Best U S News And World Report Podcasts (2024)

1
‘Reporting from a horror movie’: Motaz Azaiza and Youmna El Sayed 47:23

40m ago47:23

47:23

No foreign journalists are allowed into Gaza, so the rest of the world relies on those living in area to relay what is happening on the ground—dedicated and determined reporters who have made sure that no-one can look away. For months, photojournalist Motaz Azaiza and Al Jazeera reporter Youmna El Sayed were among those reporting from Gaza. Motaz h…

1
Audio expert Matt Deegan discusses BBC's podcast advertising plans, children's audio and the latest radio listening figures 31:07

1d ago31:07

31:07

Matt Deegan is the co-founder of the award-winning Fun Kids, a digital radio station for families and children, which has just won the bronze award in the Radio Academy’s UK Station of the Year category. Given that the gold award went to BBC Asian Network and the silver to Talksport, this is a considerable achievement for a small independent networ…

1
Jamie Angus, ex director of BBC World Service and 'Today' editor discusses Ofcom, consequences of WS cuts and funding solutions 32:52

8m ago32:52

32:52

Jamie Angus is the former director of the BBC World Service and the former editor of 'Today' and 'Newsnight' who now works in the Middle East. We discuss Ofcom's oversight of broadcasters, the consequences of previous World Service cuts, and the impact of new ones. We also explore long-term solutions to the issue of its funding, which is under revi…

1
Phone hacking: What did Murdoch know? 43:57

13m ago43:57

43:57

Investigative journalist Nick Davies returns with yet more remarkable insights and analysis about the phone-hacking scandal that engulfed Murdoch’s papers. Having trawled through documents disclosed through a host of court cases, Davies has pieced together information that suggests figures at the top of the Murdoch news empire—including potentially…

1
The phone hacking scandal: new evidence and fresh claims 45:39

4d ago45:39

45:39

Back in 2009, journalist Nick Davies uncovered a scandal: newspapers owned by Rupert Murdoch had been hacking the phones of celebrities, public figures and even victims of crimes—notably the missing schoolgirl Milly Dowler—in search of stories. The Leveson inquiry was established to investigate, and the world moved on. For this month’s Prospect mag…

1
Stewart Purvis, former Ofcom regulator challenges Ofcom's conclusions on its audience research and its guidance on politicians as presenters 31:34

16d ago31:34

31:34

Stewart Purvis, former content regulator at Ofcom and former Editor of Channel 4 News and ITN Chief Executive, discusses Ofcom’s guidance on general election coverage published last week. Stewart delves into the research on which Ofcom based its guidelines, spells out what the guidance means in practice, and reflects on Ofcom as an organisation. “O…

1
Meloni’s Media Clampdown 45:36

23d ago45:36

45:36

Lionel Barber and Alan Rusbridger are joined by Maurizio Molinari, editor of Italian daily newspaper La Repubblica to explore exactly what Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is doing with Italian state media. Renowned historian Antonio Scurati was booked to deliver a monologue on a talk show on Italian broadcaster RAI 3 on 25th April, Italy’s Liberation…

1
Comedian Steve Punt discusses his departure from the BBC Radio 4 satirical news programme 'The Now Show' and the evolution of radio comedy 33:35

27d ago33:35

33:35

Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis took their bow from BBC Radio 4’s satirical news programme ‘The Now Show’ last Friday after 25 years. Steve Punt discusses the last programme, the development and success of this long-running radio comedy show, the impact of our changing news consumption, political bias, radio comedy’s evolution and the new podcast format…

1
The West Bank according to Gideon Levy: Locked inside a living hell 48:59

28d ago48:59

48:59

Tensions in the Middle East ramped up at the weekend with the massive drone and missile attack launched by Iran on Israel. The eyes of the world refocused on the region, particularly Gaza—but what about the other occupied Palestinian territory, the West Bank? Gideon Levy is an award-winning journalist who has been writing a column in Haaretz called…

1
Max Cotton discusses his BBC 'Growing Solo' documentary series on his year long food self-sufficiency experiment and the importance of food and farming literacy 26:59

1M ago26:59

26:59

Max Cotton is a former BBC political reporter who has spent a year finding out if he can grow and produce 100% of his food on his smallholding near Glastonbury. We discuss his BBC Radio 4 documentary series on the experiment 'Growing Solo', as well as exploring food and farming literacy, food security and self sufficiency in the UK. "As a group of …

