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The Explainer

The Journal
Yemen
Golden Globes
Houthis
Palestine
Northern Ireland
Irish Actors
Saudi Arabia
Stormont
Gardaí
Dublin
Ireland's Criminal Justice System
Climate Change
The Banshees Of Inisherin
Sinn Féin
Iran
Brexit
Immigration
UK Government
Community Response
Knife Attack

The Explainer is a weekly podcast from The Journal that takes a deeper look at one big news story you need to know about. What's the background? Why is this in the news? Get the facts behind the story from Ireland's biggest news website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes388Founded7 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
News

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Latest Episodes

Enoch Burke is, yet again, back in Mountjoy Prison, but this time, the legal stakes for him and his family have risen dramatically. After weeks of chaotic scenes in the Four Courts, a High Court judge has not only ordered the teacher’s return to pris... more

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy paid his first official visit to Ireland this week. As his plane was flying towards Dublin Airport late on Monday night, four unidentified military-style drones breached a no-fly zone and flew towards his fligh... more

Taxi drivers have held several demonstrations in Dublin city centre over recent weeks that have caused gridlock traffic in the capital. The target of their annoyance is a new fixed rate option that was recently introduced on the Uber app. How does th... more

After two weeks of fraught negotiations in Belem, Brazil, COP30 reached a fragile agreement that triples adaptation finance but fails to chart a course for the phasing out of fossil fuels. With the United States absent and the EU finding itself incre... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Diarmuid Torney
Associate Professor in the School of Law and Government at DCU, and Director of the University's Institute for Climate and Society
Dublin City University
Episode: What did the world actually agree to at COP30?
Dr. Brendan Ciarán Browne
Associate Professor in Conflict Resolution at Trinity College Dublin
Trinity College Dublin
Episode: After the ceasefire, what now for the people of Gaza?
Conor O'Carroll
Reporter for The Journal Investigates
The Journal
Episode: Is the government's childcare funding scheme falling apart?
Dr. Theresa Reidy
Political scientist in the Department of Government at UCC
University College Cork
Episode: Who gets to decide who can run for president?
Elaine Burke
Tech journalist and co-host of the For Tech's Sake podcast
For Tech's Sake podcast
Episode: Will ChatGPT's new parental controls actually work?
Aoife Barry
Sunday Times columnist and arts journalist
Episode: What is The Traitors' secret formula for turning a TV show into a global hit?
Alma McCarthy
Executive Dean of the College of Business, Public Policy and Law at University of Galway.
University of Galway
Episode: Why are bosses turning against remote work?
David Mac Redmond
Reporter for The Journal who has extensively covered the recognition of Palestine
The Journal
Episode: Will more countries recognising Palestine make a difference?
Dr. Emma Howard
Economist and lecturer at TU Dublin
TU Dublin
Episode: Is the EU-US tariff deal the best we could do?

Host

Lauren Bolan
Stand-in host, often featuring as a primary host when Laura Byrne is unavailable. Has a history of engaging with various news topics that require in-depth examination and analysis.

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 304 ratings
  • What is Shein and what is it doing to the clothing industry?

    Another interesting and thought provoking ‘Explainer ‘ episode. I enjoyed this wide ranging and engrossing discussion re Shein and the clothing industry.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Eclectas
    Irelanda year ago
  • Very valuable source of information

    I appreciate the regular nature of this podcast . Is very informative . Good journalism in that tradition of seeking to inform in a relatively unbiased way . Thank you

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    mariachristine20
    Ireland2 years ago
  • Worth a listen!

    Nice gem of a podcast, Bertie explainer was excellent.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Review200012
    Ireland3 years ago
  • Important journalism but just a little dull

    Really appreciate getting fact based information regarding issues, processes and systems in Ireland, without bias. However, some podcasts I find are like sitting in a board meeting rather than painting a picture to a lay person that really makes us understand it. More engaging scripts would really help when all this amazing research is being done. Thanks for your work

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    ruthboot
    Ireland3 years ago
  • RSV explainer

    Excellent explainer from a consultant Pediatrician about RSV

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    PeadarJosie
    United States3 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Listeners appreciate the informative and well-researched content, often highlighting it as a valuable resource for understanding current affairs in Ireland.
Some listeners suggest that while the journalism is important, the presentation could be improved to enhance engagement and relatability.
The podcast is praised for its engaging discussions that break down complex issues into understandable formats, making it accessible for a broader audience.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#194
Ireland/Top Podcasts
Apple Podcasts
#34
Ireland/News
Apple Podcasts
#46
Saudi Arabia/News

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Why did a year-old documentary take down the BBC's director general?
Q: What is the longer term fallout here? What does this crisis mean for the BBC?
This crisis could have significant implications for public service broadcasting in the UK and may lead to discussions about funding and governance of the BBC as its charter nears renewal.
Why did a year-old documentary take down the BBC's director general?
Q: So Dominic, what happens now, first of all, looking internally at the BBC, how does it begin to replace those hugely important roles that have been vacated?
The BBC board will be responsible for appointing replacements, but the timeline is unclear, and the process is expected to take many months due to the size of the organization.
Why did a year-old documentary take down the BBC's director general?
Q: How much of this is about politics versus a genuine editorial failure?
It's seen as both a genuine failure in editorial standards and a situation exacerbated by political pressures, especially given the involvement of a high-profile politician like Donald Trump.
Why did a year-old documentary take down the BBC's director general?
Q: How can an edit like this get through that editorial process?
The high standards of the BBC raise questions about how such a significant error was not caught, indicating possible systemic issues within the editorial hierarchy.
Why did a year-old documentary take down the BBC's director general?
Q: So you've talked about that documentary. Can you tell us a little bit more specifically about what it was about overall?
The documentary focused on the potential for a second Trump presidency, highlighting various aspects of his political career leading up to the January 6th events, but the controversial edit was not central to its narrative.

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 The Explainer

What is The Explainer about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A weekly podcast that takes an in-depth look at major current events, offering listeners a textured understanding of the most pressing news stories. Each episode focuses on pivotal news topics, ranging from climate agreements and political scandals to social issues and significant government decisions, providing context and expert insights. The show features discussions with knowledgeable guests from various sectors, such as academia, journalism, and politics, which helps to unpack complex issues and deliver nuanced perspectives. It stands out for its commitment to fact-based reporting and insightful analysis, making it a valuable resource for listeners seeking to stay informed about significant national and global developments.

Where can I find podcast stats for The Explainer?

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

How many listeners does The Explainer get?

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What are the audience demographics for The Explainer?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The Explainer, 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 The Explainer have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Explainer 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 The Explainer?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Explainer:

1. The Indo Daily
2. In The News
3. Inside Politics with Hugh Linehan
4. The Other Hand
5. Inside Business with Ciaran Hancock

How many episodes of The Explainer are there?

The Explainer launched 7 years ago and published 388 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 The Explainer?

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 The Explainer?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Explainer from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The Explainer?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Explainer. 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 The Explainer?

Recent guests on The Explainer include:

1. Diarmuid Torney
2. Dr. Brendan Ciarán Browne
3. Conor O'Carroll
4. Dr. Theresa Reidy
5. Elaine Burke
6. Aoife Barry
7. Alma McCarthy
8. David Mac Redmond

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.

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