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Compass Points

Scott Barker
Knox County
Knoxville
Knox County Schools
Knox County Commission
Hurricane Helene
Tim Burchett
Affordable Housing
Early Voting
LGBTQ Issues
County Commission
Homelessness
State House District 18
Book Banning
Office Of Housing Stability
City Council
Knoxville Area Transit
Innovate 6.5 Week
Sevier Avenue Project
Amendment 2
Knox County Sheriff's Office

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

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes200Founded4 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
GovernmentPoliticsNews

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Artwork for Compass Points

Latest Episodes

It's 2026, but Scott and Jesse have a little unfinished business with 2025. They take a last look back at the just-finished year and some of the local stories that shaped it: City Council elections, the failed push for a city sales tax hike, the Chil... more

YouTube

This week, Scott and Jesse break out the eggnog and take a look at the latest developments in the troubled saga of the Knox County Juvenile Services Center, which was the subject of another scathing report about its operations and also faces a lawsui... more

YouTube

This week, Scott and Jesse talk about County Commission's appointment of a general sessions judge, controversy over a townhouse development in West Hills, state AG Jonathan Skrmetti's opinion on religious charter schools, and some significant develop... more

YouTube

This week Scott and Jesse talk schools — the Knox County school board's vote to support educating immigrant students, some questions raised by a charter school evaluation, and a lawsuit by a group that wants to start an explicitly Christian charter s... more

YouTube

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Recent Guests

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
Katherine Bike
Member of the Knox County Board of Education
Episode: Ep. 150 02/23/2025

Host

Scott Barker
Editor of Compass, a subscription-based website and newsletter that provides insights on Knoxville and Knox County politics, government, and business.

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 States3 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.

Many praise the hosts for their engaging and accessible discussion style, making complex political issues understandable.
Some listeners express a desire for more frequent updates and episodes to cover ongoing political developments.
Listeners appreciate the local insights and analysis provided in each episode, emphasizing the importance of staying informed about local governance.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#159
United States/Government

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

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Compass Points

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

This series focuses on political and civic developments specific to Knoxville and Knox County, covering a wide range of issues like local elections, government policies, community events, and business developments. Each episode aims to provide listeners with insightful analysis and news updates, discussing topics such as affordable housing plans, contentious city council races, and various cultural events in the area. The hosts often include personal anecdotes and humor, creating an engaging format for listeners who are invested in local governance and community engagement.

Where can I find podcast stats for Compass Points?

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How many listeners does Compass Points get?

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How many subscribers and views does Compass Points have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Compass Points has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

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. The Lincoln Project
4. Pod Save America
5. The Ezra Klein Show

How many episodes of Compass Points are there?

Compass Points launched 4 years ago and published 200 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Compass Points?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Compass Points?

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What guests have appeared on Compass Points?

Recent guests on Compass Points include:

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

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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