Rephonic
Artwork for What Next: TBD

What Next: TBD | Tech, power, and the future

Slate Podcasts
Artificial Intelligence
Shein
Pedestrian Fatalities
Elon Musk
British Library
Initial Public Offering (IPO)
Clear
Suvs
Data Privacy
Domestic Violence
Cyber Attack
Filterworld
Electric Vehicles
Twitter
Openai
Free Speech
Litigation
Retail Industry
Sustainability
Fast Fashion

Every Friday and Sunday, Slate’s popular daily news podcast What Next brings you TBD, a clear-eyed look into the future. From fake news to fake meat, algorithms to augmented reality, Lizzie O’Leary is your guide to the tech industry and the world it’s creating for us to live in.

PublishesDailyEpisodes553Founded7 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Tech NewsNewsTechnology

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for What Next: TBD

Latest Episodes

During his first term, President Trump and Jeff Bezos openly sparred with each other. During this second administration, though, it seems like Bezos is trying to endear himself - and his companies - to the White House. So what changed?

Guest: Dana M... more

The National Institutes of Health is the primary engine of biomedical research around the world, which makes the Trump administration's dramatic cuts to its grant program both confusing and potentially incredibly harmful.

Guest: Katherine J. Wu, sta... more

With a Trump-friendly Supreme Court and a contentious relationship with the press, could Donald Trump follow through on his 2016 campaign goal of making it easier to sue media companies for libel—and imperil America’s free press?

Guest: David Enrich... more

The public’s anger towards Elon Musk and DOGE has found an outlet in the form of Musk’s car company Tesla. How long can the company put up with a sinking reputation and stock price?

Guest: Pranshu Verma, tech reporter for the Washington Post.

Want ... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
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

Dana Mattioli
Reporter for the Wall Street Journal and author of 'The Everything War, Amazon's ruthless quest to own the world and remake corporate power.'
Wall Street Journal
Episode: Bezos 2.0
Jace Flatt
Associate professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, studying aging and dementia in LGBTQ populations
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Episode: Trump's War on Scientific Research
Sarah Nowak
Vaccine researcher at the University of Vermont
University of Vermont
Episode: Trump's War on Scientific Research
David Enrich
Business Investigations Editor at The New York Times and author of a new book called Murder The Truth
The New York Times
Episode: How Trump Is Trying to Kill Press Freedom
Craig Silverman
Reporter covering technology for ProPublica
ProPublica
Episode: Zuckerberg and the Post-Factcheck Era
Dr. Jada Thompson
Associate professor at the University of Arkansas specializing in agricultural economics.
University of Arkansas
Episode: Cracking the Egg Crisis
Ryan Mac
Technology reporter for The New York Times
The New York Times
Episode: The DOGE Resistance
Chris Hayes
Host of All In with Chris Hayes on MSNBC and author of The Siren's Call
MSNBC
Episode: Can You Pay Attention, Please?
Zeyi Yang
Senior tech writer for Wired Magazine
Wired
Episode: The DeepSeek Panic

Host

Lizzie O'Leary
Host with expertise in discussing technology, politics, and societal implications, leveraging her background in journalism.

Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars from 341 ratings
  • Too much ads

    Sick

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    FuuuuuuckThisGame
    United Statesa year ago
  • I love this podcast, but …

    It’s played in What Next? also, so I decided to unsubscribe, so I wouldn’t have the same episode show up on my feed. Lizzie O’Leary is awesome. I used to enjoy hearing her in Marketplace. I’m happy to here her again

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    semipenguin
    United Statesa year ago
  • Shallow summaries of tech issues filled with ads

    There is a huge demand for deep dive podcasts into the hot topic tech issues like AI and the Metaverse etc. This podcasts taps exactly into that but fails miserably. After summarizing an issue, which basically takes the entire episode because of all the ads (funded by the same companies they critique i.e. Apple), they end each episode with a “ok so what does this all mean?” segment. Except this segment lasts 30 sec followed by more ads and then the podcast ends.

    So if you are looking for dee... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Samd199
    United Statesa year ago
  • OMG… now I realize why trump will get re-elected

    Generally enjoy the show, but just listened to

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    bluebill987
    United Statesa year ago
  • Ugh. Inarticulate guests

    Hard to take the content seriously when guests say “like” every third word and just generally speak like middle-schoolers or sorority chicks. Cannot tell you how often I’ve stopped listening less than halfway through an episode. It’s grating.

    It’s great if guests are knowledgeable, but they should also be screened for their public speaking ability. This is content is AUDITORY, not written. Just because somebody can write a good article does not mean they should be engaging in longer format ver... more

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Miz Luv
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

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

There are complaints about excessive advertisements interrupting the flow of episodes, which some listeners find disruptive.
Diverse opinions highlight both satisfaction with the program's critical angle on issues and frustration with perceived biases in coverage.
Feedback indicates a need for more in-depth explorations rather than surface-level summaries, particularly in technology discussions.
The host is often praised for her engaging interviewing style, making complex topics more accessible to the audience.
Listeners appreciate the insightful and nuanced discussions, often finding the content thought-provoking and informative.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#151
Canada/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#116
Philippines/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#117
China/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#215
Ireland/Technology

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Trump's War on Scientific Research
Q: Can private funding make up for the hole left by government funding cuts?
At scale, no. Public funding remains essential for significant scientific research, as private funding often comes with strings attached that can skew research priorities.
Trump's War on Scientific Research
Q: Is it common for grants at NIH to come under review or possibly be canceled when a presidential administration changes hands?
While priorities may shift with a new administration, it is extremely unusual for the NIH to retroactively cancel grants based on past approvals; the current situation is unprecedented.
Trump's War on Scientific Research
Q: What do you think is the simplest and best way to describe what the NIH exists to do?
The NIH is the primary engine behind biomedical research in the world, funding crucial public health research including drug discovery and outbreak containment.
Bezos 2.0
Q: How much of Jeff Bezos' shift to supporting Donald Trump is about business and how much is it personal?
The relationship is complex, with potential motivations stemming from personal rivalry and business interests due to regulatory concerns from the Biden administration.
$Trump
Q: What is the crypto endgame here for Trump?
The most cynical reading suggests Trump is courting campaign donations while aligning with some ideological strands of the crypto world that resonate with his supporters.

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: TBD

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

Episodes regularly explore the intersections of technology, politics, and culture, focusing on current events and their broader implications. Topics range from surveillance technology and mental health to the controversies surrounding social media platforms and the influence of tech moguls in politics. The content often highlights significant societal issues and individual stories that illustrate the impact of technology on everyday life, often inviting expert commentary and firsthand accounts from journalists and industry insiders. Unique to this series, the discussions are framed within the context of pressing contemporary issues, providing listeners with insights on how these developments shape the future.

Listeners can expect both inf... more

Where can I find podcast stats for What Next: TBD?

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

How many listeners does What Next: TBD get?

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

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

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

These podcasts share a similar audience with What Next: TBD:

1. Slate Money
2. What Next | Daily News and Analysis
3. Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick | Law, justice, and the courts
4. Political Gabfest
5. Slate Technology

How many episodes of What Next: TBD are there?

What Next: TBD launched 7 years ago and published 553 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: TBD?

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: TBD?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for What Next: TBD 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: TBD?

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

Recent guests on What Next: TBD include:

1. Dana Mattioli
2. Jace Flatt
3. Sarah Nowak
4. David Enrich
5. Craig Silverman
6. Dr. Jada Thompson
7. Ryan Mac
8. Chris Hayes

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