Accessibility links
Corey Bridges Corey Bridges is an assistant producer at NPR's daily economics podcast, The Indicator.
Headshot of Corey Bridges.
Stories By

Corey Bridges

Thursday

Wednesday

Wednesday

Why the EU can regulate big tech faster
Getty Images

The Indicator from Planet Money

Why the EU can regulate big tech faster

The Digital Markets Act is a new piece of European legislation aimed at making markets in the digital sector "fairer and more contestable." It's essentially antitrust regulation—rules to ensure that no one company or group of companies makes an area of business uncompetitive. And these rules are making some big companies sweat, not because they're afraid of monetary penalties, but because they could have an effect on antitrust regulations around the world.

Why the EU can regulate big tech faster

Listen · 9:08
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197967690/1255782638" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Friday

Greece allows a 6-day work week and other indicators
Getty Images

The Indicator from Planet Money

Greece allows a 6-day work week and other indicators

On Indicators of the Week, we cover the numbers in the news that you should know about. This week, we cover an encouraging trend for global wealth, closing Mexico's tariff loophole and the European nation bucking the trend of shorter work weeks.

Greece allows a 6-day work week and other indicators

Listen · 7:34
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197967647/1255624775" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Wednesday

Has the Fed lost the dot plot?
Wailin Wong

The Indicator from Planet Money

Has the Fed lost the dot plot?

The Federal Reserve introduced a visual tool called the "dot plot" in 2012 to communicate where officials think interest rates should be in the coming years. The dot plot is eagerly dissected by Fed watchers looking for insight on future policy, but others think that the dot plot has become a visual example of just how little the Fed can predict where the economy is going.

Has the Fed lost the dot plot?

Listen · 9:07
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197965160/1254159561" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Wednesday

Why the U.S. helps pay for Israel's military
Getty Images

The Indicator from Planet Money

Why the U.S. helps pay for Israel's military

The United States has been a supporter of Israel since the nation's establishment in 1948. With the civilian death toll rising in the Israel-Hamas war, growing scrutiny is mounting over just how much the U.S. should support Israel's military. Today, a historical explanation for why the United States tied itself so closely to support for Israel.

Why the U.S. helps pay for Israel's military

Listen · 8:57
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197965031/1253728004" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Wednesday

Using anecdotes to predict recessions
Getty Images

The Indicator from Planet Money

Using anecdotes to predict recessions

Eight times a year, we award regional Federal Reserve Banks with our coveted Beigie Award. While the anecdotes within the Beige Book offer us fascinating looks into the economy, to others, it can be difficult to make anything of the stories they tell. That's why we're giving out a special Beigie award today to some economists who found a way to use anecdotes to peer into our economic future.

Using anecdotes to predict recessions

Listen · 9:19
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197964992/1253343970" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Wednesday

How Fortnite brought Google to its knees
Getty Images

The Indicator from Planet Money

How Fortnite brought Google to its knees

In August 2020, Epic Games launched a legal assault against both Google and Apple, alleging that their mobile app stores are illegal monopolies. Almost four years later, Epic could be close to forcing Google to make major changes to its Play Store.

How Fortnite brought Google to its knees

Listen · 8:38
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197964842/1253004272" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Thursday

How the Dominican Republic became Latin America's economic superstar
Getty Images

The Indicator from Planet Money

How the Dominican Republic became Latin America's economic superstar

For decades, the Dominican Republic's economy has been growing at a remarkably steady pace. The Caribbean nation of 11 million people is today considered a middle-income nation, but the International Monetary Fund projects it could become an advanced economy within the next 40 years.

How the Dominican Republic became Latin America's economic superstar

Listen · 8:48
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197964702/1251946531" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Monday

Is 'government crypto' a good idea?
Getty Images

The Indicator from Planet Money

Is 'government crypto' a good idea?

Advancements in cryptocurrency networks are sparking conversations about the potential for Central Bank Digital Currencies, or CBDCs for short. Advocates for CBDCs think they would provide security and unlock more efficient fiscal policy actions. However, opponents believe they would provide a shortcut for government interference and the erosion of privacy.

Is 'government crypto' a good idea?

Listen · 9:07
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197964559/1251096133" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Thursday

Iceberg ahead for Social Security
Win McNamee/Getty Images

The Indicator from Planet Money

Iceberg ahead for Social Security

According to a government report released this week, Congress has until 2033 to fix Social Security before retirees receive an automatic benefit cut of about 21%. This is a more optimistic estimate from a previous report that stated the Social Security Trust Fund would run dry sooner, but it still paints a grim picture for a program that millions of retirees rely on.

Iceberg ahead for Social Security

Listen · 9:29
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197964541/1250355239" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Wednesday

Inside video game economics (Two Indicators)
Theresa O'Reilly for NPR

Planet Money

Inside video game economics (Two Indicators)

Why do video game workers offer labor at a discount? How can you design a video game for blind and sighted players? Does that design have lessons for other industries?

Inside video game economics (Two Indicators)

Listen · 18:51
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197958978/1250043487" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Friday

Video Game Industry Week: The Final Level
Theresa O'Reilly for NPR

The Indicator from Planet Money

Video Game Industry Week: The Final Level

We wrap up our series on the economics of the video game industry with a triple roundup. Today, how the new ban on noncompete contracts could affect the gaming industry, whether young men are slacking off work to play games and the ever-controversial world of loot boxes.

Video Game Industry Week: The Final Level

Listen · 9:08
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197964057/1247551669" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Thursday

Work. Crunch. Repeat: Why gaming demands so much of its employees

Despite the video game industry raking in more and more money every year, the working conditions for many designers leave much to be desired. Recent surveys show that developers don't believe their careers are sustainable, leading to a surge of unionization efforts in the industry. Theresa O'Reilly for NPR hide caption

toggle caption
Theresa O'Reilly for NPR

The Indicator from Planet Money

Work. Crunch. Repeat: Why gaming demands so much of its employees

Employees at video game companies are known for working long hours to meet product launch deadlines. This pressure, known in the industry as crunch, has only gotten more intense as games have grown more complex. Mounting layoffs in the growing industry have only made things worse on the labor front, inspiring some workers to take matters into their own hands.

Work. Crunch. Repeat: Why gaming demands so much of its employees

Listen · 9:21
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197964047/1247165403" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Wednesday

The boom and bust of esports

The explosive growth of Esports has made it so that elite-level competitive gamers can leverage their ability into a full-time job. But what does the life of a typical Esports pro look like and how do they think about their long-term prospects with Esports growth stagnating? Theresa O'Reilly for NPR hide caption

toggle caption
Theresa O'Reilly for NPR

The Indicator from Planet Money

The boom and bust of esports

The origins of competitive gaming are rooted in college campuses going back to the early 1970s. Now a globally popular industry, esports is at the center of many questions about long-term financial viability.

The boom and bust of esports

Listen · 9:13
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197964043/1247019301" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript