Rephonic
Artwork for Here First
Iowa
Des Moines
University Of Iowa
Des Moines, United States
Donald Trump
Trump Administration
Rob Sand
Data Centers
Affordable Care Act
Iowa Politics
Cedar Rapids
Sioux City
Property Tax Reform
Iowa Public Radio
Iowa National Guard
Republican Party
Central Iowa Water Works
Governor Kim Reynolds
Google
Iowa Legislature

Start your day with the essentials. Coffee. Breakfast. And the local news you need to know. Host Meghan McKinney rises bright and early to bring you the top news stories from around Iowa in under 10 minutes. Wake up, grab that coffee and get your news Here First. You can support what you hear on this podcast at ipr.org/donate.

PublishesDailyEpisodes210Founded6 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Daily NewsNewsPolitics

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Here First

Latest Episodes

A proposed change to Waterloo’s human rights department is dividing the city’s leadership. A business group is questioning why Alliant Energy wants to build three new power plants. And Dubuque’s Marshallese community celebrates its heritage this week... more

President Trump's lawsuit against pollster J. Ann Selzer has been dismissed. A traveling exhibit is in Des Moines that features the Epstein files that have been released. And Dolly the mastodon is returning to southern Iowa.

Linn County is looking at the quality of its groundwater. Library hours are being reduced in Des Moines because of city budget cuts. And how has data from Flock Safety cameras been misused?

Prosecutors will retry a man accused in the cold-case killing of a Native American woman in Sioux City. The Dubuque City Council voted Monday to adopt a goal to zero out its greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. A Johnson County judge ruled against the s... more

Key Facts

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Contact Information
Podcast Host
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Recent Guests

Josh Turk
Democratic US Senate candidate in Ames area race
U.S. Senate candidate
Episode: Friday, September 18th, 2026
Thomas Lane
Libertarian candidate in the Senate race
Libertarian candidate
Episode: Friday, September 18th, 2026
Mark Nook
University President commenting on archives center
University of Northern Iowa
Episode: Friday, September 18th, 2026
Christine Hensley
Board of Regents member commenting on independence plan
University of Iowa/Board of Regents
Episode: Friday, September 18th, 2026
Beth Spendler
Voter expressing concerns about affordability and policy implications
Private citizen (voter)
Episode: Friday, September 18th, 2026
Matt Smith
Des Moines School Board member appointed as superintendent
Des Moines Public Schools
Episode: Wednesday, September 16th, 2026
RJ Beelenburg
Shelby County deputy and school resource officer in Harlan
Shelby County Sheriff's Office
Episode: Tuesday, September 15th, 2026
Chip Taylor
Monarch butterfly expert, founder Monarch Watch
Monarch Watch, University of Kansas
Episode: Tuesday, September 8th, 2026
Susan Helm
Co-president of the Monarch Highway project
Monarch Highway Project (Illinois segment)
Episode: Tuesday, September 8th, 2026

Host

Meghan McKinney
Host focusing on local Iowa news, politics, and policy with IPR News support.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 91 ratings
  • News Delivery

    Listening to Meghan deliver news each morning feels like drinking coffee with a good friend who says, “Hey, here’s what’s going on. Thanks for listening.”

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Central Iowa Katie
    United States7 months ago
  • Language not neutral

    Interesting program but wording and expressions are definitely slanted. It is liberal leaning and must be listened with that in mind.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    iMallears
    United States4 years ago
  • Great start to the day!

    “Here First” has become my go-to morning listen for a quick overview of state news and the occasional in depth coverage of other issues affecting the Midwest. It’s right up there with coffee as my morning must-have!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    AnnAppleseth
    United States5 years ago
  • So happy this exists

    Thank you so much IPR for creating this podcast, I often cannot reach IPR on normal radio hours but having this resource is perfect for me to listen more about Iowa specific news!

    I am a daily Up First listener, so this was an instant subscribe! Great idea, I appreciate everything IPR does for us in Iowa!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    1234569274
    United States6 years ago
  • Very excited for this

    Clay is an excellent radio host and always delivers fair and timely content. I’m really looking forward to this podcast!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Avanorny
    United States6 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Listeners note fair, balanced coverage with practical context for policy decisions.
Audiences appreciate local focus and timely reporting on topics affecting Iowa communities.
Observers praise concise, dependable updates that fit into a busy morning routine.

Chart Rankings

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

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Friday, March 13th, 2026
Q: How would you describe what's going on in the world right now, in our country, affecting immigrant and refugee students?
Neibolt describes how immigration policies and safety concerns are shaping decisions for students and families, including self-deportation, moving to more welcoming places, and the pressure on pursuing higher education despite obstacles. She emphasizes the emotional impact and the need for supportive programs like RISE to provide pathways to college.
Monday, February 23rd, 2026
Q: Were there some proposals that advanced last week?
Most bills passed and are still alive, including legislation on eminent domain and changes to school vaccine requirements.
Monday, February 23rd, 2026
Q: Republican lawmakers reached an agreement on K-12 school funding. What's the latest deal?
Republican leaders landed on a 2% increase for K-12 per student funding, amounting to additional funding but raising concerns from educators about inflation not being met.
Monday, February 9th, 2026
Q: What is related to last year's changes to the state civil rights code?
Governor Kim Reynolds' new bill would prevent local governments from having civil rights policies differing from state law, which follows the removal of protections for transgender individuals in the previous year.
Monday, February 9th, 2026
Q: What are lawmakers who support this bill saying about why it's needed?
They argue that it is necessary to award opportunities based on merit rather than race or gender and to align state laws with recent Republican initiatives limiting diversity efforts.

Audience Metrics

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions About Here First

What is Here First about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A concise morning briefing that rounds up local Iowa news, politics, and policy with a focus on how policy decisions affect everyday life. Episodes often weave in reporting on data centers, local government, education, environmental issues, and health policy, complemented by long-form features on agriculture and regional trends. Notable strengths include fast-paced, bill-by-bill context, and a steady stream of expert and local voices to illuminate both policy and community impact. Listeners likely appreciate clarity, timeliness, and practical implications for residents and businesses alike.

Where can I find podcast stats for Here First?

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

How many listeners does Here First get?

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What are the audience demographics for Here First?

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How many subscribers and views does Here First have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Here First 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 Here First?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Here First:

1. River to River
2. Up First from NPR
3. Throughline
4. The NPR Politics Podcast
5. Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!

How many episodes of Here First are there?

Here First launched 6 years ago and published 210 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 Here First?

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 Here First?

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What guests have appeared on Here First?

Recent guests on Here First include:

1. Josh Turk
2. Thomas Lane
3. Mark Nook
4. Christine Hensley
5. Beth Spendler
6. Matt Smith
7. RJ Beelenburg
8. Chip Taylor

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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