Current's The Pub

So your favorite podcast has a new host! Do you keep listening? We certainly hope so. I'm Annie Russell, the new host of The Pub. I'm an editor at WBEZ and a stand-up comedian. As I navigate this new role, I wondered how a new host goes about taking the reins of an established program. It looks like I'm not the only one facing that particular question. Researching this episode, I found that quite a few public media programs and podcasts have experienced a changing of the guard in the past year or so. Russell For new hosts: How do you fill your beloved predecessor's shoes while still honoring the longtime audience? When you inevitably make changes, will they run for the hills? Nobody knows this challenge better than journalist Robert Costa. He's a reporter for the Washington Post and took over as moderator last year for PBS' weekly public affairs program Washington Week. Costa describes how he approached what could have been a tricky transition after the death of previous longtime host Gwen Ifill. Plus, I che