
Need To Know with Coulthart and Zabel
The Need-to-Know podcast deals with the now acknowledged reality of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena or UAP. Its hosts are award-winning broadcasters and investigative journalists Ross Coulthart and Bryce Zabel. Every episode, they’ll look at what’s happened in the UAP/UFO world. Coulthart and Zabel discuss their current investigations, give each other advice, and seek to answer the big questions: who are they and what do they want? Ross Coulthart’s work has been featured on Australia’s version of “60 Minutes.” And his documentary for Channel Seven Australia covering his UFO findings has been seen by more than ten million viewers. He is the author of In Plain Sight, in which he concludes that, while publicly dismissing the phenomenon for decades, governments have been seriously studying it all along and take it very seriously. Coulthart continues to report on the subject for Australian network television while working on investigations spawned by his book. Bryce Zabel is an award-winning writer who has created or developed five primetime television drama series and worked on a dozen writing staffs. His feature credits include Mortal Kombat and Atlantis. His World War II film, The Last Battle, will shoot in the summer of 2024. Zabel was an original correspondent for CNN, and an award-winning investigative reporter for PBS. Zabel has authored his own UFO book, A.D. After Disclosure. He writes and edits the publication Trail of the Saucers that is read by more than 80,000 readers each month.
Latest episodes

Jun 5, 2023 • 1h 1min
The Tipping Point is Here
This is clearly the most important episode of Need to Know - for now. Ross reveals what's coming by the time you hear this: a whistleblower has come forward, and given two major interviews. One is online, the other is coming to the US cable news channel NewsNation. Ross knows this because he did the interview. Please listen to what could be the start of a very different attitude towards UAP. NOT by the community, but by the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 25, 2023 • 59min
(20) 23 & Me
With Ross on assignment, Bryce has found a very worthy fill-in: Chrissy Newton, Founder of VOCAB Communications and Podcaster for The Debrief. A self-described UFO/UAP fanatic since age six, the Toronto native hosts the podcast "Rebelliously Curious with Chrissy Newton." Among the items on the table in this episode: "Confirmation" vs. "Disclosure," an upcoming NASA meeting in which UAP might come up, and the future of of Sean Kirkpatrick's career. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 26, 2023 • 57min
UFO/UAP Hearings, Leaks & Briefings
A week after the Senate's latest UFO/UAP hearing, Bryce and Ross have calmed down enough to talk about it - especially the lack of any "it." Ross pounces on the video of a sphere, and Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick's comment that his group "has found no credible evidence thus far of extraterrestrial activity, off-world technology, or objects that defy the known laws of physics.” Bryce is not happy that the one sitting Senator who's been to space, Arizona's Mark Kelly, didn't attend the public hearing but DID show up for the private, classified session. And Bryce and Ross circle back to the big picture of disclosure: when, what, and under what circumstances. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 15, 2023 • 1h 7min
UFO Hearing Preview
Ross and Bryce spend a lot of time taking down those who have sought to denigrate, deny and ridicule the search for UFO/UAP answers in the past several decades. And they hope it doesn't happen again next week when a sub-committee of the Senate Armed Services Committee holds a hearing on the subject. Both have plenty of questions they'd love to share with the panel chair, New York Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand. And both will 'wait and see' just how forthcoming witness Sean Kirkpatrick, who runs the Defense Department's All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office, will be. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 2, 2023 • 57min
Would You Like Some Danish With Your UFO?
Ross Coulthart is on assignment in Australia and will return with Bryce for the next Need to Know episode in less than two weeks. In the meantime, we're happy to share this: Bryce's interview with Frederik Dirks of DR, the public radio service of Denmark. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mar 16, 2023 • 1h 11min
UAP: The Ides of March
After dealing with a house full of illnesses, Bryce is ready to carry on! And there is a lot to unpack, including reports of two members of Congress getting a classified briefing - were they shown pictures? Did two noted UFOlogists get punked by a fake government official? Also: a look back at 1973, when sightings were happening everywhere and the President of the United States allegedly gave a UFO tour to Mr. Saturday Night. Ross and Bryce conclude by updating their "fizzle or sizzle" predictions regarding a possible major revelation this year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 16, 2023 • 1h 5min
99 Chinese Balloons?
This is the podcast from our first live YouTube episode - a quick follow-up to the Big Balloon Mystery. Ross and Bryce try to unravel what's known and unknown - and what we can learn from top government officials saying he's "not ruling out anything" regarding the providence of the three objects shot down over the Arctic, the Canadian Rockies and Lake Huron. Ross excoriates the mainstream media for "getting in line." And Bryce says teh overall UAP question is bound to be an element in the 2024 Presidential campaign. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 10, 2023 • 1h 2min
Chinese Balloon Misdirect
Is all the talk about Chinese spy balloons just a mis-direct by the Defense Department? Ross makes the case, and why the mainstream media is lapping it up. Ross also has a lot to say about Jacques Vallee’s new book. Bryce links the term "Majestic" to his "Dark Skies" series, and offers praise for two other UAP-related podcasts: "Weaponized" with Jeremy Corbell and George Knapp, and "Merged" with Ryan Graves. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 13, 2023 • 50min
The Report is Out!
Ross and Bryce can't wait another week to pour over the government report on UAP that was due in October, but is now public. Both are underwhelmed by the clearly intentional effort to make it as dull as possible. They also cover the coverage, disagreeing about the tone of a New York Times article. Ross thinks it's a big milestone toward legitimacy. Bryce is outraged by the condescension. As always, it's great stuff. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 6, 2023 • 1h 9min
The NDAA is Law!
The National Defense Authorization Act - the bill in which Congress tells the Defense Department what to spend its money on - contains revolutionary language about reporting UAP - and those initials now mean something new! Ross reads directly from the bill about protecting anyone who comes forward to talk about sightings, discoveries and much more. Also, vital talk about the weather, various kinds of football, and the US House of Representatives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices