20 Best News & Politics Podcasts

Last updated on January 15th, 2020

These days, there are so many stimuli competing for our attention that it can be hard to find time for the things that are really important. Staying informed about the major news stories affecting people all over the globe is essential to being a good citizen, but even keeping up with current events can take a backseat in the face of other daily responsibilities. That’s why news and politics podcasts have become so popular, because they allow you to consume your choice of entertainment or information while at the same time leaving you free to get other work done. People look for different things in a news podcast. Some people might just want a quick summary of the major headlines of the day. Many podcasts offer a distilled version of the news that keeps you updated and informed all in the span of 20 minutes or less. Others might be looking for a more in-depth analysis of news and politics, and there are many podcasts meant for listeners looking for more extended discussion and analysis. There are a plethora of great news podcasts out there, but choosing between them can be daunting. That’s why we’ve compiled this list of the 20 best news podcasts so that you can find the show that suits your preferences (and your schedule) and start staying informed today.     

Political Gabfest

Launched in 2005, Political Gabfest is one of the oldest news podcasts out there. The show is hosted by former Slate correspondents Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz. All three hosts have been with the show since its inception, and have become masters of informal, yet intelligent, discussion. Having worked together for so long, the trio often sounds like bantering siblings more than cohosts as they tackle an array of political topics. As hilarious as it is informative, Political Gabfest never fails to entertain while delivering incisive analysis of the major political issue affecting our country today. 

Listen: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify

The Gist 

The Gist is one of the best daily news podcasts available today. Every afternoon, host Mike Pesca breaks down the most prevalent political and cultural issues of the day. Though episodes are only half-an-hour long, Pesca manages to cram into that small amount of time an incredible amount of useful information. Each episode follows the exact same three-part format. First, Pesca opens with a comedic introduction and overview of the topics to be covered. Second, he interviews a guest. These guests are often journalists, politicians, or other high-profile political figures who offer keen insight and unique perspectives. Each show concludes with a monologue, known as the “spiel,” in which Pesca delivers his own opinions and insights in order to impart upon the listener some of his understanding, and most importantly, his passion for progressive change.

Listen: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify

NPR Politics Podcast

Every weekday, NPR’s best political reporters present top-level analysis of the biggest political stories coming out of Washington with the NPR Politics Podcast. The show brings together a multitude of NPR reporters to provide a wide range of perspectives on the state of the country’s politics. In contrast to public radio, the NPR Politics Podcast gives way to the more personality-driven reporting that has become popular with the rise of podcasting. Guests are allowed to take off the kid gloves and present the facts alongside biting opinions and colorful commentary. As the podcast’s slogan says, “They don’t just tell you what happened. They tell you why it matters.”

Listen: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify

The Daily

As the name might suggest, The Daily is a daily news podcast produced by The New York Times. The show is hosted by Times political journalist Michael Barbaro. The episodes are short, only twenty minutes, and designed with the understanding that their listeners’ time is limited. The Daily is only concerned with providing the most important and pressing news stories of the day, compiled from interviews with Times journalists. Often stories are supplemented with audio recordings and interviews with the persons involved. Because Barbaro is so frequently talking to reporters, The Daily also offers a unique insight into the fast-paced, high-stress world of news reporting.

Listen: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify

Pod Save America

Pod Save America is hosted by four former aides to President Barack Obama: Jon Favreau, Tommy Vietor, Jon Lovett, and Dan Pfeiffer. The three hosts founded the show along with their progressive media company, Crooked Media, in the wake of the 2016 election. They set out to make a podcast that would not only entertain and inform but inspire passion and activism. Since then, Pod Save America has gone on to become one of the most popular political podcasts of the decade. Not only do they bring on high-profile political guests, including presidential candidates, but the hosts have attained celebrity status themselves by way of their unique insight and passion for change.  

Listen: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify

Today, Explained

Today, Explained is a daily podcast from Vox that breaks down the major news stories from the day in a way that is easily understood. The show is hosted by Sean Rameswaram, a former correspondent for Radiolab. Each day, in less than half-an-hour, Rameswaram takes the most important stories in the news and deconstructs them in a way that is both entertaining and highly consumable. Today, Explained works as a sort of counterpart to The Daily, and not just because the latter releases episodes in the morning and the former in the afternoon. Whereas The Daily takes a more earnest approach, Rameswaram affects a more casual, more relatable tone in his storytelling, adopting the persona of a regular person doing his best to make sense of a chaotic world. 

Listen: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify

The Weeds

Also produced by Vox, The Weeds is in many ways the polar opposite of Today, Explained. The show is hosted by Matthew Yglesias, Ezra Klein, Dara Lind, Jane Coaston, all reputable writers and reporters of politics and economics. The hosts are often joined by other members of the Vox team with expertise in the specific topic of the episode. As the name implies, The Weeds sets out to take a deep dive into noteworthy topics such as healthcare, housing, and immigration reform. The episodes are essentially long-form discussions of a specific topic, intended to leave the listener with a broader, more holistic understanding of the issues at hand. 

Listen: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify

Up First

Up First is the best news podcast for listeners in a hurry. Each episode averages just 10 minutes and focuses on the three biggest stories of the day. The show is hosted on weekdays by NPR veterans Rachel Martin, Noel King, David Greene, and Steve Inskeep. There is also a weekend edition on Saturday mornings hosted by Lulu Garcia-Navarro, former NPR foreign correspondent, and NPR Journalist Scott Simon. Up First has that soft-spoken quality that so many NPR listeners find appealing. It’s a great way to receive news early in the morning in a calm, straightforward manner that won’t provoke a spike in the listener’s cortisol levels.  

Listen: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify

The Brilliant Idiots

The Brilliant Idiots is the perfect podcast for those looking to get their news and cultural commentary in a more irreverent way. The show’s hosts–media personality Charlamagne Tha God and comedian Andrew Schulz–created the show specifically as a platform to express uncensored opinions that they wouldn’t have been able to divulge publicly while working for public radio. The show is relatively unstructured, usually anchored around a specific topic or set of topics, but always leaves room for plenty of comedic discussions. While they aren’t reporters, Schulz and Tha God are intelligent color commentators on the country’s most pressing current events, each bringing a perspective to the conversation that is always hilarious, often loud, and that never fails to be insightful. 

Listen: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify

Skimm This

The Skimm news podcast takes the most important stories of the day and breaks them down into an easily digestible form, all in 10 minutes. Rather than regurgitating all major headlines, The Skimm takes three to four major stories and makes them the focus of each episode. The show lives by the mantra, “Context is clarity,” and that is exactly what it aims to provide. Listeners are treated to a purely factual, unbiased approach to reporting that delivers news stories free of opinions that otherwise might skew one’s perception of the facts. The goal is to leave listeners with the context they need in order to not only understand what is happening in the world but why it is important.   

Listen: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify

Honorable Mentions: 

• NPR News Now
• BBC Global News Podcast
• The Takeaway
• CBS: The World This Hour  
• PBS News Hour
• World News Roundup
• Buzz Burbank News and Comment
• This Morning with Gordon Deal
• 60 Minutes 
• The Brief from Time Magazine

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