About Michael
Mike Fritz is a video journalist and producer for the PBS NewsHour.
Michael’s Recent Stories
Nation Dec 21
What’s behind the sharp rise in murders across the U.S.?Murders across the U.S. have skyrocketed in 2020, while nonviolent offenses have largely dropped, according to publicly available crime data. But efforts to curb homicides come at a time when police departments are facing both staffing shortages because of the…
Nation Dec 07
Free from prison after 23 years, but facing new challenges during the pandemicThe coronavirus pandemic has upended the lives of all Americans but it’s been especially hard on individuals known as returning citizens -- formerly incarcerated men and women who are re-entering society. William Brangham has the story of one man in…
Politics Nov 23
A grandmother, a granddaughter and a deep post-election divideAfter a bruising election, one President Donald Trump has so far refused to concede, Americans are left trying to repair divides that are deeper and more personal than ever. In this episode, PBS NewsHour correspondent William Brangham speaks to a…
Health Sep 10
Could the pandemic change addiction medicine for the better?For many Americans facing addiction, the pandemic has made life significantly harder. Across the country, overdoses have soared, with more than 40 states reporting increases in opioid-related mortality. But the coronavirus is also changing how addiction medicine can be provided,…
Nation Aug 28
A new March on Washington through the eyes of Black families — including Jacob Blake’sThousands of people gathered on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. on Friday to commemorate the iconic 1963 March on Washington -- and to communicate a message of their own, calling for an end to the killing of Black Americans…
Politics Aug 21
What happened when Democrats threw an all-virtual conventionIt's official: Joe Biden is now the Democratic nominee for president. But there was no confetti, no balloon drop, no applause or even a crowd. The pandemic-era four-day convention was all-virtual -- which meant no chance to sell a vision…
Health Jul 22
How the pandemic is complicating America’s addiction crisisAccording to preliminary data, drug overdoses killed nearly 72,000 Americans in 2019, a record high. Now, it appears that 2020 is on track to be even worse, as the U.S. has witnessed a startling rise in overdoses during the pandemic.
Nation Jun 29
Why police unions are so powerful – and what that means for reformPolice unions are under the microscope like never before. Though police unions play a critical role in protecting officers rights, experts say they can also block reform and prevent officers from being held accountable in cases of misconduct. In this…
Science Jun 15
Meet people volunteering to be exposed to COVID-19 for vaccine researchAs the world anxiously awaits development of a vaccine for COVID-19, new and controversial research measures are being considered for the first time. These include the possibility of deliberately exposing volunteers to the disease to see if they are infected.
Nation Jun 01
Minneapolis’ long history of policing black and white communities differentlyThe problems with criminal justice in Minnesota’s Twin Cities extend beyond the George Floyd case. Of the 100 largest metro areas in the country, Minneapolis’ income gap between black and white families is the second largest, at nearly $50,000, and…