Texas Matters

Texas Matters

Texas is a big state with a growing, diverse population and as the population grows, the issues and challenges facing its residents multiply. Texas Matters is a statewide news program that spends half an hour each week looking at the issues and culture of Texas.

Episodes

Texas Matters: How Texans experience violence

January 24, 2026 • 28 mins
Today on Texas Matters — A first-of-its-kind survey shows how Texans experience violence. And how changes at the post office can impact the coming election.
Mark as Played

Texas Matters: On trial — The State of Texas v. Adrian Gonzales

January 17, 2026 • 28 mins
Today on Texas Matters: The State of Texas v. Adrian Gonzales. The former Uvalde School District police officer on trial.
Mark as Played

Texas Matters: Nuclear-powered AI and the first Texas movie studio

January 10, 2026 • 28 mins
The Donald J. Trump Advanced Energy and intelligence Campus — near Amarillo — plans to use nuclear power for the biggest data center ever. And how in 1910 the classic western movie was born in San Antonio.
Mark as Played

Texas Matters: Pass The Biscuits, Pappy - Part Two

January 2, 2026 • 28 mins
“Pass the Politics Pappy” explores the remarkable political rise of W. Lee "Pappy" O'Daniel, a flour salesman who used his popular radio show and catchy slogans to rocket into becoming Texas Governor and then U.S. Senator in the late 1930s and 1940s. Part 2 of the series focuses on O'Daniel's time as governor and delivered very little on his grand promises. Ultimately O’Daniel’s story serves as a cautionary tale of media-driven pol...
Mark as Played

Texas Matters: Pass The Politics, Pappy

December 26, 2025 • 28 mins
W. Lee “Pappy” O’Daniel was a flour salesman turned broadcaster who mastered early mass media to build a political machine. As host of a hugely popular radio show featuring his Hillbilly Boys band, he blended homespun entertainment with relentless self-promotion. He converted his audience into votes, winning the Texas governorship in 1938 and later a U.S. Senate seat. O’Daniel’s radio fame let him bypass party elites and critics, t...
Mark as Played

Texas Matters: Remembering Joe Ely and 'Love in the Midst of Mayhem'

December 19, 2025 • 28 mins
Texas lost a flatlander troubadour — songwriter Joe Ely.The Amarillo native established himself as a songwriter’s songwriter and a musician’s musician, who sidestepped mainstream popularity but nevertheless attracted a devoted fanbase and legions of famous admirers. We take a look back to an interview from 2020 with the great Joe Ely.
Mark as Played

Texas Matters: Blood Work — Inside America’s plasma-for-cash economy

December 12, 2025 • 29 mins
As a growing number of people are caught in the affordability crisis, they are turning to selling their blood plasma to make ends meet. That plasma is used to make many lifesaving medications but are the donors being fairly compensated? We take a look at how the international blood plasma economy works and why Texas is the leading source for plasma.
Mark as Played

Texas Matters: Skip Hollandsworth and 'She Kills'

December 5, 2025 • 28 mins
For over 30 years Skip Hollandsworth has been a master storyteller at "Texas Monthly." He’s been investigating and telling the stories of Texas true crime with a keen eye for detail and a way of getting people to spill the tea. We hear from Skip about his new book “She Kills: The Murderous Socialite, the Cross-Dressing Bank Robber, and Other True Crime Tales."
Mark as Played

Texas Matters: FEMA follow-up in Kerr County; Searching for the last flood victims; pregnant in jail

November 21, 2025 • 28 mins
This week on Texas Matters: How did FEMA actually perform after the July 4th Hill Country flood? Texas Rangers continue to search for flood victims. And investigating how pregnant women in labor are ignored while in jail.
Mark as Played

Texas Matters: Killing hemp and ending school property taxes

November 14, 2025 • 28 mins
This week on "Texas Matters": Governor Greg Abbott announces he's running for a fourth term with a five-point plan to eliminate school property taxes. But what does that mean for funding Texas Public schools? And how the federal banning of hemp derived THC is being felt across the state.
Mark as Played

Texas Matters: SNAP politics and porch pirates

November 7, 2025 • 29 mins
This week on Texas Matters—Texans struggle with SNAP disruption. Also, we learn about how Texas is one of the worst states for porch pirates. What are homeowner rights when confronting a package thief?
Mark as Played

