Michigan has been the setting for thousands of films. At one point, the state encouraged movie makers through incentives to produce their films here.

Those programs were cancelled a decade ago. Since then, productions have largely gone elsewhere to shoot.

As for the films set in Detroit, which ones really capture the city, its essence and the people who live here?

Steven Shaviro is a former film critic and professor at Wayne State University. He joins The Metro to discuss and critique movies that were made in or about metro Detroit.

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After decades of decay, Detroit’s historic Packard Plant could be on the road to redevelopment.

The city announced a letter of intent with a developer to give 28-acres of the site new life. The plant as a whole has been a significant structure throughout Detroit’s history. It has seen the heights of the automotive boom and the consequences of disinvestment and neglect. 

When auto manufacturing operations at the plant came to an end in the mid-20th century, another generation reimagined the space. So which moments deserve to be preserved in its next chapter? 

Dave Marchioni, the industrial and automotive curator at the Detroit Historical Society, and John Lauter, Packard Plant historian, revisit key moments throughout it’s history. 

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As we draw closer to the Christmas season holiday cheer is right around the corner. What better way to bring in the Christmas vibes than a holiday concert extravaganza?

This Thursday, Holiday Detroit will put on a one night only showcase of music and dance featuring artists both near and far. Professional dancers, singers and musicians team up with students from Voyageur College Preparatory High School to put on this holiday performance. 

Lisa McCall is a renowned choreographer and a producer of the show. She joined the program with one of the showcases’ featured artist: The Temptations lead singer, Tony Grant.  

Tickets are available at holidaydetroit.com

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The Eastern Market just got a guardian to watch over the site.  The Robocop statue commemorating the 80s sci-fi film was finally installed after over a decade of planning. 

The sculpture was crafted by Venus Bronze Works and artist George Gikas after a crowd sourcing campaign sparked the idea in 2011.

The movie that inspired it centers Alex Murphy, a Detroit police officer who was killed on the job by criminal. A corporation tasked with reducing the city’s crime rate then uses his body to create a crime fighting cyborg.

The movie explores humanity, corporate greed and makes clever critiques of American politics and culture. The concept spawned multiple sequels, comics, an animated series, action figures and more. 

But what about the movie resonated so deeply with fans in Detroit that they were willing to help fund a sculpture to honor it?

Curtis Sullivan is the owner of the Vault of Midnight comic book stores and a member of the Robocop fanbase. He joined the program to discuss the significance of the film, its relevance to Detroit, and the new sculpture

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What policies do Black residents in Michigan want to see?

The Center for Community Uplift at the Brookings Institute measured the quality of life for Black residents across the state of Michigan. They found that Black residents own less homes, have a lower life expectancy and make less money than the state average. But they also discovered Black communities in Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids and some Detroit suburbs bucking that trend.

The team lead by Senior fellow Andre Perry surveyed residents in those areas and others across the state asking which policies and programs were working. After 150 Black residents responded, the team compiled that feedback and published a list of 29 policy recommendations in October.

Perry joined the program and broke down some of the findings from the report. 

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After a family trip to Syria at the tender age of ten, Michael Ibrahim’s parents handed him an oud. The lute or guitar-like instrument is prominent in Arab music, and it became a gateway that connected Ibrahim to his heritage.

Ibrahim insists that he, like any other kid, fell in love with playing music that reminds him of family and of home. Unlike many other kids, he grew older and constructed an entire orchestra to honor it. In 2009, he founded The National Arab Orchestra, and in the years since, the group has performed across the country and established itself as a national leader in Arab music.

Locally, the orchestra partners with public schools  to teach students about Arab culture and it performs regularly at the Detroit Music Hall. Michael Ibrahim joined the program to share his musical origins, how the orchestra came to be, and why he believes music can bring communities together.

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Trust in major news organizations is at an all time low.

According to a 2024 Gallup poll that has tracked trust in media for over 50 years, 30% of people said they do not trust mass media. Only 6% said they lack trust in the media when the survey was first taken in the 70s. 

When Danielle Brown, a professor of journalism at Michigan State University, asked Black communities in states like Michigan if they trusted the media, she discovered that they have trusted messengers for news. She joined the show to discuss her findings. 

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A legendary Detroit band has been recognized with one of music industry’s highest honors. 

The White Stripes were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame earlier this month. With that distinction, the band is now alongside some of Detroit’s greats, like Stevie Wonder, Bob Seger, and Aretha Franklin.

The duo exploded onto the national scene in the early 2000s and  released six studio albums across ten years. Songs like “Blue Orchid,” “Icky Thump,” and the iconic stadium banger “Seven Nation Army” are examples of the raw textures and driving beats that characterize their approach to garage-punk. 

Meg and Jack eventually split after 2011 but their contributions to music in Detroit and America will be forever recognized.  Mike Latulippe, host of The Detroit Move on WDET, played with Jack White back in the day. He joined the program to discuss the band’s legacy.

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The relationship between sports and gambling is getting complicated. 

In the years since the Supreme Court legalized sports betting across the nation, professional athletes have been in a lot of trouble.

Last month, NBA player Terry Rozier, assistant coach Damon Jones and Pistons legend Chauncey Billups were arrested in a wide-ranging federal investigation into illegal sports betting and rigged poker game schemes.   

Billups is accused of playing a role in a gambling scheme, not sports betting. But his potential role in a plot with ties to the Mafia raised many eyebrows, including those of longtime sports journalist Jemele Hill.

Hill is a Detroit native and someone who has been covering professional sports for years. She’s a contributing writer for The Atlantic and the host of Spolitics on iHeart. Hill joins the show to share her thoughts on how betting is changing sports and how the allegations against Billups impact his legacy.

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Controversy among local leaders in Oakland County is brewing.

A Detroit Free Press investigation uncovered gaps in the county’s laws that allowed multiple officials to engaged in conduct that experts say is a conflict of interest. Commissioners in Oakland County voted on contracts for organizations where they were also employed.

Detroit Free Press Investigative Reporter Dave Boucher joined the show to explain why those gaps exist and how to close them.  

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