A niche topic you’ve never thought about — that’s our specialty!

How to Tell the Story of a Highway Teardown — Streetsblog USA This podcaster is traveling the country in search of stories about America's freeway-fighting movement. Is yours on the list?

@wgbh.org 'Big Dig' producer Ian Coss is working on a new project to chronicle highway teardown projects across America. Via @usa.streetsblog.org: usa.streetsblog.org/2026/03/09/h...

With ‘The Big Dig,’ Ian Coss puts Massachusetts at the center of podcasting - The Boston Globe “Boston has an outsize mythology and presence in the national story,” Coss says.

Political scientists, if you haven’t listened to @iancoss.bsky.social podcasts, you’re missing out.

www.bostonglobe.com/2026/04/17/a...

Who was the ‘Codfather,’ and what makes fishermen so hard to regulate? - The Boston Globe For years, the New Bedford docks were home to one of the most notorious fraudsters in Massachusetts fishing history.

Great convo about the Codfather this week w the @bostonglobe.com's @leungboston.bsky.social, who says Season 3 might just be her favorite. And we get into some stuff that's not really covered in the show...

www.bostonglobe.com/2026/04/16/o...

Stay tuned for the entire Highway Teardown Tour — it will hit the feed in late May

Big Dig LIVE in Philadelphia PRESS RELEASE What to do with Philadelphia’s highways? A live taping of The Big Dig podcast Every American city is divided by crumbling old highways. Every city is trying to figure out what to do with them. Joi...

Hey #Philly, The Big Dig Highway Teardown Tour is coming your way next MONDAY. We'll be at the Pen & Pencil club w two highly opinionated columnists and a former Secretary of Transportation. Should be interesting! Details:
docs.google.com/document/d/1...

Just finished Big Dig S3: Catching the Codfather podcast (codcast?). Highly recommended. Another great season @iancoss.bsky.social

The highlight of my week has been having a phone call with one of my journalism heroes, Ian Coss. He has an amazing podcast series out now about The Codfather. Just plug that term - Codfather - into your podcast app. Trust me - and pass it on.

I want to be Ian Coss when I grow up.

There are still issues w scallops for sure, but the working relationship as I understand it is much better. John Bullard said at the end of our last interview that he could never quite understand how NE is home to both one of the best managed fisheries in the country, and one of the worst...

I guess I see it as a cautionary tale of how badly things can spiral when trust between industry, science and government really breaks down. And I think all three of those parties bear some responsibility for that. That said, if you look at the NE scallop fishery, the story looks a lot different.

Great question. You're right we don't really attempt to answer it, and not sure I can. Personally, I don't think what happened w ground fish in NE was inevitable, but there are some structural/historical/environmental factors that were always going to make effective regulation a challenge.

Maybe you can guess what our next season of The Big Dig is about...

If you wish your city could get rid of its downtown highway, then you should follow what’s happening in Syracuse, NY. I’ll be doing a live taping of the Big Dig there on April 8, including the head of NY’s DOT. It’s an amazing story.

What's Next for the Key Bridge? The Big Dig live podcast taping comes to Baltimore A special live podcast taping at the Baltimore Museum of Industry featuring Congressman Johnny Olszewski and WYPR reporter Wambui Kamau, along with other special guests

Remember waking up to hear a bridge in Baltimore was hit by ship and collapsed into the harbor? Well the story didn't end there, and replacing that bridge has proven to be very difficult. That's up next week on The Big Dig #HighwayTeardownTour. Details below. Tell your friends in Charm City!

What the 'Catching the Codfather' podcast found out about a fishing tycoon NPR's Adrian Ma speaks with Ian Coss, host of GBH's 'Catching the Codfather' podcast, about fishing tycoon Carlos Rafael of New Bedford, Massachusetts.

Great to hear @iancoss.bsky.social promoting the current season of #TheBigDig #podcast on All Things Considered!
#NPR #KUER #WGBH #GBH #CatchingTheCodfather
What the 'Catching the Codfather' podcast found out about a fishing tycoon from KUER News on my KUER app! www.npr.org/2026/03/22/n...

a man in a suit and tie is standing in front of a sign that says channel 4 news team . ALT: a man in a suit and tie is standing in front of a sign that says channel 4 news team .

