Podcast appearances and mentions of Audrey Cooper

Amid news of oversupply and decreased demand, the wine industry has an opportunity to adapt to the changing market. Audra Cooper, Director of Grape Brokerage, and Eddie Urman, Central Coast Grape Broker at Turrentine Brokerage, discuss key grape and wine industry trends, from oversupply and vineyard removals to the growing necessity of sustainable certification. They explore regional dynamics, bulk wine market shifts, and future trends, emphasizing innovation, industry collaboration, and better marketing to stay competitive. 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Learn more at www.vineyardteam.org.   Transcript [00:00:00] Beth Vukmanic: Amid news of oversupply and decreased demand, the wine industry has an opportunity to adapt to the changing market. [00:00:11] Welcome to Sustainable Wine, growing with the Vineyard team, where we bring you the latest in science and research for the wine industry. I'm Beth Vukmanic executive director. [00:00:22] In today's podcast, Craig McMillan, critical resource Manager at Niner Wine Estates. With Longtime SIP Certified Vineyard, and the first ever SIP certified winery speaks with Audra Cooper, director of Grape Brokerage and Eddie Urman, central Coast Grape Broker At Turrentine Brokerage, [00:00:41] they discuss key grape and wine industry trends from oversupply to vineyard removals to the growing necessity of sustainable certification. They explore regional dynamics, bulk wine market shifts and future trends. Emphasizing innovation, industry collaboration, and better marketing to stay competitive. [00:01:01] If you love infield education and are on California Central Coast on April 25th, 2025, please join us at the fungicide spring tailgate hosted at Cal Poly. In San Luis Obispo, California, Dr. Shunping Ding will share updated results from a 2024 study on fungicide programs using bio fungicides and their impact on grape yield and berry chemistry. Then we'll visit the Cal Poly Vineyard to explore new powdered mildew management technologies and discuss fungicide spraying programs. With farmers from throughout the central coast to register, go to vineyard team.org/events or look for the link in the show notes. [00:01:44] Craig Macmillan: Our guests today are Audra Cooper. She's Director of Grape Brokerage with Turrentine Brokerage. And also, Eddie Urman, who's Central Coast Grape Broker with Turrentine Brokerage as well. And thanks for coming back. This is part two of a, of a, of an episode here. So, I really appreciate you folks making time to come back. [00:02:00] Audra Cooper: Thank you for having us back. We're excited to join you once again. [00:02:04] Eddie Urman: Yeah, thanks for having us. [00:02:05] Craig Macmillan: So Audra, let's start with you. In our last conversation . [00:02:17] And that was kind of where we left it that then started a conversation amongst the three of us afterward. We were like, okay, there's a lot more to talk about here. So let's do it. [00:02:24] Can you give some examples of what you mean by getting ahead of changes? [00:02:30] Audra Cooper: I think it's a sound business strategy to always try and stay ahead of the curve regardless of what component of business or what industry you're in, right? It's just a, a good strategy to have and a good philosophy to have. It's really important in this industry to continue to stay relevant and in order to stay relevant, you have to stay within the trend or ahead of the trend. [00:02:51] Being behind the eight ball is, never a good thing . You need to be ahead of the curve. A good example of that is sustainable certification. And we still have these discussions on the daily and Eddie, you can talk to this too about how often we have to talk about if you're not sustainably certified, you are cutting your buyer pool, probably roughly in half, as I mentioned in the previous podcast, and you're limiting yourself. [00:03:18] And the majority of the practices, most growers are probably already doing, and they're just not going through the certification process and getting that done. And if you look back a little over a decade ago, it was something that wineries were paying, you know, 25, 50 per ton more for, they were paying a premium. [00:03:36] And then it became more of a, this is really nice to have. And so more and more growers We're doing it as a point of differentiation in their marketing. And now today it's almost a necessity. It's no longer something that's necessarily going to get you a premium price for your grapes. It's also not necessarily a point of differentiation any longer. [00:03:55] It's a need to have. [00:03:57] Craig Macmillan: Yeah, Eddie, do you have anything to add to that? [00:03:59] Eddie Urman: No, I think that's a great example. , Audra offered up. [00:04:02] Craig Macmillan: So there's, trends around that, and there's a lot of certifications now, and I agree, I think a lot of folks don't need to be afraid of whatever the certification is, because you're probably doing a lot of those things already, a lot of common practices. [00:04:13] I think that's an interesting insight that now it's kind of becoming expected or certainly a requirement for a lot of wineries. [00:04:19] Let's talk about changes in acreage. That's where we left off last time when we were talking about the difference between vineyard removals, which have been suggested, recommended, et cetera, by a number of folks in the industry as we just are in oversupply period I've heard estimates that we may have 30 to 35, 000 acres of grapes, more than we need based on current demand. [00:04:40] how accurate do you think that is? , how bad is it on the supply side? [00:04:45] Audra Cooper: Well, I think you have a couple parts to that question, right? Let's dissect that a little bit and start with, we just got back from the Unified Wine Grape Symposium in Sacramento, and of course, during the State of the Industry, Jeff Bitter gave his annual synopsis of the nursery survey that they do annually on how many vines were sold, and they do a, A lot of data work in regards to what were removals and his number that he reported over the last two years was 37, 500 acres have been removed from the state of California. [00:05:15] He believes based on their research that another 50, 000 acres need to be removed to reach the point of balance, assuming that consumption stays at its current rate or drops just a tiny bit. [00:05:29] And when we look at our information internally, now we don't do a survey like Allied does, but we're tracking a lot of information, both with our winery partners as well as our grower partners in regards to who's doing what, and our number's a little bit higher, but we also go back four years technically going back to 2022, our number for the state of California is closer to about 50, 000 acres that have been removed, and, you know, I would argue that If consumption stays flat, certainly there will need more removals, but I don't know about 50, 000 acres more. [00:06:04] That seems like an awful lot of acres that need to be removed. If his numbers are right, that would put us back to Basically global recession numbers, which would be around 500, 000 acres bearing.  [00:06:16] Craig Macmillan: right. in the Grape Crush Report, which is an annual report that's put out by, uh, California Department Of Food and Agriculture and the National Agricultural Statistics Service, there is a non bearing acres section in there, which I always find very interesting. Are we able to glean anything from that data in terms of what's been sold, what we think's gonna go back in, et cetera? [00:06:39] I want to put a timestamp on this. So this is being recorded first week of February, 2025. So the unified was in 2025. The report that's coming out is going to be for the 2024 year. [00:06:48] What can we learn from that non bearing acreage report?  [00:06:51] Audra Cooper: So there's two different reports. the acreage report will be coming out a little bit later in the year. We're going to have our crush report come out on February 10. I think you can glean two pieces of information, but both are very similar. And that is how much acreage has actually been removed and how light the crop truly was, particularly in the coastal regions for 2024. [00:07:10] And so when we look at, for example, a 23 bearing and non bearing acreage information from the state of California they're reporting 446, 000 acres of bearing wine grapes. And if you take that at, say, 7 tons an acre, that's 3. 12 million tons. And we know with certainty at 7 tons an acre, That acreage seems pretty low. [00:07:35] It doesn't seem realistic. So unfortunately, because it's a voluntary report when it comes to bearing versus non bearing acres, I do think that the state's probably about two years behind on real data trends. And so unfortunately right now, if you were to use that report as, you know, an analysis of the industry, you'd probably be a bit off. [00:07:54] Craig Macmillan: got it, got it. Are there trends in what varieties are coming out and what varieties are going back in? Because that's often been the driving force for removals and replants, is chasing the marketplace. Are we seeing that kind of thing in California? [00:08:11] Audra Cooper: Yeah, you know, I'll I'll touch on this a little bit and then turn it over to Eddie. It's, it's really difficult to predict in our industry how and what and when to plant, right? Because you are following a trend and a trend that you're going to be lagging behind in trying to meet because of the amount of time it takes to get a crop and a crop that is productive. [00:08:31] And so oftentimes we're abridged, Yeah. Yeah. too far behind in regards to consumer trends. When we look at the central coast as a whole, there's certainly some segmented dynamics on what's being removed versus planted. And, you know, a good place to start, of course, is Paso. Eddie, do you want to talk a little bit more about that? [00:08:51] Eddie Urman: Yeah we do see some trends of, varieties, being pushed out more frequently than others. You know, for the Central Coast, a couple that come to mind are, Zin, Pinot Noir Merlot is one that historically came out. If it's still there, still going out, and then more specifically, old vines is probably the more specific categories. You are seeing a lot of Cab being pushed, that are old vines, but likely to go back into Cab if it gets replanted. [00:09:17] Audra Cooper: that's an interesting trend, because when we're looking at what was purchased based on the survey numbers that Jeff Bitter reported, he was talking about 12, 000 acres being planted based on their survey in 2024, and an overwhelming percentage was still red varietals, which really bucks the trend on what we're seeing observing boots on the ground. [00:09:41] What