From a new generation of American infrastructure to innovative new treatments for veterans with PTSD, Newsy’s “In Real Life” is a newsmagazine that uncovers big ideas and makes them personal, relevant and memorable. In a news cycle dominated by bad news, the “In Real Life” team’s work stands out for its commitment to spotlighting inspiring solutions.
In the episode “Post-Trauma,” Afghan war veteran Joey Maiocco fills the role of host and subject, interrogating his own trauma and giving a firsthand account of life with PTSD. The result is an exploration of the issue that’s free of judgment and pity but rich with personal connection and honest discussion. Maiocco invites the viewer (and a crew that supported him with care and camaraderie) into sensitive situations, including an operating room where a physical treatment gives Maiocco new hope for dealing with his post-traumatic stress.
In another installment, “The God Thieves,” journalist Nelufar Hedayat and Newsy invite the viewer along for an exploration of the multibillion-dollar trade in trafficked antiquities. The facts lead the crew from the United Kingdom to New York City to Nepal, where they witness the human cost of the international market for fake and looted artifacts.
Closer to home but just as captivating, “Living With Wolves” follows the return of wolves to the American Northwest a century after they were nearly eradicated. To conservationists, it’s a victory for wildlife. But for communities on the front lines of the issue, it’s a threat to their livelihoods. This episode explores the question: Can they co-exist in a landscape now reshaped by humans?
From a mile deep in a Chilean mine to a new lithium boomtown in California, “Mining for Clean Power” follows the global flow of minerals that power renewable manufacturing. Electric vehicles, solar panels, and much of the world’s renewable energy infrastructure are powered by minerals pulled from the Earth to make batteries. With a modern-day gold rush underway, the industries that use and produce these resources face challenges to make the supply chain for clean energy stronger — and cleaner.
In “After the Fall,” a journalist, an activist and a refugee give firsthand accounts of life in Afghanistan as the Taliban took over. Their testimony, paired with never-before-seen footage of life and death in Afghanistan during the Taliban’s resurgence, paints a vivid and vast picture that otherwise had mainly been seen only in bits and pieces.
Through powerful and personal storytelling, “In Real Life” transports viewers to new landscapes and perspectives they’ve never seen before.
