Martine Powers

Washington, D.C.

Host of “Post Reports” and "The Empty Grave of Comrade Bishop"

Education: Yale University, BA in African American studies; Transom Story Workshop in Woods Hole, Mass.

Martine Powers is an audio journalist and the senior host of “Post Reports,” The Washington Post's flagship daily news podcast. Since launching the show in December 2018, Powers and the “Post Reports” team have grown a massive audience of loyal listeners, and their work has been recognized by the Peabody Awards, the Online News Association, the Webbys, and the National Association of Black Journalists. Powers joined The Post in 2016, starting out as a reporter on the Metro Desk before transitioning to audio. She also has worked at the Boston Globe and Politico. She’s a graduate of the Transom
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Latest from Martine Powers

Can’t sleep? ‘Try This.’

“Try This” from The Washington Post is a series of audio courses designed to jump-start the parts of life where we can all use a few pointers — with pithy, snackable solutions you can easily use. The first course is about how to get better sleep.

December 29, 2023

‘Throughline’: There Will Be Bananas

The banana is a staple of the American diet and has been for generations. But how did this exotic tropical fruit become so commonplace? Today on “Post Reports,” Martine Powers shares an episode of one of her favorite podcasts, “Throughline.”

December 28, 2023

Applying for college after the end of affirmative action

The Supreme Court’s decision to end race-based affirmative action in college admissions sent counselors scrambling and students worrying about their chances. For two seniors, it made them totally rethink their applications – in very different ways.

December 27, 2023

Ava DuVernay on making a film her way

Some people said Isabel Wilkerson’s book “Caste” was unadaptable. The subject matter was too heavy and too academic. But Ava DuVernay had a vision – and she pursued an unusual funding model to get her new film “Origin” made.

December 26, 2023

A murdered peace activist and a war in her name

Canadian Israeli activist Vivian Silver dedicated her life to peace. When she was killed in the Oct. 7 attacks, her sons faced an impossible question: Is peace still worth fighting for?

December 22, 2023

What you don’t know about assisted living in America

Patients with memory problems walk away from assisted-living facilities just about every day in America; many die. The Post examines a pattern of neglect in America’s booming assisted-living industry.

December 21, 2023

Colorado kicked Trump off the ballot. What’s next for 2024?

In a momentous ruling that may shape U.S. political history, the Colorado Supreme Court has ruled that former president Donald Trump engaged in insurrection and is therefore disqualified from the presidency.

December 20, 2023

Is Israel running out of goodwill?

U.S. support of Israel’s war in Gaza has been unwavering – but as the civilian death toll climbs, international calls for a ceasefire are growing. Today, the mounting concern over Israel’s tactics and how the Biden administration is responding.

December 19, 2023

Harvard, big-tech money, and the whistleblower

As social media disinformation grows, academics are studying its harms. But big-tech funding at universities is creating a fraught power dynamic that recently erupted at Harvard, where a researcher claimed Meta forced her ouster amid critical research.

December 18, 2023

The woman who took on the Texas abortion ban

Kate Cox caught the attention of the nation last week when she asked a Texas judge for permission to end her pregnancy. Today on “Post Reports,” we talk to Caroline Kitchener about the new legal battles over abortion access.

December 13, 2023