Up Close with ‘Up First’: A Podcast Analysis

For my podcast analysis, I listened to the most recent episode of “Up First” by NPR. I started listening to this on my commute a few days ago and I’ve really enjoyed it. I wanted to get a better feel for the podcast by listening to it for a couple of days. 

NPR is one of the few outlets that I feel confident I’m getting solid news from. I appreciate their accessibility being a public news outlet. This trust prompted me to choose them as my podcast to analyze.

What is it about?

Up First is a daily news podcast that intends to give audiences a quick run-through of what is going on nationally and internationally that day. Each episode is about 15-20 minutes. I tend to prefer podcasts that are longer but for the purpose of this podcast, this length is perfect. People barely want to watch or read the news when it’s on their social media feeds, let alone listen to it in their free time. 

Up First is not just a reporter spouting off headlines, but it actually includes exclusive audio clips from experts around the world on the topics being discussed in each episode. 

I was fascinated by the fact that this is produced each day and includes relevant interviews and information. I am super curious about their process of contacting interviews and editing and recording all within a tight turnaround time. I am also curious about how they select the stories of the day how much of it can be planned and how much can be breaking news. 

I love it — Here’s why

The quality of this podcast is great. There were no audio spikes or editing errors that I noticed as a listener. As somebody who edits podcasts, I also think I listen to these sorts of things more. 

I noticed at the beginning of Today’s episode (insert title here) there was a more playful tone. They opened with a joke which threw me off a little bit! Since I’ve only listened to a handful of episodes, maybe this is something they do sometimes. However, I found it confusing because I was just switching from an entertainment podcast I usually listen to on my commute. I initially thought I had not properly switched it but then I heard the theme music and realized I was on it. This was just something I noticed since I am new to the podcast.

Expanding more on the playful tone, I enjoyed the way that the host interacted with the staff members and people she was interviewing. It felt more casual than an article, but more formal than a conversation. It was cool to observe the comradery among the NPR staff while still being professional. I struggle with sticking a balance with this, so I want to integrate that into my podcast interviewing. 

Their transitions were smooth between interviews. It felt seamless. I believe this was achieved through their bumper music and the hosts’ intentional “hellos” and “goodbyes” to the people they were interviewing. Overall, the entire production was smooth, professional and informative. They have gained a new loyal listener!

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