The Indicator from Planet Money
A center-leaning business show with a critical eye on economic policies and figures, focusing on market dynamics and ethical considerations.
What This Tone Is Based On
The tone scores on this page come from analyzing how this show covers each political figure it mentions. Below is the breakdown of how many of those reads were positive, neutral, or negative.
Net media tone Neutral across 146 figure-in-episode tone reads (not audience/impressions).
How The Indicator from Planet Money Differs from Other Shows
Compared to 202 outlets · Sep 2025–Aug 2026Overall this show runs in line with the rest of the media — mean tone -0.07 vs the media's -0.10.
- Elon Musk-0.11more critical vs. other showsShow↘ -0.08Other shows→ +0.0310 eps
- Donald Trump-0.02more critical vs. other showsShow↓↓ -0.28Other shows↓↓ -0.2528 eps
Delta = this show's tone toward the figure minus the average across all 202 other tracked outlets that covered them ≥3 times, Sep 2025–Aug 2026.
Positive = friendlier here; negative = harsher.
Editorial Identity
The editorial fingerprint of this center business show — who it elevates, who it goes after, and where it breaks from the pack.
The Indicator from Planet Money is a business-focused program that critically examines economic policies and market trends. It frequently covers issues like the economy, jobs, and technology, often with a skeptical tone towards economic figures and policies. The show is known for its policy-driven framing, prioritizing in-depth analysis over sensationalism. It maintains a balanced approach, though it tends to be more critical of certain figures, particularly those associated with controversial economic decisions.
The show covers Bernie Sanders more favorably than the average media outlet, indicating a potential alignment with his economic perspectives. It also provides a more neutral portrayal of figures like Xi Jinping and Jerome Powell compared to the broader media landscape, suggesting a nuanced approach to international and monetary policy discussions.
The Indicator is notably critical of Donald Trump, often scrutinizing his administration's economic policies and decisions. It also takes a critical stance on figures like Graham Platner and Elon Musk, particularly in the context of ethical considerations and market impacts. The show frequently addresses issues of government ethics and corruption, reflecting its critical posture towards perceived economic misconduct.
The Indicator stands out by heavily focusing on jobs and manufacturing, with a coverage lift nearly nine times the average outlet. It also emphasizes technology and trade issues, often exploring the implications of these sectors on the broader economy. This focus on economic fundamentals and policy implications sets it apart from more character-driven or scandal-focused media.
Who The Indicator from Planet Money boosts and attacks
Tracked figures split by this show's average tone toward them, each with the clips behind the call — tap a quote to jump to the audio.
The Indicator from Planet Money's prime targets are Donald Trump.
“Trump has complained about NATO since his first term.”
“the Trump administration sees security as less of a group project and more of a transaction between countries, pay up, support the U.S. and Iran, or we will withdraw from NATO.”
“Trump seems to have soured on this deal that he himself championed just six years ago.”
“you have Elon Musk, the world's richest man, who spent hundreds of millions of dollars to help elect Trump and then joined his administration.”
“Back at the start of the year, Doge was the huge story. Elon Musk's chainsaw was ripping into government agencies, firing people en masse.”
“Tesla has proposed a new pay package for CEO Elon Musk that would award him anywhere from $88 billion to about a trillion dollars if he hits certain goals.”
Coverage Volume
Transcribed episodes per week — last 26 weeks
Sentiment Trajectory
Average weekly tone toward figures — green favorable, red critical
Whose coverage is ramping up — and dropping
Cooling on Donald Trump.
Nothing ramping this window.
“Across N days” = distinct days behind the recent count; a single burst means it’s concentrated in ≤2 days — treat as one story, not a trend.
Top Issues The Indicator from Planet Money drives
Top Issues ranked by lift — how much harder this show pushes an issue than the average outlet. ≥ 1.25× over-indexes.
The Indicator from Planet Money pushes Jobs & Manufacturing hardest — 9.0× the average outlet's rate of coverage.