Podcast
Need To Know
Hosted by Bryce Zabel · EN
Need to Know is a smart, serious, and accessible podcast about the reality of UFOs/UAP and what the phenomenon may mean for all of us. Produced by Stellar Productions, the show is hosted by award-winning writer/producer and former CNN correspondent Bryce Zabel, who continues the signature UFO/UAP conversation format he helped pioneer: informed, evidence-driven, open-minded, and focused on what the public has a right to know.
Today, Need to Know features Bryce in conversation with historian Richard Dolan, one of the field's most respected researchers and authors. Together, they examine breaking news, government disclosures, historic cases, credible witnesses, official documents, and the shifting landscape of Disclosure. The show also includes expanded formats such as Project Book Club with Chrissy Newton, Need to Know Xtra with Tyler Stevens, and other special episodes that explore the mystery from fresh angles.
From 2021 to 2025, Bryce co-hosted Need to Know with investigative journalist Ross Coulthart. Their collaboration helped define the show's distinctive mix of journalism, analysis, historical context, and plainspoken curiosity. In 2025, Ross moved on to host Reality Check for NewsNation, while Bryce continued the Need to Know mission and also agreed to produce Sound, Light & Frequency for iHeartPodcasts.
With exclusive interviews, breaking-news analysis, hidden history, and thoughtful commentary grounded in evidence, Need to Know guides listeners through the noise and toward understanding. The questions remain urgent: What is happening in our skies? What do governments know? Who — or what — may be behind the phenomenon? And what happens next?
Stellar Productions is the production company of Bryce and Jackie Zabel. Its work spans television, film, books, and podcasts, with credits including the NBC UFO series Dark Skies, the Syfy original film Official Denial, the Disney animated feature Atlantis: The Lost Empire, the WGA Award-winning limited series Pandemic, the UFO disclosure book A.D. After Disclosure, and the podcasts Need to Know and Sound, Light & Frequency.
17episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Neil deGrasse Tyson's Alien Pivot — Commentary
2w ago00:09:51Tap to summarizeNeil deGrasse Tyson seems to be pivoting on UFOs. After years of mocking the subject, he's now saying that military witnesses, whistleblowers, and congressional testimony have elevated the conversation. But as Bryce Zabel points out, Tyson still can't resist stereotyping earlier witnesses as hayseeds and drunks — even though credible observers have been part of this story from the very beginning. In this sharp commentary, Bryce takes Tyson to task for treating ridicule like a scientific method. He explains why the issue was never just about "the back 40," why earlier witnesses deserve more respect, and why Tyson's current turn feels less like a revelation than a rebrand. Bryce also reflects on his past public challenge to Tyson, and on his very different parking lot debate years ago with Carl Sagan. This is not a call for belief. It's a call for honesty, humility, and a little overdue accountability.
Transcribe →Show Me The Saucers — Commentary
3w ago00:07:54Tap to summarizeThe Trump administration's first major UFO/UAP document release has triggered a worldwide media firestorm — with newly declassified files, Apollo-era astronaut reports, military encounters, intelligence documents, and unexplained aerial incidents dominating headlines across cable news, newspapers, podcasts, and social media. The release, presented as the beginning of an ongoing "slow drip" disclosure process, includes references to astronaut sightings during the Apollo missions, unresolved military cases, and decades of government investigation into anomalous phenomena. For many observers, the question is no longer whether something unexplained is happening — but how much the government actually knows, and how long it has known it. In this special stand-alone episode, Bryce Zabel responds personally and passionately to the release through the lens of a lifetime spent chasing the mystery — from co-creating NBC's Dark Skies and being approached by men claiming to be from the Office of Naval Intelligence, to writing A.D. After Disclosure with Richard Dolan and working alongside Ross Coulthart during the modern disclosure era. Bryce connects the newly released Apollo material to conversations he had nearly thirty years ago about the Moon and secrecy, reflects on why gradual disclosure may once have made sense, and ultimately asks the question he believes millions of people are now asking: if the government truly possesses definitive evidence — the photos, the videos, the craft — then why are we still being shown blurry dots in the sky? His conclusion is simple, as you'll see when you hear it.
