Have you watched the CNN podcast In Case You Missed It? You need to check this out if you haven’t. It’s obscenely B-A-D. I guess this is CNN’s attempt to be cool and hip. They’ve got video with a crappy techno-beat layered over it and minimal commentary. Then each transition has one of those brilliant swish noises. Maybe this works with the under 25 demographic. I watched one episode, was awed by how bad it was, and watched parts of a couple other episodes just to see if maybe it was some sick joke. Turns out they actually produce that crap.
On the opposite end of the spectrum you have Democracy Now!, which offers audio and video podcasts. This is without a doubt the best news source I’ve found. I recommend it highly. Another personal favorite is On the Media, which is a weekly program.
Aaron Fulkerson 
I can’t get into Air America. It’s so shrill. Just like Limbaugh, O’Reilly, or any of those guys. I’ve not listened to it too much, but it seems like the same kind of hate media that doesn’t really offer any analysis or depth. I’ve even grown disenchanted with NPR. Here’s an example: listen to them talk about Obama. “He’s the great hope of the democratic party. He’s from Hawaii. He’s so well spoken. He’s such a great politician, he’s the first black candidate that has a shot, etc.” What the hell is his platform?! What does he think about stem cell research? Universal health care? What’s he doing, right now, about the underfunding in science research resulting from the budget being frozen at 2006 levels? That’s what I want to know about! Not about how handsome he is, or how wonderfully articulate he is, and I surely don’t give a damn about him being black!
Oh, and you can get The Daily Show on Itunes, but they charge for it. Democracy Now! is free. So is This American Life FINALLY, I’ve been lobbying for a free podcast from TLA for two years now. They’re ranked #2 on Itunes too and they’ve only been podcasting for about four episodes. Now I just wish I could get them to put up a wiki.
Democracy Now is a great program. I used to listen to it almost every morning in Bellingham. I also like the Al Frankin show on Air America shich I think is also podcast. Most people might not consider this “real” news but my favorite news program is The Daily Show. I don’t know if it’s podcast but it’s on DVD.