A few weeks ago, I was looking for a good news podcast on the iTunes Store. There was no shortage of short, curt headline news spots from the usual suspects like CNN, NBC, and FOXNews. But I wanted to find something at least a half-hour long, with both news and discussion.
Enter Democracy Now!.
Though a bit under the radar, the broadcast is superb. Each episode begins with a ten minute summary of the day’s news, with Amy Goodman along with another forty or so minutes of discussion about some of those stories anchored by Goodman and Juan Gonzalez. The two make a conscious effort to bring a global perspective to the issues, discussing not just the most newsworthy headlines, but in fact those that have an impact on the world stage. Criticism and punditry is minimal – a godsend in an age where, increasingly, the anchor seems more important in the show than the stories themselves! It’s not too different from NPR, I must say, which I’m also a fan of (particularly Talk of the Nation).
Anyways, on ending this little blurb, let me say that if you’re looking for a good, informative podcast, look no further than Democracy Now!. It’s an hour well-spent.
Various radio stations and satellite broadcasters carry the Mon-Fri broadcast; you can find listings here. Alternatively, you can download the podcast (iTunes or Democracy Now!). More options (video, streaming, etc) at Democracy Now!
