I listen daily to The Intelligence and I must stop. Your analyst have no diversity in thought, perspective and life experience. The result is normalizing and providing cover to the outrageous state of world affairs.

Today they decided to become a propaganda outlet for the trump regime and I canceled my economist subscriptions in their entirety. He has never been brave, and you have been brainwashed. Shameful reporting.

Why do paying subscribers need to sit through long ads? Why are we paying this is ridiculous, I have not listened to the intelligence or weekend for 2 years because of this, came back and same BS ads for paying customers. Abuse us when it’s free not when we are giving you money!

I used to be a regular subscriber of the economist and read the publications in print regularly. I respected what I thought was a news platform that focused on facts and science based decision making. This podcast is nothing like that, it’s focused on attacking America and the decisions it makes almost every episode. facts be damned! The bias is clear and for someone that just wants a quick objective view of the world events daily, this is failing. Especially the episode where you called De Niro’s character from Taxi Driver an incel? What is even the point of that?

I listen to The Intelligence regularly and enjoy the reporting and factual journalism. What I do not enjoy is hearing political advertising especially pro Trump propaganda that is most definitely NOT factual.

Thank you for keeping me informed, entertained, and even occasionally delighted Today’s piece on the penny by Ann Wroe gave me the delight of hearing one of her incredibly well crafted stories of a life, without the remorse knowing that that particular person’s story has ended. What a lovely way to start a New Year.

I love Ann Wroe’s obituaries. They are so interesting and informative about the person who has passed.

Because I enjoy these reports, it deeply troubles when my pre-existing expertise exposes a journalistic gaffe. Dig deeper on this H1B issue.

Beautiful, haunting. Thank you.

Israel is far from perfect and its prosecution of the war with Hamas in Gaza is ham handed, but this podcast’s singular and repeated focus on only one side of the issue (nothing critical about Iran, Qatar, the Arab League, the UN, etc… finally forced me to unsubscribe.

Absolutely love this podcast. I’ve been listening for at least 4 years. Sometimes I wish they would freshen up the canned interview format and I am not a fan of Rosie Blau’s voice, but this is my go to for quick insights that are never reductionist nor sensational.

Thank you for the Losing Religion piece about the black church. It was very informative and thought-provoking. The Economist is the absolute best journalism out there.

I have enjoyed listening to The Intelligence for years, but the latest BetterHelp ad makes my jaw clench and shoulders stiffen. My face turns red as I take a deep breath in and let out a frustrated and annoyed scream. Please make that ad go away.

I rarely miss a day of The Intelligence and I frequently find myself quoting some tidbit or insight from the show to others throughout the day. I’m a big fan. But……. The background music — especially during the main news feature — is distracting and sometimes inappropriate. I understand a slight lead-in, but in today’s episode about counting the deaths in Gaza, the new-agey background music just kept going and going and was totally at odds with both the grim nature of the topic but also with the somewhat clinical recitation of numbers. Music is great to bridge gaps and make segues, but not to set a tone for a significant portion of the material.

Ann Rowe is exceptional. Her voice is captivating.

I love the first two stories every day. The third story is often a total waste of my time. I’ve become very tired of alcohol-based trips… nobody cares about your drinking habits, Jason. We want the world news!!!

Like the magazine (“newspaper”) some of the reporting is from correspondents who are excellent and super well informed. Other articles are seemingly about an ungrounded “insight” that’s spun into a trend without broader supporting evidence. Typically these are from the junior reporters who could do with a few more laps around the track.

This is one of my favorite morning listens. They provide insight and detail on just three stories each day, with a long exploration of a single subject on the weekend. The 10/29/24 episode is a great example of a detailed analysis of the state of things in Ukraine, a beautiful tribute to democracy and voting, and a delightful discussion of the UK citizenship test.

I started listening to “The Intelligence” years ago when Jason was the only host. I thought the podcast was great and loved Jadon’s voice. I didn’t care to share my listening time when the other hosts were on until I heard Rosie! I love listening to them both so now I’m happy all the time!

The podcast does have some good topics but it’s so much hate of all things right wing that they ruin the show with constant jabs and negativity. Anything Trump, Elon or anti-war gets their blood boiling

This podcast used to be my go-to news podcast, but lately it focuses almost entirely on stories that have to do with one of the following: 1) tactical military strategy, 2) shameless promotion of AI, 3) obituaries, or 4) advertisements for their other podcasts. They ignore many genuine news stories which don’t fall into one of these buckets.

Subscriber edition is still full of ads

Please stop with the zany wordplay in the episode titles. ‘Beirut Force’, etc. Where is the editor?

