Rephonic
Artwork for Listening to America

Listening to America

Listening to America
Thomas Jefferson
John Steinbeck
John Adams
Slavery
George Washington
American History
Constitution
Donald Trump
Lewis and Clark Expedition
United States
Public Lands
Louisiana Purchase
Christmas
Civil Rights Movement
American Revolution
Theodore Roosevelt
Declaration Of Independence
Civil Rights
Alexander Hamilton
Conspiracy Theories

Listening to America aims to "light out for the territories," traveling less visited byways and taking time to see this immense, extraordinary country with fresh eyes while listening to the many voices of America's past, present, and future. Led by noted historian and humanities scholar Clay Jenkinson, Listening to America travels the country's less visited byways, from national parks and forests ... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes563Founded20 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Society & CultureHistory

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Listening to America

Latest Episodes

Host David Horton interviews the third president of the United States, Thomas Jefferson, about the days and weeks following the Fourth of July 1776. How quickly did the printed texts of the Declaration circulate? What was the information network of t... more

Clay interviews David Osborne, author of the 1992 bestseller Reinventing Government, about the challenges of the American public education system. How well are we preparing young people for the mid-21st century? Why is the United States slipping behi... more

David Horton sits down with Clay Jenkinson to retrace a whirlwind summer of travel, history and adventure. Clay's journey began in May with a trek to ancient Troy and continued across the American West, following the trail of Theodore Roosevelt. Alon... more

Clay interviews Richard Battle of Texas about his series of books about the can-do spirit of America. Three of the books tell feel-good stories of character and gumption in the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. Mr. Battle believes that the current mala... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
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.

Recent Guests

David Osborne
Author and education reformist, Reinventing Government author and Turnaround filmmaker
Author, Turnaround filmmaker
Episode: #1719 Reinventing America's Educational System
Richard Battle
Author of Americans Who Made America series (18th–20th centuries)
Author, historian
Episode: #1717 Optimism and American Success
Ben Abbott
Associate Professor of Environmental Science and Sustainability at Brigham Young University; Executive Director of Grow the Flow
Brigham Young University; Grow the Flow
Episode: #1715 Can We Save Great Salt Lake?
Joshua Jay
Professional magician and educator
Vanishing Ink
Episode: #1713 The Magic of Joshua Jay
Sandra Murray
Trailblazing producer behind the scenes of more than 250 films
Hollywood/Behind-the-Scenes Production
Episode: #1712 The Changing Face of Hollywood
Joseph Ellis
Pulitzer Prize–winning historian
Yale University; author of biographies on Jefferson, Washington, Adams
Episode: #1711 Pulitzer Prize-Winning Historian Joe Ellis on America at 250
Peter Stark
Author of The Lost Cities of El Norte, Coronado's Quest, The Unconquered West, and The Birth of American Indian Resistance
Author, The Lost Cities of El Norte
Episode: #1708 The Amazing Explorations of Francisco Coronado
Clay Jenkinson
Historian hosting the program; Roosevelt expert
Listening to America
Episode: #1707 Teddy Roosevelt, National Monuments and Devils Tower, Wyoming
Thomas Jefferson
Third President of the United States (portrayed in a scripted interview)
United States Government / Founding Era
Episode: #1705 Free Expression and Political Repression: Stephen Colbert's Exit

Hosts

Clay Jenkinson
Host of Listening to America; historian and humanities scholar.
David Horton
Co-host and interview facilitator; frequently guest-host/interviewer.

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 1.3k ratings
  • Cut out the woke talk clay!

    Some good content, but intermixed w some wack job lefty views on politics/economics… like the familiar “progressive” trope that there are too many billionaires and too little “equality”… while failing to mention that even the poorest in our capitalist republic live better today than the kings of yesteryear (better medicine, technology, transportation, food…)…

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    los altos bear
    United States2 months ago
  • Subject matter is great

    But I find the host to be an egotistical blowhard.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Caper127
    United States5 months ago
  • Very disappointing

    The Thomas Jefferson Hour was a rare source of optimism and inspiration. Listening to America is just another overly pessimistic political show that presents few facts. It is higher brow than most, but it is shocking the click bait qualities it has acquired.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Trot87
    United States5 months ago
  • Great podcast for history nerds like me 👍🏼

    I listened to my first podcast today on the National parks with Char Miller and it was such a great conversation. I appreciate both Char and Clays knowledge of history. I’m so glad this conversation is happening. I actually like that you bring politics into the conversation because not talking about it is a disservice to the United States’ history.

