Rephonic
Artwork for Conversations

Conversations

ABC Australia
Australia
Mental Health
Family
Domestic Violence
Sydney
Education
Melbourne
Summer
Pacific Ocean
Cultural Identity
Happiness
Brisbane
Art
Adventuring
Alcoholism
Trauma
Gnarly Neighbours
Covid-19
Nostalgia
Addiction Recovery

Conversations draws you deeper into the life story of someone you may have heard about, but never met. Journey into their world, joining them on epic adventures to unfamiliar places, back in time to wild moments of history, and into their deepest memories, to be moved by personal stories of resilience and redemption. Hosted by Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski, Conversations is the ABC's most popu... more

PublishesDailyEpisodes2900Founded21 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
RelationshipsSociety & Culture

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Conversations

Latest Episodes

Alison Hoddinot was one of the first Australian women to study at Oxford University, but one of her lecturers, J.R.R Tolkein, refused to take on a woman PhD student.

Alison was born in Tasmania in 1931.

As a young woman she won a scholarship to st... more

Elizabeth Chong didn't cook her first meal until she was a newlywed. Six decades later, the owner of a cooking school specialising in Chinese cuisine, she had taught more than 37,000 people how to cook.

Chef, author and teacher Elizabeth Chong was b... more

Bryan Brown has played more than 80 roles on stage and screen. Raised in working-class Sydney, his talent, hard work, and unmistakable presence have been his ticket to the world.

In our week of stories from our elders, we begin with the life of Brya... more

Mel Huang Buntine on how computers started entering our homes, and the beige box of a machine that changed her own life.

Personal computers are so ubiquitous now, it's hard to imagine a time when computers were inaccessible to everyday people.

For ... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

All In The Mind
All In The MindABC Australia
No Filter
No FilterMamamia Podcasts
The Imperfects
The ImperfectsHugh van Cuylenburg, Ryan Shelton & Josh van Cuylenburg

Recent Guests

Elizabeth Chong
A prominent Chinese-Australian chef, author, and cooking teacher
Elizabeth Chong Cooking School / Author
Episode: Stories from our Elders: the chef who taught 37,000 Australians how to cook
Bryan Brown
Australian actor known for Breaker Morant, The Thorn Birds, The Pacifier, Gorillas in the Mist
Film and Television Actor
Episode: Stories from our Elders: Bryan Brown's road from Bankstown to Hollywood
Mel Huang Buntine
Designer and technologist; curator of Radical Computing exhibition
National Communication Museum
Episode: The radical history of personal computing—looms, coding, beige boxes and AI
Vicki Roach
Survivor, advocate for prisoners' rights and Indigenous women in prison
Advocate, prisoner rights and Indigenous women's rights
Episode: Encore: Vickie's turbulent life in and out of prison, and how she reclaimed her power
Lisa Henson
CEO of Jim Henson Company; daughter of Jim Henson
Jim Henson Company
Episode: My dad Jim Henson, the creative genius behind 'The Muppets'
Rebecca Huntley
Public intellectual, writer and social researcher
University of New South Wales (former lecturer); author
Episode: Encore: What happened when I tried MDMA therapy
Catrine Clay
Author of Children of the Third Reich, Three Pasts, Three Futures
Author
Episode: Healing intergenerational trauma and epigenetics—the children of the Third Reich
Urzila Carlson
Comedian and memoirist
Independent / ABC appearances
Episode: Comedian Urzila Carlson regrets nothing
Meg Washington
Musician and storyteller featured on Conversations
Musician
Episode: Encore: Meg Washington on the magic of music

Hosts

Richard Fidler
Host of Conversations
Sarah Kanowski
Host of Conversations

Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars from 14.4k ratings
  • Always waiting for Richard

    Richard's conversations are so perceptive and seem spontaneous. Love the connections he makes with the guests. His intellect and wide knowledge of so many subjects shines through. I sadly cannot listen to Sarah at all.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Luna nan
    Australiaa month ago
  • Great accompaniment to Public Education week 2026

