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Open to Debate

Open to Debate
Donald Trump
China
United States
Israel
Mental Health
Iran
Artificial Intelligence
Democracy
Tiktok
Republican Party
Free Speech
Democratic Party
Russia
Public Health
Climate Change
First Amendment
Ukraine
Hamas
Joe Biden
Feminism

America is more divided than ever—but it doesn’t have to be. Open to Debate offers an antidote to the chaos. We bring multiple perspectives together for real, nonpartisan debates. Debates that are structured, respectful, clever, provocative, and driven by the facts. Open to Debate is on a mission to restore balance to the public square through expert moderation, good-faith arguments, and reasoned ... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes472Founded19 years ago
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Latest Episodes

The midterms are coming up this fall, and right now we are in the middle of a contentious primary season, with a lot of new faces challenging incumbents—and many winning. It’s in this context that we revisit our debate from 2022: Are Primary Election... more

As America celebrates 250 years since the Declaration of Independence, the legacy of the Founders is under renewed scrutiny. Were they visionary architects of liberty whose achievements and creations should be celebrated, or has reverence for them sa... more

Fifty years after the Supreme Court reinstated capital punishment, the death penalty remains one of America's most divisive issues. Supporters argue it delivers justice for the most heinous crimes, provides closure for victims’ families, and ensures ... more

Forget "happily ever after." As marriage and birth rates fall, young adults have less sex, and assumptions about love and commitment are being challenged. In this episode of “Generational Divides,” Reason editor-at-large Nick Gillespie brings togethe... more

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Recent Guests

Osita Nwanevu
Contributing editor at The New Republic; author
The New Republic, The Guardian
Episode: America 250: Is It Time To Stop Idolizing the Founders?
Helena Rosenblatt
Historian and professor
Graduate Center, CUNY
Episode: America 250: Is It Time To Stop Idolizing the Founders?
Malavika Kannan
Gen Z author and columnist
Author of Unprecedented Times; Teen Vogue relationship column
Episode: Generational Divides with Nick Gillespie: Are We Overcomplicating Love and Sex?
Carolyn D. Gorman
Millennial voice
Manhattan Institute fellow
Episode: Generational Divides with Nick Gillespie: Are We Overcomplicating Love and Sex?
James Sexton
Gen Xer, divorce and family law attorney
Attorney; author of How to Stay in Love
Episode: Generational Divides with Nick Gillespie: Are We Overcomplicating Love and Sex?
Suzanne Maloney
Vice President and Director of Foreign Policy at the Brookings Institution
Brookings Institution
Episode: Who Is Winning the Iran War: Tehran or Trump?
Matthew Kroenig
Vice President for Geostrategy and Fellows, Senior Director of the Atlantic Council Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security
Atlantic Council
Episode: Who Is Winning the Iran War: Tehran or Trump?
Jeffrey Rosen
Senior Fellow at FIRE and CEO Emeritus of the National Constitution Center
Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE)
Episode: BONUS: The Blessings of Liberty: Jeffrey Rosen & Ken Burns on America’s 250th
Ken Burns
Documentary filmmaker and renowned storyteller
PBS/Documentary filmmaking
Episode: BONUS: The Blessings of Liberty: Jeffrey Rosen & Ken Burns on America’s 250th

Host

John Donvan
Host of Open to Debate with a long-running role moderating and guiding discussions across topics.

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 2.8k ratings
  • Great show but…

    Enough with the reruns. There should be many engaging topics to discuss that can help you avoid posting the same debate twice within a year.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    consumer1156
    United States2 months ago
  • Intellectually stimulating & well organized and moderated...!

    Intellectually stimulating & well organized and moderated...!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Shel Lynn
    United States5 months ago
  • The most valuable podcast in America

    John Donvan is extraordinary as a moderator. The guaranteed thing we will takeaway when well qualified debaters take each other on in a respectful manner is just how nuanced and complex the issues are. Something our political climate would never admit.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    dklc
    United States8 months ago
  • You couldn’t find a better boomer than Joe Nocera??

