In 2022, you’d be hard-pressed to find somebody who hasn’t spent at least a couple of days in an Airbnb. It’s cheap, convenient and easy to use. But as you settle into your temporary home-away-from-home, you’re probably paying little mind to what’s playing out behind the scenes. Business Wars writer Natalie Robehmed joins host David Brown to unpacks Airbnb’s battle with New York City, and what it means for the company’s future. And later, Bloomberg journalist Olivia Carville discusses her invest...
Mar 30, 2022•36 min•Season 67Ep. 4
By 2017, Airbnb's legal troubles are snowballing so fast, it’s not clear whether it will survive. But there’s another gathering storm that nobody could have forecast – the COVID-19 pandemic. And it will make a direct hit on Airbnb. Listen to new episodes 1 week early and to all episodes ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App. https://wondery.app.link/businesswars Please support us by supporting our...
Mar 23, 2022•37 min•Season 67Ep. 3
By 2013, New York’s Attorney General is coming for Airbnb. And hoteliers, hotel worker unions, affordable housing activists and politicians come together to form an alliance against the home-sharing startup. Airbnb fights back in the courtroom — and the court of public opinion. Airbnb is forced to launch an expensive battle to win over the hearts, minds and homes of New Yorkers. Listen to new episodes 1 week early and to all episodes ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, e...
Mar 16, 2022•38 min•Season 67Ep. 2
Airbnb has changed the way we travel and upended the hotel industry, but it has also sparked one of the messiest fights ever between a startup and city government. When Airbnb arrived in New York City in 2009, it began operating in neighborhoods where affordable housing was already in short supply. Angry renters complained, and city officials decided to do something about it. But they find themselves up against an equally determined foe, one with deep pockets and powerful allies. Listen to new e...
Mar 09, 2022•35 min•Season 67Ep. 1
While the housing market continues its hot streak, technology is disrupting the industry on every level. On this episode, we're joined by Business Wars writer Natalie Robehmed and comedian Ed Herro to look back at some of our best real estate stories from our sister show, Business Wars Daily. Listen to new episodes 1 week early and to all episodes ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App. https://wondery....
Mar 03, 2022•34 min•Season 66Ep. 7
Heavyweight champions ESPN and FS1 are competing for cable, as legacy networks hop off the bench and onto the field. On-air talent remain caught in the middle. Throw in a global pandemic and an increasingly digital-first media landscape, and you’re in for one heck-of-game. For our very own post-season analysis, we’re talking to Richard Deitsch, a sports writer at The Athletic and host of the Sports Media Podcast. He’s guiding us through the wide world of sports broadcasting both on screen and be...
Mar 02, 2022•37 min•Season 66Ep. 6
It’s 2015 and Fox Sports 1 is in a rut. Its attempt to topple ESPN has barely dented the defences of the Disney-controlled sports media giant. Not that Fox is about to give up. It's looking to former ESPN producer Jamie Horowitz to craft a studio programming strategy that can suck viewers away from the market leader. But even as Fox readies for another round, the very foundations of the cable sports business that built ESPN are starting to give way. Big Tech’s coming for sports and that’s going ...
Feb 23, 2022•41 min•Season 66Ep. 5
It’s 2005 and new ESPN programming chief John Skipper’s out to cement the brand’s market dominance by buying up more sports rights. With ESPN spending big, Fox Sports will need more than its broadcast network and Fox Sports Net regional channels to stay in contention. It needs its own 24-hour national sports network. And that means that after years of shadow boxing, Fox Sports and ESPN are about to get in the ring and go head to head for the first time. Listen to new episodes 1 week early and to...
Feb 16, 2022•40 min•Season 66Ep. 4
The 1990s are about to end and ESPN is on a quest to strike down the competition before they can muster the strength to challenge it. But when ESPN starts using the NFL to gouge the nation’s cable providers, Fox Sports gets an opportunity to dominate regional sports TV. And as Fox steps up its attacks, ESPN soon discovers that it has to take drastic action to stop an exodus of viewers. Listen to new episodes 1 week early and to all episodes ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, bi...
Feb 09, 2022•38 min•Season 66Ep. 3
It’s the early 1990s and media mogul Rupert Murdoch is out to shatter ABC, CBS and NBC’s stranglehold on American TV and take his Fox network into the TV majors. To succeed, Fox will need a powerful battering ram and only one will do: the ratings magnet that is the NFL. And having been spurned twice before by the football league, Murdoch’s going to need all his cunning to get the NFL on side. But that's only the first step in a campaign to challenge ESPN’s position as the champion of American TV...