Always interesting topics, always very insightful and detailed while not getting too in the weeds - covers both “in the news” topics and little-known stories & studies.

Plainly uninformed journalism with a nice voice. A few words out of place really make a difference when reporting and change entire meanings. Unfortunate

I really enjoy the depth and consistent day-to-day quality of the podcast. The new weekend sessions are great. My one complaint is that Jason needs a better quality microphone. His audio quality differs greatly from the other host and most guests. Some days it just irritates me. Keep up the good work.

Most new stadium tax paying upgrades the road, parking lot, most to income spent to where spent. For local bar in area.

The latest episode featured an extremely biased and unsophisticated analysis of the rise of housing costs around the world and, in the case of Stockholm, squarely laid the blame on rent control policies for the housing crisis there. Their understanding of rent control is elementary, as they seemingly conflate (and then clarify that they are not conflating—but who cares at that point) rent ceilings and the yearly permitted increase of rent stabilization policies which are the only form of rent control observed today. Surprisingly, however, they contradict themselves, saying that there are cases where rent control can work, as long as it’s paired with a concerted push for plentiful supply, like in Vienna, their example of choice. However they are quick to dismiss the idea of learning any lessons from Vienna, because after all, it’s not because of rent control that housing is affordable there, it’s because they increased supply (which they just set as a precondition, but whatever) and because the population hasn’t grown since WW2 (well neither has the population of their comparative case study Manhattan, which has never recovered its previous peak set in 1950). Overall this headline story really does illustrate their blind adherence to propping up an industry which does not create any inherent value or drive much innovation. It shouldn’t be surprising, but it seemed like this podcast was different than the rest of the magazine, dealing in actual facts rather than Friedmanite truisms about rent control policies which haven’t been implemented since the 1940s.

Lots of strange silent gaps in podcast which destroy the flow.

Has strayed too far to the left; even moderate conservative viewpoints are presented as those of far right fascists. The hosts are stuck in their bubble. Had to stop listening as the show lacks impartiality.

I typically look to the economist for fair, unbiased, and agenda-free content. This podcast use to be excellent at that. However, the new cohost makes her political agenda clear, which means it likely influences the editorial selections. I now consider this just another partisan news source.

I don’t know if intended but this podcast often has more in common with the leaders in the magazine (editorials) than news. An example is their podcast on May 1 about Columbia and the issues on college campuses. It was a very long editorial disguised as news. The podcast should have accurately distinguished between news and editorial. They accepted as a given that universities must negotiate with people who break university rules en masse, break into buildings, etc vs enforce their rules. There was also no mention of the fact that the students protesting at Columbia forced a shut down of in person classes and had a number of reported alleged incidents (even away from breaking into building) involving anti semitism or vandalism. It appears these omissions were made because they would not fit the editorial narrative of the podcast. I also note that a number of the things the commentator stated as fact in terms of how universities have addressed freedom of speech in other situations are disputed by many. I suggest the writers of the podcast read the reports of FIRE on free speech at colleges and universities. I also suggest they read the letter President Eisgruber at Princeton wrote to the student paper (The Daily Princetonian) or review the Chicago Principles set forth by the University of Chicago as a model of how a college or university might approach speech and protests on campus consistently. To quote Chicago President Alivisatos, the school will act to protect “even expressions of viewpoints that some find deeply offensive” but draws a line at actions “that block the learning or expression of others … [or] disrupts the functioning or safety of the University.” Another issue the podcast ignored is that to many colleges and universities are allowing speech vs Jews that would simply not be tolerated with regard to many other groups (whether defined by race, religion or ethnicity). From this perspective the problems faced by colleges and universities are in part the price for not enforcing rules equally. I hope this podcast is not a harbinger of the breakdown in objective news reporting by the Economist.

This is one of the best podcast. Nothing else fills my drive to work than this podcast. Thank you for all your the hard work. Jason is awesome and his voice fills my day. I miss John. Please bring back John. Together John and Jason brought maturity to the podcast which was awesome. Ore needs training. Her immaturity is killing the show. Please train Ore more and then she can try again. But do not spoil it any further. I tried to continue listening hoping that her voice and interview skill will improve over time but I could not any more. If Jason is not there I just could not continue. When Ore starts the show I shut it down. No offense though. Jason is awesome and it is for him I am continuing. One of the primary reason for not subscribing to podcast+ is Ore. Thank you.

Economist switched to a subscriber model. Ok, quality content, here’s my money. Now, advertisements everywhere, despite listening to “subscriber edition” podcasts. Feeling very duped. This is ridiculous.

Tormented indeed! My ears are still buzzing from the god awful sound effects the economist decided to use underneath the vocal track. Normally, I enjoy all of the stories the daily podcast offers. Today, not so much.

