''Throughline'' is a historical
podcast
A podcast is a Radio program, program made available in digital format for download over the Internet. Typically, a podcast is an Episode, episodic series of digital audio Computer file, files that users can download to a personal device or str ...
and radio program from American public radio network
NPR
National Public Radio (NPR) is an American public broadcasting organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It serves as a national Radio syndication, syndicator to a network of more ...
. 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.
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.
The podcast focuses on the relationship between the latest news and historical events - "go
ngback 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. 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.
History
''Throughline'' launched on February 7, 2019.
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.
Awards and reception
In 2019, ''Throughline'' was included in both TIME and ''The Atlantic'' lists of the 50 Best Podcasts of the year. It was also included in lists of the best political or historical podcasts by ''Oprah Magazine'', ''Town & Country'', and ''GQ'' in 2020.
''Throughline'' was nominated for Best History Podcast in the 2021 iHeartRadio Podcast Awards, and won the award in 2022.
''Throughline'' won a
Peabody Award
The George Foster Peabody Awards (or simply Peabody Awards or the Peabodys) program, named for the American businessman and philanthropist George Foster Peabody, George Peabody, honor what are described as the most powerful, enlightening, and in ...
for a 2021 episode about the history and culture of
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...
.
''Throughline'' won the Ambie Award for Best Production and Sound Design in 2024.
See also
*
List of history podcasts
References
External links
Official websiteThroughlineon iTunes
Throughlineon Twitter
{{Podcasting
2019 podcast debuts
News podcasts
History podcasts
Educational podcasts
Works about American history
NPR programs
Audio podcasts
American news radio programs