Transcribe →UFO Disclosure Plot Twist
4w ago01:19:59Tap to summarizeIn this special Need to Know episode, Bryce Zabel, Richard Dolan, and producer Tyler Stevens react in real time to the Trump administration's first major UFO/UAP file release. The discussion covers the massive batch of documents, military ISR videos, NASA transcripts, Cold War intelligence reports, and historical FBI material that suddenly pushed the UFO topic back into mainstream headlines. While much of the material had already circulated through FOIA requests and archives like The Black Vault, the hosts argue that the significance lies in the government officially centralizing and publicly presenting the information in one place. They debate whether the release represents genuine progress toward disclosure or simply another controlled "slow drip" operation designed to manage public perception rather than resolve the mystery. The episode also explores the growing tension between public expectations and institutional transparency. Dolan emphasizes that true disclosure would require undeniable evidence such as recovered craft or clear multisensor footage, while Tyler Stevens highlights frustration within the UFO community over selective releases, media coordination, and the continued gatekeeping of potentially stronger evidence. The conversation dives into UFO history, Apollo astronaut encounters, unexplained military footage, Spielberg's upcoming film Disclosure Day, and the cultural shift happening around the topic. Together, the hosts frame the current moment as part of a larger battle between secrecy and public demand, arguing that while the file release may not be "disclosure," it does show the UFO subject entering a new phase of visibility, political pressure, and mainstream relevance. Need To Know producer - Tyler aka ASTRAL https://x.com/The_Astral_ https://www.youtube.com/@UCU2eS5pTsp_PP8Bn7F2QHyA
Transcribe →UFO Hail Mary
Mar 3001:13:44Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Need to Know, Bryce Zabel and Richard Dolan talk about Project Hail Mary, the disappearance of General McCasland, Brent Friedman's story about former Secretary of Energy John Herrington, Roswell in the movies, and even a fond memory of Stanton Friedman. The deep dive explore hows current global instability, particularly rising geopolitical tensions and conflict, impacts the likelihood of UFO disclosure. Dolan takes a more skeptical stance, arguing that during periods of crisis, governments are far less likely to introduce destabilizing revelations unrelated to immediate priorities. He emphasizes that disclosure requires not just evidence, but public attention, institutional coordination, and a stable environment capable of processing the information, all of which he sees as lacking right now. The conversation also reflects on the long arc of UFO research, touching on historical figures, investigations like Roswell, and the persistent frustration of chasing a truth that often feels just out of reach. Despite skepticism, both acknowledge that progress has been made, even if it's uneven and slow. The episode blends present-day analysis with historical context, reinforcing the idea that the UFO topic is not a single breakthrough moment, but an ongoing, complex process shaped by politics, secrecy, and human perception.
