PODCAST · news
Backchat
by FBi Radio
Your alternative to talkback. Backchat is a weekly show of news, politics, interviews, discussion, satire, and feature reporting.Hosted by Dani Zhang and Tanita Razaghi. Executive produced by Rebecca Cushway, with producers Dani Zhang, Holly Payne, Tanita Razaghi, Libby Hopper, Sana Shaikh, Lilly Grainger, Eva Sikes-Gerogiannis, Euan Kielly, Elisa Papaioannou, Grace Pittar, Jaspar McCahon-Boersma and Bridgette Donnellan. Got an idea for a story? Email us: [email protected] We're also on Instagram @backchatfbiradio and X @BackchatFBi.
Episodes
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India hosting the 20th BRICS summit | An update on rezoning and the endangered swift parrot | Local band Fathom's run for Guinness World Record | Sydney Universities partnering with AI tech giants
Last weekend, India hosted the 20th iteration of the BRICS summit with the theme being 'Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability'. Producer Ella Hosty-Snelgrove gives us the rundown for what this summit entails, particularly with rising global tensions. Following our...
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Take-Home Assessment Restrictions | Pill Testing Made Permanent | Emergency Department Winter Surge | Sydney Fringe Festival
The New South Wales Department of Education has announced restrictions on take-home assessment tasks for Year 11 and 12 students starting later this year in response to the rise of generative AI use to complete assessment tasks. But is this change going to help, and what does the presence of AI...
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Misogyny in Australian elite mens sport | Preventing the bird flu spread | BEKS on hitting back at anti-trans rhetoric in QLD | Why is Castle Law making a comeback now? | AI music ban on ARIA charts
One of the most distressing aspects of the alleged sexual assault incident involving Sydney Swans players earlier this month is that we’ve heard it all before. What does that tell us about the culture of elite mens sport in Australia? Producer Ella Hosty-Snelgrove spoke to Professor Catharine…
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Fighting back against anti-trans protestors | Sk8r Boi - Wollongong edition | Why are pollies rallying against the national gun buyback? | You shaved your bush? A tale of manufactured social media trends | Police are stealing our data - why aren't we being protected?
We’ve got a story about the expanding surveillance state and where our government is spending its money. A series of anti-transgender Women’s Rights Rallies will reach Sydney this Sunday at Martin Place, calling for the removal of transgender protections from the Sex Discrimination Act. In…
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Students Say No To Hanson Protest | NDIS Cuts Update | International Youth Day
Last Thursday, thousands of students across Australia stepped out of classrooms to protest against Pauline Hanson and the One Nation Party. Producer James de Fraine-Murphy reports from the ground at the Say No To Hanson Protest at Town Hall. The NDIS cuts are set to go ahead after a Senate…
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New Transgender and Queer Inclusion in 2026 Census | Closure of Lazy Thinking | Native Rat Army Vs. Invasive Rats | Fibremaxxing: Yay or Nay? |
With the upcoming census, Australians are finally seeing some big changes to LGBTQIA+ inclusion, however, whether or not these new questions fill all the gaps is still up for debate. Whilst a landmark moment, producer Bec Cushway breaks down for us who still isn't included and why census…
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NSW budget | UNSW Parramatta campus | Newsrooms in crisis | One Nation v the Socceroos | AI art galleries
Commuters, drivers and Western Sydney students were among the state budget's winners... but what about the losers? Producer Rebecca Cushway dives deep on where the money is flowing. On a related note, UNSW has just announced plans to expand their presence in Parramatta by building a new campus....
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Bonus: Full Interview with Australian Global Sumud Flotilla organiser Ethan Floyd
On April 26, eleven Australians set sail from Sicily aboard the second Global Sumud Flotilla with the mission to break the Israeli siege on Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid. Among the activists was 22-year-old community organiser Ethan Floyd. Following the interception of their vessel in...
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Palantir's involvement in Australian surveillance | The rise of traditional gender roles amongst young men | Bluesfest cancelled | Iranian women's soccer team granted asylum in Australia
Palantir Technology is in the news, and not in a good way. Tech reporter at Crikey Cam Wilson dives into the controversial tech company's growing influence on global politics, including how it's become entangled with Australian surveillance and international conflict. Is conservatism making a...
