PODCAST · society
Access Utah
by Tom Williams
Access Utah is UPR's original program focusing on the things that matter to Utah. The hour-long show airs live Monday-Thursday at 9:00 a.m. Access Utah covers everything from pets to politics in a range of formats from in-depth interviews to call-in shows. Email us at [email protected] or call at 1-800-826-1495. Join the discussion!
Episodes
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The definitive history of bread in America on Access Utah
Author Andrew Coe joins us today to talk about his new book, "American Bread," detailing the history of America's bread traditions and industry.
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'This Haunted Land' with Betsy Gaines Quammen on Access Utah
In her new book "This Haunted Land: Reckoning with Ghosts and the Stories that Shape America," Betsy Gaines Quammen takes us on a journey into haunted towns, forgotten lives, and abandoned places.
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How to downgrade your phone and upgrade your life on Access Utah
Former social media influencer August Lamm joins us to talk about the impacts of a smartphone-free lifestyle, with tips for becoming less plugged into technology.
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The powerhouse fundraiser behind the Civil Rights Movement on Access Utah
Mollie Moon was one of the most influential women of the Civil Rights Era.
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Adolescence and masculinity in poetry on Access Utah
Poet Caleb Nolen joins us to talk about his recent publication, "Afterlight," a collection of poems about growing up in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
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Language, war, and belonging with Moudi Sbeity on Access Utah
Born into a small Lebanese village, Moudi Sbeity arrived in Utah as an 18-year-old queer evacuee with a stutter. Sbeity is now a writer and founder of the Salt Lake City restaurant Laziz Kitchen.
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'The Beautiful Plain' with Jennifer Sinor on Access Utah
Set amid the cornfields of central Nebraska, "The Beautiful Plain" opens on a hot afternoon in a hay barn. What begins as a prank will reverberate for decades.
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Social media's role in facilitating misinformation on Access Utah
We talk with folklorist Andrew Peck about NyQuil Chicken, one example of a larger, ongoing phenomenon raising questions about the role of social media in facilitating misinformation.
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How Great Salt Lake's low levels affect shorebirds on Access Utah
Clarissa Casper, writer/editor at the American Bird Conservatory, and Utah State University ecology master's student Sharon Montecino join us to talk about Great Salt Lake's effect on bird migration.
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The power of the night self
In the tradition of books like "Breath" and "Wintering," "Sleepless" combines science, historical research, and personal experience to explore the complicated relationship women have with darkness.
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Behind the scenes of The Edge of Jazz on Access Utah
John Northup, host of UPR's program The Edge of Jazz, joins us to talk about how the show started and what excites him about it.
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A year without federal funding for public media on Access Utah
One year ago, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting was eliminating and radio stations across the country lost funding. We talk with station managers about the past year.
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Folklore and technology trends with Lynne McNeill on Access Utah
We talk with folklorist Lynne McNeill about the dangers and positives of artificial intelligence, social media and phone bans in schools, and the value of folklore.
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Meet UPR's new station manager and news director
UPR recently hired two new staff members: Frank Mueller and Colette Czarnecki. We asked them how they got into radio and why they stuck around.
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Air quality and the Olympics on Access Utah
We're joined by three USU professors who have recently published a report in the journal Sustainability and Climate Change titled, "The Utah 2034 Winter Olympics: Leaving a Lasting Clean Air Legacy."
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Patriotism and citizenship in the Latter-day Saint tradition
Historian Benjamin Park is giving the annual Arrington Mormon History Lecture on Sept. 24, titled "Declarations of Interdependence — Why the Latter-day Saints Just Can’t Quit the United States."
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The truth behind a deadly self-help retreat on Access Utah
Journalist and author Annette McGivney joins us to discuss the true story behind a deadly wellness retreat led by a celebrity self-help guru in 2009.
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The Utah Symphony and the state of performing arts on Access Utah
The Utah Symphony will visit Utah State University this week. Utah Symphony CEO and President Steve Brosvik and Nick Morrision, director of USU's Caine School of the Arts, join us for a preview.
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Ancient versus modern depictions of 'The Odyssey' on Access Utah
Utah State University Classics Professor Jacob Butera joins us today to talk about "The Odyssey." We discuss the ancient text and the newly released film.
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Recommendations for clearing Utah's air by the Olympics on Access Utah
Utah is hosting the 2034 Winter Olympics, but three Utah State University professors say our air quality isn't up for the task.
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The philosophy of rock climbing on Access Utah
Author, poet, and rock climber Brian Laidlaw joins us today to talk about his new book "Erratica." His book details his experience traveling and searching for meaning.
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The importance of women in higher education on Access Utah
Susan Madsen and Yvette Young from the Utah Women and Leadership Project join us to discuss recent reports on the importance of higher education for women.
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A human and natural history of the Bear River Marsh on Access Utah
"A Reed Shaken with the Wind" traces the Bear River Marsh from its creation during the last ice age to its current status as an imperiled national wildlife refuge.
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'The Brothers McKay' with Craig Johnson
Writer Craig Johnson is the New York Times bestselling author of the Walt Longmire mystery novels. The latest book in the Longmire series is "The Brothers McKay."
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The Spanish mapping of the North American west
While our Founding Fathers were crafting our democracy in 1776, the Dominguez-Escalante expedition was crossing through Utah trying to find a path from Santa Fe to California.
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UPR co-managers Tom Williams and Kerry Bringhurst remember lives in radio
Utah Public Radio's new station manager Frank Mueller guest hosts this episode, interviewing co-managers Kerry Bringhurst and Tom Williams as they approach retirement.