1
Anne Applebaum on Ukraine, the forgotten war 53:28

25d ago53:28

53:28

The war in Ukraine has been grinding on for over two years now, and the media spotlight on the region has dimmed over the last few months. But Anne Applebaum, a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and writer for the Atlantic, has been following the conflict closely. Because much of the world’s media has turned attention away from Ukraine, with editors…

1
Israel kicks out Al Jazeera 39:28

1M ago39:28

39:28

Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu has passed a law that will ban foreign media from operating within the country. Al Jazeera is one of the main outlets on the ground providing reportage, and the most watched network in the region—so what impact will the closure of their operations in Israel have on the ability to get news out of the war zone? Alan …

1
The GB News Propaganda Machine 50:18

2M ago50:18

50:18

This week, Alan Rusbridger and Lionel Barber are joined by Gavin Esler and Michael Crick as they get stuck into GB News, broadcaster bias—and what it’s like to watch and appear on the channel. Previously, Alan had tasked Gavin with watching GB News’s output for a month. The outcome? Tory MPs interviewing Tory MPs, “shallow” reporting, and a lack of…

1
Rory Cellan-Jones ex BBC Technology Correspondent on Tim Davie’s speech, 'Movers and Shakers', 'Ruskin Park' and #SophieFromRomania 27:31

1M ago27:31

27:31

Rory Cellan-Jones, former BBC Technology and Business Correspondent examines Tim Davie’s, the BBC’s Director General speech on the BBC’s future priorities. He also explores life after the BBC, discussing his, ‘Movers and Shakers’ Parkinson’s podcast, his family memoir ‘Ruskin Park’ and his forthcoming book on #SophieFromRomania - his beloved rescue…

1
Counting the casualties of war 53:12

2M ago53:12

53:12

In any war, counting the number of people killed is challenging. So, too, is understanding how they died. In Gaza, where the still-rising death toll already includes 13,450 children, these figures can be obscured by biases, allegations—and the realities on the ground. In this week’s episode, Lionel Barber and Alan Rusbridger are joined by leading s…

1
Chris Banatvala, former Ofcom Director of Standards discusses Ofcom, GB News, impartiality and freedom of expression 29:06

2M ago29:06

29:06

In the week that Ofcom finds GB News in breach of its code five times but will face no sanction, we talk to Chris Banatvala, Ofcom’s founding Director of Standards, and Content Board member, who was responsible for drafting and enforcing its codes. He is now an independent member of the Sky News Board, Channel 4’s online independent complaint revie…

1
Magnus Brooke, ITV Group Director of Strategy discusses the future of Public Service Broadcasting and the funding of 'Mr Bates vs The Post Office' 29:47

2M ago29:47

29:47

Magnus Brooke is Group Director of Strategy, Policy and Regulation at ITV where profits are down by 60%. The digital revolution is changing broadcasting fundamentally and destroying former business models. So does ITV have a future as a Public Service Broadcaster? We also discuss the Media Bill and the added responsibility on Ofcom's shoulders - an…

1
Gary Younge: Dog bites man is the story after all 50:31

2M ago50:31

50:31

Journalists are often taught that “when a dog bites a man, that is not news; when a man bites a dog, that is news.” But, according to former Guardian journalist and professor of sociology at Manchester university Gary Younge, sometimes events are newsworthy because they happen often—journalists just need to get curious about the reasons why. For ex…

1
Peter Taylor, veteran BBC journalist discusses his latest documentary 'Our Dirty War: The British State and the IRA' 34:40

2M ago34:40

34:40

One of Britain’s finest reporters Peter Taylor, with numerous books, documentaries and awards spanning a career of over 50 years, on his latest BBC documentary 'Our Dirty War: The British State and the IRA’. We discuss the human cost of IRA informers, the role of Scappaticci codenamed “Stakeknife”, Operation Kenova and covering Northern Ireland. “T…

1
Trump’s Public Enemy Number One? 57:58

2M ago57:58

57:58

Alan and Lionel sit down with AG Sulzberger, chair and publisher of the New York Times. AG took over as publisher of the New York Times six years ago after many years as a hack. His term coincided with that of Donald J Trump, for whom the Times was public enemy number one. AG stood his ground, telling the president to his face that his anti-press r…

1
'Our Dirty War: The British State and the IRA’, veteran journalist Peter Taylor discusses his latest BBC documentary 0:37

