Shows / One On One With Ian Donnis
One On One With Ian Donnis
Long-form, in-depth interviews with the people shaping Rhode Island. Hosted by veteran political reporter Ian Donnis, the show goes beyond the headlines to explore the ideas, experiences, and motivations of newsmakers, artists, activists, public officials and other influential voices.
Episodes
- One On One With Ian Donnis
Attorney General Peter Neronha on speaking his mind, taking on power and what’s next.
He built a reputation by fighting political corruption, clashing with the governor and speaking his mind on social media—but now, Peter Neronha’s…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
Are Rhode Island's kids alright? The state's Education Commissioner defends test scores
The latest report card is out for RI schools, and student achievement is flat. Data from the Department of Education shows most students are still falling…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
Why are Rhode Islanders so frustrated by politics? Live at the Providence Athenaeum
Why are Rhode Islanders so frustrated about politics? The answers include questions about competence in state government – as demonstrated by the…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
Too close to call: Matos vs. Loughlin in the race for RI Lieutenant Governor
Does Rhode Island really need a Lieutenant Governor? It’s a perennial debate, but this year’s close race is drawing attention. Democratic incumbent…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
Seth Magaziner on Congress, dysfunction and voter trust
With control of the U.S. House at stake in the midterm elections, Rhode Island Congressman Seth Magaziner is seeking a third term while facing an energetic…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
Gubernatorial forum, with Ken Block & Helena Foulkes, Sept. 30, 2026
Two top candidates for governor of Rhode Island squared off at a forum hosted by Ocean State Media's Ian Donnis. It was organized by the Women’s Fund of…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
Kim Ahern will likely become RI's next attorney general. What are her top priorities?
She outperformed three rivals in a heated Democratic primary and stands on the verge of becoming Rhode Island's second woman attorney general. On "One on One,"…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
Can RIPTA get back on track?
The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority has been getting Rhode Islanders where they need to go for six decades, but the last few years have been a rough…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
Ken Block makes his case against Helena Foulkes
Ken Block finally knows who he’ll face in November. After months of waiting for a Democratic nominee, the independent candidate for governor now has his…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
Why Providence painter & activist Jordan Seaberry says authoritarians should fear artists
Jordan Seaberry contends that authoritarian governments are afraid of artists - and should be. Seaberry is a Providence painter, activist and community…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
“Respect the office!” What was behind the heat of the recent Rhode Island gubernatorial debate?
It's a race to the finish in the Democratic campaign for governor of Rhode Island, complete with a few outbursts, insults and interruptions. Dan McKee has…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
Smiley vs. Morales: Who will be the Democratic contender in the Providence mayoral race?
It's down to the wire and still a close race: who will be the Democratic candidate for mayor of Providence? Incumbent Brett Smiley says he deserves another…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
Ocean State triage: Is Rhode Island healthcare in a state of emergency?
With crowded ERs, a primary care shortage and threats to Medicaid, are there any bright spots on Rhode Island's healthcare horizon - or is it time to perform…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
These RI Republicans want Magaziner’s Congressional Seat
Two Republicans square off in the primary election for Rhode Island’s Second Congressional District. Victor Mellor is a MAGA supporter who made headlines…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
New Bedford faces wind cuts, budget crunch
The historic port of New Bedford has faced a number of challenges lately: Trump administration moves against wind power and a budget crunch. Yet the…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
Can Downtown Providence Make Another Comeback?
Like the waters of its famous tidal rivers, the fortunes of downtown Providence have risen and fallen over the years. After an urban renaissance, the pandemic…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
How will Rhode Island’s New House Speaker Wield His Power?
Few elected officials have more influence in Rhode Island than the Speaker of the House. On One on One with Ian Donnis, Chris Blazejewski discusses his plans…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
Rhode Island's Next Governor?
The race for Rhode Island governor is entering a critical stretch. Campaign ads are hitting the airwaves, the Democratic primary is fast approaching, and…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
Can Philanthropy Change Rhode Island?
