Tom Merritt
A trusted voice in tech journalism who built a loyal audience through thoughtful, daily podcasting in an era of information overload.
Born 1970 (age 56)·American journalist·Birthday: June 28·Generation X
Biography
Tom Merritt represents a certain ethos in technology reporting: curious, steady, and deeply committed to the podcast medium. Cutting his teeth at CNET, where he helped pioneer the daily tech news podcast with 'Buzz Out Loud,' he realized the power of direct, conversational communication. His move to the TWiT network and later to founding his own 'Daily Tech News Show' solidified his role as a morning ritual for listeners seeking clarity, not hype. Merritt’s style is that of a knowledgeable friend breaking down complex stories, from semiconductor shortages to social media dramas, with a calm demeanor and a focus on context. Beyond daily news, his passions fuel other shows like the book-club podcast 'Sword and Laser' and the cord-cutting guide 'Cordkillers,' revealing a wide-ranging intellect. In a noisy digital landscape, he has built a career on reliability and thoughtful analysis.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Tom was born in 1970, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Tom Was Born
The biggest hits of 1970
#1 Movie
Love Story
Best Picture
Patton
#1 TV Show
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Tom's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1970Born
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1975Started school
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1983Became a teenager
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1986Could drive
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1988Could vote
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1991Turned 21
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2000Turned 30
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 40
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 50
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 56 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Co-created and hosted 'Buzz Out Loud,' one of the first widely popular daily technology news podcasts.
- Founded and hosts the 'Daily Tech News Show,' a independently produced podcast maintaining a consistent daily schedule for years.
- Created and hosts 'Sword and Laser,' a long-running podcast and online community dedicated to science fiction and fantasy books.
Did You Know?
He is a trained vocalist and has performed in musical theater productions.
Merritt is an avid board gamer and has discussed gaming on various podcasts and streams.
He frequently uses a green screen and virtual backgrounds in his video podcasts, a signature of his home studio setup.
“Explain it like you're telling a friend over coffee, not writing a manual.”
