The weather outside is frightful (so's the heating bill)

December 25, 2025

AI Summary

5 min read

🎙️ The Voices & The Context

The Format: This holiday edition of Marketplace blends host-led news segments, expert interviews, and whimsical reporter features into a brisk economic roundup on Christmas Day, exploring timely costs and curiosities with an informative yet festive tone.
The Format: A news magazine show featuring host narration, field reports, and short interviews.
The Key Players:
- Host: Kimberly Adams – Filling in for Kai Risdall, she guides the episode with smooth transitions and holiday cheer.
- Guest: Josh Jeza – Investigations editor at The Verge, sharing insights on the booming AI training data industry.
- Other Voices: Reporters like Carla Javier (energy costs), Sarah Leeson (widgets), and Michelle Parnett Dwyer (Slinky curator), delivering vivid, standalone stories.

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What you'll learn

1 **(01:10) Holiday Heating Costs Surge**
2 **(04:25) Markets Closed for Christmas**
3 **(05:01) AI Training Data Boom**
4 **(11:44) US Productivity Streak and "Widgets"**
5 **(16:41) Holiday Economic Data**
6 **(19:47) Holiday Toy History: Slinky**
7 **(23:57) US Investors in British Soccer**

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

The average cost of heating is expected to jump more than 9% this winter, according to projections from the National Energy Assistance Directors Association. In this episode, why energy bills are up — for home heating and home cooling. Plus: Productivity measurements don’t match up to our service-based economy, Americans invest in U.K. soccer teams, and a growing sector provides training and staffing to AI startups.

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