
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.
| Publishes | Daily | Episodes | 210 | Founded | 5 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | NewsDaily NewsPolitics | |||

Iowa is gripped by the first heat wave of the summer, big cuts for the Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice, and a popular lake in northwest Iowa reopens as part of a state program marking its 20th year.
The U.S. Supreme Court sided with the maker of Roundup over cancer warnings on pesticide labels, a new facility could support more conservation on farms across the state, and some farms are growing something you might find in your own backyard, servi... more
A termination letter shows why a former IPERS official was fired. Libertarians running for Iowa governor and lieutenant governor are suing to be put on the ballot. And a museum in Waterloo is bracing for funding cuts.
Iowa's SNAP restrictions have been blocked by a federal court. Woodbury County has passed a moratorium on data center projects. And U.S. senators are still working on a new farm bill.
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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.”
Interesting program but wording and expressions are definitely slanted. It is liberal leaning and must be listened with that in mind.
“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!
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!
Clay is an excellent radio host and always delivers fair and timely content. I’m really looking forward to this podcast!
Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.
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Apple Podcasts | #205 |
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Morning daily briefing that covers Iowa-focused politics, policy, and public life in under 10 minutes. Listeners tune in for concise updates on government actions, state budgeting, infrastructure, and healthcare, with occasional deep dives into education, agriculture, and regional issues. The show consistently features on-the-ground reporting from Iowa Public Radio correspondents and guest perspectives from politicians, watchdog reporters, and local experts. Its short, fast-paced format makes it a reliable quick-read of what's shaping Iowa each day, often tying policy changes to practical everyday impacts. Noteworthy elements include a steady emphasis on state policy, transparent reporting, and timely context around elections and public hea... more
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These podcasts share a similar audience with Here First:
1. Up First from NPR
2. River to River
3. Consider This from NPR
4. The Daily
5. The NPR Politics Podcast
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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Recent guests on Here First include:
1. Marco Battaglia
2. Grant Gerlach
3. Ross Wilburn
4. Rachel Kramer
5. Lindsay James
6. Christina Bohannon
7. Sheila Brummer
8. Monica Arora
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