The Rhode Island Foundation is one of the oldest community foundations in the United States. Created in 1916, the foundation provides grants to support local…
One On One With Ian Donnis‘Some people are going to try to cheat’: John Marion on political corruption in Rhode Island
In nearly 20 years as executive director of the nonpartisan good-government group Common Cause Rhode Island, John Marion has scored a number of victories in…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
R.I. House Speaker Joe Shekarchi on the state budget, economy, and his next move
Though the 2025 General Assembly session is over in Rhode Island, all eyes remain on House Speaker Joe Shekarchi. The Warwick Democrat is a potential candidate…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
Common Cause of Rhode Island’s John Marion on good government, Trump, and more
The rise of Val Lawson as president of the Rhode Island Senate put questions of conflict of interest front and center at the Statehouse this year. That’s…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
Ashley Kalus on her plans for 2026, President Trump and what’s holding back the GOP in Rhode Island
Republicans run the show in Washington, D.C., these days, but the GOP remains on the margins in Rhode Island. The state hasn’t elected a Republican governor…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
State Rep. Jason Knight on the uncertain outlook for banning ‘assault weapons’ in Rhode Island
For people who want to ban new sales of so-called assault weapons in Rhode Island, this is the best of times AND the most uncertain of times. For years…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
R.I. Lt. Gov. Sabina Matos on responding to Trump, food deserts and Providence taxes
Rhode Island Lieutenant Governor Sabina Matos is expected to face competition from fellow Democrats when she seeks re-election next year. That is due to how a…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
Providence Foundation Executive Director David Salvatore on city finances, downtown’s future, and more
Rhode Island’s capital city of Providence has experienced dramatic ups and downs over time. These days, the city is still trying to bounce back from the loss…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
State Sen. Meghan Kallman on Pawtucket soccer, responding to Trump and top legislative issues
Pawtucket got a recent lift when the city’s newish soccer team, Rhode Island FC, played to a sold-out crowd during the home opener at the new stadium there…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
Steven Brown of the RI ACLU on civil liberties in the age of Donald Trump
Standing up for civil liberties tends to be a busy job. That’s even more true with President Trump pushing the bounds of executive power on a variety of…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
RI Young Republicans’ Ken Naylor + Young Democrats of RI’s Autumn Guillotte on organizing, young voters’ concerns + our aging political leaders
About 47 percent of registered voters ages 18 to 29 cast ballots in the U.S. presidential election last year. That’s less than the overall voting participation…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
RI Housing Secretary Deborah Goddard on what’s next with the new state housing plan
The median price of a home in Rhode Island is now the once unimaginable sum of almost $500,000. State leaders have tried for a few years to address the housing…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
U.S. Sen. Jack Reed on the fight over due process, and how Democrats should respond to Trump
The latest showdown involving President Trump centers on whether the White House violated a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court. The court ordered the Trump…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
RI House GOP Leader Mike Chippendale on Trump’s tariffs, government accountability and more
For now, it's unclear if Trump will be able to deliver on his promise to increase prosperity by bringing more manufacturing back to the US. Rodin was a hub of…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
RI Management and Budget Director Brian Daniels on Trump’s cuts, looking for waste and fraud, and more
The amount of money used to operate state government in Rhode Island has grown by 5 and a half billion dollars over the last 10 years, to $14.2 billion. Now…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
Cannabis Control Commission Chairwoman Kim Ahern on licensing, social equity, & more
It was almost three years ago when Rhode Island became the 19th state to legalize adult-use recreational marijuana. Supporters praised the move as a way to…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
Economic Progress Institute’s Weayonnoh Nelson-Davies on Trump, payday lending, and more
Advocating for low- and moderate-income Rhode Islanders can be an uphill battle during the best of times. Now, with the Trump administration cutting various…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
State Sen. Alana DiMario on Trump and what’s next in the Rhode Island Senate
State Senator Alana DiMario of Narragansett is a mental health counselor who first won election in 2020. She’s one of a number of progressive policy-oriented…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
RI Attorney General Peter Neronha on suing the Trump administration, and what is at stake
Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha is among a number of Democratic attorneys general suing the Trump administration. The litigation covers a range of…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
RI Senate GOP Leader Jessica de la Cruz on Trump, remaking government and Rhode Island Republicans
Republicans are riding high in Washington, with control of the White House, the U.S. Senate and the House. Back here in Rhode Island, the GOP faces a very…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
Mayor Smiley on Trump’s effect, Providence schools and what’s ailing Democrats
Rhode Island’s capital city, Providence, is overwhelmingly Democratic. But that doesn’t mean the city is beyond reach of the sweeping changes in government…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
