The Gun Machine, a podcast from WBUR and The Trace
Every time there is a mass shooting in America, the first question is why.
When we look for answers, we tend to focus on the incident itself — who the shooter was, why they did it and who parachutes in to debate the state of regulation, or lack thereof, that allowed it to happen. What we forget is the centuries of history that got us to this long emergency of gun violence in America.
Produced by WBUR, Boston’s NPR, in partnership with The Trace, The Gun Machine looks into the past to bring you a story that most Americans never learned in history class: how early partnerships between mad scientist gunsmiths and a fledgling U.S. government created the gun industry in the Northeast, and how that industry has been partners with the government ever since.
The Gun Machine is hosted by The Trace's Alain Stephens.
Listen to the episodes here:
About the host:
Alain Stephens is a staff writer for The Trace, an outlet exclusively dedicated to reporting on gun violence.
Trained as a law enforcement officer, Stephens served in the military for years — with the U.S. Coast Guard, followed by the Air Force — before pivoting to journalism. As a Black, biracial man who grew up in Texas, Stephens understands the racial and cultural implications of gun culture firsthand.
About the team behind the podcast:
The Gun Machine is a production of WBUR in Boston and The Trace.
Alain Stephens, host, and reporter at The Trace
Grace Tatter, producer, WBUR
Ben Brock Johnson, executive producer of WBUR Podcasts
Kevin Sullivan, editor with The Trace
Emily Jankowski, mix and sound designer, WBUR
Agya K. Aning, researcher
Megan Cattel, fact checker with WBUR
Diego Mallo, illustrator with The Marshall Project
Miles Kohrman, editor with The Trace
Samata Joshi, managing producer with WBUR
Special thanks to staff at The Trace, including:
Tali Woodward, editor-in-chief
Craig Hunter, managing editor
Gracie McKenzie, engagement editor
Special thanks to staff at WBUR, including:
Paul Vaitkus, manager of podcast production
Nicole Leonard, associate director of institutional giving
Victor Hernandez, chief content officer
Kristen Holgerson, director of marketing and promotions
Jessica Coughlin, Onward and Upward media
Dan Mauzy, executive editor of news
Margaret Low, CEO