Who are you? Who do you work for?
I'm Isabelle Roughol. I created Broad History and I make it all by myself. I am French and now also British, and I live in London. I sound (roughly) American because that's where I learned English. I'm a journalist originally working in foreign news, with a Bachelor's of Journalism from the University of Missouri ('08), a stint reporting in Phnom Penh at The Cambodia Daily and another editing on the foreign desk at Le Figaro in Paris and running The New York Times International Weekly, French edition. I spent the better part of a decade building the global editorial team and products at LinkedIn in Paris, Sydney and London. I created my first podcast Borderline in 2020, consulted on audience, product and revenue with various media brands, briefly worked on podcasts at The Guardian and was on the exec team at The New Humanitarian. Today I nerd out on helping indie media build sustainable businesses that serve communities and keep journalists semi-lucratively employed, while I also build my own indie media house. History is a lifelong interest but a newer professional pursuit; I have just finished a Master's degree in Public History from Birkbeck, University of London ('25). That's me in short.
How do I listen to the podcast?
Broad History is on available on all podcasting apps; you'll find all the links here. You can also find all episodes on this website. If you're a paying member, follow instructions here to subscribe to your private podcast feed and listen to episodes early and without ads.
Why should we trust you?
Absurd amounts of research go into each episode. If you can't find me at my desk, you'll find me at a library. I spend days looking at the work of people who've spent years on theirs. Broad History leans on the work of serious academics and each episode is built around the interview of an expert. With my dual background as a journalist and a historian, I take sourcing very seriously. While it's not always practical to include a full bibliography on the podcast, I do share many resources on the website and encourage you to read further into any topic.
How do you make your money?
I make it from you. Seriously, become a member or Broad History will fold. I find audience-supported media the best and most reliable model. It forces creators to pay attention to what audiences really want and creates genuine community between indie makers and their appreciators. It's also the best guarantee of independence. I love it, even if that means having to go around with the hat more often than I'd like. Membership alone is unrealistic, so I welcome sponsors to the podcast. Yes, that's good old-fashioned advertising, clearly labeled as such. Members get the podcast ad-free. There's also a bookshop (UK only unfortunately) that pays me a commission for every book you purchase, and one day there will be merch. A handful of links to software I use every day and whole-heartedly recommend are also affiliated – Ghost and Magic Pages, with which I build and host the website; Descript and Riverside, with which I edit the podcast and video; and Transistor, my trusty podcast host of many years.
What do members get?
Besides the warm glow of knowing they make Broad History possible, members can listen to every episode at least 48 hours before everyone else and without ads. They can binge all multi-episode series without waiting and get extra episodes too. They are able to comment on the website and have extra access to me and one another to discuss all things women's history. As Broad History grows, they'll be first in line for anything new I come up with, including IRL and online events, merch, an online chat community and more. Think of BH members as a community of early adopting history buffs who get all my attention and gratitude. Come on, join us.
Do you do brand partnerships or receive freebies?
No. My only perk is I request from publishers free review copies of books whose authors may feature on the podcast or that can help me research a planned topic. That does not guarantee the author a slot on the pod, but it often ends up that way because I only request books I'm very interested in. Sometimes books come in unsolicited. Broad History wouldn't exist without the support of authors and publishers; there's just no way I could pay retail price for all the books required to make an informed episode. You'll find most newsrooms are packed with free books; publishers do their bit to build an informed media and hope to get book coverage in return. I also rely heavily on public libraries.
Do you publish AI-generated content?
No. Everything you read, see or hear is human-made. I write every line and speak every word. The art isn't great because I can't make it or (yet) pay someone to make it. Until then, I use public domain images and royalty-free music. (Become a member and help me hire folks.)
Why not?
First, it's ugly. The illustrations are bland, the writing is stale. AI can be a helpful tool, but anyone who straight publishes what it regurgitates is making an inferior product. I think when it comes to art and storytelling, being human is our unfair advantage. Secondly, many gen AI models are built on the theft of creatives' work and I will not condone it, let alone pay a subscription to it. If we creatives don't stand up for one another, who will? Finally, it's important that you trust me and my work. I'm trying to tell you true stories about the past. Why muddy the waters with images that may or may not be real? You're grown-ups, I don't need to show you an AI Joan of Arc burning at the stake to get or keep your attention.
Where do you use AI?
I use it where it's good and reliable. Ever since making my first podcast in 2020, I've used AI transcription and text-based editing to make my episodes, first with Descript, now with Riverside. The software also places chapter markers, cuts out ums and ahs, identifies good excerpts for social media and autogenerates a first draft of transcripts and show notes. It does not create sound or image out of thin air, and none of it gets to you without going through me. It just makes my work as a one-woman-team much faster. I have some automated workflows (more 'if this then that' than gen AI really) and I've also used Claude or Cursor to help me code parts of the site that were resisting me.
What about my privacy?
I try to be careful about using ethical software. This website is built with Ghost, an open-source, non-profit publishing tool, and is hosted by Magic Pages. It collects traffic and newsletter analytics to help me know my audience and build a sustainable business. You can learn more about what I see here. This is cookie-free and does not follow you once you leave Broad History. I do not use Google Analytics, which is too invasive, nor any ad tech. Paying members' payment data is held by Stripe and not by me directly. Your privacy while you listen will depend on the podcasting app you choose to use; Broad History is catalogued on all of them and lets you make your own choice.
I'm a historian. I'd like to show off my work on Broad History.
Drop me a line. I love hearing about new research and if it fits in my editorial calendar, happy to have you on. I'm particularly interested in page-turning biographies, research that challenges our understanding of well-known historical events and works of history that helps shed light on our present. dIt does not have to be solely about women but must incorporate women's experiences.