we've mainly been seeing planted are more alternative whites and niche whites like Grenache Blanc, Pinot Grigio Astrotico, you know, very specific alternative whites in which they're trending with DTC and kind of smaller producers. Certainly we still see some redevelopment of Cabernet as well as Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, not so much on the red blender side or Merlot. [00:10:06] Those seem to be being pulled out and not redeveloped. [00:10:09] Craig Macmillan: Are we seeing any changes or trends around Okay, I'm pushing out Cabernet. I'm going to replant Cabernet. , am I going to replant the same amount of Cabernet? Am I using this as an opportunity to plant new ground? Do we have any information about that kind of thing? [00:10:24] Audra Cooper: Yeah, I mean, to give you hard data would be challenging. I don't know that anyone really has, a hard, fast calculation of what they do and don't do in regards to, the varietal makeup of a redevelopment. And I do want to clarify, I think there's a common misconception, particularly in the coastal regions that This is new net acreage. [00:10:43] It's not new net acreage. A lot of this is redeveloped acreage, but it will be higher in productivity based on, you know, better vines, healthier vines, better spacing, new farming technology, and so forth. And so we'll have new net supply based off that acreage. In full production. When you look at the new developments, though, and it was save paso cab, for example, it's really difficult to say, Oh, well, let's do 50 percent cab and 50 percent red blenders. [00:11:14] I mean, that's a tough decision to make. And you're really making a a pretty risky bet. I think for most people, they're going to plant to the site and also to the trend in the market. And so oftentimes, for example, again, Paso Cab, you're still going to have Cabernet largely go back in on those redevelopments. [00:11:31] When you look at Santa Barbara County, I think they're diversifying a little bit more than they had been in the past. You're not largely just Chardonnay Pinot Cab. You're also seeing alternative reds and whites being planted in that area. Monterey County, when you look at that region, it tends to be a little bit more mixed bag, but still largely chardonnay then in the southern Monterey County area, cabernet and red blenders. [00:11:54] Craig Macmillan: Do you have anything to add to that, Eddie? [00:11:56] Eddie Urman: As far as the rate of what's going back in the ground, you know, in acres. I think as far as East Paso goes Monterey County, Santa Barbara County, we're seeing contraction as far as more acres coming out that are going back. The only area we do see more plantings that are new, it is in the West side of Paso. And it's substantial. I think there's a good amount of acres that have gone in the West side. [00:12:17] Being from the growing side, I think we always wanted to diversify away from Cabernet and Paso Robles specifically, but the reality is the majority of people still want to buy Cabernet. So if anything, I'm worried that growers expect other varieties to try to diversify their portfolio that might not match the demand. [00:12:37] Craig Macmillan: Right, right. And speaking of demand. , we're talking about land and grapes, what's the current state of the, the bulk wine market where you'd expect a lot of the sovers to go where are we kind of at and what do you think are going to be the impacts on the bulk wine market with the replanting? [00:12:53] Audra Cooper: currently right now, listed available with us is about 28 million gallons. We anticipate that it will climb to probably 30, maybe past 30 million gallons at the peak of listing this year, which is typically early summer. In large part, that's still 2023 vintage. However, we do still have some 21, 22, and of course now new 24 is being listed. [00:13:18] The rate of listing is not being eclipsed by the rate of, you know, attrition decline in regards to bulk wine being removed from the market, whether that's through sales or higher and better use internally for those who are listing it. So we still have an off kilter balance there and certainly dramatically an oversupply and that dynamics likely to continue for the next couple of years until we see consumption increase and, and therefore increasing demand for new products. [00:13:45] Typically when we've seen these large increases in availability, what's gotten us out of it is the negotiants who are developing new brands, particularly when we look back to the premiumization sector. We saw a lot of middle tiers, you know, the likes of Duckhorn and Joel Gott and several others who were growing programs that they may have had for a couple of years, but they were very small and they've broadened those to other Appalachians or California and went to the bulk market first to kind of grow those programs before they started grape contracting. [00:14:16] So we're going to need to start seeing that trend in order to clean that market up. [00:14:19] Craig Macmillan: And so that's, that's basically good news, you think, for the bulk wine supply going down the road. [00:14:23] Audra Cooper: I think. In the future, it is in the short term. It's rather painful to have that amount of availability, right? We've been tracking this for the better part of three decades, and there's never been a single calendar year in which we've carried this amount of inventory, particularly going into last harvest, it was the highest inventory we'd ever seen in our tracking. [00:14:44] Keep in mind that this is what's listed available for us. This is not going out and taking inventory of what everyone has in tank that they're not necessarily going to bottle or they don't have a program for. So you can easily maybe double that number and that's what the likely availability is. [00:15:03] Craig Macmillan: Eddie what do you think is going to happen with pricing on on bulk wine? Yeah, I know that you're a specialized in grapes. But obviously those growers are concerned about what's going to happen to those grapes. From the grower side, how attractive is it right now to turn product into bulk wine, do you think? [00:15:21] Eddie Urman: I would say it's very, very, very much not attractive. Uh, we would. Not advocate for that in most scenarios for growers at this time regarding bulk pricing, you know, bulk wine, obviously we have bulk people who have better insight than Audrey, but in general, it's not going to be good. We don't, we don't foresee an increase in price as. we're obviously seeing an increase in supply of bulk wine, that typically is going to still have more downward pressure on price. And as far as growers bulking wine, it's, I think, a very risky game right now. You know, bulk wine does have a life expectancy, to Audra's point earlier. And, know, if you bulk it now, you have to sell it eventually to make your money back. [00:16:02] And then on top of that, you have to carry those costs with today's interest rates.  [00:16:06] Craig Macmillan: Right, right. So, prices for bulk wine right now, I'm guessing have been on the decline for probably a couple of years. Is that accurate? [00:16:13] Audra Cooper: Yeah, that's an accurate statement. If I were to really think about how long they've been on the decline, I would say probably mid, mid calendar year 2023 is when we start to see the downturn of the market be very, you know, impactful on pricing and overall demand. And of course, increasing inventory is really when that trend started. [00:16:34] I want to kind of go back to what Eddie was talking about regarding you know growers making bulk wine and and how risky that is, you know, we have a saying internally and it's so Elementary, but it's so applicable to these times. Your first loss is typically your best loss or your least loss and so it's really important when you're looking at alternative to market Whether or not you're actually going to be able to optimize how much investment you have in that product, and more often than not, when you're making grapes into bulk wine as a grower, you're not going to have the wherewithal to compete with a competitive set, other wineries, or large growers whose business models incorporate making bulk wine as a producer. [00:17:15] So you really end up being on the losing end of that game. [00:17:19] Craig Macmillan: Eddie, do you see price pressure on growers? Are prices being negotiated down or contracts being changed or not renewed? And if so, does that vary by region, do you think? I know you specialize in the Central Coast, but just from what you know. [00:17:34] Eddie Urman: I think for the Central Coast, it's easy to say that there's still unfortunately more cancellations or evergreens being called and their contracts being executed. There is some activity of people being willing to look at stuff and even make offers, which is good news, but typically it's at a lower pricing. [00:17:51] Craig Macmillan: This is for both of you if I'm a grower and I'm facing this situation both what I can get for my price and then also what the chances are of me selling my stuff on the bulk market, is this a situation where we're maybe better off not harvesting all the crop or mothballing some vineyards for the short term? [00:18:08] Eddie Urman: Yeah, I mean, I think in general, the less we pick this upcoming season that doesn't have a home, you know, the better off if it's picked for, uh, a program where it's actually needed, that's great, but bulking one on spec or taking in more fruit because it's cheap or very, you know, very low cost is not going to be a good thing. good overall thing for the industry. [00:18:30] As far as mothballing, we've talked a lot internally. This is where the conversation came in last time about making tough decisions and being intentional about how you're going to farm or you plant going into the season as a grower is, you know, mothballing is very controversial. [00:18:45] I think for our team, as far as whether it truly works and can you truly come back after it's done, if you're mothballing a Vineyard that's at the end of his life expectancy. You're probably just delaying your pain one more year. Cause it probably will not come back. If you're mothballing a five year old vineyard, maybe it's something that's a different story, but a real tough decision. [00:19:06] Mothballing a young producing vineyard most people are not in that situation. [00:19:12] Audra Cooper: Yeah, I mean, I want to expand a little bit on the, the mothballing and not harvesting fruit. I think it's really important that, you know, while this is a rather negative time in the industry and it's really easy to be very pessimistic. I do want to be optimistic about the needed outcomes and the solutions and the pain that's still rather prevalent in our industry to get kind of to the other