CBS News has added Mike Pesca to its podcast leadership team. The hire comes as CBS News expands its podcast ambitions.
What We Know: Mike Pesca has joined CBS News as its Podcast Editorial Director. He arrives after hosting more than 3,000 episodes of The Gist, one of podcasting’s longest-running news and commentary programs. Earlier in his career, Pesca worked at NPR, where he became the network’s first host with his own podcast in 2005. More recently, he contributed to The Free Press, the publication founded, overseen, and later sold to CBS News by Bari Weiss. Meanwhile, the hiring follows the Wednesday debut of Healthful, the new women’s health podcast hosted by Norah O’Donnell. Together, those moves signal continued investment in original audio programming as CBS News builds its podcast portfolio.
What They Said: “I still believe in podcasts. I still think there’s something magical, glorious, or just practical about people wanting to listen without looking at people who want to talk without being seen. I think there is more than a market for it — I think there is a human need for that sound.” -Mike Pesca on the finale of The Gist
What Remains Unclear: CBS News hasn’t disclosed which existing podcasts Pesca will oversee or whether he’ll launch new original series. The company also hasn’t detailed how his responsibilities will intersect with its broader audio and digital news strategy.
What It Means: Pesca brings deep experience across public radio, independent podcasting, and digital journalism. As a result, CBS News gains an executive with a long track record of developing spoken-word audio during a period of renewed investment in podcasts. His arrival, alongside the launch of Healthful, suggests the network sees audio as an important part of its future news distribution strategy.
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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.