The Modern West

THE MODERN WEST

Winner of a 2020 Edward R. Murrow Award for Best Documentary, The Modern West takes listeners on a sound-rich journey into some of America’s most iconic landscapes to discover the people and places shaping the American West’s present and future. You can learn more by visting: https://themodernwest.org/

EPISODES

We head to Wyoming’s Red Desert – and hear the history of the 19th century range wars. They led to laws requiring grazing fees and regular land health check-ups. But over a century later, some say these regulations haven’t done enough to protect our wild spaces. Not to mention our climate.

Search Episodes

Episode play icon

Nothing Heals

We head to Wyoming’s Red Desert – and hear the history of the 19th century range wars. They led to laws requiring grazing fees and [...]

October 16, 2024

Wyoming Public Media

Episode play icon

Cows = Civilization

The history of how we brought the pastoral cow to live on the arid lands of the west is a violent one. Jim Elliot grew [...]

October 2, 2024

Wyoming Public Media

Episode play icon

Se Benefician De Ella

The Abeyta family has been driving sheep down from the mountains of southern Colorado for generations. But it hasn’t been easy to keep that tradition [...]

September 18, 2024

Wyoming Public Media

Episode play icon

The Rolling Stone: Bonus 2 of The Great Individualist Reboot

The Rolling Stone: The Modern West is re-sharing our ranching series The Great Individualist. This time, we explore our deep abiding love for the cowboy. [...]

September 4, 2024

Wyoming Public Media

Episode play icon

The Rancher of the Future: Bonus 1 of The Great Individualist Reboot

We’re back with a new season of Modern West. Listen to the first episode of The Great Individualist Reboot now! [...]

August 21, 2024

Wyoming Public Media

Episode play icon

Great Individualist Reboot Trailer

It’s a new season of the Great Individualist – new episode premieres on August 21st. [...]

August 7, 2024

Wyoming Public Media

Episode play icon

The Suffragist In The Basement

Wyoming is known as the “equality state” because it was the first in the nation to pass women’s suffrage. And for decades it’s proudly recognized [...]

June 26, 2024

Wyoming Public Media

Episode play icon

One Size Does Not Fit All – Part Six of High Altitude Tales

Meet Iva, an innovative teacher conducting scientific research with her middle schoolers on the Wind River Reservation. They even set up trail cameras! It’s the [...]

June 12, 2024

Wyoming Public Media

Episode play icon