Long-Time Seattle Financial Radio Hosts Go Podcast-Only

Don McDonald and Tom Cock invite loyal Seattle listeners to follow them to their top-ranked podcast after final radio broadcast on March 28

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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Don McDonald and Tom Cock, hosts of the long-running financial program Talking Real Money heard weekly on Northwest NewsRadio, will air their final radio broadcast on March 28, 2026. The pair will continue the show exclusively as a podcast, where it has grown into one of the top-ranked financial podcasts in the country.

Why it matters

The move reflects broader shifts across audio media, as podcast listening time has now reached parity with radio listening time. Talking Real Money has grown to rank among the top 1 percent of podcasts by downloads, indicating a loyal following that is willing to follow the hosts to a podcast-only format.

The details

Don McDonald and Tom Cock have hosted the Talking Real Money program on the radio for more than three decades. They say the podcast format is the future of broadcast audio, allowing listeners to access the show anytime, anywhere, rather than just on Saturdays at noon. The hosts were early adopters of podcasting, launching one of the first investment podcasts in the early 2000s.

  • Don McDonald and Tom Cock will air their final radio broadcast on March 28, 2026.

The players

Don McDonald

Co-host of the Talking Real Money program and a veteran of financial talk radio since 1988.

Tom Cock

Co-host of the Talking Real Money program and a former owner and programmer of business talk radio stations, as well as the host of the PBS television program Serious Money.

Talking Real Money

A long-running financial program that will transition from a weekly radio broadcast to an exclusive podcast format.

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What they’re saying

“We've loved being on the radio in Seattle for more than three decades, but the podcast format is the future of broadcast audio, in the same way streaming is the future of television.”

— Don McDonald, Co-host (BusinessWire)

“The best part about going podcast-only? A bigger audience for my bad dad jokes. But seriously, this format lets us spend more time on what matters, helping people make smarter decisions with their money, without a clock telling us to wrap it up.”

— Tom Cock, Co-host (BusinessWire)

What’s next

The Talking Real Money podcast will be available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms after the final radio broadcast on March 28, 2026.

The takeaway

The transition of Talking Real Money from a long-running radio program to an exclusive podcast format reflects the broader shift in audio consumption, as podcast listening continues to grow and reach parity with traditional radio. The hosts' loyal following is expected to follow them to the new podcast-only format, allowing them to provide their consumer-first approach to investing and retirement planning to an even wider audience.