The prospect of podcast riches led to aggressive investments in celebrity deals and original programming for what appeared to be a sky's-the-limit media frontier. But has it paid off? Anne Steele and Sarah Krouse reflect on Spotify's bid to become a major player in the podcasting world and its implications for the industry's future. Read by Sharon McCune.

Thirty-eight time Pulitzer Prize winner, The Wall Street Journal offers unrivalled coverage of global markets. Discover insights on business, politics and current affairs.

The Wall Street Journal

Spotify’s $1 billion podcast bet turns into a serial drama

Russell Brand and the era of sadistic tabloid misogyny

Zoe Williams explores how the media landscape of the noughties rewarded behaviour that is now seen as unacceptable, with examples of comedians like Russel Brand making jokes about sexual violence and the rise of lad culture. Here, she reflects on why the era's effects are still being felt. Read by Emma Powell.

The Guardian is the world's leading liberal voice providing independent analysis and investigative journalism on current topics like environment, art, and human rights.

The Guardian

The nasty noughties: Russell Brand and the era of sadistic tabloid misogyny

The nation’s economy is suffering because an increasingly autocratic government is making bad decisions. The Economist reflects on why, after four decades of fast growth, an era of disappointment is beginning in China.

Read by the world's political and business leaders, The Economist offers authoritative insight and opinion on news, politics, business, finance, science and technology.

The Economist

Why China’s economy won’t be fixed

We can't go back to a time before our online privacy was at risk, but "we can demand much more from the reckless stewards of our information," argues Charlie Warzel. Here, he grapples with what digital privacy means in 2023 and why it's so hard to find a fitting metaphor. Read by Karl Miller.

Exploring the American idea through ambitious, essential reporting and storytelling. Of no party or clique since 1857.

The Atlantic

Slouching toward ‘accept all cookies’

Big names in Hollywood, politics and tech are turning to them as a way to expand their reach.

Less than a year since Clubhouse launched, it has "raised $100 million at a $1 billion valuation, from investors including venture-capital firm Andreessen Horowitz," reports Heather Somerville for The Wall Street Journal. The app's rising popularity signals high confidence in audio-driven platforms centred around social features. But, are they a game-changer for the industry or a means to an end in a world temporarily, we assume, driven by social distancing?