61 episodes

The Last Archive​ is a show about the history of truth, and the historical context for our current fake news, post-truth moment. It’s a show about how we know what we know, and why it seems, these days, as if we don’t know anything at all anymore. The show is written & hosted by Ben Naddaff-Hafrey, and was created by the historian Jill Lepore. iHeartMedia is the exclusive podcast partner of Pushkin Industries.

The Last Archive Pushkin

    • History
    • 4.4 • 1.7K Ratings

Listen on Apple Podcasts
Requires subscription and macOS 11.4 or higher

The Last Archive​ is a show about the history of truth, and the historical context for our current fake news, post-truth moment. It’s a show about how we know what we know, and why it seems, these days, as if we don’t know anything at all anymore. The show is written & hosted by Ben Naddaff-Hafrey, and was created by the historian Jill Lepore. iHeartMedia is the exclusive podcast partner of Pushkin Industries.

Listen on Apple Podcasts
Requires subscription and macOS 11.4 or higher

    From Decoder Ring: “The Curious Case of Columbo's Message to Romania Part 1”

    From Decoder Ring: “The Curious Case of Columbo's Message to Romania Part 1”

    We’re bringing you an episode of Decoder Ring from our friends at Slate. This episode dives into a strange historical urban legend: Did Peter Falk of Columbo fame really help quell a Romanian communist revolt during the Cold War? Host Willa Paskin investigates.

    Listen to “The Curious Case of Columbo’s Message to Romania Part 2” on Decoder Ring’s feed and follow to never miss an episode: https://slate.com/podcasts/decoder-ring.

    This podcast was written by Willa Paskin, who produces Decoder Ring with Katie Shepherd. This episode was edited by Joel Meyer. Derek John is Slate’s executive producer of narrative podcasts. Merritt Jacob is senior technical director.
    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • 41 min
    The Returns: A Conversation with Jill Lepore

    The Returns: A Conversation with Jill Lepore

    In a special, all-new episode of ‘The Returns,’ host emerita Jill Lepore returns to talk about the post-truth moment we find ourselves in and what it means for the 2024 election.
    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • 1 hr 1 min
    The Returns: Epiphany

    The Returns: Epiphany

    Each week on ‘The Returns,’ we pull a different episode from our own archive to help put our present politics into historical context.

    This episode, Epiphany, first ran in 2021, as the finale to Season 2, which was all about lies, fakes, frauds, and hoaxes. In this episode, Jill Lepore takes listeners down the winding path from the little-known Iron Mountain hoax of the late 1960s to the Capitol insurrection on January 6th, 2021.
    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • 46 min
    The Returns: Hush Rush

    The Returns: Hush Rush

    Each week on ‘The Returns,’ we pull a different episode from our archive to help put our present politics into historical context. 

    In the 1980s, Rush Limbaugh transformed talk radio. In the process, he radicalized his listeners and the conservative movement. Limbaugh’s talk radio style became a staple of the modern right. Then, the left joined the fray. This week: partisan loudmouth versus partisan loudmouth, and the shifting media landscape that helped create modern political warfare.

    This episode first ran in June, 2021.
    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • 50 min
    The Returns: Project X

    The Returns: Project X

    Each week on ‘The Returns,’ we pull a different episode from our archive to put our present politics into historical context.

    The election of 1952 brought all kinds of new technology into the political sphere. The Eisenhower campaign experimented with the first television ads to feature an American presidential candidate. And on election night, CBS News premiered the first computer to predict an American election — the UNIVAC. Safe to say, that part didn’t go according to plan. But election night 1952 is ground zero for our current, political post-truth moment. If a computer and a targeted advertisement can both use heaps of data to predict every citizen’s every decision, can voters really know things for themselves after all?

    This episode first ran in the summer of 2020.
    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • 45 min
    The Returns: An Election Mini-Series from The Last Archive

    The Returns: An Election Mini-Series from The Last Archive

    Election Year 2024 is upon us. And it promises to be a bit of a mess. But where did all this mess come from? In a 4-episode mini-series drawing from our own archive, Jill Lepore and Ben Naddaff-Hafrey investigate, situate, and contextualize our present moment in the history that brought us here. This series contains episodes from our original seasons alongside new material. Coming next week.
    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • 1 min

Customer Reviews

4.4 out of 5
1.7K Ratings

1.7K Ratings

TiffanySill ,

Love it but…

There are sooooooo many ads.

Akminer ,

Bravo!

This is my current favorite podcast. Jill delivers the story in an uncomplicated, intelligent and pleasant way. Her voice is so soothing and well modulated. I’ll be listening to the other shows she is on after this one. Keep up the great work!

Diamond7 ,

Great job

The parakeet episode is pretty interesting and funny at the same time. Again sad what man can do. Keep presenting the great and interesting history truthfully.

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