The San Francisco Chronicle’s weekly politics podcast “It’s All Political,” hosted by senior political writer Joe Garofoli, is joining forces with daily news show “Fifth & Mission.”
Hosted by Garofoli, “It’s All Political on Fifth & Mission” will bring high-profile interviews and expanded political coverage to The Chronicle’s flagship podcast, starting today with an interview with Sen. Alex Padilla.
“I’m really excited about ‘It’s All Political’ becoming part of the ‘Fifth & Mission’ family and getting to know its listeners and for them to get to know us,” said Garofoli. “It’s always fun to talk politics no matter what the venue.”
“With ‘It’s All Political’ joining ‘Fifth & Mission,’ our audiences will now be able to enjoy keener political insight and analysis,” said “Fifth & Mission” Host and Producer Cecilia Lei. “They’ll also benefit from Joe’s grasp of California politics and issues, which affect the day-to-day lives of Bay Area residents.”
Since launching in 2017, “It’s All Political” has featured some of the most prominent names in local and national politics. Garofoli has interviewed Georgia Democrat Stacey Abrams, Sen. Dianne Feinstein and then-gubernatorial candidate Gavin Newsom, as well as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, activist and author Van Jones and TV personality Chelsea Handler.
Alongside senior political writer and Washington correspondent Tal Kopan, Garofoli also hosted the limited series podcast “Chronicled: Who is Kamala Harris?” which won a 2021 Webby Award.
“Joe’s been covering politics so long he remembers when Republicans got elected to statewide office in California,” said Chronicle Executive Producer for Audio King Kaufman. “He’s not just a great interviewer: He sees things. Just one example: We all know who Stacey Abrams is now. Joe was one of the first reporters outside Georgia who spotted her as a rising star.”
“It’s All Political” will be a regular, recurring segment on “Fifth & Mission,” with Garofoli continuing to host interviews with local and national politicians and analyzing elections and key political issues.
“This is a great opportunity to include more people in our political conversation at a critical time in California. We always try to make sense of politics in our tumultuous era — while introducing listeners to smart people and new and emerging voices. Our credo: No matter what is going on in California, you know that at some level — it’s all political,” Garofoli said.
“Bringing ‘It’s All Political’ into ‘Fifth & Mission’ will allow Joe’s podcast work to reach a much bigger audience, and they’re going to love him,” said Kaufman.
The move is part of a larger series of exciting developments for “Fifth & Mission” and The Chronicle audio team. Last May, Lei joined The Chronicle as host and producer of “Fifth & Mission” along with co-host and director of news Demian Bulwa. Over the past nine months, the podcast team has produced a series of ambitious narrative episodes, covering stories ranging from school integration in Marin County to one of the largest homeless encampments in Oakland facing the threat of eviction.
In the fall, The Chronicle conducted an in-depth survey of “Fifth & Mission” listeners to better understand the issues our audience cares about most, and this winter the podcast began experimenting with Twitter Spaces, hosting a pair of live conversations with public health experts about COVID-19.
Most recently, Kaufman has been promoted to the role of Executive Producer for Audio to continue driving the growth and development of The Chronicle’s audio program.
“‘Fifth & Mission’ just got a lot stronger,” Kaufman said, “and I’m excited about some new podcast projects in 2022 that we’ll be announcing soon.”
About The San Francisco Chronicle
The San Francisco Chronicle (www.sfchronicle.com) is the largest newspaper in Northern California and the second largest on the West Coast. Acquired by the Hearst Corporation in 2000, The San Francisco Chronicle was founded in 1865 by Charles and Michael de Young and has been awarded six Pulitzer Prizes for journalistic excellence. Follow us on Twitter at @SFChronicle.
