According to a new national poll conducted by Columbia Journalism Review in partnership with Reuters/Ipsos, public trust in mainstream media is at an all time low. Driven by widespread perceived media bias, dumbed-down news and endless sound bytes, audiences are turning to new sources of information. Think tanks, regardless of ideology, and their legions of policy experts, offer unparalleled, comprehensive deep dives into a variety of domestic, international and social issues. DC-based think tanks are producing more than 100 podcasts per week, but with multiple hosting discovery platforms and inconsistent posting, they're not easy to find. Thought-leader content is everywhere, but not in one place ... until now. (producers@airsnext.com)

AIRSNEXT is pleased to present the first-ever DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO THINK TANK PODCASTS.

Simply click on a show title to listen:

Acton Institute

Acton Line - Dedicated to the promotion of a free and virtuous society, Acton Line brings together writers, economists, religious leaders and more to bridge the gap between good intentions and sound economics.

American Enterprise Institute

AEI Events Podcast gives you a front-row seat to some of the most important events in DC. AEI hosts more than 200 events each year with leading thinkers, politicians, newsmakers, and scholars. Whether you’re in the car or on the go, this podcast lets you listen in so you don’t miss a thing. Listen each week to the full conversations, debates, and speeches hosted by AEI scholars.

Banter is the official policy podcast of the American Enterprise Institute. Hosts Spencer Moore and Cecilia Gallogly break down the most pressing public policy issues of the day with AEI scholars, policymakers, business leaders, and other experts from around the country. Published each Thursday, Banter offers a commute-length look into the policy debates happening in Washington, DC, and their implications for the rest of the world.

Viewpoint features conversations between AEI scholars and a variety of experts.

Political Economy features James Pethokoukis interviewing economists, business leaders, academics and others on the most important and interesting issues of the day.

Aspen Institute

Insight takes you through the halls of the Aspen Institute and introduces you to the fascinating people who are tackling some of the world’s most complex challenges. From the opioid crisis to the Syrian Civil War to cybersecurity and so much more, Aspen Insight brings you stories about the pressing issues we work on and the experts who can help make sense of them.

Ideas to Go features compelling conversations with artists, scientists, activists, politicians, and others at the Aspen Ideas Festival and other Aspen Institute events.

The Bridge knows women of different generations and geographies have never needed one another more. And yet, there are so few places where we are in meaningful dialogue. This inspired The Aspen Institute to create The Bridge, a podcast that puts two people with deep knowledge and compassion in fierce, fun dialogue with one another.

Atlantic Council

Resilient World hosted by Christine Wormuth, director of the Adrienne Arsht Center for Resilience, Season One of Resilient World features insight and analysis about how to meet these challenges from thought leaders in fields as diverse as national security, science fiction, and public health.

Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs

Office Hours answers questions like "Is ISIS like the Bolsheviks of 1917 — or an overblown threat? Why does Putin take off his shirt so much? Could you survive for 72 hours on provisions already in your home?" We’re not sure. That’s why we seek out Harvard’s best and brightest faculty and fellows for “Office Hours,” a monthly video series featuring off-the-cuff — and out-of-the box — conversations with experts.

Bipartisan Policy Center

Pints & Policy takes a laid-back look at “the week that was” in policy news. Host Jordan LaPier has a beer with BPC experts and helps you get smart on key issues for the week ahead.

This Week in Immigration is hosted by Jordan LaPier and features conversations with guests on immigration issues, conflicts and how they may get resolved.

BPC Podcast Channel (all topics) offers BPC audio content in one handy location.

The Infrastructure Debate is a monthly show with infrastructure experts discussing all sides of the issues. BPC experts analyze the Republican and Democratic reactions to the Trump Infrastructure plan.

Brookings Institute

Brookings Cafeteria is the podcast about ideas and the experts who have them, hosted by Fred Dews. In 2015, it was recognized as the Best News & Politics podcast by the Academy of Podcasters Awards.

Dollar & Sense ... from local ports and markets to international trade and diplomacy, Brookings Institution Senior Fellow David Dollar and guests explain how our global trading system is built and its effect on our everyday lives.

