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Background Briefing with Ian Masters

Ian Masters
Donald Trump
CPAC
Gaza
Russia
Ukraine
Christian Nationalism
Supreme Court
Democracy
Fascism
Christian Theocracy
Israel
Mitch Mcconnell
Alexei Navalny
U.S. Politics
Putin
Russian Intelligence
Gaza War
Joe Biden
Government Shutdown
Ukraine Aid

Background Briefing goes far beyond the headlines and deep under the radar to bring forward truths unheard elsewhere in American media. Background Briefing features international and national news, expert guests, policymakers, and critics offering analysis and insight on national security, foreign and domestic policy, political, cultural, and social issues. backgroundbriefing.org/donate twitter.co... more

PublishesDailyEpisodes606Founded12 years ago
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Artwork for Background Briefing

Latest Episodes

A Christmas Message | A 2025 Retrospective -The New Hegemon in the Middle East: Israel | Trump’s Dual Strategies of Scaring Off Protests and Instigating Provocations to Enact Fascism backgroundbriefing.org/donate twitter.com/ianmastersmedia bsky.app/... more

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Christmas Eve | A Look Back at 2025 Starting In January - A Manifesto to Stand Up in the Face Of Trump’s Firehose of Reactionary Initiatives | Since Musk’s Assault on the Federal Workforce is Only Saving a Pittance, the Real Intention Then Must Be To... more

YouTube

The Latest Dump of the Epstein Files and Susie Wiles' Expose of the Rot at the Top of the U.S. Government | A Reporter Whose Video of a West Bank Settler Beating An Elderly Palestinian Woman Went Viral Leading to a Rare Arrest backgroundbriefing.org/... more

YouTube

The Relationship Between Antisemitism and Criticism of Israel | The CBS News Editor Appointed by the Ellisons Spikes a 60 Minutes Segment to Re Edit a More Trump-Friendly Version | Ariel Dorfman From Chile on the Election of a Far-Right President Who... more

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Recent Guests

Jasper Nathaniel
Brooklyn-based writer and reporter covering politics, culture, and international affairs
Substack newsletter Infinite Jazz
Episode: December 23, 2025 - Sidney Blumenthal | Jasper Nathaniel
Francisco Rodríguez
Senior research fellow and founder of Oil for Venezuela
Center for Economic and Policy Research
Episode: December 18, 2025 - Mike Lofgren | Francisco Rodríguez | Tim Wu
Tim Wu
Julius Silver Professor of Law, Science and Technology
Columbia Law School
Episode: December 18, 2025 - Mike Lofgren | Francisco Rodríguez | Tim Wu
Sven Beckert
Laird Bell Professor of History, co-chair of the program on the study of capitalism at Harvard University
Harvard University
Episode: December 17, 2025 - Greg Sargent | Sven Beckert
Jordan Baker
Chief reporter of the Sydney Morning Herald
Sydney Morning Herald
Episode: December 15, 2025 - Jordan Baker | Jonathan Alter | Victoria Hui
Jaz Brisack
Organizing director of the Inside Organizer School, labor rights activist, and founding member of Starbucks Workers United.
Workers United
Episode: December 14, 2025 - Charles Kupchan | Sam Rosenthal | Jaz Brisack
Sam Rosenthal
Political director at Roots Action and member of the Democratic Socialist of America's National Electoral Committee, with a focus on electoral strategies for the Democratic Party.
Roots Action
Episode: December 14, 2025 - Charles Kupchan | Sam Rosenthal | Jaz Brisack
Dalia Dassa Kaye
Senior Fellow at the UCLA Burkle Center for International Relations and Director of its Initiative on Regional Security Architectures.
UCLA Burkle Center for International Relations
Episode: December 11, 2025 - David Smilde | Harold Meyerson | Dalia Dassa Kaye
John Judis
Editor-at-large at Talking Points Memo and author of multiple books
Talking Points Memo
Episode: December 10, 2025 - John Judis | Deb Otis | Nina Burleigh

Host

Ian Masters
Host with a focus on critical analysis and in-depth discussions of current events, often featuring expert guests across various fields.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 763 ratings
  • The only podcast I seek out consistently

    The discussion with Prof. Sean Wilentz on 10/26/25 distills perfectly the monstrosity we are dealing with in very clear terms and the more people who understand it, the better we will be able to overcome this moment in history.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    mettaminx
    United States2 months ago
  • Appreciate you and your guests

    Please can you speak to the US accepting Afrikaners

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Melissa J83
    United States7 months ago
  • Ian Masters's Background Briefing: A show that stands apart from any other.

