Willis Ryder Arnold
Producer, On Point
Willis Ryder Arnold is a producer at On Point.
He previously reported and produced for St. Louis Public Radio and Maine Public, before moving to the Atlas Obscura Podcast. He’s covered everything from protests for racial justice and historic floods, to agriculture policy and marble emporiums.
When he’s not working, Willis can be found chasing his kids through the woods and trying to finish a handful of books.
Recently published
The struggle to update America's aging air traffic control system
The Trump administration says it's going to modernize air traffic control equipment. Many administrations before have promised the same thing. So why hasn't it happened?
Inside the wrongful conviction of Ben Spencer
No witnesses. No physical evidence. An ironclad alibi. Nevertheless, a Texas jury sentenced Ben Spencer to life in prison for a murder he didn't commit. Journalist and author Barbara Bradley...
What is Tren de Aragua? The criminal organization's origins, activities and reach within the U.S.
The Biden administration first labeled Venezuelan gang as a multi-national criminal organization. President Trump has now put Tren de Aragua at the center of the debate over immigration and deportation....
Will the FDA's proposed food dye ban make kids healthier?
Flamin' Hot Cheetos, Skittles, Mountain Dew Baja Blast. These foods all contain petroleum-based synthetic food dyes the FDA wants to phase out by the end of next year. Will the...
Ask the ethicist: How to create guardrails for the AI age
Will AI devastate humanity or uplift it? Philosopher Christopher DiCarlo's new book examines how we can navigate when AI surpasses human capacity.
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Falling Behind: Troublemakers
'Boys will be boys.' How are perceptions about boys’ behavior in the classroom shaping their entire education? It’s part two of On Point’s weeklong series, "Falling Behind: The Miseducation of...
How Spotify shapes how we listen to music
Spotify promised independent artists a new revenue stream, and listeners exposure to new music. In the new book 'Mood Machine,' music journalist Liz Pelly examines how the streaming giant has...
How groceries are priced
From pandemic inflation to the impact of tariffs the price of groceries is getting a lot of attention. But who decides what we pay -- and why?
'The federal workforce feels tormented': Federal employees on the consequences of losing their jobs
They used to work in now-shuttered regional social security offices, or protecting our National Parks or nuclear security. Then President Trump, Elon Musk and DOGE terminated their positions -- and...
America's gold fever
Conspiracy theorists believe more than $400 billion of gold is missing from Fort Knox. President Trump says he will visit Kentucky with Elon Musk to see if the gold is...