Viacom and CBS merged a year ago. Now their CEO Bob Bakish sits down with Recode’s Peter Kafka to talk about the company’s future, and its bets on streaming. Featuring: Bob Bakish, CEO of ViacomCBS Host: Peter Kafka (@pkafka), Senior Editor at Recode More to explore: Subscribe for free to Recode Media, Peter Kafka, one of the media industry's most acclaimed reporters, talks to business titans, journalists, comedians, and more to get their take on today's media landscape. About Recode by Vox: Rec...
Nov 19, 2020•34 min•Ep. 307
New York Magazine’s Reeves Wiedeman sits down with Recode’s Peter Kafka to discuss the messy internal workings of The New York Times, which changed dramatically during the Trump presidency. Then NPR’s David Folkenflik details how Fox News and Rupert Murdoch covered the election and Trump’s refusal to concede, and that means for the Biden presidency. Featuring: Reeves Wiedeman(@reeveswiedeman), Contributing Editor for New York Magazine David Folkenflik (@davidfolkenflik), Media Correspondent for ...
Nov 12, 2020•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 306
Washington correspondent for New York Mag, Olivia Nuzzi, sits down with Recode's Peter Kafka to tell us what she’s hearing and seeing after the election, what she saw before the election, what really happened to her on Air Force 2, and why she livestreamed with Roger Stone on election night. Featuring: Olivia Nuzzi (@olivianuzzi), Washington Correspondent for New York Magazine Host: Peter Kafka (@pkafka), Senior Editor at Recode More to explore: Subscribe for free to Recode Media, Peter Kafka, o...
Nov 05, 2020•45 min•Ep. 305
Vox senior correspondent Matt Yglesias drops by to unpack a wild election night. What just happened? What do we think will happen next? Why were the polls wrong - again? What could the media have done better? And what do the next four years look like for politics and political media? Featuring: Matt Yglesias (@mattyglesias), Vox Senior Correspondent, host of The Weeds Host: Peter Kafka (@pkafka), Senior Editor at Recode More to explore: Subscribe for free to Recode Media, Peter Kafka, one of the...
Nov 04, 2020•40 min•Ep. 304
Zeynep Tufekci is an academic and writes for the Atlantic. She’s not an epidemiologist. So how did she see the pandemic coming before most everyone else? Tufekci sits down with Recode’s Peter Kafka to talk about experts, expertise, the problem the media has with communicating risk - and why she’s starting her own newsletter, too. Featuring:Zeyneep Tufekci (@zeynep), sociologist and writer for The Atlantic Host: Peter Kafka (@pkafka), Senior Editor at Recode More to explore: Subscribe for free to...
Oct 29, 2020•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 303
The U.S. Department of Justice is suing Google, in the biggest tech antitrust case in two decades. New York Times’ Dai Wakabayashi joins Recode’s Peter Kafka to break downs the details and politics behind the suit, and what it may mean for the search giant’s future. Featuring: Dai Wakabayashi (@daiwaka), New York Times Tech Reporter Host: Peter Kafka (@pkafka), Senior Editor at Recode More to explore: Subscribe for free to Recode Media, Peter Kafka, one of the media industry's most acclaimed rep...
Oct 22, 2020•39 min•Ep. 302
Host of ESPN Daily, Pablo Torre, sits down with Recode’s Peter Kafka to discuss the odd sports + politics + pandemic moment we’re in; he also talks about why he’s a sports journalist and not lawyer, and what it’s like to be a rare sight on TV. Morning Brew, the business newsletter publisher for millennials, is in talks to sell itself to Business Insider Featuring: Pablo Torre (@PabloTorre) TV Personality and host of ESPN Daily Host: Peter Kafka (@pkafka), Senior Editor at Recode More to explore:...
Oct 15, 2020•41 min•Ep. 301
What does the new Congressional report on tech antitrust say, and what does it mean for Google, Amazon, Facebook and Apple? Recode’s Shirin Ghaffary explains. Then, Axios CEO and co-Founder Jim VandeHei talks about his publication’s very fast start, navigating the Trump White House, and his plans to break into local news. Featuring: Jim VandeHei (@JimVandeHei), CEO and Co-Founder of Axios Shirin Ghaffary (@shiringhaffary), Reporter at Recode Host: Peter Kafka (@pkafka), Senior Editor at Recode M...
Oct 08, 2020•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 300
Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw chats with Recode’s Peter Kafka about how the media and entertainment industry has held up during the Pandemic, including Hollywood’s attempts to bring movies to your house; the music industry’s concert-less summer; and the ongoing booms in streaming and podcasting. Featuring: Lucas Shaw (@Lucas_Shaw), reporter at Bloomberg Business Host: Peter Kafka (@pkafka), Senior Editor at Recode More to explore: Subscribe for free to Recode Media, Peter Kafka, one of the media indust...