side of being healthy. [00:19:36] I do want to be optimistic about some of the newer plantings that we've seen basically since 2012. There is a lot of new to middle aged vineyards that I really hope continue to stay in the ground. They need to stay in the ground because they are the highest and best fit for some of the newer style products in wine. [00:19:54] And we need to be able to continue to keep our wine quality elevated. And so while certainly there's vineyards that need to be removed or, or mothballed and taken out of production, there's also the flip side of that where there's a huge need for some of the. better vineyards and the more sought after vineyards or the vineyards that are priced right for the program that they're going into. [00:20:16] So this is kind of a double edged sword in the sense that yeah, we need plenty of production to be pulled out of the supply chain, but at the same time there's a huge need for very specific supply. So I want to be very careful in classifying those items. [00:20:30] Craig Macmillan: Right. And that brings me to my next question Audra there must be regional differences. Yeah. Yeah. In these patterns, I would assume some areas maybe are a little bit more protected from this kind of contraction or, or expansion over supply and others probably really bearing the brunt. I would guess. Do you see patterns at the state level? [00:20:48] Audra Cooper: I see patterns at the state level, but I can even bring it down to the central coast, even so far down to like even Paso right now. And Eddie and I have been talking about this a lot. You know, we saw a huge uptick in available inventory for east side AVA Cabernet and red blenders and even some of the white. Over the last two years, particularly last year in 2024, [00:21:11] and now we're seeing that dynamic shift from the east side climbing and available inventory. And now the west side is where we're seeing most of our listings come from over the last couple of weeks. And so we're now seeing it kind of push into more of the premium luxury tiers as far as this oversupply and the contraction and the kind of the pain points. [00:21:29] And so we are moving through the channels. Which I know again is, is difficult to hear and it's a very negative position to be in the industry, but it's also a sign that the market and the supply chain is moving through what it needs to move towards in order to come out the other side of this thing on a healthier end. [00:21:48] We comment on this a lot where. You know, it's going to get worse, dramatically worse for a short period of time before it gets better. And we're starting to see kind of the beginning of that position. [00:21:58] Craig Macmillan: What about the San Joaquin Valley? San Joaquin Valley? [00:22:02] Audra Cooper: is actually typically leading the charge in regards to our market, particularly our supply aspect of things, both in grapes and bulk wine. And so when we see A retraction in our industry or oversupply. We typically see it in the interior of the central valley first And when we see kind of a new, Growth stage we see it over there first as well And so they're ahead of us by one to two years Currently and then it kind of follows into the central coast and then up into the north coast and what i've seen Historically when you look back at markets and you look at kind of the time horizons of these things how? Long they live and what pushes the momentum of these markets. You'll typically see it last longer in the Central Valley, tiny bit shorter in the Central Coast and a lot shorter in the North Coast. The North Coast usually doesn't see quite as long of a pain period as the other two regions do. And there's, there's a lot of reasons that we probably shouldn't get into today because it would be a whole nother topic of conversation. [00:23:00] But I do think that the Central Coast right now has got another challenging year ahead of it. But also I think that the on ramp to a more positive industry is a little shorter than what I think people are giving credit for too because a lot of the work is being done, we just got to get through these major pain points first. [00:23:19] Craig Macmillan: We know that consumers drive demand for wine and hence wine grapes but are there other economic forces or political forces or regulatory forces that put pressure on this grape market aside from just consumer demand? [00:23:32] Eddie Urman: again, but 1 of big 1s is, put, it could put pressure to the positive or negative on our industry. We don't really know yet. It's still to be determined. when I read this question, the other thing came to mind to me is, is from a grower's perspective ensuring that you're growing. The compatible correct grapes for your region or varieties or it's staying within where you need to be. If the market for, for example, Chardonnay went through, went to the moon, it doesn't mean everyone in Paso should plant Chardonnay, [00:24:00] even though that's the hot variety, right? [00:24:02] It wouldn't be the best variety for most areas of Those are some of the quicker things that come to my mind. I'll probably elaborate. [00:24:10] Audra Cooper: I think to expand upon that, certainly regulations regarding, you know, water usage and irrigation is is a huge factor. And, and Eddie, you could probably do an entire podcast on that particular topic. And I'm sure that you guys have actually, Craig in addition to that, you really look at the economic environment in which people are growing grapes and producing wine. [00:24:32] And the economy of it is getting, you know, more and more difficult. The margins are getting much smaller. You can argue that more often than not people are taking losses year over year. And that puts a ton of pressure on their cash flow. In addition to that, when you look at the lending environment as well, that's become a lot more say, non conducive to being able to continue with business. In a lot of cases, [00:24:57] we have a handful of clients, if not more, who are questioning, do I prune because I don't necessarily have the same operational loan that I've had over the last couple of years and I've been taking low grape prices in order to survive to the following year, but you can only do that so long before it catches up to you. [00:25:14] And then we have another group or another segment of clientele who will prune, but may end up having to throw in the towel sometime, you know, mid summer or sooner because they don't have enough capital to continue with the grapes or you know, not sold. And then you look at the producer side on the winery side, and, and they too are getting crunched. [00:25:32] You know, we often talk about how low grape prices are, but we forget that, you know, wineries are getting crunched on their bottle price as well in order to nationally distribute. You know, what you see on the shelf as a price point does not necessarily mean that that's a price point to that producer. So the economies of this industry are getting more and more difficult every single year. [00:25:52] Craig Macmillan: Eddie, especially, are you seeing trends towards things like mechanization to try to keep costs down? [00:25:58] Eddie Urman: Yeah, absolutely. I mean mechanization and then automation and the vineyard or two, the , you know, hottest topics so here. And people were definitely making the efforts to try to implement those as they come available. The difficult thing can be oftentimes it's investment in equipment. That's very expensive and you have to truly consider is it going to, is it economically feasible to invest in that equipment and what's the payout time going to be based upon the amount of acres you're farming or how many passes you can do with that piece of equipment. So we're, we're seeing it happen, which is great. [00:26:31] It's innovation and it's heading us in the right direction, but at this point, a lot of it is still quite expensive and not everyone could participate for cost reasons. Yeah. [00:26:41] Craig Macmillan: Going forward, we've talked about this a little bit in terms of how different regions are kind of more paying for longer and some a little bit less and et cetera. And this then translates into the wines that are out there. Audra, you'd mentioned you know, the potential of negotiants to come in and help to alleviate the market. [00:26:59] That's definitely what happened in the nineties from my memory. We saw a lot of negotiate brands pop up because there was a plentiful supply for some of those years. Are there things that companies or government or grower associations, are there things that organizations could do to advise growers or help move people in the right direction in terms of kind of what they need to do? Is the viticulture consulting community? Taking these things into account Eddie, let's start with you, [00:27:29] Eddie Urman: that's a big question. there are plenty of people giving good advice in the industry and growers do have resources to reach out to, but it's very difficult to hear information that doesn't. Align with what you would like to do, right? So taking out our emotions from this from the equation and say, okay, does it really make sense to do this or to do that? Where where's that going to leave us and is that going to be in a position? To move forward in a better, know in a better new industry or new, you know New time in this industry when things rebound there's information out there, but it is difficult extremely difficult right now for growers and wineries to make decisions [00:28:09] Craig Macmillan: Yeah. That's the challenge when you have something like this, where it's individual decisions that lead to mass outcomes. It's hard for me as an individual to say, okay, well, I'm going to do my part. I'm going to keep these 10 acres out of production. Especially when I can see that I could sell to somebody. It's a tough go. Go ahead, Audra. [00:28:24] Audra Cooper: So I'm gonna go off on a tangent here a little bit. [00:28:26] Craig Macmillan: do. [00:28:28] Audra Cooper: I don't know, you might not welcome this one. So, you know, some people know this about me. I'm a pretty big Tony Robbins fan. And, You know, for some of you who don't know who that is, he's a self help guru that does a lot of different events and has written a lot of books and he has a philosophy and a saying that he utilizes through most of events, which is where focus goes, energy flows. [00:28:51] And unfortunately, we have not done the best of jobs being positive about ourselves in the industry, out there in the media, that ultimately is consumed by the masses. And so, I've been on this huge bandwagon about, when we're talking to the media, obviously we need to be rooted in reality, but we need to be as optimistic as we can about who we are and what our why is. [00:29:16] And I think oftentimes