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Artwork for Press Play

Press Play with Madeleine Brand

KCRW
Los Angeles
California
Donald Trump
KCRW
Ice
Artificial Intelligence
Netflix
Climate Change
Stranger Things
Israel
AI Data Centers
Drunk Driving
Gavin Newsom
United States
Jeffrey Epstein
Iran
Venezuela
Gaza
Voting Rights Act
Eaton Fire

Host Madeleine Brand looks at news, culture and emerging trends through the lens of Los Angeles.

PublishesDailyEpisodes1104Founded13 years ago
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Artwork for Press Play

Latest Episodes

Plus, three-story-tall waves wreak havoc on Long Beach, why the Department of Justice is investigating Minnesota Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, and Iran-backed Houthi rebels attack Riyadh.

Plus, the Dodgers are now one step closer to a World Series threepeat, our weekend film reviews, including a four-hour Elon Musk documentary, and Evan Kleiman’s tips for a road trip to Julian.

Plus, how one LA school attacked the heat by planting trees, TV critic Eric Deggans has his fall recs, and a new exhibit at LACMA presents past visions of the perfect kitchen.

Plus, the botched execution of Christa Pike and why Americans are turning against the death penalty. And before Google, there was the LA Public Library, whose librarians would try to answer any question.

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

John Wilson
Documentary filmmaker, director of The History of Concrete
HBO / The History of Concrete
Episode: Bass and Raman’s differing views on Israel’s war in Gaza
Drew Goins
Senior editor at The Atlantic; creator of Rabbit Hole trivia game; former Jeopardy! contestant
The Atlantic; Rabbit Hole
Episode: 'You don’t need to learn everything' to win on Jeopardy!
Chuck Klosterman
Author, essayist, cultural critic
Self-employed
Episode: Baby monitoring tech also collects data
Dr. Elaine Batchelor
CEO of MLK Community Hospital
MLK Community Hospital
Episode: Baby monitoring tech also collects data
Sapna Mahashwari
New York Times reporter covering new media and technology
The New York Times
Episode: Baby monitoring tech also collects data
Anna Holmes
Writer and editor based in Los Angeles; The New Yorker essayist for On Not Being a Homeowner
The New Yorker
Episode: The tension and division when home ownership is out of reach
Peter Chin-Hong
Professor of Medicine, Infectious Diseases
UC San Francisco
Episode: West Nile on the rise in LA. How concerned should we be?
Min Jin Lee
Author of American Hagwon; National Book Award finalist
Author, American Hagwon
Episode: Min Jin Lee on betrayal, class struggle in the Korean diaspora
Mycon Ngo
Senior staff attorney, ACLU Immigrants' Rights Project
ACLU
Episode: Min Jin Lee on betrayal, class struggle in the Korean diaspora

Host

Madeleine Brand
Host of Press Play

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 198 ratings
  • Taylor Lorenz??? REALLY?

    I’m sorry, but having on Taylor Lorenz—a known liar and hack—who has turned chicanery and gaslighting into an (albeit bumpy) career path has destroyed my respect for this show. Listening to her try to gaslight and shame us into denying our own critical thinking skills is audience abuse and I won’t take it. I’m so sick of being spoken down to by professional trolls like Taylor. Respect your audience and their intellect.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Xoxo79
    United States2 years ago
  • Great show, love KCRW, can’t go wrong!!

    Great show, love KCRW, can’t go wrong!!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    ZephyrDogTown
    United States3 years ago
  • Madeleine Bernadotte??

    Love the show! It’s my favorite show! But has anyone noticed that it says the host is Madeleine Bernadotte at Apple Podcast??

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Allen in the hills
    United States3 years ago
  • A Must Listen for Californians and beyond

    Love Madeline and Press Play! A must listen to be plugged into everything LA and California.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    SonmonGoodMon
    United States4 years ago
  • Interview with Adrian Bonnenberger (military)

    I really appreciate hearing the interview with the army officer who is trying to get his interpreter out. This is a humanitarian catastrophe which will be forgotten unless Biden takes more action.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Zozobutt
    United States5 years ago

Listeners Say

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

audience often values nuanced discussion that blends politics with culture and arts.
Overall praise for topical LA-focused coverage and guests, with strong appreciation for the host's interviewing style and depth.
Some listeners feel coverage is biased or opinionated, noting a preference for more hard-news depth.

Top News Podcasts

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The DailyThe New York Times
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The Ben Shapiro ShowThe Daily Wire
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The MeidasTouch PodcastMeidasTouch Network
The Tucker Carlson Show
The Tucker Carlson ShowTucker Carlson Network
Morning Wire
Morning WireThe Daily Wire
Bulwark Takes
Bulwark TakesThe Bulwark

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Rhea Seehorn finally gets Emmy love for ‘Pluribus’
Q: What does the hive-mind concept mean for the characters and the world of Pluribus?
The beings are one mind, referred to as 'we,' and the show explores how individuality and autonomy are affected when everyone shares the same collective consciousness.
Rhea Seehorn finally gets Emmy love for ‘Pluribus’
Q: How did Vince Gilligan come to write a project specifically for you?
Gilligan expressed that he had been watching her work and, after seeing her on Better Call Saul, decided he wanted to write something for her, which became Pluribus.
Baby monitoring tech also collects data
Q: What data are the monitors collecting, and what is the business model around that data?
The devices collect data on sleep patterns, movement, and caregiver interactions; Nanit claims it does not sell the data but charges a subscription for insights, raising questions about data use and privacy.
Baby monitoring tech also collects data
Q: Describe what Nanit monitors and how it works.
Nanit is a smart monitor that tracks sleep, wake times, and caregiver visits, providing a sleep score and insights in an app, and it offers features like remote viewing and data-driven tips for parents.
Settlement clears the way for Paramount-Warner Bros. merger
Q: What are the potential political implications for Rob Bonta and Gavin Newsom?
The discussion suggests political calculations around the optics of backing a deal, with concerns about perceived betrayal among Hollywood and the broader industry, and questions about future ambitions.

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 Press Play

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

The show's conversations mix sharp political analysis with culture and arts coverage, anchored by in-depth discussions of local Los Angeles politics (housing, governance, policy) and interludes on film reviews, food, and music. Guests range from former officials and policy voices to critics and journalists, creating a fluid mix of public affairs, culture, and timely current events. The format often weaves live debate, investigative context, and human-interest angles (travel, food, personal stories) into topical LA-centered stories, with occasional sponsor reads. This blend is likely to attract listeners who want thoughtful civic context alongside feature storytelling and media/arts critique, in a distinctly Southern California frame. A notab... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Press Play?

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

How many listeners does Press Play get?

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What are the audience demographics for Press Play?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Press Play, 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 Press Play have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Press Play 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 Press Play?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Press Play:

1. Good Food
2. The Business
3. The LA Report
4. The Treatment
5. Fresh Air

How many episodes of Press Play are there?

Press Play launched 13 years ago and published 1104 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 Press Play?

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 Press Play?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Press Play 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.

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What guests have appeared on Press Play?

Recent guests on Press Play include:

1. John Wilson
2. Drew Goins
3. Chuck Klosterman
4. Dr. Elaine Batchelor
5. Sapna Mahashwari
6. Anna Holmes
7. Peter Chin-Hong
8. Min Jin Lee

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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