Texas Matters: The future of AI and water in Texas

October 31, 2025 • 28 mins
This week on Texas Matters: The demands of massive AI data centers are growing every day.ERCOT projects the state’s grid will need to double in the next five years to meet the demands of AI.AI also uses a lot of water. It’s projected AI will consume nearly 7% of the state’s water supply by the year 2030, a significant drain on a state already dealing with water scarcity.
Mark as Played

West Texas and the rise of U.S. conservatism

October 24, 2025 • 28 mins
West Texas is a reliably hard-red political stronghold. In the last presidential election, the region voted about 80% for Donald Trump. West Texas is the reddest place in the country, according to Jeff Roche, author of "The Conservative Frontier." He says cowboy conservatism is rooted in the dusty landscape. But how well does that political philosophy serve the communities of West Texas?
Mark as Played

Texas Matters: Colin Allred is back and running for Senate

October 3, 2025 • 28 mins
Former Texas congressman Colin Allred gave up his seat in the House to run for Senate against Ted Cruz. He came up short— but he outperformed the Democratic ticket. He says he wants another shot and he’s running again for the Democratic nomination for Senate where he could face either incumbent John Cornyn or Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Mark as Played

Texas Matters: Candidate Bobby Pulido and 'The Perfect Tuba' by Sam Quinones

September 26, 2025 • 28 mins
Tejano Singer Bobby Pulido is using his voice in a new way. He’s running for Congress in the 15 District of Texas. And how the Tuba is Saving kids in the Rio Grande Valley.
Mark as Played

Texas Matters: How community organizers beat Corpus Christi's desalination project

September 19, 2025 • 29 mins
This week on Texas Matters: How community organizers beat the city of Corpus Christi and Big industry to stop ocean desalination. And the CDC advisory panel on vaccines recommends restricting access to the MMRV vaccine. What would that have meant for the Texas measles outbreak?
Mark as Played

Texas Matters: Robert Roberson, death row and shaken baby syndrome

September 12, 2025 • 28 mins
Texas death row inmate Robert Roberson is set to die on October 16. There is mounting evidence that Roberson's daughter, Nikki Curtis, didn't die from shaken baby syndrome but from illness. And Texas could be on the verge of executing an innocent man.
Mark as Played

Texas Matters: Why Conan The Barbarian is a Texan

September 5, 2025 • 28 mins
He dreamed up Conan the Barbarian from his lonely town of Cross Plains, Texas. But where did Robert E. Howard find his inspiration for the sword-and- sorcery, weird tales that still resonate today? Howard dipped his pen in the inkwell of Texas history, tall tales and the boom and bust of the oil fields. How Conan is really a Texan.
Mark as Played

Texas Matters: Texas to ban same-day voter registration

August 31, 2025 • 28 mins
Why Gov. Abbott ordered the Texas Legislature to “prohibit same day voter registration in Texas.” And the court challenge to the controversial congressional redistricting says it's an illegal racial gerrymander.
Mark as Played

Texas Matters: The Ten Commandments on hold

August 22, 2025 • 28 mins
A federal judge has granted a temporary halt to a new Texas law that requires the posting of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms. He found that it was a violation of the freedom of religion—but Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is promising to appeal. We hear from Rabbi Mara Nathan about why she joined the suit and how she feels about the future of religious freedom in Texas.
Mark as Played

Popular Podcasts

    Stuff You Should Know

    Stuff You Should Know

    If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

    Crime Junkie

    Crime Junkie

    Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by Audiochuck Media Company.

    On Purpose with Jay Shetty

    On Purpose with Jay Shetty

    I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!

    The Breakfast Club

    The Breakfast Club

    The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!

    Dateline NBC

    Dateline NBC

    Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

Advertise With Us
Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

Explore

iHeart

Live Radio

Podcasts

Artist Radio

Exclusives

News

Features

Events

Contests

Photos

Information

About

Advertise

Blog

Brand Guidelines

Contest Guidelines

Subscription Offers

Jobs

Get the App

Automotive

Home

Mobile

Wearables

© 2026 iHeartMedia, Inc.