, on the edge of the bayou, one year after the BP oil spill.

As US companies celebrate record growth, Matt Frei examines the gap between rich and poor.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20110424Election season 2012:

The 2012 election season is under way - and Barack Obama is the man the Republicans need to beat. There are plenty of contenders out there, but has the GOP found the man or woman with the winning combination? This week, Joe Scarborough - the host of MSNBC's 'Morning Joe' and a former Republican congressman himself - is on hand to guide us though the 2012 election.

The Royal Wedding:

With the Royal Wedding just around the corner, we'll hear from Americans with very different views about the upcoming nuptials.

Dolly Parton:

Dolly Parton talks about what keeps her smiling, who inspired her unique looks - and, of course, the royal wedding.

Joe Scarborough on Republican 2012 contenders - and Dolly Parton on the Royal Wedding.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20110501

What IS the middle class in America?
Politicians make promises to them, the poor strive to join them - the middle class in the United States is an ever-shifting target. Americana talks with economic analysts, social historians, authors and everyday citizens to help define and explain the importance of the group in the USA.

Bernie Madoff from prison:
Bernie Madoff may be responsible for upsetting the class status of hundreds of Americans by dishonestly shifting their investments, retirement and savings - to the tune of 65 billion dollars. The crime sent him to prison for life. Diana Henriques describes the Bernie Madoff of today, two years into his prison sentence.

Suburbia - a magical land for the middle class:
Nearly a third of Americans live in the suburbs these days. Historian Rosalyn Baxandall explains the charms and changes of one of the earliest American suburbs - Levittown, New York.

SPAM festival:
If the suburbs are home to the middle class, packaged foods are the quintessential item found in the kitchens of those homes. SPAM first hit American stomachs in 1937. Today in Hawaii many Americans continue to enjoy it and celebrate the canned ham with gusto.

The American middle class defined, re-defined, sheltered, challenged and... eating SPAM.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20110508

University of Risk
Americana examines the value of higher education in a debt laden nation. Education experts Claudia Dreifus and Peter Brooks debate the popularity of higher education in the US.

Self-Made Man
The pioneering spirit- that persevering, climb-to-the-top work ethic, is largely responsible for the nation's image of the "self-made man." Presenter Matt Frei talks to David Walker Howe about why pulling yourself up by your bootstraps continues to go in and out of fashion.

Barbara Carroll
Jazz pianist Barbara Carroll hasn't always enjoyed the fame and popularity she has today. She fought through the man's world of jazz to be heard and seen as a musician, and woman, of talent in her own right. She plays a few songs and shares her story with Americana.

A week for the history books
David Remnick reflects on the impact of the week's announcement that Osama Bin Laden was killed and what it means for future security and leadership of the United States.

Is a university education in America still worth the debt incurred by students?

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20110515

National Debate:
Commentator Charlie Pierce digs into the stories most hotly debated in the USA this week.

Personal Debate:
Debate expert Mark Oppenheimer explains America's complex relationship with rhetorical gymnastics and how the lost of art of debate could improve the nation's place in the world.

Outspoken Norman Mailer:
His written words won awards nearly too numerous to count and his opinions kicked up debate to almost the same degree. As the late Norman Mailer's Brooklyn apartment goes on the market, his son, Michael Mailer, shows Americana around the book-lined walls and sun-splattered floors for a view of a life lived to the full.

American Heroes:
Heroes take on many shapes - teachers, celebrities, even politicians. With the success of the mission to find and kill Osama Bin Laden, has the Navy Seal leaped to the front of the line? Presenter Jonny Dymond talks to recently retired Commander, Mark Divine, about the American heroes of today.

Presenter Jonny Dymond examines America's knack for reasoned debate.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20110522Irish in America:

As President Obama's visit to Ireland gets underway, Americana examines the impact of Irish culture on the USA and the strength of contemporary Irish American communities across the nation.

Irish Influence:

Boston Globe journalists Joan Vennochi and Kevin Cullen discuss how far the Irish have come in the US - the voting tendencies, economic power and community spirit of the Irish.

Irish Leadership:

Through the years, Irish American families have been among the most famous and well followed in America. Thomas O'Neill III explains the tradition of leadership passed down from generation to generation.

Irish Joseph McCarthy:

Joe McCarthy may be one of America's most infamous US Senators for his aggressive hunt for Communists during the 1950s. Historian Leo Ribuffo explains how a history of Irish American persecution may have influenced McCarthy's motivation and the reactions he garnered.

