Categories: OLD Media Moves

“Marketplace” puts “Make me Smart” on Amazon’s Alexa

Business radio news show “Marketplace” has put its “Make Me Smart” podcast on Amazon’s Alexa, its first foray into the technology.

Once the skill is enabled, listeners can ask “Alexa, make me smart!” to hear podcast hosts Kai Ryssdal and Molly Wood explain the economy, pop culture, tech and current events.

“Thirty years’ expertise and sophistication in the audio industry has positioned ‘Marketplace’ to deliver cross platform content on innovative platforms, that reaches new audiences outside of our 14.8 million loyal public radio fans,” said “Marketplace” senior vice president and general manager Deborah Clark in a statement.

“The launch of this skill is a testament to how ‘Marketplace’ has evolved from a suite of public radio broadcast shows to a multiplatform enterprise, focused on using our unique voice and storytelling approach to raise the economic intelligence of the country.”

Listeners can also submit specific questions by saying, “Alexa, tell ‘Make Me Smart’ I have an idea,” or by saying “I have an idea” while using the skill. Marketplace will review submissions for the chance to be included in daily content.

“Make me Smart” launched in January 2017. The goal of the podcast is to focus on analyzing and understanding, not on headlines and talking points. It’s meant to be an ongoing conversation with experts and the combined expertise of the listening audience.

Chris Roush

Chris Roush was the dean of the School of Communications at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut. He was previously Walter E. Hussman Sr. Distinguished Professor in business journalism at UNC-Chapel Hill. He is a former business journalist for Bloomberg News, Businessweek, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Tampa Tribune and the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. He is the author of the leading business reporting textbook "Show me the Money: Writing Business and Economics Stories for Mass Communication" and "Thinking Things Over," a biography of former Wall Street Journal editor Vermont Royster.

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