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Press Play with Madeleine Brand

KCRW
California
Los Angeles
Trump Administration
ICE
Donald Trump
KCRW
Wildfires
Gavin Newsom
Gaza
ICE Raids
Israel
Immigration
Tariffs
Climate Change
Jeffrey Epstein
Christian Nationalism
Vietnam War
Stranger Things
Medicaid
UCLA

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

PublishesDailyEpisodes1104Founded12 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
News

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Artwork for Press Play

Latest Episodes

Plus, the White House shifts the war on drugs and reclassifies medical marijuana, San Diego has so much water it's going to sell it to other states, and Evan Kleiman on how to make perfect fried rice.

Plus, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco recently seized 650,000 ballots from last year’s election. A new investigation sheds light on why. And LAUSD bans digital devices for kindergartners and first-graders.

Plus, Xavier Becerra is the biggest beneficiary of Eric Swalwell’s stunning political collapse, surging in the latest polls. And a new study divides Shark Tank competitors into good and bad narcissists.

Plus, will Star Wars’ return to the big screen save theaters? A Texas man sues a California doctor for mailing his girlfriend mifepristone, and AI so powerful its maker is keeping it from the public.

Key Facts

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

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Recent Guests

Louise Erdrich
Pulitzer Prize-winning author, author of Python's Kiss
Author, Python's Kiss
Episode: Louise Erdrich’s remarkable encounters with the natural world
Craig Leon
Producer of the Ramones' debut album; author of a memoir
Sire Records (producer), Ramones (album)
Episode: ‘Ramones’ turns 50: Punk producer Craig Leon’s stories from the studio
Allison Wilmore
Film critic for New York Magazine
New York Magazine
Episode: LACMA’s decades-in-the-making $724 million wing finally opens
Eddie Cole
Professor of History and Education at UCLA
University of California, Los Angeles
Episode: LACMA’s decades-in-the-making $724 million wing finally opens
Michael Govan
LACMA CEO
LACMA
Episode: LACMA’s decades-in-the-making $724 million wing finally opens
Clive Thompson
Contributing Writer, New York Times Magazine
The New York Times Magazine
Episode: AI is replacing coders, but some coders welcome the change
Liz Goodwin
National Political Reporter for The Washington Post
The Washington Post
Episode: AI is replacing coders, but some coders welcome the change
Richard Rubin
US tax policy reporter for The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal
Episode: AI is replacing coders, but some coders welcome the change
Gene Park
Covers video games and gaming culture for The Washington Post
The Washington Post
Episode: ‘LIVE from…’ London? Saturday Night Live expands to the UK

Host

Madeleine Brand
Host of Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 192 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 Statesa year 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.

The host is described as engaging and thoughtful, with a signature interviewing style that some find compelling and others find uneven.
Listeners appreciate the mix of local LA focus with broader national and international context.
Guests and topics are generally insightful and well-researched, though some critics feel the show leans into opinion on controversial issues.

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

AI is replacing coders, but some coders welcome the change
Q: What broader implications does the piece suggest for other industries beyond coding?
The core idea is that many jobs could move toward higher‑level problem solving and communication with AI assistants, potentially reducing the emphasis on raw technical rote tasks while increasing the value of strategy, collaboration, and human-centric skills.
AI is replacing coders, but some coders welcome the change
Q: Why might older programmers be more optimistic about AI in coding than younger ones?
Older programmers have decades of hands‑on experience, giving them a better sense of what to ask the AI to do and how to assess its output, which reduces risk and improves the quality of AI-generated code.
AI is replacing coders, but some coders welcome the change
Q: What does Clive Thompson mean when he says coders are now 'architects' who collaborate with AI?
He argues that developers start with a plan or design, and the AI handles much of the actual coding, so the coder's role shifts to outlining goals, validating outputs, and orchestrating the overall solution.
‘Ramones’ turns 50: Punk producer Craig Leon’s stories from the studio
Q: Why did the label confront the band over the Nazi-themed lyrics, and what happened?
The label head pushed back due to potential radio censorship and public backlash; after discussions, the band's provocative lyrics were altered, costing studio time but avoiding a release obstacle.
‘Ramones’ turns 50: Punk producer Craig Leon’s stories from the studio
Q: How did the budget and studio approach shape the album's recording process?
Leon details that with a limited budget, they treated the sessions like drilling for efficiency, planning to record quickly and use the money to create the album rather than multiple singles, effectively turning studio time into a single, cohesive project.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
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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?

A city-focused current events show that blends hard news, cultural analysis, and policy context through interviews with journalists, policymakers, artists, and thinkers. Episodes often pair LA-area concerns—homelessness, public safety, local governance, and economic issues—with broader national and international angles, thanks to a mix of guests who provide on-the-ground reporting, historical perspective, and cultural insight. Regular conversations with high-profile guests are balanced by locally grounded reporting, making the program a go-to for listeners who want thoughtful, context-rich dialogue about California and its place in global trends. A standout pattern is the thoughtful host-driven interview style that surfaces nuanced viewpoin... more

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How many listeners does Press Play get?

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What are the audience demographics for Press Play?

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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. FilmWeek
2. The New Yorker Radio Hour
3. The Daily
4. Good Food
5. KCRW's Left, Right & Center

How many episodes of Press Play are there?

Press Play launched 12 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.

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Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Press Play. 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 Press Play?

Recent guests on Press Play include:

1. Louise Erdrich
2. Craig Leon
3. Allison Wilmore
4. Eddie Cole
5. Michael Govan
6. Clive Thompson
7. Liz Goodwin
8. Richard Rubin

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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