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The Leadoff

WGLT
Illinois State University
Bloomington
Bloomington-Normal
Illinois
Mclean County
Festival Of Joy
Marlon Wayans
Mental Health
Voter Fraud Legislation
Student Progress Tracking
The Baby Fold
Public Remembrance
Normal
Homelessness
Hispanic Heritage Month
Amtrak
Special Education
Comedy
9/11 Attacks
Bipartisan Nominees

WGLT's The Leadoff is a daily dose of Bloomington-Normal news, arts and culture, and music. Every day on WGLT's daily podcast, we'll deep-dive into one local story. Then we'll get you ready for the day (or the weekend) with a look ahead with WGLT reporters and guests from the community. Available by 5 a.m. every weekday.

PublishesDailyEpisodes575Founded7 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Daily NewsNewsSociety & Culture

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for The Leadoff

Latest Episodes

WGLT's The Leadoff is everything you need to know to start your day for Friday, Sept. 26, 2025. You'll hear about two Republican candidates for governor visiting Bloomington-Normal. Plus, an interview with Bloomington's city manager about the local g... more

WGLT's The Leadoff is everything you need to know to start your day for Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025. You'll hear about challenges facing the trucking industry, which includes several Twin City companies. Plus, a University of Illinois Extension educator... more

YouTube

WGLT's The Leadoff is everything you need to know to start your day for Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025. You'll hear about the impact of cashless bail on the McLean County jail population. Plus, a Bloomington nonprofit recently won a federal grant to study... more

YouTube

WGLT's The Leadoff is everything you need to know to start your day for Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025. You'll hear about former State Farm CEO Ed Rust Jr.'s remarks at Illinois Wesleyan about liberal arts education. Plus, a look at how Home Sweet Ministrie... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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People also subscribe to these shows.

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Recent Guests

John Polling
History teacher and theater buff
Episode: The Leadoff - Friday 09/19/2025
Laurie Adams
Retired Illinois State University theater professor
Nomad Theater Company
Episode: The Leadoff - Friday 09/19/2025
Zubayer Khaled
A panelist from ISU's Queer Coalition who emigrated from Bangladesh
ISU's Queer Coalition
Episode: The Leadoff - Friday 09/19/2025
James Brickson
Attorney from the Immigration Project
Immigration Project
Episode: The Leadoff - Friday 09/19/2025
Ramon Cruz
Former president of the Sierra Club
Episode: The Leadoff - Thursday 09/18/2025
Morgan Riley
Vice President of the McLean County Young Republicans
McLean County Young Republicans
Episode: The Leadoff - Monday 09/15/2025
Dylan Steffen
Leader of the Tazewell and Woodford County Young Republicans
Tazewell and Woodford County Young Republicans
Episode: The Leadoff - Monday 09/15/2025
Abby Ty
Former CDC worker and current leader of the National Public Health Coalition
National Public Health Coalition
Episode: The Leadoff - Friday 09/12/2025
Andrew Card
Former chief of staff for President George W. Bush
Episode: The Leadoff - Friday 09/12/2025

Host

Ryan Denham
Host of The Leadoff

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 23 ratings
  • Great resource

    I listen every morning and feel lucky—most communities this size don’t have access to a podcast of important local news.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Kamikazepilot42
    United States6 years ago
  • Informative

    Great local news

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Hey224456
    United States6 years ago

Listeners Say

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

It is recognized as an important resource for community engagement, enhancing the connection between residents and local issues.
Listeners appreciate the podcast for providing essential local news that might not be covered elsewhere.

Top Daily News Podcasts

The Daily
The DailyThe New York Times
Morning Wire
Morning WireThe Daily Wire
The Journal.
The Journal.The Wall Street Journal & Spotify Studios
Global News Podcast
Global News PodcastBBC World Service
WSJ What’s News
WSJ What’s NewsThe Wall Street Journal

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The Leadoff 10-31-24
Q: What stands out to you about Adam Kinzinger?
Steve described Kinzinger as an extremely optimistic individual who sticks to his principles, often without calculating the consequences of his actions.
The Leadoff 10-31-24
Q: What compelled you to tell Kinzinger's story and why did he agree to participate?
Steve Pink was inspired by Kinzinger's story and his willingness to sacrifice for his principles, while also noting the challenges in building trust with him given their opposing political views.
The Leadoff 10-30-24
Q: What factors slow down that political violence?
Periods of high polarization, economic inequality, racial tensions, or threats of oligarchy can slow down political violence, but having all four simultaneously, as seen now, is unique and concerning.
The Leadoff 10-30-24
Q: Why do you think that is? Is it traceable to one particular political actor?
Multiple causes exist, including specific political actors that promote narratives of violence, and exacerbating social media environments.
The Leadoff 10-30-24
Q: How long has this trend been emerging?
Political violence has significantly increased over the past decade, as indicated by data from Congress and the US Capitol Police.

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 The Leadoff

What is The Leadoff about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Focusing on Bloomington-Normal, this daily podcast offers listeners a deep dive into significant local stories, combining news with elements of arts and culture and music. Each episode spotlights one key topic while also preparing listeners for upcoming community events, making it an essential resource for those wanting to stay updated and engaged with their local environment. The unique aspect of the content revolves around relatable community issues, local governance, and cultural happenings, enhancing the community's voice and narrative.

Where can I find podcast stats for The Leadoff?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Leadoff. 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 The Leadoff and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Leadoff get?

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What are the audience demographics for The Leadoff?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The Leadoff, 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 The Leadoff have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Leadoff 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 The Leadoff?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Leadoff:

1. WGLT's Sound Ideas - Full Episodes
2. Global News Podcast
3. WSJ What’s News
4. The Daily
5. Endless Thread

How many episodes of The Leadoff are there?

The Leadoff launched 7 years ago and published 575 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 The Leadoff?

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 The Leadoff?

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

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What guests have appeared on The Leadoff?

Recent guests on The Leadoff include:

1. John Polling
2. Laurie Adams
3. Zubayer Khaled
4. James Brickson
5. Ramon Cruz
6. Morgan Riley
7. Dylan Steffen
8. Abby Ty

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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