Summary: Back in the 2000’s, Lance Armstrong and the US Postal Service Cycling team were going all out to win the Tour de France. After the doping scandal was uncovered, the business behind the team was discovered. Planet Money discusses how professional cycling was dominated by doping, and how it was set up like a business.
Original Air Date: April 27, 2016
Length: 18 minutes 25 seconds
Link: http://www.npr.org/sections/money/2016/09/09/493295430/episode-566-the-zoo-economy
Summary: Due to regulations and animal cruelty, the market for animals has almost disappeared over the years. Planet Money discusses how zoos and aquariums use different methods to get their animals without having to pay a single dollar and avoiding a PR disaster.
Original Air Date: September 9, 2016
Length: 17 minutes 22 seconds
Link: http://www.npr.org/sections/money/2015/11/06/455055023/episode-662-omg-tpp
Summary: In this podcast, the Planet Money team investigates the much anticipated Trans-Pacific Partnership and discusses some of the highlights in the bill’s nearly six thousand pages.
Original Air Date: November 7, 2015
Length: 22 minutes 9 seconds
Link: http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2014/02/28/283477546/the-invention-of-the-economy
Summary: ‘The Economy’ is ever-present in today’s conversations but it was not always this way. This podcast describes the emergence of the phrase ‘The Economy’ and Gross Domestic Product.
Original Air Date: February 28, 2014
Length: 4 minutes 29 seconds
Summary: Freakonomics explains the new digital currency Bitcoin and its potential capabilities as well as its shortcomings. Economists and internet pioneers such as Marc Andreeseen and Susan Athey provide their opinions on this emerging currency.
Original Air Date: March 27, 2014
Length: 36 min
Link: http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2013/06/25/195641030/episode-468-kid-rock-vs-the-scalpers
Summary:The Planet Money team interview Kid Rock on his strategies to combat after-market sales of concert tickets by scalpers. Includes a discussion of changes in the concert industry, firm strategies to price differentiate and consumer views on such strategies.
Length: 19:05 min
Original air date: June 27, 2013
Summary: The podcast outlines the problems that small local businesses face when the state forces licensing restrictions on their practices. Jestina Clayton, a local hair braiding businesswomen in Centerville, Utah shares her experience with the limiting aspects that licensing places on the U.S. economy.
Original air date: June 22, 2012
Length: 12:53 min
Summary: Freakeconomics radio interviews Sudhir Vankatesh about the size of the shadow economy and the variety of off-the book transactions that flow throughout our tax system. Examples touched upon range from illicit transactions such as drug trafficking to ordinary services such as hair-cutting.
Original air date: August 30, 2012
Length: 20:09 min
Summary: The podcast outlines the black market of stolen bikes, cheating between countries (USA and China) in trade agreements and the changes of quantitative easing announcements between past and current years.
Original air date: September 25, 2012
Length: 14:21 min
Summary: Freakonomics Goes to College features a dual commentary on the benefits and costs of college degrees. Part 1 of the podcast focuses on the shadow economy of fake diplomas as well as how prosperous a college degree is for an individual in the long run.
Original air date: July 30, 2012
Length: 29:58 min
