Politico Launches Podcast Companion To Flagship Washington Newsletter.

Newsletters have become a hot medium, but one of the most-read in Washington is moving beyond the written word to launch a daily podcast. Politico is launching The Playbook Podcast as an audio companion to its flagship newsletter. The political publication says the reimagining of the influential daily morning email into a podcast represents a “significant evolution” for Playbook into a fully multiplatform franchise.

“We’re in a moment when politics is moving faster, the stakes are higher, and audiences are looking for sharper, more accessible journalism to make sense of it all,” John Harris, Politico’s Global Editor-In-Chief, says in the announcement. “Playbook has always been essential reading for those who need to stay ahead, so we’re extending that same depth and urgency with these new shows to ensure people know they can rely on Politico wherever they are and however they follow the story.”

The new Playbook Podcast is hosted by Jack Blanchard and Dasha Burns, Playbook’s new Chief Correspondent. The company says the daily show will deliver relevant, deeply sourced reporting and analysis on the high-stakes decisions and personalities shaping Washington. Rather than replace the newsletter, it says the podcast is designed to accompany and amplify the successful formula of Playbook — now a global franchise with 14 editions spanning five countries that is relied upon daily by 1.5 million subscribers. And the podcast will allow for greater depth of storytelling, although the podcast will run 15 minutes or less.

The first episode of The Playbook Podcast debuted Monday (May 12) and the podcast will be available Monday through Friday mornings by 6am (ET). In addition to the audio series, a video version will be distributed on YouTube and across Politico’s social media channels every morning.

“Playbook has long been at the heart of Politico’s mission to inform and engage the most influential audiences in politics, and this team is uniquely positioned for the new era,” CEO Goli Sheikholeslami said. “With Jack’s clear distillation of the day’s defining moments, Dasha’s deeply sourced reporting inside the Trump administration, and Adam’s finger on the pulse of the broader politics shaping the country, Playbook will cut through the chaos in Washington as the impartial, unmissable tip sheet our audience depends on.”

Burns, who will continue her role as White House Bureau Chief, will also host The Conversation with Dasha Burns, a weekly Sunday show from Playbook launching June 1. Politico says it will offer a fresh take on the traditional Sunday show format. Available as a podcast and on video, The Conversation leverages Burns’ strengths as a reporter with years of broadcasting experience.

Politico also recently relaunched the Inside Congress newsletter with a new send time of 4:50am (ET), which it says reflects double-digit percentage growth in newsletter subscribers working on Capitol Hill.