John Hockenberry
Co-host
The Takeaway marks John Hockenberry's return to his roots in public radio—where he was one of the medium's original innovators —after 15 years in network and cable television. During his time at ABC and NBC, he earned four Emmy Awards, three Peabody Awards, an Edward R. Murrow Award, and a Casey Medal. Hockenberry has also been recognized for his pioneering online content, hosts the award-winning public radio series The DNA Files, is a weeky commentator for the series The Infinite Mind and currently sits as a Distinguished Fellow at the prestigious MIT Media Lab.
At NBC, he served as a correspondent for Dateline where his work ranged from an intimate portrait of a schizophrenic young adult to an investigative piece that traced internet swindlers in an international web to the first and only interview with the brother of two of the 9/11 suicide hijackers. He also hosted two of his own programs for MSNBC, Hockenberry and Edgewise.
Hockenberry was one of the first Western broadcast journalists to report from Kurdish refugee camps in Northern Iraq and Southern Turkey. During the first Gulf War, he reported Israel, Tunisia, Morocco, Jordan, Turkey, Iraq and Iran. Hockenberry also spent two years as a correspondent based in Jerusalem during the most intensive conflict of the Palestinian uprising.
Hockenberry is a contributing editor for Conde Nast Portfolio and Metropolis magazines and has written for The New York Times, The New Yorker, I.D., The Columbia Journalism Review, Details, Wired and The Washington Post.
Born in Dayton, Ohio, Hockenberry grew up in upstate New York and Michigan, and attended the University of Chicago and the University of Oregon. He and his wife Alison live in Brooklyn with their two sets of twins, Zoe, Olivia, Zachary and Regan.
gaza hamas israel middle east palestine security
Breaking news of a possible cease-fire in Gaza
By
John Hockenberry,
Adaora Udoji
Guests:
Steven Erlanger,
Robert Watson
Wednesday, January 7 2009
Rumors of a potential ceasefire in Gaza are swirling through the international press. A government spokesman says Israel "welcomes" a proposed cease-fire cobbled cobbled together by France and Egypt so long as that cease-fire will stop Hamas rocket fire. Hamas says it will only support a deal that includes opening of Gaza's borders. Meanwhile, French President Nicolas Sarkozy claims that both parties have agreed to the cease-fire. To parse out the welcome news are Rob Watson, the BBC Defense Correspondent, in London and Steven Erlanger of the New York Times joins us from Jerusalem.
congress and lawmakers politics transition 2009
Video: Hey, Roland Burris. Wanna get to the Senate floor? Here's how.
By
John Hockenberry
Wednesday, January 7 2009
The Democrats want to deny him, but The Takeaway's John Hockenberry takes to the telestrator to show Roland Burris how he can make it to the Senate floor and take a seat as Illinois' junior senator.
Related:
• Roland Burris finds little love on Capitol Hill
• Rumble in the Capitol: Roland Burris fights to be seated
• Video: Hockenberry: Should I be sad, sober and serious about Blagojevich?
• Mr. Burris goes to Washington
• Rep. Donna Christensen defends appointment of Roland Burris to Senate, after call for a black senator
• Illinois, meet your new Senator (maybe)
Trouble viewing this video? Check out the YouTube version (click "watch in high quality" for best quality).
Related:
• Roland Burris finds little love on Capitol Hill
• Rumble in the Capitol: Roland Burris fights to be seated
• Video: Hockenberry: Should I be sad, sober and serious about Blagojevich?
• Mr. Burris goes to Washington
• Rep. Donna Christensen defends appointment of Roland Burris to Senate, after call for a black senator
• Illinois, meet your new Senator (maybe)
Trouble viewing this video? Check out the YouTube version (click "watch in high quality" for best quality).
Comments [1]
A pause in the fighting in Gaza
By
John Hockenberry,
Adaora Udoji
Guest:
Gwen Ackerman
Wednesday, January 7 2009
Israel has ordered a three-hour break in their offensive in Gaza in order to allows food and humanitarian aid to reach the civilians caught in the fighting with Hamas. Israel's military is considering similar lulls in the coming days as they have come under criticism for civilian casualties. Israel is also deciding whether to accept and international cease-fire plan put together by French and Egyptian leaders. Joining us live from Jerusalem is Gwen Ackerman a reporter for Bloomberg News.
blagojevich burris congress and lawmakers illinois state politics
Roland Burris finds little love on Capitol Hill
By
John Hockenberry,
Adaora Udoji
Guest:
Todd Zwillich
Wednesday, January 7 2009
congress land use natural resources oil oil politics science
Utah's environmental outlaw: hero or criminal?