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Diversity in F1 | NSW's controversial new police taskforce, Operation Shelter | Improving queer rights pioneer Ayesha Kazan's quality of life | Thai Airways boycott campaign | Yanis Varoufakis at the Greek Festival of Sydney
Were you one of the hundreds of thousands gathered at Melbourne’s Albert Park to bring in the 2026 Formula One season last week? Producer Nyaboth Chuol breaks down F1's newfound popularity and diversity in the sport. NSW Greens MP Sue Higginson joins to discuss the risks associated with Operation...
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Pride in Protest removed from Mardi Gras parade | Why are we so invested in Heated Rivalry? | Queer representation at Harbour Lights Hockey Club | ADHD diagnosis training roll out by NSW GPs
Have you been keeping up with the Heated Rivalry craze? Producer Eva Sikes-Gerogiannis breaks down why women in particular are loving the show, and our obsession with the gay romance genre. NSW’S first queer ice hockey club, Harbour Lights Hockey Club, celebrated Mardi Gras with the Pride on Ice...
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Terror charge added over Boorloo Invasion Day rally bombing | Police tactics at the Sydney Herzog protest | Is Valentine’s Day consumerist and/or heteronormative?
A terrorism charge has been laid over an attempted bombing at the Invasion Day rally in Perth, nine days after the attack. Producer Pongyada Sootthipong speaks to Roxy Moore, Noongar organiser of the Boorloo Invasion Day rally, about the aftermath of violence on a day of mourning and solidarity…
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Israeli president visits Australia | links between mental health and homelessness | combatting AI misinformation | cinema workers' safety
Ahead of Israeli president Isaac Herzog's state visit to Australia, producer Gabriella Accaria breaks down his political background and the reception of his visit by politicians and activist groups. The findings from the coronial inquest into the Bondi Junction stabbing were recently handed down,...
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The spectacle of the Australian Open | Pride in Protest censored | hating on the new hate speech laws | why Jan 26 is complicated for Indian-Australians
We're back for 2026! The Australian Open is one of the biggest tennis tournaments in the world, so how did it turn into a spectacle of everything but tennis? Producer Gabriella Accaria unpacks the social, cultural, economic and geopolitical issues at the Australian Open with Daryl Adair…
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TikTok Awards controversy | Would you swim in the Cooks River? | Ozempic in Australian healthcare | Sydney's viral food penalty map | Why can't we let go of Spotify?
Producer Pongyada Sootthipong breaks down the drama at last week’s TikTok Awards in Sydney following allegations of racism against its Black creators. Zee Feed founder Crystal Andrews unpacks the discussions kicked up around Australia’s media diversity. Would you swim in the Cooks River again?...
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Parramatta Council housing goss | 1800 RESPECT funding increase | How climate change is affecting your health | New busking reforms in Sydney
The City of Parramatta Council believes it has done its "fair share" in building housing, and will write to the state government to ask to be exempt from the Housing Development Authority. Backchat producer and local council head Holly explains what this means for development in Western Sydney.…
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Pharmacists and GPs debate over prescription power | Fight to protect public housing | Pride in Protest on over-policing at Mardi Gras | Do we need skincare for children? | Teen Vogue merger
Producer Euan Kielly breaks down the beef between pharmacists and GPs after a proposal to expand the scope of practice for pharmacists to include medicine prescriptions. Demolition work has begun on a 35-year-old public housing estate in Glebe. Producer Gabriella Accaria unpacks the fight to…
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Cairo Takeaway's legal battle | National Socialist Network protests | Rise in Australia's triple zero outages | Earlwood's Greek anarchist posters
Who is putting up, and now tearing down, the Greek anarchist posters in Sydney’s suburb of Earlwood? Producer Gabriella Accaria talks to Dr Sky Croeza to investigate. Producer Euan Kielly joins to break down the uptick in triple-zero outages and telecommunications failures in Australia. Have you...
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Clash at Sydney weapons expo | Update on NSW treaty | Australia's climate policy updates | Secret deportations to Nauru
Pro-Palestinian protestors clashed with police outside the recent Indo Pacific International Maritime Exposition in Sydney. Dani Zhang takes us through how the government's support of the defence expo contradicts its public statements about Australia's role about the war in Gaza. Producer Jessica...
