Marketplace Morning Report

Episode: The new "Be Kind, Rewind"
Date: December 29, 2025
Host: Nova Safo (in for David Brancaccio)
Guests: Julia Coronado (Macro Policy Perspectives), Caroline Ballard (Salt Lake City reporter), Kate Kowalczyk (Free Blockbuster box owner), David Tinsley (Bank of America Institute), Rebecca Drought (BBC)

Episode Overview

This Marketplace Morning Report packs several news updates and human-interest stories into under ten minutes. The episode highlights anticipated insights from the Federal Reserve's upcoming meeting minutes, the revival of “take a movie, leave a movie” kiosks as a response to rising entertainment costs, and a historical find relating to Scottish coinage. The tone is brisk, informative, and lightly nostalgic.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Federal Reserve Division and Policy Outlook

• [01:01-03:52]
• Marketplace’s Nova Safo interviews economist Julia Coronado about anticipated Federal Reserve meeting minutes and internal policy disagreements.

Main Insights:

• Disagreement Within the Fed:
  • Some members dissented on the latest rate cut, with division between those wanting more aggressive cuts and those wanting none at all.
  • “We had people who were dissenting against the decision to cut rates a quarter point, but both in favor of lower rates and in favor of no cuts at all.”
    – Julia Coronado [01:45]
• What to Watch for in Minutes:
  • Investors and analysts will be able to gauge how sentiment is divided and whether more policymakers are hawkish (concerned about inflation) or dovish (supportive of further cuts).
  • Julia expects more to be worried about inflation:
    “There are more people concerned about higher inflation than advocating for more rate cuts.”
    – Julia Coronado [02:28]
• Looking Ahead:
  • With President Trump set to appoint a new Fed chair, pressure is expected for lower rates, but internal disagreements will likely continue given persistent inflation worries.
  • “It is very likely that the next Fed chair will be somebody who is going to want to deliver lower rates for President Trump... but...there’s a lot of people on the committee that are very concerned that inflation has been running above the Fed’s 2% target for more than four years now.”
    – Julia Coronado [03:14]

2. The Rise of “Little Free Blockbuster” Movie Kiosks

• [03:53-06:17]
• Caroline Ballard reports from Salt Lake City on the resurgence of community lending kiosks for DVDs and VHS tapes.

Main Insights:

• Nostalgia and Community:
  • “Little free blockbuster” boxes mimic book-lending libraries, bringing the social, tactile experience of browsing for movies to new generations.
  • “I got to witness like a young preschooler learn what DVDs were. And that was incredible to be a part of that.”
    – Kate Kowalczyk [04:46]
• Economic Drivers:
  • Rising subscription prices and password sharing crackdowns drive consumers to rethink entertainment costs, making free community options more appealing.
  • David Tinsley observes, “Consumers are squeezed…streaming is one of the areas they can look at and take a fresh look at.”
    – David Tinsley [05:23]
• Changing Consumption Habits:
  • The shift from goods (DVDs, CDs) to services (streaming) alters how people budget for and experience entertainment.
  • “We used to go and buy DVDs, and now we subscribe and we used to buy CDs, and now we stream.”
    – David Tinsley [05:43]
• Joy and Social Value:
  • Kate emphasizes the contagious happiness brought by even small acts of sharing. “I think joy is contagious. And so it's been so fun and joyful for me to just witness … to see that smile…has brought a lot of joy into my life.”
    – Kate Kowalczyk [05:59]
• Origin Fact:
  • Nova Safo notes: “According to freeblockbuster.org, the idea started in 2019 when a former Blockbuster Video employee in Los Angeles repurposed abandoned newspaper dispensers.”
    – [06:17]

3. Historic Coin Find in Scotland

• [07:45-08:37]
• The BBC’s Rebecca Drought reports on the discovery of the earliest known coin minted in Scotland.

Main Insights:

• Historical Significance:
  • Coin from the reign of King David I (1124-1153), minted in Edinburgh.
  • Previously, earliest coins in Scotland were thought to have been made elsewhere; this one changes historical understanding.
• Finder Rewarded:
  • Discovered by an amateur with a metal detector, valued and rewarded at £15,000 (about US$20,000).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Fed Disagreement:
  “There are more people concerned about higher inflation than advocating for more rate cuts.”
  – Julia Coronado [02:28]

• On the Little Free Blockbuster: “Take a movie, leave a movie, which is the whole premise.”
  – Kate Kowalczyk [04:29]

• On Cultural and Cost Shifts: “We used to go and buy DVDs, and now we subscribe and we used to buy CDs, and now we stream.”
  – David Tinsley [05:43]

• On Community Joy: “Joy is contagious…to see that smile...has brought a lot of joy into my life.”
  – Kate Kowalczyk [05:59]

• On Historical Discovery: “The silver coin…bears an inscription showing it was minted in Edinburgh in the second half of the 1130s.”
  – Rebecca Drought [08:02]

Useful Timestamps

• 01:01 — Fed meeting preview and introduction of Julia Coronado
• 01:45 — Discussion of Fed divisions
• 02:23 — What the upcoming minutes could reveal
• 03:12 — Implications of a new Fed chair appointment
• 03:53 — “Be Kind, Rewind” cultural story introduction
• 04:07 — Interview with Salt Lake City “free blockbuster” owner
• 05:23 — Economic context of streaming and subscriptions
• 05:59 — Community impact of free movie sharing
• 06:17 — Origin story of the free blockbuster project
• 07:45 — Historic Scottish coin discovery report

Summary

This news-rich episode delivers critical updates on financial policy debate within the Fed as the U.S. approaches a leadership transition, reflects on shifting consumer habits amid rising costs, and closes with an archaeological find rewiring Scottish monetary history. The reporting expertly weaves together policy analysis, human interest, and global context with a light, engaging tone. The nostalgic “be kind, rewind” angle offers both a sense of community and insight into how economic pressure is reviving creative, communal solutions.