
Three times a week, The Audio Long Read podcast brings you the Guardian’s exceptional longform journalism in audio form. Covering topics from politics and culture to philosophy and sport, as well as investigations and current affairs.
| Publishes | Daily | Episodes | 624 | Founded | 13 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Category | Society & Culture | |||

We are raiding the Guardian long read archives to bring you some classic pieces from years past, with new introductions from the authors. This week, from 2022: Austerity, the pandemic and now the cost of living crisis have left many schools in a parl... more
Innocent people are being frozen out of basic banking services – and it all traces back to reforms rushed through after 9/11 By Oliver Bullough. Read by Elis James. Help support our independent journalism at <a href="www.theguardian.com/longr... more
In spring 2003, exuberance at the fall of Saddam was swiftly followed by a descent into deadly chaos. Whether moving independently or embedded with troops, Guardian reporters witnessed the violence on the ground By Ian Mayes. Read by Karl Queensborou... more
We are raiding the Guardian long read archives to bring you some classic pieces from years past, with new introductions from the authors. This week, from 2021: Growing up in Essex, my summers in Iran felt like magical interludes from reality – but it... more
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I have one simple question. Please answer honestly. Was the latest episode about what we risk losing by using A.I. actually voiced by A.I.? (I have temporarily given 3 stars as a neutral vote… )
Always a great listen
With its insightful reporting and delightful to listen to while working, it provides the best slightly busy atmosphere to work to. With its information dense episodes it kicks my brain right into overstimulating overdriving, perfect for creating a nice workflow.
This used to be good, but is now ruined by AI “narration” which has rendered it unlistenable.
I am a right wing bot who’s been convinced to reassess my political views.
Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.
How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.
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Apple Podcasts | #241 | |
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Apple Podcasts | #235 | |
Apple Podcasts | #45 |
Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.
Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.
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The show curates long-form journalism across politics, culture, philosophy, science, and current affairs in audio form, featuring in-depth reporting, personal narratives, and investigative storytelling. Episodes frequently explore global happenings, historical context, and nuanced perspectives, often anchored by renowned writers and journalists. Listeners are likely drawn to carefully researched narratives, thoughtful analysis, and connections across disciplines, with occasional debates about narration quality and pacing. A notable strength is the lineup of established journalists and writers who bring clear storytelling, rigorous reporting, and a willingness to tackle challenging subjects from multiple angles.
Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Audio Long Read. 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 Audio Long Read and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.
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Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The Audio Long Read, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.
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These podcasts share a similar audience with The Audio Long Read:
1. Today in Focus
2. Science Weekly
3. The Slow Newscast
4. The Documentary Podcast
5. The Story
The Audio Long Read launched 13 years ago and published 624 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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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.
Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Audio Long Read. 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.
Recent guests on The Audio Long Read include:
1. Celia Brayfield
2. Paul Gilroy
3. Dito Isala
4. Metia Lotuala
5. Simon Kofi
6. Grace Marley
7. David Pakiwa
8. Peter Betts
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.