Best Semafor Podcasts (2025)

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Why YouTube’s favorite doctor won’t stop talking about politics 44:55

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4d ago44:55

44:55

Doctor Mike is a leading medical voice in digital media, with over 14 million subscribers on YouTube. This week, Ben and Max talk to YouTube’s favorite doctor about the role of medical experts online, why he thinks legacy media has failed to communicate medical information, and why he’s not afraid to be overtly political by calling out RFK Jr. and …

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Inside the NYT - and Everywhere Else - with Semafor's Max Tani 52:09

6d ago52:09

52:09

You’re probably a normal person, so you didn’t spend your holiday weekend talking to people at the New York Times about a local politics story that some people didn’t like. But that’s Max Tani’s job: He’s Semafor’s media reporter, which means he’s supposed to burrow into the paper of record — as well as other important media institutions — and tell…

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A CONVERSATION WITH SEMAFOR'S REED ALBERGOTTI ABOUT THE LEGACY OF CYCLING'S DOPING ERA 37:30

17d ago37:30

37:30

“Go F— Yourself.” That’s the last thing Lance Armstrong ever said to investigative journalist and author Reed Albergotti. Albergotti, a longtime investigative reporter, spent several years uncovering the vast doping conspiracy in professional cycling. Wheelmen is one of the best books about cycling – and sport – ever written. It’s not just about cy…

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Dahlia Lithwick on The Godawful SCOTUS Term 48:54

3d ago48:54

48:54

Another devastating term of Trump's Supreme Court has come to a close. There's a lot to be angry about, so we're joined by Dahlia Lithwick, our authority on all things SCOTUS and host of Slate’s podcast, Amicus. Dahlia explains how this Supreme Court is using the "shadow docket" to advance bad policy without full briefings or arguments and how the …

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The return of the nuclear threat, with Admiral James Stavridis 27:30

3d ago27:30

27:30

The world is heading toward a new nuclear arms race—one that’s more chaotic and dangerous than the last. The Cold War built rules of deterrence for a world of dueling superpowers and static arsenals. But in a fragmented, GZERO world of fast-moving technology and unpredictable leadership, the safeguards are fraying. On the GZERO World Podcast, Admir…

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The new Sputnik moment 34:06

5d ago34:06

34:06

Over the last decade, the world of space exploration and innovation has exploded. On this episode of Next Giant Leap, season 2 hosts Mike Greenley, CEO of MDA Space, and Mike Massimino, Columbia Engineering professor and former NASA astronaut, take a look at the new space race with former Congresswoman Jane Harman and China expert Dean Cheng. They …

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Season 2 of Next Giant Leap is coming! 1:50

6d ago1:50

1:50

Welcome back to Next Giant Leap! This new podcast series is brought to you by GZERO Media and the Canadian space company MDA Space. Hosted by MDA Space CEO Mike Greenley and former NASA astronaut Mike Massimino, this 4-part series explores how business and innovation are transforming space—and life on Earth. With fascinating conversations on everyt…

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Marc Elias on Trump’s Authoritarian Second Term 46:24

10d ago46:24

46:24

One of Donald Trump's priorities when he returned to the White House was to target law firms that he felt had wronged him. While some immediately caved to his demands, others fought back... and won. We're joined by Marc Elias, preeminent election lawyer and founder of Democracy Docket, to discuss Trump using his second term to settle personal score…

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ORLA CHENNAOUI ON CYCLING, JOURNALISM, and the CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE 37:52

11d ago37:52

37:52

Orla Chennaoui didn’t just rise through the ranks of sports media — she cut her own path. From reading traffic reports and covering sports for Sky News to anchoring coverage of cycling’s biggest races, she’s now the voice of cycling on TNT Sports and a defining presence in the sport. While TNT Sports airs in the UK and Ireland, cycling fans in the …

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OUR MAN IN PARIS 36:06

12d ago36:06

36:06

The New York Times shuttered its sports section in 2023 and it had stopped covering professional cycling and the Tour de France years earlier. That did not mean the Times would stop covering sports. In 2022, it had purchased The Athletic for $550 million. Now, if you subscribe to the Times, you can read The Athletic. Cycling fans are lucky to have …

