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What Next | Daily News and Analysis

Slate Podcasts
Donald Trump
Iran
ICE
Democratic Party
Artificial Intelligence
United States
Supreme Court
Minneapolis
Immigration Policy
Republican Party
Gaza
Trump Administration
Renee Good
Uber
Israel
MAGA
Data Centers
Openai
Congress
Voting Rights Act

The problem with the news right now? It’s everywhere. And each day, it can feel like we’re all just mindlessly scrolling. It’s why we created What Next. This short daily show is here to help you make sense of things. When the news feels overwhelming, we’re here to help you answer: What next? Look for new episodes every weekday morning. Get more of What Next with Slate Plus! Join for exclusive bonu... more

PublishesDailyEpisodes2507Founded8 years ago
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News

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Latest Episodes

The WNBA is enjoying its most profitable and popular season in league history. At the same time, it’s become another front in the culture war. 

Guest: Matreyi Anantharaman, staff writer at Defector. 

Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to ... more

Donald Trump, Supreme Court justices, states, and even the Post Office are all trading legal salvos over mail-in voting. Where does it stand now? And what’s Trump’s end goal in making mail-in voting—something rural and elderly voters rely on—more dif... more

The idea of a big ol’ group of friends taking a vacation sounds so fun…in theory. In practice, though, the museum friends and the beach friends are forming opposing factions, and the vegetarian friend is hovering between malnourishment and total bani... more

Through stealing your job or simply tanking the stock market—whichever comes first—the rise of artificial intelligence (companies) is a very futuristic sounding problem. It may have some very old-fashioned sounding solutions however.

Guest: Cory Doc... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Greg Casar
Congressman representing Texas's 35th congressional district
U.S. House of Representatives
Episode: The A.I. Populist
Meghan Cliffel
Writer, mindfulness teacher, and maternal mental health advocate
Slate; maternal mental health advocacy
Episode: What Lindsay Clancy Truthers Are Missing
Amanda Litman
Head of Run for Something
Run for Something
Episode: The Progressive Case for Midterms Optimism
Mehdi Hasan
Editor-in-Chief of Zeteo News
Zeteo News
Episode: How Islamophobia Got Even Worse
Jill Lepore
Pulitzer Prize–winning author and historian; David Woods Kemper Professor of American History at Harvard
Harvard, The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State (book)
Episode: Is Tech Dismantling Democracy?
Ian Prasad Philbrick
Politics writer covering the Lincoln story
Slate
Episode: The Nightmare on the USS Lincoln
Caroline Light
Harvard professor and author on Stand Your Ground
Harvard University
Episode: They Stood Their Ground. Was It Murder?
Adam Mockler
Host of The Adam Mockler Show on YouTube
The Adam Mockler Show
Episode: Ok, Zoomer!
Jill Filipovic
Journalist, lawyer, and author
Slate/Throughline.News
Episode: What Can We Do About Abusers in Congress?

Hosts

Mary Harris
Host of What Next on Slate; seasoned political journalist and moderator.
Rob Gunther
Host of What Next; contributes political analysis and guest interviews.

Reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars from 3.8k ratings
  • What’s with the advertising?

    What’s with “They sent me furniture- They’re great!” Want to be a sponsor? Sure, send me some steak!” This is not a good look, folks, and dissonant in an otherwise stellar podcast.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    MR116$
    United States14 days ago
  • What’s Next Vaccines

    SlatePlus Member Receiving Advertisements. I thought that was not to happen.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Seeker of True Facts
    United States18 days ago
  • Long time in queue, occasional listener

    I couldn’t even finish the podcast on Ariana Grande and I’m not even a huge fan of hers or anything. You guys are super judgy. Everything that’s wrong about women on women commentary and the bloody chainsaw music video probably just a metaphor for exactly the attitude you were describing … so not really sure why that’s so disturbing to you even if it was visually unappealing to watch.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Beth 1210
    United Statesa month ago
  • Better journalism when it come to AI, everything else sucks

    I find this podcast turning more and more neo-liberal where they don’t push harder on some guests like, Jonathan Chait when he says things like politicians are kicked out, no they were voted out and not owed a seat for a public office. I’m also pretty disgusted by the interview with Hasan Piker and bringing him up again. As a Cuban American, the journalism hes did in Cuba about how the US embargo is ruining their healthcare is top notch and you all missed the point.

