Rephonic
Artwork for The News Items Podcast

The News Items Podcast

News Items
Artificial Intelligence
Ukraine
Focused Ultrasound
Russia
Donald Trump
United States
Life Sciences
Genomics
Biotechnology
Ukraine War
Currencies
Human Immunome Project
Neurosurgery
Midterm Elections
AI (artificial Intelligence)
Healthcare
Economics
NBC Sports
Capitalism
Industrial Revolution

John Ellis talks with interesting people doing important work. Some you've heard of. Some you haven't. All of them are worth listening to, at some length.

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes25Foundeda year ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Arts

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for The News Items Podcast

Latest Episodes

Benn Steil, director of international economics at the Council on Foreign Relations, joins John Ellis to examine why the postwar global economic order is under growing strain, and how China sits at the center of that story. Steil traces the evolution... more

Perry Boyle, co-founder and CEO of MITS Capital, joins John Ellis from Kyiv to discuss how the war in Ukraine is reshaping modern warfare, and why he believes the West is not adapting fast enough. Boyle, a former Wall Street executive, explains how h... more

MIT political scientist Adam Berinsky joins John Ellis to examine why modern polling is harder to trust and what that means for politics. They discuss collapsing response rates, the limits of margin-of-error claims, online surveys, media incentives, ... more

Rebecca Patterson, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and former chief investment strategist at Bridgewater Associates, joins John Ellis to explain why the U.S. and Japan intervened jointly to support the yen, and why Treasury Secretar... more

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.

The Spillover
The SpilloverCouncil on Foreign Relations
Conversations with Tyler
Conversations with TylerMercatus Center at George Mason University
Odd Lots
Odd LotsBloomberg

Recent Guests

Benn Steil
Director of International Economics at the Council on Foreign Relations
Council on Foreign Relations
Episode: The Global Order, With Benn Steil (Episode 25)
Perry Boyle
Co-founder and CEO of MITS Capital, Kiev-based investment bank and venture firm focused on Ukraine's defense tech
MITS Capital
Episode: Investing In Ukraine, With Perry Boyle (Episode 24)
Adam Berinsky
Mitsui Professor of Political Science at MIT; Director of the MIT Political Experiments Research Lab (PERL)
MIT
Episode: What's The Matter With Polling? with Adam Berinsky (Episode 23)
Rebecca Patterson
Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations; former investment strategist
Council on Foreign Relations
Episode: Currencies, Prediction Markets and (of course) AI, with Rebecca Patterson (Episode 22)
Dr. Alan Thompson
AI researcher and consultant based in Australia; runs lifearchitect.ai and The Memo
lifearchitect.ai; The Memo
Episode: The AI Optimist, with Alan D. Thompson (Episode 21)
David Gordon Blackbourn
Cornelius Vanderbilt Distinguished Chair of History at Vanderbilt University, author of Germany in the World, A Global History, 1500 to 2000
Vanderbilt University
Episode: Germany in the World, with David Blackbourn (Episode 17)
Russ Howard
Retired Brigadier General; farmer; distinguished academic and security expert
Howard's Consulting Services; Joint Special Operations University
Episode: Episode 16: Russ Howard
Jeff Greenfield
Award-winning television journalist and author focusing on politics, media, and culture
Former CBS News/CNN/ABC News analyst
Episode: Episode 15: Jeff Greenfield
Josh Tyrangiel
Writer for The Atlantic Monthly; former editor of Bloomberg Business Week; Chief Content Officer of Bloomberg Media; creator of Vice News Tonight; documented AI and technology topics
The Atlantic Monthly; Bloomberg
Episode: Episode 14: Josh Tyrangiel

Host

John Ellis
Host of The News Items Podcast

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 16 ratings
  • Best news source hands down!

    I’ve been following News Items since 2020 and find it to be the most informative, reliable, unbiased and widest in subject matter of any news source. I regularly recommend it to all my friends and acquaintances. Thanks to Mr. Ellis and his staff!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Sheilambaldwin
    United States2 months ago
  • Relevant, prescient, intelligent 🤙

    John Ellis is my hero and the coolest calculated cat ever. He gets it 🤙

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    541red
    United States3 months ago
  • Best hang ever 🤙

    I know people who listen to News Items, and I know people who do not. I prefer those that do. 🤙

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    541red
    United States5 months ago
  • Best

    Best hang ever 🤙

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    541red
    United States6 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Clear, focused conversations with credible guests.
Deep, thoughtful episodes that reward patient listeners.
High-quality, long-form content that informs strategic thinking.
Engaging host with strong command of diverse topics.