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JC & Herrington (Sound, Light & Frequency)
Mar 2501:11:26Tap to summarizeBryce Zabel and Brent Friedman dive deeper into two core stories that have sparked major interest: the mysterious "party crasher" at the Dark Skies premiere and Brent Friedman's earlier encounter with Reagan-era official John Herrington. The hosts revisit the night an alleged intelligence insider approached them, suggesting their show could be used as part of a controlled disclosure effort. That moment takes on new weight as Brent connects it to a formative experience from his youth, where Herrington privately told him that aliens were real, that he had seen them, and that the knowledge was so overwhelming it brought him to tears for months.  Throughout the episode, they explore the tension between disclosure and disinformation, questioning whether figures like Herrington or the mysterious JC were sharing truth or participating in a larger manipulation. They also reflect on the psychological impact of such revelations, the possibility of hidden knowledge far beyond UFOs, and the blurred line between Hollywood storytelling and real-world secrecy. The episode sets up future reveals, including the long-teased "formula," while reinforcing a central theme: the truth may be out there, but understanding who to trust is the real challenge
Transcribe →Crash
Feb 1601:14:04Tap to summarizeIn this Need to Know episode, Bryce Zabel and Richard Dolan take a deep, methodical look at the reality of UFO crash retrievals, treating the subject not as speculation but as a serious historical and structural question. Dolan draws on decades of research, particularly the work of Leonard Stringfield and other major investigators, to explain why crashes are not incompatible with advanced non-human technology. They explore early cases such as Roswell, Magenta (1933 Italy), Trinity (1945), Aztec (1948), and later incidents, arguing that a pattern of recoveries has existed far longer than most people realize. The discussion reframes the common objection that advanced craft "shouldn't crash," emphasizing traffic volume, imperfect systems, and the possibility of smaller deployed vehicles rather than interstellar motherships The conversation then shifts to how such a secret could persist for decades, with Dolan outlining a legal and institutional framework rooted in post–World War II atomic secrecy laws. He explains how crash materials could be automatically classified, funneled into compartmentalized systems, and increasingly migrated to private contractors like Battelle, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop, limiting congressional oversight and public access. They also examine the controversial Majestic-12 recovery manual, debating whether it represents authentic documentation or sophisticated disinformation. The episode closes with reflections on the global nature of retrievals, the power struggles now emerging in Congress, and the emotional impact of the news surrounding Nick Pope's health, underscoring both the human and historical weight of the subject and why crash retrievals remain one of the most consequential unresolved issues in the UFO field
Transcribe →Turn The Page To 2026
Jan 201:16:20Tap to summarizeIn this Need to Know year-end special, Bryce Zabel and Richard Dolan look back at 2025 as a year defined less by breakthroughs and more by normalization, confusion, and institutional digestion of the UAP issue. They revisit major moments including congressional hearings, the drone wave that flared and faded without resolution, the rise and limits of documentaries like Age of Disclosure, and high-profile figures such as Marco Rubio and Lue Elizondo. A recurring theme is the paradox of progress without clarity: more official attention, more testimony, more media coverage, yet no decisive evidence or conceptual resolution, leaving the public both validated and frustrated  Looking ahead to 2026, both hosts express skepticism that traditional disclosure is imminent. Dolan argues the phenomenon is being absorbed into bureaucracy as a permanent governance issue rather than treated as a mystery to be solved, while Zabel points to culture as the real accelerator, especially with Steven Spielberg's upcoming film Disclosure Day potentially shaping public perception more than government action. Together, they suggest the future of the UFO question may hinge not on official revelation, but on cultural shifts, independent research, and the possibility of an undeniable event that forces the issue into the open.
Transcribe →Spielberg's Disclosure Day
Dec 2201:17:26Tap to summarizeIn this special Need to Know episode, Bryce Zabel is joined by longtime collaborator Brent Friedman for a deep dive into the newly released trailer for Disclosure Day, Steven Spielberg's upcoming UFO themed film set for release in 2026. The conversation frames the trailer as a cultural moment, noting its massive early viewership and the broader rise in public interest following recent projects like Age of Disclosure. Zabel and Friedman position the trailer as more than marketing, treating it as a dense piece of visual storytelling packed with symbolism, spiritual themes, and long standing UFO lore. The bulk of the episode is a shot by shot analysis of the trailer, exploring imagery such as animals appearing as messengers, religious symbolism, possession themes, shapeshifting, crop circles, elite control centers, and a worldwide disclosure event that bypasses governments entirely. The hosts speculate that the film suggests disclosure may come directly from non human intelligence rather than political institutions, reflecting growing public distrust in official narratives. They discuss how Spielberg appears to blend fear, wonder, and spirituality, presenting disclosure not as an invasion story but as an ontological reckoning that forces humanity to confront meaning, belief, and truth. The episode also features a major announcement: Zabel and Friedman are launching a new 36 episode podcast titled Sound, Light, and Frequency, produced with iHeart Podcasts. The series will explore UFO history, Hollywood's role in shaping the phenomenon, and their own extraordinary experiences surrounding the creation of Dark Skies, including an alleged government approach related to soft disclosure. The show is positioned as a long form, reflective exploration of secrecy, storytelling, and consciousness. The episode closes with framing Disclosure Day as a cinematic rehearsal for real world disclosure and a hopeful signal that humanity may be ready for a deeper understanding of its place in the universe.
