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The Briefing

Monocle
Donald Trump
Ukraine
Iran
United States
Russia
Venezuela
Lebanon
European Union
Israel
Gaza
China
Germany
France
Greenland
Japan
NATO
Saudi Arabia
Taiwan
Italy
Yemen

A pacy round-up of the day’s main news stories, anchored from London by a Monocle editor. The show features informed reporting, prescient business analysis and invaluable industry reports covering everything from technology to aviation and retail to media.

PublishesDailyEpisodes134Founded15 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
PoliticsDaily NewsNews

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Artwork for The Briefing

Latest Episodes

We head to Bangkok first for an update from James Chambers on a tragic school shooting in the city. Then: we dive into corporate earnings to see which sectors are leading the pack. Plus: the CEOs of Bombardier and Qantas.

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We visit a photography exhibition that takes us through the decades of American city life. Plus: we get the latest on a possible Iran-Oman deal, and Fernando Augusto Pacheco brings us ‘The Global Countdown’.

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Julia Webster Ayuso reports on the redevelopment of Barcelona’s La Rambla. Then: the increasing demand for tree services and suppliers as Europe grapples with heatwaves. Plus: an update from the first day of Taiwan’s annual military drills.

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We explore what it means for Boeing’s Max 7 to finally get off the ground. Plus: Japan’s currency intervention and the latest in hotel design with Monocle’s Nic Monisse.

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Recent Guests

Benoît Faucon
Middle East correspondent
The Wall Street Journal
Episode: ‘Portrait of a City: A Century of American Photography’ and ‘The Global Countdown’
Alexander Moore
Curator of Portrait of a City exhibition
Dulwich Picture Gallery
Episode: ‘Portrait of a City: A Century of American Photography’ and ‘The Global Countdown’
Julia Webster Ayuso
British-Spanish journalist and Monocle contributor
Monocle
Episode: Revisiting La Rambla and the increasing importance of tree cover
Baz Schmidt
Landscape architect
Independent/consulting
Episode: Revisiting La Rambla and the increasing importance of tree cover
Miho Hattori
Tokyo-born, New York-based singer, songwriter and artist; co-founder of Cibo Matto; former voice of Noodle in Gorillaz
Musician/Artist
Episode: Revisiting La Rambla and the increasing importance of tree cover
Anita Mendirata
Aviation expert, author and global strategic advisor
Episode: Boeing’s 737 Max 7 finally gets certification from FAA
Daniel Levy
President of the US Middle East Project
US Middle East Project
Episode: Why is Israeli withdrawal such a key issue for Gaza and Lebanon?
Nada Makra Othala
Correspondent at National's Beirut Bureau
The National (Beirut Bureau)
Episode: Why is Israeli withdrawal such a key issue for Gaza and Lebanon?
Claire Stapleton
Communications consultant, former Google staff
The Nerd Reich/Google background
Episode: Why is Israeli withdrawal such a key issue for Gaza and Lebanon?

Hosts

Thomas Waterhouse
Host of The Briefing, Monocle Radio/Monocle
Chris Churmack
Host of The Briefing, Monocle Radio/Monocle
Andrew Tuck
Monocle Editor-in-Chief
Julia Jen
Monocle writer; editor and researcher
Tom Webb
News presenter

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 495 ratings
  • Great show, corny music countdown

    I love this show — a unique survey across many topics, just like Monocle. As much as I also love Fernando Augusto Pacheco, the global countdown features some of the corniest, least interesting music on earth. It can be fun and interesting occasionally but most of the time it’s full of poorly recycled pop (of late it’s been local takes on the “reggaeton beat + robot vocal” thing that every country now has their own version of). Can we do better on the music, guys?

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    ryan_ryan
    United Statesa month ago
  • Excellent

    Excellent reporting and journalism. Enjoy the hosts sense of humor. I am a big fan of everything Monocle !

