Rephonic
Artwork for The Prospect Podcast

The Prospect Podcast

Prospect Magazine
Labour Party
Donald Trump
Gaza
Mental Health
Conservative Party
Ukraine
Elon Musk
Keir Starmer
Climate Change
Israel
US Elections
Democracy
NATO
Brexit
Antisemitism
Prospect Magazine
Artificial Intelligence
Immigration
Russia
Racism

Join our deputy editor Ellen Halliday and senior editor Alona Ferber as they interview some of the brightest minds to discuss the ideas that matter most in politics, society and culture.

The Prospect Podcast is produced by Prospect Magazine.

Subscribe to Prospect and enjoy our rigorously fact-checked, truly independent analysis and perspectives. Get one free issue of Prospect when you sign up toda... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes485Founded10 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
NewsPoliticsSociety & Culture

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for The Prospect Podcast

Latest Episodes

What does the World Cup mean to you?

This year’s tournament has been highly political so far: as it began, one of the host nations was at war with one of the competitors and referees and staff have been banned from the United States.

This week, Phi... more

The country feels stuck. But can Britain prosper again? On the Prospect podcast this week, Prospect editor Philip Collins is joined by Ravi Gurumurthy to discuss this question. 

Ravi is CEO of Nesta, which is a research foundation and “innovation ag... more

Would you want to work with a robot? A new technological revolution is underway—but what that revolution looks like, and where it takes us, is still being determined.

This week, Ellen and Alona are joined by Sarah O’Connor, award-winning reporter an... more

From nurseries to nursing homes, private equity increasingly affects all of us.

This week, Ellen and Alona are joined by journalist Hettie O’Brien, who investigates the rise of private equity in her book The Asset Class: How Private Equity Turned Ca... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
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.

Media Confidential
Media ConfidentialProspect Magazine
The Politics Show
The Politics ShowThe New Statesman
Political Fix
Political FixFinancial Times
Past Present Future
Past Present FutureDavid Runciman

Recent Guests

Sarah O'Connor
Financial Times columnist, reporter and associate editor
Financial Times
Episode: Sarah O’Connor: Should we fight the AI revolution?
Hettie O'Brien
Guardian writer and author of The Asset Class, How Private Equity Turned Capitalism Against Itself
The Guardian
Episode: Hettie O’Brien: The hidden cost of private equity
Sally Hayden
Journalist and author of This is Also a Love Story
Freelance journalist, based in Beirut, author
Episode: Sally Hayden: Finding love in a war zone
Genzia Alisgana
Genzia Alisgana, writer on job markets and redundancy
Episode: Prospect Lives: Restroom censorship and mates rates
Tharik Hussain
Author, historian and travel writer focusing on Muslim Europe
Author, Minarets in the Mountains; Muslim Europe, A Journey in Search of a 1400 Year History
Episode: Europe’s forgotten Muslim history
Tom Clark
Contributing editor, Prospect Magazine
Prospect Magazine
Episode: The Mandelson affair—and the price of factionalism
Kiran Sidhu
Politics writer
Episode: Prospect Lives: “I’m delighted to see my 93rd Spring”
Daniel Trilling
Journalist and author of If We Tolerate This
Journalist, author
Episode: Daniel Trilling: How centrists mainstreamed the far right
Sven Beckert
Harvard history professor and author of Capitalism A Global History
Harvard University
Episode: Sven Beckert: How capitalism made the world

Hosts

Ellen Halliday
Host and deputy editor of Prospect Magazine; co-hosts discussions with deep analysis across politics and culture.
Alona Ferber
Senior editor conducting interviews and analysis; co-host with a focus on political dynamics and media literacy.

Reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars from 140 ratings
  • Kim Darroch episode

    I've just listened to the episode in which the main protagonist in the war on Iran isn't even mentioned. How extraordinary. Are listeners taken to be fools?

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    takasa1978
    United Kingdom3 months ago
  • Episode on nuclear threat from presenter who can’t say “nuclear”

    Was really looking forward to Serhii Plokhy on nuclear threat only to be aurally assaulted by a presenter who says “nucular”. What’s so difficult about “new clear”? She’s also one of those too fond of “ kind of” which for me is the mental equivalent of driving down a potholed road.