2M ago0:37

0:37

One of Britain’s finest reporters Peter Taylor, with numerous books, documentaries and awards spanning a career of over 50 years, on his latest BBC documentary 'Our Dirty War: The British State and the IRA’. We discuss the human cost of IRA informers, the role of Scappaticci codenamed “Stakeknife”, Operation Kenova and covering Northern Ireland. “T…

1
Baroness Kidron former film and documentary director on Bridget Jones, the threat of tech giants and ad funded PSBs 28:14

2M ago28:14

28:14

Baroness Kidron is one of the country's foremost drama and documentary directors. Her long list of credits includes ‘Storyville’, 'Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit', 'Victoria and Abdul' and 'Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason'. She now sits as a crossbench peer and is the founder of the Five Rights Foundation. For the past five years, she has been on…

1
Former film and documentary director Baroness Kidron on Bridget Jones, the threat of tech giants and ad funded PSBs 0:48

2M ago0:48

0:48

Baroness Kidron is one of the country's foremost drama and documentary directors. Her long list of credits includes ‘Storyville’, 'Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit', 'Victoria and Abdul' and 'Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason'. She now sits as a crossbench peer and is the founder of the Five Rights Foundation. For the past five years, she has been on…

1
The demise of Vice and BuzzFeed: what happened to millennial media? 49:45

2M ago49:45

49:45

Vice and BuzzFeed were once at the forefront of the digital media revolution—Vice alone was once valued at nearly double the New York Times! But now, both firms have shut their news operations, Vice has closed its flagship site, and further cuts to staff numbers are expected. BuzzFeed’s former UK editor Janine Gibson, now weekend editor of the Fina…

1
Anna McNamee, Sandford St Martin Trust on the Media Bill, religious literacy, commissioning and accessible broadcasting 27:09

2M ago27:09

27:09

Anna McNamee, an award-winning Canadian journalist and writer with a background in BBC radio, is the Executive Director of the Sandford St Martin Trust, dedicated to promoting excellence in religious broadcasting. We discuss the new Media Bill, the importance of religious literacy, the decline in programming on religion and ethics, commissioning pr…

1
Bonus episode: Should Paul Marshall be allowed to buy the Telegraph? 21:09

2M ago21:09

21:09

An investigation by Hope Not Hate reported this week that Paul Marshall, owner of GB News and UnHerd and frontrunner in the race to buy the Telegraph, had repeatedly liked and re-tweeted racist and Islamophobic content. In this special bonus episode, Alan and Lionel discuss who decides whether someone is fit to own a major UK newspaper, what Ofcom …

1
The Media Bill, religious literacy, commissioning and accessible broadcasting with Anna McNamee, Sandford St Martin Trust 0:56

2M ago0:56

0:56

Anna McNamee, an award-winning Canadian journalist and writer with a background in BBC radio, is the Executive Director of the Sandford St Martin Trust, dedicated to promoting excellence in religious broadcasting. We discuss the new Media Bill, the importance of religious literacy, the decline in programming on religion and ethics, commissioning pr…

1
Are journalists being targeted in Gaza? 43:42

3M ago43:42

43:42

Does the word “PRESS” on a flak jacket keep a journalist safe or make them a target? In this week’s Media Confidential, we focus on the sobering death toll of reporters covering the war in Gaza, as highlighted by the annual report of the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). Alan and Lionel hear from the CPJ’s chief executive Jodie Ginsberg and s…

1
Prof Catherine Johnson discusses the decline in PSB revenue, reliance on tech giants for distribution, the Media Bill, Ofcom and BBC funding 28:29

3M ago28:29

28:29

Catherine Johnson, Professor of Media and Communications at the University of Leeds, author of the book ‘Online TV’, and a member of the Department of Culture, Media and Sports College of experts discusses the decline in PSB revenue, reliance on tech giants for distribution, the Media Bill, Ofcom and BBC funding. “I think part of the problem is tha…

1
The decline in PSB revenue, reliance on tech giants for distribution, the Media Bill, Ofcom and BBC funding – we talk to Prof Catherine Johnson 0:50

3M ago0:50

0:50

Catherine Johnson, Professor of Media and Communications at the University of Leeds, author of the book ‘Online TV’, and a member of the Department of Culture, Media and Sports College of experts discusses the decline in PSB revenue, reliance on tech giants for distribution, the Media Bill, Ofcom and BBC funding. “I think part of the problem is tha…

