Rephonic
Artwork for Open Source

Open Source with Christopher Lydon

Christopher Lydon
Donald Trump
Capitalism
American Politics
Palestine
Social Media
Colonialism
Israel
Trump Administration
United States
Poetry
Democracy
Democratic Party
Despair
Algorithmic Culture
Iran
Kamala Harris
Climate Change
Joseph O'neill
Politics
Identity Crisis

Christopher Lydon in conversation on arts, ideas and politics

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes62Founded21 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Arts

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Open Source

Latest Episodes

We’re at sea this time on our own Odyssey, a voyage between the ancient epic that refuses to die and Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster movie version for us in this summer of 2026. It’s the story of course we all half-know about the wily old Greek warri... more

YouTube

We’re high as a kite on World Cup football. The final test, coming Sunday, is down to Spain and Argentina. My question is whether this frenzied global contest might actually be rescuing our species from itself?

Our guests are soccer coach Michael La... more

YouTube

We’re still in the Fourth of July spirit around the 250th birthday of our nation, hooked in particular by one grand American historian’s question to it: is the United States on the road to a new civil war?

David Blight.

David Blight, Sterling Profe... more

YouTube

We’re in a sort of watch party for a season when World Cup soccer, championship basketball, sports of every kind, all seem to run deeper, more believable, much better played than the rest of our lives, more memorable than our politics, surely more ho... 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.

On the Media
On the MediaWNYC Studios
The New Yorker Radio Hour
The New Yorker Radio HourWNYC Studios and The New Yorker
The Ezra Klein Show
The Ezra Klein ShowNew York Times Opinion

Recent Guests

Daniel Mendelsohn
Classicist, translator, and Bard College humanities professor; editor at NYRB
New York Review of Books; Bard College
Episode: Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey
Seamus Mallon
Radio authority on soccer, football
Episode: The World’s Sport
Michael Levine
Soccer coach and commentator
Episode: The World’s Sport
David Blight
Sterling Professor of History at Yale
Yale University
Episode: After the Fireworks
Richard Johnson
Founder and longtime curator of the New England Sports Museum
New England Sports Museum
Episode: The Boston Watch Party
John Summers
Editor of Atrocities of the Mind, Essays on Violence and Politics in the American Century
University of Chicago Press (editorial collaborator on the collection)
Episode: America’s Orwell
Molly Crabapple
Writer and artist, author of Here Where We Live Is Our Country
Episode: Here Where We Live Is Our Country
Quinn Slobodian
Historian of economics and global history, co-author of Muskism
Boston University
Episode: Muskism: A Guide for the Perplexed
Ben Tarnoff
Historian and writer, co-author of Muskism
Writer/Editor (New York Review of Books)
Episode: Muskism: A Guide for the Perplexed

Host

Christopher Lydon
Host of Open Source, conducts in-depth conversations on arts, ideas, and politics

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 1.2k ratings
  • Host with the Most

    Since On Point days, I’ve known that C. Lydon is a gifted and empathetic moderator. His calling realized to great effect here.

    I am gratified he is given space, support and freedom on this platform.

    Podcasts can educate…routinely interesting.

    P.S. The Pope

    episode of 4/23/26 quite extraordinary, informative and fulfilling for we tired of political diatribe.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Iswoon
    United States3 months ago
  • Partisan

    It’s existential for Israel - Iran says Israel is a one bomb state & their neighbors have been trying to erase Israel from the map since 1947.

    When the theocracy chants Death to America, Death to Israel - they mean what they say. Iran has been the biggest state sponsor of terrorism & has killed thousands of Americans since 1979.

    We can win the battles, but have a record of losing the war/peace - Civil War, WWI, Vietnam, Iraq II, Afghanistan.

    One sided Episode Apologist - Nancy Gertner

    Bo... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    another RJF
    United States6 months ago
  • Extremely Partisan

    If you are in a fever sweat over having a republican Congress and President and believe it is the end of the world because “woke” is on the way out, this is the podcast for you. It will feed you exactly what you are looking for to keep the communist socialist dream alive.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    ListenWhileWorking
    United States7 months ago
  • Ummm cool!

    So I found this because Google said it was the first podcast and I wanted to find it 🤣

    But cool!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Gamergirl_mc ✌️(Pompeii)
    United States8 months ago
  • One sided Episode Apologist - Nancy Gertner

    Both sides have behaved underhandedly, calling out the Republicans & not mentioning the Democrats misdeeds is why we’re in this race to the bottom.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    another RJF
    United States10 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Listeners value the wide-ranging topics and unique perspectives not commonly heard in other shows.
Voices praise the host's empathy and deep, thoughtful questioning.
Some listeners criticize the show for perceived political slant or for lengthy episodes that require patience.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

America’s Orwell
Q: How did Dwight Macdonald's view of war evolve over his career?
He began with strong antiwar and anti-totalitarian instincts, then revised his stance as he confronted wartime realities, ultimately arguing against unconditional surrender and the logic of collective punishment, while still maintaining a critical stance toward political power and war ethics.
Muskism: A Guide for the Perplexed
Q: Ben Tarnoff, what's your vision of an alternative to Muskism?
Tarnoff argues for investing in independent state capacity and public governance that prioritizes resources for self-determined life, reducing dependency on private monopolies, while reclaiming public sector expertise in-house and reorienting state power toward collective well-being.
The Pope and the President
Q: Does Pope Leo have a plan, Paul? Do you see, and does the Pope see his path forward here?
Paul Eli explains that Leo is navigating a complex landscape, emphasizing humility, global moral clarity, and a response to events rather than a single, predefined strategy.
Kings and Pawns
Q: Remind us of the Peekskill riot.
Howard Bryant explains that the Peekskill riots occurred shortly after Robinson's testimony, illustrating the volatile mix of race, politics, and public protest during that era and how Robeson's concert became a flashpoint.
Thoreau Meets ICE
Q: What would Thoreau do today in the face of immigration enforcement that disrupts communities?
Thoreau would likely advocate for higher-law conscience and public challenge to unjust statutes, using speech, public demonstration, and nonviolent resistance to defend communities and preserve human dignity while inviting legal and civic review.

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 Open Source

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

Thoughtful, wide-ranging interviews spanning arts, history, philosophy, and politics. Frequent guests include academics, writers, and experts who provide historical context, cultural critique, and cross-disciplinary insights. The host is known for in-depth conversations that connect classical ideas to contemporary events, with a reputation for nuance, intellectual breadth, and a calm, probing interviewing style. Listeners seeking thoughtful discourse on how ideas shape culture and public life will likely find this program engaging and enlightening; the show often pairs historical analysis with modern parallels, creating a distinctive space for long-form exploration of big questions.

Where can I find podcast stats for Open Source?

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

How many listeners does Open Source get?

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

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Open Source, 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 Open Source have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Open Source 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 Source?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Open Source:

1. On the Media
2. The New Yorker Radio Hour
3. The Political Scene | The New Yorker
4. The Ezra Klein Show
5. The Intercept Briefing

How many episodes of Open Source are there?

Open Source launched 21 years ago and published 62 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 Source?

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 Source?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Open Source 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 Open Source?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Open Source. 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 Open Source?

Recent guests on Open Source include:

1. Daniel Mendelsohn
2. Seamus Mallon
3. Michael Levine
4. David Blight
5. Richard Johnson
6. John Summers
7. Molly Crabapple
8. Quinn Slobodian

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