    Had to give up, not for the first time. Because I’m interested I read the transcript.

    Can be excellent but sometimes impossible so I went first 3

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Lacwn
    United Kingdom7 months ago
  • Lucky Australia

    You’d never know from listening to that podcast about why Australia is better that a lot of the wealth, both common and private, came from a mass expropriation of land, water and other resources from the original owners.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Lynette responds
    Australiaa year ago
  • Assisted dying with jaunty break music

    A serious, sober and thoughtful conversation - interspersed by jarring jingly “showbiz” music. Surreal!

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Dissatisfied2019
    United Kingdom2 years ago
  • British magazine. Good. But they interviewed an author and neither interviewer had read his entire vote. I do, and strongly recommend you also, reserve 5 stars for truly outstanding podcasts so those ratings are more meaningful and the best podcasts stand out. This is good but not great.

    Podcast Addict
    4
    curmudgeon
    2 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Polished analysis that rewards careful listening.
Thoughtful, high-quality discussions with strong guests.
Guests and topics are consistently rigorous and informative.
Some listeners feel pacing or tone can be dense for casual fans.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#198
United Kingdom/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#240
France/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#40
Denmark/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#140
Indonesia/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#150
Denmark/News

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Hettie O’Brien: The hidden cost of private equity
Q: What exactly is private equity and how does it operate?
It is a financial approach where a fund buys companies using mostly borrowed money, loads debt onto the bought company, and then aims to extract profits through restructurings and cost-cutting, often with little regard for the immediate well-being of employees or service users.
Sarah O’Connor: Should we fight the AI revolution?
Q: What was your initial view on AI's impact on work, and has reporting changed that view?
She learned that the impact isn't simple or uniform; automation can both relieve and complicate work, and a nuanced approach is required that weighs human values and practical constraints.
Starmer's leadership nightmare
Q: What does the future look like if Starmer hangs on versus if a challenger emerges?
The discussion suggests that Starmer's hold could hinge on whether a credible alternative emerges from the soft left, while a credible challenger could shift the field toward a new leadership that redefines Labour's approach and appeal.
Starmer's leadership nightmare
Q: Can you talk about what yesterday's speech was trying to accomplish and how it positions him for the next election?
Kellner observes the speech as a cautionary mid-term reset that hints at closer European alignment and nationalization but stops short of bold new policy moves, leaving voters and MPs undecided and skeptical about a path to 2029 victory.
Starmer's leadership nightmare
Q: Ellen, what a week of chaos for Labour.
Peter Kellner explains the volatile mix of a bad local results, ongoing uncertainty, and potential leadership challenges, outlining the three main paths for Starmer and the strategic considerations for Labour MPs and members.

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 Prospect Podcast

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

A thoughtful, idea-driven interview show that probes politics, society, and culture through in-depth conversations with experts, journalists, and authors. Episodes frequently center on political dynamics, global affairs, economic history, and media critique, pairing rigorous analysis with personal narratives to illuminate how large-scale issues shape everyday life. A notable strength is the ability to blend historical context with current events, drawing on guests who bring both scholarly depth and practical insight. The format tends to feature long-form discussions, multiple perspectives, and high-caliber guests, making it a strong pick for listeners who want to understand the forces shaping public life and policy, not just headlines.

Where can I find podcast stats for The Prospect Podcast?

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

How many listeners does The Prospect Podcast get?

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

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The Prospect 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 Prospect Podcast have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Prospect 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 Prospect Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Prospect Podcast:

1. Media Confidential
2. The Politics Show
3. Political Fix
4. Past Present Future
5. Rock & Roll Politics with Steve Richards

How many episodes of The Prospect Podcast are there?

The Prospect Podcast launched 10 years ago and published 485 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 Prospect 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 Prospect Podcast?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Prospect 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 Prospect Podcast?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Prospect 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 Prospect Podcast?

Recent guests on The Prospect Podcast include:

1. Sarah O'Connor
2. Hettie O'Brien
3. Sally Hayden
4. Genzia Alisgana
5. Tharik Hussain
6. Tom Clark
7. Kiran Sidhu
8. Daniel Trilling

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