I agree with some of the other reviews…it’s less about the news and content and more about her and her need to sound interesting and oh so cool. Sorry, also very annoying voice for podcasting.

Your massive underreporting of numbers in the Gaza Strip is mind-boggling. Do better. Your stats are pathetically low-balled.

Shame on you for the lack of reporting on the annihilation happening in Palestine. The utter lack of coverage- no critical examination of a brutal occupation that’s culminated in a cruel siege that’s beyond brutal. Where do you live? You don’t see the images in your news feeds? I am deeply, deeply disappointed in the unethical conduct of turning a blind eye to the war crimes in Palestine. How amazing that the aggressor can genocide a people who don”t even have a standing army, and persist in calling themselves victims in part because they know western journalists will be their mouthpiece even when said journalists are silent.

I would give this show 5 stars if it were hosted only by Jason Palmer. The female host Ogunbiyi doesn’t seem to realize she’s not the news and I am perplexed by her inserting herself into the topic whenever possible. Todays show with that “you are welcome”? Seriously. Get yourself a talk show, girl, to be yourself.

Are used to like the Economist podcasts. However, in recent years, there has been a slow and steady decline in quality. Now it seems everything is driven by quantity versus quality. Nine out of 10 podcasts, I stop about 2 minute into them and delete them straight away because the topics are narrowly researched, the interviewees are uninteresting (usually with bad audio) and the whole construction of the podcast is of poor quality. Unfollowed and deleted.

Great mix of news coverage and interesting cultural bits. Loving the new Ore + Jason host duo and, obviously, all those Economist puns (including in the episode titles!). Your show makes me a better conversationalist. Keep up the great work, team!!

Weekend Intelligence is a master class in journalism. Bravo.

I get the attempted move to a subscription-based model. I’m sure you had some well-paid consultants make the case to you. Unfortunately you are a few years too late. People are sick of new subscriptions, with ever increasing costs — especially for things they are happy to listen to for free with paid advertisements. The move that led me to move to post a negative review, however, was the bait-and-switch story in the Thanksgiving/Black Friday episode — in which you began to tell the story of china and the Dalia llama, only to then abruptly cut it short to push YET ANOTHER a half-off your subscription offer. At this point who is going to believe the full-value price of your subscription? And at this point what high-value listeners haven’t already decided to sign up. A bait-and-switch ad presented as a story isn’t the way to get me to sign up. It’s the way to get my to dig in my feels and refuse to sign up.

I’m really disappointed in you, Intelligence team. How could you run an entire story on bungee jumping without even a single mention of its origin as a rite of passage for the ni-Vanuatu on Pentecost Island? You actually refer to that white man as “inventing” the sport. Shame on you.

Ore is ok but she’s not very easy to listen to and doesn’t bring much to the table. I wish they would just stick with Jason only. He has the best voice and his personality is the best

Their coverage of Israel's attacks on Gaza has been utterly one-sided. They've provided no history or context relating to the siege, oppression, and apartheid that Israel has subjected Palestinians to in the rgeion to for decades. They offer nothing but full-throated support for a corrupt and powerful government commiting ethnic cleansing in the name of yet another "War on Terror".

It's become clear that on certain issues, but most egregiously with Israel's genocidal campaign against Palestinians in Gaza (sorry, " the war on Hamas"), this podcast's coverage is grossly one sided.There's no such thing as truly objective journalis, but the schlock they've been rolling out since the start of the confilct has been unbearably reductive and very pro-Israeli. The "expert" they interview in the most recent episode about Gaza sparking a culture war, spews some drivel about the conflict being reduced to simple terms of Good vs Evil by Gen Z kids virtue signaling on the internt. He essentially says that it's only possible to have sympathy for one-side, and that one can get more internet brownie points for backing the powerless vs the powerful (humorously underscoring himself the laughable notion of referring to the David vs the Goliath situation a war). Ironic, given that The "Intelligence" has in no way offered a balanced view of the ongoing violence, or it's historical roots and context. Palestine = Hamas, Hamas = Bad. Holocaust = happened, therefore anything Israel does = Justified. I'm digusted to the point of unsubscribing. Hoped I could come back to the pod eventually, but seeing this crap in my feed is too infuriating.

The few episodes I’ve heard have been poorly researched. With a lack of appreciation for how statistics work.

I've enjoyed listening to the show the past few years. Sad to see it go behind a paywall. Can't imagine the advertisers will much appreciate it, either...

Jason Palmer is the best. His silky smooth voice and wit are what I look forward to each episode. I had a hard time getting used to Fassman, and am really not enjoying Ore’s voice. I wish you would stick with only Jason.