I really appreciate this show.
However I cringe every time the hijacked word “woke” is used without any criticality at all. The way that word is over used to refer to dangerous progressive thought and elitism comes from the virulently fixation on Black people, Black culture, and Black vernacular by strategically motivated racist right wing characters. Drawing from cultures of the global majority looking for “dark boogie men” in flesh and in language the simplify and chant with is an old racist and fascist move.
When asked what they think that word means and why it makes them so angry, most right wing people cannot answer with a clear definition. Apparently they weren’t listening to Neo-Soul music classics in the 90’s. They just “hate” it and anyone they think “are” it. I would expect Doug and his guests to be aware of that, provide context, and not join in using falsely politicized words that way.
There could have a guest who is of the culture scholar of Black Studies and Colonial Studies break it down. It’s already right there.
Love the show but why are you wasting time with Ahmari? He didn’t answer questions about policy or immigration despite your trying to hold him accountable. There’s no there there.
Two thoughtful segments per week on two important topics in the news with two well-informed guests. You’ll get new information and perspectives even if it’s an issue you’re following, but Doug is good about giving background and avoiding jargon, so you don’t have to be a PhD to follow. He’s got the sort of insights you can only get from decades of being willing to listen to other peoples’ points of views. But he most definitely had his own, left point of view. Also excellent, wide-ranging taste in music for the breaks after each of the two segments. Doug, I’m really grateful for your podcast.
I’ve enjoyed this podcast for years, including the music breaks. Doug (or anyone else), Is there a list of the music that has been featured on the show?
There is rarely an episode that isn’t engaging and enlightening. My only small request is for Doug to occasionally pause the academic and think tank guests and interview some real time organizers… more folks making change in the world, not just interpreting it.
Doug doesn’t shy away from socialist critiques and offers a real sense of empathy when the news of the day is maddening or inexplicably cruel. Calling out capitalism for it’s flaws without lecturing is an impossible skill and Doug delivers every week. The conversations are always honest and insightful, you can tell the host and guests are actually thinking through things, not just running off of a script or god-forbid, talking points.
Learn some humility please! Mr. Henwood has all of the breaks of a white boomer male and never fails to execute arrogance and superiority over women’s voices.
Doug Henwood has a wide breadth of interests and an openness to understanding issues from a distinctly left perspective, even where the interviewee is not “of the left.” I always learn so much from this show and walk away thinking about the conversations for weeks.
The best global politics podcast. Thoughtful and reasonable without being boring. Pleasant and conversational without the banter. Good takes and lots of things I didn’t know about. I have defected from AufheBunga Bunga, which used to be very sharp, but now is now mostly bad takes and stupid banter.
Would be 5 stars but the mastering is so bad it’s basically unlistenable through a car stereo while driving. Compare e.g. to RadioLab. Yes they have a huge budget but surely you can mess with your EQ or compressor or something.
Henwood is a superb interviewer (he lets his guests talk!) with exquisite taste. Can’t tell you how many times I read the show description and said “I dunno, seems kind of dry” and then started the show and was totally sucked in. Also can’t tell you how many people who eventually became big names who were on this show well before the rest of the world knew about them. Good music breaks too.
Fast paced, information dense interviews, fascinating and OBP (off the beaten path) guests, a level of rigor that is hard to find, an almost magical ability to entertain, educate, alarm, and reassure, with good humor, humility, an instantly familiar voice, and some good music from the decades that were, some by groups you may not have even heard of before. I don’t know how to sum it up (I tried) check it out for yourself.
Henwood, unlike much of left media and podcasting, is a skilled interviewer and radio host. His brilliant questions elicit informative responses from a range of interesting subjects, and especially academics, who are often hard to interview. I always learn something new from these punchy 30 min interviews and there’s a great variety on Henwood’s show. Plus his music choices are superb too.
