The World in Brief from The Economist

910

News #234, Daily News #34

The World in Brief tells you what’s on the global agenda in the coming day, what to look out for in business, finance and politics and, most importantly, what to make of it.
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Recent Reviews

Sarita7981

Syllables cut off

I enjoy this podcast: Just what I like—short news clips and non partisan. However when they stitch the episode segments together the first syllable of each news item gets cut off, sometimes omitting crucial info. Please fix the audio to make this podcast one better sound file that doesn’t skip sounds.
Julie6498

So monotone, it must be AI generated

Only listened to a single episode . There is zero expression which makes it very difficult to absorb any of the information. My only explanation that is that it must be a script that is read by AI. and if that’s not the case, they need to find somebody else to speak somebody who is authentic and imperfect.
u4toieyhrkth

Terrible narration

Like listening to AI reading a novel. No presenter skills. Nor humans? Was very interested in a world news roundup but I just can’t listen to this.
42az42

iOS 17 only :-/

Can’t access content because I have pre iOS 17 iPhone- even as a subscriber. Paying for something I can't use. Disappointed with this change.
Tcpfrank

Mike’s right. Sequence this feed so we know which is the latest.

Like the information but can be very repetitive.
Mike in Potomac

This stream is overloaded!

I understand that The News In Brief is published “three times daily,” and the stories cycle through each day, but there are “subscription edition” episodes and “for subscribers only” episodes in my Apple Podcasts feed. Their timestamps are similar, and the phrases in the headlines don’t indicate which is more recent. I have other subscriptions that don’t do this. How about a sequence number, or a date with an A/B/C indicator?
JFouch

Audio

The voice on this podcast makes it difficult to listen to.
AddictedToPodcastsAnyone?

AI Bot Voice

I wish I could listen to this. But the voices sound like AI bots to me. It distracts me from hearing any of the content.
oneilld95

Subscriber Edition vs. Subscribers Only??

What’s the difference between these two? Why is there so much overlap in the stories between the two versions??
Hi tech ET

Can we please have a real human speak on this podcast?

I find the what seem to be the computer generated narration to be very irritating. The sound bit used between stories is tiresome in its repetition. Also, many stories are repeated in the podcasts. Do the story once and don’t repeat it in subsequent podcasts please!
msnh08

Why?

Why does The Economist have this podcast? I really don’t understand. If somehow the “presenter” isn’t a bot they’re experimenting with, who could their audience be? This podcast is abysmal.
Linzany

Bring back human narrators

The AI/text to speech bot is obvious and grating. Uncanny valley. I can’t continue listening.
MikeNY71

Replace the host

Used to be a favorite but new host seems to have trouble reporting the news
Yewh Rang

Sunday Host

Speaks distinctly with a nice flowing cadence. Best ever.
BibliophileG

No AI Host

Please don’t use AI for host. Thank you
Saffysen

The Readers voice

This is incredibly off putting the female is trying so hard to enunciate each word ( with great difficulty) that it’s hard to listen to my favorite news briefs! She can often not pronounce simple words like Deutsche Bank calling it Deutchy … Bank there have been so many of these, that I’ve lost count. Please stop honestly your listeners do not represent the demographic you might be trying to reach!
mknyccc

Speaker sounds AI-generated

Speaker sounds like an AI-generated readout of news headlines; uninterested and robotic; very off-putting
amnazrz

Excellent content

EDIT : The new host seems much better now. - The female reader’s voice ressembles a lot what one can generate with an AI-generated text-to-speech service.
bamiller

daily news painfully delivered

This is The Economist? Just added this podcast to my daily podcast feed. NPR and BBC are so much better.
justanewsjunkie

Love the new host

Good, succinct world news source made even better now with the new host.
Svimmel

Please bring back the old model!

When the podcast first started, the content was fresh and informative every day. Since it has shifted to three times daily, much of the content is repeated throughout the day. I would much rather hear new news than hear the same news. Just my opinion…
Tyler - NY

Great Coverage

Great daily rundown. Thoughtful and global coverage. I listened daily for a year and then subscribed to the Economist - love that their full weekly editions are on audio.
takinite

Well 5 stars for effort anyway

Sometimes they shine sometimes not so much, but it’s free so why complain.
moving on-missu

News with voting rights opinions

5 star show with moments of 2. Why the one dimensional opinion on voting rights without discussion? IDs are required for a library card, health care, etc - why not to vote? Vaccination proof required for some to work and travel - is there no room for a voting ID discussion? Are long lines at the polls due to evil intentions or lack of registration? These are observations and unsettled questions not facts. Please be more thoughtful and questioning and less opinionated.
ocajwm

Disappointed

I’m pretty sure the program recently switched to using an AI to read the briefing. The mangled pronunciations are just too particular. It’s distracting and dare I say a little uncanny.
iamnNirvana

Used to be excellent.