Top Arts Podcasts

The Moth
The MothThe Moth
99% Invisible
99% InvisibleRoman Mars
DTFae
DTFaeDTFae Podcast
Spooked
SpookedKQED and Snap Studios
Eating History
Eating HistoryLevel Media Inc.
The Chef's Cut
The Chef's CutLevel Media

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The Global Order, With Benn Steil (Episode 25)
Q: How do you view the role of AI in this geopolitical contest—does it change who wins, and should policy focus be on export controls or broader industrial strategy?
Winning in AI is not a single moment but a spectrum of capabilities. Policy should balance protecting essential tech with enabling domestic innovation, considering export controls alongside subsidies and industrial policy to sustain competitive advantages while avoiding premature decoupling. The goal is to understand what constitutes winning and craft adaptable, informed strategies.
The Global Order, With Benn Steil (Episode 25)
Q: What were the key considerations behind integrating China into the WTO, and how did those decisions shape American and global economic dynamics?
The decision reflected beliefs that engagement would promote reform and interdependence, but it created new frictions as China became an economic heavyweight with strategic ambitions. While it accelerated growth and opened markets, it also intensified political frictions and required ongoing adaptation in trade policy, tech competition, and security controls.
The Global Order, With Benn Steil (Episode 25)
Q: The headline for the Wire China interview Benn Steil did was 'Why the Global Order is Falling Apart.' Can you summarize what fundamental principles as you see them under the postwar order and how China's rise has tested them?
The postwar order rested on liberal democracy tied to market-oriented economies, with institutions like the IMF, World Bank, and GATT/WTO supporting a trade-and-dollar-centric system. China's integration and rapid growth challenged this order by leveraging state-directed investment, subsidies, and strategic openness, forcing recalibration of global governance and national security considerations.
What's The Matter With Polling? with Adam Berinsky (Episode 23)
Q: How problematic are online polls, and what should listeners look for to evaluate them?
Listeners should scrutinize how online polls recruit respondents, whether the data collection method is disclosed, and whether the poll's audience is representative of the broader population; beware polls that resemble click-driven surveys or fan-site voting without credible sampling frames.
What's The Matter With Polling? with Adam Berinsky (Episode 23)
Q: What constitutes a good poll in today's environment?
A good poll asks questions that accurately measure the intended construct, uses a sampling approach that reaches the right population with a transparent method, and ensures data collection is unbiased and well-documented, so that the results reflect the population rather than a biased subset.

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 The News Items Podcast

What is The News Items Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show conducts long-form conversations with a diverse set of high-signal guests spanning economics, technology, politics, media, defense, and biotech. Episodes consistently center on big-picture implications—AI governance and strategy, global economic shifts, geopolitical risk, and the future of science and media—often anchored by a host who probes for historical context, practical implications, and personal anecdotes. A standout trait is the depth and breadth of guest profiles, from economists and policymakers to military leaders and biotech pioneers, producing nuanced discussions that appeal to listeners who want rigorous, idea-driven analysis and real-world implications for business, policy, and technology.

Overall, the program proba... more

Where can I find podcast stats for The News Items Podcast?

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

How many listeners does The News Items Podcast get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The News Items Podcast, 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 The News Items Podcast?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The News Items Podcast, 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 The News Items Podcast have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The News Items Podcast 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 News Items Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The News Items Podcast:

1. Alternate Shots with Richard Haass and John Ellis
2. The Spillover
3. GZERO World with Ian Bremmer
4. Conversations with Tyler
5. Odd Lots

How many episodes of The News Items Podcast are there?

The News Items Podcast launched a year ago and published 25 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 News Items Podcast?

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 News Items Podcast?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The News Items Podcast 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 The News Items Podcast?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The News Items Podcast. 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 The News Items Podcast?

Recent guests on The News Items Podcast include:

1. Benn Steil
2. Perry Boyle
3. Adam Berinsky
4. Rebecca Patterson
5. Dr. Alan Thompson
6. David Gordon Blackbourn
7. Russ Howard
8. Jeff Greenfield

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