Podcast · 70 episodes
Channels with Peter Kafka
by Vox Media Podcast Network · English
Media and tech aren’t just intersecting — they’re fully intertwined. And to understand how those worlds work, and what they mean for you, veteran journalist Peter Kafka talks to industry leaders, upstarts and observers - and gets them to spell it out in plain, BS-free English. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network.
Latest episodes
David Ellison's Paramount-Warner Empire & The Fight That Comes NextRich Greenfield (Lightshed Partners) discusses David Ellison’s Paramount acquisition and the planned follow-on purchase of Warner Bros.30 Sep 2026 · 44 min
Meta's New $1300 Glasses and the Fight to Control AIMeta’s $1,300 Meta VR Glasses, Meta’s AI agent “Muse,” and the broader debate over AI existential risk, regulation, and who should control AI.23 Sep 2026 · 40 min
AI Wants to Shop for You. What Could Go Wrong?The episode debates whether “agentic shopping” (AI agents that can research and potentially buy items for you) will soon change retail, and what could go wrong—especially for Amazon’s marketplace…16 Sep 2026 · 41 min
All episodes
David Ellison's Paramount-Warner Empire & The Fight That Comes NextRich Greenfield (Lightshed Partners) discusses David Ellison’s Paramount acquisition and the planned follow-on purchase of Warner Bros.30 Sep 2026 · 44 min · 16 chapters
Meta's New $1300 Glasses and the Fight to Control AIMeta’s $1,300 Meta VR Glasses, Meta’s AI agent “Muse,” and the broader debate over AI existential risk, regulation, and who should control AI.23 Sep 2026 · 40 min · 15 chapters
AI Wants to Shop for You. What Could Go Wrong?The episode debates whether “agentic shopping” (AI agents that can research and potentially buy items for you) will soon change retail, and what could go wrong—especially for Amazon’s marketplace…16 Sep 2026 · 41 min · 12 chapters
The Atlantic’s CEO on AI, Billionaire Owners, and Moonlighting as a CreatorNicholas Thompson, CEO of The Atlantic, discusses how the magazine became profitable (hit profitability in 2023; 1.6M subscribers), how it monetizes via subscriptions/ads/events, and how it’s using…11 Sep 2026 · 54 min · 19 chapters
Data Centers, Elon Musk, and the New Politics of Tech, with David Weigel“Techlash” backlash against AI and data centers, and how it’s reshaping US politics; also covers anti-surveillance “Flock” sentiment and Elon Musk’s political spending.2 Sep 2026 · 53 min · 16 chapters
The Weird, Big Business of MicrodramasThe episode explains the “microdramas” business: cheap, cheesy stories cut into ~1-minute segments, typically with the first ~10 minutes free and the rest gated behind paywalls (single-episode…26 Aug 2026 · 49 min · 17 chapters
The $12.5 Billion Lakers, the NFL’s TV Fight, and Sports Media’s Big SplitSports media economics and TV rights power shifts, centered on the NFL’s broadcast negotiations, the NBA/Lakers valuation, Apple’s MLS streaming failure, Formula One rights, and how the WNBA spreads…19 Aug 2026 · 43 min · 12 chapters
Joanna Stern on the New Siri, OpenAI’s Weird Gadget, and Life After the Wall Street JournalJoanna Stern discusses consumer tech’s current state and what it’s like to build an independent media business after leaving the Wall Street Journal.12 Aug 2026 · 49 min · 16 chapters
Oliver Darcy on Status, Bari Weiss, and Why Media Reporters Are Too SoftOliver Darcy (Status) discusses how media ownership deals—especially the Ellisons’ Paramount/WBD bid and potential control of CBS News and CNN—could reshape editorial decisions, and how MAGA media’s…5 Aug 2026 · 52 min · 20 chapters
Lucas Shaw on Warner Bros' Limbo, Netflix's Anxiety, and Hollywood’s Sort-of ComebackBig media consolidation and what it signals for Hollywood’s future, focusing on Paramount/Warner Bros’ paused Ellison acquisition, Netflix’s growth worries after losing that deal, and Comcast’s…29 Jul 2026 · 44 min · 17 chapters