The content is excellent and succinct. Unfortunately, the new reader makes it a painful experience. The delivery is so slow that I fall asleep before a sentence is complete. The quality of voice seems to be poor, but this could be a change in recording equipment. This used to be my favorite podcast. Now, I’m considering cancelation in favor of some of a podcast with both good content and good delivery. The former reader was far superior to this new one.
grummelblair

New guys voice is terrible

For the love of God get rid of this guy! Annoying voice, should be reading books to preschoolers not news.
GliterGirlPixie

One of my favorite news pods

One of my favorite news podcasts when I need to stay informed on-the-go. It's short and straight to the point. When they make a mistake regarding details of the news they cover, they issue a quick apology at the end of the episode. I'm sad to say that this podcasts is one of the only podcasts out there that apologizes if they make a mistake.
jonnyct

Audio Cuts Out

For the last week or two a number of words are being dropped. Maybe she is speaking too quietly and the mic isn’t picking them up?
Orb7_rulez

Pyramids of ICE

Two Words Im Not Sorry for Breaking rules Penultimate in The slinger It is A cold Hard world Frozen solid Dry ice Wicked compression Horrendously absurd Silently, defiantly Onwards Toxicity Glittering Frosty Two Words Greenhouse Gas Global Warming Carbon Dioxide Wicked Compression Ice Cold Dry Ice Solidly Severed Ice Shelved Great Pyramids Of Freeza Square Cut Negative 108F Opps I Flunked Oppression And Yell Leroy Jenkins LoL WoW!
charatza

How I start my day

The first thing I listen to upon waking to get going in the morning. Short and succinct and informative.
Southernblueblood

Always late

Why are these always delivered late? Days go by without one, and then I have to go listen on Spotify, who is NEVER late with their podcasts. Please do better.
Love radio.

Mr. Porras

Love this app
Sound of Ville-Adelphia

Et Nuance, Brute???

Colin Powell died of complications exacerbated by Covid-19…. He was battling with cancer and Parkinson’s Disease. You recklessly play into anti-vaccers hands and fears when you say that General Powell “died of Covid-19”. C’mon, Economist…. Be. Better. I listen to the podcast because I believe you’re better.
JETessendorf

I enjoy it when it’s on time

But updates seem slower and slower. Sometimes over a day late.
Assjack 2

Slow down and speak less loudly

As many others have commented, the reader of the news often speaks too quickly and in a brash tenor. It’s grating. The BBC Global News podcast is much more pleasant, with the same substantive punch.
Kid Midas

Blooper take

There was a blooper take included in today’s episode. Seriously? Do better, The Economist!
Team Sona

.

The women broadcaster runs her sentences together. Making two separate stories sound like one. And she speaks too quietly.
tastytomato

Slow down!

The new news reader slurs her words together. It is very difficult for Non-native British English speakers to follow along. Please slow down. Thank you
1357457876

The new reporter speaks too quickly

I have been enjoying your morning briefing, which is delivered fluently and clearly. However the new one today doesn’t live up to these descriptions. Really disappointed with that.
MarcusBurgess

Very shouty

Why does the presenter shout so much? It’s unpleasant.
Mullie1

Great daily news briefing

Solid reporting and unique perspective on world news each day. A trusted source, highly recommended
DTB19XX

Great podcast

I’ve been listening daily for some time and love the “Fact of the day”. The content is always intriguing across the world news spectrum.
rogeniuz

Step it up

Puts me to sleep. Learn from financial times morning podcast. So much better.
decipher gallow boo

Top notch

Good combo with the morning coffee.
dcknmp

Morning

Every morning a great news summary about as unbiased at it gets these days.
Phenomenal Reporting

Phenomenal Reporting

It is difficult to find a news outlet that attempts to approach the world in an even-handed and accurate manner. The podcasts are an excellent addition to the newspapers.
dinijiosaax

Just the facts ma’am

Straightforward, no extra dramatization, refreshing in that
yebraj

New Spokesman is monotone

2 year listener and never again
Vicki LTP

I like it

It’s a quick review of what’s going on in the world.

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