A Word from “The Daily” | October 20, 2022

Dear Colleagues,

As summer comes to a final close and fall kicks into high gear, we’d like to give you a rundown of what we’ve been up to these past few weeks.

THR Honors for Michael and Sabrina

The Hollywood Reporter debuted their inaugural Podcast Power List, which features the creators of the medium’s most influential shows and the executives behind the latest megadeals.

The Daily’s very own Michael Barbaro and Sabrina Tavernise made the list. When asked about the medium of podcasts, Sabrina said it brings “…people into the upside-down nature of a place in war. It captures the fear, and sometimes funniness, the strange, unbelievable situations middle class people find themselves suddenly in, and brings the listener right there to hear them trying to adjust to that new reality — it’s like time travel. And podcasting is perfect for hearing the voices puzzling through this.”

Covering Hurricane Ian

As the tragedy of Hurricane Ian continues, The Daily covered one of the deadliest storms to hit Florida, and its extensive damage to the state.

Guests who shared their experience in covering the human experiences in this natural disaster include Particia Mazzei, the Miami bureau chief for The New York Times; Richard Fausset, a Times correspondent based in Atlanta; Nicholas Bogel-Burrough, a national news reporter for The Times; and Hilary Swift, a photojournalist who has covered four hurricanes for the Times.

The episode takes us through the expected and unexpected aftermath of the storm, offering a glimpse into the ways that the lives of Florida residents will change for years to come.

Recent Episodes

The Daily continues to cover current events and keep listeners informed through human narratives. Most recently, our stronger episodes include host Sabrina Tavernise’s interview with a Russian soldier fleeing the draft. The story of 24-year-old Kirill offers a remarkably human view into Russian experiences during the war.

Another episode followed an evangelical pastor who was driven out of his church by Trumpism, illuminating ways that right-wing radicalism has pervaded everyday life for pastors across the country.

Welcoming Susan M. Lee

Along with a slate of new and returning fall shows, The Times’s Audio Team continues to grow in numbers.

Joining The Daily team most recently is fact checker and researcher, Susan M. Lee. Her prior experience includes working as a fact checker and researcher for David Grann on two of his best-selling historical nonfiction books, including Killers of the Flower Moon, in addition to freelance fact checking work for Turning Points, a New York Times Licensing Group’s licensed magazine. Most recently, Lee was a digital editor with Marketplace from American Public Media and an assigning editor for a media startup.

Lee is a University of Michigan and Columbia University School of Journalism graduate, and a proud New York City native. We’re delighted to have her as an addition to The Daily family.

You can read more about our new NYT Audio colleagues here.

NYT Audio Introduces The Run-Up and Hard Fork

Along with the latest seasons for returning shows, our Audio team is elated for our new fall programs, including The Run-Up and Hard Fork.

Originally launched in August of 2016, The Run-Up returns again to cover the 2022 midterm elections with new host, New York Times political reporter Astead Herndon, helping listeners make sense of a unique moment in our nation’s democracy. Building on the presentence for narrative news and storytelling set by The Daily, this podcast offers a full picture of American politics, and how we got here, through conversations with newsmakers, colleagues, and voters across the country.

“This is a different type of political podcast — for what is a different type of midterm elections. I’m really excited for listeners to hear the scope of people and political ideas we explore, all handled with the care and nuance people expect from Times audio. I think The Run-Up will be fresh, illuminating and challenging. An explanatory guide to a unique political moment,” said Astead.

Hard Fork is an exciting addition to our slate. Kevin Roose and Casey Newton, hosts and veteran tech journalists, will join listeners each week to discuss the latest in the world of tech and business.

“The tech industry we’ve both covered for more than a decade is transforming into something new and strange, and this show is our way of trying to understand what’s happening and explain it to listeners,” said Kevin and Casey. “It’s a smart, casual conversation that tells you where tech and business are going without overwhelming you — and might even give you some reasons for hope.”

Until next time,

-The Daily Team