Prediction markets aren’t new. But their profile has never been higher, and platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket are now serious tools that deserve serious attention from news/talk programmers and hosts.
The data they generate is real, it’s current, and it’s free. There’s no excuse for ignoring it. It can truly be an invaluable tool for any news/talk radio host, producer, or programmer.
Here are three ways you can put prediction markets to work for your station right now.
Trading Volume Tells You What Matters
Programming decisions are hard. You’ve got limited time, a restless audience, and roughly a thousand stories competing for your attention every morning. So how do you cut through the noise?
Check the trading volume.
When people put actual money behind a question, they’re voting on what matters to them. That’s not an algorithm guessing at engagement. I view it as a glimpse into what actually matters to people using these markets.
Prediction markets track how many contracts are being traded on a given topic or outcome. High volume means high interest. It’s that simple.
Think of it as a free focus group running 24 hours a day. If you’re debating whether to spend a full segment on a story or just give it a quick hit, look at the money. Are people trading heavily on this topic? Then your audience probably cares. If trading is light, maybe it’s a 90-second mention and you move on. Don’t overthink what the data is already telling you.
Go to the politics tab, sort by trading volume, and see what the most popular items users are trading on. That is an easy way to view what matters.
Current Projections Give You a Launching Pad
The 2026 midterms are on the horizon, and that means months of competitive race coverage. Prediction markets are already pricing out who’s likely to win, lose, or flip key seats. Those projections are great conversation starters.
Here’s the thing about a market projection: it invites a reaction. When Kalshi or Polymarket puts a candidate’s win probability at 62%, that number becomes the topic. Why 62%? Is that too high? Too low? What would have to change for it to move? Your listeners have opinions, and a concrete figure gives them something to push back against.
That’s exactly what you want in news/talk. You don’t need to endorse the projection or treat it as gospel. Use it as the opening line. Set the number, then let your audience argue about it.
The market’s trying to get people to react with their wallets. You’re trying to get them to react with three hours of appointment listening. The goals aren’t that different.
Popularity Tracking Is a Show Unto Itself
Prediction markets don’t just cover the next election cycle. Some contracts stretch out to 2028 and beyond, which means you’ve got a running, crowd-sourced popularity meter on major political figures updated in real time.
Take JD Vance. He’s currently sitting at around 19% on 2028 presidential win probability markets. That’s a notable figure — but what’s more notable is that he was once as high as 32.5%. What happened? What changed? That’s a segment in itself. Heck, you could probably argue it’s several segments or maybe even a whole show.
When a figure’s market probability drops that significantly, you’ve got to ask why. Is it policy? Controversy? A shifting political landscape? Listeners are going to have strong opinions on all of it. Better yet, you can track these numbers week to week and build ongoing coverage around them.
You’re not just reacting to news — you’re narrating a story as it develops. This is a great element to help set up the story and to help you tell the story.
The Bottom Line
There are plenty of other ways to tap into what prediction markets can offer. These are just three of the most accessible, most actionable entry points for programmers and hosts who want better tools for content decisions.
The data’s free. The insights are real. And in a format where the best talkers are always looking for an edge, there’s no good reason to leave this resource sitting on the table.
Put it in the toolbox. Start using it tomorrow.
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Garrett Searight is Barrett Media’s News Editor, which includes writing daily news stories, features, and opinion columns. He joined Barrett Media in 2022 after a decade leading several radio brands in several formats, as well as a 5-year stint working in local television. In addition to his work with Barrett Media, he is a radio and TV play-by-play broadcaster. Reach out to him at Garrett@BarrettMedia.com.