Substack Wants To Become A Social Network; Beehiiv Wants To Stay InvisibleChannels with Peter Kafka interviews Beehive CEO Tyler Denk about how to monetize and distribute newsletters, why Beehive differs from Substack, and how AI is changing operations in the creator…22 Jul 2026 · 42 min · 13 chapters
Inside Podcasting’s Fight Over Netflix, YouTube, and Creator ControlThe creator economy’s power struggle over podcast distribution and control, focusing on Netflix’s move to buy exclusive podcast rights, Spotify video monetization, and “clipping” (platform reposting…15 Jul 2026 · 45 min · 15 chapters
"We’re in a Race Against Time," Joe Kahn on Running the New York Times in the Age of AI SlopJoe Kahn, executive editor of the New York Times (since 2022), discusses how the Times is prioritizing original reporting in a polarized era, transforming its newsroom with heavy video investment,…8 Jul 2026 · 1 h 5 min · 18 chapters
Encore: Inside Joe Weisenthal's brainA conversation with Joe Weisenthal (Channels) about how his “Internet’s favorite finance geek” communication style and curiosity shaped his career, and what makes the Odd Lots podcast work.1 Jul 2026 · 58 min · 24 chapters
The Ad Industry's Weirdest TraditionPeter Kafka (Channels) interviews Brian Morrissey about Cannes Lions (the advertising convention), why ad executives still gather there, and how OpenAI’s new ad push fits into shifting ad priorities…24 Jun 2026 · 29 min · 11 chapters
A Hollywood Manager Explains the New Rules of Show BizHow Hollywood payment and dealmaking have changed from the Netflix boom to today’s contraction, and what new “rules” apply in a streaming/AI/social-media era.17 Jun 2026 · 53 min · 24 chapters
Brian Stelter on the 60 Minutes Mess; Nilay Patel on Apple’s AI ProblemTwo-part discussion on (1) the turmoil at CBS News/60 Minutes after Barry Weiss and Nick Bilton’s shakeup, and (2) Apple’s renewed AI push at WWDC/WWDC-related developer events, framed as “Apple’s AI…10 Jun 2026 · 1 h 6 min · 14 chapters
How Dhar Mann Turned After-School Specials Into A Billion-View BusinessHow Dhar Mann built a billion-view-per-month digital studio by turning moral “after-school special” style stories into fast, cross-platform production.3 Jun 2026 · 38 min · 15 chapters
Dow Jones CEO Almar Latour Explains Why Boring Data Is a Great Media BusinessDow Jones CEO Almar Latour explains how Dow Jones is transforming from a traditional news publisher into a “data company,” combining proprietary news, analytics, and convening power to sell to…27 May 2026 · 47 min · 18 chapters
Vox Media's Jim Bankoff Explains Why He's Selling to James MurdochVox Media CEO Jim Bankoff explains the sale of Vox Media’s podcast network, New York Magazine, and Vox.com to James Murdoch’s Lupa Systems, and why splitting the company into two focused media groups…20 May 2026 · 29 min · 13 chapters
Versant CEO Mark Lazarus is Running a Post-Cable Cable CompanyVersant CEO Mark Lazarus explains how the newly standalone cable-network company (spun from Comcast in early 2026) plans to survive linear TV decline by using cash and brand power to build non-cable…20 May 2026 · 40 min · 12 chapters
Condé Nast CEO Roger Lynch on AI, the Met Gala and His Secret Succession PlanCondé Nast CEO Roger Lynch discusses how the company creates “cultural moments” (especially the Met Gala), how it transformed from print-heavy to profitable digital/subscription/event/commercial…13 May 2026 · 54 min · 18 chapters
The Internet’s Let-It-Rip Era, With The Atlantic's Charlie WarzelMeme stocks, AI “slop,” platform incentives (“let it rip”), and how podcasting/journalism are shifting toward video and clip-driven discovery.6 May 2026 · 1 h 4 min · 20 chapters
AI Can Make Software Now. That Changes Everything, with Paul FordHow “vibe coding”/LLM coding assistants are changing software creation, especially for custom/enterprise software, and what organizations and non-coders should do about it.29 Apr 2026 · 53 min · 21 chapters