The stories behind the headlines.
SEA Talk is a weekly, interview-based podcast that simplifies and explains the social, political and economic issues shaping Southeast Asia. Each 30–40 minute episode starts with a real media headline and ends with something you can actually use.
A bridge between the headline and the everyday person
SEA+ countries are dynamic and diverse, yet global and regional media often present a narrative that is either superficial or buried in political and economic jargon that alienates the general public. SEA Talk fills that gap.
It is built to be the go-to podcast for anyone who wants to understand Southeast Asia without needing a degree in political science — students, young professionals, parents and grandparents alike — while giving space to authentic SEA+ voices, including people and communities with lived experience and those who work alongside them.
The show tackles hard subjects — disinformation, regional conflict, economic policy — through narrative-driven storytelling and easy analogies, in a lively conversational style that makes learning about serious issues feel like listening to friends discuss a fascinating topic.
- Format
- Interview-based podcast
- Cadence
- Weekly
- Runtime
- 30–40 minutes
- Region
- SEA+ · Southeast Asia
- Lead producer
- Tulong Initiative Inc.
- Partners
- 5 organisations
Five beats, every week
01
The Headline
Every episode opens with a real media headline from the region — the story as the world saw it.
02
The Breakdown
The issue explained in plain language, using narrative storytelling and everyday analogies instead of jargon.
03
The Voices
Local experts, journalists and Key Opinion Leaders from across SEA+ bring the context that the headline left out.
04
Culture Corner
A piece of SEA+ culture, food or history tied to the episode's theme — the region on its own terms.
05
The Takeaway
Each episode closes with clear, actionable insight the listener can carry into their own life.
Made for listeners, not specialists
Young Southeast Asians
Gen Z and Millennials — the largest demographic in the region, hungry for content relevant to their lives in a modern, digestible format.
Educators and Students
A resource that makes current events and social studies relatable in the classroom.
Professionals and Expatriates
People living and working in the region who want to understand the socio-political landscape around them.
Global Audience
Anyone interested in an alternative, non-Western perspective on world events.
A contested information environment
SEA Talk treats media literacy as a core part of the show, not a footnote. Every episode is built to leave listeners better equipped to judge what they read and hear.
01
Digital Disinformation
With harmful content and state-sponsored disinformation on the rise, there is a pressing need for clear, fact-based explanations of complex issues to build a more informed public.
02
Influencer Propaganda
Social media influencers increasingly shape political narratives across the region, blurring the line between entertainment and propaganda. SEA Talk teaches listeners to critically evaluate what they consume.
Where the show will live
Audio hosting
Spotify
Social media
Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn for clips and highlights
Video
YouTube and Facebook for full episodes and clip compilations
Partner channels
Cross-promotion via each partner organisation's platform
Five organisations, one region
Philippines · Metro Manila
Tulong Initiative Inc.
Lead producer
A Securities and Exchange Commission registered non-profit advocating for labour and migrant rights. It provides legal aid and case management to workers facing abuse, illegal termination, wage theft and human trafficking, and runs livelihood restoration programmes including skills training, seed capital assistance and employment facilitation — with particular attention to women, children, persons with disabilities, solo parents, the elderly and indigenous peoples.
Malaysia · Petaling Jaya, Selangor
North South Initiative
Partner organisation
A cross-sector consortium working to bridge solidarity and equality gaps between the global North and South on human rights and social justice. Its migrant worker programme applies a rights-based framework — research, helpline systems, social audits, strategic litigation and community organising — to prevent and remedy forced labour and human trafficking in Malaysian supply chains. NSI reports having recovered more than RM 15 million in stolen wages for migrant workers.
Global · Asia Pacific presence
IMCS Pax Romana
Partner organisation
The International Movement of Catholic Students, founded in 1921, is a global faith-based civil society organisation mobilising university and tertiary students as agents of social transformation, justice and peace. Grounded in human dignity, solidarity and Catholic social teaching, it connects more than 80 national student movements and ensures young people participate meaningfully in decision-making, civic engagement, policy advocacy and community development — including in multilateral spaces.
Regional · Secretariat in Singapore
Task Force on ASEAN Migrant Workers
Partner organisation
A regional platform allowing civil society organisations to engage ASEAN under its Socio-Cultural Community framework. Formed in 2006, TFAMW helped draft the ASEAN Declaration on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers — the Cebu Declaration adopted in 2007. It operates a decentralised network of focal points in every ASEAN member state and co-organises the annual ASEAN Forum on Migrant Labour, consolidating ground-level recommendations into regional policy. Its secretariat has been supported since inception by Think Centre, Singapore.
India · Bengaluru, Karnataka
ThinkFi
Research, digital marketing, audio & video editing
A research-led technology company specialising in open-source intelligence and AI/ML-powered solutions. Founded in 2020, ThinkFi builds tools that detect and analyse misinformation, disinformation, foreign information manipulation and coordinated inauthentic behaviour online, and offers services that turn raw data into actionable intelligence. ThinkFi collaborates with IIIT Bangalore on AI and OSINT research.