    As essential as any other number one news and analysis resource, this program remains at the very top of my list. A part of my daily routine, I credit Mr Masters with providing us with a detailed picture of our current affairs through a, almost daily, series of wildly diverse and highly credentialed guest interviews. I could never thank the staff of Background Briefing enough for taking me through this very difficult decade. If I ever hit the jackpot, you will know it. thank you for all of your ... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    The Railer
    United States7 months ago
  • Often the guests have very on point analysis and commentary. This can't be said of all guests. Some seem as clueless as the relatively uninformed may be. Many are also cagey, unwilling to state ugly realities, unlike Ian.

    This is definitely a podcast for the left leaning given Ian's tendency to insert his own left leaning opinions into discussion. So some right wingers and "centrists" may not like it. However, Ian still has excellent editorial standards (like keeping to the facts) nonetheless.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    mindful86
    9 months ago
  • Good guests, I wish Ian did more interviewing and less pushing his own thesis.

    Podcast Addict
    4
    curmudgeon
    10 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Positive feedback emphasizes critical analysis that goes beyond surface-level news coverage;
Listeners appreciate the in-depth discussions and expert guests that illuminate complex issues;
Many describe the show as an essential resource for understanding contemporary political and social dynamics;
Some reviewers express concerns over perceived biases in the host's questioning.

Top News Podcasts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

December 23, 2025 - Sidney Blumenthal | Jasper Nathaniel
Q: Jasper, can you describe the event you witnessed involving a settler and a Palestinian woman?
Nathaniel describes witnessing a settler violently assaulting an elderly Palestinian woman during the olive harvest, emphasizing the coordinated nature of the attack.
December 23, 2025 - Sidney Blumenthal | Jasper Nathaniel
Q: What does Sidney believe Trump will do to his Chief of Staff for insulting him?
Blumenthal suggests that Trump may engage in humiliation or blame Wiles for failures down the line, advising her to leave before it happens.
December 24, 2025 - Reverend Dr. Liz Theoharis | Gil Duran | Brooke Harrington
Q: Do you feel, Reverend Liz, that there is a sort of resurgent, if you will, religious left to counter the religious right?
Reverend Liz explained that while there may be a perception of a divide, the majority of people of faith believe in social justice and the need for comprehensive policies that uplift everyone.
December 24, 2025 - Reverend Dr. Liz Theoharis | Gil Duran | Brooke Harrington
Q: How much do you think people's celebrating Christmas recognize how much the whole point of the story is essentially about poor people being born into a world that they are trying to change?
Reverend Dr. Liz Theoharis indicated that many miss the deeper narrative of Jesus's birth and its implications on contemporary social justice issues.
December 17, 2025 - Greg Sargent | Sven Beckert
Q: How does Sven Beckert view the evolution of capitalism?
He sees capitalism as having historical roots that have transformed over time, emphasizing the need for a global perspective to understand its current dynamics.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Background Briefing

What is Background Briefing about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Focused on exploring underreported issues and providing in-depth analysis, the content is primarily centered around international and national news. It features discussions with expert guests—including scholars, journalists, and policymakers—who offer insights on a range of topics from national security to social and political issues. The unique approach of elevating lesser-known conversations is complemented by a critical examination of U.S. foreign and domestic policies, particularly regarding the actions and implications of the Trump administration. The podcast stands out for its commitment to presenting diverse perspectives and expert commentary on contemporary challenges facing society.

Where can I find podcast stats for Background Briefing?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Background Briefing. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Background Briefing and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Background Briefing get?

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What are the audience demographics for Background Briefing?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Background Briefing, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Background Briefing have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Background Briefing has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Background Briefing?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Background Briefing:

1. The Hartmann Report
2. Ralph Nader Radio Hour
3. The DSR Network
4. DSR's Words Matter
5. Talking Feds

How many episodes of Background Briefing are there?

Background Briefing launched 12 years ago and published 606 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Background Briefing?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Background Briefing?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Background Briefing from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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What guests have appeared on Background Briefing?

Recent guests on Background Briefing include:

1. Jasper Nathaniel
2. Francisco Rodríguez
3. Tim Wu
4. Sven Beckert
5. Jordan Baker
6. Jaz Brisack
7. Sam Rosenthal
8. Dalia Dassa Kaye

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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