    Really enjoying the spotlight on education topics this week!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    van_esther
    Australia2 months ago
  • Fan

    I have listened too hundreds of episodes over a long time and still cherish the moments in Richard’s conversations when he makes that special connection with guests, often bringing me to tears. What a gift ❤️

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Prallaway
    Australia2 months ago
  • Beverly Wang really needs some training

    I loved her in Download This, but her conversation episodes are so awkward and lack warmth. The guests are left hanging and it’s like she’s reading a list of questions to stead of actually interacting in a meaningful way. I hope she has the chance to improve, I do like her work

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    MaggieeeeeTeeeee
    Australia3 months ago
  • Quit!

    No way ur better then mama Mia out loud sooo um send some bad eps

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    I rilly don’t care 🥱🖤
    Australia3 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Audio quality and production are frequently cited as strong, with thoughtful interviews.
Guests are consistently interesting and varied.
Listeners praise the hosts' curiosity and warmth.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Encore: What happened when I tried MDMA therapy
Q: What changes did you notice in your daily life after the MDMA therapy?
A profound shift in emotional regulation and empathy, reduced chronic anger, greater self-compassion, and improved relationships, with ongoing integration and some lasting but manageable challenges as old patterns resurface and are reinterpreted.
Encore: What happened when I tried MDMA therapy
Q: How is the MDMA therapy session structured, and how does the therapist guide you through it?
The session is part of a wraparound process with preparation, secure logistics, and in-session guidance where the therapist provides a safe space, records insights, and helps reflect afterward, focusing on memory, emotion, and processing rather than the drug itself alone.
Encore: What happened when I tried MDMA therapy
Q: What initially drew you to explore MDMA therapy as a treatment?
A combination of reading trauma psychology, meeting a friend who had undergone MDMA therapy, and a sense of desperation to address the deep-rooted anger and trauma that walking and traditional therapy hadn't fully resolved.
Encore: Vickie's turbulent life in and out of prison, and how she reclaimed her power
Q: Tell me about your birth mother and the circumstances around your adoption.
Her life in institutions and the systemic forces around her shaped the path that led to my being placed with foster parents; learning about my birth family later helped me understand the generational trauma and the resilience required to navigate these complex circumstances.
Encore: Vickie's turbulent life in and out of prison, and how she reclaimed her power
Q: What was it like going on to that TV show, and how did you handle the questions on camera?
I felt daunted sitting on the stool, but the staff and other interviewees made it feel like a family; the questions, while challenging, helped reveal the realities of the abuse and the dynamics that kept people from leaving abusive relationships.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Conversations

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

Long-form intimate conversations exploring personal histories, resilience, and transformative life choices across a wide range of fields. From police investigations and survival stories to art, health, science, and spirituality, the show prioritizes human-scale narratives that illuminate how individuals navigate adversity, career pivots, and family themes. Guests often share first-person journeys—breakthrough moments, ethical dilemmas, and turning points—that reveal broader social and cultural patterns, making it a compelling listen for audiences seeking depth, context, and inspiration. A standout element is the consistent blend of rigorous storytelling with empathetic interviewing, producing memorable insights and a strong sense of humanit... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Conversations?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Conversations. 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 Conversations and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Conversations get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Conversations, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Conversations?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Conversations, 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 Conversations have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Conversations 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 Conversations?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Conversations:

1. No One Saw It Coming
2. All In The Mind
3. No Filter
4. The Imperfects
5. Life Matters - Full program podcast

How many episodes of Conversations are there?

Conversations launched 21 years ago and published 2900 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 Conversations?

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 Conversations?

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

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Conversations?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Conversations. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Conversations?

Recent guests on Conversations include:

1. Elizabeth Chong
2. Bryan Brown
3. Mel Huang Buntine
4. Vicki Roach
5. Lisa Henson
6. Rebecca Huntley
7. Catrine Clay
8. Urzila Carlson

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.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days