Rephonic
Artwork for On Hand
Michigan
Detroit
Republican Party
Donald Trump
Tariffs
University Of Michigan
Grand Rapids
Democratic Party
Covid-19
Great Lakes
Mental Health
Detroit Lions
Trump Administration
Patrick Lyoya
Bird Flu
Sleeping Bear Dunes
ICE
Michigan Elections
Kamala Harris
Michigan State University

Ever wondered why we call ourselves “Michiganders”? Or why we say “pop” instead of “soda”? Or, seriously, how many people need to be rescued from Sleeping Bear Dunes every year? That’s why we’re bringing you a new podcast - On Hand - to answer all your questions about what makes our state so special.

To share a story or submit your questions, head to michiganpublic.org/onhand

If you like what yo... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes130Founded13 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
News

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for On Hand

Latest Episodes

In last week's episode, we dug into the history of euchre and whether the quintessential Michigan game was actually created in the mitten. Turns out, not quite. The trick-taking game came to the Midwest — including Michigan — through farmers who visi... more

YouTube

For many Michiganders, euchre (pronounced yoo-kur) feels like a quintessentially Michigan game—but was it actually created here? Long story short, no. But the story of how the trick-taking game made its way to the Mitten state and became one of its m... more

YouTube

Michigan is the only state in the country with two distinct peninsulas. How did it come to be this way? We share an episode of the Points North podcast that digs into the history of our states boundary lines. They story of our peninsula "up north" ac... more

YouTube

Rory McHarg was so intrigued by the trout label on Bell's Two Hearted Ale he tracked down the artist and made a documentary about him. The film is screening in Traverse City May 1-2, 2026.

GUEST ON THIS EPISODE:

• Rory McHarg, filmmaker, A Two H... more

YouTube

Key Facts

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

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Recent Guests

Steven Zink
IT academic turned euchre historian, former university faculty
University of Nevada, Reno
Episode: Where does euchre come from?
Rory McHarg
Creative director, filmmaker, and artist who produced a documentary related to Two Hearted Tale
Self/Independent filmmaker
Episode: Your Stories: A Two Hearted Ale tale
Larry Bell
Founder of Bell's Brewery
Bell's Brewery
Episode: What made Michigan a craft beer powerhouse?
Mickey Lyons
Beer, wine and spirits historian
Independent historian
Episode: What made Michigan a craft beer powerhouse?
Terry Rostic
Founder of Black Calder Brewing
Black Calder Brewing
Episode: What made Michigan a craft beer powerhouse?
Jamal Ewing
Co-founder of Black Calder Brewing
Black Calder Brewing
Episode: What made Michigan a craft beer powerhouse?
Tim Retzloff
Listener who grew up in Flint and shared memories of Angelo's and other Coney joints
Episode: Your Stories: Tales from the Coney
Joe Grimm
Michigan State Journalism Professor and Free Press alumnus
Detroit Free Press
Episode: Where did the coney dog come from?
Damon Smith
Social media content creator focused on Detroit food culture
WhatUpDoughDane (Instagram/TikTok)
Episode: Where did the coney dog come from?

Host

April Baer
Host of On Hand; Michigan Public Radio; chronic ranch skeptic.

Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars from 189 ratings
  • In depth stories

    The stories always delve into the deeper details and provide first person accounts. Keep up this great reporting.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Milinda Ysasi
    United Statesa year ago
  • Confusing and just trash now

    I’ve used this Podcast app for years and now I can’t even make it play consecutive episodes or figure out how it works. Its totally confusing totally worth it to me now!

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    BJ 89
    United States2 years ago
  • I love this podcast!!

    This podcast covers great stories of all scale from across the state. April is fantastic!! I feel so much more connected to my state and community hearing Michigan stories.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Madmadie
    United States2 years ago
  • I'm sad I have to Unfollow

    This podcast used to be so good about two years ago but now it seems it consist of nothing but Michigan sports. The podcast should go back to focusing on real news and leave the sports to a different podcast.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Nick_t03
    United States2 years ago
  • Great podcast!

    I love listening to April and guests talk about topics that are important and interesting. I learn something new in every one. Especially like that they’re short enough to listen to running errands or taking a break. I don’t always have time to read an article or research the latest news so these dives into hot topics are helpful!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    hemingway79
    United States3 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Some critiques note drift toward sports and politics in certain eras.
Listeners value accessible, well-produced local reporting.
Listeners appreciate the strong Michigan focus and human-interest storytelling.
Fans appreciate diverse guest perspectives and the sense of community.
Many praise concise formats and engaging guests.

Top News Podcasts

The Daily
The DailyThe New York Times
Pod Save America
Pod Save AmericaPod Save America
The MeidasTouch Podcast
The MeidasTouch PodcastMeidasTouch Network
The Tucker Carlson Show
The Tucker Carlson ShowTucker Carlson Network
The Ben Shapiro Show
The Ben Shapiro ShowThe Daily Wire
Pivot
PivotNew York Magazine

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

What made Michigan a craft beer powerhouse?
Q: What made Michigan such a leader in the craft beer resurgence of the 1990s and early 2000s?
The episode attributes Michigan's leadership to a combination of pioneering brewers like Larry Bell, supportive local laws that allowed small breweries to operate, strong agricultural and manufacturing groundwork, and a culture that valued innovation and community in the beer industry.
You Stories: A backyard bird buffet
Q: What happened when the heron visited Tracey Walker's backyard?
The heron took advantage of the pond to feast on koi fish, prompting a neighborly intervention to protect the fish.
You Stories: A backyard bird buffet
Q: What makes the American Robin special as Michigan's state bird?
The American Robin was selected by Michiganders in a 1929 poll and has remained iconic despite challenges from other potential state birds.
Why is the Robin Michigan's state bird?
Q: Why do we have a state anything at all?
State symbols, including birds, were established to create a sense of state identity and pride, following trends in the early 20th century among other states to choose representative symbols.
Why is the Robin Michigan's state bird?
Q: So whose idea was it to declare the robin the state bird back then?
In 1929, the Michigan Audubon Society held an election to allow citizens to choose their favorite bird, leading to the robin's selection as the state bird in 1931 when the state legislature recognized the election results.

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 On Hand

What is On Hand about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show centers on Michigan life, culture, and history through intimate, story-driven episodes. It often pairs personal memories with historical context, exploring topics like regional dialects, state identity, local food culture, sports rivalries, and political history. Episodes frequently feature a mix of residents, researchers, and regional experts, delivering accessible deep-dives into how Michigan's quirks shape everyday life. Noteworthy is the balance between human-interest storytelling and rigorous local history, offering concise, state-focused content ideal for listeners who want tangible connections to Michigan's communities.

Where can I find podcast stats for On Hand?

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

How many listeners does On Hand get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for On Hand, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for On Hand?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for On Hand, 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 On Hand have?

To see how many followers or subscribers On Hand 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 On Hand?

These podcasts share a similar audience with On Hand:

1. Points North
2. Fresh Air
3. This American Life
4. Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!
5. Throughline

How many episodes of On Hand are there?

On Hand launched 13 years ago and published 130 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 On Hand?

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 On Hand?

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

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for On Hand?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of On Hand. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on On Hand?

Recent guests on On Hand include:

1. Steven Zink
2. Rory McHarg
3. Larry Bell
4. Mickey Lyons
5. Terry Rostic
6. Jamal Ewing
7. Tim Retzloff
8. Joe Grimm

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.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days