when we have these downturns, and this one's a pretty deep one, admittedly. That's the rooted in reality, right? But in these downturns, we tend to turn very, very pessimistic and we fail to remember that to some degree or another. We've been here before, and there have been a lot of innovations and activities and work and leadership that have pulled us out of it, and so we need to remember our history a little bit, I think would be my recommendation there, and I think a lot of the associations do a great job In reminding everyone what the historical background is and in some of our why Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance is a great example of what an association can do for a region on a national and international level. [00:30:03] I will continue to sing their praises because I think they've done a beautiful job in what they've done over the last 15 years. When you look at You know, what's happening from a government and regulation standpoint, you know, we have to band together as a community and be loud voices. We can't just rely on our neighbor or our representative to be our representative voice. [00:30:25] We need to make sure that we continue to be out there and loud. The other thing too is. We have a community, but we have a tendency to not keep collaboration consistent, and I would love to see our industry collaborate a little bit more, particularly on social media. I know that there's a lot of people probably listening to this right now thinking, why is social media even a remote solution? [00:30:48] But the amount of consumption from the younger generation that are now of drinking age that have not adopted wine as a beverage of choice, consume a huge amount of social media, more than they do TV, more than they do reading, more than any other culture. aspect of information gathering or any other platform that's available to them. [00:31:10] And we have an opportunity to band together and collaborate and change the algorithm regarding wine on social media. And I love to see us do that. We haven't done it. And there's various methods of doing that. And again, could probably be another podcast. I'm by no means the foremost expert on that, but our collaborative efforts. [00:31:27] We'll just drop that because I don't even remember exactly [00:31:30] Craig Macmillan: I think that's sound advice And it's always been a challenge. We do have some statewide Organizations that have that mission. They have a lot on their plate But I agree with you. I think that that is definitely the route or it seems to be the route There's more more research coming out that's showing that Not just the time but also like where people get their news You know, it shows you how important that is to them, how important , that venue is to them. [00:31:55] Eddie Urman: 1 of the things for me to extrapolate on that a little bit. What Audra was talking about is unified at the industry hot topics. Um. Rock mcmillan talked for a minute. The ceo of silicon bank about the wine industry Not itself and taking market share from itself, but taking market share from wine from beer from spirits They've clearly done that to us. [00:32:18] I mean It's a competition. It is what it is, and we've not done a great job marketing To younger, younger generations, everybody knows that everybody repeats it, but what are we going to do about it? And how can we as an industry figure out how to do a better job getting people exposed to wine, getting people to enjoy wine? [00:32:37] Audra Cooper: Yeah, I like that, Eddie. It's time to get aggressive and it's time to re enter wine in the conversation of culture and being part of the daily lifestyle. We've let it kind of fall by the wayside and it's time to get aggressive about what wine can be and was and should be here in the near future. [00:32:57] Craig Macmillan: right. You'd mentioned, you know, what's happened in the past. Audra, are there lessons that we learned that we are forgetting from 20 years ago or lessons that we should have learned 20 years ago that might help us now? [00:33:11] Audra Cooper: it's, that's an interesting question, and I think it is a great question of merit, because history does tend to repeat itself I think we need to get better about predictive trends, and I don't know what the answer is to that, I just know that we need to do that and again, we, we kind of talked about it early in the podcast here that, you know, it's really hard to plant a trend, because you're usually behind the eight ball on it. [00:33:38] And I think that we need to get better about how we plan for the future. I think we forget that, you know, Robert Mondavi and the Gallo's and, and countless others who came before us really went out. To the masses and marketed wine, not just their brands or their programs. They were out there to make sure that they were representing the wine industry and the product that we produce first and foremost. [00:34:06] And so I think there's that element. It's not necessarily missing, but it's not loud enough and it's not aggressive enough. And so we definitely need some leaders to come forward in that regard and really push the initiatives. That we fought so hard to stay in business for. When you look back historically to, I think we have a tendency to kind of do the blame game a little bit. [00:34:28] Like, you've planted too much over there on the coast and you've removed too much of the northern interior and you're charging too much up there in the north coast. And the reality is there's a place. For everyone to play and instead of being the competitive set that we are, again, to Eddie's point that Rob McMillan made as state of the industry, we should be looking at how do we take market share from our competitors, which are beer and spirits, RTDs, and so forth, not from each other. [00:34:57] Craig Macmillan: Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. It sounds like it's a time when we need to see some new leadership step up or some folks to take leadership roles which is always kind of scary. [00:35:08] Audra Cooper: It is. It's, it's, you know, here's the, the beautiful thing about emotion though. It's usually a call to action. So if we get scared enough. Someone will do something and I think we're just about there, and, and there's probably people working in the shadows that we're not aware of that will probably come forward here soon, you know, there's great leadership at CAWG level with their association as well as the Wine Institute, they're working hard every single day to be lobbyists , for our industry and to be making sure that they're representing our issues and finding solutions, solutions. [00:35:40] You know, one of the big things that I've learned over the last couple of years, particularly this last year, is, is that we are all responsible for our future and making sure our future is compelling. And so we need to be supporting those associations and paying attention to the relevancy of the information that's out there. [00:35:55] Craig Macmillan: Yeah, that's excellent. This is a, again, kind of a, kind of a tangent and it may not lead anywhere, but I, I just had this thought. You were talking about sustainability certifications and how important they are for growers now. Do you think that communicating the sustainability story of wineries and probably done at an individual level and then spreading out from there do you think consumers would respond to that? [00:36:17] Eddie Urman: Yeah it's hard to say because marketing is not my forte, but I, it sure seems like with the trends as far as health conscious and all this, I think it would resonate with them. It really should. And it's something we should probably capitalize on more as an industry in general. Yeah. [00:36:33] Craig Macmillan: That's interesting. Well do you have, does anybody have like a final message or one thing you would tell growers on this topic? Audra, [00:36:40] Audra Cooper: Well, we covered a lot of topics today, and I think I'll leave everyone with the same thing I said earlier, Where focus goes, energy flows, and if we're focused on the negative, and we're focused on how tough the industry is right now, that's where we're going to be. If we're focused on solutions, we'll find one that works, and it's going to be different for everyone. [00:37:04] Everyone's solution may look a little bit different. This is both an individual and industry wide issue that we're facing currently. with the downturn in the industry and the extreme oversupply. But I have faith that the work that's already being done will pull us out of this. We just need to get innovative in how we market to new consumers. [00:37:26] Craig Macmillan: That's great. Where can people find out more about you folks? [00:37:29] Eddie Urman: on our website. , you can get our information on there and reach out and contact us. Anything else Audra. Right. [00:37:44] Audra Cooper: Year you can go to our social media Turrentine Brokerate or you can find me at GrapeBroker on Instagram. You can also call us or email us or text us if you'd like, or smoke signal us too, although please don't carry fires. [00:37:50] Craig Macmillan: Anyway, right. Well, thank you so much. I guess today we're Audrey Cooper she is a director of great brokerage at Turrentine. Brokerage and Eddie Urman, who is the central coast, great broker Turrentine. Thank you both for being here and having such an interesting conversation. It's an important topic with a lot of question marks, lots and lots of questions, but I think we had some good things come out of it and I really appreciate it. [00:38:11] Audra Cooper: All right. Thank you.  [00:38:17] Beth Vukmanic: Thank you for listening. Today's podcast was brought to you by wonderful laboratories. Wonderful laboratories. Operates two state of the art high throughput laboratories to support pathogen detection and nutrient analysis. The team provides full service support to customers with field sampling, custom panels, and special projects. Their customers include pest control advisors, growers, consultants, seed companies, backyard gardeners, researchers, and more. [00:38:45] Make sure you check out the show notes for links to Turntine brokerage. Their previous interview on the Sustainable Winegrowing podcast, that's number 259, wine Grape Market Trends for 2024, plus other sustainable wine growing podcast episodes, including 265. How to stand out on social media in 2025 and 268 how to tackle leadership transitions successfully.   [00:39:10] If you'd like this show, do us a big favor by sharing it with a friend, subscribing and leaving us a review. [00:39:16] You can find all of the podcasts@vineyardteam.org/podcast and you can reach us at podcast@vineyardteam.org. Until next time, this is Sustainable Winegrowing with the Vineyard team.   Nearly perfect transcription by Descript

