You wake up, the coffee isn't even done yet, and you're already staring at a screen. It’s a mess of national headlines, yelling pundits, and stuff happening in places that aren't here. If you live in Cleveland, Columbus, or any of the small towns tucked between the cornfields, you probably feel that gap. Most news feels far away. That’s basically why the Today in Ohio podcast exists. It’s not trying to be the New York Times. It's trying to tell you why your property taxes just spiked or what the heck is going on with the latest corruption trial in the Statehouse.
Honestly, local news is dying in a lot of places. We've all seen the "news deserts" where the local paper is now just a packet of grocery store coupons. But this show, produced by the team at Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer, acts like a morning briefing from people who actually live here. It’s fast. It’s opinionated. Sometimes it’s a little grumpy. And that’s exactly why people listen.
What is the Today in Ohio podcast, anyway?
It’s a daily weekday show. Simple as that. You get about 15 to 20 minutes of the biggest stories impacting the Buckeye State. Usually, you’ve got Chris Quinn, the editor of Cleveland.com, leading the charge. He’s joined by a rotating cast of reporters and editors like Lisa Garvin, Leila Atassi, and Laura Johnston.
They don't just read the headlines. If you wanted that, you could just set a Google Alert. They add context. They’ll tell you why a certain bill in the legislature is likely to fail or why a specific local politician is making a move now. It feels like a conversation in a newsroom. You’re hearing the "why" behind the "what."
The structure isn't fancy
There are no high-end sound effects or dramatic musical swells. It’s just voices. They usually cover about four or five big topics. One day it’s the legal battle over redistricting—which, let's be real, has been a saga for years—and the next it’s about a new high-speed rail proposal that’ll probably never happen but everyone wants to talk about anyway.
Why people are actually obsessed with this show
Ohio politics is weird. It’s complicated, messy, and involves a lot of characters that feel like they’re out of a movie. The Today in Ohio podcast leans into that.
People listen because they want the "inside baseball" feel. When FirstEnergy and the House Bill 6 scandal broke—one of the biggest public corruption cases in state history—the podcast was all over it. They didn't just report the arrests of Larry Householder and his associates. They explained the web of "dark money" and how that money allegedly trickled down to affect your electric bill. That’s the value. It connects a boring legislative document to the five dollars missing from your wallet every month.
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It’s not just for Clevelanders
Despite being produced by a Cleveland-based outlet, the scope is wide. They talk about Intel’s massive chip plant in New Albany. They talk about the opioid crisis impacts in southern Ohio. They talk about the lakefront. They talk about the border of Michigan (usually with the appropriate amount of side-eye).
The show works because it recognizes that Ohio isn't just one thing. It's a collection of very different regions that are all tied together by the same weird state laws and a shared obsession with high school football and weird weather patterns.
The "Quinn" factor and the editorial voice
Let's talk about Chris Quinn for a second. If you listen to the show, you know he has a very specific style. He’s blunt. He’s been in the news business for decades and he doesn't have much patience for political spin.
Some listeners love this. They find it refreshing to hear an editor call a politician’s statement "nonsense" or "utterly ridiculous." Other people think it’s too opinionated for a news show. But that’s the thing about a podcast—it’s not a dry wire service report. It’s an editorial product. It’s meant to provide a perspective.
He often pushes his reporters to go deeper. You’ll hear him ask, "But what does this actually mean for the average person in Parma?" That focus on the "average person" is what keeps the show grounded. It’s easy for political reporting to get lost in the weeds of "subcommittees" and "amendments." This show tries to pull it back to reality.
Dealing with the "Paywall" and the business of news
We have to be honest here: the Today in Ohio podcast is part of a larger business. Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer are trying to survive in an era where digital advertising is dominated by tech giants.
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Sometimes, the podcast acts as a gateway. They’ll talk about a deep-dive investigation that’s behind the subscriber paywall. Some people find that annoying. But if you value the reporting, it makes sense. Producing 20 minutes of daily content with high-level editors isn't free.
They also have a subtext service. You can actually text the hosts. It’s a way to get news alerts directly to your phone and interact with the newsroom. It’s an interesting experiment in making the news feel like a two-way street rather than a lecture.
What they get right (and what they might miss)
No news source is perfect. The Today in Ohio podcast is very good at:
- Consistency: They are there every morning. You can rely on it as part of your commute.
- Accountability: They hold local leaders' feet to the fire. They aren't afraid to be critical of the Mayor of Cleveland or the Governor.
- Context: They remember what happened five years ago and how it relates to what’s happening today.
Where do they struggle? Sometimes the focus can feel a bit Cleveland-centric. If you’re living in Cincinnati or Dayton, you might feel like your local issues get the short shrift unless they’re happening at the state level in Columbus. Also, because it’s a daily show, if it’s a slow news day, they might spend a bit too much time on a niche topic that doesn't feel that urgent. But generally, the hit rate is high.
How to use the podcast to stay informed
If you’re new to the show, don't feel like you have to go back and listen to the archives. It’s a "of the moment" program. Just start with tomorrow morning’s episode.
I’ve found that the best way to listen is during a chore or a drive. It’s the perfect length for a trip to the grocery store or folding a load of laundry. You’ll find yourself becoming "that person" at the dinner table who knows exactly why the state's budget for parks was slashed or which city council member is under investigation.
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Breaking down the noise
The internet is full of "news" that is really just people shouting at each other. The Today in Ohio podcast is different because the people talking actually know the subjects. They’ve sat in the courtrooms. They’ve interviewed the whistleblowers. They’ve read the 400-page court filings so you don't have to.
The Future of Ohio Media
As we look toward the late 2020s, the role of shows like this only gets bigger. With more and more local papers closing their doors, these digital-first audio formats are becoming the primary way people digest local information.
The podcast is a survival strategy for local journalism. It builds a habit. It builds a brand. Most importantly, it builds a community of informed citizens who actually give a rip about what’s happening in their own backyard. Whether you agree with their takes or not, the state is better off having a dedicated team of people talking about it every single morning.
Practical ways to get the most out of your listening
If you want to actually stay informed rather than just hearing background noise, try these steps:
- Follow the reporters on social media. When they mention a name on the show, find them on X (formerly Twitter) or Threads. They often post the documents and photos they’re discussing on the podcast.
- Check the show notes. Cleveland.com usually links the full articles discussed in each episode. If a topic sparks your interest, read the long-form version. The podcast is the "spark notes," but the articles have the data.
- Use the "Text" feature. If you’re a subscriber, send them questions. They actually read them and often address listener concerns in future episodes.
- Diversify. Listen to this for the Northern Ohio/Statehouse perspective, but maybe pair it with a quick listen to an NPR affiliate in Columbus or Cincinnati to get the full picture of the state's "Three C" dynamic.
Staying informed in Ohio doesn't have to be a full-time job. It just takes 15 minutes a day and a willingness to hear the messy, complicated, and often frustrating truth about what’s going on in the 17th state of the union.
Actionable Next Steps
To get started with the Today in Ohio podcast, follow these three steps right now:
- Subscribe on your platform of choice: Open Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Amazon Music and search for "Today in Ohio." Hit the follow button so new episodes automatically download to your feed every weekday morning by 6:00 AM.
- Listen to the most recent "Friday" episode: These often feature a "week in review" style or deeper discussions on the biggest story of the week, which provides a great entry point into the current political climate.
- Bookmark the Cleveland.com/opinion page: This is where many of the hosts publish their written columns, allowing you to see the data and evidence behind the opinions shared during the podcast episodes.