Oct 01, 2020•49 min•Ep. 299
Poltico Editor, Carrie Budoff Brown, sits down with Recode’s Peter Kafka to discuss the way she’s navigating the political site through a pandemic and the 2020 election — and how the pandemic is affecting the way her publication covers the 2020 election. Featuring: Carrie Budoff Brown (@cbudoffbrown), editor of Politico Host: Peter Kafka (@pkafka), Senior Editor at Recode More to explore: Subscribe for free to Recode Media, Peter Kafka, one of the media industry's most acclaimed reporters, talks...
Sep 24, 2020•45 min•Ep. 298
NBC News’ Ben Collins breaks down QAnon, the political pro-Trump conspiracy and its current effect on politics. He and Recode's Peter Kafka also discuss how Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube continue to allow the spread of misinformation on their platforms. Featuring: Ben Collins (@oneunderscore__), reporter for NBC News Host: Peter Kafka (@pkafka), Senior Editor at Recode More to explore: Subscribe for free to Recode Media, Peter Kafka, one of the media industry's most acclaimed reporters, talks t...
Sep 17, 2020•51 min
Stratechery’s Ben Thompson sits down with Recode’s Peter Kafka to unpack what Oracle's proposed TikTok deal actually means, and why removing China's oversight is a good idea. Featuring: Ben Thompson (@benthompson) author and founder of Stratechery Host: Peter Kafka (@pkafka), Senior Editor at Recode More to explore: Subscribe for free to Recode Media, Peter Kafka, one of the media industry's most acclaimed reporters, talks to business titans, journalists, comedians, and more to get their take on...
Sep 16, 2020•23 min
Recode's Peter Kafka chats with Morning Brew CEO Alex Lieberman about his ambitious path from business newsletters to full-fledged media company and why he's looking closely at models like Complex and Barstool. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Sep 10, 2020•34 min•Ep. 296
Writer, comedian, author, and commentator, Baratunde Thurston sits down with Recode’s Peter Kafka to discuss his early pursuits in journalism at Harvard, his thoughts on athletes using their platforms to inspire change and speak out against injustices, and his views on the upcoming election. Featuring: Baratunde Thurston (@baratunde), writer and comedian Host: Peter Kafka (@pkafka), Senior Editor at Recode More to explore: Subscribe for free to Recode Media, Peter Kafka, one of the media industr...
Sep 03, 2020•43 min•Ep. 295
How do you have a political convention when you can’t convene? New York Times TV critic James Poniewozik talks to Recode’s Peter Kafka about the virtual conventions the Democrats and Republicans have put on, and what they tell us about the state of politics and media. Then CNN’s Brian Stelter joins to discuss Hoax, his new book about the way Fox News and Donald Trump have melded — and what it’s like for him to become the subject of attacks from Trump and Fox News personalities and fans. Featurin...
Aug 27, 2020•56 min•Ep. 294
Comedians, podcasters, and now authors, Desus Nice & The Kid Mero, have had an interesting path to becoming one of the hottest duos in late night television. The Bronx natives sit down with Recode’s Peter Kafka to discuss how they got hosting Showtime’s first talk show, what you can expect in their upcoming book God-Level Knowledge Darts: Life Lessons from the Bronx (which is available for pre-order right now!), and what their plans are for the post-pandemic future. Their Virtual Book Tour kicke...
Aug 20, 2020•48 min•Ep. 293
Outgoing New York Times CEO Mark Thompson talks to Recode’s Peter Kafka about the eight years he spent transforming the paper from an ad-based business to one supported by subscribers; his views on big tech platforms like Facebook and Google; and the high-profile departure of opinion editor Bari Weiss. And IAC CEO Joey Levin talks about his company’s billion-dollar bet on gambling. Featuring: Mark Thompson, CEO of The New York Times Joey Levin, CEO of IAC Host: Peter Kafka (@pkafka), Senior Edit...
Aug 13, 2020•58 min•Ep. 292
Author Kurt Andersen sits down with Recode’s Peter Kafka to talk about Evil Geniuses: The Unmaking of America: A Recent History. Andersen argues that starting in the 1970s, a small group of men made a concerted, and successful push to move the US to the right. Now he wants the country to correct course. Featuring: Kurt Andersen (@kbandersen), Author Host: Peter Kafka (@pkafka), Senior Editor at Recode More to explore: Subscribe for free to Recode Media, Peter Kafka, one of the media industry's m...
Aug 06, 2020•49 min•Ep. 291
Sports are back! Kinda. With the return — for now — of baseball and basketball in the U.S., Recode’s Peter Kafka sits down with some of the best sports journalists for an update on the state of the games. First, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst explains how the NBA plans to run the rest of the season, and how they’re thinking about next year. Then, Yankees reporter Lindsey Adler of The Athletic details her current experience reporting on the return of baseball and how the recent outbreak of the Florida Ma...
Jul 30, 2020•58 min•Ep. 290
Substack is a service that helps writers created paid newsletter businesses. It’s also finding lots of writers — like Andrew Sullivan — who want to go to work for themselves. CEO Chris Best sits down with Recode’s Peter Kafka to talk about his rapidly growing startup, and what it means for the media industry. Later, The Verge’s Julia Alexander calls in to give her thoughts on the recent launch of NBC Universal’s newest streaming service, Peacock. Featuring: Chris Best (@cjgbest), CEO and Co-Foun...