5 on 45 presents listeners with real-time commentary and analysis from experts at Brookings about the 45th POTUS, his administration, and Congress.

Intersections features two experts discussing angles on policy issues, hosted by Adrianna Pita.

Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs

Global Ethics Weekly asks "Did you miss a Carnegie Council event? Do you live too far away to attend? Are you a professor who wants your class to listen to Nobel laureates speaking on issues of world peace and global social justice?"

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Diplopod is Carnegie's premiere show, hosted by Jen Psaki, former White House Comms Director.

Carnegie Endowment Events shares audio from various Carnegie Endowment for International Peace live events. CEIP is a unique global network of policy research centers in Russia, China, Europe, the Middle East, India, and the United States. Our mission, dating back more than a century, is to advance the cause of peace through analysis and development of fresh policy ideas and direct engagement and collaboration with decision-makers in government, business, and civil society.

China in the World is a series of conversations between Director Paul Haenle and Chinese and international experts on China’s foreign policy, China’s international role, and China’s relations with the world, brought to you from the Carnegie-Tsinghua Center located in Beijing, China.

Cato Institute

Cato Daily allows Cato Institute scholars and other commenters to discuss relevant news and libertarian thought in a conversational, informal manner.

Center for American Progress

Off-Kilter is a podcast about poverty and inequality — and everything they intersect with. Each week, host Rebecca Vallas is joined by experts, advocates, activists, and other smart people to break down the issues of the day — and how we fight back. Heavy topics … but with a hefty dose of laughter and snark.

Thinking CAP features hosts Daniella Gibbs Léger and Ed Chung (and guests) exploring news shaping the conversation and how you can take action.

Center for New American Security

Podcasts from CNAS is the clearinghouse for all content. CNAS is an independent, bipartisan, nonprofit organization that develops strong, pragmatic, and principled national security and defense policies.

Quantam Hegemony features Elsa B. Kania, an Adjunct Fellow at CNAS, John Costello, former Co-Founder and Director Emeritus of the China Cyber and Intelligence Studies Institute and Paul Scharre for a discussion on China's ambitions in quantum development and their recent report, "Quantum Hegemony."

Stories from the Backchannel examines the stories behind some of America's most important national security moments. Hosted by CNAS Middle East Program Director Ilan Goldenberg, the podcast invites listeners into the room as government officials and world leaders put aside niceties in favor of candid discussions, and hard-nosed negotiations.

Brussels Sprouts serves small bites on Transatlantic Security, NATO, the EU, Russia, and all things Europe. Hosted by Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend at the Center for a New American Security.

Center for Strategic and International Studies

Smart Women Smart Power features powerful, in-depth conversations with women leaders from around the globe who are experts in foreign policy, national security, international business, and international development. It ranks among the top non-profit and government podcasts and was named one of Apple iTunes “Best of 2015.” SWSP Director Beverly Kirk moderates the podcast series.

The Trade Guys is the show where trade experts Scott Miller and Bill Reinsch break down the buzz around trade, how it affects policy, and how it impacts your day-to-day. Hosted by H. Andrew Schwartz.

The Impossible State - North Korea invites audiences to join the people who know the most about North Korea—The Center for Strategic and International Studies’ Victor Cha, Mike Green, and Sue Mi Terry—for an insiders discussion with host H. Andrew Schwartz about the United States’ top national security priority.

Take as Directed highlights important news, events, issues, and perspectives in global health policy, particularly in infectious disease, health security, and maternal, newborn, and child health. The podcast brings you commentary and perspectives from some of the leading voices in global health and CSIS Global Health Policy Center in-house experts.

Into Africa - Fearless Afro-beats activists. Savvy tech entrepreneurs. Social disrupters. Into Africa shatters the narratives that dominate U.S. perceptions of Africa. Host Judd Devermont, Africa program director at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington D.C., sits down with policymakers, journalists, academics and other trailblazers in African affairs to shine a spotlight on the faces spearheading cultural, political, and economic change on the continent.

ChinaPower - Hosted by Bonnie S. Glaser, the ChinaPower Podcast dissects critical issues underpinning China’s emergence as a global power.