1
Ask the Editors: Ofcom, GB News and Biden on TikTok 47:51

3M ago47:51

47:51

What motivates the media world behind the clickbait? What drives broadcast, print and digital media producers and journalists? In this episode, Alan Rusbridger and Lionel Barber answer listeners’ questions on media bias in an election year, the impact of 24-hour news on mental health, and whether President Biden should be active on TikTok. Plus—do …

1
David Lloyd co-founder of Boom Radio and local radio expert discusses changes in BBC local radio and Ofcom's oversight of them 26:10

3M ago26:10

26:10

In the week the BBC announced that it's preparing to launch new spin-off digital radio stations for Radios 1, 2, and 3 to provide more choice to audiences underserved by the BBC, we're talking to the co-founder of Boom Radio - a station that emerged to fill the gap left by Radio 2. David Lloyd, who has worked in radio for over 40 years, from LBC to…

1
Co-founder of Boom Radio and local radio expert David Lloyd discusses changes in BBC local radio and Ofcom's oversight of them 1:16

3M ago1:16

1:16

In the week the BBC has announced that it's preparing to launch new spin-off digital radio stations for Radios 1, 2, and 3 to provide more choice to audiences underserved by the BBC, we're talking to the co-founder of Boom Radio - a station that emerged to fill the gap left by Radio 2. David Lloyd, who has worked in radio for over 40 years, from LB…

1
Is this the future of local news? 47:43

3M ago47:43

47:43

Amid great concern over the provision of local news in the UK and beyond, could organisations such as the Manchester Mill and the Bristol Cable challenge famous old papers in some of Britain’s biggest cities and calm long-term fears of areas becoming “news deserts”? Alan and Lionel hear from Joshi Herrmann and Sophie Atkinson from Manchester Mill a…

1
Sir Craig Oliver former BBC editor and No 10 director of communications on Bashir emails, impartiality, Sir Robbie Gibb, GB News and mental health 30:33

3M ago30:33

30:33

Sir Craig Oliver is a former editor of BBC News at Six and Ten and was the Downing Street director of politics and communications under David Cameron. We discuss the release of the BBC Bashir emails, impartiality, Sir Robbie Gibb’s position on the BBC board, GB News and his career. “I don’t think we need GB News ….. what we're realising increasingl…

1
Former BBC editor and No 10 director of communications Sir Craig Oliver on Bashir emails, impartiality, Sir Robbie Gibb, GB News and mental health 0:57

3M ago0:57

0:57

Sir Craig Oliver is a former editor of BBC News at Six and Ten and was the Downing Street director of politics and communications under David Cameron. We discuss the release of the BBC Bashir emails, impartiality, Sir Robbie Gibb’s position on the BBC board, GB News and his career. “I don’t think we need GB News ….. what we're realising increasingl…

1
Is the right-wing media ‘out of control’? 42:17

3M ago42:17

42:17

Can Rishi Sunak still rely on what has often been called the “Conservative media”, or are news organisations on the political right becoming increasingly hostile to the prime minister? Journalist David Aaronovitch helps Alan and Lionel analyse who and what is driving significant cultural and political shifts in some of the UK’s newsrooms and media …

1
Alan Rusbridger former Guardian editor in chief discusses his Prospect article "How the government captured the BBC" 26:49

3M ago26:49

26:49

Alan Rusbridger, former Guardian editor and now editor at Prospect magazine has written an article with the headline ‘How the government captured the BBC'. Has it? We discuss the concept of impartiality, the government appointed board member Sir Robbie Gibb’s attempt to interfere in the appointment of the chair of Ofcom, his influence on the corpor…

1
Former Guardian editor in chief Alan Rusbridger discusses his Prospect article "How the government captured the BBC" 0:38

3M ago0:38

0:38

Alan Rusbridger, former Guardian editor and now editor at Prospect magazine has written an article with the headline ‘How the government captured the BBC'. Has it? We discuss the concept of impartiality, the government appointed board member Sir Robbie Gibb’s attempt to interfere in the appointment of the chair of Ofcom, his influence on the corpor…

1
How the government captured the BBC 50:11

4M ago50:11

50:11

Alan’s investigation into “Gibb-gate” continues. In a major article for Prospect, he sets out the influence and connections of a tight-knit and largely unaccountable clique which is undermining the political independence and regulation of public service broadcasting. At the centre of that group is Robbie Gibb, Theresa May’s director of communicatio…