    I can’t wait to listen to more especially finding the episode discussing Theodore Roosevelt’s pets in the White House. Great historical podcast for l... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Maizie daisy
    United States6 months ago
  • Informative Interesting Show

    One of my favorite podcasts.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    vfaler
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

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

Some critics feel the format has become more political, and a few reviews mention perceived podcast bias.
Listeners appreciate careful historical analysis and civil discourse, with strong praise for guests and host storytelling.
Audio quality and pacing receive mixed feedback, with some long-time fans noting improvements and others calling for format adjustments.

Top Society & Culture Podcasts

Stuff You Should Know
Stuff You Should KnowiHeartPodcasts
The Ezra Klein Show
The Ezra Klein ShowNew York Times Opinion
Notes from the Edge
Notes from the EdgeGamut Podcast Network
This American Life
This American LifeThis American Life
The Determined Society with Shawn French | Adversity & Mindset
The Determined Society with Shawn French | Adversity & MindsetDetermined Society Podcast | Overcoming Adversity & Mindset
Freakonomics Radio
Freakonomics RadioFreakonomics Radio + Stitcher

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

#1720 The Declaration of Independence: The Days After Adoption
Q: What did the Declaration mean for people of color and slaves at the time?
Jefferson explains that the universal language of rights was intended in principle, but practical constraints and political realities prevented immediate emancipation; the discussion reveals both aspiration and fear of unintended consequences.
#1719 Reinventing America's Educational System
Q: But is this scalable? Could this be done in 50 states?
Yes, and DC and several states have already implemented similar models; the discussion highlights how governance, funding, and local leadership can be aligned to scale charter-like flexibility while maintaining accountability.
#1719 Reinventing America's Educational System
Q: What are your thoughts?
Osborne outlines that the core path to reform lies in charter schools, which provide autonomy and clear accountability metrics, and argues this approach can address inadequacies in the current system.
#1717 Optimism and American Success
Q: Richard, do you have a religious perspective? Is there a Christian focus on these books? Is it secular? Is it neither?
I have a couple of Christian examples. I am a Christian and a believer, and that influence is visible in some of the examples I include, though the books themselves are not faith‑based; they include diverse figures across centuries.
#1715 Can We Save Great Salt Lake?
Q: Is a recovery by 2034 realistic, and what would it take to get there?
It would require a combination of demand management, market-based incentives, interstate coordination, and federal support, along with a cultural shift toward conservation and collaborative governance; progress is happening but the timeline is tight and not guaranteed.

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 Listening to America

What is Listening to America about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Historically minded hosts explore American civic life, public policy, and national identity by traveling to parks, monuments, and lesser-known locales, pairing first-person explorations with deep archival and scholarly discussions. Episodes often feature historians, writers, conservationists, and journalists who illuminate constitutional questions, public lands, and national narratives, while weaving in contemporary events to highlight enduring tensions between liberty, governance, and public memory. A standout aspect is the show's willingness to blend traditional historical inquiry with accessible storytelling and civics education, making complex topics approachable for curious adults with an appetite for context-driven perspectives.

List... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Listening to America?

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

How many listeners does Listening to America get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Listening to America, 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 Listening to America?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Listening to America, 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 Listening to America have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Listening to America 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 Listening to America?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Listening to America:

1. For the Ages: A History Podcast
2. Ben Franklin's World
3. Booknotes+
4. Lectures in History
5. This American President

How many episodes of Listening to America are there?

Listening to America launched 20 years ago and published 563 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 Listening to America?

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 Listening to America?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Listening to America 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 Listening to America?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Listening to America. 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 Listening to America?

Recent guests on Listening to America include:

1. David Osborne
2. Richard Battle
3. Ben Abbott
4. Joshua Jay
5. Sandra Murray
6. Joseph Ellis
7. Peter Stark
8. Clay Jenkinson

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