When a crisis hits, communicators are the ones working behind the scenes to fix the problem and rescue a brand's reputation. This episode of The PR Week comes to you live from the 2025 PRWeek Crisis Comms Conference, where leaders from media, corporate communications and public affairs shared what it takes to stay steady under pressure.You'll hear from Judy Smith, whose career inspired Scandal; NFL SVP Katie Hill on managing a live emergency; and former Boeing and White House communications aide Brian Besanceney. Plus, Audrey Cooper of New York Public Radio unpacks the media's shifting role, and reaction from panelists on how to engage audiences that don't want to listen. Follow us: @PRWeekUSReceive the latest industry news, insights, and special reports. Start Your Free 1-Month Trial Subscription To PRWeek

Warning: This episode contains profane language and detailed descriptions of sexual assault allegations.More than 20 women say a man who went by Officer “Champagne” sexually assaulted them while they were held at the Rikers Island women's jail. Their allegations span decades and they are now suing the city for more than $500 million. But the Department of Correction says there was no one with that name who worked there during that time.WNYC spoke with several women who say they were assaulted by Champagne, and started to unravel the mystery. Who was Correction Officer Champagne?What the WNYC investigation found led to more questions — including why city officials have done so little to investigate more than 700 recent claims of sexual assault at the troubled jail?.Related links:He was Officer 'Champagne' at Rikers. 24 women accused him of sexual assault in jailRikers guard charged with rape while off duty has a string of accusations from detaineesCREDITSReporter: Jesse EdwardsEditor: Christopher WerthExecutive producer: Ave CarrilloProducer: Jared MarcelleContributors: Jared Marcelle, Samantha MaxTechnical Director: Wayne ShulmisterAudio Mixing: Wayne Shulmister, Liora Noam-KravitzMusic: Jared Paul, Owen KaplanEpisode art: Rhe CivitelloThanks to:  Sean Bowditch, Stephanie Clary, Audrey Cooper, Lauren Cooperman and Ann Givens Tell us what you think. We're @noteswithkai on Instagram and X (Twitter). Email us at notes@wnyc.org. Send us a voice message by recording yourself on your phone and emailing us, or record one here.Notes from America airs live on Sundays at 6 p.m. ET. The podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts.

How have career opportunities changed during the pandemic? Are fewer employers hiring? In this episode, APU Dean of the School of Business Dr. Marie Gould Harper talks to longtime academic career services advisor and human resources expert Audrey Cooper about the changes in hiring and recruitment in today's economy. Learn about the current disconnect, where students believe there aren't as many job opportunities, but employers say they're not getting enough applicants. Also learn tips for how students can highlight their transferable skills, interview remotely, and be a competitive candidate in a global recruitment effort. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode Notes Please rate, review, and/or subscribe on Apple Podcasts to help promote this show! Previous entries on Left of the Movies 1 Medium Cool (+ discussion of the 2016 & 2020 Democratic convention) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/medium-cool-left-of-the-movies-1-episode-4/id1521758273?i=1000489192396 2 Climactic class Violence in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Joker, The Irishman & Parasite (+ discussion of 2020 reflected in these 2019 films) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/parasite-joker-irishman-once-upon-time-in-hollywood/id1521758273?i=1000499250140 For more thoughts on politics in 2020-21, visit my most recent patron episode... Episode 76 bonus - Political reflections: Pandemic, Protest, Election, Insurrection & The Future https://www.patreon.com/posts/48925118 You can explore all of my podcasts, including over 200 hours of Patreon content, on my website https://www.lostinthemovies.com/p/film-in-focus.html & https://www.lostinthemovies.com/p/film-capsule.html OTHER LINKS Politically Incorrect - Boots Riley - part 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-9qBY-Bypk & part 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xDd6ZzKnMM Rising - Krystal and Saagar: Bernie HEADS To Alabama As Amazon Union Drive Becomes National Flash Point (The Hill - Rising video) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnG99AuPm-s ...including PODCASTS on Sorry to Bother You (available on iTunes as well): Champagne Sharks 107: Sorry to Bother You feat. Michael Brooks (@_michaelbrooks) (07/22/2018) https://soundcloud.com/champagnesharks/cs-107-sorry-to-bother-you-feat-michael-brooks-michaelbrooks-7222019 The Michael Brooks Show - 50 - Dave Rubin's Dumb & Sorry to Bother You ft. Ana Kasparian & Briahna Gray https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Zr2fTR_fbg The Film Comment Podcast: Sorry to Bother You https://www.filmcomment.com/blog/film-comment-podcast-sorry-bother/ The Film Comment Podcast: Boots Riley and Questlove https://www.filmcomment.com/blog/film-comment-podcast-boots-riley-questlove/ I Think You're Interesting with Emily VanDerWerff - Sorry to Bother You director Boots Riley on labor unions, capitalism and his hit movie https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/vox/i-think-youre-interesting/e/55504024 Jacobin Radio - The Dig: Boots Riley on Sorry to Bother You and Communism https://www.blubrry.com/jacobin/36134236/the-dig-boots-riley-on-sorry-to-bother-you-and-communism/ • My recent work: NEW ON MY SITE Mad Men - "Public Relations" (season 4, episode 1) https://www.lostinthemovies.com/2021/03/mad-men-public-relations-season-4.html & Start of Spring update https://www.lostinthemovies.com/2021/03/start-of-spring-update.html & Images from a return to Twin Peaks (2 of 2): Mark Frost, Other Collaborators, and The Return https://www.lostinthemovies.com/2021/03/images-from-return-to-twin-peaks-2-of-2.html ALSO NEW ON PATREON ($1/MONTH) - in addition to political episode mentioned above... Episode 76: Twin Peaks cinema - Kings Row (+ Twin Peaks Reflections: Nicky, Dougie, Hide-Out Wallies, Timber Falls Motel, Milford family/The Secret History of Twin Peaks, Lee Atwater documentary, updates on Journey Through Twin Peaks/Lost in Twin Peaks & more) https://www.patreon.com/posts/48934221 & Episode 76 bonus - Film capsules: Us, Brideshead Revisited, The Roosevelts, Reagan (+ A Letter to Three Wives, The Enchanted Cottage, Waking Sleeping Beauty, Knights of the Round Table, Rasputin and the Empress & more) https://www.patreon.com/posts/48919348 & Episode 76 bonus - Listener feedback: Twin Peaks & video games, Audrey/Cooper, what led to Cooper's downfall, Sunset Blvd., importance of season 2 subplots, "wrong turn" in season 3 climax?, Mark Frost in collaboration and tension w/ David Lynch, Laura (1944), Seattle connections, 2014 zeitgeist vs 80s/90s era & now (+ why podcasts are late, upcoming installments & more) https://www.patreon.com/posts/48631588 & Episode 76 bonus - Podcast recommendations (1 of 4) https://www.patreon.com/posts/48891344 (2 of 4) https://www.patreon.com/posts/48896274 (3 of 4) https://www.patreon.com/posts/48908252 (4 of 4) https://www.patreon.com/posts/48916266 PREVIOUSLY ON THIS PODCAST The Lobster https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lobster/id1521758273?i=1000511495686 This episode's home page on my site, active at 8am on March 25, is https://www.lostinthemovies.com/2021/03/sorry-to-bother-you-left-of-movies.html

