Rephonic
Artwork for Ideas

Ideas

CBC
Canada
Artificial Intelligence
Climate Change
Human Rights
Indigenous Rights
Architecture
Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
Oslo Accord
Empathy
Gaza
Brutalism
Middle East Peace Process
Egg Freezing
Humanitarian Crisis
Irish Famine
Music
Indigenous Peoples
Grief
Canadian Identity
Democracy

IDEAS is a place for people who like to think. If you value deep conversation and unexpected reveals, this show is for you. From the roots and rise of authoritarianism to near-death experiences to the history of toilets, no topic is off-limits. Hosted by Nahlah Ayed, we’re home to immersive documentaries and fascinating interviews with some of the most consequential thinkers of our time.

With an a... more

PublishesDailyEpisodes248Founded20 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Society & Culture

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Ideas

Latest Episodes

Authoritarian politics continue to intensify. But so do acts of resistance. This podcast focusses on the resisters who are pushing for accountability as they fight against state violence. They are from Argentina, South Africa and India. Some work alo... more

Not everyone gives birth. But everyone is born. Yet we rarely talk about the history of childbirth. So author Lucy Inglis researched its bloody, triumphant, political past. Her book Born: A History of Childbirth argues that birth has a deep global hi... more

Historian Marci Shore doesn't hesitate to use the word 'fascism' to describe the present moment. The former Yale professor left the U.S. after President Trump was re-elected. She now teaches at the University of Toronto and tells her students why "we... more

Seabird biologist Bill Montevecchi has been ranked in the world’s top two per cent of scientists. Montevecchi died at the age of 80 in July 2026. In his honour, we share this 2023 documentary by producer Mary Lynk that shines a light on the renowned ... 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

Recent Guests

Lucy Inglis
English historian and author of Born! A History of Childbirth
Episode: Birth is the story of us all. But do you know its history?
Bill Montevecchi
Seabird scientist and researcher
Memorial University of Newfoundland (collaborations)
Episode: Adventures of the late great 'Bird Man' Bill Montevecchi
Lara Downs
Classical pianist
Self/Artist
Episode: Unpacking the contradictions in America's ideals
Ken Burns
Filmmaker known for The Civil War, Jazz, Baseball, The American Revolution
PBS/Ken Burns
Episode: Unpacking the contradictions in America's ideals
Eddie Glaude
Professor of African American Studies at Princeton University
Princeton University
Episode: Unpacking the contradictions in America's ideals
Fareed Zakaria
CNN host and author
CNN
Episode: Unpacking the contradictions in America's ideals
Noah Khan
PhD student examining the emotions of AI developers
University of Toronto
Episode: Human emotion behind AI chatbot design
Megan Bowler
Professor and Noah Khan's PhD supervisor
University of Toronto
Episode: Human emotion behind AI chatbot design
Sheila Jasanoff
Professor of Science and Technology Studies
Harvard Kennedy School
Episode: Human emotion behind AI chatbot design

Host

Nahlah Ayed
Host associated with immersive documentaries and long-form interviews; lead host of the series.

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 3.9k ratings
  • Your latest episode on art and fascism

    The best analysis of the current socio-political zeitgeist. Thank you.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Ha! Politics
    Canada11 days ago
  • Absent ideas

    Ideas was once a challenging hour of exploration. Now it’s an hour of constructing straw men to knock over. Critical engagement is absent. I say this as someone who generally agrees with many of the positions - but people want genuine engagement not Sunday school indoctrination. I want to wrestle with ideas not be spoon fed a perspective.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Blaine oh
    Canada3 months ago
  • Work in progress

    I never missed Ideas back when Paul Kennedy was host. He left and the series changed considerably: from riveting and informative to ridiculous topics and presenter’s growing pains. I stopped listening for a while but have returned hoping quality has returned. Not horrible but it’s such fluff. Wish CBC would make entire Ideas (and “Q” for that matter) archive accessible; I’d re-listen to the old episodes in a heartbeat.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Mag 101
    Canada4 months ago
  • Frustrating waiting for part 2

    I find it frustrating waiting for a month now for part 2 of the doc on billionaires to be posted. We should be told when to expect part 2 or 3 of whatever documentary and not be left in limbo checking all the time and not knowing. This is turning me off the podcast

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    mathgirlmarie
    Canada5 months ago
  • Israel bias

    Had an Israeli on to discuss Palestine…no pushback no alternative views allowed. Just Hasbara

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    greengrounds
    Canada5 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Listeners praise depth, intelligence, and thoughtful examination of ideas.
Some critics note a perceived lack of pushback or challenging viewpoints in certain episodes.
Fans value accessibility of in-depth journalism and documentary storytelling.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#65
Canada/Top Podcasts
Apple Podcasts
#9
Canada/Society & Culture
Apple Podcasts
#98
Russia/Society & Culture
Apple Podcasts
#179
South Korea/Society & Culture

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Unpacking the contradictions in America's ideals
Q: So you say it's a revolution about ideas. What do you think the principle ideas are?
The fundamental ideas center on natural rights, self-government, and the pursuit of happiness as a route to virtue and self-improvement, rather than merely economic or territorial gain.
David Bowie took his own death as a creative catalyst
Q: How did Bowie's approach to death influence the way his final works were received?
The guests explain that Bowie's late works, especially Black Star and Lazarus, turn mortality into a conscious, artistic strategy that foregrounds life, transformation, and the ongoing relevance of the artist after death.
Love or hate math, geometry is embedded in daily life
Q: But what is that straw problem really asking, and why does it matter beyond a classroom debate?
It reveals how people understand and frame definitions, showing that a simple term like 'hole' can lead to deeper mathematical thinking and healthy epistemic humility.
The fear of fire is taking control of us
Q: How would you describe your relationship with fire given its evolving role in civilization?
Vaillant explains that the relationship is complicated and shifting; he feels reverence around a home fireplace yet recognizes the vulnerability of cities and ecosystems to fire, acknowledging how climate change intensifies fire behavior.
Suzuki’s Survival Guide | A Warning
Q: What is the fundamental takeaway you hope listeners gain from revisiting these early warnings?
That the warnings have always been there, we ran out of time, and radical, immediate action is required now—investment in efficiency, clean energy, and equitable development to safeguard the future.

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 Ideas

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

:[

Where can I find podcast stats for Ideas?

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

How many listeners does Ideas get?

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

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

To see how many followers or subscribers Ideas 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 Ideas?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Ideas:

1. The Sunday Magazine
2. The Current
3. Quirks and Quarks
4. Front Burner
5. White Coat, Black Art

How many episodes of Ideas are there?

Ideas launched 20 years ago and published 248 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 Ideas?

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 Ideas?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Ideas 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 Ideas?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Ideas. 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 Ideas?

Recent guests on Ideas include:

1. Lucy Inglis
2. Bill Montevecchi
3. Lara Downs
4. Ken Burns
5. Eddie Glaude
6. Fareed Zakaria
7. Noah Khan
8. Megan Bowler

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