Irish Music and Dance:

Eileen Ivers, feature fiddler of the award-winning Irish music and dance show, Riverdance, shares some catchy, heart-racing melodies and the story of her musical career.

From the Kennedys to the Obamas, Americana looks at the impact of Irish roots on the USA.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20110529~Americana asks why English culture isn't as widely celebrated across the United States, as other European ancestries.

Founding Culture:

Matt Frei talks with author and historian Maya Jasanoff and Brenton Simons of the New England Historic Genealogical Society about what aspects of English heritage are recognized and why.

Founding Sexuality:

Author Michael Bronski explains how English Puritans framed the history of homosexuality in America,

Founding Manners:

Etiquette instructor, Sandy Muscopf Hyde, offers a few lessons in manners from the Midwest.

Morris Dance in Minnesota:

And Americana visits a traditional Morris dance studio where Minnesota residents show off their cultural roots.

~Americana asks why English culture isn't widely celebrated across the United States.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20110605In the melting pot of the US, Americana explores the heated debate over immigration.

As U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services launches a new media campaign to encourage immigrants to apply for citizenship, Americana discusses the impact of immigrants on the economics, security and cultural richness of the United States today.

Lewis and Clark were among America's first immigrants - Americana asks what sort of reception they got from the native American tribes back in 1805.

The Pulitzer-Prize-winning author Oscar Hijuelos recalls a childhood between two worlds.

And musician Jauvon Gilliam explains how he had to disguise his identity in his bid to win the coveted position of Principal Timpanist with the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington D.C.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20110612It's looking to be a tough summer for the White House. Presenter Adam Brookes talks to Jared Bernstein, who recently resigned as economic advisor to Vice President Joe Biden, about what hope remains for the Obama Administration's financial plans for the country.

Lean & Hungry Theater, a Washington D.C. drama company is about to kick off a new production of A Midsummer Nights Dream- a radio version complete with Midwestern accents and flashy sound effects. Americana listens in.

And what summer would be complete without the beach? Hawaiian musician Jake Shimabukuro demonstrates his famous ukulele mastery from the sandy Pacific island's shores.

Presenter Adam Brookes asks why President Obama's economic advisors keep leaving.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20110619As President Obama travels the country hoping to inspire job creation, Americana examines the changing fortunes of American cities from Omaha, Nebraska to Fresno, California.

Presenter Adam Brookes talks to Jennifer Grant, about her famously charismatic father Cary and about life as a Hollywood kid.

Jeffery Deaver tries to explain how an American author such as himself could dare to take on the challenge of writing new episodes in the James Bond series,

And pianist Monty Alexander traces the surprising connections between Jamaican reggae and American jazz.

~Americana examines the changing fortunes of American cities from Nebraska to California.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20110626This week, Matt Frei completes his tenure as Americana's presenter with a look at why so many Americans fetishize their own history - and why so many others can't even name the Vice President. We'll hear the voices of eminent historians, and ordinary Americans.

Matt also asks author Andrew F Smith about America's unique contribution to culinary history - junk food.

And, as a final lap, Matt tours some of his favorite Washington haunts. Along the way, he checks in with Daily Beast blogger Andrew Sullivan and with some regulars at Ben's Chili Bowl.

Matt Frei asks why Americans fetishize their history - but many can't even name the VP.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20110703America looks to the universes beyond earth to solve the mysteries of a mysterious nation. This week Americana examines how the fascination with outer space shapes the goals of the USA.

~Americana talks to George Takei about 'Star Trek'. The show began broadcasting on TV when space travel was science fiction but the characters Mr Sulu, Captain Kirk and Spock helped guide the nation in its real aspirations into the unknown.

Matt Frei with the insider's guide to modern America.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20110710~Americana looks at the changing shades of green across the US from the farm fields sown to the philosophies of the open roads. Experts debate the pros and cons, promises and goals of green investments and subsidies,

Senator Jim DeMint talks about his new book 'The Great American Awakening,' Georgia farmer Bo Herndon discusses the impact that potential immigration legislation is already having on his harvest and Americana visits a drive-thru daiquiri shop to enjoy a refreshing, and surprisingly legal, treat from Louisiana.

Paul Adams asks how much the green revolution can do to help the US through tough times.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20110717As America's political candidates rack up their visits to factory floors across the nation hoping to garner support, Americana examines the past and future of manufacturing in the US.

Further from the industrial centres of the U.S., America's pea farmers share perspectives on the tough economy,

And one of America's most beloved country stories, Charlotte's Web, celebrates 60 years since its first publication. Biographer Michael Sims' describes the sensitive nature writing of E.B. White for which White, like Beatrix Potter, became a champion.