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    PepoPepa69
    United Statesa year ago
  • What BBC radio 4 should be

    Monocle entertains, educates and provides inspiration in a Reithian mix of content. Something that Lord Reith’s own BBC now fails to do.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Our boy Ged
    United Kingdom2 years ago
  • Smug and Boring

    Yawn

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    lolololol 12334
    United States2 years ago
  • Disappointed

    I have adored Monocle for years, however I have found its neutral, almost pro-Zionist coverage of the genocide in Gaza incredibly disappointing. I listen to The Briefing every morning and feel frustrated most days. I thought Monocle stood for more and wanted to see the world a better place.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Clickalick
    Australia2 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Great for listeners who want world events explained with real-world context and color.
Some listeners feel occasional bias; overall high-quality journalism with a broad range of guests.
Consistently offers field reporting and timely analysis across politics, economy, and culture.
Polished production and insightful guest questioning keep complex topics accessible.
Engaging, well-researched daily briefings with strong global perspective.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#145
Canada/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#146
Australia/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#150
France/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#154
Italy/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#14
Indonesia/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#27
South Africa/News/Politics

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Why is Israeli withdrawal such a key issue for Gaza and Lebanon?
Q: Daniel, if I could start with you, what do we know about this Hamas disarmament deal announced last week?
Daniel Levy outlines that while a ceasefire existed and hostages/ prisoners were exchanged, Hamas's disarmament proposal and Israel's withdrawal have not shown meaningful movement yet, rendering the deal fragile and likely conditional on regional mediation and US leverage.
Revisiting La Rambla and the increasing importance of tree cover
Q: Now, William, this is all really about China, of course. How real is the threat posed currently by Beijing to Taiwan?
William Yang explains that China's military activity has intensified with Grazone-like operations and Coast Guard presence near Taiwan, but emphasizes that Taipei aims to strengthen defense and civilian readiness while seeking international support, indicating a complex but proactive posture rather than an imminent invasion.
Boeing’s 737 Max 7 finally gets certification from FAA
Q: Could you just talk us through what the FAA looks for when it sets out to approve a jet for commercial service?
The FAA assesses safety, reliability, and the ability to operate under extreme conditions, ensuring fit with airspace and regulatory standards before approving any aircraft for commercial service.
Trump’s ‘Department of Revenge’ and the latest fashion news
Q: How different do you think the current picture would be if Merrick Garland had chosen to prosecute Trump sooner, and would that have changed the trajectory of the department?
The guest suggests that faster prosecutions might not necessarily have altered outcomes, arguing that many structural and political dynamics would still shape the department's trajectory, and that expectations around norms are insufficient to fully explain institutional behavior.
What’s next for Peru as it inaugrates its 10th president in a decade
Q: Natalia, thanks so much for coming on the show. Can you describe the mood first of all, where you are as Fujimori is inaugurated?
The mood in Peru is divided, with a significant portion awaiting change and another wary of what her presidency could mean for politics and stability, given her family history and the recent constitutional dynamics.

Audience Metrics

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

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Briefing

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

A fast-paced daily roundup focused on global politics, economics, and culture, with on-the-ground reporting and expert commentary. Episodes often weave geopolitical risk, energy markets, and policy shifts into a single narrative, interspersed with cultural segments, design and fashion beats, and occasional sports/cultural countdowns. Notable strengths include a rotating slate of high-profile guests and on-location reporting from major cities, plus a consistent emphasis on how policy moves ripple through markets, diplomacy, and daily life. This makes it a strong fit for listeners who want concise, informed briefings with both hard analysis and color from the field.

Where can I find podcast stats for The Briefing?

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

How many listeners does The Briefing get?

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What are the audience demographics for The Briefing?

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How many subscribers and views does The Briefing have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The 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 The Briefing?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Briefing:

1. The Monocle Daily
2. The Globalist
3. Monocle on Sunday
4. The Foreign Desk
5. The Urbanist

How many episodes of The Briefing are there?

The Briefing launched 15 years ago and published 134 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 The 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 The Briefing?

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

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What guests have appeared on The Briefing?

Recent guests on The Briefing include:

1. Benoît Faucon
2. Alexander Moore
3. Julia Webster Ayuso
4. Baz Schmidt
5. Miho Hattori
6. Anita Mendirata
7. Daniel Levy
8. Nada Makra Othala

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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