Next time you see my colleague Ed Fitzpatrick out and about (that usually means chasing news, running, or watching hoops), make sure to congratulate him.
Ed and our wonderful producers Megan Hall and Scott Helman at the Rhode Island Report just won first place for best podcast at the New England Newspaper & Press Association awards.
The podcast has now aired more than 150 episodes – typically every Thursday – featuring interviews with every major political decision maker in Rhode Island, but what I love most about the show is when Ed, the quintessential Rhode Islander, shows his quirky side.
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One of the episodes that was highlighted in the awards entry was a fascinating discussion with Thom Jones, a dialect coach for Hollywood stars, about the Rhode Island accent. Ed has also talked with the first woman to officially enter the Boston Marathon, he chatted with actress Aria Mia Loberti, and he hosted a timely conversation about rising antisemitism in the state.
The best part about the Rhode Island Report: It’s totally free. You can follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other podcasting platforms.
In addition to Ed, Megan, and Scott, Rhode Island Report is proud to report with Rhode Island PBS to feature the fantastic work the team at Rhode Island PBS Weekly has been doing.
Which brings me to today. It’s Thursday, so there’s a brand new episode of the podcast right now. Ed talked to our colleague Steph Machado about her PBS deep dive into cell phone use in schools across Rhode Island.
Make sure you give the show a listen here.
This story first appeared in Rhode Map, our free newsletter about Rhode Island that also contains information about local events, links to interesting stories, and more. If you’d like to receive it via email Monday through Friday, you can sign up here.
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Dan McGowan can be reached at dan.mcgowan@globe.com. Follow him @danmcgowan.