# Bilingual News > Weekly unscripted English-Japanese news podcast by Michael and Mami. Audio is free. Transcripts sit in a paid app. Canonical: https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/bilingual-news Last updated: 2026-08-31 Weekly unscripted English-Japanese news podcast. Audio is free. Transcripts sit in a paid app. Published: 2026-08-31 5 min read intermediate · freemium · easy · Listening · Podcast, Web, iPhone, Android [Visit Bilingual News](https://studyjapanese101.com/go/bilingualnews) ## Key facts | Fact | Details | | --- | --- | | Best for | Intermediate listeners who want unscripted bilingual news | | Avoid if | You still need slow beginner Japanese | | Pricing | Free podcast; paid transcript app from 360 yen per month | | Platform | Podcast, Web, iPhone, Android | | Ease of use | easy | ## Pros - Intermediate listeners who want unscripted bilingual news - People who will play one weekly episode - Learners who will pay for a transcript only if they use it ## Cons - You still need slow beginner Japanese - You wanted free graded news with furigana - A second news podcast would replace a habit that works Bilingual News is a weekly unscripted English-Japanese news podcast by Michael and Mami. The audio is free. Transcripts and look-up while listening sit in a paid app. This is not a YouTube product. The visit link on this page goes to bilingualnews.jp. ## Who it fits It fits intermediate listeners who can already follow slow beginner audio and want real conversation about the week’s news. Play the free episode first. Pay for text only if you will read along. ## Limits It is not [NHK News Web Easy](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/nhk-news-web-easy). That site stays the free daily article. Unscripted bilingual talk is a different ear job from slow news with furigana. ## Sources checked Product details can change. Evidence pages and their individual check dates appear below. Profile reviewed 2026-08-31. - [Bilingual News](https://bilingualnews.jp/) - official product · checked 2026-08-31 · Official site used for the free weekly unscripted English-Japanese news podcast by Michael and Mami. - [Bilingual News transcripts](https://bilingualnews.jp/transcripts/) - official pricing · checked 2026-08-31 · Official transcripts page used for the paid app that pairs audio with text from 360 yen per month. ## Alternative tools - [Activate Your Japanese!](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/activate-your-japanese) - Japan Foundation and NHK video material about communication strategies and everyday life. - [Akane Japanese Class](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/akane-japanese-class) - All-Japanese teacher videos and a podcast on daily life, with transcripts on the site. - [Ask Japanese](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/ask-japanese) - Street interviews in Japan about culture, anime, and daily life. ## Related - [Japanese listening resources](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/listening) - Listening tools range from hosted lessons to narrow pitch drills. Match the tool to the ear problem. - [Japanese YouTube channels by study goal](https://studyjapanese101.com/best/japanese-youtube-channels) - Start with Tanaka san for short visual lessons, NihongoDekita for practical explanations, Sambon Juku for grammar in Japanese, or one podcast for sustained listening. - [NHK News Web Easy](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/nhk-news-web-easy) - Free graded Japanese news with furigana and audio. - [5 Best Anki Alternatives for Japanese: Inku Is Our Pick](https://studyjapanese101.com/best/anki-alternatives-for-japanese) - We recommend Inku first for most Japanese learners who want prepared daily review on iPhone. Renshuu fits a broader Japanese study system, JPDB fits media vocabulary, WaniKani fits a fixed kanji path, and Bunpro fits grammar retrieval. Protect your Anki collection before testing a replacement. - [Free Japanese Learning Resources: Build a Study Routine](https://studyjapanese101.com/best/free-japanese-learning-resources) - A complete free stack can start with Irodori for sequence, Tae Kim for explanation, Jisho for lookup, Renshuu for optional review, Tadoku for reading, and Nihongo con Teppei for audio. You do not need all six on day one. - [Hiragana and Katakana Resources for a Two-Week Start](https://studyjapanese101.com/best/hiragana-and-katakana-learning-resources) - Learn hiragana, then katakana, with one drill and one review loop. Inku fits prepared cards with audio on iPhone. Real Kana fits typed recall. A textbook or Irodori can teach the same script inside a course.