Podcast · 491 episodes
The Journal., page 4
by The Wall Street Journal & Spotify Studios · English
The most important stories about money, business and power. Hosted by Ryan Knutson and Jessica Mendoza. The Journal is a co-production of Spotify and The Wall Street Journal. Get show merch here: https://wsjshop.com/collections/clothing
All episodes, page 4
The Supreme Court and Trump: From Birthright to Presidential PowerThe Supreme Court’s 6-3 ruling rejecting Trump’s executive order limiting birthright citizenship, and what that decision signals about Trump’s broader Supreme Court term.30 Jun 2026 · 20 min · 10 chapters
Weight-Loss Drugs Are Gobbling Up Small Town BudgetsHow GLP-1 weight-loss drugs are driving sudden, large health-insurance premium increases that strain small-town budgets, forcing tradeoffs like delaying school and senior-center repairs and cutting…29 Jun 2026 · 19 min · 9 chapters
Inside a Debate at OpenAI Over Mass ShootingsInside an internal OpenAI debate over whether to intervene when ChatGPT users discuss mass shootings, including two alleged planning cases (Florida State University and Tumbler Ridge, Canada) and a…26 Jun 2026 · 37 min · 14 chapters
McDonald’s and Coke's Marriage Might Need a RefresherThe episode traces the 70-year McDonald’s–Coca-Cola partnership and argues it’s being “refreshed” as customer tastes shift toward more varied, trend-driven drinks.25 Jun 2026 · 19 min · 11 chapters
Why Alan Greenspan Is Key to Understanding Today’s FedHow Alan Greenspan’s tenure at the Federal Reserve shaped modern Fed policy and communication, why his reputation later fell after the housing bubble, and how current Fed leadership (Kevin Warsh) is…24 Jun 2026 · 22 min · 6 chapters
Inside Trump and Netanyahu’s Complicated RelationshipThe episode explains how President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s relationship shifted during the U.S.-Israel campaign against Iran, then soured over Israel’s strikes in…23 Jun 2026 · 20 min · 7 chapters
Why iPhones Will Probably Get Even More ExpensiveApple iPhones and other consumer tech are likely to get more expensive due to rising memory and storage chip costs, driven by AI demand.22 Jun 2026 · 18 min · 9 chapters
The Big Business of Holding Back Eighth-GradersThe episode examines the “holdback” business: private athletic-focused schools that let families repeat eighth grade so kids can mature physically and gain a competitive edge for high school sports…18 Jun 2026 · 24 min · 10 chapters
The Economy Is Booming. Why Does It Feel Like a Bust?The U.S. economy shows “booming” indicators (jobs, productivity, GDP, stock market) but people feel like it’s a bust due to inflation-driven price pain and wage lag, creating a “split-screen” and…17 Jun 2026 · 19 min · 9 chapters
The Rise of the World’s First TrillionaireThe episode covers SpaceX’s IPO and how it propelled Elon Musk to become the world’s first trillionaire.16 Jun 2026 · 20 min · 6 chapters
The Great IPO Frenzy of 2026The episode argues that 2026 is an unprecedented IPO year driven by AI hype and investor FOMO, highlighted by SpaceX’s record debut and upcoming AI IPOs.15 Jun 2026 · 19 min · 7 chapters
The World Cup Story, Part 2: Too Big To FailHow FIFA under president Gianni Infantino (in office since 2016) reshaped the World Cup after the Sepp Blatter corruption era—prioritizing power, money, and host-country demands—while disappointing…14 Jun 2026 · 36 min · 17 chapters
These Movies Finally Got Gen Z Into TheatersThe episode argues that Gen Z is driving a box-office comeback through low-budget horror films born from internet culture, challenging Hollywood’s franchise-only assumptions.12 Jun 2026 · 21 min · 6 chapters
Is SpaceX Worth the Hype?SpaceX’s IPO and whether its $1.77 trillion valuation is justified, focusing on massive fundraising ($75B), valuation vs current profits, and the bet that unprofitable AI will drive future revenue…11 Jun 2026 · 23 min · 6 chapters
How Beef Got So ExpensiveWhy beef prices are surging in the U.S., turning steaks into “$100 steak” territory, and who benefits vs. who loses across the supply chain.10 Jun 2026 · 21 min · 11 chapters
Bill Gates’s Carefully Crafted Image Is CrackingHow Bill Gates’ carefully managed public image as a benevolent philanthropist is unraveling after newly released DOJ “Epstein files,” and how that reputational damage is affecting invitations,…9 Jun 2026 · 24 min · 7 chapters
Why Sweden Embraced CapitalismSweden’s shift from a cradle-to-the-grave welfare state to market-oriented reforms, and whether that “capitalist makeover” drove growth or created backlash.8 Jun 2026 · 19 min · 10 chapters
The World Cup Story, Part 1: Soccer and ScandalThe World Cup’s evolution into a global entertainment business—and the corruption scandals surrounding FIFA, especially Sepp Blatter and the bidding/TV-rights system.7 Jun 2026 · 39 min · 11 chapters
Americans Have More Credit Card Debt Than EverRecord U.S. credit card debt and rising delinquencies, driven by cost-of-living inflation outpacing wage growth, higher card interest rates, and “debt snowball” effects from minimum payments and fees.5 Jun 2026 · 21 min · 10 chapters
How AI Is Being Trained to Do Your JobThe episode is about a fast-growing “gig work” category where people are hired to talk to and train AI systems to perform specific white-collar jobs.4 Jun 2026 · 22 min · 10 chapters
Can the U.S. Keep Chinese Cars Out?Whether the U.S. can keep Chinese cars out, and what that means for the American auto industry.3 Jun 2026 · 17 min · 9 chapters
Americans Are Leaving the U.S. in Record NumbersAmericans are leaving the U.S. in record numbers, shifting from “inflow” to “outflow,” driven by affordability, healthcare costs, and pandemic-era remote work. The U.S.2 Jun 2026 · 24 min · 11 chapters
Why Hollywood Can't Find Good ScriptsFranklin Leonard explains how Hollywood struggles to discover and value great screenplays, why bad movies still get made, and what The Blacklist does to fix the script “talent discovery gap.” He…1 Jun 2026 · 22 min · 7 chapters
The ‘Class of AI’ Enters the Workforce“Class of AI” graduates confront AI at work after widespread booing of commencement speakers who call AI inevitable; colleges tried to ban ChatGPT, then adapted, while employers now demand AI fluency.29 May 2026 · 22 min · 12 chapters