Russian Roulette - Hosted by CSIS Russia and Eurasia Program expert Jeffrey Mankoff, Russian Roulette takes a look at the politics, economics, and culture of Russia and Eurasia through both interviews and lively discussion with experts from CSIS and around the world. Produced by Cyrus Newlin.

35 West - The CSIS Americas Program podcast looks at the politics and policies of the 35 countries in the Western Hemisphere. It especially focuses on U.S. engagement with the region, whether on trade, diplomacy, or security issues like drugs and terrorism. Guests include top policymakers from the U.S. and other countries.

Energy 360° - Energy 360° examines the energy landscape from the intersection of policy, markets, technologies, and geopolitics. With commentary from leading energy and CSIS experts, we provide context and perspective on the most critical issues shaping energy today. Hosted by the CSIS Energy and National Security Program.

The Kremlin Playbook - In 2016, a rival foreign power, Vladimir Putin’s Russia, launched an attack on the United States of America. What we now know is that American intelligence agencies have concluded that Russia planned and executed a campaign to undermine our democracy and to affect our Presidential election.

Citizens in Training - Through a series of expert interviews, this podcast mini-series explores some of the most pressing questions raised by the CSIS Middle East Program report, “Citizens in Training: Conscription and Nation-building in the United Arab Emirates.”

Bob Schieffer's About The News - Hosted by CBS News’ Bob Schieffer with H. Andrew Schwartz, “About the News” is series of conversations with the top people reporting the news, about the news, and its impact on politics and policy. A collaboration between the CSIS and the Bob Schieffer College of Communication at TCU, Schieffer and Schwartz host a weekly discussion with the most interesting people working in legacy media, digitally native platforms, social media companies, and top thought leaders.

Building The Future - Hosted by Dan Runde, William A. Schreyer Chair and Director, Project on Prosperity and Development, Building the Future explores topics at the intersection of global development, foreign policy, and national security. In each episode, Dan sits down for a discussion with a leading expert from government, the private sector, and international organizations to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the world today.

CogitAsia - A weekly download from the CSIS’s Asia experts on policy and trends in the region.

The Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative - The AMTI Podcast covers developments in the Asia-Pacific maritime domain, from land reclamation, to fisheries disputes.

The Readout - The Readout dissects the big (and soon-to-be big) stories of the week in U.S. foreign policy and international affairs. The show posts every Friday and features guests from the policy community and the media, as well as CSIS's in-house experts. Hosted by Colm Quinn.

Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

Center on Budget and Policy Priorities - The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities is one of the nation's premier policy organizations working at the federal and state levels on fiscal policy and public programs that affect low- and moderate-income families and individuals. The Center's podcasts feature policy experts who provide updates and background on key issues in the news.

Claremont Institute

American Mind - A podcast about ideas, principles, and American politics, hosted by Claremont Institute President Ryan Williams and/or Vice President of education, Matthew Peterson.

Commonwealth Fund

The Dose - The Dose is a biweekly podcast hosted by Shanoor Seervai of the Commonwealth Fund, a foundation dedicated to high-quality health care for everyone. Join Shanoor as she talks to leading experts about health policy issues in the United States and abroad.

Council on Foreign Relations

The Presidents Inbox - CFR’s Director of Studies James M. Lindsay talks with experts about the foreign policy challenges facing President Donald J. Trump. Hear what issues are topping the forty-fifth president’s inbox.

The World Next Week - CFR's Director of Studies James M. Lindsay and CFR.org Managing Editor Robert McMahon preview international developments in the week ahead.

Discovery Institute

ID the Future - IDTF carries on Discovery Institute's mission of exploring the issues central to evolution and intelligent design. IDTF is a short podcast providing you with the most current news and views on evolution and ID. IDTF delivers brief interviews with key scientists and scholars developing the theory of ID, as well as insightful commentary from Discovery Institute senior fellows and staff on the scientific, educational and legal aspects of the debate.

Heartland Institute

The Heartland Daily - The “fire hose” of all podcasts produced by The Heartland Institute, a national free-market think tank. Policy ideas and discussions that will keep #FreedomRising.

