Perimeter Listening / Economy
The Indicator from Planet Money
NPR · Hosts & contributors
The Indicator takes the explanatory approach of Planet Money and applies it to a compact economic question. Its NPR journalists use interviews, examples and data to illuminate developments in jobs, prices, finance and business. The format makes it easy to sample a subject without committing to a long interview. Individual episodes are useful starting points for understanding what a widely quoted number actually measures and why it matters.
Listen for
The show
Short reported economic explainers · NPR
The Desk’s listening note
Use one episode to unpack a headline, then follow its linked reporting when you want a fuller picture.
Who it’s for
Listeners with limited time who want accessible economic context and a clearer understanding of the numbers appearing in business news and policy debates.
A useful place to start
Select a recent episode on employment, prices or a business you know; identify the central indicator and what the hosts say it leaves out.
From connected public feeds
Latest collected episodes
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The people behind the microphone
The reporting team
NPR’s publisher listing credits Adrian Ma, Darian Woods and Wailin Wong as hosts. Presenters and contributors vary across episodes.
Sources & further reading
Profile checked September 18, 2026. Editorial notes are Perimeter’s interpretation.