Health reporter Erin Allday joins hosts Heather Knight and Demian Bulwa to talk about life in the coronavirus pandemic one year after the Bay Area's shutdown order. We hear from listeners, medical workers and former Fifth & Mission host Audrey Cooper. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, the guys sit down with Dr. Carl Law. They reference cooking in their discussion and this podcast has equal parts fun, comedy, education, and sincerity to make a batch of awesome. Honestly, you would think the trio has been hanging out for years together after listening to this podcast. Dr. Law is an incredible human being who has the most sincere passion for his profession and patients. He discusses anesthesiology, patient care, case studies, his craft and how it is science and art, who picks the music in the operating room, and of course, his friendship with Dr. Silka (check out Dr. Silka's interview to understand the backstory). You do not want to miss this episode. The guys knew very little (read:nothing) about anesthesiology and had an absolute blast getting an entertaining education from Dr. Law. You will love this episode and we highly recommend you tell a friend to listen to this one!Email the guys: offtheboxpodcast@gmail.comFollow us on Instagram - the photo shoots give the full story.As always, many thanks to Steve and Audrey Cooper for production, executive production, and graphic design. We would not look and sound good without them.

Chronicle Editor in Chief and Fifth & Mission co-host Audrey Cooper says farewell as she heads off for her new job as editor in chief at WNYC in New York. She and co-host Heather Knight welcome Demian Bulwa back to the show. He preceded Heather behind the Fifth & Mission mic, and now he'll succeed Audrey. | Get full Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chronicle editor-in-chief Audrey Cooper returns to Total SF after her surprise announcement that she'll take over as editor of public radio powerhouse WNYC. Hosts Peter Hartlaub and Heather Knight talk to Cooper about her first time in San Francisco, her move to New York and the editor submits to Knight's lightning round. And the trio break down one more movie together, "The Pursuit of Happyness," the story of a homeless man struggling to raise his son and become a stockbroker in 1980s S.F. Produced by Peter Hartlaub. Music is "The Tide Will Rise" by the Sunset Shipwrecks off their album "Community" and cable car bell ringing by 8-time champion Byron Cobb. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Larry talks with Audrey Cooper, Editor-in-Chief of the San Francisco Chronicle, about local newsrooms, the ongoing COVID pandemic, the power of protests against systemic racism sweeping the nation, and the renewed importance of journalism.Episode first aired on June 11, 2020 on KVON 1440AM in Napa, California.___Podcast Name: Deep Dive with Larry KamerEpisode Name: San Francisco Chronicle Editor-in-Chief Audrey Cooper The Deep Dive with Larry Kamer podcast, originating from the studios of KVON in California’s Napa Valley, shares insights, stories, and perspectives you might not hear elsewhere. In this episode, host Larry Kamer interviews the editor-in-chief of the San Francisco Chronicle, Audrey Cooper. Audrey is the first woman in this role in the history of her company, the youngest woman in US history to run a major metro newsroom, and only the third female editor-in-chief of a top-25 US paper. Under her leadership, the paper has been heralded the best large newspaper in California each year, and has won various journalism awards and Emmys. While she is planning to leave her post (and California!) in the near future, Audrey is not yet able to share where her new post will take her. She has many insights to share, however, on current events in the journalism world. Larry first asks Audrey to comment on the state of the US (and, more specifically, the Bay Area) right now. Audrey described the division, distrust, racism, and withholding of information from the public that she sees around her. With regard to her work in journalism, she also describes what the current climate is like for people in her line of work. The suppression of reporters’ work by law enforcement is nothing new, as Larry and Audrey consider, but there are unique factors in the fear, hatred, and danger of the present day, and Audrey has to take extra precautions with her staff. That being said, she balances her realism about present challenges with an optimistic outlook and admirable ability to see through overstated critiques of the current moment. Audrey and Larry also spend much of their time together discussing Facebook, which Audrey believes shows only a disingenuous appreciation of local news. She critiques it and its CEO roundly, addressing such things as disinformation and dishonesty, a lack of moral authority, financial motivations, lack of proper regulation, and harm done to democratic structures. Audrey and Larry conclude their conversation by talking about both the threat and possibilities for partnership presented by alternative news organizations, and by talking about the positives and negatives of the Bay Area. Audrey used to hate Californians, not understanding their constant smiles, exercising for fun, and weird food. A couple years into her California tenure, she found she was one of them, and she now appreciates not only the weather and wine, but also the amalgamation of people who believe in what the Bay Area represents. Links:Learn more about Audrey.Learn more about the San Francisco Chronicle.Learn more about the podcast on Twitter (@deepdiveshow), Instagram (@deepdiveshow), and Facebook.Email suggestions for the show to deepdiveshow@winedownmedia.

Curfews have been imposed across the region and country as protestors spill onto city streets. In some towns, major shopping areas have been looted. Chronicle East Bay columnist Otis Taylor Jr. joins Audrey Cooper to talk about the unrest that's followed the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police. | Full Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Slowly but surely, governments are reopening parks, preserves, beaches and lakes. The Chronicle is keeping track of all the open places to recreate, and outdoors writer Tom Stienstra joins Audrey Cooper to discuss the dos and don’ts of venturing outside this Memorial Day weekend and beyond. | Coronavirus coverage: sfchronicle.com/coronavirus | Full Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Total SF breaks down "Contagion," The Steven Soderbergh film was not considered a San Francisco classic (or even an S.F. movie) when it came out in 2020, but it has become iconic for its clairvoyance of the coronavirus pandemic. Hosts Peter Hartlaub and Heather Knight are joined by Chronicle editor Audrey Cooper, and they talk about how a Chronicle desk got in the movie, the short life span of Gwenyth Paltrow and what the movie got right and wrong. Produced by Peter Hartlaub. Music is "The Tide Will Rise" by the Sunset Shipwrecks off their album "Community," and cable car bell ringing by 8-time champion Byron Cobb. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gov. Gavin Newsom announces some changes to how businesses may operate under shelter-in-place orders — but they won’t supersede the Bay Area’s more stringent limitations, and they certainly aren’t as loose as some conservatives might like. Alexei Koseff joins Audrey Cooper to explain what’s allowed. | Get full coronavirus coverage: sfchronicle.com/coronavirus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This podcast's timeline is ending, but the show will go on! Host Heather Knight is joining Audrey Cooper as co-host of the Chronicle's flagship podcast, Fifth & Mission, where she'll continue to interview newsmakers. And her patented Lightning Round is going with her. Subscribe to Fifth & Mission to keep listening. podfollow.com/fifth Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To better cover the coronavirus pandemic and its fallout, City Hall columnist and San Francisco City Insider host Heather Knight joins Fifth & Mission as co-host with Audrey Cooper. In this episode, the new co-hosts discuss Heather's recent stories about how COVID-19 deaths are likely being undercounted, and how City Hall is failing the homeless. | Get unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Essential workers who rely on BART feel even less safe in transit than they did before coronavirus prompted shelter-in-place orders, as the homeless population on the trains seems to be rising and fare evasion is still rampant. Phil Matier joins Audrey Cooper to discuss the eerie situation. | Get unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Coronavirus is spreading among health care workers and first responders. Reporter Megan Cassidy joins Audrey Cooper to talk about what local police, fire and ambulance companies are doing to limit exposure, including rationing of services and limiting arrests. Plus: Why is one ambulance company considering furloughing its EMTs? | Get unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’re confused about the money you could be entitled to receive from the government, you’re not alone. Columnist Kathleen Pender tells Audrey Cooper about the new programs designed to help people who have lost income due to coronavirus and COVID-19. She also explains some obscure programs you probably don’t know about. | Get unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s all but certain that most, if not all, California schools will remain closed for the rest of the academic year. Does this mean students will fall woefully behind? And what does it show about the inequities in our current public education system? Reporter Jill Tucker joins Audrey Cooper with a reassuring message for stressed out parents: The kids will be OK. | Coronavirus coverage: sfchronicle.com/coronavirus | Full Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The epicenter of the U.S. coronavirus pandemic is New York City, where officials acted more slowly than the Bay Area to shut down businesses and schools. Health reporter Erin Allday and Audrey Cooper talk about whether we’ve escaped the worst of the outbreak, or if New York’s overwhelmed hospitals and dramatic death counts are a harbinger of what’s to come. | Get unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Congress is on the brink of passing a historic $2 trillion aid package that could mean cash payments to some Americans, loans for big and small businesses and an expansion of unemployment benefits. Dustin Gardiner joins Audrey Cooper to discuss what is happening in Washington. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For weeks, the country has struggled to test everyone suspected of having the coronavirus, a key part of helping to slow the spread of Covid-19. Catherine Ho and Audrey Cooper talk about whether it's too late. | Get unlimited Chronicle access. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

