Five podcasts for the run-up to the presidential primaries
Photo courtesy of flickr.com
January 15, 2019
Now that 2019 has arrived, it’s time to start thinking about 2020. With the Iowa Caucuses a paltry 13 months away, the presidential campaign is already kicking off. Not that it hasn’t already started – Elizabeth Warren is the first truly high-profile candidate to enter the race, but expect word from big names like Julian Castro and Kamala Harris in the coming days.
As busy as things are certain to be over this next semester, who has time to keep up with the state of the race? Here are five podcasts to help you stay informed about what’s to come while you walk to class.
NPR has bare-bones news designed for your commute. The “NPR Politics Podcast” is a roundtable discussion that goes through all the big news of the week in it’s Thursday Weekly Roundups and usually fills in the rest of the week with quick news updates. If you are tired of cable news spin, this show will give you the facts without all the other stuff. And as the primaries start, reporters on the ground with the campaigns will give valuable insight into what’s happening day to day.
Love it or hate it, the Data Journalism of FiveThirtyEight has taken the politics world by storm. And, Nate Silver’s fivethirtyeight.com did really well in predicting the state of the 2018 midterms. This podcast delivers analysis and reporting from FiveThirtyEight’s top political stories to your feed every Monday, with frequent “Emergency Podcast” updates for breaking news stories. For those who want to love data but aren’t so great at math, the team does a great job of breaking down the numbers and revealing their significance, as well as going in depth on what’s going on in the world of polling.
One of the biggest (and oldest) fish in the politics podcast pond, Slate’s “Political Gabfest” has been going strong for almost 15 years. Dropping on Thursdays, this look back at the week of political news goes in depth on analysis from some of the most respected journalists in the field. Don’t come to the podcast for just the facts, come to hear smart opinions from people who are transparent about their points of view and who aren’t afraid to disagree with each other. Pair this show with the NPR Politics Podcast, and you’ll be well informed about the facts and the opinions floating around the beltway.
#4: Radio Atlantic
Though not strictly a politics show, the Atlantic’s Thursday podcasts dig deep into the big issues facing the country and typically focus on a cultural or political story in the news. This show asks the big questions (Is Democracy Dying?) and considers a bigger historical and cultural lens through which to view the news. Break out of the news cycle and listen to the larger contexts surrounding the issues we’re all arguing about.
#5: On The Media
From WNYC Studios, “On the Media” is technically a show about how the news gets reported. Honestly, it’s so much more. With long-form looks at how we consume our news and deep dives into the ethics and morality of journalism, this Friday podcast is essential to understanding how to break down the furious rush of news that’s around us all the time and offers a real look at what’s right and wrong in the world. Transparent about the way they report, and never backing down from a fight or an interview turned sour, “On the Media” is a guide to your guides of the world.
