9 Can’t-Miss Media and Journalism Podcasts
Photo by Jonathan Farber on Unsplash
According to Pew Research, as of 2023, 42% of Americans ages 12 and older say they listened to a podcast in the last month and 31% say they listened in the last week.
No matter your interest, there’s a podcast for it. Listeners can find shows for daily news, true crime, comedy, talk shows and even the business of journalism. So, we decided to highlight a few of our favorite journalism-focused podcasts created by and for the media.
This is definitely not an exhaustive list, and we’d love to hear about your favorites. Have one that’s not on the list? Let us know in the comments or tweet us @BeyondBylines!
1. The Digiday Podcast
This weekly show from Digiday covers “the big stories and issues that matter to brands, agencies and publishers as they transition to the digital age.” If you haven’t listened before, there are hundreds of episodes to choose from to catch up (going all the way back to 2015!).
The podcast discusses a range of topics, including subscriptions, generative AI, the modern newsroom, audio, streaming and the creator economy.
Recent episodes have covered the television Upfronts, tariff turmoil, and big AI moves at The New York Times and Business Insider.
Where to listen: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio
2. The Kicker
This bimonthly podcast from Columbia Journalism Review (CJR) is hosted by Josh Hersh and produced by Amanda Darrach. The weekly show covers all things journalism and media in relation to the world today.
Some of the latest episodes have discussed the importance of investigative reporting when it comes to the Trump administration, NPR’s fight for funding and what a crypto researcher thinks everyone needs to know about meme coins and crypto culture.
Where to listen: Apple Podcasts, Spotify
3. Media Voices
Media Voices has several podcasts to choose from:
- The Publisher Podcast: A weekly look at all the news, people and products across the media world, featuring leading figures from media and publishing businesses.
- Media Briefs: Occasional short, sponsored episodes with a senior executive from a vendor working with publishers to make their businesses better.
The Publisher Podcast is a great way to catch up on major media industry news. “Our focus is on the practical takeaways publishers can apply to their own products,” the site says. Show topics include editorial content, business models, social responsibility, innovation and more.
Where to listen: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Podbean
4. On the Media
This is WNYC’s “weekly investigation into how the media shapes our worldview.” The award-winning program airs weekly on more than 400 public radio stations and also includes the biweekly podcast.
On the Media (OTM) is hosted by award-winning journalists and authors Brooke Gladstone and Micah Loewinger. Recent episodes have covered the battle over federal funds for public broadcasting, media coverage of the U.S. bombing of Iran, scrutiny of student journalists and a series covering the untold story of shortwave radio.
Where to listen: Apple Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Spotify, TuneIn, Amazon Music
5. The Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism
The podcast from the international news media research center has published several episodes lately that dive into the findings of its popular Digital News Report. The hosts break down how news consumers are checking information they suspect to be false or misleading, trends in podcast consumption and audiences’ thoughts on AI in newsrooms.
Beyond these deep dives, check out past episodes covering the struggles of reporting for displaced journalists and tips for effective climate journalism.
Where to listen: Apple Podcasts, Spotify
6. Power Lines
Media journalist Oliver Darcy recently expanded his popular Status newsletter into a podcast and videocast, Power Lines. The show will not rely heavily on guests, although they aren’t ruled out altogether. It will offer Darcy and colleague Jon Passantino’s “reporting, our trademark sharp-edged analysis.”
The weekly podcast launched with its first episode on July 11, which delved into Linda Yaccarino’s exit from X and whether Skydance’s takeover of Paramount could spell trouble for Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart.
Where to listen: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify
7. The Data Journalism Podcast
Hosted by Alberto Cairo, Simon Rogers and Scott Klein, this podcast introduces listeners to the world’s top data journalists and shows you how they do what they do.
Recent episodes featured a recap of the Outlier data visualization conference, a breakdown of the research behind an award-winning Civil War investigative project, and a discussion with Cheryl Phillips, founder of Big Local News, a project designed to empower local journalists with data.
Where to listen: Spotify, Pocket Casts, RadioPublic
8. Mixed Signals
A media-focused podcast from Semafor, Mixed Signals is hosted by journalists Ben Smith and Max Tani. Tune in weekly as they “pull back the curtain on key stories about media, revealing how money, access, culture and politics shape everything you read, watch, and hear.”
Over the past few weeks, Smith and Tani have covered legacy media’s perceived failure to communicate medical information, a look into Zohran Mamdani’s viral video success, and New York Times CEO Meredith Kopit Levien’s thoughts on where journalism fits into the business.
Where to listen: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Amazon Music
9. Freelancing for Journalists
If you’re interested in the freelance life, this is the podcast to check out. Hosted by UK-based freelancers Lily Canter and Emma Wilkinson, the podcast provides freelancing tips, advice and insider secrets. The pair has also published a book and offers training for freelance journalists.
The podcast episodes feature guests who have found success in freelancing. As many journalists transitioned from staff roles to freelancing during the pandemic and layoffs continue to sweep across the industry, this podcast is especially helpful in the current climate.
While a bonus episode about their book was the first one published in 2025, there are plenty of episodes to catch up on, covering topics like public speaking, social media management, culture journalism and much more.
Where to listen: Apple Podcasts, Spotify
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Rocky Parker is the Manager of Audience and Journalist Engagement at Cision PR Newswire. She's been with the company since 2010 and has worked with journalists and bloggers as well as PR and comms professionals. Outside of work, she can be found trying a new recipe, binging a new show, or cuddling with her pitbull, Hudson.
