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Compass Points

Scott Barker
Knoxville
Knox County
University Of Tennessee
Knox County Schools
Affordable Housing
Emerald Youth Foundation
Sales Tax Referendum
City Council
Knox County Commission
Tennessee
Covenant Health Park
Tim Burchett
Chilhowee Park
Knoxville Smokies
Gay Street Bridge
County Commission
Knox County School Board
Juvenile Service Center
Big Ears Festival
Sales Tax Increase

Compass Points Podcast provides news, insights and analysis of Knoxville and Knox County government, politics and business. Content is updated every Sunday.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes221Founded4 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
NewsGovernmentPolitics

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Artwork for Compass Points

Latest Episodes

Please share this free service of CompassKnox.com and support Scott and Jessee Synopsis: This week, Scott and Jesse track the banned/not-banned status of Alex Haley's "Roots," which was ordered returned to Knox County Schools libraries last week afte... more

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This week Scott and Jesse talk a lot of politics — specifically, factional fighting within the Knox County Republican Party. It took multiple forms last week. from clashes at County Commission to a leaked text thread started by county GOP Chair Marti... more

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This week, Scott and Jesse talk about the arrests of multiple sheriff's employees — and two recent sheriff candidates; County Mayor Glenn Jacobs' no-frills budget; Knox County Schools' banning of Alex Haley's book Roots; more fallout from the legisla... more

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This week: Scott and Jessee look back at a very interesting Knox County Primary, breakdown the County wide re-appraisals, dig in to the special called session in Nashville and look over the plans for the new 'entertainment district' on UT's campus ne... more

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Recent Guests

Steve Smith
Executive Director of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy
Southern Alliance for Clean Energy
Episode: Ep. 200 02/15/2026
Jesse Mayshark
Podcaster extraordinaire and co-founder of Compass
Compass
Episode: Ep. 191 12/07/2025
Mike Cohen
Public relations legend of Knoxville
Episode: Ep. 177 08/31/2025
John Rose
Congressman from Tennessee and Republican candidate for governor
U.S. Congress
Episode: Ep. 176 08/24/2025
Jeff Hagood
Local attorney and partner at Hagood Moody-Hodge
Tennessee Valley Authority
Episode: Ep. 169 07/06/2025
Josh Smith
Knoxville businessman and former drug dealer, recently appointed as Deputy Director of the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
Fourth Purpose Foundation
Episode: Ep. 166 06/15/2025
Cortney Piper
Parent and advocate for children with disabilities in Knox County Schools
Episode: Ep. 163 05/25/2025
Indya Kincannon
Mayor of Knoxville
City of Knoxville
Episode: Ep. 160 05/04/2025
Ben Crump
Civil rights attorney known for representing families of victims in high-profile police incidents
Not specified
Episode: Ep. 158 04/20/25

Hosts

Scott Barker
Co-founder and editor at Compass; leads local political and policy coverage.
Jesse Mayshark
Co-founder of Compass; hosts and contributes to policy and civic discussions.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 12 ratings
  • So informative everybody that lives in Knox county.

    Sorry the reason not for having five stars is that is they haven’t had a new pod cast recently. Even after the reset elections for 2022. I absolutely love this! Everybody who lives in the county. Really should be ravenously consuming this podcast. That’s what a lot of people don’t understand everybody votes in the presidential election, but what really matters everyone only votes in presidential elections. So it’s a shame is what is happening in our district your home town your local elections a... more

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Rogin24
    United States4 years ago
  • I subscribed.

    These guys know their stuff and get after the story. The show is top level but their digital paper is in depth and they do a daily mailer that is the perfect quick out the door primer for an informed day in Knox County TN

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Callilid
    United States4 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Well-informed and bipartisan analysis that keeps listeners informed on local governance.
Daily primer and in-depth coverage praised by listeners seeking to understand local politics.
Polished, practical take on Knoxville issues with timely follow-ups.

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Ep. 135 11/10/2024
Q: What did the election outcomes indicate about Knox County's political landscape?
Scott and Jesse discuss how Knox County remains solidly Republican and how that affects local Democrats, showing that they hit a ceiling in terms of voter support.
Ep. 160 05/04/2025
Q: Can you talk a little bit about the public safety initiatives?
The budget addresses pay gaps for firefighters and includes funding for violence interruption programs.
Ep. 160 05/04/2025
Q: What are the priorities in this budget?
Public safety and housing are the top priorities in the budget.
Ep. 160 05/04/2025
Q: What is your general view on the budget?
The budget is fiscally conservative, focusing on lifting struggling neighbors and maintaining essential services.
Ep. 163 05/25/2025
Q: What is one major area needing improvement according to the report?
The report highlighted under-resourced special education departments with case managers overloaded with students, indicating a lack of sufficient staff to meet student needs.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Compass Points

What is Compass Points about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A Knoxville-focused political and government podcast that analyzes local governance, policy, and civic life. Across episodes, the hosts explore housing policy, local elections, education, public safety, and regional energy and infrastructure issues, often tying them to broader national dynamics. They mix practical explanations of policymaking with context on how decisions affect residents, businesses, and institutions in Knox County and the surrounding area. Noteworthy is the show's habit of weaving in local culture, notable civic events, and long-form follow-ups on ongoing cases and initiatives, offering a steady stream of informed commentary for listeners who want to understand how local power operates and why it matters.

A standout aspe... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Compass Points?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Compass Points:

1. Headlights: Voices from The Progressive South
2. Almost in Agreement
3. You Might Be Right
4. The Ezra Klein Show
5. The Strong Towns Podcast

How many episodes of Compass Points are there?

Compass Points launched 4 years ago and published 221 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Compass Points?

Recent guests on Compass Points include:

1. Steve Smith
2. Jesse Mayshark
3. Mike Cohen
4. John Rose
5. Jeff Hagood
6. Josh Smith
7. Cortney Piper
8. Indya Kincannon

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