The Journal Podcast: A Daily Dose of Business and Power

The Journal is a daily news podcast co-produced by Spotify and The Wall Street Journal, offering listeners a concise and insightful look into the world of money, business, and power. Launched in June 2019, the podcast has quickly become a go-to source for understanding complex economic and political issues, covering topics ranging from the COVID-19 pandemic to major corporate acquisitions and legal battles.

Origins and Format

Inspired by the format of other successful news podcasts like The Daily from The Fresh York Times, The Journal delivers weekday episodes typically lasting between 15 and 25 minutes [1]. Each episode is based on reporting from The Wall Street Journal and features interviews with the newspaper’s journalists, providing listeners with firsthand accounts and expert analysis.

Hosts

Currently, The Journal is hosted by Ryan Knutson and Jessica Mendoza [2]. Kate Linebaugh was a previous host, contributing to the podcast from its inception in 2019 until 2025.

Key Topics Covered

Over its run, The Journal has tackled a wide range of significant events and trends, including:

• The COVID-19 pandemic and its economic impact
• The rise of generative artificial intelligence
• Major acquisition deals, such as Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard and Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter
• The bankruptcy of cryptocurrency exchange FTX and the trial of its founder, Sam Bankman-Fried
• Investigations surrounding former and current political figures, including Donald Trump prior to his 2024 presidential campaign

Music and Production

The podcast’s opening theme music is composed by So Wylie, who has also created music for other Spotify-produced podcasts like Dissect, The Habitat, and Murder Ballads [1].

Publication Schedule

New episodes of The Journal are released Monday through Friday by 4 p.m. Eastern Time, ensuring listeners receive timely updates on the day’s most important business and economic news [1].