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The Briefing Room

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David Aaronovitch and a panel of experts and insiders present in-depth explainers on big issues in the news

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes378Founded10 years ago
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NewsNews Commentary

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Latest Episodes

It could be that the US-Israel war with Iran ends soon. That was the message from Donald Trump this week. But it may not. The longer the war continues the more collateral damage to the world economy. Mostly because of the impact of energy prices. But... more

It's less than a week since the start of the US-Israel war with Iran. And it's already spread across the Gulf region as Iran retaliates. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader for 36 years, was killed in US and Israeli airstrikes on Saturday. ... more

It’s four years this week since Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine. And by this summer the conflict will have gone on for longer than the First World War. Casualties run into the hundreds of thousands. Peace talks brokered by the US have been off and on ... more

Pressure is building in the UK for a ban on social media use for young people as countries across the world watch Australia, which introduced its own ban for under 16s last December. Meanwhile, the government here is launching a public consultation o... more

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Recent Guests

Anton Grushetskyi
Executive Director of the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology
Kyiv International Institute of Sociology
Episode: Is the tide turning in the Ukraine war?
Vitaly Shevchenko
Russia editor for BBC Monitoring and co-presenter of the BBC's Ukrainecast
BBC Monitoring
Episode: Explainer: Putin’s motivation for war with Ukraine
Ellie Saklatvala
Head of non-ferrous metal pricing at Argus
Argus
Episode: Explainer: Rare earths
Husain Haqqani
Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute and former Pakistan Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the US
Hudson Institute
Episode: Are India and Pakistan on the brink of war over Kashmir?
Michael Kugelman
South Asia Analyst based in Washington DC and author of Foreign Policy Magazine's South Asia Brief Newsletter
Foreign Policy Magazine
Episode: Are India and Pakistan on the brink of war over Kashmir?
Sumantra Bose
Professor of International and Comparative Politics at Krea University and author of Kashmir at the Crossroads
Krea University
Episode: Are India and Pakistan on the brink of war over Kashmir?
Douglas Irwin
Professor of economics at Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Episode: What's Trump's tariff hokey cokey all about?
Meredith Crowley
Professor of economics at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
Episode: What's Trump's tariff hokey cokey all about?
Ekrem Imamoglu
Istanbul's opposition mayor and leader threatened with imprisonment
Republican People's Party (CHP)
Episode: What's happening in Turkey?

Host

David Aaronovitch
Host of The Briefing Room

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 1.1k ratings
  • Short, sharp, focused.

    My favorite podcast! The Newscast team could learn a lot from this one.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Anders Torp
    Sweden4 months ago
  • Exceptional broadcasting

    David interrogates a panel of subject experts to explain (only allowing accessible language) very complicated but current issues. The episode of 23 October ‘market crash’, is an exceptional example. Have a listen you’ll learn - I promise. Thank you BBC Thank you David

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Emma Eveleigh
    United Kingdom5 months ago
  • 👌

    Always very high quality and relevance. Excellent in depth discussions.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    mrakwekwe
    Swedena year ago
  • Very informative, great to hear the background explained clearly. But such a tragic situation.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    Fiona JW
    2 years ago
  • BR usually 5 star but here no mention at all of left of centre French politics....

    Podcast Addict
    3
    chrisdye
    2 years ago

Listeners Say

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

High-quality, in-depth discussions that stay relevant across topics.
The show is consistently insightful, delivering punchy, balanced analysis with top guests.
Some notes mention strong preferences about guest voices or tone in specific episodes, but overall the feedback is positive about the rigor and clarity.
Listeners praise the host's thorough, principled questioning and the depth of expert panels.
Many describe it as essential listening for understanding current affairs with credible experts.

Chart Rankings

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

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Iran - how vulnerable is the regime?
Q: Arash Azizi, how do these recent protests compare with others we've seen in the past?
These protests are the largest since 2009 and have been more insurrectionary and rejectionist of the regime compared to previous movements.
Iran - how vulnerable is the regime?
Q: Can you tell us who was actually doing the repressing?
Repression was carried out by various state organs including the army, police, and Revolutionary Guard, with a crackdown resulting in thousands of deaths.
Iran - how vulnerable is the regime?
Q: Kasra Naji, can you remind us how this spate of protests began?
The protests started unexpectedly at the end of December with shopkeepers in Tehran's bazaar, who were protesting the economic collapse due to mismanagement and sanctions.
What can the UK learn from the rest of Europe about asylum reform?
Q: What impact have those policies had?
Denmark reported the lowest number of asylum applications in 40 years due to its tough policies.
What can the UK learn from the rest of Europe about asylum reform?
Q: What proportion of asylum seekers do actually arrive on small boats because they get all the attention? Are they the majority of people who come?
They are not the majority; 39% of people who claimed asylum last year arrived on small boats, with others arriving through various unauthorized routes and visas.

Audience Metrics

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

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Briefing Room

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

The program offers concise, in-depth analysis of current affairs through panel-driven discussions that illuminate complex issues in politics, economics, and international relations. Episodes frequently center on the mechanics of news events, geopolitical developments, policy debates, and the implications of government actions, often featuring multiple experts and insiders who tease apart nuance and present evidence-based perspectives. A standout aspect is the structured, troubling-to-optimistic spectrum of coverage: topics are timely, well-researched, and explained with clear reasoning, making it a strong resource for professionals seeking a deeper understanding of how global events connect to policy and markets. The format tends to be punc... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The Briefing Room?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Briefing Room:

1. More or Less
2. The Rest Is Politics
3. Newscast
4. The Rest Is Politics: Leading
5. Americast

How many episodes of The Briefing Room are there?

The Briefing Room launched 10 years ago and published 378 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The Briefing Room?

Recent guests on The Briefing Room include:

1. Anton Grushetskyi
2. Vitaly Shevchenko
3. Ellie Saklatvala
4. Husain Haqqani
5. Michael Kugelman
6. Sumantra Bose
7. Douglas Irwin
8. Meredith Crowley

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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