Brown University Health President/CEO John Fernandez on Trump, RI healthcare
Rhode Island’s largest hospital group, Lifespan, changed its name last June to Brown University Health. The name change and related agreements were billed as a…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
Sen. Linda Ujifusa on Trump, RI Senate leadership, and making progress on healthcare
Linda Ujifusa, a Portsmouth Democrat, first won election to the Rhode Island Senate in 2022. As a progressive woman, she exemplifies how the General Assembly…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee on Trump, RI’s economy, Washington Bridge & more
A new era in American politics started with the return of Donald Trump to the White House this week. The effect is already being felt across the country due to…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
Providence Chamber President Laurie White
Elected officials in Rhode Island have been trying to reinvent the state’s economy practically since the Great Depression -- and it remains a work in progress…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
Shekarchi on a tough fiscal climate, making progress on housing, and more
Rhode Island House Speaker Joe Shekarchi starts 2025 in an enviable position. He has overwhelming support from the members who make up the House of…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
Sen. Ryan Pearson on what’s next for the RI Senate after a split in calls for new leadership
Ryan Pearson’s term as the second-ranking member of the Rhode Island Senate will formally end Tuesday. During a Democratic Senate caucus in November, Pearson…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
Housing Network of RI’s Melina Lodge on the housing crisis and how to move forward
Almost 66 percent of Rhode Island voters approved a November ballot question asking if they wanted to borrow $120 million to create more housing. But there are…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
U.S. Rep. Gabe Amo on where Democrats went wrong, what’s next, and his expectations for the Trump administration
Rhode Island’s two-member U.S. House delegation has turned over in the last few years. In the Second District, Congressman Jim Langevin dropped a surprise…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
Save The Bay’s Jed Thorp on climate change, Narragansett Bay, and more
The intense downpours causing more street flooding in the region in recent years reflect the impact of climate change. At the other end of the weather…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
Nirva LaFortune on what’s happening at City Year Providence
Nirva LaFortune emerged on Rhode Island’s political scene in 2017. That’s when she won a special election to represent Ward 3 on the East Side on the…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
What’s next for the Institute for Cybersecurity at Rhode Island College and RIC President Jack Warner
Rhode Island voters recently approved $73 million in borrowing to enhance the Institute for Cybersecurity and Emerging Technologies at Rhode Island College…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
How progressive state Rep. Megan Cotter won re-election in a conservative Rhode Island district as Trump rolled to victory
Megan Cotter is a progressive Democratic state representative who first won election by just 32 votes in 2022. Republicans had high hopes this week of winning…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
How a Trump election would affect R.I., why legislative incumbents maintain an edge, and more
Americans will finish voting Tuesday, although it remains unclear when a winner will be declared in the presidential race. It’s a more low-key election in…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
Gregg Amore on declining confidence in elections, Trump, and what’s next for a state archive
Americans’ confidence in elections has been shaken in recent years -- at least for *some*. Donald Trump’s false narrative about a stolen election in 2020 has…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
R.I. Attorney General Neronha on Washington Bridge, ILO Group probe and more
Donald Trump has vowed to go after his political enemies if he wins the presidential election. The U.S. Justice Department is part of the executive branch, so…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
State Rep. Patricia Morgan on her GOP challenge to U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse
Morgan, a Republican, says she would fight for her constituents and she’s trying to capitalize on issues like inflation and immigration. But Whitehouse has…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
Providence Journal columnist Mark Patinkin on violence in the Middle East, RI’s economic challenges and the local mediascape
When Hamas attacked Israel last October 7th, it raised concerns about a wider conflict in the Middle East. This week, Iran fired more than 180 missiles into…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
State Sen. Pamela Lauria on Rhode Island’s primary care shortage, Washington Bridge and what’s next in the Senate
Rhode Island faces a growing shortage of primary care doctors. Medical specialists make more money than primary care doctors, and the economic conditions for…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
Jennifer Hawkins of ONE Neighborhood Builders on Rhode Island’s housing crisis, Hasbro’s possible move and what’s next
Rhode Island’s housing crisis is a tough nut to crack. Even though hundreds of millions of dollars have been allocated to promote new housing, progress has…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
RI GOP Chairman Joe Powers on Tuesday’s primary, Trump, and what’s next for local Republicans
Tuesday’s Rhode Island primary featured a rare spotlight on Republican candidates. Cranston was the scene of a hard-fought mayoral campaign — one of the…
- One On One With Ian Donnis
Common Cause’s John Marion on 2024 elections, open records, and more
The former Providence Journal reporter Elliot Jaspin once called Rhode Island a theme park for journalists. The same could be said for advocates of good…