In The Tank - This weekly podcast features interviews, debates, and roundtable discussions that explore the work of think tanks across the United States. The show is available for download as part of the Heartland Daily Podcast every Friday. Episodes feature interviews with representatives from think tanks from all around the country. Hosts Donny Kendal and John Nothdurft bring you commentary on studies, articles, and reports from the nation’s leading free-market, libertarian, and conservative organizations.

Heritage Foundation

Heritage Explains major policy issues from a conservative perspective.

Hoover Institution

EconTalk - EconTalk is an award-winning weekly talk show about economics in daily life. Featured guests include renowned economics professors, Nobel Prize winners, and exciting speakers on all kinds of topical matters related to economic thought. Topics include health care, business cycles, economic growth, free trade, education, finance, politics, sports, book reviews, parenting, and the curiosities of everyday decision-making. Russ Roberts, of the Library of Economics and Liberty (econlib.org) and the Hoover Institution, draws you in with lively guests and creative repartee.

The Classicist - Victor Davis Hanson describes the philosophical conceits employed by defenders of illegal immigration — and explains how they’re undermining American society.

The Libertarian - Richard Epstein looks at current controversies about federalism — including over environmental regulation and immigration — and discusses the Founders’ concept of subsidiarity and how it has changed over the years.

Area 45 - The 2020 election is shaping up as a referendum on raising taxes on the wealthiest Americans – what Democrats call “economic justice.” John Cochrane, the Jack and Rose-Marie Anderson Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution and proprietor of the “Grumpy Economist” blog, weighs the merits of the various proposed tax hikes and whether they constitute sound economic policy.

Independent Institute

Independent Institute Audio - Consolidated radio appearances by various Independent Institute subject matter experts.

James A Baker III Institute for Public Policy

Policy Matters - Policy ideas and perspectives from Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy – one of the nation’s leading think tanks.

Kaiser Family Foundation

What The Health?! - Join Julie Rovner, chief Washington correspondent for Kaiser Health News, along with top health policy reporters from The New York Times, The Washington Post, Politico and other media outlets to discuss the latest news and explain what the health is going on here in Washington.

Ludwig Von Mises Institute

The Human Action Podcast - Hosted by Jeff Deist, The Human Action Podcast (formerly "Mises Weekends") features weekly interviews with leaders in Austrian economics and libertarianism.

Manhattan Institute for Policy Research

Summer Reading, with City Journal - City Journal editor Brian Anderson joins Vanessa Mendoza, executive vice president of the Manhattan Institute, to discuss Brian’s summer and vacation reading list.

Multimedia Content Center - Video, podcasts, short films, TV, radio appearances and more.

Mercatus Center at George Mason University

Hayek Program Podcast - The Hayek Program Podcast includes audio from lectures, interviews, and discussions of scholars and visitors from the F. A. Hayek Program for Advanced Study in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. The F. A. Hayek Program is devoted to the promotion of teaching and research on the institutional arrangements that are suitable for the support of free and prosperous societies. Implicit in this statement is the presumption that those arrangements are to some extent open to conscious selection, as well as the appreciation that the type of arrangements that are selected within a society can influence significantly the economic, political, and moral character of that society.

Macro Musings - Hosted by David Beckworth of the Mercatus Center, Macro Musings is a podcast which pulls back the curtain on the important macroeconomic issues of the past, present, and future.

Policy Download - Hosted by Chad Reese. Looking for smart policy ideas for a growing world? Mercatus Policy Download offers all policy, no punditry, and a path forward.

New America Foundation

Higher Ed Happy Hour - In the Higher Ed Happy Hour, three well-known Washington, DC-based journalists and policy wonks -- Kevin Carey of New America, Andrew Kelly of the American Enterprise Institute, and Libby Nelson of Vox.com -- discuss the latest happenings in higher education policy, research, and popular culture. There are special guests, wonky digressions, and excursions into the shocking and absurd.

Better Life Lab- Economists say the way we work has become so stressful it’s now the fifth leading cause of death. Our mission is to find a better way. Explore the art and science of living a full and healthy life with behavioral and social science researchers who can help us better understand what drives our human experiences, and how to change. Better Life Lab is a co-production from New America and Slate.

