The Explanation Podcast
Where the world is explained. Making sense of the big stories - looking behind the spin.
Where the world is explained. Making sense of the big stories - looking behind the spin. Exploring the important questions about long-running stories and the latest global news. An honest, unvarnished, explanation of the world.
Featuring new episodes of The President's Path, Unspun World with John Simpson, and The Media Show.
Episodes to download
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The President's Path: Is Canada's EU relationship a threat to Trump?
Friday
As trade tensions with the US continue, Ottawa seeks a "unique alliance" with the EU
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Unspun World: Yemen hostilities escalate
Friday
John Simpson analyses the impact of the latest outbreak of hostilities in Yemen
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The Media Show: Is the right of reply under threat?
Last Thursday
How social media is reshaping the right of reply in journalism.
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The President's Path: How 9/11 changed America and the world
Fri 11 Sep 2026
As America marks 25 years since 9/11, we discuss its lasting legacy
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The Media Show: A television experiment that lasted 60 years
Thu 10 Sep 2026
After more than 60 years, the groundbreaking Up documentary series comes to an end
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The President's Path: Trump's second term: How America and the world sees him
Fri 4 Sep 2026
With the midterms just two months away, we answer your questions on Trump’s second term
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The Media Show: Meet the 'meat proxies'
Thu 3 Sep 2026
The humans who’ve become mouthpieces for text written by AI
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Heated rivalry: US v Canada
Fri 28 Aug 2026
The US-Canada trade war deepens with tit-for-tat tariffs between the historic allies
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The Media Show: Is YouTube the new TV?
Thu 27 Aug 2026
A special from Edinburgh, where TV’s biggest players debate the future of the industry.
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The President's Path: Trump redefines America’s friends and foes
Fri 21 Aug 2026
President Trump is reshaping America's relationships with allies and adversaries
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The Media Show: The death of Jason Arday
Thu 20 Aug 2026
Questions over press scrutiny of Jason Arday following the academic’s death
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The President's Path: Trump and the AI data centre debate
Fri 14 Aug 2026
Artificial intelligence data centres take centre stage in the US political debate
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The Media Show: James May's YouTube move
Thu 13 Aug 2026
James May on building a YouTube audience after television success
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The President's Path: Is Trump the AI president?
Fri 7 Aug 2026
Can the US find the balance between AI innovation and regulation?
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The Media Show: Alternative Hollywood
Thu 6 Aug 2026
How faith-based studios are finding success outside the film industry's mainstream
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The President's Path: Does Zelensky have the upper hand in the Ukraine war?
Fri 31 Jul 2026
Are relations between Trump and Zelensky warming?
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The Media Show: Interviewing Elon Musk
Thu 30 Jul 2026
The Economist's editor-in-chief on the interview that sparked Musk's "traitor" attack.
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The President's Path: The US-Saudi nuclear deal
Fri 24 Jul 2026
What do we know about the US-Saudi Arabia nuclear deal?
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The Media Show: Can an AI actor win over Hollywood?
Thu 23 Jul 2026
The creator of AI star Tilly Norwood explains why she's casting her in a feature film
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The President's Path: Trump accuses China of US election 'meddling'
Fri 17 Jul 2026
Donald Trump accuses China of interfering in the 2020 US election
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The Media Show: Trump's New York Times subpoenas
Thu 16 Jul 2026
The media implications of subpoenas over reporting on President Trump's new Air Force One
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The President's Path: US-Iran conflict reignites
Fri 10 Jul 2026
The US and Iran are once again trading strikes
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The Media Show: Farage's fight with the Media
Thu 9 Jul 2026
Nigel Farage accuses the media of targeting him amid scrutiny of his financial interests
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The President's Path: America at 250
Fri 3 Jul 2026
How does the US of today measure up to what the country’s founders had envisioned?
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The Media Show: The Murray brothers' media game
Thu 2 Jul 2026
Jamie Murray on launching a YouTube tennis channel with his brother Andy
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The President's Path: Has Trump taken over America’s big birthday?
Fri 26 Jun 2026
The US marks its 250th birthday - but who's throwing the party?
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Unspun World: Has Britain become ungovernable?
Fri 26 Jun 2026
John Simpson examines the factors behind the resignation of Britain’s prime minister
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The Media Show: How Shop workers became content
Thu 25 Jun 2026
Retail staff report a rise in filming by customers for social media videos.
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The President's Path: What did America actually win in the Iran deal?
Fri 19 Jun 2026
Trump signs a US-Iran deal at Versailles. But what has America actually won?
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Unspun World: Winners and losers of the US-Iran agreement
Fri 19 Jun 2026
John Simpson examines the new deal aimed at ending the war between the US and Iran