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What's next for Iran, with the New York Times' Thomas L. Friedman 25:35

12d ago25:35

25:35

Ian Bremmer sits down with New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman to dissect what may go down as the most consequential month in the Middle East in years. Just weeks after Israel launched a war against Iran—and after President Trump authorized US airstrikes—an uneasy ceasefire is in place. But what was actually achieved? Iran, the clear loser of …

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The secret to Zohran Mamdani’s winning media strategy is simpler than you think 47:17

12d ago47:17

47:17

Zohran Mamdani, until recently a little-known lawmaker, surprised New Yorkers by winning the Democratic primary for mayor last week. He broke out through vertical video on social media in ways that few political candidates have been able to pull off. This week, Ben and Max talk to the candidate’s media team, Rebecca Katz, founder of the political a…

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From sky to soil: turning satellite data into carbon-rich farmland | Aadith Moorthy, CEO of Boomitra 42:18

13d ago42:18

42:18

In this episode of Climate Positive, host Hilary Langer speaks with Aadith Moorthy, founder and CEO of Boomitra, a global soil carbon marketplace that pays farmers for adopting regenerative agriculture. Boomitra’s AI-powered platform uses satellite data to measure and verify carbon sequestration, turning healthier soil into long-term income for far…

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Black Mirror's Charlie Brooker on the problem with tech - and people 45:47

13d ago45:47

45:47

"Black Mirror" creator Charlie Brooker knows that everyone thinks his show is about tech-fueled dystopias. But he says it's really about humans, not their tools. I loved this chat back when we recorded it in 2023, when Brooker was promoting the sixth season of his Netflix show. Now there's a new season - and Brooker's vision of the world is as rele…

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Why life sciences are critical to national security 30:33

15d ago30:33

30:33

What if the next virus isn’t natural, but deliberately engineered and used as a weapon? As geopolitical tensions rise and biological threats become more complex, health security and life sciences are emerging as critical pillars of national defense. In the special edition episode from our new series, “The Ripple Effect: Investing in Life Sciences”,…

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CNN’s Kasie Hunt on Her Career & Trump II 50:48

17d ago50:48

50:48

We are joined by CNN Anchor and Chief National Affairs Analyst Kasie Hunt for her first time on the podcast! It's a very fun conversation covering her work and what inspired her to follow her passion for journalism. She discusses the early days of her career covering Obama, Congress, and the passage of the Affordable Care Act. We also talk about ho…

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Where middle class growth and small business meet 27:31

18d ago27:31

27:31

Small businesses are more than just corner shops and local services. They’re a driving force of economic growth, making up 90% of all businesses globally. As the global middle class rapidly expands, new opportunities are emerging for entrepreneurs to launch and grow small businesses. In this special edition podcast episode, the first of GZERO's “Lo…

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Steve Inskeep on NPR cuts, Iran, and radio’s place in the podcast era 43:22

18d ago43:22

43:22

Steve Inskeep has one of the most recognizable names and voices in the country, greeting millions of Americans every morning since the 2000s. This week, Ben and Max bring on the Morning Edition host to talk about NPR’s battle with the Trump administration, the role of public radio in an overcrowded media landscape, and why local journalism matters …

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How to become a Substack Star with Emily Sundberg 51:07

20d ago51:07

51:07

What's the best way to describe what Emily Sundberg does? Substacker? Influencer? Journalist? Brand-builder? Let's go with "yes". And she does a much better job of describing herself in our conversation, where we talk about how she went from being a laid-off marketer at Meta to a one-woman business with a devoted following and a revenue line that’s…

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Molly Jong-Fast on her Bestselling Memoir! 47:15

24d ago47:15

47:15

We are joined by Molly Jong-Fast this week to discuss her new book, “How to Lose Your Mother: A Daughter's Memoir.” We've had Molly on the podcast many times, but you've never heard her like this! She discusses growing up in the shadow of her mother, feminist icon Erica Jong, and their relationship over the years. Molly shares stories of her mother…

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Is journalism bad for The New York Times’ business? with CEO Meredith Kopit Levien 43:53