Jul 23, 2020•44 min•Ep. 288
Hank Green and, his brother John Green, have been on the internet for a long time. Initially gaining fame from their YouTube series The Vlog Brothers. They later created Youtube shows like Crash Course and Sci Show, one of the biggest online video conventions VidCon, and written young adult novels such as A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor. Hank Green sits down Recode’s Peter Kafka to discuss life as a content creator and the current state of YouTube. Featuring: Hank Green (@hankgreen) Author and Vi...
Jul 16, 2020•53 min•Ep. 287
Running a newspaper in 2020 is hard. Running a newspaper in Hong Kong will be really challenging: Gary Liu, CEO of The South China Morning Post, talks to Recode's Peter Kafka about what it’s been like to operate his publication in an uncertain environment that just became more fraught. Liu, who came to the paper after stints at Google, Spotify and Digg, says his publication can provide a crucial window into China, but new Chinese rules about the way Hong Kong operates may change all of that. Not...
Jul 09, 2020•41 min•Ep. 286
Tubi CEO Farhad Massoudi just sold his streaming video company to Fox for more than $450 million. Now he sits down with Recode’s Peter Kafka to talk about how he built Tubi; how his free, ad-supported service fits in an era dominated by Netflix’s ad-free service; and what it’s like to sell your startup in the middle of a pandemic. Featuring: Farhad Massoudi (@Tubi), CEO and founder of Tubi Host: Peter Kafka (@pkafka), Senior Editor at Recode More to explore: Subscribe for free to Recode Media, P...
Jul 02, 2020•38 min•Ep. 285
Recode’s Peter Kafka and Rani Molla give you a sneak peak of Vox’s latest season of Land of the Giants, — a seven part series on the rise of Netflix. They give some background on what it was like developing the show during the pandemic, and look ahead to Netflix’s future. After the break: A look at Netflix’s biggest blunder, and how it shaped the company. You can listen to Land of the Giants: The Netflix Effect here on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever podcasts are distributed. Featuring: Ra...
Jun 25, 2020•28 min•Ep. 283
Comedian and host of CNN’s United Shades of America, W. Kamau Bell, sits down with Recode’s Peter Kafka to talk about the aftermath of George Floyd’s death. Bell shares his thoughts on how how major news networks and social media companies are meeting the moment, how white Americans can educate themselves about racism — and why he doesn’t mind doing that work. He also discusses Dave Chapelle’s recent performance addressing Floyd, and what comedy will look like in the future. Featuring: W. Kamau ...
Jun 18, 2020•47 min•Ep. 282
Wondery CEO Hernan Lopez, whose company specializes in long-form, narrative podcasts like “Dirty John”, talks with Recode’s Peter Kafka about the state of the podcast industry and how his business has weathered the pandemic. He also discusses the impact of recent federal wire fraud and money laundering charges related to his last job, as a Fox TV executive. Later, The Ringer’s Alyssa Bereznak, swings by to discuss her new podcast Boom/Bust, which details the rise and fall (and rise again?) of th...
Jun 11, 2020•1 hr•Ep. 281
Paddy Cosgrave is the co-founder of one of the most popular tech conferences in the world, Web Summit. With its Toronto iteration “Collision” approaching quickly, this year, as a result of the global pandemic, the event must be held online. He sits down with Recode’s Peter Kafka to detail how his team is pulling that off. Later, Rafat Ali, CEO and Founder of Skift, gives some insight on how his business and travel publication is adapting to the times as well. Featuring: Paddy Cosgrave (@paddycos...
Jun 04, 2020•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 280
Writer at large for New York Times Opinion, Charlie Warzel, sits down with Recode’s Peter Kafka to discuss his thoughts on how social media platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, are handling how their users are utilizing their platforms in response to the most recent protests following the killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor. Featuring: Charlie Warzel (@cwarzel), writer at large for New York Times Opinion Host: Peter Kafka (@pkafka), Senior Editor at Recode More to exp...
Jun 01, 2020•50 min
Chairman of WarnerMedia and head of HBO Max, Bob Greenblatt, sits down with Recode’s Peter Kafka to discuss this weeks big launch and what differentiates HBO Max from the field. Featuring: Bob Greenblatt, Chairman of WarnerMedia Host: Peter Kafka (@pkafka), Senior Editor at Recode More to explore: Subscribe for free to Recode Media, Peter Kafka, one of the media industry's most acclaimed reporters, talks to business titans, journalists, comedians, and more to get their take on today's media land...
May 26, 2020•37 min•Ep. 280
Have you seen Extraction? More than 90 million Netflix viewers have, making the violent thriller the service’s most popular original movie to date. Stuntman-turned-director Sam Hargrave, sits down with Recode’s Peter Kafka to discuss his action movie starring Chris Hemsworth. Hargrave talks about learning how to make action movies on the set of Marvel’s Avengers series, working with the Russo brothers, and the power of Netflix’s global platform. Featuring: Sam Hargrave (@thesamhargrave), Directo...
May 21, 2020•42 min•Ep. 279