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Artwork for WAMU: Local News

WAMU: Local News

WAMU
Washington, D.C.
Virginia
Washington, DC
Maryland
Prince George's County
Washington D.C.
Federal Government Shutdown
Muriel Bowser
Donald Trump
Montgomery County
Trump Administration
Affordable Care Act
Abigail Spanberger
Medicaid
Government Shutdown
Potomac River
Ward 8
Data Centers
Eleanor Holmes Norton
D.C.

News features from the Washington, DC Metro Area.

PublishesDailyEpisodes90Founded17 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
News

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Artwork for WAMU: Local News

Latest Episodes

Building a new monument in Washington, D.C. is usually a painstaking process involving layers of review by federal commissions and often requiring congressional approval. The President  is trying to speed that up for the construction of a 250-foot tr... more

This week on Get Out There, we're on the hunt for great ice cream.

Hundreds of thousands of students accessing federal student loans will be impacted by new guidelines which restrict how much debt students can take on. The U.S. Department of Education says its to curtail overwhelming debt; students worry about the p... more

Northern Virginia is widely considered the data center capital of the world, with more than 300 data centers concentrated in Loudoun, Prince William, and Fairfax counties. We look at how the region became "Data Center Alley". And as public opinion sh... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Zara Norman
Notice Reporter
Notice
Episode: The past — and future — of Northern Virginia’s ‘Data Center Alley’
Dave Isay
Founder and president of StoryCorps
StoryCorps
Episode: Dave Isay: Connecting with a stranger is a ‘patriotic act’
Mark Brown
Former instructor at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (2019-2024)
Episode: The use of force has become a ‘default tool’ for ICE officers, a new report finds
Noreen Shaw
Author of the ACLU report on ICE use of force
ACLU
Episode: The use of force has become a ‘default tool’ for ICE officers, a new report finds
Jessica Sidman
Food editor for Washingtonian Magazine
Washingtonian Magazine
Episode: Unlicensed food trucks have taken over the National Mall
Derward Center
Caretaker of the Wurlitzer organ
Private individual/heritage caretaker
Episode: WAMU’s Week Ahead: D.C. bottle bill, the ‘food truck mafia’, and Glen Echo Wurlitzer’s centennial celebration
Jackson Sendenberg
Morning Edition producer at WAMU
WAMU
Episode: WAMU’s Week Ahead: D.C. bottle bill, the ‘food truck mafia’, and Glen Echo Wurlitzer’s centennial celebration
Alex Kummel
Colleague who will dig into the bottle bill and other votes
WAMU
Episode: WAMU’s Week Ahead: D.C. bottle bill, the ‘food truck mafia’, and Glen Echo Wurlitzer’s centennial celebration
Ira Glass
Creator and host of This American Life
This American Life
Episode: Ira Glass on his D.C. radio roots and This American Life’s approach to politics

Hosts

Esther Chalmakili
Host of WAMU Local News and related segments; appears across multiple episodes with local-news focus.
Tamika Smith
Host of Local News and Get Out There segments; frequent contributor to regional community stories.
Sarah Y. Kim
Reporter who introduces and guides segments; links community voices with policy discussions.
Jackson
Host of the program; participates in broader editorial discussion.

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 24 ratings
  • Love This

    Great local news; always keeps me up to date!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Bengal Kat the Cat
    United States4 years ago
  • Great program / interesting content

    I love listening to this podcasts deep dive reporting to answer the questions we locals want to know!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    zdbdc
    United States7 years ago
  • Inconsistent Volume

    The stories on the feed need to be normalized so the volume is consistent. I have sound check enabled, but it can only do so much.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Tylast
    United States14 years ago
  • They really need to fix this feed.

    The news content is fine, but the feed is really terrible. There are tons of downloads that just fail, and the worse, sometimes they will release the same news story several times. The titles will be different, but the story will be the same each time. Then you never get the stories that correspond to the titles. This has been going on for a long time. Clearly, nobody at WAMU is listening to what they are putting out.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    jjviii2501
    United States16 years ago
  • Great podcast

    This is a great Podcast! It has all the local news of DC, Northern Virginia and Maryland you could ask for. I listen to it on my morning commute.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    New DCer
    United States16 years ago

Listeners Say

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

A few technical issues in the feed have been noted by some listeners, affecting consistency and downloads.
Positive feedback highlights strong local coverage and diverse voices.
Overall, audience finds the content valuable for keeping up with regional news and events.
Listeners appreciate grounded, locally focused reporting that ties policy to everyday life.
Episodes are useful for staying informed about DC-area developments and culture.

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

WAMU’s Week Ahead: Data center pushback, Metro Board votes on RFK, our D.C. ice cream roundup
Q: All right, data centers have been big business in Northern Virginia, but what's the latest on the pushback from residents and officials?
The latest shows growing concerns about environmental and energy impacts, with policy actions like moratoria in Maryland counties and intensified public scrutiny of data center developments.
The past — and future — of Northern Virginia’s ‘Data Center Alley’
Q: What is the status of the tax exemption for data centers and how is the state addressing regulation?
The legislature debated ending the exemption, which has provided about $1.9 billion in relief, but ultimately introduced a new energy consumption tax instead of ending the exemption, marking a move toward regulation.
The past — and future — of Northern Virginia’s ‘Data Center Alley’
Q: Can you tell us a little bit more about how so?
Zara Norman describes how state and local leaders realized the data center sector could generate serious revenue, which helped spur development and attract large operators, especially after the 2008 housing market crash.
The use of force has become a ‘default tool’ for ICE officers, a new report finds
Q: What did the ACLU report find about use of force by ICE officers?
The report found that use of force or the threat of force is not rare, with roughly a third of studied incidents involving force and dozens of cases where weapons or potentially deadly tactics were used, including chokeholds and actions that local police might prohibit.
Prince George’s County’s fight over millions in park funding explained
Q: What is the commission and what does it do?
The commission is a long-standing bi-county agency that manages parks and recreation for Prince George's and Montgomery Counties, serving as the central hub for park services and investment decisions.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
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Frequently Asked Questions About WAMU: Local News

What is WAMU: Local News about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show provides in-depth, locally focused reporting on the Washington, DC metro area, blending policy, community voices, culture, and practical guides for residents. Episodes frequently center on neighborhood development, local governance, public safety, food scenes, and cultural events, often featuring a mix of reporters, policy experts, and community guests. A notable pattern is the emphasis on how policy changes affect everyday life, from dining regulations and transit-oriented development to curfews and health policy, with a clear emphasis on accessibility and civic context. What stands out is consistency in presenting diverse DC-area perspectives, combining investigative context with actionable takeaways for locals and stakeholders a... more

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How many listeners does WAMU: Local News get?

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To see how many followers or subscribers WAMU: Local News 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 WAMU: Local News?

These podcasts share a similar audience with WAMU: Local News:

1. Short Wave
2. Up First from NPR
3. City Cast DC
4. Embedded
5. Science Friday

How many episodes of WAMU: Local News are there?

WAMU: Local News launched 17 years ago and published 90 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 WAMU: Local News?

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What guests have appeared on WAMU: Local News?

Recent guests on WAMU: Local News include:

1. Zara Norman
2. Dave Isay
3. Mark Brown
4. Noreen Shaw
5. Jessica Sidman
6. Derward Center
7. Jackson Sendenberg
8. Alex Kummel

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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