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The Usual Place

The Straits Times
Singapore
Mental Health
Workers' Party
Cost Of Living
General Election 2025
People's Action Party
Social Media
Covid-19
Ge2025
Budget 2026
General Election
Singlish
Singapore Business Federation
General Elections
Singapore Management University
Lawrence Wong
Artificial Intelligence
Community Engagement
CDC Vouchers
Electoral Boundaries Review Committee

Synopsis: Join host and correspondent Natasha Ann Zachariah every Thursday, as she unpacks the latest current affairs with guests.

Podcaster: Natasha Ann Zachariah

Executive producer: Danson Cheong

A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes119Founded3 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
News CommentaryNewsPolitics

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Latest Episodes

Parents have long complained that the education system in Singapore is too stressful for children.

To address their concerns, the Ministry of Education has made policy changes over the years, including scrapping PSLE T-scores and removing weighted ... more

YouTube

Will AI eventually be able to kill us, or are AI doomsayers being alarmist?

Recently, employees at AI frontier companies like Anthropic and OpenAI have voiced serious concerns - and made doomsday predictions - about the technology getting out of co... more

YouTube

If you’re a customer with a pre-paid package with a business and it closes, will you ever get your money back?

True Fitness and True Yoga customers and employees were left in the lurch last week after the businesses shuttered. Many have unused memb... more

YouTube

Will the increase in ministerial salaries cost the People’s Action Party (PAP) votes at the next General Election?

On Sept 8, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced that political office-holders will get a one-off pay increase of up to 9 per cent. more

YouTube

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Recent Guests

Clement Neo
Researcher at SASH; founder of Neo Research
SASH; Neo Research; Singapore AI Safety Institute
Episode: S1E112: Something bigger will have to happen before people take AI safety seriously: AI safety researcher
Debby Lim
Senior partner, Dentons Rodyk, Litigation and Dispute Resolution; co-head of restructuring insolvency and bankruptcy
Dentons Rodyk
Episode: S1E111: True Fitness closure: Why most members will get $0 back
Jeremy Ko
Entrepreneur in the sports and fitness industry with multiple gym ventures
Independent entrepreneur / multiple gym concepts
Episode: S1E111: True Fitness closure: Why most members will get $0 back
Rebecca Grace Tan
Senior lecturer in political science at the National University of Singapore
National University of Singapore
Episode: S1E110: Singapore ministerial pay debate: Paying top talent competitive salaries is in the ‘soul of the PAP’
Christine Sun
Chief Researcher and Strategist at Reliant Group
Reliant Group (Orange Tea, ETC)
Episode: S1E109: Lifting of wait out period for private home owners could flood HDB market with cash-rich buyers
Goh Hanyan
Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth; Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment
Singapore Government
Episode: S1E108: Can cash, childcare leave and BTO priority get Singaporeans to have kids? | National Day Rally 2026
Reuben Ng
Behavioral and data scientist; previously in government; associate professor
Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy
Episode: S1E108: Can cash, childcare leave and BTO priority get Singaporeans to have kids? | National Day Rally 2026
George Wong
Assistant Professor of Sociology, Urban Political Sociologist and Ethnographer
Singapore Management University
Episode: S1E107: What the Maju Forest and Gillman Barracks debate showed about policy making and consultation
Jonathan Ng
Independent Consultant with experience in policy, advocacy and regulation; former Civil Servant
Former MFA/PMO; private sector roles
Episode: S1E107: What the Maju Forest and Gillman Barracks debate showed about policy making and consultation

Host

Natasha Ann Zachariah
Host of The Usual Place with The Straits Times; executive producer: Danson Cheong

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#246
Australia/News/News Commentary
Apple Podcasts
#5
Singapore/News/News Commentary
Apple Podcasts
#17
Philippines/News/News Commentary
Apple Podcasts
#50
Singapore/News
Apple Podcasts
#144
Philippines/News
Apple Podcasts
#221
Brazil/News/News Commentary
Apple Podcasts
#240
Belgium/News/News Commentary

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

S1E112: Something bigger will have to happen before people take AI safety seriously: AI safety researcher
Q: So, what does alignment mean in this context, and why is it so hard to achieve?
Alignment means ensuring AI systems understand and pursue human intentions, not just the literal instruction, which requires anticipating misinterpretations and building robust guardrails; current methods struggle because AI behavior can diverge when pursuing reward signals, especially as models grow more capable.
S1E111: True Fitness closure: Why most members will get $0 back
Q: Why do gyms rely on prepaid packages despite the risk to customers?
Packages help cover high capital expenditures (KPEX) and ensure initial cash flow, but they also create an incentive structure for aggressive selling, which can harm consumer interests if the business fails.
S1E106: Will the new National Library Board campaign get more people to read books?
Q: Chris, can you tell us how ReadSG was conceptualized and what it's trying to achieve?
ReadSG aims to form long-term reading habits by promoting long-form reading and creating an environment where people can see tangible benefits in focus, cognition, and well-being; it builds on past reading initiatives and uses gamification and a rewards model to attract non-readers.
S1E105: 2 out of 3 suicide deaths are men, a psychiatrist explains why
Q: Why do men account for nearly two-thirds of suicide deaths, and how do biology and socialization play a role?
Biology and socialization contribute to higher impulsivity and risk-taking in men, as well as underdeveloped emotional language pathways; cultural norms discourage help-seeking, which can delay treatment until crises occur.
S1E102: 1 in 3 employers are hiring contract workers. Are contract jobs the new norm for Singapore grads?
Q: Can contract gigs still provide benefits like CPF and health insurance?
Yes, at larger firms or with multi-client arrangements, contract workers can receive comparable protections, while gig-style contracts may lack traditional benefits and require proactive financial planning.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Usual Place

What is The Usual Place about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A sharp, policy-leaning current affairs show that routinely brings in experts from law, politics, business, education, healthcare, and social services to unpack Singapore's evolving landscape. Episodes frequently analyze governance decisions, labor market shifts, education pressures, public safety, and social cohesion, pairing data-driven insights with practical implications for individuals, businesses, and policymakers. Listeners can expect candid discussions about reform, regulatory changes, and the real-world impact of national strategies, often accompanied by personal anecdotes that illuminate how policies play out in families and workplaces. A notable strength is the ability to translate complex issues—from cabinet reshuffles to inter-... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The Usual Place?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Usual Place:

1. Yah Lah But
2. The Daily Ketchup
3. Deep Dive
4. In Your Opinion
5. Work It

How many episodes of The Usual Place are there?

The Usual Place launched 3 years ago and published 119 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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What guests have appeared on The Usual Place?

Recent guests on The Usual Place include:

1. Clement Neo
2. Debby Lim
3. Jeremy Ko
4. Rebecca Grace Tan
5. Christine Sun
6. Goh Hanyan
7. Reuben Ng
8. George Wong

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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