Podcasts

Nearly a quarter of Americans consume “some” news from podcasts. With thousands of news and commentary podcasts to choose from, it’s important to source information from trusted sources that “do the work” and operate with editorial integrity. These are some of the trusted sources that UNFTR values.

Is This Democracy

Is This Democracy. The podcast where we discuss the ongoing conflict over how much democracy, and for whom, there should be in America. Hosted by Lilliana Mason and Thomas Zimmer

This one is a referral from Unf*cker John R. who wrote: “Wanted to turn you on to another podcast I discovered recently. It's called "Is this Democracy" and it examines the state of American democracy past and present and examines the American experiment in terms of addressing the question of "how much democracy and for whom?" It's a fascinating deep dive into the nature of small-d democracy by two academics and one working journalist and it definitely scratches my itch for deep intellectual history.”

Economic Update with Richard Wolff

a weekly nationally syndicated program produced by Democracy at Work and hosted by Richard D. Wolff. The program explores complex economic issues and empowers listeners with information to analyze not only their own financial situation but the economy at large.

The David Pakman Show

a daily internationally syndicated politics and news talk show airing on radio, television, and the internet, and on Free Speech TV via DirecTV and DISH Network. The program first aired in August 2005.

Straight White American Jesus

A podcast on religion and politics hosted by Daniel Miller and Bradley Onishi, ex-ministers who are now scholars of religion.

American Prestige

A podcast from Daniel Bessner and Derek Davison that provides listeners with everything they need to know about what’s going on in the world.

The Majority Report with Sam Seder

Progressive news commentary and longform conversations. 

The Thom Hartmann Program

Thom Hartmann is a progressive national and internationally syndicated talk show host whose shows are available in over a half-billion homes worldwide.

The Laura Flanders Show

The Laura Flanders Show brings in-depth discussion about racial, gender, economic, and environmental justice to public television and radio.

News Beat

A social justice podcast combining hard-hitting journalism and interviews with hip-hop music and original lyrics from independent artists.

Outrage & Optimism

We explore the stories behind the headlines on climate change, talking to the change-makers turning challenges into opportunities. We delight in progress, question greenwash and get to grips with the difficult issues – sharing it all with our listeners along the way.

Best of the Left

A podcast that curates the best of the liberal and progressive media on a wide variety of political and cultural topics, producing a thoughtful, nuanced, award-winning podcast in a world of hot takes. The show is not only informative, but also serves as an ongoing, audible "museum" of our modern political discourse - each episode a virtual exhibition for our listeners.

No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen

No Lie covers the most important and breaking political stories of the week, hosted by progressive commentator Brian Tyler Cohen. He sits down with major players in the world of politics, bringing you right into the heart of the action.

Gaslit Nation

Gaslit Nation provides a deep dive on the news, skipping outrage to deliver analysis, history, context, and sharp insight on global affairs. Hosted by journalist and filmmaker Andrea Chalupa, an expert on authoritarian states who warned America about Russia and election hacking before the 2016 election.

The Dig

The Dig is Daniel Denvir's Jacobin podcast on politics, history, and economics everywhere.

Deconstructed

Each week The Intercept’s D.C. Bureau Chief Ryan Grim unpacks the most consequential news event of the week, while challenging the mainstream media’s tired takes. Grim gives a refreshingly provocative perspective on the ups and downs of American and global politics.

Lever Time

The Lever is a nonpartisan, reader-supported investigative news outlet that holds accountable the people and corporations manipulating the levers of power. The organization was founded in 2020 by David Sirota, an award-winning journalist and Oscar-nominated writer who served as the presidential campaign speechwriter for Bernie Sanders.

Marxist Voice

Marxist Voice is the podcast of Socialist Appeal, bringing you weekly episodes on Marxist theory, revolutionary history, and current events.

The Bitchuation Room

A weekly caucus of progressive comics, activists and thinkers hosted by Francesca Fiorentini.

Congressional Dish

The podcast exposing what Congress does with our money and in our names.

Native America Calling

Native America Calling is a daily, interactive program connecting listeners with soul-stirring and thought-provoking conversations about Native and Indigenous communities. 

The Breach

(Canadian) An independent media outlet producing critical journalism to help map a just, viable future. We provide a platform for voices you won’t often find in the establishment media and investigations, analysis and video content about the crises of racism, inequality, colonialism, and climate breakdown.

Media Roots Radio

Sister/Brother duo Abby and Robbie Martin produce this pod. Media Roots is a citizen journalism project that reports the news from outside of party lines while providing a collaborative forum for conscious citizens, artists and activists to unite.

Intercepted

The people behind The Intercept’s fearless reporting and incisive commentary discuss the crucial issues of our time: national security, civil liberties, foreign policy, and criminal justice. New episodes every Wednesday.

Let’s Talk Native with John Kane

Friend of UNFTR and longtime voice of indigenous communities, John Kane tackles a range of Native issues from school mascots to Supreme Court decisions. 

Democracy Now!

Democracy Now! produces a daily, global, independent news hour hosted by award-winning journalists Amy Goodman and Juan González. Our reporting includes breaking daily news headlines and in-depth interviews with people on the front lines of the world’s most pressing issues. 

The Bradcast

Independent investigative journalism, broadcasting, trouble-making and muckraking with Brad Friedman of BradBlog.com. Originating on Pacifica Radio's KPFK 90.7FM in Los Angeles and syndicated coast-to-coast.

Democracy Paradox

Episodes have explored concepts as broad as civil resistance, Russian conservatism, populism, and direct democracy. Guests have ranged from Ivy League professors to former elected officials. Many episodes have featured scholars from around the world including Israel, Greece, and Germany. Episodes regularly integrate big picture concepts with current events and history to make difficult ideas come alive. 

Ralph Nader Radio Hour

Ralph Nader talks about what’s happening in America, what’s happening around the world, and most importantly what’s happening underneath it all.

The Mehdi Hasan Show

The Mehdi Hasan Show features insightful reporting and probing interviews that provide deeper context for politics in our interconnected society.

Owen Jones

(UK) Owen Jones, journalist, author of Chavs and The Establishment, or "that left-wing idiot off the telly", is fed up with the establishment media. After all, it punches down, not up, blames minorities for all the problems in society, and, let's face it, often just parrots the government line. So this podcast is offering something different: speaking truth to power, giving the marginalised a voice, offering hope - and having a laugh along the way.

Pitchfork Economics

Join venture capitalist Nick Hanauer and some of the world’s leading economic and political thinkers in an exploration of who gets what and why. Turns out, everything you learned about economics is wrong. And if we don’t do something about rising inequality, the pitchforks are coming.

Doomed with Matt Binder

QAnon, white supremacists, Proud Boys, the alt-right...host Matt Binder guides you through all the conspiracy theories, far right groups, fake news, misinformation, reactionary movements, and more on DOOMED, a leftist politics and culture show for our terrible times.

The Muckrake Podcast

Political analysts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman host the weekly Muckrake Podcast to address the news of the day while moving past the headlines and tired narratives to deliver extensive historical and societal context. New episodes drop every Tuesday and Friday with emergency podcasts, exclusive coverage, and relevant interviews as needed.

Canadaland

(Canada) Canadaland is an audience-supported, independent news and podcast company that consistently produces some of the best audio journalism in Canada. Through the ongoing support of a growing community of over 10,000 supporters, we provide more than 10 million listeners a year with free, high-quality audio content focused on media, news, current affairs, politics, culture, and original investigations.