An OG left-wing podcaster who has clearly set the tone for a lot of other podcasts and continues to be ahead of the curve. People he interviews end up on other shows years later. A rare host who does lots of background work and makes sophisticated points, but steps on his interviewees a lot less than others. Great music too. You will like this if you like: Rachel Maddow, Joe Rogan.
I have listened to Doug Henwood’s Behind the News for years. I’ve tried many newer podcasts on and off, but I always come back to Doug’s because it shows a level of professionalism, thoughtfulness, scholarship, and charm lacking in every other podcast I’ve tried. Doug is an outstanding interviewer, never trying to speak for his guests: he reads their books and asks intelligent, polite questions, allowing them to speak for themselves and taking the time to edit. He keeps the interviews fairly short, allowing him to cover two books or topics in an hour. It’s true that every once in a long while I want to listen to Greg Grandin talk for two hours about the frontier in American history (something you can find on the Dig), but most of the time a half hour that goes to the point is perfect. Doug covers a huge range of topics and does an outstanding job interviewing women, queer, and black scholars, something that tends to be a seriously alienating problem for the straight white bros who clog the left podcast world. He includes a lot of international material, very knowledgeably, that doesn’t make the front page. And I love the music selections, even the crappy punk rock. An education. Five stars.
I was reluctant to start listening to another interview podcast. But if you care about the things Mr Henwood is discussing, it’s always a worthwhile listen.
He’s a very good interviewer!
Occasionally it’s something I have a hard time caring about (can’t care about everything!) in that case I skip it but it’s rare.
Best political economy podcast, rich in intelligence and unlimited ine breadth. My complaint: Missing episodes, and nothing I can do about it. They are irretrievable.
Doug Henwood asks the right people the right questions, and he gets answers that are both interesting and useful. if you're nauseated by the shallow and sycophantic pundits of our major-media Pravdas and Izvestias, these podcast episodes are a godsend.
I REALLY like this podcast. Interesting guests, intelligent conversations...but if I want to know who is on the show and the topic I am out of luck. If I want to listen a second time it’s impossible to find the episode I want. Please fix this.
One of my must-listen podcasts each week. An hour of intelligent interviews and analysis of subjects in the news.
UNFORTUNATELY: the RSS for this podcast doesn't seem to be updating correctly, so two episodes have been missed from the regular release schedule. This review was submitted Friday 22 June 2018.
This program lives up to its name. Doug Henwood looks for the real elements hidden behind mainstream coverage and finds knowlegeable people who can offer insights in world events and ideas.
For those looking for the topics of each episode (it’s a bummer that the episodes don’t have titles here): there is an archive of episodes online (just search Behind the News). Henwood interviews the smartest leftist writers, scholars and organizers around and asks well-informed, devil’s-advocate questions that get them to elucidate their positions clearly. Excellent, knowledgeable interviewer.
Doug Henwood is witty and gets great interviews. The latest episode, on the Nazi borrowings of US Jim Crow race law and an epic segment the criminalization of labor power, was one of the best podcasts I've listened to in a while. Behind the News also has the best music, though Street Fight Radio gives it a run for its money there
I only wish episodes were more frequent, because this is one of my essential sanity checks. Henwood approaches his subjects with intelligence and heart.
I had read about this podcast from a couple different places online, so I decided to download it tonight. I am listening to a recent episode now, and it is fantastic. Very accessible and easy to listen to. The interviews are great, talking about real issues affecting working people. I like it, it’s what the news should be.
If you’re looking for an engaging podcast with in-depth interviews on politics and economics from a left perspective, this podcast is one of the very best. Doug is a great interviewer, and his show is full of very informative guests.
Doug's shows are always insightful and engaging. He cut's through the propaganda and spin to help the audience makes sense of the current events, from a left perspective. To keep it simple he tells the truth.
This is an excellent podcast with interesting interviews on politics, finance, and culture. Doug Henwood's other hat is as co-editor of the Liscio Report, a closely followed economics newsletter.
