The Daily (New York Times)

The New York Times' The Daily, hosted by Michael Barbaro, was the most-downloaded daily news podcast in 2025 with over 3 million listeners per episode. Its 20-30 minute format, immersive production, and access to Times journalists make it the definitive model for daily news audio, inspiring dozens of imitations worldwide. While #9 This American Life dominates narrative depth, The Daily outperforms the average news podcast by 40% in weekly reach.