Vox editor-in-chief & publisher Swati Sharma today announced that acclaimed journalist Astead W. Herndon is joining the organization as host and editorial director. In this role, he will launch and lead a new multiplatform video podcast for Vox, while also contributing political coverage across text, video, audio, and social media platforms. He begins October 20, 2025.
At Vox, Herndon will play a key role in helping audiences understand the factors shaping the 2026 midterms and the lead-up to the 2028 presidential election. He will launch a new weekly video podcast about politics — and beyond — in 2026, expanding Vox’s reach with video-first political storytelling. He will be a multiplatform journalist, contributing to Vox’s text, audio, and video reporting. He will also guest-host Vox’s popular Today, Explained podcast along with Noel King this fall and winter, and create videos for Vox’s social channels, helping audiences clearly understand what’s going on in American politics, what the stakes are, and why it all matters. Vox will also explore exclusive content with Herndon for its membership program.
“When I think about the kind of talent I want at Vox, I keep coming back to two things: a voice that feels authentic and deeply connected to people, and someone who truly understands how to use audio, video, and text to reach audiences wherever they are,” Sharma said.
“Looking ahead to 2028 and beyond, Vox will continue to be a place where powerhouse talent helps us hear and understand voices outside elite spaces — because that’s what our audience wants, and what they deserve. Astead has proven, time and again, that he’s that rare kind of talent. He knows how to cut through, connect, and bring clarity when it matters most. I couldn’t be more excited about this partnership and what’s to come.”
Herndon comes to Vox from the New York Times, where he distinguished himself as a sharp, accessible voice on American politics, hosting The Run-Up podcast and reporting stories in text, audio, and video formats. His reporting is known for translating complex political dynamics into clear, nuanced stories that resonated with both political insiders and those outside the political bubble. In August, the National Association of Black Journalists named Herndon their 2025 Journalist of the Year. Earlier this year, he won the Distinguished Journalist Award from DePaul University, and was honored with a ceremony in his birthplace of Chicago.
“As I’ve reported on politics in our changing country, I’ve seen the media environment changing around me,” Herndon said. “Meeting people where they are has always been a cornerstone of my work — and that’s exactly what Vox does. I’m excited to join a talented newsroom and help shape coverage of the next election that’s rigorous and curious.”
About Vox
When Vox was founded in 2014, it was animated by a simple observation: The media did a good job of reporting the news and commenting on it, but there was a disconnect between that work and the audience truly understanding why something happened. Vox started as — and remains — an organization dedicated to addressing that gap, which not only persists but has grown.
We are proud to have popularized explanatory journalism in many forms, across many mediums. Our work has been used to educate people everywhere, from elementary schools to college classrooms to vaccination sites in Taiwan to footnotes in congressional memos. We’ve received numerous awards, including News and Documentary Emmys, Online Journalism Awards, and Loeb Awards. We were a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for our collaboration with ProPublica on maternal mortality.
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