News & Views

The Philadelphia Police Department is using social media in an innovative way - tools such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube are helping the department's closure rate. WRTI's Jim Hilgen talks with Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey, and members of the department's social media team, about how using the Internet is helping combat crime in the city.

Philadelphia's annual two-part festival of experimental performing arts kicks off in venues around the city this week. While the wide open, unvetted Fringe Festival has nearly 150 works by mostly Philadelphia artists, the curated Live Arts Festival includes 16 works selected from the local, national and international scene, with shows coming from as far away as Australia and Japan.  

While supporters and opponents of Pennsylvania's new voter identification law look to the courts for a decision on implementing the regulations, citizen's groups and the state are preparing for election day. WRTI's Jim Hilgen talks to Keesha Gaskins, senior counsel for the Democracy Program at NYU School of Law Brennan Center for Justice, for an outsider's perspective on the law and the challenges in securing the needed ID for Pennsylvania voters.

Popular composer George Gershwin bridged the worlds of classical music and jazz. WRTI's Susan Lewis considers Gershwin and his musical legacy.

In the landmark 2010 case Citizens United v Federal Election Commission, the U.S. Supreme Court upended decades of campaign finance reform law. WRTI's Timothy Churchill speaks with experts about the history of money in elections, changes to political campaigns in the wake of Citizens United, and the decision's impact on the reputation of the Roberts Court. 

Taking action against the battle of the bulge can feel like an Olympian effort, deserving of a bronze, silver, or gold. And there's always a new magical promise for dropping those pounds. WRTI's Meridee Duddleston checks in with leading obesity experts about what actually works when it comes to slimming down.

As the Olympics in London get into full swing, WRTI's Susan Lewis talks with a featured player in the Cultural Olympiad: Sir Simon Rattle, music director of the Berlin Philharmonic. The world-renowned conductor shares his thoughts about the nexus between sports and music, his own path to the podium, and his relationship with Philadelphia.

Rattle conducted the London Philharmonic and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra in performances featuring the UK premiere of Wynton Marsalis's Symphony No. 3 or "Swing Symphony" as the games began.

One of the first public buildings to grace the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in 1929, the Rodin Museum recently reopened after a three-year renovation. WRTI's Susan Lewis looks at the role of the Rodin, then and now, in fulfilling a dream for the city's grand avenue.

The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia has on display 30 presidential artifacts from the 1700s to the present. WRTI's Timothy Churchill looks at a few choice items from past presidential campaigns as the current contest between President Barack Obama and former Governor Mitt Romney heats up. Information about the exhibition

A summertime exhibition explores the centuries-old idea of a utopian place called Arcadia and how it influenced some of the key figures in the development of modern art. Gauguin, Cezanne, Matisse: Visions of Arcadia is at the Philadelphia Museum of Art through September 3rd.