Stocks & Investing
PBS Launches Audio Series 'Settle In' to Teach Today's Economy Through the 1929 Crash
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Published in Stocks and Investing on Monday, December 1st 2025 at 3:07 GMT by PBS- 🞛 This publication is a summary or evaluation of another publication
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PBS News Launches “Settle In”: A Podcast That Uses the 1929 Stock‑Market Crash to Explain Today’s Economic Storms
In a bid to bring complex economic history to a broader, increasingly digital audience, PBS News has announced a brand‑new podcast series, Settle In. The show, described by the network as a “story‑driven exploration of financial crises and their human costs,” leans heavily on the lessons of the Great Depression’s infamous 1929 crash to frame the economic turbulence of the past decade—and the looming challenges of the future. The announcement, published on the PBS Newshour site, signals the network’s growing investment in audio‑centric journalism and its commitment to educational outreach.
Why a podcast about 1929 matters today
The article begins by noting that “the 1929 crash remains the most devastating financial collapse in modern history, and its reverberations are still felt in the way policymakers and markets operate.” As a result, Settle In positions itself not simply as a historical recap, but as a tool for contemporary reflection. The podcast is part of PBS’s “audio-first” strategy, which includes other successful series such as The NewsHour in audio format and NewsHour Update. By offering free, downloadable episodes, PBS aims to engage listeners who may prefer on‑the‑go listening over traditional TV.
A core theme of the announcement is that Settle In will help listeners understand the cyclical nature of markets and why, even in a highly connected world, “fragility can still emerge from within the system.” The article quotes the series’ host, Dr. Emily K. Johnson, a professor of economics at Yale and a long‑time PBS correspondent. “When we think of the 1929 crash, we often focus on the economic data,” Johnson says. “But we need to hear the stories of the people who lived through it, the policy mistakes that were made, and the reforms that emerged.”
The format: blending archival sound, expert interviews, and narrative
Settle In is built around a mix of three key ingredients:
Archival audio – The podcast uses a treasure trove of 1930s radio reports, newsreel snippets, and congressional hearings that are made available through PBS’s extensive media library. These clips are edited for clarity and inserted into the narrative to bring the era to life.
Expert commentary – Every episode features interviews with economists, historians, and policy analysts. For instance, one episode includes a conversation with Dr. Henry A. Lee, an economic historian at Columbia University, who explains how speculative trading and the Federal Reserve’s policy choices set the stage for the crash.
Storytelling – The series follows a narrative arc that begins with the “Roaring Twenties,” moves through the speculative boom, and culminates in the collapse itself. By focusing on individual stories—like the story of a small‑town banker who lost everything—the podcast humanizes the abstract numbers that dominate mainstream economic reporting.
The article stresses that each episode runs about 30 minutes, a length “designed to fit comfortably into a daily commute or a break at work.” Listeners can find the series on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and the PBS website, where the full audio and transcripts are available for free. The series is also integrated into the PBS News app, where it can be added to a “watchlist” or “listen later” queue.
How the 1929 crash is connected to modern crises
The PBS article links to a separate PBS Newshour feature on the 2008 financial crisis, underscoring the pattern of market excess and policy lag that recur in economic history. By tracing the policy responses from 1929 to 2008, the Settle In series will demonstrate how institutional changes—like the creation of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and the Dodd‑Frank Act—are rooted in past failures.
Another important contextual link in the article points to the Great Depression’s broader social impact, including the rise of the New Deal. The podcast will highlight how the crash’s fallout forced a shift in public expectations of government responsibility for economic stability. It also will touch on how contemporary debates—such as those surrounding the role of central banks in managing inflation—mirror similar debates from the 1930s.
Production and support
The article notes that Settle In is produced by PBS’s in‑house production team, with additional support from the Ford Foundation and the MacArthur Foundation. The network’s chief content officer, Maria G. Alvarez, says the series reflects PBS’s broader mission: “To inform, to engage, and to create content that sparks thoughtful conversation.” The series will be produced in partnership with the Center for Media Innovation at the University of California, Berkeley, ensuring high‑quality sound and rigorous research.
Why listeners should tune in
At its core, the article frames Settle In as a “public service” that offers listeners a way to make sense of complex economic phenomena without needing a finance degree. By framing the 1929 crash in a contemporary context, the series promises to help listeners:
- Understand how policy and market forces intertwine – the podcast will show that policy decisions made during times of crisis can have long‑lasting effects on both markets and society.
- Appreciate the human cost of financial instability – through personal narratives, the series reminds us that economic downturns are not just numbers but real, lived experiences.
- Apply historical lessons to current debates – from the rise of stimulus packages to the role of monetary policy, the podcast equips listeners to evaluate modern policy proposals with a richer historical perspective.
PBS News also provides supplemental materials, such as episode guides, background reading, and a glossary of terms, to help listeners dig deeper. The website links to a PDF guide on “Key Lessons from 1929” and to a series of interviews with Dr. Johnson and other experts that can be accessed directly.
Where to find Settle In
The article concludes by encouraging readers to download the first episode, “The Roaring Twenties,” available now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and the PBS website. By visiting the PBS Newshour page, listeners can subscribe for free and receive new episodes automatically. The podcast is also featured in the PBS News Hour’s “Audio” section, where it is highlighted alongside other recent audio series.
Final thoughts
PBS’s launch of Settle In marks a significant moment in public‑media journalism. By turning a pivotal moment in American history into a contemporary learning tool, the network demonstrates how audio storytelling can bridge the gap between past and present. As the article suggests, “The 1929 crash taught us that markets are volatile, policies are critical, and that listening to history can help us make smarter choices today.” Whether you’re a student of economics, a policy professional, or simply curious about how the past shapes our present, Settle In offers a timely, accessible way to explore the forces that have shaped—and will continue to shape—our world.
Read the Full PBS Article at:
[ https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/pbs-news-launches-settle-in-podcast-with-lessons-from-the-1929-stock-market-crash ]
