‘Citizens United,’ explained

Introduction

More than $300 million has been spent so far on political TV ads in the 2016 election, and if you live in states hosting primaries or caucuses, you’ve endured a nonstop barrage at virtually every commercial break.

This week, Reveal and the Center for Public Integrity team up to explain how a 2010 U.S. Supreme Court decision fueled the advertising onslaught that is besieging living rooms all over America. The new podcast and radio show focuses on the Citizens United v. FEC decision, what it means and the impact it has had on the 2016 elections.

A product of The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX (Public Radio Exchange), Reveal is the nation’s first weekly public radio show and podcast focused on investigative reporting in the public interest.

The Center for Public Integrity’s political editor, John Dunbar, sits in with Reveal show host Al Letson to talk about America’s new political kingmakers.

“Anyone who cares about who represents them at any level of government should tune in,” Dunbar said. “This decision affects everyone.”

In an attempt to help listeners follow both the advertising and the money behind it, the Center for Public Integrity built news applications to meticulously track every dollar spent in the race to the White House, and show who is winning the TV ad wars prior to primaries in Florida, Illinois, Maryland, North Carolina and Ohio.

Reveal also worked with WLRN in Miami, Florida and WAMU in Washington, D.C. to highlight the impact of the Supreme Court’s decision on races at the local level.

You can listen to the program as it starts to air on public radio stations nationally on Saturday, March 12 and also subscribe to Reveal on iTunes and Stitcher.