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Houston Matters

Houston Public Media
Houston
Texas
Harris County
Artemis II
Houston Public Media
ICE
World Cup
Houston, United States
Houston ISD
Immigration
Fort Bend County
Venezuela
Traffic Safety
Donald Trump
Baylor College Of Medicine
Education
Urban Planning
Public Health
President Trump
Texas Education Agency

Houston Matters is a radio program airing weekdays at 9 am on Houston Public Media News 88.7 FM in Houston. During each hour, we’ll investigate the issues and ideas, people and places that make Houston…well…Houston! We’ll talk about current events, politics, education, health care, the environment, business, transportation, arts and culture, literature, sports and leisure. But we also hope that wh... more

PublishesDailyEpisodes129Founded13 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Daily NewsNewsSociety & Culture

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Artwork for Houston Matters

Latest Episodes

On Thursday's show: Houston ISD has lost roughly twice the number of students district leaders had initially projected. We learn what the loss of nearly 10,000 in enrollment means for the district.

Also this hour: We talk with organist Roger Sayer a... more

On Wednesday's show: We discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup.

Also this hour: In the latest installment of The Full Menu, local foodies talk about good places to get dishes with a comforting fall vibe.

And we preview th... more

On Tuesday's show: From core curriculum changes, to a centennial construction project, a lot is happening at the University of Houston these days. We talk with UH Chancellor Dr. Renu Khator about the state of the university system and the issues faci... more

On Monday's show: Watchdog groups say Texas public schools lost nearly $300 million because of school vouchers. And Galveston ISD has a week to comply with a court order to display the Ten Commandments in its classrooms. We discuss those developments... 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

Katya Suvorova
Author of Ungrateful Immigrant Daughter
Author
Episode: Child of a mail-order bride (Sept. 29, 2026)
Mia Garcia
Executive Director of Combined Arms
Combined Arms
Episode: Child of a mail-order bride (Sept. 29, 2026)
Jason Williams
Deputy Director of the Harris County Veterans Services Department
Harris County Veterans Services
Episode: Child of a mail-order bride (Sept. 29, 2026)
Chris Fahey
Director of Military Relations for Black Horse Health
Black Horse Health
Episode: Child of a mail-order bride (Sept. 29, 2026)
Jessica Watkins
NASA astronaut, Commander on SpaceX Crew 14
NASA
Episode: New flu season (Sept. 28, 2026)
Luke Delaney
NASA astronaut, Pilot on SpaceX Crew 14
NASA
Episode: New flu season (Sept. 28, 2026)
Joshua Kertrick
Canadian Space Agency astronaut
CSA
Episode: New flu season (Sept. 28, 2026)
Sergey Tetyuryatnikov
Roscosmos cosmonaut
Roscosmos
Episode: New flu season (Sept. 28, 2026)
Natalia Contreras
Senior reporter, Votebeat Texas
Votebeat Texas
Episode: Voter registration backlog (Sept. 25, 2026)

Host

Craig Cohen
Host of Houston Matters

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 120 ratings
  • Insightfully informative & fun

    So glad to have this program available to Houston ! Objectively approachable discussions about issues THAT MATTER to Houstonians.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Scubarru
    United Statesa year ago
  • Extreme political bias

    It’s so unfortunate that so many great shows have been ruined by their obsession with partisan politics with no attempt at neutrality. Any deviation from the narrow minded, bigoted opinions of the producers is heresy because their tribe lose an election 2 1/2 years ago. I would have rated zero stars if not for the excellent content pre TDS. Hopefully rationality and openness to diversity of opinion will return eventually but I couldn’t justify donating to HPM anymore. I still listen occasionall... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Nostrathomas.
    United States4 years ago
  • Special Edition

    I am typically a fan of this show when it’s led by Craig Cohen & I have appreciated the local doctors and scientists that have contributed, but Ernie Manouse is insufferable and the way he treated a guest today by inserting his own political views (the guest had covid - his family got it & he said he’s a moderate, he asked for feedback on the media’s role in where we’re at, and the guy answered and he said he didn’t agree and just was patronizing) - if you don’t want politics inserted, then stic... more

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Ehodges05
    United States6 years ago
  • Give it a rest

    I used to listen to this show for daily local news. In recent months the fear mongering and aggrandizement of COVID related issues is insufferable. There’s a way of reporting the facts without sensationalizing it, Houston Matters should aim for that goal. Even the tone of the reporting is overkill. Every time I try to listen I hear myself saying “give it a rest!”

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Ayjayrose
    United States6 years ago
  • Partisan

    If you enjoy one-sided, bias discussions, you will enjoy this dumpster fire.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    htx2020!
    United States6 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Balanced, informative Houston-focused coverage that avoids fluff.
High-quality local reporting that helps Houstonians understand regional issues.
Listeners appreciate practical, local context and expert guests.
Some listeners feel the show leans political; neutral framing and diverse guests could help broaden appeal.

Chart Rankings

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

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Nuclear energy in Texas (Sept. 21, 2026)
Q: What does westward growth mean for Houston's future?
Growth west of the city is driven by infrastructure, affordable land, and the absence of strict zoning, leading to a dispersed urban fabric and new economic nodes while maintaining a strong automobile-led lifestyle.
Nuclear energy in Texas (Sept. 21, 2026)
Q: Why has the cost of diesel risen so dramatically recently?
Geopolitical conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, plus the depletion of refinery capacity, are constraining global diesel supply and lifting prices, with multi-point bottlenecks making relief slow.
Voter registration backlog (Sept. 25, 2026)
Q: What should voters do if they're unsure about their registration status?
Check registration status in the county records or on VoteTexas.gov, and if in doubt, re-register to avoid missing the opportunity to vote, since duplicates can be resolved later.
Voter registration backlog (Sept. 25, 2026)
Q: What exactly went wrong starting last October?
A vendor error was identified by the DPS and the Secretary of State, with delays rooted in the TEAM system and data transfers from DPS to the voter registration system, leading to a backlog that counties are actively trying to manage.
West side growth (Sept. 18, 2026)
Q: How long might these diesel price levels persist, and what could ease them?
Prices may stay high through the end of this year and into next year depending on geopolitical developments; relief could come from shifts in supply chains or policy changes, but substantial systemic changes are uncertain.

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 Houston Matters

What is Houston Matters about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A Houston-focused public affairs program delivers timely coverage across politics, education, health, and local policy, interleaving hard news with practical guidance and cultural segments. Episodes frequently feature regional governance, school AI policy, health guidance from pediatric experts, energy market context, and community voices from arts, sports, and local journalism. A notable strength is balancing rigorous reporting with accessible, everyday relevance for Houstonians, plus regular in-studio guests who illuminate policy and culture at the city level.

Where can I find podcast stats for Houston Matters?

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

How many listeners does Houston Matters get?

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What are the audience demographics for Houston Matters?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Houston Matters, 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 Houston Matters have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Houston Matters 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 Houston Matters?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Houston Matters:

1. Texas Standard
2. Texas Take
3. Here & Now Anytime
4. Houston Public Media Newscasts
5. Science Friday

How many episodes of Houston Matters are there?

Houston Matters launched 13 years ago and published 129 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 Houston Matters?

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 Houston Matters?

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

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What guests have appeared on Houston Matters?

Recent guests on Houston Matters include:

1. Katya Suvorova
2. Mia Garcia
3. Jason Williams
4. Chris Fahey
5. Jessica Watkins
6. Luke Delaney
7. Joshua Kertrick
8. Sergey Tetyuryatnikov

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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