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Labor Party's leaked talking points on Israel and Palestine | Artist's rights amid AI advancements | QLD Trans Healthcare policies
Host Eva Sikes-Gerogiannis speaks about the controversial opening of a kebab shop by notorious Sydney influencer and outspoken homophobe, Spanian, in Sydney's queer capital, Newtown. Executive producer Bec Cushway gives an update on the recent highs and lows of trans healthcare policies in...
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Good Food Guide drops Merivale venues | Courts dismiss Rising Tide protester cases | Why is Christian Orthodoxy appealing to young people?
The Good Food Guide has announced that they are no longer recommending Merivale venues due to allegations made against the company, shortly after dropping Swillhouse venues late last year. Producer Bec Cushway joins to explain the impact on venues and food media. Producer Gabriella Accaria...
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Trauma sensitivity for frontline responders | Queensland's pill testing ban | impacts of keratoconus | degredation of rave culture | NARO renting report
EDIT: This episode has been edited after broadcast to accurately reflect the input of the author of the petition to Mandate Trauma-Informed Training for All NSW Police Officers, Claudia Kuper. Over ten thousand people have signed a legislative assembly petition calling for mandated…
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Are we seeing a rise in homophobia? | The psychology of extremism | GPs and the health of the nation
A new report from market research behemoth Roy Morgan has shown that, while fewer people think homosexuality is immoral than they did 20 years ago, the rate at which that is changing has slowed dramatically. Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine joins the show to break down the findings. As neo-nazis...
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Data and stats aren’t everything! | Can we fix Parramatta Road? | Why does Sydney get so flooded when it rains? | Protect Mardi Gras vs. Pride in Protest | Asian representation in ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’
Are numbers and statistical data as objective as people think they are? Producer Nyaboth Chuol and journalist Madi Chwasta get into why understanding how stats work could stop you (and your middle aged relos on Facebook) from falling down a conspiracy theory rabbit hole. Dani and Bec also chat…
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Closure of Meanjin | Prescription cannabis and driving | Protecting Children Online | Are shark nets effective?
To break down the recent news that Melbourne University Press is closing Meanjin, Australia’s second-oldest literary journal, Holly explains why this is about much more than just finances or literary snobbery. A major conversation is unfolding in New South Wales following the state’s first drug...
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Cancer rates in young people | Pre-recorded testimony for victim-survivors | Politics in Sports | The psychology of extremism | Memefication of the right wing
To unpack the impacts of cancer rates skyrocketing in young people, Producer Jaspar McCahon-Boersma talks with hosts Dani Zhang and Tanita Razaghi, with audio from Rare Cancer Australia CEO Christine Cockburn. A major campaign is slowly gaining momentum across New South Wales, calling on the...
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Woollahra's ghost train | Death of journalists in Gaza | A welcome lunch for Palestinian refugees | The strange rise of sovereign citizens and how do young Australians actually feel about changes to the First Home Buyers Grant?
We start off the start of spooky season strong with a harrowing tale of real estate developers, NIMBYs and former antique dealers. Producer Holly Payne breaks down Woollahra's ghost train station and the future of development in the city's east. Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance deputy CEO...
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Creative Futures in Western Sydney | AI-Induced Psychosis | Renaming PCOS | Who Really Profits from Political Merch?
For the first time in 25 years, the NSW government has launched a regional plan to support Western Sydney arts, culture and creative industries. Producer Pongyada Sootthipong joins to discuss how the plan will impact historically underfunded arts communities. Have you or a loved one fallen in…
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March for Humanity | the dangers of online surveillance | are the Logies still relevant?
Do young Australians still care about the Logies? Producer Jessica D'Souza dives into the lack of cultural representation of the Logies and the future of Aussie TV. We live in an era of constant surveillance, and online and every little bit of our info is being harvested by tech companies to more...
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Bonus: Full Interview with ACP members on screening of Palestine Action documentary 'To Kill A War Machine'
On Thursday the 31st July, producer Gabriella Accaria attended the Australian Communist Party's screening of 'To Kill A War Machine', a documentary about Palestine Action and their militant strategy of targeting weapons manufacturers, a group that has been designated a terrorist group by the UK.…
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Bonus: Full Interview with NSW Socialists Secretary Eleanor Morley
Last week, producer Jaspar McCahon-Boersma sat down with Eleanor Morley, the Secretary of the NSW Socialists party. Some of that interview made its way into his story on the launch of the party on our most recent Backchat episode below, but we wanted to bring you the full interview - and here it...
