Rephonic
Artwork for What Next

What Next | Daily News and Analysis

Slate Podcasts
Donald Trump
Iran
Artificial Intelligence
United States
Democratic Party
Openai
Strait Of Hormuz
Israel
Supreme Court
Retail
Elon Musk
Trump
Data Centers
Chatgpt
United States Politics
ICE
Republican Party
National Retail Federation
Google
Roblox

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

PublishesDailyEpisodes2543Founded8 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
News

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for What Next

Latest Episodes

Our current fascists are obsessed with the apocalypse—it drives everything they do, from stoking anti-immigration fervor around the world to wanting to colonize Mars. But why run from our beautiful planet when we can still fight?

Guest: Naomi Klein... more

Democrats are excited about the prospect of a blue wave, with their Senate candidates leading races in Texas and Georgia. But beyond the races, there’s a separate issue in those states—how your vote gets counted.

Guest:

Greg Bluestein, Chief Poli... more

Up against #Resistance superstar Alexander Vindman, Angie Nixon overcame a huge spending gap to win the Democratic primary to run for a US Senate seat in Florida. As she now runs in a state-wide election in ruby-red Florida, her message remains the s... more

While the What Next team recovers over the holiday, enjoy this episode from our friends over at Platypus Economics. Mary will be back to her usual feed tomorrow.

Americans feel almost exactly as gloomy today as they did in 1980 — when inflation was n... 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

Alex Gibney
Director of the film Musk; Oscar-winning documentarian
Jigsaw Productions / Aim for Space
Episode: The Making of Elon Musk
Pablo Torre
Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist, host of Pablo Torre Finds Out
Pablo Torre Finds Out (Slate)
Episode: What Pablo Torre Is Finding Out
Justin Pearson
State Representative, candidate for Congress (TN-9)
Episode: The GOP Killed His District. He’s Not Giving Up.
Sherry Turkle
MIT professor and author of Artificial Intimacy
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Episode: ChatGPT Doesn't Love You
Scott Singer
Co-director of the China AI Initiative at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Episode: Is the A.I. Race Real?
Oliver Darcy
Journalist who discusses the Trump White House press access controversy
The Daily Beast (conference mentions)
Episode: Off the Record: Draining the Press Pool
Bobby Pulido
Tejano singer and congressional candidate
Self/Campaign for Texas 15th district
Episode: Is a Tejano Star's Next Stop Congress?
Em Gessen
Pulitzer Prize-winning opinion columnist for the New York Times
New York Times
Episode: The Fascist Threat Brewing in…Kansas?
David Crowley
Wisconsin Governor (guest)
Wisconsin
Episode: The Data Center Will Not Hold

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 States2 months ago
  • What’s Next Vaccines

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

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Seeker of True Facts
    United States2 months 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 States2 months 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 States3 months ago
  • No

    Who is this for?

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    bjohns383
    United States3 months 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
#166
United States/News
Apple Podcasts
#89
Indonesia/News

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The Making of Elon Musk
Q: How do you balance admiration for Musk's achievements with critical scrutiny of his methods?
Gibney discusses acknowledging the genuine technological advances while exposing the costs and ethical questions, including fraud allegations, consent, and the impact of power on employees and the public, showing both the tech progress and the darker implications.
The Making of Elon Musk
Q: What did you want to reveal through the first-person style and the simulated interview?
Gibney explains that the simulated interview is a narrative device to immerse the viewer in Musk's mindset, blending actual quotes with a cinematic persona to probe how power is performed and perceived, while recognizing the limits of direct access to the subject.
What Pablo Torre Is Finding Out
Q: Why is sports a useful lens for examining money and power in American life?
Sports acts as a connective tissue to engage broad audiences and illuminate how money and governance affect everyday experiences, while also providing a tangible arena where rules and fairness can be explored in a high-stakes setting.
What Pablo Torre Is Finding Out
Q: What do you see as the real measure of accountability in this story, beyond criminal charges?
Accountability can take various forms, including fines and civil penalties, and the narrative suggests that public awareness and reputational consequences can be powerful catalysts for change, sometimes more influential than prison time.
What Pablo Torre Is Finding Out
Q: You started releasing your reporting about the Clippers. How did pushback shape your approach going forward?
Pablo explains that pushback was anticipated but did not deter the investigation; the reporting continued to unfold through a lengthy, multi-episode effort that leaned on extensive sourcing and documents, aiming to reveal the broader dynamics at play rather than just a single incident.

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

Where can I find podcast stats for What Next?

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

How many listeners does What Next get?

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

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for What Next, 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 What Next have?

To see how many followers or subscribers What Next 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 What Next?

These podcasts share a similar audience with What Next:

1. Today, Explained
2. Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick | Law, justice, and the courts
3. The Daily
4. Radio Atlantic
5. Pod Save America

How many episodes of What Next are there?

What Next launched 8 years ago and published 2543 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 What Next?

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 What Next?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for What Next 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 What Next?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of What Next. 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 What Next?

Recent guests on What Next include:

1. Alex Gibney
2. Pablo Torre
3. Justin Pearson
4. Sherry Turkle
5. Scott Singer
6. Oliver Darcy
7. Bobby Pulido
8. Em Gessen

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