KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts

KUT and KUTX news and music podcasts for Austin, Texas and beyond

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Austinites join nationwide protests after ICE shooting in Minneapolis

People in the Austin area joined with many thousands of others across the country in protesting after an ICE officer fatally shot a woman this week in Minneapolis. Demonstrators gathered outside a Department of Homeland Security building in Pflugerville. We’ll bring you some of those voices.


After a U.S. military operation in Caracas last weekend, Venezuelans in Austin are hoping for bigger changes before they feel ready to go back home. We’ll hear from them, along with a Venezuelan-Texan author based here in Austin.


Plus, how did Austin come to be known as “The Live Music Capital of the World”? Come and dig into the ATXplained vault with us.

New rules for hemp products proposed

The state health agency in Texas has proposed new rules for hemp products. Those rules could mean higher fees for businesses, more testing for products, and could effectively outlaw access to hemp flower. We’ll look at what’s being proposed and how Texas business owners are feeling about it.

Plus, after oak wilt claimed a tree in his yard, local artist Steve Parker turned its wood into a sonic experience. His solo exhibit at Ivester Contemporary features wooden records and wind instruments. We’ll experience some of those sounds for ourselves.

What do you get when you mix Austin’s best music station with an Austin music venue and stage that’s famous the world over? We’ve got the “Hole Story” right here on Austin Signal. And who is Lavada Durst to Austin’s music History? We’ve got the answer. 

Uvalde school shooting trial is underway

Over three years later, the first criminal trial over the police response to the Uvalde school shooting is underway. We’ll have a live report with the latest in the trial of one of the first police officers to arrive at the scene of the deadly school shooting at Robb Elementary.
With a big meeting set at the White House on Friday, we’ll review the stakes for Texas’ oil industry after the capture and arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
We’ll hear why a Texas teachers union is suing the Texas Education Agency over social media posts related to the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Plus, social media’s struggles to keep a lid on AI deepfakes.

Austin-Bergstrom bringing big changes in the new year

Austinites aren’t the only ones who are bringing some change to the new year. The airport in Austin will be undergoing some modifications in 2026. More gates, more flights – and more construction.
We’ll take a closer look at the changes happening at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.

Plus, a major milestone has been reached in the construction of a new water delivery system underneath Lake Travis. Once it’s finished, the system is expected to increase the Brushy Creek Regional Utility Authority’s water supply to 145 million gallons per day and reduce its vulnerability to drought.

Maybe you’ve decided to cut back on alcohol to start the year. That doesn’t mean a relaxing drink should be a boring one. We’ve got some Dry January recipes that’ll jazz up your 2026.

How Austinites may be affected with Affordable Care Act subsidies expired

As we embark on the new year, many are expecting higher costs for the health care they need to live their best lives. That’s after Congress failed to extend subsidies to the Affordable Care Act during last year’s government shutdown and ahead of the new year deadline. We’ll talk about how Austinites and Texans will be affected in 2026.
The City of Austin and a former APD officer are being sued for excessive force. Austin has struggled for years to change the culture at APD’s training academy. We’ll have more about both those stories on today’s show.
Plus, we’ve got some advice on how to best achieve those financials goals you set for 2026.

Crime statistics for Austin trended downward in 2025

Crime statistics for Austin trended downward in 2025, with the city experiencing the lowest number of murders this decade. We’ll talk about the trends, both locally and nationally, and discuss why the sentiment that crime is rising still persists.

Also, the city has released an updated design plan for a revamped Sixth Street. What will it look like and when will that work begin?

Plus, the first full week of January means it’s Free Week in Austin. Some of the city’s finest musicians will be putting on shows in venues across the city. We’ll have a lay of the land and let you know what our sister station KUTX is cooking up.

New year, new Texas laws on the books

The start of 2026 brings a bevy of new laws across the state, with a focus on taxes. Other new legislation focuses on artificial intelligence and how sheriff’s offices will work with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

New toll lanes have opened on 183 North, and the additional access could mean increased traffic on your drive home.

Looking to cut back on distractions in the new year? We’ve got some techniques that you can use to keep your focus strong in 2026.

Reflecting on the year in Austin as 2025 winds down

It’s the final day of 2025, and we’ve been taking some time to listen back and reflect on the year that was here in Austin.

Austinites love supporting local shops and restaurants, but the hard truth is that running any kind of business is the city is a difficult and expensive pursuit. A look back at some local businesses that shuttered their doors for good this year.

Plus: New Year’s festivities bring on annual traditions — have you got yours ready? Come and share some good home cookin’ with us.

What Austin called 311 about in 2025

This year, Austinites reached out to 311 with 285,000 requests, covering everything from garbage and loud music to animal bites and scooters. We’ve got more about those requests —  and some coyotes.