You’re telling me there’s a nine part podcast series on the Big Dig and I haven’t listened to it yet?
That doesn’t sound like me.

The Big Dig HOV Lane (our membership program), is holding our first virtual gathering on April 1st. It will be a chance to meet the whole Big Dig team and share your own ideas & questions. If you want to join us (and support the show), all the info is at WGBH.org/hovlane

The Big Dig Presents: Catching The Codfather History Podcast · Series · A fishing tycoon is arrested in an elaborate sting operation, but claims he’s the real hero fighting back against an overbearing state. So who is Carlos “The Codfather” Rafa...

In Episode 6, the Codfather is finally caught...out today.

This is one of the best podcasts I’ve ever listened to, especially the last episode about government working or not. I love the Bob Crane music clip! @iancoss.bsky.social

Catching The Codfather | 1. Red Lobster Podcast Episode · The Big Dig Presents: Catching The Codfather · S3 E1 · 56m

Psyched to be embarking on another podcast journey examining major systems and trends and meeting colorful New England characters along the way with @iancoss.bsky.social

podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...

"On March 1st, fishermen were all over the local news!" - IAN COSS, Punch in the Kisser, Catching The Codfather #IanCoss

"Catching the Codfather" Reels in True Crime and Local Intrigue There are dirty lies and clean lies, according to Carlos “The Codfather” Rafael. The new season of GBH News’ “The Big Dig” podcast, titled “Catching the Codfather,” explores the nebulous terrain betwe...

"There are people who hate his guts and people who admire him. There are people who think he got everything he deserved and people who think he was wrongfully prosecuted."

READ: A below-the-docks Q&A with "Catching The Codfather" podcast host @iancoss.bsky.social!

Catching The Codfather A fishing tycoon is arrested in an elaborate sting operation, but claims he’s the real hero fighting back against an overbearing Massachusetts. So who is Carlos “The Codfather” Rafael really – a folk ...

your post reminds me that my one of my favorite podcasts is out with a new series. about The Codfather: www.wgbh.org/podcasts/the...

Catching The Codfather | 3. Punch in the Kisser — The Big Dig Presents: Catching The Codfather The west has cowboys, the east has fishermen – it’s a job defined by freedom and self-reliance. But in 1991 a contentious lawsuit forces the government to step in, setting Carlos Rafael and the regula...

If better food journalism has hit the airwaves this year than Episode 3 of Catching the Codfather, I haven’t heard it. Major props to @iancoss.bsky.social and team for not only turning up archival snippets and getting the best quotes, but knowing which ones serve the story. overcast.fm/+ABDdBFBDyso

Conman or Hero: Inside the Podcast About the Fishing Industry’s Most Divisive Figure The host of 'Catching the Codfather' explains why his new podcast about a notorious fishing magnate is really about regulation, science, and the American dream.

The host of 'Catching the Codfather' explains why his new podcast about a notorious fishing magnate is really about regulation, science, and the American dream.

The Rise & Fall of New Bedford Fishing Tycoon Carlos Rafael | Catching The Codfather, Part 1 YouTube video by GBH News

Excellent series by GBH
Catching the Codfather

youtu.be/AJf98ppoMEM?...

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Hah -- fair point!

The question now is: will @jake4somerville.bsky.social be mounting a challenge for the position of Somerville’s foremost elected podcast reviewer…?

Poster for Catching the Codfather

🐟As Somerville’s foremost elected podcast reviewer, I truly cannot believe how good the latest is from the team that brought us THE BIG DIG and SCRATCH AND WIN (secret history of the MA lottery): CATCHING THE CODFATHER. So friggin good @iancoss.bsky.social

www.wgbh.org/podcasts/the...

Thanks Ben! Can you believe the station keeps letting me make a podcast about the esoteric corners of MA politics and policy??