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The Audio Long Read

The Guardian
Climate Change
Stephen David Jones
Syrian Civil War
Hyperemesis Gravidarum
The Guardian
Trump Administration
Maternal Health
Mental Health
Colonialism
Donald Trump
Nevis
Ngũgĩ Wa Thiong'o
Syria
Corruption
Aleppo
BBC
Bashar Al-Assad
Israel
Baader-Meinhof Gang
Assad Regime

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.

PublishesDailyEpisodes624Founded14 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Society & Culture

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for The Audio Long Read

Latest Episodes

Every Wednesday and Friday in August we will publish some of our favourite audio long reads of 2026, in case you missed them, with an introduction from the editorial team to explain why we’ve chosen it. This week, from February: After a nine-year-old... more

Every Wednesday and Friday in August we will publish some of our favourite audio long reads of 2026, in case you missed them, with an introduction from the editorial team to explain why we’ve chosen it. This week, from February: For many years the pr... more

Soon after my first visit to Ukraine four years ago, I began language lessons. It taught me more than I ever expected Written and read by Charlotte Higgins On Wednesday 30 September, join Charlotte Higgins and our panel of acclaimed Ukrainian writers... more

Every Wednesday and Friday in August we will publish some of our favourite audio long reads of 2026, in case you missed them, with an introduction from the editorial team to explain why we’ve chosen it. This week, from March: Once violently defended ... more

Key Facts

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.

Today in Focus
Today in FocusThe Guardian
Science Weekly
Science WeeklyThe Guardian
The Slow Newscast
The Slow NewscastThe Observer
The Documentary Podcast
The Documentary PodcastBBC World Service

Recent Guests

Endo Kazutoshi
Sushi master featured in the piece
Rotunda (London) / Endo's restaurants
Episode: Best of 2026…so far: Endo dreams of sushi: a trip around Japan with one of the world’s greatest chefs
Kieran Morris
Writer of the piece, reader of Endo Dreams of Sushi
The Guardian
Episode: Best of 2026…so far: Endo dreams of sushi: a trip around Japan with one of the world’s greatest chefs
Hermione Hoby
Author of the Long Read essay
The Guardian
Episode: Best of 2026…so far: My maddening battle with chronic fatigue syndrome: ‘On my worst days, it feels almost demonic’
Kaya Genç
Writer/Journalist who authored the piece
The Guardian
Episode: ‘This process has turned into a form of torture’: inside the trial of Erdoğan’s challenger
Marissa Begonia
Domestic worker from the Philippines and chair of The Voice of Domestic Workers
The Voice of Domestic Workers
Episode: From the archive: ‘A dizzying maze’: how the UK immigration system is geared to reject
Maya Goodfellow
Author of A Dizzying Maze, How the UK Immigration System is Geared to Reject
Guardian Books (via Guardian piece)
Episode: From the archive: ‘A dizzying maze’: how the UK immigration system is geared to reject
Lindsay Cross
Head of West End Refugee Service (WERS)
WERS
Episode: From the archive: ‘A dizzying maze’: how the UK immigration system is geared to reject
Asad Rehman
Director of War on Want
War on Want
Episode: From the archive: ‘A dizzying maze’: how the UK immigration system is geared to reject
Steven Pinker
Cognitive psychologist and best-selling author
Harvard University
Episode: Pinker’s progress: the celebrity scientist at the centre of the culture wars

Host

Tobias Jones, Giles Tremlett, Robert P. Baird, Kai Wright, Carter Sherman, Cara Sherman
Primary contributors across Guardian longform audio pieces, with roles spanning host, interviewer, and narrator.

Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars from 5.3k ratings
  • Hope does not die

    but I haven‘t heard a more names dropping guy called himself King about Tokyo knowing nothing about the subject in spite of 10 years in the city …

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Tippfehlerteufel
    Germany2 months ago
  • I love the Guardian…

    But hearing a 42 min puff piece from the editor, I do have my limits. Points about the information crisis were mainly taken from Alderman’s book and then the solutions offered were an advert for the Guardian (which I guess is somewhat fair). The article could have been a lot stronger given the real issues we are facing about how we process information and how information is received.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    EleanorCr
    United Kingdom3 months ago
  • Why must there be music played in the background?

    I really wanted to listen to one of these long reads which came up when I was searching for podcasts about a particular subject matter, but quickly realised that the whole thing was underlaid by music, why? It makes it impossible to listen to!

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Ruthieroo123
    United Kingdom4 months ago
  • Please be honest…

    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… )

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    theCOLLECTOR
    United Kingdom6 months ago
  • Consistently good

    Always a great listen

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    TeAWL
    New Zealand8 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Appreciation for global, in-depth investigations that connect historical context with current issues.
Listeners praise the thoughtful, well-researched storytelling and high production quality.
A few reviews note issue with clipping edits or audio pacing occasionally.
Some listeners criticize AI/narration choices and periodic repetition of archive material.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#49
United Kingdom/Society & Culture
Apple Podcasts
#157
Canada/Society & Culture
Apple Podcasts
#73
Italy/Society & Culture
Apple Podcasts
#116
Australia/Society & Culture
Apple Podcasts
#219
Germany/Society & Culture
Apple Podcasts
#194
Russia/Top Podcasts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Stateside with Kai and Carter: Stacey Abrams on why gutting of the US Voting Rights Act is ‘evil’
Q: What does it mean that the Voting Rights Act has been gutted, and what comes next?
Abrams explains that the two-pronged enforcement approach has been hollowed out, requiring renewed legal action, constitutional safeguards, and sustained grassroots organizing to protect and expand voting access.
From the archive: Inspired by nature: the thrilling new science that could transform medicine
Q: How did Karp's background influence his work?
Karp's connection to nature during childhood and his experiences observing wildlife fostered his approach to bio-inspiration and innovative problem-solving in medical devices.
From the archive: Inspired by nature: the thrilling new science that could transform medicine
Q: What was the initial problem Karp aimed to address with his inventions?
Karp aimed to solve the challenges associated with surgical procedures, particularly in sealing wounds effectively and reducing complications from traditional methods like sutures and staples.

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 Audio Long Read

What is The Audio Long Read about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The Audio Long Read curates the Guardian's longform journalism in engaging audio form, covering politics, culture, philosophy, sport, investigations, and current affairs three times weekly. Episodes emphasize deeply reported narratives, archival context, and on-the-ground reporting, often weaving multiple locations and voices to illuminate complex subjects. A standout is the consistent production quality and the willingness to tackle nuanced, ambitious topics that go beyond quick-news summaries, making it a strong fit for listeners who enjoy in-depth storytelling and rigorous analysis.

Where can I find podcast stats for The Audio Long Read?

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.

How many listeners does The Audio Long Read get?

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

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.

How many subscribers and views does The Audio Long Read have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Audio Long Read 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 Audio Long Read?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Audio Long Read:

1. Today in Focus
2. Science Weekly
3. The Slow Newscast
4. Politics Weekly America
5. The Documentary Podcast

How many episodes of The Audio Long Read are there?

The Audio Long Read launched 14 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.

How do I contact The Audio Long Read?

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 Audio Long Read?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Audio Long Read 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 Audio Long Read?

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.

What guests have appeared on The Audio Long Read?

Recent guests on The Audio Long Read include:

1. Endo Kazutoshi
2. Kieran Morris
3. Hermione Hoby
4. Kaya Genç
5. Marissa Begonia
6. Maya Goodfellow
7. Lindsay Cross
8. Asad Rehman

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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