“The Indicator from Planet Money,” NPR’s podcast that decodes our ever-changing economy with a daily dose of nerdery, banter and storytelling, has named three co-hosts — Wailin Wong, Darian Woods, and Adrian Ma.
“Economic stories are lurking everywhere we look—at the gas pump, in Facebook mom groups, and the myriad ways people are rethinking their relationships with work and consumption,” said Wong. “I’m honored to be part of a team that’s always finding new ways to demystify the inner workings of the economy. We learn alongside our listeners with every episode and it’s a joy to work on the show.”
“It’s a real privilege to be in the front-row to this whiplash economy,” said Woods. “Inflation has hit 40-year highs. The war in Ukraine is partly an economic war. Everyone’s talking about a possible global recession. These are confusing times, and I’m happy to be part of a world-class team of economic storytellers explaining what the heck is going on.”
“Long before I joined ‘The Indicator,’ I was a fan,” said Ma. “I’ve always loved how ‘The Indicator,’ and its sister-show ‘Planet Money,’ manage to explore and demystify the economy in a way that is simultaneously geeky and accessible, smart and delightful. That I get to do this kind of work at NPR is a privilege and a literal dream come true. The past year working with this team has been a joy and I’m stoked for what’s next.”
Wong is a long-time business and economics journalist who’s reported from a Chilean mountaintop, an embalming fluid factory, and lots of places in between. Previously, she launched and co-hosted two branded podcasts for a software company, and covered tech and startups for the Chicago Tribune. Wong started her career as a correspondent for Dow Jones Newswires in Buenos Aires. In her spare time, she plays violin in one of the oldest community orchestras in the U.S.
Woods combines storytelling and economics to explain the world around us. He’s reported on how green laws can stop green projects, what economic sanctions mean for Russia, and the entrepreneurial skills gained from dealing drugs. With inflation high at the moment, he’s even shone the spotlight on how monetary policy, just possibly, can be a little fun. Before NPR, Woods worked as an adviser to the secretary to the New Zealand Treasury. He has an honors degree in economics from the University of Canterbury and a Master of public policy from Cal-Berkeley.
Ma has ridden along with delivery gig workers, analyzed racial disparities in lending, and explained how inflation works using a time-traveling demon. Before NPR, he was a business reporter at WBUR in Boston and WCPN in Cleveland. His reporting has been recognized with multiple national awards including two PJMA Awards, a Gracie, and two National Edward R. Murrow Awards.