By
John Hockenberry,
Adaora Udoji,
Noel King
Guest:
Tim DeChristopher
Wednesday, January 7 2009
When the U.S. Bureau of Land Management auctioned off oil and gas drilling leases in Salt Lake City, Utah last month, some activists stood outside and protested. But Tim DeChristopher, a student at the University of Utah, went one step further. He bid on, and won, $1.7 million dollars worth of land rights. The problem is that he never had any means or intent of paying for it. Some are calling him an environmental hero, others, a criminal. The Takeaway talks to DeChristopher himself about his peculiar act of civil disobedience.
For more, watch this interview with Tim DeChristopher courtesy of YouTube.
For more, watch this interview with Tim DeChristopher courtesy of YouTube.
conflict hamas israel middle east palestine
Conflict negotiation on the frontlines
By
John Hockenberry,
Adaora Udoji
Guest:
Alistair Crooke
Wednesday, January 7 2009
Israel has paused its military operations in Gaza for three hours to allow food, fuel, and humanitarian aid to reach Palestinian civilians cornered by the fighting. Meanwhile leaders of the European Union and Egypt are trying to cobble together an international cease-fire plan. But how do you broker peace between Israel and Hamas? Alistair Crooke has special insight. He's a former E.U. Mediator and Director of Conflict Forum, and he has negotiated with Hamas before. He joins us from Beirut.
culture arts entertainment food politics region north america the white house
A presidential power lunch
By
John Hockenberry,
Adaora Udoji,
Chelsea Merz
Guest:
Chef Roland Mesnier
Wednesday, January 7 2009
congress and lawmakers economics economy politics region north america
Obama's economic recovery plan: Open to debate
By
John Hockenberry,
Adaora Udoji
Guest:
Mark Zandi
Wednesday, January 7 2009
President-elect Obama kicked off the week on Capitol Hill, pitching his economic stimulus plan. It’s a plan that leading Democrats are eager to have signed first thing on January 20th. To jump-start the stimulus debate, House Democrats are holding a number of informal hearings, starting today. Mark Zandi, Chief Economist for Moody’s, will be among the many experts who are testifying today. He joins us now for a preview of what he will say on the Hill.
For more on Mark Zandi's take on the economic crisis, buy his book Financial Shock: A 360º Look at the Subprime Mortgage Implosion, and How to Avoid the Next Financial Crisis.
For more on Mark Zandi's take on the economic crisis, buy his book Financial Shock: A 360º Look at the Subprime Mortgage Implosion, and How to Avoid the Next Financial Crisis.
"There's some evidence that this economic downturn is not discriminating. It is hitting everyone."
— Mark Zandi, Chief Economist from Moody's Economy.com, on the current economic crisis in America
— Mark Zandi, Chief Economist from Moody's Economy.com, on the current economic crisis in America
congress economy markets obama region north america
Obama and the very, very, very big deficit
By
John Hockenberry,
Adaora Udoji,
Jesse Baker
Guest:
Jeff Zeleny
Wednesday, January 7 2009
If you want more on this topic, read Jeff Zeleny's article Obama Warns Trillion-Dollar Deficit Potential in the New York Times.
blagojevich burris capitol hill congress and lawmakers illinois state politics
Rumble in the Capitol: Roland Burris fights to be seated
By
John Hockenberry,
Adaora Udoji,
Noel King
Guest:
Abner Mikva
Wednesday, January 7 2009
The U.S. Senate’s rejection of Roland Burris is the latest chapter in a saga ripped straight from the complicated playbook of Chicago politics. Burris was turned away from the Capitol on the grounds that he did not have the right credentials following his appointment by embattled Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich. For some context into the latest political spectacle out of Chicago, we’re joined by Abner Mikva, former Illinois Congressman, retired Federal Judge, former White House Counsel to President Bill Clinton, and current law professor at the University of Chicago.
southeast asia sri lanka
Sri Lankan government launches offensive against Tamil tigers
By
John Hockenberry,
Adaora Udoji
Guest:
Roland Buerk
Wednesday, January 7 2009
For more than 25 years, the Tamil rebels have been fighting for independence from the government of Sri Lanka. Today the Sri Lankan army is continuing a massive military assault to force the rebels to give up much of the territory they have won. The BBC World Service's Roland Buerk joins us from Colombo, Sri Lanka for an update on the situation.
economics freakonomics
Nothing to fear, maybe
By
John Hockenberry,
Adaora Udoji,
Stephen Dubner
Wednesday, January 7 2009
What we fear and why we fear it is the new favorite topic of economist Stephen Dubner, co-author of the "Freakonomics" book and New York Times blog. In the context of the New Year's Day bombings in Aspen and the Muslim family who were removed from a commercial flight, he joins John and Adaora to explain why the things we fear the most are simply irrational.
