Planet Money is an American podcast

Podcast

A podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...

 and blog

Blog

A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...

 produced by NPR

NPR

NPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...

. The podcast launched on September 6, 2008 to cover the global financial crisis of 2008–2009 in the wake of the Federal takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac

Federal takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac

The federal takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac refers to the placing into conservatorship of government sponsored enterprises Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac by the U.S. Treasury in September 2008. It was one financial event among many in the ongoing subprime mortgage crisis.On September 6, 2008,...

. It was created after the success of "The Giant Pool of Money

The Giant Pool of Money

"The Giant Pool of Money" is an episode of the radio show This American Life which originally aired on May 9, 2008. The episode described to a general audience the causes and factors which led to the subprime mortgage crisis...

", an episode of This American Life

This American Life

This American Life is a weekly hour-long radio program produced by WBEZ and hosted by Ira Glass. It is distributed by Public Radio International on PRI affiliate stations and is also available as a free weekly podcast. Primarily a journalistic non-fiction program, it has also featured essays,...

. Currently, episodes are produced two days a week and are around 25 minutes in length.

As of September 2011, Planet Money's contributors consist of four correspondents (Adam Davidson

Adam Davidson (journalist)

Adam Davidson is an American journalist focusing on business and economics issues for National Public Radio. He is currently one of the co-hosts of the Planet Money podcast. Previously he has covered globalization issues, the Asian tsunami, and the war in Iraq, for which he won the Daniel Schorr...

, David Kestenbaum

David Kestenbaum

David Kestenbaum is an American radio correspondent for National Public Radio. He generally covers science, energy, and economic issues.-References:...

, Chana Joffe-Walt, and Jacob Goldstein), associate producer Caitlin Kenney, contributing editor Alex Blumberg

Alex Blumberg

Alex Blumberg is an American producer for the public radio and television versions of This American Life.- Career :Blumberg is an adjunct professor of journalism at Columbia University. Since 1999 he has been a producer for the public radio show This American Life and his stories are regularly...

., production assistant Jess Jiang, and editor Uri Berliner.

Planet Money was the first to break small print in the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008

Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008

The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (Division A of , commonly referred to as a bailout of the U.S. financial system, is a law enacted in response to the subprime mortgage crisis...

 which allowed deviation from the original Paulson plan.

The Planet Money team also produces regular reports for Morning Edition

Morning Edition

Morning Edition is an American radio news program produced and distributed by National Public Radio . It airs weekday mornings and runs for two hours, and many stations repeat one or both hours. The show feeds live from 05:00 to 09:00 ET, with feeds and updates as required until noon...

and All Things Considered

All Things Considered

All Things Considered is the flagship news program on the American network National Public Radio. It was the first news program on NPR, and is broadcast live worldwide through several outlets...

and occasionally produce episodes of This American Life

This American Life

This American Life is a weekly hour-long radio program produced by WBEZ and hosted by Ira Glass. It is distributed by Public Radio International on PRI affiliate stations and is also available as a free weekly podcast. Primarily a journalistic non-fiction program, it has also featured essays,...

. Senator Max Baucus

Max Baucus

Max Sieben Baucus is the senior United States Senator from Montana and a member of the Democratic Party. First elected to the Senate in 1978, as of 2010 he is the longest-serving Senator from Montana, and the fifth longest-serving U.S...

praised the show's attempts to explain the financial crisis "in terms the average American starts to understand".

Planet Money is rated as a "Best Business Podcast" by BestPodcasts.net.