KUT News launched a new desk in 2025: the Art Beat. We’re talking about the year in arts in Austin, including the return of a beloved outdoor gallery and the venues that are planning for the future.

The Texas Longhorns wrap up their football season tomorrow against Michigan. It’s not the ending fans and pundits predicted at the start of the year, but perhaps things aren’t as dark as they seem.

Reflecting on the year of news in Austin

It’s the last week of 2025, and we’re reflecting on the year of news here in Austin, including:
Resolution in a decades-long cold case known as the Yogurt Shop Murders.
The summer’s deadly flooding in Austin and Central Texas.
School campuses set to shutter across the city.

We’re also taking a look at the status of Austin’s housing market heading into the new year.

Plus: Another favorite track from 2025, and a look at some of the artists we lost this year.

What it’s like to work as a Paramount usher

It’s been a busy year, and KUT’s multimedia team has been capturing the moments that defined Austin in 2025. So which ones stood out most?  Visuals Editor Deborah Cannon takes us through the year in photos.

The Paramount Theatre is known for hosting unforgettable events — but have you ever wondered how audiences find their seats in the rush before showtime? What it’s like to work as an usher.

The year is winding down, but we still have songs for ya! Technical director Rayna Sevilla shares her top song of the year.

Plus: More local news coverage is headed to Austin with the launch of the Austin Current.

Caldwell library expands adult education classes

A library in Caldwell has become a beacon of hope for adults looking to get their GED or further their education — and volunteers are helping make that possible. The Texas Standard’s Sarah Asch has the story.

A look back at major developments in the business world this year and how they’re shaping the Austin area.

A Minnesota-based program that creates music inspired by stories of children in need worked with a 9-year-old Austin boy with a fatal genetic disorder on a piece that was performed by the Austin Children’s Choir.

Records in Ken Paxton divorce case are unsealed

Records in the divorce case for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton have been unsealed after a judge’s order. We’re talking with the Texas Newsroom’s Lauren McGaughy to find out what that means for the case.

Travelers at the Austin airport will soon have more options. KUT transportation reporter Nathan Bernier has the details on the newest flights coming to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.

Plus: a look inside the Press Room in Hyde Park, which is home to a vintage letterpress and a vast collection of original cinema advertising prints.

A Year In Review 2025

On this episode we review our favorite moments from the show as well as our favorite moments from the culture at large. Hip-hop facts include facts about Jim Carrey, Denzel Washington, Will Smith and more. Fresh’s last Unpopular Opinion of the year is that dancing is more apart of hip-hop than people want to admit.

Austin reaches labor contract deal with city’s firefighters

Austin has reached a four-year, $63 million contract deal with the city’s firefighters, ending months of negotiations with the Austin Firefighters Association.

Calling all bird enthusiasts: Texas Standard’s Raul Alonzo explains what a bird count is, why it matters, and how you can take part.

KUTX’s Confucius Jones, one half of hip-hop podcast The Breaks, shares his favorite song of the year.

Plus: If you’re looking for TV shows to watch over the holidays, Jennifer Morgan, the ATX TV Festival’s head of programming, joins us with some picks.

State making list of trans Texans using driver’s license data

The state of Texas is collecting information on transgender Texans using data from driver’s licenses — and it’s not clear what exactly that information is being used for. The Texas Newsroom’s investigative reporter and editor, Lauren McGaughy, has the story.

The Trump administration is looking to make changes to federal policy that could affect how homeless service providers do their work here in the Austin area. We sit down with Kate Moore from the Ending Community Homelessness Coalition to learn more.

Under the twinkling lights of the 37th Street Lights is a surprising group of fluffy friends ready to be adopted. The price for a stuffed animal? One simple task.

How Austin is preparing to keep outages minimal this winter

The National Weather Service is forecasting warmer and drier-than-normal conditions for the Austin area this winter — but high-impact storms are still possible. What city officials and Austin Energy are doing to keep potential winter storm outages to minimum.

Austin music legend Joe Ely has died at 78. Jeff McCord, KUT and KUTX’s former music director, reflects on the life of Texas-born singer-songwriter.

We’ll also hear from another KUTX-er Marnie Castor gives us her favortie song coming out of Austin for 2025.

If you’ve lived in Austin long enough, you’ve seen the words “violet crown” around town — but what does it mean, and why are there so many? ATXplained digs in.

A look at the public health landscape in Austin

Austin Public Health has experienced some federal and city budget cuts this year, and the failure of Proposition Q means some of those holes won’t be filled. We look at the public health landscape in Austin.

The old Faulk Central Library in downtown Austin became the Austin History Center, and has been redone after a renovation that was eight years in the making. What’s new in a place that showcases what’s old.

Plus: We hear from the Black Austin Matters podcast and their guest, Pastor Gaylon Clark of Greater Mt. Zion Baptist Church.

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