x

75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

PODCAST

The Spark

When people come together and talk about really interesting topics, great questions spark better understanding and opportunities for new ideas to form. On The Spark from WITF, host Asia Tabb starts conversations about what’s happening in the world and at home. Share your ideas at https://witf.org/programs/the-spark.

news

All Episodes

22:06

The History of the Pa Governor's mansion and resilience

The Spark ·

2025/04/30

Since it opened in 1968, the Pennsylvania Governor’s Mansion has stood as a deliberate statement of state pride—and a beacon of resilience. “It was the first one that was actually built to be a governor’s residence,” explains David Morrison of the Historic Harrisburg Association. Prior to its construction, gubernatorial families lived in purchased townhouses on Harrisburg’s Front Street, retrofitted to serve their needs. When the Commonwealth decided it needed a

en-US

23:23

Lancaster Native Maya de Vitry Comes Home for...

The Spark ·

2025/04/29

Nashville‐based singer‐songwriter Maya de Vitry returns to her hometown this week for two special homecoming events at Zoetropolis. On Tuesday, April 29, she’ll lead an interactive workshop titled “Find Your Voice, Unblock Your Creativity, and Gain the Courage to Share Your Songs,” designed to help participants mine their personal stories and sharpen their craft. Then, on Wednesday, April 30, Maya will perform with her trio—Joel Timmons on guitar and Rhees Williams on

en-US

22:39

Understanding Stress: When It Helps—and When It Hurts

The Spark ·

2025/04/29

“Stress is really the body’s response to some type of a challenge,” explains Dr. Patrick DeLone, a clinical psychologist, “whether it’s a physical challenge, an emotional challenge, or a combination of both.” At its core, stress triggers the familiar “fight or flight” cascade: cortisol and adrenaline spikes that sharpen focus, speed up your heart, and prime your muscles. “In fifth grade you learned about fight and flight…your metabolism

en-US

22:36

Match Madness Surpasses $5 Million to Fuel Local...

The Spark ·

2025/04/28

Since 2016, the Partnership for Better Health’s Match Madness campaign has raised over $5 million to bolster small and mid-sized nonprofits across the region. “We saw that our local nonprofits didn’t necessarily have the staff to do the fundraising they needed,” explains Carol Thornton, the Partnership’s Executive Director. “We spotted an opportunity to leverage our capacity…to bring in flexible funding into their organizations to meet their needs.”

en-US

42:30

The Spark Weekly 4.27.2025: The Death of Pope Francis...

The Spark ·

2025/04/27

On this week's edition of The Spark Weekly. The Most Reverend Timothy Senior, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg, joins us from Rome to reflect on the life and legacy of Pope Francis, who died the day after Easter. Religious and political leaders, along with the Catholic faithful, are gathering in Rome for the Pope’s funeral, which took place on Saturday. Also on the program... Johannes Kelpius was a German Pietist, mystic, musician, and writer. He was also interested in the

en-US

22:23

Journalist Roundtable: Life & Legacy of Pope...

The Spark ·

2025/04/26

Our Journalist Roundtable for April 25 included Ivy DeJesus from PennLive and David Payne, The Spark producer and former Radio Pennsylvania Reporter. In this episode, DeJesus reported the life and legacy of Pope Francis including his reaction to the clergy sex abuse scandal in PA. Payne discussed his report at the 2015 World Meeting of Families and offers firsthand perspective on Francis’s impact in Philadelphia and beyond.Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/See

en-US

22:25

Bishop Senior Reflects on Pope Francis’s Life,...

The Spark ·

2025/04/25

Last week, The Most Reverend Timothy Senior, Bishop of the Diocese of Harrisburg, found himself originally traveling to Rome as part of the Catholic Church’s Jubilee Year 2025, Bishop Senior joined forty faithful from his diocese to “walk in the footsteps of St. Francis of Assisi and St. Clare” before making arrangements to attend Pope Francis’s funeral on Saturday. As Bishop Senior explains, the Jubilee theme is “hope”—a reminder that “we are pilgrims

en-US

10:33

ABC 27 Meteorologist Dan Tomaso Spring Wx report

The Spark ·

2025/04/25

Over the past two weeks, Central Pennsylvania has traded April showers for an almost unbelievable stretch of spring sunshine. As ABC27 Meteorologist Dan Tomaso put it, “It’s kind of phenomenal that this time of year…we’ve had lots of sunshine, very little active weather,” making it “the perfect recipe” for spring sports and outdoor plans. After a damp start to April and a few chilly weekends, the region has seen more days in the 70s—and even flirted

en-US

13:33

Inside Quit Clicking Kids, Child Abuse prevention month

The Spark ·

2025/04/25

In an era when family vloggers and “kidfluencers” can earn upwards of six figures, the rights—and privacy—of the children at the center of that content often go unprotected. Quit Clicking Kids, a grassroots initiative founded by Chris McCarty, is on a mission to change that by pushing for legislation that treats these minors as the revenue-generating contributors they are.Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy

en-US

22:16

National Work Zone Awareness Week Drives Home Safety

The Spark ·

2025/04/24

Nearly 27 years ago, the Virginia Department of Transportation launched a pilot effort to curb the rising number of highway work-zone accidents. “They put together an awareness campaign and then after a year said, ‘You know, we need to take this national,’ ” recalls Stacey Taschner, President and CEO of the American Traffic Safety Services Association, which now spearheads National Work Zone Awareness Week in partnership with the Federal Highway Administration and

en-US

22:08

Exploring History at Meadowcroft Rockshelter

The Spark ·

2025/04/24

Nestled in the rolling hills of Western Pennsylvania, Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Historic Village offers a captivating journey through nearly 19,000 years of human habitation. We sat down with David Scofield, the site’s director for the past 31 years, to uncover how this nationally recognized landmark brings prehistory and pioneer life vividly to public view.Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

en-US

22:20

Building Media Literacy, WITF's Creator Academy

The Spark ·

2025/04/23

At a time when digital media shapes everything from global news to everyday conversations, a new generation of communicators is finding its voice—right here in Central Pennsylvania. In this installment of The Spark, host Asia Tabb goes behind the scenes of WITF’s Creator Academy to explore how college students are learning to craft their own stories and why media literacy matters more than ever.Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy

en-US

22:55

Inside the Pa American Treasure Tour Museum

The Spark ·

2025/04/23

In a former tire factory in Oaks, Pennsylvania, the AmericanTreasureTour Museum unfolds like a pop‑culture funhouse, where vintage cars, mechanical music machines, and stuffed animals coexist in kaleidoscopic harmony. “If you have a concept of a museum, I can almost100percent guarantee this isn’t it,” says director Ross Brakman, who delights in upending every expectation of quiet glass cases and hushed galleries.Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/See

en-US

35:19

The importance of Earth Day, Keep Pa Beautiful

The Spark ·

2025/04/22

Since its founding in 1990, Keep PA Beautiful has removed 161million pounds of trash across all 67 counties—with over threemillion volunteers contributing to litter pickups, planting events, and stewardship programs.Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

en-US

23:18

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, Honoring Child...

The Spark ·

2025/04/22

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month—a time to spotlight the importance of keeping children safe and supporting families through education, community awareness, and access to critical resources. In Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Family Support Alliance (PFSA) leads the way with its annual Blue-Ribbon campaign and an array of statewide initiatives dedicated to prevention.Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

en-US

29:41

Why Johannes Kelpius and his followers traveled from...

The Spark ·

2025/04/21

In the shadowy woods above the Wissahickon Creek in present-day Philadelphia, legend has it that a mystic once awaited the end of the world. His name was Johannes Kelpius—a German-born spiritual seeker who led a small band of followers from Europe to the wilds of Pennsylvania in 1694. Their purpose? To prepare for the second coming of Christ and live lives of contemplation and purity. On a recent episode of The Spark, host Asia Tabb sat down with Dr. Patrick M. Urban, professor of American

en-US

42:45

The Spark Weekly 4.20.2025: Arson Attack on The...

The Spark ·

2025/04/20

On this week's edition of The Spark Weekly... We’ll discuss the arson attack on the Governor’s Residence with Peter Hall and Ian Karbal of the PA Capital Star, along with Laura Esposito of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, who wrote a story earlier this year on political violence in Pennsylvania. also, on the program. When Dr. James P. Delgado took his first dive to the Titanic in 2001, he expected awe. What he didn’t expect was tears. Delgado—one of the world’s foremost

en-US

22:11

Untold Stories from the Revolutionary War Pa Winter...

The Spark ·

2025/04/19

During one of the darkest chapters of the American Revolutionary War, George Washington’s army settled into winter quarters at Valley Forge. What followed was a six-month ordeal that tested the endurance, resilience, and unity of a nation. On a recent episode of The Spark on WITF, host Asia Tabb welcomed Adam Gresek, Director of Community Engagement at Valley Forge National Historical Park, to take listeners deep into the story of that pivotal winter encampment.Support WITF:

en-US

22:10

Journalist Roundtable: Journalists discuss Arson...

The Spark ·

2025/04/18

In this episode of The Spark, we confront a disturbing incident that has shaken Pennsylvania’s capital: the arson attack on the Governor’s Residence in Harrisburg. As law enforcement continues its investigation, we turn to journalists who have been closely following this developing story and the broader rise in political violence across the state. Joining the conversation was Peter Hall and Ian Karbal of the Pennsylvania Capital-Star, who have been reporting on the investigation into the

en-US

48:19

Two more former refugees deported to Bhutan to be...

The Spark ·

2025/04/17

At least two more Pennsylvania residents have beendeported to Bhutan. That brings the total to eight Bhutanese refugees from Pennsylvania and 20 from across the country who have been deported back to Bhutan, according to leaders from those communities who have been tracking cases. In early March, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents began arresting members of the Bhutanese refugee community in Central Pennsylvania. The first deportation flightcame on March 26, less than three weeks after the

en-US

1,108 results

Similar Podcasts

Expres Ráno

Expres FM

PBS News Hour - Full Show

PBS News

CD Voice

China Daily

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report

Noa Levi

Jeffrey Epstein: The Coverup Chronicles

Bobby Capucci