
The Radio Free Hillsdale Hour is a one-hour, weekly radio show/podcast advancing the efforts of Hillsdale College in radiating its knowledge and teaching to the world outside of campus. Listeners will hear the arguments and debates that make up the liberal arts education and will experience the learning and teaching that happens on campus. Hosted by Scot Bertram.
| Publishes | Weekly | Episodes | 383 | Founded | 8 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Category | Education | |||

Guests: Stephen Smith and Sam Lair
Host Scot Bertram talks with Stephen Smith, dean of humanities and Professor of English at Hillsdale College, to preview his brand-new online course, “The Iliad.” And Sam Lair, former director of The Center for Am... more
Guests: Seth Barron and Elizabeth Fredericks
Host Scot Bertram talks with Seth Barron, editorial board member at the New York Post, who explains how the Left is moving power away from the people and into the hands of an administrative class and dis... more
Guests: Jay Bhattacharya and Mark Edward Lender
Host Scot Bertram plays excerpts from a lecture by Jay Bhattacharya, director of the National Institutes of Health of the United States, titled "Restoring Gold Standard Science." And Mark Edward Lende... more
Guests: Jan Jekielek and Kelly Scott Franklin
Host Scot Bertram talks with Jan Jekielek, senior editor at The Epoch Times and host of American Thought Leaders, about China's state-sanctioned harvesting of organs from living donors and his new book ... more
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This show, and many other errs from Hillsdale, can’t get through a sentence without the constant overuse of the verbal tics, “Right?” and Ummm. Perhaps it flows from President Arndt. This has made many of the podcast shows unlistenable. These are supposed to be educated scholars, but they sound like unprepared high schoolers. It is insulting, lazy, and unprofessional. We expect more from Hillsdale. So, PLEASE set and demonstrate higher standards!
So disappointed thatJonathan Butcher, on the
The Radio Free Hillsdale Hour: Americans Are More United Than We Think, Jan 8, 2026 cannot get through a segment without constant overuse of the new contemporary verbal tic, “Right?” It is nothing more than a replacement for the equally unprofessional, “umm”. This not the first occasion on this podcast that I had to stop listening because the speakers repeated “right?” so frequently. It is obnoxious and unprofessional. The previous occasion was an Ass... more
A recent must-listen to my podcast listening schedule. Host Scott is a reassuring voice who asks great questions of the external guests and members of the faculty such as James Webb who seemed like a genuine teacher of accounting who really explained why young people would become CPAs and ACAs - a genuine pleasure.
I can’t speak for all of the episodes, but at least the episode on Jefferson and the Declaration of Independence has an extraordinarily misguided favorable view of Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln was a killer of Americans. A duplicitous politician that waged an unnecessary war.
So disappointed that Patricia R. Bart, an associate professor of English at Hillsdale College cannot even begin nor get through a segment without constant overuse of the verbal tic and “uhm” replacement, “Right?!” This is an English professor who cannot even engage in basic elementary effective communication! Please stop with “Right?!”- the invasive cultural rubbish of the ENGLISH language! Do better!
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.
Apple Podcasts | #242 |
Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.
Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.
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The show centers on liberal-arts-informed discussions that blend policy, history, and culture, featuring a steady stream of academics, authors, and public servants. Conversations typically juxtapose contemporary policy debates with deep historical context, often anchored by Hillsdale College faculty or affiliates and highlighted by book-focused segments. Notable strengths include a rigorous, idea-forward approach and a clear educational mission, with frequent guests who are recognizable scholars or policy experts. Potential listeners—especially those in academia, policy, and civic education—will likely find thoughtful analysis, well-sourced arguments, and opportunities to hear classical perspectives applied to modern issues.
A distinctive ... more
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These podcasts share a similar audience with The Radio Free Hillsdale Hour:
1. Hillsdale Dialogues
2. Hillsdale College Podcast Network Superfeed
3. The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast
4. Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words
5. The Larry Arnn Show
The Radio Free Hillsdale Hour launched 8 years ago and published 383 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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Recent guests on The Radio Free Hillsdale Hour include:
1. Seth Barron
2. Elizabeth Fredericks
3. Jay Bhattacharya
4. Mark Edward Lender
5. Jan Jekielek
6. Dr. Kelly Scott Franklin
7. Don Hodel
8. Stephanie Lauback
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