In today’s polarized media environment, Unbiased Updates™ was created to meet the growing demand for news that informs rather than influences. As part of Straight Arrow News’ broader mission to deliver fact-based reporting free from spin or filter, this podcast aims to provide listeners with a reliable, digestible daily update on the most important stories shaping the world. Our goal with this weekday podcast is to empower audiences with facts, not opinions, enabling them to be educated quickly, confidently, and without ideological noise.
Unbiased Updates™ seeks to redefine how Americans consume news in an era of growing distrust in media. Its specific goals are to:
Unbiased Updates™ was strategically developed to reflect Straight Arrow News (SAN)’s core values: factual accuracy, neutrality, and clarity. Today’s audiences often feel overwhelmed by the volume and tone of media coverage. To combat this, we created a short-form podcast format — approximately 5 minutes per episode — to give listeners a balanced daily briefing without a large time investment.
Each episode is anchored in rigorous editorial standards. Our journalists identify the key stories of the day and fact-check across multiple sources from both sides of the media spectrum, guided by SAN’s commitment to balance and transparency. This allows us to highlight stories accurately and without bias, including those underrepresented in mainstream coverage — something we reinforce through our Media Miss™ tool, which cross-references media narratives across ideological lines.
The podcast is recorded and edited daily to ensure timeliness and relevancy. Distribution leverages multiple platforms — including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and our website — to reach listeners where they already consume content. Visual branding and tone are kept consistent with the SAN identity to reinforce brand recognition.
Challenges included building trust with a skeptical audience and differentiating ourselves in a saturated podcast market. To address these, we relied heavily on our mission-first messaging, transparent sourcing, and high editorial standards. Listener feedback and user behavior were tracked from launch to refine episode timing, voice, and subject balance. We also ran strategic cross-promotion with our written and video content to maximize visibility.
The uniqueness of Unbiased Updates™ lies in its anti-editorial approach: that is, we don’t editorialize. In an environment where many news outlets rely on emotional hooks and partisan leanings, we intentionally choose neutrality as our superpower, proving that straightforward reporting can still be compelling and informative.
Unbiased Updates™ has successfully carved out a space for audiences seeking clarity over commentary. The podcast has seen steady growth in listeners and subscribers since its launch, with strong retention and positive feedback from audiences praising its brevity, neutrality, and reliability.
Key achievements include:
Most importantly, Unbiased Updates™ has fulfilled its mission to become a trusted daily habit for listeners, helping rebuild trust in journalism, one fact-based episode at a time.