Rephonic
Artwork for Free Forum

Free Forum with Terrence McNally

Terrence McNally
Climate Change
Democracy
Donald Trump
Inequality
Energy Policy
Climate Disasters
Renewable Energy
American Legal System
Climate Migration
Harvard University
Civil Rights Movement
Environment
United States
Environmental Journalism
Nuclear Energy
Global Warming
Defendants' Rights
Social Justice
Private Equity
Capitalism

Features conversations with people who offer pieces of the puzzle of “a world that just might work” -- provocative approaches to business, environment, health, science, politics, media and culture. Guests have included Michael Lewis, Ken Burns, Arianna Huffington, Paul Krugman, Temple Grandin, Bill Maher, Cornel West, Doris Kearns Goodwin, and Norman Lear. [terrencemcnally.net]

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes749Founded19 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
News

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Free Forum

Latest Episodes

For years, Harvard professor ERAM ALAM has been looking at the role immigrant physicians play in US healthcare. We fill a chronic shortage of new domestic MDs with doctors trained elsewhere. Nearly a quarter of our physicians went to medical school o... more

YouTube

SVEN BECKERT, in his latest book, CAPITALISM: A Global History, traces its story across the world since the dawn of the last millennium. He reminds us that capitalism is not natural or inevitable, but a human invention, one that has survived - even d... more

YouTube

I’m one who says the 60s didn’t end until about 1973. John Jenkins was a young journalist in Washington DC in ’71 when some shit was going down. War still raging in Vietnam. Largest mass arrest of protestors in US history. Daniel Ellsberg steals, cop... more

YouTube

RICHARD HEINBERG, a guest a handful of times on this show died July 19th, just two weeks after a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. He was often a few steps ahead of whatever the current conversation might be regarding humanity’s relationships with natu... more

YouTube

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.

Recent Guests

Eram Alam
Harvard associate professor of the History of Medicine, author of THE CARE OF FOREIGNERS
Harvard University
Episode: Episode 750: ERAM ALAM-THE CARE OF FOREIGNERS-How Immigrant MDs Changed US Healthcare.
Sven Beckert
Laird Bell Professor of History at Harvard, author of CAPITALISM, A Global History
Harvard University
Episode: Episode 749: SVEN BECKERT-CAPITALISM: A Global History-learn from the past to reshape the future
John Jenkins
Author of Summer of 71 and writer with a background in political journalism and publishing
Author of Summer of 71; founder of Law Street Media; co-leads Poliscio Analytics
Episode: Episode 748: JOHN JENKINS-SUMMER of ’71: Five Months That Changed America
Richard Heinberg
Author and energy educator, core faculty at New College of California
New College of California / Author of The Party's Over, A New Covenant with Nature
Episode: Episode 747: RICHARD HEINBERG (2003) died in July-A NEW COVENANT WITH NATURE, THE PARTY’S OVER
Danielle Allen
Harvard professor and democracy advocate
Harvard University
Episode: Episode 746: DANIELLE ALLEN-RADICAL DUKE (new book) & the work of Renovating Democracy
Ari Berman
National Voting Rights Correspondent for Mother Jones and author
Mother Jones
Episode: Episode 745: ARI BERMAN-Trump’s threats to the 2026 mid-term elections
Robert Thurman
Buddhist scholar and activist, Columbia Professor and Tibet House US President
Columbia University / Tibet House US
Episode: Episode 744: 1) ROBERT THURMAN (2011), Buddhist teacher, died in June - 2) JONATHAN SCHELL (2004), late journalist & author reflects on 9/11
Jonathan Schell
Writer and Peace/Disarmament correspondent for The Nation
The Nation
Episode: Episode 744: 1) ROBERT THURMAN (2011), Buddhist teacher, died in June - 2) JONATHAN SCHELL (2004), late journalist & author reflects on 9/11
Cory Doctorow
Science fiction writer, activist and journalist
Electronic Frontier Foundation; Cornell University (honorary); MIT Media Lab (affiliate)
Episode: Episode 743: CORY DOCTOROW - AI-Use it. Don’t buy the hype. Don’t feed the bubble.

Host

Terrence McNally
Host of Free Forum, guiding deep, idea-driven conversations across topics including environment, democracy, science, and culture.

Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars from 37 ratings
  • Great guests, let them talk

    I give five stars for the interesting guests from a variety of backgrounds - many of whom I have only heard on this show, despite all their achievements and insights. But I minus one star for McNally's obnoxious way of constantly and unnecessarily interrupting them, which often disrupts the guest's train of thought and the flow of the discussion.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    cshearer
    United States13 years ago
  • Great interviews

    Keep up the great stuff

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Bookgov
    United States13 years ago
  • Great show

    Terrence gets awesome guests to come speak on the podcast, and the interviews are always engaging and inspiring.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Vinodole
    United States14 years ago
  • Terrific

    It's a great podcast. Well thought out interviews. This podcast will give Fresh Air a run for their money. Pleasant to listen to. It's not a round table discussion of 6 people all trying to talk at once or a bunch of unnecessary noise and sound effects. It's entertaining, to the point, and informative. Easy to listen to.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Kimmiee_10
    United States15 years ago
  • Best interview podcast

    I look forward to an interesting new voice every week.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    havenot
    United States15 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Polished interviewing style; informative and inspiring.
Engaging, high-caliber guests with thoughtful interviews.
Audience praises depth and clarity, with occasional critique of pacing.
Listeners appreciate the breadth of topics and practical takeaways.
Strong lineup and insightful discussions.

Top News Podcasts

The Daily
The DailyThe New York Times
Pod Save America
Pod Save AmericaPod Save America
The Tucker Carlson Show
The Tucker Carlson ShowTucker Carlson Network
The Headlines
The HeadlinesThe New York Times
Morning Wire
Morning WireThe Daily Wire
Candace
CandaceCandace Owens

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Episode 749: SVEN BECKERT-CAPITALISM: A Global History-learn from the past to reshape the future
Q: What are the key contributions of your global, historical approach to understanding capitalism?
The approach shows that capitalism is not natural but historical, requires a global perspective beyond Europe, is undogmatic in labor and state arrangements, and emphasizes the central role of the state in conjunction with capital across different eras.
Episode 749: SVEN BECKERT-CAPITALISM: A Global History-learn from the past to reshape the future
Q: What is your definition of capitalism and how does it differ from traditional definitions?
Capitalism is a form of economic life in which privately owned capital is productively invested with the goal of producing more capital, and this system changes drastically over time, differing by region yet sharing the core logic of capital accumulation.
Episode 748: JOHN JENKINS-SUMMER of ’71: Five Months That Changed America
Q: Tell us about your path so we could focus on 71 at one point, but how you got to the work you do today.
The guest explains his long career in journalism and publishing, how early experiences, internships, and a focus on specialized information shaped his path, and how those choices aligned with the events of 1971 that he later chronicles in Summer of 71.
Episode 747: RICHARD HEINBERG (2003) died in July-A NEW COVENANT WITH NATURE, THE PARTY’S OVER
Q: What tipped you to realize energy, particularly fossil fuels, is the danger and crisis worth addressing?
I joined an international energy expert group for several years and learned that globally we are near or at peak oil production in the not-too-distant future, which has enormous implications for economy, security, and society, driving the urgency of reassessing our energy needs.
Episode 742: ROBERT COLES (2008) - renowned psychiatrist & Pulitzer-winning author died June 4 at 97
Q: How did your experiences as a child psychiatrist influence your view of language and memory in shaping who we are?
A child's way of articulating experience and the way adults listen to those stories can illuminate humanity itself, guiding how we understand others and ourselves through narrative.

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 Free Forum

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

Thoughtful, wide-ranging conversations with prominent thinkers, scientists, activists, and policymakers who explore practical pathways toward a more sustainable, just, and well-functioning world. Episodes frequently center on energy and the environment, democracy and governance, technology and society, health and medicine, and culture, inviting guests to translate big ideas into actionable insights. A notable strength is a willingness to challenge established systems through historical context, interdisciplinary thinking, and calls to civic action, often connecting academic perspectives with real-world policy and grassroots strategies.

A unique edge is the show's willingness to pair deep technical or philosophical discussions with accessib... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Free Forum?

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

How many listeners does Free Forum get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Free Forum, 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 Free Forum?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Free Forum, 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 Free Forum have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Free Forum 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 Free Forum?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Free Forum:

1. The Ezra Klein Show
2. Podcast – Cory Doctorow's craphound.com
3. The New Yorker Radio Hour
4. The Political Scene | The New Yorker
5. Ralph Nader Radio Hour

How many episodes of Free Forum are there?

Free Forum launched 19 years ago and published 749 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 Free Forum?

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 Free Forum?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Free Forum 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 Free Forum?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Free Forum. 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 Free Forum?

Recent guests on Free Forum include:

1. Eram Alam
2. Sven Beckert
3. John Jenkins
4. Richard Heinberg
5. Danielle Allen
6. Ari Berman
7. Robert Thurman
8. Jonathan Schell

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