People who've lost jobs are worrying about how to pay their bills, and many who work for essential businesses are worrying about staying safe. Reporter Mallory Moench joins Audrey Cooper to discuss the morale of the Bay Area workforce. | Get unlimited Chronicle access. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Health reporter Erin Allday joins Audrey Cooper to talk about whether the current shelter-in-place is working to #FlattentheCurve, if the entire country could soon follow suit, and what optimistic signs we're seeing in China. Plus, she answers some of our most-asked reader questions. | Get unlimited Chronicle access. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As hospitals brace for a surge of coronavirus patients, many are running out of critical protective gear — especially masks. Rachel Swan and Audrey Cooper discuss a situation so dire the CDC is telling health workers to wear scarves and bandanas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Bay Area is shutting down after an emergency order across most of the region that's the nation's strongest move so far in response to the coronavirus threat. Erin Allday and Audrey Cooper discusse what is — and isn't — covered by the order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Reporter — and former kindergarten teacher — Steve Rubenstein gives Audrey Cooper and all parents advice on what to do with kids who are because of school closures in response to the coronavirus. Plus: Thoughts from a real expert, age 7. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus... Brian Stelter's message about "social distancing;" Juliette Kayyem on covering an unprecedented "50-state disaster;" James Hamblin on what we're missing to fight the virus; Susan Glasser on misinformation coming from the most powerful; and former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy on the pandemic's future. Oliver Darcy, Dr. James Hamblin, Juliette Kayyem, Michele Matassa Flores, Audrey Cooper, Susan Glasser, Dr. Vivek Murthy and Andrew Rossi join Brian Stelter.

Coronavirus has forced thousands, maybe millions, of Americans to work from home. That includes Chronicle journalists like Audrey Cooper and Mallory Moench, who discuss pros and cons and what to expect. | Get unlimited Chronicle access. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Flying cameras are swarming San Francisco's landmark bridge, and officials say photos are being taken illegally. Business reporter Roland Li talks to Audrey Cooper about the rise – and crashes – of local drones. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Health reporter Erin Allday joins Audrey Cooper to explain the latest on the coronavirus response and business reporter Mallory Moench explains what parents should do to keep kids safe and calm. | Get unlimited Chronicle access. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Super Tuesday is over and we're down to a two-man race. It's All Political host Joe Garofoli and John Wildermuth join Audrey Cooper on the Chronicle's flagship podcast to break down the results. | Get unlimited Chronicle access. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Super Tuesday is over and we're down to a two-man race. Joe Garofoli and John Wildermuth join Audrey Cooper to break down the results, including some interesting races you might not have thought much about. | Get unlimited Chronicle access. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's All Political host Joe Garofoli joins Audrey Cooper and John Wildermuth on the Chronicle's flagship news podcast to break down what's likely to happen as Californians head to the polls. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nearly four decades after the Equal Rights Amendment was declared dead, politics writer Dustin Gardiner joins Audrey Cooper to talk about why the battle to enshrine women’s rights has returned. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After reading Sam Whiting's story about the new so-called "Van Mission" neighborhood, Total SF calls an emergency podcast to determine what is and isn't a real neighborhood in San Francisco. Our team includes host Peter Hartlaub, editor-in-chief Audrey Cooper, urban design critic John King and features writer Sam Whiting. We discuss the often sketchy history of new neighborhoods and decide whether neighborhoods including NoPa, The Tendernob and La Lengua should be recognized by the media and the masses.. Produced by Peter Hartlaub. Music is "The Tide Will Rise" by the Sunset Shipwrecks off their album "Community." Cable car bell ringing by eight-time champion Byron Cobb. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Esther Mobley, wine critic and author of the Drinking With Esther newsletter, and Audrey Cooper go deep into the history of Beer Week, trends in regional craft brewing and how you can celebrate this year.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

San Francisco Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru and Lefty O'Doul's owner Nick Bovis are charged with fraud after a months-long federal corruption probe. Audrey Cooper, Heather Knight and Evan Sernoffsky explain.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

San Francisco City Insider host Heather Knight joins Audrey Cooper and Evan Sernoffsky in this breaking news episode of the Fifth & Mission podcast from the San Francisco Chronicle, which we're presenting on the City Insider feed. San Francisco Director of Public Works Mohammed Nuru and Lefty O'Doul's owner Nick Bovis are charged with fraud after a months-long federal corruption probe. | Get unlimited Chronicle access. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cell phones and laptops are being stolen from BART passengers at a higher rate than ever. Phil Matier and Audrey Cooper discuss the crime wave, what BART's trying to do about it, and how you can avoid being a victim.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Chronicle’s critic talks about the best, worst and most interesting movies of the year with Audrey Cooper — who’s seen none of them — and recalls the day he had to watch a Star Wars movie 6 times in a row. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is life like for teens about to graduate? Chronicle director of photography Nicole Frugé and photographer Gabrielle Lurie join Audrey Cooper to talk about Class of 2020, documenting life in Bay Area high schools.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chronicle wine critic Esther Mobley shares her secrets and brings her spit bucket for a tasting session with Audrey Cooper. Plus: How California vintners are adjusting to climate change, which threatens Cabernet Sauvignon, the state’s most important grape. First published Aug. 23, 2019. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since 1982, The Chronicle and the Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr. Fund have found a novel way to keep people from becoming homeless: The Season of Sharing Fund. Audrey Cooper and Kevin Fagan chat with new SOS executive director Zev Lowe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Reporter Lizzie Johnson and photographer Carlos Avila Gonzalez talk with editor in chief Audrey Cooper and a live audience at the Chronicle Center in San Francisco about covering wildfires — how they protect themselves, what risks they’re willing to take, what they have to know. First of two parts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Editorial Page Editor John Diaz and City Hall reporter Dominic Fracassa join Audrey Cooper to talk about today’s election in San Francisco, including two races that have received national attention: the four-way battle for district attorney and Prop C, which would regulate e-cigarettes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What would you do if you suddenly found a golden treasure? Audrey Cooper interviews reporters Tara Duggan and Jason Fagone about an unbelievable tale that took more than a year to report — the story of fisherman Joe Pennisi’s secret. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wine critic Esther Mobley joins Audrey Cooper to talk about how California’s biggest cash crop, the $40 billion wine industry, is faring in the latest round of wildfires and power shut-offs. Fifth & Mission is updating more frequently than usual this week as we focus on the developments around Northern California. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Megan Cassidy joins Audrey Cooper to talk about her reporting on the Kincade Fire, one of many wildfires around the Bay Area. J.D. Morris talks about the massive PG&E shut-offs in response to the weekend's major wind event — and the reactions by the public and Gov. Gavin Newsom.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Senior interactive developer Evan Wagstaff joins Audrey Cooper to talk about how he and his team build the tools that are some of the Chronicle's most popular features, including the California Fire Tracker and the PG&E Outage Map. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The San Francisco Chronicle arts writer joins Audrey Cooper in a chat about his new column exploring the Bay Area’s vibrant scene, what he learned from drag shows and how to be a supporter of the arts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Connor Letourneau joins Audrey Cooper to talk about what it’s like to cover the Golden State Warriors. They discuss what Steph Curry’s really like, how things will be different for the team at the Chase Center, and the “Connor Letourneau Curse.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Culture Desk Reporter Ryan Kost spent four days wandering the Bay Area to explore future flood zones, areas that scientists expect to be swallowed up by rising sea levels. He tells Audrey Cooper about what he learned there.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Bay Area is a quirky place. And The Chronicle is launching an effort to explore all of those quirks that make us hella Bay. Sarah Feldberg joins Audrey Cooper to debut the Culture Desk, a new coverage focus that will explore everything from wealth to sex to health and parenting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The San Francisco Chronicle's restaurant critic talks with Audrey Cooper about how she wants to challenge readers to think about where they dine and how that intersects with politics and influences local culture. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 92 of The Big Event is a tribute to "The Rock," the 1996 movie starring Nicolas Cage and Sean Connery. Host Peter Hartlaub, Chronicle columnist Heather Knight and editor-in-chief Audrey Cooper induct the film into the SF Cinema Greatest of All Time - despite some reluctance from Cooper. The Chronicle will screen "The Rock" at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26, 2019, at the Balboa Theatre, as the second #TotalSF movie night. Buy tickets here. Produced by Peter Hartlaub. Music is "The Tide Will Rise" by the Sunset Shipwrecks off their album "Community." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