25d ago43:53

43:53

The New York Times has weathered incredible changes in the media industry throughout its 174 years – and it’s managed to stay on top through the recent shift to digital, topping podcast charts and becoming a daily app for games and cooking. This week, live from the Cannes Lions festival, Ben and Max are joined by CEO Meredith Kopit Levien to talk a…

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Why did Apple ice out the most famous Apple blogger? 1:08:48

27d ago1:08:48

1:08:48

If you want smart, nuanced insight into Apple’s products and would-be products, you turn to John Gruber, who’s been blogging about this stuff for more than two decades at his Daring Fireball site. So in March, when Gruber announced that Something is Rotten in the State of Cupertino — focusing on Apple’s botched plans to imbue its ailing Siri servic…

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Heather McGhee on Trump’s Wars on DEI and Immigration 47:59

1M ago47:59

47:59

The Trump administration is waging war on DEI. But what does that mean? We ask one of our favorite guests, Heather McGhee, to break down how and why DEI has become such a focus for Trump and his allies. Heather wrote the groundbreaking book “The Sum of Us” and is an expert in economic and social policy. She explains that diversity is the backbone o…

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Trump's showdown with the courts with Yale Law School's Emily Bazelon 29:08

1M ago29:08

29:08

President Trump has never been shy about his revolutionary ambitions. In his second term, he’s moved aggressively to consolidate power within the executive branch—signing more than 150 executive orders in just over 150 days, sidelining Congress, and pressuring the institutions that were designed to check his authority. His supporters call it common…

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Professional optimist Cleo Abram on tech’s bright future 45:24

1M ago45:24

45:24

Cleo Abram left Vox and started her YouTube show, Huge If True, 3 years ago. Since then, the channel has grown to nearly 6 million subscribers and she’s become one of the most important tech journalists in the world. This week, Ben and Max talk to Cleo about why she started an optimistic show in an age of pessimism, the time she got space-sick in z…

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On the hunt for media optimism, with Semafor’s Ben Smith and The Rebooting’s Brian Morrissey 30:22

1M ago30:22

30:22

Here’s one where we try to do two things at once: Have a convo about green shoots in media with two smart guys who know media really well — Semafor’s Ben Smith and The Rebooting’s Brian Morrissey. Try to find new audiences for our respective podcasts, by cutting up that conversation into 3 parts, and distributing those parts to our respective feeds…

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The Great Rebundling — With Peter Kafka and Brian Morrissey 27:51

1M ago27:51

27:51

The media industry has spent the last decade talking about its own decline — but where is it actually headed? This week on Mixed Signals, Ben kicks off a special three-part crossover with Peter Kafka of Channels and Brian Morrissey of The Rebooting. In part one of the conversation, the three discuss the future of media bundles, why everyone seems t…

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Where Trump-Musk bromance goes from here, with Semafor’s Ben Smith 19:43

1M ago19:43

19:43

It was an extraordinary public fight between two billionaires—President Donald Trump, the world’s most powerful man, and Elon Musk, the world’s richest. On a special bonus episode of the GZERO World Podcast, Ian Bremmer sits down with Semafor co-founder and editor-in-chief Ben Smith to talk about Trump and Musk’s messy breakup, what led to the expl…

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Scott Frank on Netflix, the future of Hollywood, and Dept. Q 47:42

1M ago47:42

47:42

Scott Frank used to write great movies, like “Out of Sight.” Now he’s a Netflix guy, and a super successful one: he made “Godless,” a horses-and-everything Western for the streamer, then had a pandemic-era phenomenon with “The Queen’s Gambit.” Now he’s back with “Dept. Q”, his take on the British mystery genre. You can find that one on Netflix’s to…

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YouTube Sensation David Pakman on The Big, Beautiful Bill and More! 40:06

1M ago40:06

40:06

First time guest David Pakman joins us for this week's show! David is a political commentator and hosts one of the most watched independent progressive programs in the country. With over 3 million YouTube subscribers, David spreads truth and commentary on the devastating impact Donald Trump is having on our country. Al and David kick around news ou…