thisamericanlife.org

About

This American Lifeis a weekly public radio program and podcast that has been shaping the audio journalism landscape for years. The project, launched back in 1995 (according to the copyright), works in collaboration with the Chicago station WBEZ and is distributed through PRX (The Public Radio Exchange). The format is simple but effective: Each week, the editors choose one topic and assemble different stories around it. This is not news in the usual sense, but rather a collection of narratives that may be funny, surprising or simply true.

The founder of the project, Ira Glass, once admitted that it is difficult to explain the essence of the show to people who do not know it. You have to use words like funny, exciting and with unexpected plot twists. The main goal is to show that true stories don't have to be boring.

Main directions

The content of the site reflects current releases of the program. For example, in the issue dated August 22, 2025 (number 865), the theme was The Other Territory. Journalists traveled to the West Bank to see first-hand how the lives of three million Palestinians have changed since last October, while the world's attention was focused on Gaza.

Previously released episodes demonstrate the breadth of interests of the project:

• Issue 831 (August 15, 2025): Lists!!!- a story about how lists organize the chaos of our world, and do it both for good and for harm.
• Issue 838 (August 8, 2025): Letters! Actual Letters!- material about the power of the written word, when the best way to say something is to write a letter.
• Issue 839 (August 1, 2025): Meet Me at the Fair- report from the Iowa State Fair, where the authors spent several days.

The project archive is huge: hundreds of episodes and thousands of stories. The site offers tools for navigating this data set, helping users find what they need among thousands of stories.

Site Features

Thisamericanlife website. org not only serves as an archive, but also serves as a platform for supporting the show. Users are encouraged to become a Life Partner to gain access to ad-free listening, bonus content and the new Greatest Hits Archive collection. This collection includes more than 250 favorite episodes, personally selected by Ira Glass.

In addition to audio, the project is actively developing its multimedia presence. Videos are available on the site: animations, music videos, stage performances and recordings of live shows. There is also a section with merchandise - T-shirts, posters and shoppers.

The site's interface is structured logically: there are sections How to Listen, Episodes, Recommended, as well as information about the team, fellowships and vacancies.For those who wish to contribute, a submissions form is provided.

Contact information

The project maintains contact with the audience through subscription to newsletters and updates. Contacts for cooperation and general questions can be found in the relevant sections of the site. The project's official social networks are on Facebook and Twitter, and listening is available through Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

            Domain Name: THISAMERICANLIFE.ORG
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