I Hate Politics Podcast Announces End After Five-and-a-Half-Year Run
ROCKVILLE, Md. — Sunil Dasgupta, a political science professor at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) and host of the local public affairs podcast "I Hate Politics," announced the show is coming to an end when he concluded his June 30, 2026 broadcast, marking the last episode of a prolific 420-show run covering Montgomery County politics and community news.
Dasgupta, who leads the political science program for UMBC at The Universities at Shady Grove (USG), indicated that the decision stems from a need to step away from the grueling digital production cycle, though he left the door open regarding the show's long-term future.
"I've worked with community voices to produce this show for the last five and a half years. It is now time to take a break," Dasgupta said during the sign-off. "I don't know if we will be back in this form or at all."
Launched in early 2021 to counter the sharp decline of local print journalism, the podcast established a dedicated following among Washington-area residents navigating hyper-local policy issues surrounding schools, housing and regional budgets. Guests included a “Who’s Who” of state and local elected officials, career bureaucrats, and community activists.
Dasgupta expressed gratitude to his audience for maintaining their confidence in the program's independent reporting. "If you have been a listener, my deepest thanks to you for trusting us to bring you the news at a time when there is so much fake news," Dasgupta said. "Your faith drove the show for as long as [it] has lasted."
The show was notable for its grassroots approach to production, frequently utilizing its platform to spotlight independent DMV-area musicians and a vast array of community interviewees, from policy experts to everyday residents. Dasgupta directly credited these contributors for the podcast's viability.
"To the hundreds and hundreds of people who joined the show and the many others who talked to me off the record, 'I Hate Politics' would not have been possible without you," he said. He added, "To the musicians who so generously shared their music on the show, I am grateful, and perhaps I will now have the time to visit your shows."
While Dasgupta plans to step away from the microphone and digital spaces entirely, he reassured listeners that he remains committed to the local community.
"I am not going anywhere except off my production schedule and off social media," Dasgupta noted.
The podcast's extensive catalog will remain available as a digital archive for researchers, students and local residents. Over its run, the show produced 420 episodes documenting the changing political landscape of the Maryland suburbs.
"You will still have access to the 420 episodes presumably forever on YouTube. But for a while, also on streaming platforms," Dasgupta said, closing his final broadcast with a message to his listeners: "I hope to see you in real life. Be well and stay strong."
# # #
CORRECTION: A previous version of this article incorrectly capitalized and therefore misconstrued "community voices" as a formal organization or partner institution. The phrase refers literally to the local community members featured on the program.
