Reported context from inside the newsroom.
Post Reports brings Washington Post newsroom reporting into an explanatory audio format, with conversations built around what reporters found and what remains uncertain. Its recent run ranges from Trump-era political fights and the Kennedy Center to AI copyright disputes, smaller homes, press freedom, and the aftermath of a deadly D.C. plane crash.
PRESS PLAY
Post Reports translates Washington Post reporting into a conversational news program with a strong newsroom spine. It is built around questions that sound simple until the reporting makes them harder. What is known? What is missing? Who is shaping the public story? The show’s recent material follows that method across very different subjects. One episode examines the Kennedy Center as President Donald Trump pushes an overhaul of the institution. Another tracks the political fallout after the killing of Alex Preddy in Minneapolis and the fight over official narratives. The Weekly Politics Roundtable brings reporters together around Trump, Democrats in Congress, federal law enforcement, and the way events harden into political arguments. The range is broader than campaign news. Post Reports also follows technology reporting, including Anthropic’s Project Panama and legal filings about book scanning for AI. It makes room for everyday life, as in a conversation about smaller houses, happiness, and the questions people ask when deciding where to live. It can also slow down for grief. The D.C. plane crash episode centers the aftermath of the collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, including families, first responders, city officials, and the objects left behind. Press freedom is not treated as an abstract beat. The Jason Rezaian episode connects imprisonment in Iran, advocacy, Yeganeh, and wider questions about American foreign policy and Iran. The tone is measured, often plainspoken, and built for understanding rather than performance. Reporters are not decorative voices here; their sourcing and uncertainty drive the episode. That gives the show a useful double function. It catches listeners up on major stories while also showing how the newsroom thinks through evidence. Post Reports is especially effective when public claims, official accounts, and human consequences need to be held in the same frame.
Made for: Suits a listener who wants Washington Post reporting explained through careful conversation, not compressed into headline chatter. It fits people drawn to politics, institutions, technology, culture, climate, and the human aftermath of major events.
What sets it apart: Post Reports stands out by making reporters’ actual work the engine of the show: sourcing, unanswered questions, field reporting, legal filings, and competing narratives stay visible. Its range is broad, but the throughline is newsroom judgment.
Post Reports is the daily podcast from The Washington Post. Unparalleled reporting. Expert insight. Clear analysis. Everything you’ve come to expect from the newsroom of The Post, for your ears. Martine Powers and Elahe Izadi are your hosts, asking the questions you didn’t know you wanted answered. Published weekdays around 5 p.m. Eastern time.
Short reviews from the PlayNext desk, based on the episodes we processed.
A measured look at wrongful detention, press freedom, and Iran politics.
This episode opens with Jason Rezaian's wrongful imprisonment and the press-freedom work that followed, then widens into Brett McGurk's account of the nuclear deal, the Biden administration, and the attacks after October 7.
Rukmini Callimachi's ISIS investigation that became a case study in its own failure.
Sam Harris interviews scientists and journalists on AI risk, religion, and US politics.
WSJ reporters unpack the Epstein files, surrogacy industry abuses, and true-crime court battles.
Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway argue through tech, media, and Trump-era politics twice weekly.
Dan Carlin's solo essays connecting executive power, historical collapse, and American democracy.
The hosts and team of The Washington Post's daily news podcast 'Post Reports' say goodbye after seven years, reflecting on the show's coverage and announcing its suspension.
President Trump overhauls the Kennedy Center, renaming it and planning a two-year renovation, but details remain unclear.
A reporter shares her investigation into the aftermath of the deadly D.C.
This episode features a conversation with Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian, his wife Yeganeh, and Ambassador Brett McGurk, reflecting on Jason's wrongful imprisonment in Iran 10 years ago.
A political roundtable discusses the fallout from the killing of Alex Prettie in Minneapolis and its impact on Trump's presidency.
Anthropic's secret Project Panama aimed to destructively scan all books to build a better AI, revealed in legal filings from a copyright lawsuit.
A Washington Post reporter discusses research showing that smaller houses can lead to happier lives, challenging the cultural push for larger homes.
The episode covers the killing of Alex Preddy by Border Patrol in Minneapolis, the ensuing political battle between state and federal officials, and the broader implications for gun rights and community fear.
Acclaimed Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi discusses his latest Oscar-nominated film made in secret, his history of censorship and imprisonment, and his new prison sentence for propaganda activities.
This episode explores the challenges of making and keeping friends as an adult, featuring a reporter's experience at a friendship event and offering practical advice.
Exploring scientific and philosophical perspectives on what constitutes a good life, with insights from researchers and a neuroscientist.