‘American Sauce:’ Jon Stewart, is this what you meant?
Washington (CNN) - To those crying out for more substance and less finger-pointing in the news, CNN Radio has an answer.
Beginning today, we’re launching a new podcast, aimed directly at what many people say they want: the news about major issues with none of the Washington nonsense.
Here’s this week’s sound:
We call it "American Sauce," a show that boils down the key questions the U.S. and Congress face, with a look at what issues mean to individuals and towns across the country.
And we do it in a compelling, relatable, hip and thoroughly modern way, naturally.
This week, for example, host Lisa Desjardins will tackle the rescue policy with the vague and medically off-putting name: Quantitative Easing.
With this second round of Quantitative Easing (dubbed "QE2"), the Federal Reserve is pouring $600 billion in new money into the economy. The Fed is not literally printing all those dollars, but in a modern equivalent, it’s creating the added billions in its computers.
In “American Sauce” this week, we lay out the basics of QE2, what it is, how it works and what it means. We'll go over the Fed's hopes: that it lowers interest rates, sparks more lending, sends more money into the stock market and ultimately, creates more jobs. But you will also hear why the policy has fierce critics, from economist Allan Meltzer to Tea Party heroine Sarah Palin: It could produce another speculative bubble on Wall Street, cause significant inflation, infuriate economic allies and it may not work.
Desjardins does this report in a different way (it's a new show, so, yes, we are trying new things): laying out Quantitative Easing, in front of an audience of two, (a business professor and his MBA padawan), selected specifically to make sure she is not oversimplifying or leaving out any important points of view. Yes, we are trying to keep it real.
This week's episode also hits on four stories with big impact that received small headlines:
-More very bad news from the Postal Service
-A similar downer about health insurance
-The Supreme Court punting on a huge issue
-How far Congress has gone toward meeting its major deadlines this month and next (hint: not far).
And as Congress leaves for Thanksgiving break, we ask if it needs to meet in Washington. In Oscar Goldman-voice now: "Do we have the technology for a telecommuting Congress?" It is half-ridiculous, half-intriguing and serious.
In all, the show is dedicated to looking at Washington in a new way: focusing on the substance of issues, asking unexpected questions and relaying what the debates mean to people around the country.
You can also listen to the American Sauce podcast on iTunes or subscribe to the podcast here.
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Be nice if instead of offering it as a Podcast you could also do it in print.
SOOOOooooooo...CNN why don't you take th big plunge and move WELL ABOVE fox and msnbc and make this your model for ALL your new reporting instead of doing and podcast and calling it change.
Go all the way!
If Sarah Palin is interviewed for her economic "expertise" then this show is useless. I'm sorry.
I will try to check it out, but seriously, just because Palin is loud and gets good ratings, does not mean she is truly newsworthy. Or at least not newsworthy when seriously discussing the economic state of our country.
I think that is part of Jon Stewart's message. Yes, the media does need to give multiple views of the issues. But if one side is a lunatic, then that's not really a legitimate view.
Sarah Palin is newsworthy when talking about political elections. But she has no worthwhile basis to be considered for her thoughts on QE2.
american sauce is the worst name i have for anything in my life. its funnier than this last whole season of the daily show
Going to be "hip", huh? Very impressive goal. Use of "punting" and "downer" have already turned me off. More of the same attempt at entertainment rather than substance. Good luck.
Why don't we just make a COOL $14 Trillion and get us out of debt!!!!???? (Okay, I know the haters are going to attack and call me a dummy but I KNOW we cannot do that – just being funny.)
"...the show is dedicated to looking at Washington in a new way: focusing on the substance of issues, asking unexpected questions and relaying what the debates mean to people around the country..."
Yep, until you start taking POLLS and/or setting the stage "suggesting" how you want the outcome to be!! That's the problem – just like the many Polls you are taking now and you know doggone well it does not MEAN anything!!!
I will check it out – I guess!!
I like it. Listened to the Podcast. The anchor doesn't sound very "newsie" – she almost sounds like an iReporter – but I like the in-depth info and explanations on issues that people don't seem to know enough about.
CNN you really need to get the f'n off the internet , constantly pushing some white neo-conservative agenda . I hope someone wears a bomb and comes in the and blows your place up for constantly printing neo-white conservatives on everyone ..............note : there's a lot more people who have a complete hate for anything conservative becasue it's represents oppression by white people !