Be sure to read Stephen Dubner's blog post on fear, The Cost of Fearing Strangers.
Be sure to read Stephen Dubner's blog post on fear, The Cost of Fearing Strangers.
curiosities economy music story of the day
Music to invest by
By
John Hockenberry,
Adaora Udoji,
Nadia Zonis,
Melissa Locker
Guest:
Phil Maymin
Wednesday, January 7 2009
Crank up the tunes--they might help you make money on Wall Street. Phil Maymin, a professor at the Polytechnic Institute of NYU, studied decades of Billboard Hot 100 hits and discovered that songs with more consistent beats tend to be popular just before periods of high volatility in the stock market. He'll explain his theory and tell us what he thinks the current hit, "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" by Beyonce, says about our financial future.
For more about how this theory works, watch Phil Maymin's video on Youtube.
For more about how this theory works, watch Phil Maymin's video on Youtube.
gaza hamas israel middle east palestine united nations
Hope for a cease-fire ends in mortar fire
By
John Hockenberry,
Adaora Udoji
Guest:
Isabel Kershner
Wednesday, January 7 2009
Hours before a cease-fire proposal was ratcheted together by Egypt and France, Israel launched its single deadliest attack in Gaza. The mortar fire hit a school run by the United Nations. At least 30 Palestinians, who were seeking refuge in the school, were killed. Israel claims the targeting was in response to rocket fire from within the school. Needless to say, the U.N. is ticked off. Joining us with details is the New York Times' Isabel Kershner on her way to Gaza.
For more, read Isabel Kershner's article Israel Halts Attack Briefly to Allow Aid Into Gaza in today's New York Times.
For more, read Isabel Kershner's article Israel Halts Attack Briefly to Allow Aid Into Gaza in today's New York Times.
conflict gaza health care israel medicine palestine safety
Life and work at the Gaza border--A doctor's tale
By
John Hockenberry,
Adaora Udoji,
Kent DePinto
Guest:
Dr. Ron Lobel
Wednesday, January 7 2009
Dr. Ron Lobel is the medical director of a hospital about 17 kilometers from the Gaza border. His hospital treated both Israelis and Palestinians alike, until the borders closed. Now, he joins John and Adaora from Ashkelon, Israel where he puts a human face on the story of two embattled rivals and his patients who can't return home.
"We consider our Palestinians across the border not as enemies. We consider them as neighbors."
— Dr. Ron Lobel of Barzilai Hospital in Ashkelon, Israel just across the border from Gaza
— Dr. Ron Lobel of Barzilai Hospital in Ashkelon, Israel just across the border from Gaza
diplomacy energy sources european union russia
Winter gets chillier as Russia cuts gas supplies in Europe
By
John Hockenberry,
Adaora Udoji,
Nadia Zonis
Guest:
Carola Hoyos
Tuesday, January 6 2009
In response to a spat with Ukraine, Russia is slowing the flow of its gas to European countries that rely on it to heat their homes. This could be a dark foreshadowing of shortages to come. Carola Hoyos, chief energy correspondent for the Financial Times, joins The Takeaway to explain the current dispute and its long-term implications.
egypt hamas international organizations israel middle east united nations
Israel ticks off the foreign press by denying access to Gaza
By
John Hockenberry,
Adaora Udoji
Guest:
Ethan Bronner
Tuesday, January 6 2009
As the Israeli ground offensive continues in Gaza, the international foreign press is waging a war of their own. Ethan Bronner, the Jerusalem Bureau Chief for the New York Times, and a pool of foreign press reporters have been consistently denied access to Gaza by the Israeli troops guarding the border. The reporters finally went to the Israeli Supreme Court for the rights to report from Gaza and the Supreme Court agreed that Israel must grant access to the foreign press corps. Yet each day the pool of reporters heads to the border to try and gain access and each day they are turned away. Ethan Bronner joins us now.
corruption crime and law enforcement economy madoff markets
Who knew what and when in the Madoff fraud
By
John Hockenberry,
Adaora Udoji
Guest:
Stephen Harbeck
Tuesday, January 6 2009
gaza hamas international israel middle east
Israel widens ground assault in Gaza
By
John Hockenberry,
Adaora Udoji
Guest:
Mike Sargent
Tuesday, January 6 2009
adventure nasa region north america science space story of the day
Happy birthday to the Mars rovers!
By
John Hockenberry,
Adaora Udoji,
Molly Webster
Guest:
Raymond Arvidson
Tuesday, January 6 2009
The show is a co-production of WNYC Radio and Public Radio International,
in collaboration with The BBC World Service, New York Times Radio and WGBH Boston.
