The Guardian has announced the launch of its flagship US video podcast, Stateside with Kai and Carter, set to premiere on 13 May 2026. Hosted by Peabody Award-winning journalist Kai Wright and Emmy-nominated Guardian journalist and author Carter Sherman, the show will release new episodes three times a week, bringing the Guardian's global perspective to American audiences through lively interviews and analysis.
A Video-First Approach
At a time when many news organizations are adapting to video, Stateside with Kai and Carter launches as a video-first podcast. It aims to slow down fast-moving stories, offering viewers and listeners analysis that helps make sense of the news. The show will cover topics such as authoritarianism, inequality, racial injustice, climate change, and corporate power, alongside lighter subjects like soccer, wellness, and lifestyle.
Where to Watch and Listen
The podcast will be available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms. It will also have a strong presence on Instagram and TikTok, ensuring broad accessibility across digital channels.
The Hosts
Kai Wright, a Peabody Award-winning host and editor, previously helmed WNYC's Notes From America with Kai Wright and several limited series on social justice. He is the author of Drifting Toward Love and a contributor to Four Hundred Souls. Carter Sherman, who joined the Guardian in 2023, leads coverage on gender, power, and politics, focusing on reproductive rights. She is the author of The Second Coming: Sex and the Next Generation's Fight Over Its Future and has earned four Emmy nominations.
Production Team
The show is executive produced by Jonathan Menjivar, a podcast veteran from This American Life and Fresh Air, who created the acclaimed Classy with Jonathan Menjivar. Deputy executive producer Rachel Humphreys, a Pulitzer Prize finalist, previously worked on the Wall Street Journal's The Journal and helped launch the Guardian's UK podcast Today in Focus. The team also includes senior audio producer Anabel Bacon from the New York Times, senior video producer Tiara Chiaramonte from CNN and 60 Minutes, and other experienced producers from This American Life, Wall Street Journal Opinion, and more.
Strategic Growth
Stateside with Kai and Carter is a key part of the Guardian's expansion in the US, building on the success of its UK podcasts like The Birth Keepers and Off Duty. The Guardian's US staff now exceeds 200, with larger teams covering politics, media, sports, culture, and breaking news.
Quotes from the Team
Carter Sherman said: 'I have been constantly astounded by my colleagues' incisive reporting. At this critical moment, too much media is dominated by celebrity-driven content. At Stateside, we'll ask the questions we actually have and say what we actually think.'
Kai Wright added: 'The United States is at a pivotal juncture. We want to facilitate a conversation about how the nation can progress rather than devolve, and build community around the Guardian's world-class journalism.'
Executive producer Jonathan Menjivar noted: 'We've created a show that demonstrates it's possible to do everything I've loved about audio in video. You can inform, tell a story, or give a new idea with fun and flair.'
Nicole Jackson, the Guardian's global head of multimedia, said: 'With the intelligence and wit that defines Guardian journalism, Stateside is going to be the essential guide to making sense of it all.'
About the Guardian
The Guardian is a global, reader-funded news organization founded in 1821. In the US, it has more than 150 editorial staff across New York, Washington DC, and Los Angeles, reaching over 40 million monthly readers. Its journalism has won George Polk, Scripps Howard, Edward R. Murrow, and Pulitzer awards.
