A New Role for Astead Herndon

As you all know, we’re heading into a midterms year where the story feels as big and the stakes feel as high as a typical presidential election year. As we have done in the two big election cycles in the past, we want to meet that moment in a way that only audio can.

Five years ago, “The Run-Up” literally launched the Audio team — a smart, fast politics show that grappled with the big themes of the campaign season, and then helped listeners begin to process the historic election of Donald J. Trump. A year ago, “The Field” put us on the ground with voters across the country as they made sense of the four years that had passed between, and as they decided whether it was time for a change, and what that change should look like.

Now, we’re looking to do it again, with one of our closest collaborators in Politics, Astead Herndon, coming on as host.

You all know Astead as a longtime “Daily” guest, a guest host and a lead reporter on “The Field.” We know him as an eager partner to the Audio team who is always ahead of the story, eager to ask the deeper questions and push on big ideas, and a champion of his colleagues’ work. He’s also someone who should make many seasoned audio journalists jealous with his ease in bringing out the humanity in the people he interviews, and always getting that “good tape.” We’re excited to develop a midterms show with him that brings out the best of all of that.

“I am excited to develop a podcast that speaks to the best of New York Times political reporting — unafraid, fair and curious,” said Astead. “I want this show to be a hub of nuance. A place where political junkies can learn something, yet the politically uninitiated will never be left behind. A show that is not afraid to wrestle with hard truths, but is not cruel.”

David Halbfinger, Politics editor, said, “Astead’s long been a must-read byline, with a rare ability to get people from all walks of life to open up not just about what they think, but also about how they feel and why. He’s also exceptionally sophisticated about what motivates political actors. We’ll miss that and much more in his copy. Fortunately, we won’t have to miss his wit, wisdom and warmth, because he’s promising to keep coming to our meetings and to remain a trusted member of the Politics family. We’re thrilled for him and for the chance to make his new show another vehicle for terrific Times political journalism.”

We are in the early stages of development but you can expect to hear a show that complements the essential politics coverage already happening on “The Daily.” It will draw on the expertise of the Politics desk. And on Astead’s strength in bringing people together in conversation.

We’ll have more to say about the show in the coming weeks. In the meantime, please help us welcome Astead to the team.

—Lisa and Paula