While Bostonians may think of the city as the Hub of Massachusetts, what happens throughout the state matters to people all across the Commonwealth. From Alpha-gal syndrome on the Vineyard to data centers in Holyoke and policies being shaped on Beacon Hill, there’s a wealth of stories that connect and affect Bay Staters. And now, you can find them all in one new program — In Common: News from the Berkshires to the Bay.

The first original program produced by the newly unified public media newsroom network of GBH News, Cape and Islands Radio (CAI), and New England Public Media (NEPM), In Common is hosted by Jeremy Siegel (Morning Edition, The World) and features regular appearances by reporters from all three stations as well as community members across the state. Airing simultaneously on GBH 89.7, CAI, and NEPM on Saturdays at 2 pm (and available online and as a podcast), the show leverages the stations’ interconnected newsrooms to deliver timely, trusted reporting and compelling storytelling to every corner of the Commonwealth.

In Common represents a realization of the stations’ Connecting the Commonwealth reporting initiative, which aims to share regional, collaborative news across our statewide platforms. The team is composed of Siegel as host, producer Stina Chang, Andrea Asuaje, senior producer for weekend programming, and Supervising Producer Patti Daniels. Beyond the GBH Newsroom, the editorial teams at NEPM (especially Liz Roman, and Tony Dunn), as well as CAI’s Executive Editor Mindy Todd have proved instrumental in the planning.

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After months of development, In Common premiered on July 4 and has hit the ground running. “We thought, what better day to premiere than the nation’s birthday, in the state that sparked the Revolution?,” says Siegel. We sat down with him to discuss the show’s conception, the importance of public media covering the entire state, and where it will go next.

How did this program come together?
The program came together as GBH was launching its Connecting the Commonwealth initiative, which is our cross-newsroom collaboration between CAI in Falmouth, NEPM in Springfield, and GBH News in Boston. We thought it would be great to have a show that’s produced across Massachusetts, capturing stories affecting everyone in the Commonwealth. Until now, that didn’t exist in the Massachusetts public media ecosystem; we didn’t have a news program airing on stations across the state with news that matters to all of Massachusetts’ residents. It’s taken some time, but we’re finally at the point where it’s becoming a reality.

There are some places that we’ve taken notes from — California’s statewide collaboration between NPR stations called The California Report. Early in my career, I actually spent some time producing and reporting for that show. In Texas, there’s a great collaborative news show called Texas Standard Time that takes a statewide perspective on news that’s relevant to all of Texas. But when you listen to In Common, you’ll see it’s purely Massachusetts: a unique product with a unique sound.

It’s a really cool idea — somebody driving on the Cape, somebody hanging out at home in the Berkshires, and somebody listening on the T in Boston could all be listening to the same story at once.
Jeremy Siegel, Host of "In Common: News from the Berkshires to the Bay"

How much does the show involve you reporting from the field?
I’m certainly putting a lot of miles on my car! I prefer it that way, though. I think a great host needs to be a great reporter. The best shows bring you out of the studio and introduce listeners to the people and issues you’re covering directly. I’m really grateful that with In Common, I’ll have the opportunity to be in the field, connecting with people in Massachusetts and reporting on the ground.

Picture Morning Edition combined with the storytelling and everyday voices you hear in a show like This American Life. It’s not talking heads yammering about why a news story is important. We’re meeting people who are affected by stories, hearing their voices, and really caring about things happening across the Commonwealth. We have interviews, on-the-ground features, as well as stories and in-depth conversations with reporters from our partner stations.

For the first segment of that show, we did an in-depth look at the cost of Fourth of July celebrations in towns throughout Massachusetts, from Bridgewater to Boston all the way to Falmouth. For the second episode, we went to the Brimfield Antiques Fair to spend the day hanging out with people and hearing about the biggest outdoor antiques market in the country. In another segment, we went all-in on the great outdoors of Massachusetts — looking at the increasing prevalence of Alpha-Gal syndrome, the new tick-related illness that’s disrupting life on Martha’s Vineyard and in parts of the Cape. We also went out to the Midstate Trail, which cuts straight through Central Massachusetts from Rhode Island up to New Hampshire.

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With the recent NEPM/GBH merger, how does that expand the scope of In Common’s coverage?
It’s a realization of the Connecting the Commonwealth initiative. You’ll see the fruits of all three stations’ labors come together. It’s another way we’re stronger together. In the wake of the federal funding cuts for public media stations across the country last year, GBH, NEPM, and CAI are investing even more in regional and local coverage.

Over the last few decades, we’ve seen the decimation of local newspapers in small towns and cities across the U.S. and Massachusetts. Public media, especially public radio, is playing a crucial role in filling those gaps in coverage, but I think there remains a void at the regional level.

In collaboration with CAI and NEPM, this show will really help address that gap, providing a place where listeners can see how local issues in Western Mass. and the Cape affect Boston, and vice versa. No matter where you’re listening in Massachusetts, this show should make you feel represented — like you’re part of a statewide community.

How do you think your experience as a previous host on Morning Edition, a correspondent for The World, and a local reporter focused on transportation, inform your coverage for In Common?
I think my whole career informs In Common. It’s amazing to see how collaborative the public media environment has been throughout my career, working together to fulfill national and local coverage goals. I loved doing Morning Edition so much, waking up every day with Boston. Though I have to say, I’m grateful I’m not doing it anymore — I have a two-year-old at home, and I don’t know how much sleep I would be getting if I were still on.

GBH News’ FIFA World Cup coverage has really made waves. How was that experience traveling on the school bus with Scotland fans to their first match in Foxborough?

Genuinely, the most fun reporting experience of my life. I was working alongside Renuka Balakrishnan from our video team and we both had a blast. Covering the World Cup has been one of the coolest things ever, and it’s been amazing to see how wide-reaching GBH’s coverage has been.

In fact, a producer in Japan I worked with years ago for a segment on The World actually reached out to me to say, “Every news station in Japan is running the video you recorded!”

That’s incredible. What are your hopes for In Common?
I’m excited to be in unexpected places and help those places be reflected on a large platform. Coverage-wise, housing is an issue that’s top-of-mind for people around Boston, but it’s also top-of-mind for people around Mass. The same is true of education and local budgets.

In November we have a huge election coming up, there are going to be ballot questions that affect all of Massachusetts. A show like In Common provides a great platform for perspectives from Boston, Western Mass., the Cape, and beyond to come together and help inform people about what they’re voting on — which is an important public service.

Likewise, I hope In Common is an example of the power of collaboration in public media, showing how we can grow together.

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Listen to In Common: From the Berkshires to the Bay on Saturdays at 2 pm on GBH 89.7, CAI, NEPM; on demand on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or online.