The word “pivot” became a buzz word in the early days of Covid-19, and the Coronavirus is still a hot topic during the summer of 2020.
On June 29, NPR (National Public Radio) pivoted to launch a new daily news podcast called Consider This, which is rebranded from Coronavirus Daily—a news podcast launched March 18 to cover the pandemic—that appears to have waning interest with news podcast listeners.
In the afternoon time slot, Consider This is the counterpart to UP First, the morning news podcast. Consider This has close ties to All Things Considered, including the four hosts.
Neal Carruth, Senior Director of on-demand news programming at NPR told Caroline Crampton of Niemanlab.org that Coronavirus Daily was up and on air only six days after it was approved. In six weeks, its audience grew by more than 56 percent.
“We’re pretty confident that Coronavirus Daily was both the fastest launch in NPR history and the fastest-growth audience of any podcast,” said Neal Carruth.
NPR is developing more short-form news podcast content as it rapidly responds to news events and trends. Current podcasts include: Up First, The Indicator from Planet Money, Shortwave, NPR Politics, and Life Kit. Carruth said many news producers are responding to news trends with pop-up podcasts to cover hot news topics like the 2019 Impeachment Hearings.
According to Carruth, the idea behind UP First and Consider This is to broaden the story lines and coverage for listeners. He explained how the shows will cover a broad spectrum of stories, including debates over race and policing, the presidential election, and other timely news topics.
Pop-up podcasts will continue to make up part of the podcast landscape as news trends occur. In 2020, listeners can expect more social, cultural, and economic news-based podcasts, as well.
A Closer Look at Some of NPR’s News Podcasts
Up First
NPR’s Up First features the news you need to start your day. It highlights the three biggest stories of the day, with reporting and analysis from NPR News in 10 minutes. This show is available weekdays at 6:00 a.m. ET, and is hosted by Rachel Martin, Noel King, David Greene, and Steve Inskeep. Now, it’s also available on Saturdays at 8:00 a.m. ET, with hosts Lulu Garcia-Navarro and Scott Simon. Subscribe and listen; then, support your local NPR station at donate.npr.org.
All Things Considered
Make sense of the day. Every weekday afternoon, Kelly McEvers and hosts Ailsa Chang, Audie Cornish, Mary Louise Kelly, and Ari Shapiro present you with the major stories of the day in less than 15 minutes, while featuring the reporting and storytelling resources of NPR.
Rough Translation
How are the things we’re talking about here in the U.S. being discussed elsewhere in the world? Gregory Warner follows familiar conversations into unfamiliar territory. At a time when the world seems small, but it’s as hard as ever to escape our echo chambers, Rough Translation takes you places.
The NPR Politics Podcast
Every weekday afternoon, NPR’s best political reporters explain the big news coming out of Washington and the campaign trail. They don’t just tell you what happened… they tell you why it matters.
Coronavirus Pop-up Podcasts
Coronavirus Daily
A podcast hosted by Mike Simpson and Charles Feldman for KNX Newsradio focused on daily news about the global Coronavirus pandemic.
Coronavirus: Fact vs Fiction
A CNN podcast hosted by Dr. Sanjay Gupta covering the latest news about the coronavirus from experts to help families stay healthy.
Bringing America Back: What You Need to Know
An ABC podcast hosted by Aaron Katersky providing news updates specific to the U.S. with both medical and economic news. Featuring Dr. Jennifer Ashton, who answers viewer questions.
Coronavirus Global Update
A daily roundup on the spread of coronavirus from BBC World Service.