Feb 02, 2022•37 min•Season 66Ep. 2
It’s the late 1970s and TV sports is equivalent to a few hours of programming on ABC, NBC and CBS each week. But in Connecticut, Bill Rasmussen is on a mission to change that by creating a cable TV network dedicated to airing sports. Trouble is, he’s got no money, no sports rights, no TV studio, and no cable provider willing to put his network into homes. Listen to new episodes 1 week early and to all episodes ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free...
Jan 26, 2022•43 min•Season 66Ep. 1
It’s a new century and Hershey’s facing unexpected trouble at home — a showdown between the company and its biggest shareholder that threatens its independence. Meanwhile, Mars is on a mission to become the world’s candy king. And with Hershey yet to break ground outside the U.S., the opportunity to catch up is fading fast. Hershey knows there’s one move that could transform its overseas fortunes: a merger with its British soulmate Cadbury. The question is can it secure Cadbury’s hand in marriag...
Jan 19, 2022•25 min•Season 65Ep. 6
It’s the late 1970s and Mars is America’s top confectioner. But Hershey is hungry for a comeback. It’s plotting a return to the top powered by a rush of new candies it hopes can nibble away at Mars’ market share. Not that Mars has any intention of surrendering pole position without a fight. It thinks it can stop Hershey in its tracks by focusing exclusively on best-selling brands like Snickers, M&M’s and Milky Way. But what neither company knows is that a tempting opportunity from Hollywood ...
Jan 12, 2022•24 min•Season 65Ep. 5
It’s 1965 and Forrest Mars has just become the manufacturer of Snickers and M&M’s. He is now – at last – ready to duke it out with Hershey in a battle to become the number one candy maker in America. And he knows Hershey is far from prepared for his sudden switch from ally to enemy. Hershey is a company wedded to tradition. It has no marketing department, doesn’t advertise, and has a completely complacent sales team. The question is: can Hershey shake off its docile ways in time to stop Forr...
Jan 05, 2022•25 min•Season 65Ep. 4
It’s the 1940s and Forrest Mars’ plan to create a candy empire is stepping up a gear. He’s plotting to seize control of his dad’s company Mars and turn it into a Hershey killer. First he needs to get his new candy venture off the ground. But to do that he needs help. Help from Hershey. But while Forrest’s laying plans, Hershey’s trying to get over the death of founder Milton Hershey and grappling with an unexpected opportunity to become a global player. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/pr...
Dec 29, 2021•26 min•Season 65Ep. 3
It’s 1923 and the Hershey Chocolate Company dominates the candy bar business. With its milk chocolate Hershey bar and bite-sized Kisses, Hershey seems impossible to beat. But in a Chicago police station, an awkward father-son reunion is about to sire a new challenger in the candy business. That challenger is Mars and it’ll make its breakthrough by wrapping nougat in chocolate. For now, it’s got no plans to topple Hershey. But all that’s going to change when a family feud spawns a European offsho...
Dec 27, 2021•24 min•Season 65Ep. 2
It’s 1886 and in New York City, a young confectioner called Milton Hershey is desperately trying to save his business. He’s been struggling for years. He founded his first candy business in Philadelphia, only to watch it collapse. His second venture lasted just weeks. Now, he’s loaded up with debts he cannot pay. But he’s about to get a visit from a man who will change his fortunes forever, paving the way for him to introduce America to the joys of milk chocolate… and build a sweets-fueled empir...
Dec 22, 2021•28 min•Season 65Ep. 1
Over the past decade, made-for-TV holiday romance movies have gone from a seasonal guilty pleasure to a mainstream phenomenon, drawing in millions of viewers year over year. While Hallmark and Lifetime still seem to be guiding this sleigh, streamers like Netflix and Hulu are getting in on the action as well, putting their own spin on the cheesy Christmas classics — and it’s paying off. So what makes these movies such an iconic holiday tradition? Here to answer that and more is Danny Pellegrino, ...
Dec 20, 2021•26 min•Season 64Ep. 6
As a global pandemic hits, both Hallmark and Lifetime are in danger of not being able to complete their movies for their upcoming Christmas programming. The two companies get creative to shoot their films. Meanwhile, Hallmark hires a new CEO to rebound after the scandals of the prior year. And the pandemic gives even more players the opportunity to enter the Christmas Movie space, leaving open the question of who will dominate. Listen to new episodes 1 week early and to all episodes ad free with...
Dec 15, 2021•26 min•Season 64Ep. 5
Hallmark faces a year of scandals. First, one of their marquee stars gets charged with committing fraud to get her daughters admitted to an elite college. Then, in the midst of their Countdown to Christmas programming, the channel’s decision to pull an ad featuring two brides generates massive backlash. Hallmark ekes out a ratings win, but the cracks in its dominance are starting to show. Listen to new episodes 1 week early and to all episodes ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ ...