San Francisco Chronicle reporter Justin Phillips talks to editor in chief Audrey Cooper about his new column on the African American experience in and around San Francisco.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Editor in chief Audrey Cooper and homelessness reporter Kevin Fagan talk about highlights from the recent Chronicle Talks event with Mayor London Breed and a panel of homeless people and experts.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alexei Koseff of the Chronicle's Sacramento bureau joins Audrey Cooper to talk about the state getting four carmakers to agree to cut emissions — a deal that puts California on a collision course with the Trump administration. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a collaboration with the NPR podcast Bay Curious from KQED, Chronicle editor in chief Audrey Cooper and reporter Kevin Fagan join host Olivia Allen-Price to answer four key questions about the homeless from listeners and readers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Chronicle’s new restaurant critic sat down with Audrey Cooper to talk about taking over longtime critic Michael Bauer’s signature list, what “top” means to her, and what’s different about the list this year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Chronicle’s new restaurant critic sits down with Audrey Cooper to talk about taking over longtime critic Michael Bauer’s signature list, what “top” means to her, and what’s different about the list this year.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Editor in chief Audrey Cooper and business reporter Catherine Ho discuss the latest in San Francisco’s efforts to ban the sale of e-cigarettes — and how Juul, the nation’s largest e-cigarette company and a fast-growing presence in the city, is pushing back. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Criminal justice reporter Megan Cassidy joins Audrey Cooper to talk about a 113% increase in drug overdoses in California prisons since 2015. Nearly 1,000 people received emergency medical attention in 2018. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 26, 2019: Neera Tanden, David Frum, Olivia Nuzzi, Ted Boutrous, Scott Pelley, Audrey Cooper and Paul Rieckhoff join Brian Stelter.

Chronicle editor-in-chief Audrey Cooper interviews reporter Catherine Ho about her story on why nonprofits that provide services for people with disabilities are shutting down across California. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For trans vocalists, the familiar categories that have long defined operatic and choral music don’t always apply. San Francisco Chronicle editor-in-chief Audrey Cooper talks with classical music critic Joshua Kosman about the artistic and physical realities of singing while trans. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A tribute to the Richmond District, recorded at the historic Balboa Theatre, before a #TotalSF screening of "So I Married an Axe Murderer." San Francisco columnist Heather Knight and The Big Event podcast host Peter Hartlaub interview Supervisor Sandra Fewer, former Green Apple Books co-owner Kevin Hunsanger, Balboa owner Adam Bergeron, Richmond resident and affordable housing analyst Sophie Hayward and Chronicle editor-in-chief Audrey Cooper. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 67 of The Big Event is a tribute to the Richmond District. Recorded at the historic Balboa Theatre before their screening of "So I Married an Axe Murderer," host Peter Hartlaub and San Francisco columnist Heather Knight interview Supervisor Sandra Fewer, former Green Apple Books co-owner Kevin Hunsanger, Balboa owner Adam Bergeron, Richmond resident and affordable housing analyst Sophie Hayward and Chronicle editor-in-chief Audrey Cooper. Recorded at the Balboa Theatre in San Francisco.. Theme music is "The Tide Will Rise" by the Sunset Shipwrecks off their album "Community." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Audrey Cooper, the editor in chief of the San Francisco Chronicle, reminds us that while we often turn our eyes toward Washington, it's local and regional journalism that actually shapes how we live, vote, and earn a living. She shares her vision of local news and the Chronicle's future.

Episode 66 of The Big Event is a tribute to the 1993 San Francisco movie "So I Married an Axe Murderer," which was filled with strife during production and was a box office disaster, but has endured as a classic. San Francisco Chronicle editor-in-chief Audrey Cooper and San Francisco columnist Heather Knight join host Peter Hartlaub to induct "Axe Murderer" in the SF Cinema Greatest of All Time.  Recorded in the San Francisco Chronicle basement archive. Theme music is "The Tide Will Rise" by the Sunset Shipwrecks off their album "Community." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An all-star cast of Chronicle political experts breaks down the biggest races and issues on election night 2018. San Francisco Chronicle senior political writer Joe Garofoli hosts this episode with editor in chief Audrey Cooper, editorial page editor John Diaz, political writer John Wildermuth, Sacramento bureau chief Melody Gutierrez and columnist Heather Knight.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An all-star cast of Chronicle political experts breaks down the biggest races and issues on election night 2018. San Francisco Chronicle senior political writer Joe Garofoli hosts this episode with editor in chief Audrey Cooper, editorial page editor John Diaz, political writer John Wildermuth, Sacramento bureau chief Melody Gutierrez and columnist Heather Knight.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

San Francisco Chronicle editor in chief Audrey Cooper moderates a panel at the Grand Theater in San Francisco on the midterm elections with columnist Heather Knight, columnist Phil Matier and senior political writer Joe Garofoli. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 47 of The Big Event is a discussion of burritos in San Francisco, including the history of the Mission-style burrito, discussions about Chipotle and the Pacifica Taco Bell - the most beautiful Taco Bell in the world. Host Peter Hartlaub welcomes San Francisco Chronicle food editor Paolo Lucchesi and editor-in-chief Audrey Cooper to discuss the best burritos they've ever eaten, and burrito etiquette. Produced by Peter Hartlaub. Music is "The Tide Will Rise" by the Sunset Shipwrecks on their album "Community." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 43 of The Big Event podcast inducts “Inside Out” in the SF Cinema Greatest of All Time. Host Peter Hartlaub is joined by Chronicle editor-in-chief Audrey Cooper and columnist Heather Knight, who talk about the subtle genius of the 2015 Pete Docter film, what it’s like to raise kids in San Francisco (where Riley moves to in “Inside Out”) and why this qualifies as one of the greatest S.F. films made. They also rank their favorite Pixar films, including … “Planes 2”?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chronicle editor-in-chief Audrey Cooper and San Francisco columnist Heather Knight join host Peter Hartlaub to induct "Milk" into the SF Cinema Greatest of All Time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Audrey Cooper is Editor-in-Chief of the San Francisco Chronicle. One of Cosmopolitan magazine’s ‘50 Fearless Women’ she joined as Assistant Metro Editor in 2006, and just nine years later became Editor-in-Chief - the first woman to hold the position in the publication’s 150 years, and the youngest-ever to fill the top post at a major US paper. In this in-depth interview, she shares the secrets of her amazing turnaround - from shedding staff and losing millions to a sustainable business with a record readership of 35 million; talks through innovations such as the re-introduction of an investigative team, and hiring a cannabis consultant to cover the now-legal marijuana industry; and fondly analyses San Francisco itself - contrasting the wealthy beneficiaries of the tech boom against a massive homelessness crisis, outlining how her paper is trying to be a catalyst for the solution.

Since Bay Curious first answered your questions on homelessness in 2017, the cost of living has continued to rise in the Bay Area and with it, the number of people living without a home. In the nine county Bay Area, just over 34,000 people are experiencing homelessness, according to point-in-time counts conducted in January by most counties In at least five of the nine counties, the recent count revealed an increase in the number of homeless people from the last time the count was done in 2017. In this episode, we explore four common questions about homelessness with Audrey Cooper, editor in chief of The San Francisco Chronicle and Kevin Fagan, a reporter with The San Francisco Chronicle who has covered homelessness for more than two decades. More resources: * 89 answers to your questions from The San Francisco Chronicle * One Day, One City, No Relief: 24 hours inside San Francisco’s Homeless Crisis * Homelessness in SF is Complex. Here Are Answers to the Most Common Questions == Produced by