1
Jim Naughtie BBC Special Correspondent discusses the US election, challenges of reporting when democracy is at stake and media integrity in the UK 30:31

4M ago30:31

30:31

Jim Naughtie has covered each US presidential election over the past five decades. He was a political correspondent on The Scotsman and then The Guardian, before becoming a presenter of Radio 4’s The World at One and then of The Today Programme – which he stood down from in 2016. Currently, he is a Special Correspondent for BBC News and presents Ra…

1
BBC Special Correspondent Jim Naughtie discusses the US election, challenges of reporting when democracy is at stake and media integrity in the UK 0:53

4M ago0:53

0:53

Jim Naughtie has covered each US presidential election over the past five decades. He was a political correspondent on The Scotsman and then The Guardian, before becoming a presenter of Radio 4’s The World at One and then of The Today Programme – which he stood down from in 2016. Currently, he is a Special Correspondent for BBC News and presents Ra…

1
Trump v Biden, Round Two: how to cover the US election 46:02

4M ago46:02

46:02

Is Donald Trump now unstoppable in his quest to secure the Republican presidential nomination, after kicking off caucus season with a decisive win in Iowa? As Trump shapes up for another shot at the White House, Alan and Lionel ask how US media can pitch their coverage and analysis to ensure scrutiny of such an unreliable and divisive figure, witho…

1
Investigative journalist Andy Webb on his struggle to obtain BBC emails relating to Martin Bashir's Diana interview 38:15

4M ago38:15

38:15

The circumstances surrounding the securing of the Panorama interview with the late Princess of Wales have been one of the biggest controversies to beset the BBC. On this week’s programme we’re taking stock on the imminent release of emails by the BBC which concerns its handling of the Martin Bashir scandal. There has been quite a battle in the cour…

1
Andy Webb investigative journalist, on his struggle to obtain BBC emails relating to Martin Bashir's Diana interview 1:32

4M ago1:32

1:32

The circumstances surrounding the securing of the Panorama interview with the late Princess of Wales have been one of the biggest controversies to beset the BBC. On this week’s programme we’re taking stock on the imminent release of emails by the BBC which concern its handling of the Martin Bashir scandal. There has been quite a battle in the court…

1
The Post Office scandal: Toby Jones on his drama’s impact 49:28

4M ago49:28

49:28

Award-winning actor Toby Jones, who plays Alan Bates in ITV’s Mr Bates vs the Post Office, reflects on the drama’s huge public and political impact, alongside its producer Patrick Spence. Alan and Lionel ask why this screen version has cut through in a way that news reporting of the Post Office Horizon scandal did not, with insights from Professor …

1
Full interview with Stewart Purvis former Channel 4 News editor and Ofcom regulator on the big issues facing the BBC in the New Year including the Martin Bashir controversy 32:05

4M ago32:05

32:05

Stewart Purvis, a former Editor of Channel 4 news and ITN Chief Executive was also one of the content regulators at Ofcom and oversaw standards cases involving the BBC between 2007 and 2010. In 2005 he was a member of a BBC commissioned independent panel assessing the impartiality of BBC news and current affairs coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian …

1
The media world in 2024 37:03

4M ago37:03

37:03

2024 is a crucial year for liberal democracies around the world, with over 50 nations voting in general elections and up to 4.2bn people casting their votes. In this episode, Alan Rusbridger and Lionel Barber discuss why media election coverage will be more important than ever, as key campaigns spill over from conventional, legacy formats such as p…

1
Review of the Year with Beth Rigby 42:09

5M ago42:09

42:09

Sky News’s Political Editor Beth Rigby joins Alan and Lionel to reflect on 2023’s key events and to launch the inaugural Media Confidential “awards”, nominating people, stories and news organisations for recognition in these categories: Most important story of the year Most under-reported story of the year Turkey of the year Political scoop of the …

1
Stewart Purvis former Channel 4 News editor and Ofcom regulator on the big issues facing the BBC in the New Year including the Martin Bashir controversy 3:36

5M ago3:36

3:36

Stewart Purvis, a former Editor of Channel 4 news and ITN Chief Executive was also one of the content regulators at Ofcom and oversaw standards cases involving the BBC between 2007 and 2010. In 2005 he was a member of a BBC commissioned independent panel assessing the impartiality of BBC news and current affairs coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian …

Podcasts Worth a Listen

U S News And World Report Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Quick Reference Guide