Transcribe →Age of Disclosure?
Nov 2301:10:58Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Need to Know, Richard Dolan and Bryce Zabel break down the newly released documentary Age of Disclosure. They frame it as one of the strongest insider-driven treatments yet, highlighting its focus on government officials, intelligence veterans, scientists, and military figures who openly discuss crash retrievals, non-human intelligences, legacy programs, and decades of secrecy. Both hosts note that the documentary lands at a moment where cultural, political, and media attitudes toward UFOs have shifted dramatically. Mainstream outlets like CNN and Fox now discuss the subject without ridicule, and high-level voices like Marco Rubio, Hal Puthoff, Eric Davis, and Lue Elizondo speak more freely than ever before. The film, they argue, captures this moment of accelerating transparency. Dolan and Zabel explore several major themes raised in the documentary: the long-running battle between "legacy" crash-retrieval programs and a reformer faction trying to force disclosure; the rarity of hard evidence due to intense classification; the gravity of claims like Roswell recoveries, bodies, and craft with space-time distortions; and the emerging recognition that USOs and oceanic activity may be central to the phenomenon. They emphasize that many of the figures featured—especially Puthoff, Davis, Mellon, Stratton, and Elizondo—are credible, deeply embedded insiders who have carefully chosen how far they can speak without violating classification. The documentary's high production value and careful presentation also set it apart from most UFO media, making it a potential reference point for newcomers and longtime followers alike. The hosts conclude that Age of Disclosure is not "Disclosure" itself, but rather a significant milestone marking a cultural shift. They see the film as a snapshot of a world entering an era where secrecy is harder to maintain and insider testimony is becoming unavoidable. The documentary, they argue, is more of a conversation catalyst than an end point—an artifact of a system cracking under its own weight, where insiders feel increasingly liberated to speak and the public grows more prepared to hear it. Whether or not it triggers political action, they believe it will be remembered as part of the slow but undeniable march toward greater transparency around the UAP issue.
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Mirage Men (Project Book Club)
Nov 301:06:47Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Bryce Zabel and Chrissy Newton dive into Mirage Men, a provocative and unsettling exploration of how UFO mythology has been manipulated and, at times, manufactured by intelligence agencies. The discussion centers on the book's central thesis — that much of what we think we know about UFOs may have been deliberately seeded by government operatives to cover up classified projects or sow disinformation. Names like Richard Doty and Paul Bennewitz are examined as case studies in psychological operations, raising questions about just how much of the UFO lore is organic versus orchestrated. Weaponized Myth or Truth in Disguise? The episode unpacks the troubling implications for researchers and experiencers alike. The book suggests that belief in non-human intelligence may have been stoked as part of long-running counterintelligence campaigns, leaving a trail of confusion and paranoia in their wake. The conversation also explores how this manipulation might have impacted the broader UFO community — creating divisions, muddying waters, and casting long shadows over genuine phenomena. The hosts balance skepticism with open-mindedness, probing whether Mirage Men reveals deception, deeper truths, or perhaps both. The Relevance for Today's Disclosure Landscape The episode closes by drawing sharp parallels between the events in Mirage Men and today's disclosure efforts. With recent whistleblower testimony and government acknowledgments, listeners are asked to consider: are we witnessing a long-delayed truth, or just the latest evolution of the same game of informational misdirection? The book, and this conversation, ultimately leave listeners with a haunting but essential question — who benefits from what we believe, and why? This episode is a must-listen for anyone trying to untangle the web of fact, fiction, and psychological warfare at the heart of the UFO narrative.
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