    As a 73 year old, I’ve heard a lot of quibbling, interrupting, know-it-all curmudgeons. Put Nocera in a rocking chair on the porch to yell at passersby, but please, no more debates.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    No props 4 neurotic rich..
    United States9 months ago
  • Open to Debate = Liberals and Leftists vs. Liberal Republicans

    I have listened to this for years and rarely is there a true conservative on here. Most times I see a conservative, it’s one of the “I’m a conservative, BUT obviously I hate Trump and he’s a horrible human being and I vote Democrat now.”

    John Donovan is pretty fair but he and his OTD team don’t seem to understand everyday GOP voters—they bring in the limousine, Ivy League elitist GOP-ers to debate. Like or hate Trump, his views are held by a majority of the right half of the country today and ... more

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    ConstitutionalConservativeVet
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

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

Listeners appreciate diverse guests and data-driven questions, though some wish for broader ideological representation.
Some critics describe perceived bias or format fatigue in long-running debates.
Audience praise for civil discourse and rigorous moderation.

Chart Rankings

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

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Who Is Winning the Iran War: Tehran or Trump?
Q: How do you define victory in a war where the regime remained in power and the strategic aims were not fully realized?
Suzanne argues that true victory requires a lasting change in regime behavior and strategic outcomes, which she says the war did not achieve; Matthew counters that strategic gains, such as degraded Iran's nuclear program and increased U.S. deterrence, constitute a form of victory.
Government as Shareholder: Proactive Competitive Strategy or Last Resort?
Q: What about governance concerns, such as the golden chair and potential conflicts of interest?
Guardrails, transparency, and clear institutional design are essential to mitigate conflicts of interest while preserving the ability to influence strategically important firms.
Government as Shareholder: Proactive Competitive Strategy or Last Resort?
Q: How do you assess the efficiency and effectiveness of government intervention elsewhere in Europe in particular?
In some places independent agencies with strong governance perform better; in others, government-led efforts are less efficient, so accountability and design matter a lot.
Is the Scientific Enterprise Too Risk-Averse?
Q: Dimari asks who is responsible for risk aversion in the system and what can be done to change it.
Kate and Brandon point to the ecological and structural factors—tenure norms, funding priorities, and institutional cultures—and advocate for more multidisciplinarity, independent science organizations, and programs that empower researchers to pursue high-risk ideas without being pigeonholed by funding agendas.
Is the Scientific Enterprise Too Risk-Averse?
Q: Leon asks about the social and existential risks of certain types of research and the role of democracy in managing them.
Kate Biberdorf emphasizes that democracy provides checks and balances and that risk management should involve transparent communication about both potential risks and benefits, while science must continue to pursue ambitious goals with public understanding and consent.

Audience Metrics

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

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Frequently Asked Questions About Open to Debate

What is Open to Debate about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Open to Debate features structured, civil, multi-perspective debates on science, technology, policy, and culture. Episodes commonly pair experts from academia, journalism, policy, and industry to explore timely topics such as AI, gene editing, ethics in technology, and societal impact. Moderation is a core strength, with a focus on clear argumentation, audience questions, and a balanced exchange of ideas. The show often surfaces nuanced views, contests ideas across sides, and maintains a nonpartisan, evidence-driven tone. Noteworthy is its broad roster of high-profile guests and its willingness to tackle controversial subjects with rigor and civility, making it a strong fit for listeners who want thoughtful debate without partisan rancor.

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How many listeners does Open to Debate get?

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What are the audience demographics for Open to Debate?

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How many subscribers and views does Open to Debate have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Open to Debate 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 Open to Debate?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Open to Debate:

1. Freakonomics Radio
2. Intelligence Squared
3. The Ezra Klein Show
4. Interesting Times with Ross Douthat
5. On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti

How many episodes of Open to Debate are there?

Open to Debate launched 19 years ago and published 472 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 Open to Debate?

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 Open to Debate?

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

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How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Open to Debate?

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What guests have appeared on Open to Debate?

Recent guests on Open to Debate include:

1. Osita Nwanevu
2. Helena Rosenblatt
3. Malavika Kannan
4. Carolyn D. Gorman
5. James Sexton
6. Suzanne Maloney
7. Matthew Kroenig
8. Jeffrey Rosen

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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