Rephonic
Artwork for The Slow Newscast

The Slow Newscast

The Observer
Donald Trump
Labour Party
Neil Gaiman
Sexual Assault
Brexit
Consent
Mental Health
Domestic Abuse
Elon Musk
Covid-19
Jeremy Corbyn
Sexual Abuse
Keir Starmer
Joe Biden
Benjamin Netanyahu
Artificial Intelligence
Russia
Public Health
Nigel Farage
Scarlett

The Slow Newscast from The Observer takes the news slowly. We investigate, and every week we focus on stories that really matter in the UK and around the world. From wars in Ukraine and Gaza through to true crime and injustice and real life mysteries, The Slow Newscast team is devoted to narrative investigations covering some of the biggest topics of the day.

Who are the people biohacking themselv... more

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes445Founded7 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
DocumentaryNewsNews CommentarySociety & Culture

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for The Slow Newscast

Latest Episodes

Is ECT therapy safe? Postcode prescribing leaves patients at mercy of psychiatric opinions. Jessica Rawnsley has been investigating what this means for patients

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After a spate of paranormal sightings in 1970s London, debate raged over the existence of a vampire in Highgate Cemetery. Fifty years on, the legend has been taken on by a new generation, fuelled by the world’s longest-running online feud

Reporter: ... more

After a 2025 mass shooting on Florida State University’s campus, investigators found a year’s worth of chat history between the shooter and ChatGPT. MotherJones’ Mark Follman has been investigating what the chat log reveals about the shooter and the ... more

Rupert Lowe is the MP for Great Yarmouth, and the leader of Restore Britain, a right-wing political party which launched in February this year. So, how did the leader of such a young, fringe party end up appearing as a guest on the world’s most popul... 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

Mark Follman
National Affairs Editor with Mother Jones Magazine
Mother Jones
Episode: What does a mass shooter’s chatbot history reveal?
Rupert Lowe
MP for Great Yarmouth; founder of Restore Britain
Restore Britain
Episode: Ctrl Alt Restore
Cat Neelan
Whitehall editor, reporter for Who Funds Reform series
The Observer
Episode: What next for Reform and Nigel Farage?
Claudia Williams
Claudia Williams, a colleague who has reported extensively on mountaineering
The Observer
Episode: Is mountaineering getting more dangerous?
Poppy Bullard
Poppy Bullard, audio producer at The Observer and climber
The Observer
Episode: Is mountaineering getting more dangerous?
Nigel Farage
Leader of Reform Party, central figure in the investigation
Reform/GB News appearances mentioned
Episode: Who owns our water?
Christopher Harbourn
Crypto/billionaire donor central to Reform UK's finances
Episode: Bankrolling Farage: Who Funds Reform? Episode one: The Missing Millions
Rory Smith
The Observer's indefatigable football correspondent
The Observer
Episode: Have England failed again?
Ademola Adedeji
Subject of the case, later released
Adedeji family
Episode: Fire on the mountain: Mistaken identity

Host

Basia Cummings
Host of The Slow Newscast (and related series); long-form investigative journalist with The Observer.

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 2.3k ratings
  • Henry Nowak

    What a one sided review .

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Mary Mac 13
    United Kingdom3 months ago
  • Biased

    This is very biased. The families apology means nothing when they were in court shouting at Henry’s family the day before. Henry was handcuffed while dying and his murderer was never handcuffed. He was treated differently, why???????

    Poor Henry must have seen the police and thought thank god I’m safe now but they treated him so badly. That poor boy. You’ve hardly spoken about him. So disappointed

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    SIMO CC
    United Kingdom3 months ago
  • What have you done to this podcast?

    It used to be great, now it’s awful. The Observer have killed it

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Lulu ledoux
    Australia3 months ago
  • Don’t love the extra episodes!

    It’s called the Slow Newscast and now you’re shoehorning in an extra half-baked episode covering the news headlines. Why? Just create a separate podcast. This podcast just became like every other podcast and has really lost its mojo.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    ange87
    Australia3 months ago
  • Justin Baldoni

    I'm sorry this is so biased to Blake Lively. MSM at their worst. She ruined Justin Baldoni's career.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    BulmersTrucker
    United Kingdom4 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Listeners appreciate nuanced analysis beyond standard headlines, and strong guest expertise.
Some critics argue episodes are biased or overly opinionated at times.
Feedback highlights high regard for long-form storytelling and investigative depth.
Listeners praise rigorous, balanced investigations with careful sourcing.

Chart Rankings

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

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

What does a mass shooter’s chatbot history reveal?
Q: So tell me, what was it about this particular story that jumped out at you, and when did you learn about it?
The case stood out because it bridged the gap between psychological profiling and real-time technological engagement, revealing how a user's planning could unfold inside a chatbot, and I learned about it through a network of behavioral threat assessment sources starting about two years ago.
What next for Reform and Nigel Farage?
Q: Do you think this stunt helps or hinders his national ambitions given the media landscape and upcoming by-elections?
The local results reinforce familiar support among Farage enthusiasts, but the national picture is unsettled as media engagement and anti-establishment coalitions challenge Reform's wider appeal; the path to national leadership remains unclear and contingent on wider public reception.
What next for Reform and Nigel Farage?
Q: Just talk me through why Farage didn't attend the results announcement and the police/security angle.
Farage cited a claim of a credible threat and concern about being humiliated by 'nobodies', a stance that has been disputed and tied to broader questions about his finances and donor scrutiny.
What next for Reform and Nigel Farage?
Q: Hello. So let's just start with the absolute basics. Tell me what has happened.
Farage has been re-elected as MP for Clacton with a larger majority, aided by a lack of main-party candidates and a notable performance by the joke candidate Binface, which signals protest voting dynamics even in Reform-leaning areas.
One-star review: A stolen year
Q: How did the investigator connect the digital traces to Layla?
The investigator matched IP addresses, device access patterns, and account activity across Ali's devices, building a timeline that pointed toward Layla, changing the direction of the case from a generic cyber assault to a likely personal offender.

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 Slow Newscast

What is The Slow Newscast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show delivers long-form investigations and narrative journalism on timely UK and global issues, ranging from political finance, corruption, and governance to major global events and social justice stories. Episodes often feature deep-dive reporting, archival context, expert commentary, and on-the-ground reporting, giving listeners a clear throughline on accountability, policy implications, and human impact. A notable strength is its willingness to tackle complex, controversial topics with thorough sourcing and dramatic storytelling, which can attract listeners who crave thoughtful, in-depth analysis beyond headlines.

Where can I find podcast stats for The Slow Newscast?

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

How many listeners does The Slow Newscast get?

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

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The Slow Newscast, 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 Slow Newscast have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Slow Newscast 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 Slow Newscast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Slow Newscast:

1. The Mandelson Files | Tortoise Investigates
2. The Audio Long Read
3. The News Meeting
4. The Story
5. Today in Focus

How many episodes of The Slow Newscast are there?

The Slow Newscast launched 7 years ago and published 445 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 Slow Newscast?

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 Slow Newscast?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Slow Newscast 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 Slow Newscast?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Slow Newscast. 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 Slow Newscast?

Recent guests on The Slow Newscast include:

1. Mark Follman
2. Rupert Lowe
3. Cat Neelan
4. Claudia Williams
5. Poppy Bullard
6. Nigel Farage
7. Christopher Harbourn
8. Rory Smith

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