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Michael Barbaro and The Podcast Dream Team
The 1992 Summer Olympics were the first time that NBA players were allowed to join the US Olympic team. Led by Michael Jordan, Team USA’s roster included Charles Barkley, Larry Bird, and Scottie Pippen. The team trounced opponents, scoring nearly 120 points per game, winning by 44 points on average, and earning the Dream Team nickname.
While undoubtedly much less athletic, The New York Times is building out a different kind of dream team. Led by Michael Barbaro and The Daily, the company is assembling a talented group of audio journalists, producers, and storytellers. Whereas the Dream Team entered the 1992 Olympics a heavy favorite, the Times podcast team is flying under the radar of bigger platforms like Spotify.
The Starting Lineup
The Daily was the Times’ first audio success. Launched in early 2017, the show is now downloaded over 4 million times per day. Most listeners tune in four or five times per week, according to the Times 3Q 2020 earnings call. Additionally, listeners skew younger than the typical Times subscriber.
The company has used The Daily’s platform to launch other podcasts and is investing in…
