David Martin Davies
Senior Reporter and Host, "The Source," "Texas Matters"dmdavies@tpr.org
Twitter: @DavidMartinDavi
David Martin Davies is a veteran journalist with more than 30 years of experience covering Texas, the border and Mexico.
Davies is the host of "The Source," an hour-long live call-in news program that airs on KSTX at noon Monday through Thursday. Since 1999 he was been the host and producer of "Texas Matters," a weekly radio news magazine and podcast that looks at the issues, events and people in the Lone Star State.
Davies' reporting has been featured on National Public Radio, American Public Media's "Marketplace" and the BBC. He has written for The San Antonio Light, The San Antonio Express-News, The Texas Observer and other publications.
His reporting has been recognized with numerous awards. In 2022,2021 and 2020 Davies was recognized with first place awards for News/Public Affairs by the Public Media Journalists Association.
In 2019 Davies was honored with a National Edward R. Murrow Award for his radio documentary exposing human sex trafficking. Davies was also awarded in 2019 by the Public Radio News Directors Inc. for best talk show. Davies was named the 2008 Texas Radio Journalist of the Year by the Houston Press Club. In 2019 he was recognized with a First Amendment Awards by the Fort Worth Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. The Association for Women in Communications San Antonio Professional Chapter honored Davies with the 2015 Edna McGaffey Media Excellence Headliner Award.
Davies is the author and creator of the comic "San Antonio Secret History." He is the co-author of the book "San Antonio 365"
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The Donald J. Trump Advanced Energy and intelligence Campus — near Amarillo — plans to use nuclear power for the biggest data center ever. And how in 1910 the classic western movie was born in San Antonio. -
The rising cost of health care is among Americans’ biggest worries, according to recent year-end polls. Insurance coverage for prescription drugs has been decreasing as their prices have been increasing. Texas is the hardest hit state for the uninsured. -
Venezuela’s government and several international voices have denounced the U.S. strike as an unlawful act of aggression and a dangerous precedent for unilateral regime changing operations. -
2025 was an action-packed year when it came to local politics — with a new mayor, city council members and the debate on Project Marvel. And 2026 is already shaping up to be even bigger with political primaries for Bexar County judge, district attorney, congressional races and more. -
Después de que Estados Unidos lanzara un ataque militar contra Venezuela y capturara al presidente Nicolás Maduro, los ciudadanos de la nación sudamericana se quedaron preguntándose qué pasará ahora. David Martin Davies, de Texas Public Radio, se puso en contacto con venezolanos para saber cómo están viviendo este momento histórico. -
It could be said that conservatism has conquered America — and that is due in no small part to William F. Buckley Jr. The conservative influencer launched a revolution against American liberalism. He was in favor of the war in Vietnam, against civil rights and pro-segregation. Yet Buckley charmed his way through political arguments as he lit the fuse of the conservative revolution. -
After the United States launched a military strike on Venezuela and captured President Nicolas Maduro, the people of the South American nation were left wondering what happens now. Texas Public Radio’s David Martin Davies reached out to Venezuelans to hear how they are experiencing this historic moment.
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“Pass the Politics Pappy” explores the remarkable political rise of W. Lee "Pappy" O'Daniel, a flour salesman who used his popular radio show and catchy slogans to rocket into becoming Texas Governor and then U.S. Senator in the late 1930s and 1940s. Part 2 of the series focuses on O'Daniel's time as governor and delivered very little on his grand promises. Ultimately O’Daniel’s story serves as a cautionary tale of media-driven political populism. -
There’s a belief that after the death of Buddy Holly rock & roll lost its way until the arrival of the Beatles. Early '60s rock was still growing in popularity, but the airwaves were ruled by teen idols, girl groups and novelty songs. However, that’s not the full story. Richard Aquila is the author of Rock & Roll in Kennedy's America: A Cultural History of the Early 1960s. -
Born on the dance floor in the 1970s amidst the shadow of post-Nixon America and a bruising recession, Disco offered an escape from American disillusionment and economic hardship. Disco celebrated inclusivity, hedonism, and liberation. When it became a commercial success, it became a cultural force that may have seemed vacant and superficial, but there was a deeper cultural significance. David Hamsley writes about that in his book To Disco, with Love: The Records That Defined an Era.
