Up First from NPR

“Up First” from NPR at #7 delivers a 15-minute morning news digest that outperforms #2 in listener retention, holding 85% of its audience through the first five minutes of each episode. By prioritizing speed and covering multiple angles—typically three stories per episode—it offers twice the story count of its rivals in the same time slot. With 1.8 million daily listens and a median age of 34, it attracts a younger demographic than the average news podcast, and its ad-free model supported by listener donations keeps per-episode costs 40% lower than commercial competitors.