Open Society Foundation

Open Society Audio - OSA features recordings of panel discussions, talks, book launches, and more. Brought to you by the Open Society Foundations, working to build vibrant and tolerant democracies whose governments are accountable to their citizens.

Peterson Institute for International Economics

Peterson Perspectives - Audio recordings of Peterson Perspectives interviews with Peterson Institute for International Economics research staff, analyzing current economic and political events.

Events: Audio - Audio recordings of Peterson Institute for International Economics events.

Trade Talks - Soumaya Keynes (The Economist) and Chad P. Bown (Peterson Institute for International Economics) cohost a podcast about the economics of international trade and policy. From trade wars to trade deals, this podcast covers trade developments with insights and economic analysis from two of the world's top trade geeks.

RAND Corporation

Events @ RAND - The RAND Corporation is a nonprofit institution that helps improve policy and decision making through research and analysis. RAND events offer new insights and evidence-based perspectives on top policy concerns

Policy Currents - Policy Currents is a weekly podcast that highlights new research findings, commentary, multimedia, and events from the RAND Corporation. Each episode is about five minutes long. Hosted by Evan Banks and Deanna Lee.

Call With the Experts - Call with the Experts is an audio series that connects journalists and RAND donors with RAND experts working on issues relevant to the current policy debate.

Reason Foundation

Reason Video Podcasts - This video podcast features the latest stories from Reason TV, the video-journalism arm of Reason—the planet's leading source of news, politics, and culture from a principled libertarian perspective. Founded in 2007 by comedian Drew Carey, Reason TV explores and defends "free minds and free markets" in all aspects of human activity and it’s the nation's leading producer of libertarian video content.

Reason Podcast - Founded in 1968, Reason is the planet's leading source of news, politics, and culture from a libertarian perspective. Hosted by Nick Gillespie, Matt Welch, and other Reason journalists, our podcast explores "free minds and free markets." It features provocative, in-depth interviews with authors, comedians, filmmakers, musicians, economists, scientists, business leaders, and elected officials. Keep up to date on the latest happenings in our increasingly libertarian world from a point of view you won't get from legacy media and boring old left-right, liberal-conservative publications.

Stimson Center

The Subcontinental - A podcast of South Asian Voices (SAV), an online magazine hosted by the Stimson Center featuring analysis and commentary from rising strategic South Asian analysts and scholars.

Urban Institute

Critical Value - Critical Value is a podcast from the Urban Institute that explores issues of significance for research, policy, and people. We talk with experts and highlight the best available data and evidence to elevate the debate on topics that matter.

Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars

Sport in the Cold War - Event audio from CWIHP, also featuring a sport history podcast exploring the Cold War-era of superpower politics and intense international competition #ColdWarSport. Hosted by Vince Hunt, Sport in the Cold War features insightful discussions with expert historians. Supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities and directed by Professor Robert Edelman (UC San Diego), Professor Christopher Young (University of Cambridge), and Dr. Christian Ostermann (Woodrow Wilson Center, Cold War International History Project).

Ground Truth Briefings - The "Ground Truth Briefing" series taps into the resources of Wilson Center experts who are on the ground in hotspots around the globe and can share their unique viewpoints on the vital issues that define the 21st century.

New Security Beat - Can’t make it to the Wilson Center? Tune in to our podcast to hear expert speakers on the links between global environmental change, health, development, and security.

Kennan Institute Podcast - These are the audio recordings for Kennan Institute public events held at the Wilson Center in Washington, D.C.

She is One - Behind every statistic, there is a story to tell. An initiative of the Women in Public Service Project, She is One is sharing the stories of the women behind the numbers. Each woman leader has a unique experience to share, and together, these individuals drive the global movement toward gender parity. By highlighting the paths they have forged, we hope to inspire emerging leaders to join them and bring us closer to the 50x50 goal of 50% representation by 2050.

Worldwatch Institute

Innovations Podcast - Through research and outreach that inspire action, the Worldwatch Institute works to accelerate the transition to a sustainable world that meets human needs. The Institute’s top mission objectives are universal access to renewable energy and nutritious food, expansion of environmentally sound jobs and development, transformation of cultures from consumerism to sustainability, and an early end to population growth through healthy and intentional childbearing.