    This podcast has me recons... more

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    CLS8201
    United Statesa month ago
  • No

    Who is this for?

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    bjohns383
    United Statesa month ago

Listeners Say

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

Listeners appreciate the rigorous fact-based discussion and the willingness to challenge guests.
Some reviews highlight strong guest selection and insightful context on media narratives.
Critics note uneven tone or pacing in some episodes and desire for sharper, more critical interviewing.
Many listeners value the clarity on how data and economics drive policy decisions.
A subset wishes for less ad load and more diverse, high-profile guests.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#163
United States/News
YouTube
#35
Canada/Popular Podcasts
Apple Podcasts
#95
Indonesia/News
Apple Podcasts
#176
Mexico/News
Apple Podcasts
#219
Finland/News
Apple Podcasts
#224
Philippines/News

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

How Islamophobia Got Even Worse
Q: How has the historical context of post-9/11 politics shaped today's environment for Muslim Americans?
The post-9/11 era established a framework where security rhetoric and media framing can marginalize Muslim Americans, a pattern that has persisted and evolved, influencing electoral strategies and public opinion.
How Islamophobia Got Even Worse
Q: What evidence do you see that the Islamophobia narrative works in the primaries, and what about the general election?
In primaries, there is some usefulness for anti-Muslim messaging, but it hasn't consistently translated into gains in the general election; however, the climate has normalized Islamophobia in political discourse and media, which harms Muslim candidates and communities more broadly.
Is Tech Dismantling Democracy?
Q: Why do these tech manifestos matter, and are they sincere or primarily self-serving?
The episode suggests a mix: some sincerity in advocating a utopian tech-enabled future, but also cynicism and profit-driven motives within Silicon Valley, all contributing to a cultural pattern that increasingly questions the legitimacy of traditional democratic processes.
Is Tech Dismantling Democracy?
Q: Is there a world that you can envision in which we have the Internet, but it does not lead to the fall of a liberal democracy?
Yes, the host and guest explore the possibility of a future where the Internet remains a tool for connection while safeguards and robust institutions keep deliberation and consent at the center of governance, though this requires deliberate design and policy choices.
Is Tech Dismantling Democracy?
Q: So how does that take shape? How does the fall take shape?
The discussion frames a gradual shift where political power and public deliberation are displaced by algorithmic and corporate control, with a fantasy of technocracy meeting real-world constraints; the fall involves data centers, AI governance, and a redefined public sphere that erodes traditional democratic practices.

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 What Next

What is What Next about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A fast-paced, analytically driven show that covers politics, economics, media, and policy with a focus on how current events shape public understanding and real-world outcomes. Across recent episodes, conversations frequently revolve around U.S. economic data, policy decisions, and the information environment, paired with sharp critiques of political messaging, media dynamics, and intra-party dynamics. Notable angles include how data is interpreted and politicized, the role of debate and platform culture in shaping opinions, and the ethical questions surrounding coverage of high-profile figures and policy issues. The format often pairs a host with seasoned guests to unpack complex topics in accessible, bite-sized segments for an audience of... more

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Which podcasts are similar to What Next?

These podcasts share a similar audience with What Next:

1. Today, Explained
2. The Daily
3. Radio Atlantic
4. Consider This from NPR
5. Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick | Law, justice, and the courts

How many episodes of What Next are there?

What Next launched 8 years ago and published 2507 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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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.

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What guests have appeared on What Next?

Recent guests on What Next include:

1. Greg Casar
2. Meghan Cliffel
3. Amanda Litman
4. Mehdi Hasan
5. Jill Lepore
6. Ian Prasad Philbrick
7. Caroline Light
8. Adam Mockler

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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