• Whale Hunting

  • By: Brazen
  • Podcast

Whale Hunting  By  cover art

Whale Hunting

By: Brazen
  • Summary

  • This is WHALE HUNTING, a weekly podcast that pulls back the curtain on the hidden worlds of money and power, hosted by investigative journalists Tom Wright and Bradley Hope. Previously long-time reporters for the Wall Street Journal, Tom and Bradley now run Project Brazen, a journalism studio that’s published stories on everything from US Navy corruption to spycraft in Silicon Valley and embezzlement at the heart of Spain’s royal family. Now, on the Whale Hunting podcast, you can join them as they share what’s got them talking this week, from the headlines to underworld gossip. Each episode will offer something different, but you can expect obscene tales of corruption, insights on the bizarre habits of billionaires, and conversations with reporters, spies, hostage negotiators, cops, authors, and the occasional criminal. Think of it as dropping in on the watercooler chat at Project Brazen’s office. So join us. Subscribe to Whale Hunting, and find out how the world really works. For more, or to sign up to our newsletter, visit whalehunting.projectbrazen.com.
    Copyright © 2024 Brazen
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Episodes
  • Are journalists con artists?
    Jul 24 2024
    "Every journalist who is not too stupid or too full of himself to notice what is going on knows that [...] he is a kind of confidence man, preying on people's vanity, ignorance or loneliness, gaining their trust and betraying them without remorse." Some fighting talk from Janet Malcolm, back in 1989. But is there truth in her words? This week on Whale Hunting, Bradley talks to Steve Fishman, the legendary journalist who got big names like fraudster Bernie Madoff and killer Son of Sam to open up. Steve's latest podcast My Friend, The Serial Killer reflects on his first big break in journalism, which came about after a close encounter with serial killer Robert Carr. He talks about why the story has continued to trouble him, and what it was like to revisit his early reporting decades later. Bradley and Steve also discuss the intimacy of telling stories in podcasts, how to get sources to talk, and the careful balance between sincerity, compassion and ruthless reporting. To listen to Steve's podcast, search for Smoke Screen: My Friend, The Serial Killer in your favourite podcast app. There's also the special director's cut of his show Empire on Blood, with three new episodes, coming soon to The Burden feed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    36 mins
  • Betrayal, Insurgency, and Understanding Afghanistan
    Jul 17 2024
    No nation faced more devastating consequences in the aftermath of 9/11 than Afghanistan. At least, that’s what Sune Rasmussen observed in his six years living and reporting from the country in the midst of its upheaval. This week on Whale Hunting, Bradley Hope speaks with Sune about his time in Afghanistan and his new book on the Allied invasion, 20 Years: Hope, War, and the Betrayal of an Afghan Generation. Together, they discuss what it was like living in Afghanistan during the war, why the Taliban continues to appeal to some young Afghans, and what Western reporting often gets wrong about Afghanistan, its people, and its plight. Sune’s book, 20 Years: Hope, War, and the Betrayal of an Afghan Generation, is available for pre-order online now.For more from Whale Hunting, make sure to follow the podcast – and you can subscribe to our newsletter at whalehunting.projectbrazen.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    30 mins
  • Sudden Russian Death Syndrome
    Jul 10 2024
    It’s a precarious time for the Russian elite. Caught up in the invasion of Ukraine and an immovable dictator, the noblesse russe have to tip-toe through economic and political conflict to survive. In the last two years, however, an increasing number have lost their footing. This week on Whale Hunting, host Bradley Hope welcomes Xenia Rakovshik, a Russian-American journalist who's been digging into so-called Sudden Russian Death Syndrome. Together they discuss the unusual spate of sudden deaths – from heart attacks to murder-suicides and falls from height – and their seemingly outsized occurrence among Russian oligarchs and businessmen of late. Xenia also shares one theory about why this spate of deaths may have begun following Russia's invasion of Ukraine (spoiler: Putin may not be behind all of them) and what life is like for those currently living within Putin's grip, including Russian journalists. To find out more about Xenia's investigation into mysterious Russian deaths, head to whalehunting.projectbrazen.com for the latest edition of our newsletter. Make sure to sign up to the Whale Hunting newsletter to have stories like this one delivered direct to your inbox! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    19 mins

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