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Bathroom camping | Sydney Writers Fest | Tinnitus and young people | Palestine Action documentary | NSW Socialists
A new trend is currently taking social media users by storm - leaving some feeling relieved… and others very confused. Producer Olivia dives into the phenomenon of bathroom camping with clinical psychologist Dr Anna Sidis. Writers are among Australia's lowest-paid creatives, earning an average of...
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Australia's hypocrisy on Palestine | The Aunties Fund | Is Sydney’s Nightlife Dead?
Last week, Australia signed onto a joint statement condemning some of Israel’s actions in Gaza. We discuss the Parliament’s position on Palestine - a symbolic statement or a hypocritical act? We speak to one of Aunties Fund’s founders, Indu Balachandran, about their new organisation funding...
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Campus Free Speech for Palestine | Should We Australianise the Hottest 100? | Torres Strait Islander Climate Change Lawsuit
How are campus policies being used to silence university staff and students organising for Palestine? Eva Sikes-Gerogiannis takes us inside the People’s Inquiry into Campus Free Speech on Palestine hearing. Triple J’s first-ever Hottest Australian 100 drops next Saturday. We chat to musician Ben...
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Venice Biennale Backlash | Trans Healthcare | Bulk Billing Blowouts
Australia dropped its 2026 Venice Biennale artists just days after announcing them. Jaspar McCahon-Boersma breaks down the backlash with Dr Ben Eltham. We speak to Dr Clara Tuck Meng Soo about what Medicare changes could mean for trans healthcare ahead of the election. Dr Kean-Seng Lim joins us…
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Sam Kerr’s Trial | Sydney’s Train Strikes | Parsley Bay Protests | Queer Services in Greater Western Sydney
Sydney’s train strikes have been dominating the news. Eva Sikes-Gerogiannis unpacks the union’s demands, the media’s spin, and what comes next. Parsley Bay locals are protesting construction by Sydney Water. But is this a fight for the environment or just classic Sydney NIMBYism? Conservationist...
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Antoinette Latouff’s battle with ABC | Why is Endometriosis Still Underfunded? | Cairo Takeaway vs the Daily Telegraph
Enmore’s Cairo Takeaway had a run-in with Daily Telegraph journos that left a particularly bad taste in our mouths. Founder of Everything is Fine, Alex McKinnon, tells us what went down. 1 in 7 Australian women are affected by endometriosis - so why is it still underfunded? We chat with QENDO CEO...
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Laneway Drama | Far-Right Extremism | Heat Inequality | Dutton’s War on “Wokeism”
Have we witnessed the Coachella-fication of Laneway Festival? From fit checks on TikTok to performative crowds, producer Eva Sikes-Gerogiannis and Joe Hardy from SydneyMusic.net weigh in. Feeling the heat? UNSW Associate Professor Lan Ding breaks down why Western Sydney is up to 10 degrees hotter...
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Trans Healthcare Scrapped | Local Council Drama | The Rise in Right-Wing Anti-Semitism | Hottest 100 Controversy
What’s happening in international news? Jaspar McCahon-Boersma brings an update on headlines that affect you. Local council dramaaaaaaa - because nothing gets Backchat going like local council tea. This story has it all - broken promises, finger pointing and a four-hour town hall. How would you...
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How to Talk About Invasion Day | Yabun Festival | Blak Powerhouse
How do you talk about Invasion Day with communities who don’t speak English as a first language? Phoebe McIlwraith breaks down the challenges of educating across languages. What makes Yabun Festival the most important First Nations cultural event of the year? Miah Wright has the answers. And…
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Palestinian and Jewish Perspectives: One Year On | Can Doxxing Laws Keep Us Safe?
This week on Backchat, we spotlight powerful diaspora perspectives one year after the escalation of conflict in Palestine and Israel. Producer Sana Sheikh speaks with Palestinian-Australian activist Sara Shaweesh about the personal and political impact of the past 12 months. We also hear from...
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Are We Too Focused on Our Own Image? | Justice for Sexual Harassment Survivors | Music’s Role in the Climate Crisis
This week on Backchat, producer Sumaiya Chowdhure and PhD student Lauren A. Miller unmask the mental health effects of constant self-viewing in the age of social media and augmented filters. Then, employment lawyer Seri Feldman-Gubbay from Redfern Legal Centre breaks down new reforms that make it...
