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Massachusetts
Housing Crisis
Education
Primary Care
Commonwealth Beacon
Affordable Care Act
Climate Change
Trump Administration
Minimum Wage
Massachusetts Healthcare
Social Media
Healthcare Access
Affordable Housing
MBTA
Donald Trump
Private Equity
Legislation
Masshealth
MCAS
Boston

Tune into spirited debate, local stories, and insightful analyses with The Codcast. Hosted each week by a CommonWealth Beacon reporter, the half-hour policy podcast delves into the heart of Massachusetts’s most pressing and intriguing topics. Hear newsmakers, historians, and policy experts tackle statewide housing struggles, immigration policies, little-known histories, surprising political fights... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes500Founded10 years ago
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Artwork for The Codcast

Latest Episodes

Matches in the world’s biggest sports spectacle will kick off this week across North America. With Boston as one of the host cities — seven matches will be played at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, which will be renamed Boston Stadium for the World C... more

Massachusetts has been busing students between neighborhoods and school districts for 60 years, but segregation within the school system persists – and in some places it’s actually gotten worse over recent decades. This week on The Codcast, CommonWea... more

On this month’s edition of Health or Consequences, hosts John McDonough and Paul Hattis are joined by Victoria Pulos, a health law attorney at the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, to discuss the fallout of OB3, or the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,”... more

Dave Denison was the first editor of CommonWealth Magazine and oversaw the publication of its first issue 30 years ago, in the spring of 1996. Mirroring similar publications in other states, CommonWealth’s mission was to dive deep into how policy act... more

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Recent Guests

Dan O'Brien
Professor of public policy and urban affairs at Northeastern University and co-director of the Boston Area Research Initiative
Northeastern University
Episode: Lessons from Boston for Mass. school desegregation lawsuit
Vicky Pulos
Senior Health Attorney
Massachusetts Law Reform Institute
Episode: How OB3 is reshaping healthcare in Massachusetts
Dave Denison
Inaugural editor of Commonwealth Magazine
Commonwealth Magazine / Commonwealth Beacon
Episode: A Brief History of CommonWealth: from Magazine to Beacon
Andrew Seal
Historian focused on the middle class; teaches economics at the University of New Hampshire
University of New Hampshire
Episode: What does it mean to be “middle class” in Massachusetts?
Janet Lesniak
Executive Director of Local Journalism Project
Local Journalism Project / Provincetown Independent
Episode: Without employee housing, fears that the Cape will crumble
Julian Cyr
State Senator representing the Cape and Islands; Senate housing chair
Massachusetts Senate
Episode: Without employee housing, fears that the Cape will crumble
Celia Canavan
Representative from the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts
League of Women Voters of Massachusetts
Episode: Mail-in-voting is back on the chopping block
Davin Rosborough
Attorney with the ACLU Voting Rights Project
ACLU Voting Rights Project
Episode: Mail-in-voting is back on the chopping block
Ana Martinez-Aleman
Researcher, expert on social media and brain development
Boston College
Episode: Should kids be allowed to use social media?

Hosts

Laura Colarusso
Host of The Codcast, Commonwealth Beacon
Jennifer Smith
Host of The Codcast, Commonwealth Beacon

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 53 ratings
  • Good show needs new host

    Love the content of this show but please find a host with an ounce of charisma.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    jwalsh9
    United States10 months ago
  • Codcast not balanced

    Commonwealth magazine and the codcast used to be politically balanced. Unfortunately it’s now just a left wing liberal echo chamber and sucking up to those in power instead of informing the public. How can you do shows without talking about the downsides of the subjects you highlight. No journalism here. Just endless ring kissing.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Conscience of the Commonwealth
    United Statesa year ago
  • The podcast companion to Commonwealth Magazine, The Codcast serves up interviews with a wide variety of movers and shakers in Massachusetts politics and policy. I like it!

    Podcast Addict
    5
    evanescent
    4 years ago
  • In-depth local news

    We need more of this!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Rebekah39
    United States8 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

In-depth local news — listeners value the depth and local focus.
Codcast not balanced — some listeners feel bias and lack of critical coverage.
Good show needs new host — audience craves more charisma from the host.

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Lessons from Boston for Mass. school desegregation lawsuit
Q: What distinctions exist between racial segregation and proxy-based approaches, and how do they influence policy options?
The distinction lies in whether race itself is the target or whether proxies (like income or neighborhood characteristics) are used; this affects what the state can legally pursue and what kind of measures (investments, incentives, or place-based strategies) are considered permissible and effective.
Lessons from Boston for Mass. school desegregation lawsuit
Q: What does Boston's Home-Based Assignment Plan illustrate about potential remedies and their tradeoffs?
The plan shows that proximity-based assignment can move students to closer schools but may still leave inequities intact if high-quality seats remain concentrated in certain neighborhoods; it also highlights the tension between local control and broader state-level strategies.
Lessons from Boston for Mass. school desegregation lawsuit
Q: What's the issue with having segregated schools?
Dan explains that the core issue is de facto segregation driven by residential patterns, which creates unequal access to high-quality schools and challenges state versus district control over how students are assigned.
What does it mean to be “middle class” in Massachusetts?
Q: How has housing changed the way we think about being middle class in Massachusetts?
Housing and its costs have become central to middle-class identity, since home ownership, location, and the ability to maintain those payments are critical markers of security in the face of rising prices.
What does it mean to be “middle class” in Massachusetts?
Q: What are the four traditional dimensions used to define the middle class, and why is there tension among them?
Income, consumption, occupation, and education are used, but income is opaque, so observers rely on consumption, like home ownership, and education as proxies, which can separate middle-class identity from actual wealth.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Codcast

What is The Codcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Massachusetts policy discussions that center on housing affordability, local governance, and public service delivery dominate this program. Episodes frequently feature historians, researchers, and policy practitioners who unpack housing markets, equity in education and health care, voting access, and the regulatory environment shaping state services. A notable strength is the breadth of topics—from local zoning and regional housing challenges to AI governance and energy affordability—delivered through accessible, data-driven conversations with practitioners and experts. Those considering sponsorship or guest appearances may find the show particularly valuable for connecting with policymakers, researchers, and journalists who cover state-lev... more

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1. The Horse Race
2. The Ezra Klein Show
3. Tradeoffs
4. The Daily
5. GZERO World with Ian Bremmer

How many episodes of The Codcast are there?

The Codcast launched 10 years ago and published 500 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The Codcast?

Recent guests on The Codcast include:

1. Dan O'Brien
2. Vicky Pulos
3. Dave Denison
4. Andrew Seal
5. Janet Lesniak
6. Julian Cyr
7. Celia Canavan
8. Davin Rosborough

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