The Economist releases daily news podcast

The Economist has launched a daily 20-minute global current affairs podcast called ‘The Intelligence’.

The new show has been created by host Jason Palmer, co-editor of Economist Espresso, alongside a team of eight newly hired editors and producers. Each podcast episode will be split into three parts: a news story analysis, an in-depth feature, and a lighter piece.

Tom Standage, head of digital strategy and deputy editor at The Economist said: ‘This is central to what we do and a great way to introduce the nature of our journalism to others. We absolutely believe in the power of audio.’

The new daily news podcast will sit alongside The Economist’s current set of five weekly podcasts, on topics such as tech, finance and science. According to the publisher, these existing audio shows fetched seven million average monthly listens and downloads in 2018.

The podcast will be competing in a market already well-served by the likes of the Guardian’s ‘Today in Focus’, The Financial Times’ ‘FT News’ and the BBC’s ‘Beyond Today’.

Susie Warhurst, global head of content at podcasting platform Acast said: ‘The Economist’s global outlook and tone of voice will set it apart from other daily news podcasts.’

Podcasts have grown in popularity over the last few years in the UK. According to stats from Radio Joint Audience Research (RJAR) 6.9 million adults, 13% of the adult population, listen to a podcast in an average week, up from 5.5 million in 2017.

Keep up-to-date with new podcasts, journalists and opportunities with the Vuelio Media Database.