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How the ancient Greek 'pop star' Sappho influenced modern culture
USU Assistant Professor C.R. Grimmer joins us to talk about the Greek poet Sappho and their own poetry.
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Data centers, water issues, and more in Millard County
Matt Ward from the Millard County Chronicle Progress joins us for the first episode of a new series. Once a month, we'll check in with a different small-town newspaper.
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'Dickens in Brooklyn: Essays on Family, Writing, & Madness'
We talk with Jay Neugeboren about caring for a brother with mental illness, a posthumous lunch with Oliver Sacks, and a thwarted kiss at a teenage summer camp where he was a young Jewish man in exile.
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'The Mormon Tabernacle Choir: A Biography' on Access Utah
We talk with Michael Hicks about the story of how a group founded by persecuted religious outcasts grew into a multimedia powerhouse.
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Keeping your pets happy and healthy on Access Utah
We talk with veterinarian and author Dr. Carol Osborne about how to keep our pets safe, healthy, and environmentally friendly.
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Summer gardening tips with Dan Drost on Access Utah
Gardening expert Dan Drost joins us to answer your questions. He shares tips and tricks on how to keep your garden healthy and productive.
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The shrinking of two national monuments on Access Utah
President Donald Trump recently signed executive orders shrinking the size of two Utah national monuments. On this episode, we hear both sides of the debate.
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Proponents of the Little Logan River Watershed Project on Access Utah
Crockett Avenue Irrigation Company President Gordon Colson and Cache Water District Manager Nathan Daugs join us today to discuss the Little Logan River Watershed Project.
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A story of riches to rags on Access Utah
Janet Dexter sketched celebrities for the New York Times and other newspapers in the 1920s and 1930s. But she left her successful career to commit to a life of poverty in the Maine woods.
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Doing good in our communities on Access Utah
We shine a spotlight on nonprofit organizations throughout Utah with Amy Anderson, the regional coordinator for A Bolder Way Forward.
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Our summer 2026 community book list on Access Utah
Today we compiled a list community booklist with the help of Elaine Thatcher, Anne Holman, and some program listeners.
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America's political past, present, and future
Following a panel by Politico Magazine on America's state of democracy, historian Greg Jackson, host of "History That Doesn't Suck," joins us to talk about America's political past.
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History's most successful rodeo family
On this episode we revisit our 2018 conversation with Pulitzer Prize-winner John Branch about a family of world-champion saddle-bronc riders.
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'The Glorians': Divinity in the ordinary with Terry Tempest Williams
Terry Tempest Williams says the Glorians are not distant deities, but ordinary presences — animal, plant, memory, moment — that reveal our vulnerability and interconnectedness with the natural world.
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Proponents of mountain lion conservation on Access Utah
As the state of Utah debates mountain lion removal, Utah Mountain Lion Conservation Founder Denise Peterson and houndsman Aaron Johnson join us to talk about the cats.
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The story of three women who ignited America's love for the wild
Author Heather Hansman joins us today to talk about her new book "Fierce Country," the story of three women and their love for the outdoors.
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How Los Angeles cleaned up its air on Access Utah
Los Angeles and smog have been synonymous for decades. But the last smog alert happened in 2003, and lead has virtually disappeared from the air.
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Utah's oldest outdoor activity club
Longtime member and historian of the Wasatch Mountain Club Debra Frank shares its history in her new book "Faint Heart Never Climbed a Mountain."
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Poetry in the new year on Access Utah
On this year's poetry roundup, we feature conversation with and poetry from Utah Poet Laureate Lisa Bickmore, along with poets Danielle Dubrasky and Olivia Dudding Rodriguez.
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Exploring the edges of North America on Access Utah
For over three years, Nathan Larson has been photographing and writing from some of North America’s most remote landscapes: the Arctic Ocean, the edge of Labrador, Key West, Alaska, Newfoundland.
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Reforming Utah’s criminal debt collection system on Access Utah
The winner of Utah's Policy Pitch Competition, Melaine Webster, joins us to discuss her proposal to reform debt collection within Utah's criminal justice system.
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Storytelling as collaborative worldmaking on Access Utah
In the 2026 Fife Honor Lecture at USU, professor Katherine Borland of Ohio State University’s Center for Folklore Studies, focused on miracle narratives. She joins us for the hour.
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Logan's forgotten college on Access Utah
Digital Assets Librarian Darcy Pumphrey joins us to talk about a Utah State University library exhibit on Brigham Young College 100 years after its closure.
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Life lessons from the lost Greek plays on Access Utah
“The truly happy man ought to stay at home.” This is one of many quotes preserved from the ancient Greek dramatists, now translated by classicist James Romm into verse.
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Access Utah is UPR's original program focusing on the things that matter to Utah. The hour-long show airs live Monday-Thursday at 9:00 a.m. Access Utah covers everything from pets to politics in a range of formats from in-depth interviews to call-in shows. Email us at [email protected] or call at 1-800-826-1495. Join the discussion!
HOSTED BY
Tom Williams
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Access Utah have?
Access Utah currently has 1000 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Access Utah about?
Access Utah is UPR's original program focusing on the things that matter to Utah. The hour-long show airs live Monday-Thursday at 9:00 a.m. Access Utah covers everything from pets to politics in a range of formats from in-depth interviews to call-in shows. Email us at [email protected] or call at...
How often does Access Utah release new episodes?
Access Utah releases new episodes frequently with a large back catalog of 1000 episodes. Check the episode list for recent publication dates.
Where can I listen to Access Utah?
You can listen to Access Utah on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Access Utah?
Access Utah is created and hosted by Tom Williams.
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