In the world of non-fiction podcasts, shows based on current affairs and world politics take the cake. And while many shows fail to succinctly explain what are naturally, serious issues, some podcasts manage to cut through all the noise and offer a glib-free analysis of what’s happening across the globe today. Here are our top four picks:
The World
“Each weekday, host Marco Werman and his team of producers bring you the world’s most interesting stories in an hour of radio that reminds us just how small our planet really is,” reads the bio on PRI’s brilliant news podcast, The World. A show that’s as much about global terrorism, climate change and immigration issues as it is about hero sheepdogs, bike sharing and Hollywood’s remake obsession, The World is your daily dose of world affairs that tries to go beyond the newspaper headlines to bring you an incisive and humane exploration of news.
Rough Translation
Ever feel like you’re stuck in a political and ideological echo chamber? NPR’s Rough Translation is your answer. This brand new podcast (two episodes are out) takes listeners on a journey across the world, exploring how the ideas we discuss in our everyday lives (race, love, fake news, gender identities) are being discussed or experienced in different parts of the world. “Familiar conversations in unfamiliar stories,” as the showmakers like to put it. Episode one looks in on Brazil’s national mandate to give more jobs to black people, which has led to the judicial system looking at people to decide if their skin is dark enough to qualify. Episode two explores how fake news from Russia helped start a real war in Ukraine. The stories are as informative and eye-opening as they are gripping and thorough.
The Good Fight
Looking to brighten your day with some good news? The Good Fight, hosted by American political campaigner Ben Wikler, is where all the action’s at. Bringing listeners real-life David vs Goliath battles that have changed the world for a better place, The Good Fight is one of the more refreshing and motivating international podcasts out there. From the #BlackLivesMatter movement to groups working towards saving ocean reefs across the world, The Good Fight celebrates the people who are transforming the world, and tells you how you can get involved, too.
The Foreign Desk
A current affairs programme produced by online radio station Monocle 24, The Foreign Desk takes a fairly simple but refreshing take on news shows. Instead of bringing in commentators from opposite ideological standpoints and having them try to drown each other’s voices in a barrage of polarising comments, the show brings in a handful of experts and asks them to calmly share their thoughts on the hot topic of the day. For insightful analysis minus the outrage, plug into The Foreign Desk.
