Throughline

This article is about the NPR podcast. For the literary term, see through line.

Throughline
Presentation
Hosted byRund Abdelfatah
Ramtin Arablouei
Genrehistory, news commentary
LanguageEnglish
UpdatesWeekly
Length30–60 minutes
Publication
Original releaseFebruary 2019 –
present
ProviderNational Public Radio

Throughline is a historical podcast and radio program from American public radio network NPR. The podcast aims to contextualize current events by exploring the historical events that contributed to them. Its episodes have outlined the history of modern political debates, civil rights issues, and domestic and international policy. The show is NPR's first history podcast.[1]

Hosts and program

Throughline is hosted by Ramtin Arablouei and Rund Abdelfatah, radio producers who previously worked on NPR programs such as TED Radio Hour and How I Built This. Arablouei is Iranian-American and Abdelfatah is Palestinian-American; both have spoken about the importance of Middle Eastern representation in American media.[2]

The podcast focuses on the relationship between the latest news and historical events - "go[ing] back in time to understand the present." Its sound design incorporates discussion between the two hosts, as well as interviews with historians and audio clips from historical newscasts and recordings.[3] The show also aims to tell the histories of underrepresented and forgotten people in the United States, often airing stories about racial and religious minorities.[2]

History

Throughline launched on February 7, 2019.[4] It gained notability in 2020 and 2021 with episodes that addressed the history of policing in America, the development of the N-95 mask, the establishment of the electoral college, and the rise of the modern white power movement.

Starting on January 15, 2021, NPR has made Throughline episodes available to local public radio stations as a radio show.[1]

Awards and reception

In 2019, Throughline was included in both TIME and The Atlantic lists of the 50 Best Podcasts of the year.[5][6] It was also included in lists of the best political or historical podcasts by Oprah Magazine, Town & Country, and GQ in 2020.[7][8][9]

Throughline was nominated for Best History Podcast in the 2021 iHeartRadio Podcast Awards,[10] and won the award in 2022.[11]

Throughline won a Peabody Award for a 2021 episode about the history and culture of Afghanistan.[12]

Throughline won the Ambie Award for Best Production and Sound Design in 2024.[13]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Falk, Tyler (November 3, 2020). "'Code Switch,' 'Throughline' podcasts will join NPR's radio portfolio". Current. Archived from the original on January 30, 2021. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
  2. ^ a b Farzaneh, Sam (February 10, 2020). "The immigrants telling stories history missed". BBC News. Archived from the original on June 15, 2021. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
  3. ^ Sturges, Fiona (March 10, 2019). "Throughline — a smart history podcast that tells us about the world today". Financial Times. Archived from the original on August 10, 2020. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
  4. ^ "Introducing 'Throughline,' NPR's New History Podcast". NPR. January 31, 2019. Archived from the original on January 21, 2021. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
  5. ^ Dockterman, Eliana (December 20, 2019). "The 50 Best Podcasts to Listen to Right Now". Time. Archived from the original on May 3, 2022. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
  6. ^ McQuade, Eric; Standley, Laura Jane (December 27, 2019). "The 50 Best Podcasts of 2019". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on March 24, 2022. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
  7. ^ Vincenty, Samantha (February 20, 2020). "16 of the Best Political Podcasts". Oprah Magazine. Archived from the original on May 3, 2022. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
  8. ^ Foussianes, Chloe (March 18, 2020). "11 History Podcasts That You Should Subscribe to Right Now". Town & Country. Archived from the original on October 4, 2021. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
  9. ^ Nash, Brad (October 8, 2020). "The Best Podcasts We're Listening To This October 2020". GQ. Archived from the original on May 3, 2022. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
  10. ^ Fields, Taylor (January 21, 2021). "2021 iHeartRadio Podcast Awards: Full List of Winners". iHeartRadio. Archived from the original on April 5, 2022. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
  11. ^ Fields, Taylor (February 3, 2022). "2022 iHeartRadio Podcast Awards: See The Full List of Winners". iHeart. Retrieved October 27, 2023.
  12. ^ "Throughline: Afghanistan: The Center of the World". PeabodyAwards.com. June 6, 2022. Retrieved June 6, 2022.
  13. ^ "2024 Ambie Award Winner: Best Production & Sound Design". The Ambie Awards. Retrieved March 28, 2024.