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Saving NSW’s Festivals | Med Students Tackle Placement Poverty | AI in Classrooms
This week on Backchat, producer Libby Hopper unpacks the NSW Government’s new funding for music festivals. Will it revive the local festival scene or is the industry still on life support? Next, Western Sydney University med students Jessica Mitchell and Aleisha Watson share how 2000 hours of...
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The Greens’ Plans for South West Sydney | The Future of the Inner West | Why Are Eating Disorders Rising?
This week on Backchat, we break down the issues that matter most to young people for the local government elections. Producer Sana Sheikh speaks to Greens candidate Abrar Ahmad about their proposals for South West Sydney. After that, we talk with Liz Atkins from the Greens about the future of the...
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Who is falling behind when it comes to gendered pay? | Sydney icon Danny Lim on protest and power | School students across Sydney strike for Palestine
This week on Backchat, producer Libby Hopper breaks down the recently released WGEA data on the gender pay gap of Australian companies. How does your workplace stack up? After that, in honour of remembering another year since the Stonewall riots, we’ve got Danny Lim in the studio to give us his...
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Why is Country Music Having a Moment? | Fitness Influencer Scams | Steps Toward Closing the Gap in NSW |
This week on Backchat we’re chatting all things country music. Have you suddenly got friends who are sending you country songs? Seeing it around social media? We dive into why country music is having its moment right now with producer Dani Zhang. We're also joined by the Coalition of Aboriginal...
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Changes to Doxxing Laws | Asbestos, Asbestos Everywhere! | Syphilis in Australia: A brand new story?
This week on Backchat we’re discussing the trending issue of doxxing and the new proposal for laws to combat this digital issue. Producer Holly Payne is chatting about Sydney’s asbestos crisis with Shane McArdle from the Asbestos and Dust Diseases Research Institute. And Nick Newington takes a…
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Dragging the Hills Shire Council | Breaking Down the ICJ Ruling | The Power of Diverse Storytelling: Sweatshop Literacy Movement's Latest Anthology
This week on Backchat, producer Sana Shaikh delved into the Hills Shire Council's recent move to halt sponsorship for drag story time events, citing concerns about content aimed at kids. The council, situated in Sydney's vibrant Bible Belt, voted 10-2 to put the brakes on such events. The segment...
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Shark Stigma // Medicare Turns 40 // Stage 3 Tax Cuts For Dummies
In the wake of another shark related incident in Sydney, Libby Hopper gets into the stigma around shark attacks and the do’s and don’ts for staying safe, not scared, in the water. Medicare just turned 40 - is it in the midst of a midlife crisis? Hear from GP Dr Nicole Higgins on why health...
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Invasion Day and Growing Right-Wing Sentiment in Sydney // ANTaR, Reconciliation, and the Referendum // Parallels Between Indigenous and Palestinian Struggles for Sovereignty
Holly and Tanita talk to Phoebe McIlwraith (@northbutsouthhh), Bundjalung and Worimi Saltwater woman on Invasion Day and the growing far-right sentiment in Sydney. Further reading: First Nations Futures | Pay The Rent Dr Peter Lewis, president of national advocacy association ANTaR, joins to...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Your alternative to talkback. Backchat is a weekly show of news, politics, interviews, discussion, satire, and feature reporting.Hosted by Dani Zhang and Tanita Razaghi. Executive produced by Rebecca Cushway, with producers Dani Zhang, Holly Payne, Tanita Razaghi, Libby Hopper, Sana Shaikh, Lilly Grainger, Eva Sikes-Gerogiannis, Euan Kielly, Elisa Papaioannou, Grace Pittar, Jaspar McCahon-Boersma and Bridgette Donnellan. Got an idea for a story? Email us: [email protected] We're also on Instagram @backchatfbiradio and X @BackchatFBi.
HOSTED BY
FBi Radio
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Backchat have?
Backchat currently has 100 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Backchat about?
Your alternative to talkback. Backchat is a weekly show of news, politics, interviews, discussion, satire, and feature reporting.Hosted by Dani Zhang and Tanita Razaghi. Executive produced by Rebecca Cushway, with producers Dani Zhang, Holly Payne, Tanita Razaghi, Libby Hopper, Sana Shaikh, Lilly...
How often does Backchat release new episodes?
Backchat has 100 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Backchat?
You can listen to Backchat on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Backchat?
Backchat is created and hosted by FBi Radio.
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