‘The Daily’ host Michael Barbaro tells mellower stories for Calm in ‘The Nightly’

Most mornings, you can find journalist Michael Barbaro discussing politics and other weighty topics on The New York Times podcast “The Daily.” But the show’s host is trading political reporting for soothing—and decidedly non-partisan—news stories as part of a partnership with meditation and sleep app Calm. Calm tapped Barbaro to host its latest “Sleep Story,” fittingly titled “The Nightly,” where Barbaro highlights a trio of news stories that are far more uplifting than his usual fare. The three tales include “a curious job taken up by Icelandic horses, Australian trees receiving fan mail, and a surprising airborne incident involving saving flamingo eggs,” according to a Calm press release. Listen to a brief clip above. Also read: How Northwestern Mutual is using a podcast to reach young consumers “I may have a soothing voice, but a lot of the stories I tell are not exactly relaxing,” Barbaro said in the release. “That’s why I was so excited to work with Calm to tell a Sleep Story featuring nothing but good news that I hope can help you get to sleep." “The Nightly” joins Calm’s library of over 300 Sleep Story episodes available to Calm subscribers, along with music and meditations similarly designed to lull listeners to sleep. Calm has teamed up with a slew of celebrities for its Sleep Stories, including Harry Styles, Matthew McConaughey, LeBron James and Donna Kelce, mother of NFL stars Travis and Jason Kelce. Calm deliberately timed the release of “The Nightly” to Tuesday night’s presidential debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, according to the release. The mental health app showed up during the previous debate between Trump and President Biden in June with a series of Threads posts urging its online audience to practice self-care and turn their TVs off if the shouting match was making them anxious or stressed. More Creativity coverage from Ad Age: Sign up for our daily Creativity newsletter to see the best stories of the day.

‘The Daily’ host Michael Barbaro tells mellower stories for Calm in ‘The Nightly’

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