Dec 13, 2021•23 min•Season 64Ep. 4
After years of being content to play second fiddle to Hallmark, Lifetime decides to make a big move in 2018. They produce more Christmas movies than ever before and go after Hallmark’s biggest weakness: its lack of diversity. Of the twenty-one original Christmas movies Hallmark aired in 2017, only one featured a non-White lead and more people are starting to notice. But Lifetime’s not the only company to come after Hallmark’s crown. To set themselves apart, Netflix decides to use its deep pocket...
Dec 08, 2021•21 min•Season 64Ep. 3
In 1951, the founder of Hallmark Cards, the successful greeting card company, decides to get into television by sponsoring a live opera airing on Christmas Eve. It’s a success, and Hallmark becomes a regular sponsor of television programming for decades. But when they launch their own cable channel in the early 2000s, the picture isn’t so rosy. By 2005, they’re considering selling the channel, but once again Christmas programming saves the day. Listen to new episodes 1 week early and to all epis...
Dec 06, 2021•23 min•Season 64Ep. 2
In 2009 the Hallmark Channel launched "Countdown to Christmas," which included four original movies made on a modest budget that follow a predictable formula. It was an immediate ratings hit, catapulting Hallmark to the top of the cable charts. Competitors start to take notice, most notably Lifetime, which caters to the same demographic. Three years later, Lifetime launches their own block of Christmas programming called “It’s a Wonderful Lifetime” featuring similar original movies. It kicks off...
Dec 01, 2021•25 min•Season 64Ep. 1
It’s a GPS! It’s a camera! It’s a computer! It’s...your smartphone. And in 2021, it feels like you can’t live without it. But when Blackberry and iPhone got into the game in the mid-2000s, that wasn’t yet the case. In just 15 years, our technology has changed dramatically — and so has the culture around it. To help us make sense of it all is Nilay Patel, Editor-in-Chief at The Verge and host of the Decoder podcast. We’re looking at how the iPhone vs. Blackberry rivalry ushered in a new era of te...
Nov 29, 2021•26 min•Season 63Ep. 5
It’s January 2011 and Research in Motion’s Jim Balsillie is in Davos, Switzerland when he discovers that his company is being threatened by the Egyptian government. BlackBerry’s BBM messaging system is a lifeline for protestors in the country. Balsillie starts to think that BBM could hold the key to RIM’s survival — even as its sales disintegrate. Apple, meanwhile, isn’t resting on its laurels. Steve Jobs innovates with a tablet that further buries RIM, as it steals one of RIM’s closest business...
Nov 24, 2021•25 min•Season 63Ep. 4
It’s summer 2008, and Research In Motion’s Mike Lazaridis is at the product testing site for BlackBerry’s new device: a touchscreen designed to compete with the iPhone. This model, however, is going to leave more than broken glass in its wake, when it threatens to sever RIM’s relationship with Verizon. But while RIM is working to match the last iteration of the iPhone, Apple is about to open up a new battlefront. One that RIM has not even dreamed of. Listen to new episodes 1 week early and to al...
Nov 22, 2021•25 min•Season 63Ep. 3
It’s late 2005, and Steve Jobs is deciding between two prototypes for an Apple phone. His choice will go on to become perhaps the best-selling product ever. Now his team just has to make the touchscreen technology work. Thousands of miles away in Waterloo, Canada, Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis can barely keep up with orders for BlackBerrys. But a scandal at the company blackens their reputation, and plants a seed of disaster between the two co-CEOs. Listen to new episodes 1 week early and to ...
Nov 17, 2021•25 min•Season 63Ep. 2
It’s September 11, 2001, and the only network running in downtown NYC is the one owned and operated by BlackBerry’s manufacturer, Reserach in Motion. On one of the most devastating days in American history, that unique reliability wins RIM new fans from Wall Street to Capitol Hill. Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie, the co-CEOs of RIM, created the first mobile devices that synced work email accounts to mobile. But when Steve Jobs picks up the bulky Blackberry, he sees an opportunity — and a ...
Nov 15, 2021•25 min•Season 63Ep. 1
Cryptocurrency has transformed dramatically since Satoshi Nakamoto introduced Bitcoin to the world more than a decade ago. Today, crypto has become a hot investment and, in recent years, an irreverent staple of Internet culture. But questions about its sustainability and volatility make it difficult to predict just how far these virtual currencies are able to go. And while some countries are embracing crypto with open arms, others are trying to stamp it out. For more on how crypto wor...
Nov 10, 2021•25 min•Season 62Ep. 7
It’s 2017, and after months of sky-high price rises, the crypto bubble is about to burst. But as scammers and investor panic crash the market, the Winklevoss twins’ nemesis Mark Zuckerberg is making moves. He’s planning a push into crypto designed to put Facebook at the center of global finance. Listen to new episodes 1 week early and to all episodes ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wonder...
Nov 08, 2021•28 min•Season 62Ep. 6
