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Artwork for Connections Podcast

Connections Podcast

WXXI News
Rochester
Donald Trump
ICE
Iran
State Of the Union
Child Care
New York State
Artificial Intelligence
Recycling
Climate Change
Rochester, New York
Trump Administration
Democracy
Rochester, United States
Republican Party
Human Trafficking
United States
Mental Health
Democratic Party
Education

Evan Dawson talks about what matters to you on Connections. Do you have a story that needs to be shared? Pitch your story to Connections. For transcripts, please email our Move to Include team with a link to the episode.

PublishesDailyEpisodes1624Founded13 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
News

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Artwork for Connections Podcast

Latest Episodes

Rochester was a noted stop on the Underground Railroad, and now, you can be part of an event retracing a route from Maryland to Canada. #FreedomWalk2026 is passing through Rochester this week. Participants making the 750-mile journey stop in various ... more

International music star and Rochester native Danielle Ponder is back in town. She'll headline the Rochester Juneteenth Festival on Saturday, where she'll perform her new song, "Power." Ponder has signed to Dead Oceans, in partnership with Phoebe Bri... more

What do the best teams do differently? It's a question that's at the heart of a new book by social psychologist Ron Friedman. In "Superteams," Friedman explains what the research says about the most successful teams. Spoiler alert: those teams aren't... more

With the Trump administration trumpeting the end of the war in Iran, we sit down with local Iranian Americans. Our panelists did not all agree on whether to support or oppose this war at the outset. How do they feel about it now? What are the prospec... more

Key Facts

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Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Aries Jordan
Local educator and self-published poet; wrote Journey to Womanhood, A Poetic Rite of Passage
Self-published author
Episode: The publishing puzzle: Local authors on how to reach readers
Tyler Barton
Artistic Director of Writers & Books; author and publisher advocate
Writers & Books
Episode: The publishing puzzle: Local authors on how to reach readers
Evan Dawson
Unable to confirm from transcript; host figure mentioned in initial disclosure
Episode: The publishing puzzle: Local authors on how to reach readers
Eric Townell
Artistic Director for the Rochester Oratorio Society
Rochester Oratorio Society
Episode: State of Monroe County; NYS legislative session wraps; America's 250th
X'zaya Ivy
Operatic soprano and music teacher
Independent/Associated with Rochester Oratorio Society festival
Episode: State of Monroe County; NYS legislative session wraps; America's 250th
Fremonte Strong
Associate Program Coordinator at Teen Empowerment
Teen Empowerment
Episode: Keeping fights out of Ontario Beach Park
Jada Vazquez
Phoenix Academy senior; Youth Attorney for Teen Court
Center for Youth
Episode: 'Connections on the Road:' Youth mental health
Jimmy Duong
Junior at Greece Olympia; student representative on the Greece Central School District Board of Education
Greece Olympia High School
Episode: 'Connections on the Road:' Youth mental health
Elaine Spaull
Executive Director of the Center for Youth
Center for Youth
Episode: 'Connections on the Road:' Youth mental health

Host

Evan Dawson
Host of the program; longtime journalist and community interviewer with WXXI News.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 165 ratings
  • So glad I tuned in

    I started listening to Connections when someone I knew was featured on an episode and was struck by how great and informative the show is. Evan is an excellent host, who leads an engaging conversation while also giving his guests room to share their expertise. The topics are super informative, and I appreciate how such a fascinating show comes together so often. Upstate NY (and the worldwide listeners of the podcast) is lucky to have a show like this!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    XCaitlin
    United States2 years ago
  • So informative!

    Love listening to Connections with Evan Dawson! Such a wide variety of topics and Evan is a great interviewer. He, obviously, knows the topic well, asks interesting questions, and presents all points of view.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Limabean62
    United States3 years ago
  • We’ll researched level headed

    A real treat of living in Rochester is this wxxi broadcast. Dawson provides a very thorough and level headed daily conversation about local issues and national news with regional impact. I really do look forward to it every day. Rational, practical, and most importantly, honest reporting.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Angryamygdala
    United States5 years ago
  • Great for the Greater Rochester area

    Great podcast for people in the Greater Rochester area. Covers a wide range of local issues and their connections to national and international issues.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Brady N. F.
    United States5 years ago
  • Thoughtful and informative

    Simply the best podcast in Rochester. A wide range of topics all covered in a thoughtful informative way.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Kmppluck
    United States6 years ago

Listeners Say

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

The host is commended for asking thoughtful questions and ensuring guests' voices come through.
Audience appreciates a broad range of topics from education to infrastructure to health.
The show is seen as a reliable source for nuanced discussions on Rochester issues.
Guests consistently praised for expertise and clear, respectful moderation.
Listeners note the show provides practical takeaways and strong local relevance.

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

State of Monroe County; NYS legislative session wraps; America's 250th
Q: What was the stance on the data center moratorium in Albany?
The moratorium was described as a temporary one-year pause with environmental impact studies and community-benefit requirements, while opponents argued it could hinder economic development.
State of Monroe County; NYS legislative session wraps; America's 250th
Q: What new initiatives were announced besides the pillars?
New initiatives included a Vision Zero plan to reduce traffic fatalities, construction of workforce centers on MCC campuses, and funding commitments such as the Children's Pavilion at Highland Park.
State of Monroe County; NYS legislative session wraps; America's 250th
Q: What were the broad themes of the County Executive's State of the County address?
The address focused on pillars like public safety, public health, economic and workforce development, and infrastructure, with a thread of cooperation across government and communities to break down silos.
Celebrating AAPI Heritage Month
Q: What inspired the If Music Be Food concert series, and how does it support Foodlink?
The series was started to combine community music with charitable giving, using donations and food barrels to remove barriers to entry while supporting Foodlink, with all proceeds going to the charity.
Celebrating AAPI Heritage Month
Q: How did Mimi Hwang first connect with Rochester and the Eastman School of Music?
She moved to Rochester at 17 to pursue her studies, which set the course for her career and her deep ties to the local arts community.

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 Connections Podcast

What is Connections Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This program covers local and regional issues with a wide range of guests that span journalism, academia, public policy, healthcare, education, and community organizations. Episodes frequently explore civic topics like urban planning, education budgets, road safety, and public health, often connecting local events to broader national or global contexts. The show distinguishes itself through timely, issue-driven conversations that blend expert analysis with personal stories, data, and resident perspectives. Listeners likely appreciate accessible explanations of complex topics, practical takeaways for community involvement, and a steady stream of diverse guests that illuminate how policy choices affect everyday life.

Where can I find podcast stats for Connections Podcast?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Connections Podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Connections Podcast and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Connections Podcast get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Connections Podcast, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Connections Podcast?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Connections Podcast, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Connections Podcast have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Connections Podcast 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 Connections Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Connections Podcast:

1. Reveal
2. NPR's Newsmakers
3. Up First from NPR
4. The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
5. Letters from an American

How many episodes of Connections Podcast are there?

Connections Podcast launched 13 years ago and published 1624 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 Connections Podcast?

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 Connections Podcast?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Connections Podcast from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Connections Podcast?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Connections Podcast. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Connections Podcast?

Recent guests on Connections Podcast include:

1. Aries Jordan
2. Tyler Barton
3. Evan Dawson
4. Eric Townell
5. X'zaya Ivy
6. Fremonte Strong
7. Jada Vazquez
8. Jimmy Duong

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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