What makes The Daily so unique?

If you’re one of the 2 million listeners of The Daily, The New York Times’ daily news podcast, you’ve likely heard his voice.

In the three years since The Daily launched, host Michael Barbaro has gone from Times journalist to “Page Six” celebrity, becoming the public face of the widely popular podcast. In a new profile, Intelligencer’s Matthew Schneier goes behind the scenes of The Daily to understand how the show comes together, what the show’s success has meant for the Times, and why so many listeners find Barbaro compelling.

Podcasting is an intimate medium, and podcasts live or die by their hosts.

Matthew Schneier

“In the 40-year-old Barbaro, The Daily has found one who connects unusually, even unexpectedly, well.” Part of Barbaro’s appeal to listeners, beyond his voice and delivery style, may be in his approach to interviews: “Generations of reporters have been trained to make themselves invisible in their stories, but Barbaro can end up becoming a character,” Schneier writes, citing one episode where Barbaro audibly wept during his interview with a Kentucky coal miner. “These moments make good listening and endear Barbaro to fans,” he says.