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Artwork for The Sunday Story

The Sunday Story

NPR
FIFA World Cup
Lagos
Cambodia
Cyber Scam Industry
Seattle
Single Motherhood
Donald Trump
Cedar Rapids
Makoko
Immigration Policy
Visa Processing
Uganda
Emotional Disturbance
EBD
Cedar Rapids Prep
Climate Solutions
CHOP
Immigration
National Latino Evangelical Coalition
Mainstreaming

“The Sunday Story” from Up First is where storytelling meets the issues of the day. Hosted by Ayesha Rascoe, “The Sunday Story” is NPR’s weekly news and culture magazine exploring one topic in depth through conversations, interviews and deeply-reported narrative journalism. Publishing every Sunday in the Up First feed.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes187Founded4 months ago
Number of ListenersCategories
NewsPolitics

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Artwork for The Sunday Story

Latest Episodes

What happens to famous works of art when they are stolen from museums and private art collections? In the Netherlands, museums and collectors reach out to Arthur Brand, a self-styled art detective who works to track down art that has gone missing and... more

Who are the workers behind the global scam industry? 

In Cambodia, more than 200,000 scam workers have been released from fortified compounds, where many of them had been trafficked, held against their will, and forced to work for little pay. The Ca... more

PART 2: With the Cambodian government’s ongoing crackdown on the scam industry, tens of thousands of former scammers are stranded on the streets of Phnom Penh. Are they being treated as criminals or as victims themselves of a global industry designed... more

In the summer of 2020, sixteen-year-old Antonio Mays Jr. traveled a thousand miles to be part of the racial justice movement. He arrived in Seattle during the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest, known as CHOP. Less than a week later, he was shot and kille... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Octave Durham
Dutch art thief, also known as Aki Durham
Criminal underworld figure, involved in Van Gogh heists
Episode: The secret life of a stolen Van Gogh
Shibani Mahtani
Investigative reporter covering Southeast Asia
NPR / The Sunday Story contributor
Episode: Caught in Cambodia’s Scam Machine: Part 1
Will James
Reporter for Embedded (NPR)
NPR Embedded
Episode: How an anti-police violence protest ended in a teen’s death
Sydney Brownstone
Reporter for Embedded (NPR)
Seattle Times / NPR Embedded
Episode: How an anti-police violence protest ended in a teen’s death
Antonio Mays Sr.
Father of Antonio Mays Jr.
Private citizen, civil rights advocate
Episode: How an anti-police violence protest ended in a teen’s death
Ashley Durellis
Live streamer and protest-era documentarian
Independent journalist/Filmmaker
Episode: How an anti-police violence protest ended in a teen’s death
Becky Sullivan
NPR sports correspondent
NPR
Episode: How America is shaping the World Cup
Jasmine Garst
Host of The Last Cup
NPR
Episode: How America is shaping the World Cup
Manoush Zomorodi
Host of NPR's TED Radio Hour; author of Body Electric
NPR / Columbia University Medical Center study partner
Episode: How 5 minutes of movement can change your life

Host

Ayesha Rascoe
Host of The Sunday Story (NPR), leading in-depth conversations and narrative reportage.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#195
United States/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#210
Canada/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#206
France/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#83
China/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#93
Japan/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#107
Saudi Arabia/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#133
Ireland/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#135
Norway/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#140
Sweden/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#168
Argentina/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#203
South Korea/News/Politics

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The secret life of a stolen Van Gogh
Q: What is an art detective, and how does Brand describe his work?
An art detective is someone who helps the police track stolen art or forgeries, often without a formal path to the profession, using networks and expertise to locate and recover works.
How 5 minutes of movement can change your life
Q: So you have a new book out this month. It's called Body Electric. And that's a great title. And it's based on research you started back in 2023.
Manoush explains how the body and technology interact, highlighting the biological aspects of how screen time affects our physiology and energy, and how the study translates those findings into practical, everyday movement strategies.
The hidden cost of separating 'emotionally disturbed' students
Q: What impact does labeling and segregating students with EBD have on their education and future outcomes?
The discussion highlights how segregating EBD students into separate classrooms creates a cycle that undermines academic progress and increases the risk of disengagement, with mainstreaming showing mixed results depending on implementation and support.
The hidden cost of separating 'emotionally disturbed' students
Q: What is emotional disturbance, and how is it defined in the context of special education?
Laurie explains that emotional disturbance is a catch-all label, not a medical diagnosis, tied to criteria in the law that created special education, including pervasive unhappiness, poor relationships, and inappropriate behavior.
In one Iowa city, public schools compete in the free market. Are students better off?
Q: In Cedar Rapids, what does the data show about the impact on the traditional district when a new charter or private option enters the market?
Turner describes a loss of students and funding for the traditional Cedar Rapids Community School District, the closure of some elementary schools, and tensions at school board meetings as the district grapples with financial strain and decisions that affect neighborhood schools.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
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Location
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Sunday Story

What is The Sunday Story about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A weekly deep-dive program that blends long-form storytelling with reportage on current-day issues across politics, society, and culture. Episodes typically combine on-the-ground reporting, expert context, and intimate personal voices to illuminate how policy and daily life intersect—from urban development and housing justice to education reform, religion and immigration, and family narratives. A standout trait is the strong character-driven storytelling that grounds complex policy topics in human experiences, offering listeners both rigorous context and emotionally resonant moments. The format tends to attract listeners who enjoy thoughtful analysis, narrative journalism, and conversations that connect macro issues to lived experiences.

Where can I find podcast stats for The Sunday Story?

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

How many listeners does The Sunday Story get?

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What are the audience demographics for The Sunday Story?

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How many subscribers and views does The Sunday Story have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Sunday Story 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 Sunday Story?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Sunday Story:

1. Up First from NPR
2. Consider This from NPR
3. The NPR Politics Podcast
4. The Daily
5. Trump's Terms

How many episodes of The Sunday Story are there?

The Sunday Story launched 4 months ago and published 187 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 Sunday Story?

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 Sunday Story?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Sunday Story from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Sunday Story. 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 Sunday Story?

Recent guests on The Sunday Story include:

1. Octave Durham
2. Shibani Mahtani
3. Will James
4. Sydney Brownstone
5. Antonio Mays Sr.
6. Ashley Durellis
7. Becky Sullivan
8. Jasmine Garst

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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