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Iowa
Bird Flu
Glenwood Resource Center
Flooding
Spencer
Abortion Law
FEMA
Northwest Iowa
Iowa Supreme Court
Flood Recovery
Iowa Attorney General's Office
Iowa Immigration Law
Cold Cases
Libertarian Party
Nicholas Gluba
Des Moines Police Department
Eating Disorder Coalition Of Iowa
Historic Flooding
Mississippi River
Opioid Settlement

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.

PublishesDailyEpisodes210Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
NewsDaily NewsPolitics

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Artwork for Here First

Latest Episodes

Both the Senate and House have passed a bill to release the Epstein files. A Minnesota-based newspaper company has about the Cedar Rapids Gazette. And Hinterland has announced its 2026 lineup.

The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to take a vote on the release of the Epstein files. Another lawsuit has been filed against the state over new pharmacy benefit manager regulations. And it's been a record corn harvest year.

A third Iowa educator has sued a former employer for wrongful termination over comments related to Charlie Kirk's death. Iowa is holding off on privatizing its prison health care system. And a Democrat is exploring a run for Iowa's secretary of agric... more

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November SNAP benefits should be released to Iowa participants today. A public meeting about a nuclear power plant in eastern Iowa drew mixed reactions. And some in the agriculture industry are pushing to revise a visa work program.

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Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Chris Jones
A retired University of Iowa researcher who leads a nonprofit group focused on water quality
Driftless Water Defenders
Episode: Monday, November 17th, 2025
Dave Bishaw
A 31-year-old labor organizer and musician who is running as an independent in the 2nd Congressional District.
Episode: Thursday, November 13th, 2025
Rob Sand
State Auditor and Democratic candidate for governor
Iowa State Government
Episode: Monday, November 10th, 2025
Joe Stevens
CEO of Joppa, a homelessness prevention non-profit
Episode: Wednesday, October 22nd, 2025
Roxandra Marku
Researcher with the Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Episode: Thursday, October 16th, 2025
Richard Scherzan
Democrat candidate for U.S. Senate advocating for public-private partnerships
Episode: Monday, October 13th, 2025
Kai McGee
Representative from Four Oaks, aiding kinship caregivers
Four Oaks
Episode: Monday, October 13th, 2025
Sonya Carlson
Program Director at Hawkeye Community College
Hawkeye Community College
Episode: Tuesday, September 23rd, 2025
Naina Gupta
Advocate with the American Immigration Council
American Immigration Council
Episode: Tuesday, September 23rd, 2025

Host

Meghan McKinney
Host of the show, known for delivering concise updates on local news and events impacting Iowa communities.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 84 ratings
  • 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 States3 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 States4 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 States5 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 States5 years ago
  • Wanna know? Listen to this podcast—

    Comprehensive, understandable, timely, accurate information. Thank you!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    pkatrinka
    United States5 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Feedback highlights the relevance of topics covered as well as the need for careful balancing in political discussions.
Listeners appreciate the concise format, making it easy to catch up on important local news in a short time.
Many regard it as a necessary morning staple, equating it with their coffee 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.

Thursday, October 16th, 2025
Q: How does a domestic violence situation escalate to a domestic violence homicide?
It often starts with non-physical violence but may escalate to severe physical violence, especially after strangulation occurs.
Thursday, October 16th, 2025
Q: Why is domestic violence homicide rising in Iowa?
Economic difficulties and lack of affordable housing contribute to this increase.
Thursday, October 16th, 2025
Q: Who is most likely to commit domestic violence homicide in Iowa?
The aggressors are typically current or former partners of the victims.
Thursday, October 16th, 2025
Q: Who is most impacted by domestic violence homicide in Iowa?
Women and children are most impacted, but everyone is affected in some way.
Monday, July 28th, 2025
Q: What did abortion providers say about this past year?
Abortion providers reported a significant drop in services due to the law, and an increase in Iowans traveling out of state for care.

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 Here First

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

Focused on delivering concise updates, this podcast provides listeners with essential local news from Iowa in a format that is both efficient and engaging. Each episode aims to capture key political and social stories affecting the community, featuring discussions on state legislation, community initiatives, and local events. Noteworthy features include timely coverage of pressing issues, including education, public policy, and environmental challenges, ensuring that listeners are well-informed about topics that directly impact their lives.

The podcast distinguishes itself by not only informing but also prioritizing the significance of local perspectives, making it a valuable resource for Iowa residents. Its commitment to providing quick n... more

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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. The NPR Politics Podcast
3. Up First from NPR
4. The Daily
5. Consider This from NPR

How many episodes of Here First are there?

Here First launched 5 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.

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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. Chris Jones
2. Dave Bishaw
3. Rob Sand
4. Joe Stevens
5. Roxandra Marku
6. Richard Scherzan
7. Kai McGee
8. Sonya Carlson

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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