And Banjo maker, Jim Mills explains the history and charm of one of rural America's most iconic instruments.

~Americana examines the past and future of manufacturing in the US.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20110724As the presidential campaign for 2012 ramps up Americana checks in with leaders and laymen from the African American community about how interest in this season may compare to voter engagement in years past. Political commentator Michelle Bernard and professor of political science Dr Hasan Crockett weigh in.

Comedian Alonzo Bodden has become a master of laughter. He explains how to dance across the line politically, socially and racially.

Mumbo sauce is hitting markets across the Washington DC area, playing well with soul food fans from across the nation. Americana takes a taste.

And trombonist Fred Wesley explains the political language of jazz versus funk.

~Americana asks how interested is the African-American community this political season?

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20110731With the looming national debt, many Americans are growing increasingly frustrated with politics. Analysts Lou Zickar and Eleanor Clift discuss what it will take to get America's silent majority to raise their voices for change.

Throughout her term in office, Governor of Washington Christine Gregoire made tough decisions in order to keep her state's economy from collapse. She talks about how hard times forced her hand and why she's not campaigning to lead again.

Gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson brought to life the crazy and tragic times of America's 1960s and illustrator Ralph Steadman brought those stories into full colour. Mr. Steadman reflects upon what those days meant then and mean now.

And director Alex Gibney talks about his film, The Magic Trip, a documentary about the drugs of the 1960s and today.

What will it take to get America's silent majority to raise their voices?

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20110807Presenter David Willis talks to journalist Stephen Glain about his new book, State vs. Defense. The two discuss the impact of the US military on American finances and the role it could play as the nation struggles to regain its footing.

Author Mim Harrison explains how a common language divides much of the United States.

Musician Warren Wolf Jr. demonstrates what a vibraphone is all about. It takes more muscle then one might think.

And Grammy Award-winning music label Archeophone Records, digs out some of its favourite sounds from America's earliest recording days. Co-owners Richard Martin and Meagan Hennessey share some of the nation's founding sounds.

~Americana asks whether the time has come for America's military spending to be cut.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20110814As international stock markets see-saw in the wake of America's downgrade to AA+ status, we bring you the economic outlook from America's other trading floor - the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.

Mormon blogger Joanna Brooks exposes the greatest myths surrounding Mormonism in America - and assesses the prospects of two Mormon presidential hopefuls.

Vera Farmiga - star of 'Up In The Air' - talks about her directorial debut, 'Higher Ground,' in which she explores America's relationship with religion.

And from religious to the irreligious, author Otto Penzler uncovers America's obsession with zombies.

As stock markets see-saw, a visit to America's OTHER trading floor in Chicago.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20110821This week, as Barack Obama's personal approval ratings slump to an all-time low of just 39%, we'll ask Democrat Strategist Terry McAuliffe whether the President can still pull off a dramatic comeback, in the style of number 33, Harry Truman.

Brother and sister Tamim Ansary and Rebecca Pettys recall an idyllic American childhood...spent in Afghanistan's Helmand Valley.

The author Philip Connors gives us a call from his self-imposed solitude among the treetops of New Mexico's Gila National Forest.

And Darius Rucker tells all on going from rock band frontman...to black country & western singer.

Democrat Strategist Terry McAuliffe on Barack Obama's approval-ratings slump.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20110828The US Post Master General discusses the fate of the US Postal Service as demand and profits decline.

Professor Bill Marling discusses James M Cain's American noir classic, 'The Postman Always Rings Twice.

And in a week when the people of Martha's Vineyard dealt once again with a presidential holiday, Americana talks finds that not everyone enjoys the attention.

The US Post Master General discusses the fate of the US Postal Service.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20110904A special show on one of America's most troubled cities, Detroit.

~Americana talks with the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan, Barbara McQuade about the rocketing homicide rates in Detroit.

Detroit's bravest man - the proud owner of new Fiat dealership - discusses the the auto trade's nascent recovery.

And violinist Regina Carter explains why Motor City's world famous jazz festival is about more than just bringing in the tourist dollars.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today

20110911For a special 45-minute live show, Americana comes from Ground Zero, in downtown New York, where Jonny Dymond will talk with Americans about how their country - and mindset - has changed in the decade since 9/11. Up for discussion - the US sense of security, the experiences of three Muslims living in New York, and the story of an Iraq-vet-turned-chronicler of America's contemporary wars.

~Americana comes from Ground Zero, in downtown New York.

An insider's guide to the stories and people shaping the USA today