Quantitative data

A large, deeply engaged and fast growing audience:

• Average of 63,482 listens/views per video episode in 2024, growing at 83% year on year (full breakdown available here).
• 4.9 out of 5 star rating across ~1,100 reviews on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Podcast Addict.
• Has been ranked #1 Business Podcast on Apple Podcasts (Australia).

Who is the audience?

Some of the smartest and most influential people in Australian government, public policy, tech, VC, finance, academia and journalism.

Here are some of them—and what they say about The Joe Walker Podcast:

Government insiders

• Dr Andrew Leigh MP (Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury):
  • “If you appreciate depth, the best Australian podcast is The Joe Walker Podcast. Joe’s ability to discuss big intellectual issues with the world’s top scientists, economists, and thinkers is almost without parallel.” (source)
• Rob Heferen (Australian Commissioner of Taxation):
  • Cited two of Joe's interviews in his 'Commissioner's address to Melbourne Law School annual law lecture'. (source)
• Ian Macfarlane AC (RBA Governor, 1996-2006):
  • “Joe Walker is the smartest 30-year old I have ever met." (source)
• Matt Cowgill (Department of Employment, Chief Economist):
  • "why is Joe Walker the only person who’s doing long form, thoughtful podcast conversations about Aus public policy?" (source)
  • "we need a permanently-Australian version of Joe Walker" (source)

Public policy experts

• Sam Roggeveen (Lowy Institute, Director of the International Security Program):
  • “Joe Walker is a brilliant podcaster.” (source)
• Peter Tulip (Centre for Independent Studies, Chief Economist):
  • “Many podcasts ask for a summary of the research. Joe Walker asks me about things not addressed in my research which arguably should be.” (source)
• "There is an externality from having indepth research-based discussions of public policy. Of the sort that Joe Walker conducts and the ABC, unfathomably, does not... So we should take some of the ABC's budget (maybe the subsidy to British crime shows) and give it to [Joe Walker]." (source)
• Sam Wills (World Bank, economist):
  • “I've been listening to Joe Walker's podcast for 5+ years now. Joe Walker's regular missive rises above the cacophony of podcasts as the smartest, best-researched and best-prepared I've found." (source)

Tech CEOs

• Tim Doyle (Eucalyptus, founder & CEO):
  • Joe Walker's podcast is one of only four that Tim Doyle listens to "religiously". (source)
• Laura Deming (Cradle, CEO & co-founder; The Longevity Fund, founder; former podcast guest):
  • "Really enjoyed talking to Joe!
    
    We focused on things I don't normally speak about publicly (personal identity, humane transhumanism, new thinking latent spaces for scientific discovery)
    
    Thanks Joe for facilitating a convo that very current - amazing prep :)" (source)
• Mark Tanner (Qwilr, co-founder & CEO):
  • "This is a great episode of a great podcast." (source)

Venture capitalists

• Clare Birch (Thinking Machines, formerly Blackbird VC):
  • "Joe’s latest podcast knocked my socks off. Aside from the story itself—which is astounding, optimism-inducing, and edifying on the practice of diplomacy—it shows how exceptional an interviewer he is.
    
    Creations that are founded on a bedrock of practice, effort, and mastery are delicious. Joe puts a huge amount of work into each episode, and it shows—not just in the content, but in the care with which he shows up for his guests.
    
    What is most striking about this episode, to me, is how that mastery and work lets him work with Butler to bring out the best analysis on the NPT and Australia’s changing role in international geopolitics.
    
    The hard underlying work allows Joe’s quite extraordinarily caring and thoughtful personality to elevate the whole show.
    
    In my opinion, this is a remarkable episode of a podcast that has gone from strength to strength. Highly recommend." (source)
• Eric Weinstein (Thiel Capital, former Managing Director):
  • “I think [Joe] is a terrific interviewer and needs to be heard worldwide” (source)

Finance titans

• Chris Joye (fund manager, AFR columnist, and former podcast guest):
  • “this is probably the most interesting podcast interview I have ever done” (souce)
• Jim O'Shaughnessy (founder, O'Shaughnessy Asset Management):
  • "If you want tips on how to do deep research, listen to this podcast with Joe Walker" (source)
• Alex Adamovich (Principal, Equity Partners Asia):
  • “A gem of a podcast. Joe is thoughtful in his choice of topics and commentators. We are awash with podcasts and this is amongst the best and deserves one's attention.”

Scientists

• Dr Dan McKinlay (CSIRO Research Scientist):
  • “I’m not sure how to even classify [The Joe Walker Podcast]. I don’t want to define it purely by oppositions to other podcasts. And yet, one must find a shorthand. If you’ve ever heard an interesting interviewee on Lex Fridman and wished that they were asked fascinating, incisive questions instead of vague stoner questions, this is the podcast for you. 100% killer thus far, even on matters I thought no-one could interest me on; for example, I have successfully gotten five people from very different backgrounds to gush enthusiastically about listening to his least fancy episode, a four hour interview with a retired Australian bureaucrat.” (source)

Academics

• Steven Hamilton (AFR columnist, economics professor at George Washington University):
  • "Joe continues to be a national treasure." (source)
• Bryan Caplan (economics professor, George Mason University):
  • “Joe Walker's podcast combines high intellectual and technical quality. If he asks for an interview, say yes!” (source)

Journalists

• Joe Aston ('Rear Window', Australian Financial Review):
  • “Joseph Walker's (terrific) podcast” (source)
• Myriam Robin ('Rear Window', Australian Financial Review):
  • “the delightful (if wonkish) Joe Walker podcast” (source)
• Stephen Matchett (The Australian):
  • "the excellent Joe Walker podcast". (source)

Demographic data (from our 2024 listener survey)

Joe has built one of the smartest and most influential audiences in the world. From our 2024 audience survey:

• 23.9% work in Finance
• 13.8% work in Government
• 13.3% work in Technology
• 5.9% are CEOs, Founders or Board Members

Primarily distributed across Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom:

• 33.5% in Australia
• 28.5% in the United States
• 7.8% in the United Kingdom

Controlling and deploying large budgets. From our 2024 audience survey:

• 31.7% of the audience are responsible for an annual budget at work.
• 24.1% of the audience are responsible for an annual budget larger than $1 million.
• 10.7% of the audience are responsible for an annual budget larger than $10 million.

Uniquely affluent:

• Average annual salary of $263,506

Media profiles of Joe Walker

• The Australian Financial Review (2024): 'The 4½-hour podcast you’re missing out on'.