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•Ep 6•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Ep 5•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Ep 4•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Ep 3•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Ep 2•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Ep 5•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Ep 4•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Ep 3•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Ep 2•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Ep 7•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Ep 6•Transcript available on Metacast It’s the mid-2010s and a new blockchain called Ethereum is shaking up crypto. It’s the creation of nineteen-year-old Vitalik Buterin, and it’s inspiring a flood of new digital coins and a gold rush for crypto. But as millions of investors buy crypto for the first time, Coinbase feels the strain. Support us by supporting our sponsors! 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 ...
Nov 03, 2021•27 min•Ep 5•Transcript available on Metacast It’s 2015 and Coinbase is out to carve up the crypto scene with its new exchange. But it’s about to face strong headwinds in the form of state regulators, banks, and the Winklevoss twins’ new startup Gemini. And as Coinbase’s growth slows, CEO Brian Armstrong faces pressure to abandon crypto. 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.a...
Nov 01, 2021•24 min•Ep 4•Transcript available on Metacast It’s 2013 and bitcoin’s gaining traction at last. But just as crypto reaches for credibility, bitcoin is blindsided by high-profile arrests, corporate collapses and multi-million-dollar hacks. But as the leading lights of the bitcoin industry crash and burn, Coinbase senses a chance to cash in on the failures of others. 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...
Oct 27, 2021•27 min•Ep 3•Transcript available on Metacast It’s 2011, and Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss are trying to move on from their legal battle with Mark Zuckerberg over who created Facebook. And their nemesis is about to derail the twins’ dreams again. But then a chance encounter on the dance floor catapults them into crypto. 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/businesswar...
Oct 25, 2021•25 min•Ep 2•Transcript available on Metacast It’s 2009 and in a modest suburban home, a monetary revolution is beginning. It’s called bitcoin and it arrives with a whimper. There’s just no compelling reason to swap dollars for this worthless digital token. But then, a wannabe crime lord spots bitcoin’s potential and enacts a plan to filthy rich. 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://...
Oct 20, 2021•26 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast Fast fashion has a crisis on its hands. The industry is wreaking havoc on the environment, and even the execs are starting to notice. Massive amounts of pollution and textile waste have taken a toll on the planet as these shops continue to send runway styles to mainstream markets in record time. The bargains keep consumers coming back for more, but how long can it last? And what will it take to change the habits of shoppers used to getting the latest trends for cheap? To unpack fast fashi...
Oct 18, 2021•26 min•Ep 6•Transcript available on Metacast It’s 2019, and the internet is overflowing with videos of satisfied customers showing off their Shein hauls. But it’s not all smooth sailing when allegations go viral that the company steals from independent designers. Meanwhile, former Topshop brand director Jane Shepherdson has a new gig in the clothing rental business-- but is renting outfits actually more eco-friendly? Shein makes a play to save Topshop, but the company is bought by another online shopping giant, with a catch. And in t...
Oct 13, 2021•25 min•Ep 5•Transcript available on Metacast It’s 2018, and H&M is drowning in billions of dollars worth of unsold inventory. Brick and mortar stores are struggling. But on the internet, Shein is thriving, capitalizing on social media trends to get desirable, ultra-cheap clothing made and into customers’ hands in a matter of days. And once the head of the pack, Topshop is at risk when Philip Green is very publicly accused of abuse, racism, and sexual harassment. Forever 21 finds itself in a heap of trouble too. Listen to new episodes 1...
Oct 11, 2021•23 min•Ep 4•Transcript available on Metacast It’s 2010, and a series of deadly tragedies at factories in Bangladesh paint H&M and the fast fashion industry in a negative light. In response, the company doubles down on sustainability, launching a new eco-friendly line. Meanwhile, Forever 21 goes to court over copyright infringement allegations, and Zara invests in technology to streamline its supply chain. But there’s a new player on the scene, Chinese company Shein, and their online-only business model is about to change the game. ...
Oct 06, 2021•29 min•Ep 3•Transcript available on Metacast It’s 1974 and Amancio Ortega, determined to break the cycle of poverty he experienced growing up in Spain, uses his background in retail and manufacturing to found future fast fashion giant Zara. Meanwhile, Topshop is born as a small section in the basement of a department store, and future CEO Philip Green flounders with a misguided attempt to break into the denim business. And overseas in California, a pair of Korean immigrants chasing their American dream found Forever 21, the mos...
Oct 04, 2021•24 min•Ep 2•Transcript available on Metacast It’s 1987 and Jane Shepherdson, a star buyer for retail chain Topshop, is using her keen ability to predict trends to put the company on the map as the go-to shopping destination for young British women. But when the company is bought by prickly business tycoon Philip Green, all of her hard work is at risk. Meanwhile, Swedish company H&M opens its first store in the US, and a groundbreaking collaboration with Chanel’s Karl Lagerfeld pushes the limits of what fast fashion can be. Listen...
Sep 29, 2021•27 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast The battle between Death Row and Bad Boy Records wasn't long, but it was intense. Rather than staying on wax, the beef came off the records and into the streets, resulting in a deadly macho dust-up between hip hop's biggest — and youngest — stars. The rivalry also touched the life of R&B up-and-comer Faith Evans, who was married to Biggie at the time and found herself in the middle of the war between East and West. To explore this, we spoke with Naima Cochrane, a music and culture jour...
Sep 27, 2021•28 min•Ep 6•Transcript available on Metacast The rivalry between the East and West Coasts of hip-hop has become an all out war, with Death Row and Bad Boy on the front lines of the conflict. Within six months, the war claims the lives of Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls, sending shockwaves through the hip-hop community. For Death Row and Bad Boy, labels built on the backs of these stars, the future looks uncertain. Now, the fate of each business rests in the hands of its owner. What these moguls decide to do next will determine whether...
Sep 22, 2021•22 min•Ep 5•Transcript available on Metacast By the time Biggie Smalls meets Tupac Shakur, Tupac is already a big star. He hasn’t yet signed with Death Row, but he’s already sold millions of records and starred in two feature films. Biggie, on the other hand, is still waiting for his first album to drop. Biggie and Tupac become fast friends, but their relationship doesn’t last long. The two rap stars are pulled in different directions. One struggles to escape violence, while the other will be consumed by it—pushing tensions between D...
Sep 20, 2021•21 min•Ep 4•Transcript available on Metacast In the 70 and 80s, the founders of Death Row and Bad Boy are coming of age. In the Los Angeles neighborhood of Compton, a young Dre is spinning records before he even learns to read. Dre desperately wants to be a hip-hop DJ, but Los Angeles barely has a hip-hop scene. In New York, on the other hand, rap is popping off. And an 18 year old called Sean “Puffy” Combs has B.I.G. plans for the Big Apple. They don’t know it yet, but their struggles and successes have already begun to shape the egos and...
Sep 15, 2021•24 min•Ep 3•Transcript available on Metacast This episode contains explicit language. In the 70 and 80s, the founders of Death Row and Bad Boy are coming of age. In the Los Angeles neighborhood of Compton, a young Dre is spinning records before he even learns to read. Dre desperately wants to be a hip-hop DJ, but Los Angeles barely has a hip-hop scene. In New York, on the other hand, rap is popping off. And an 18 year old called Sean “Puffy” Combs has B.I.G. plans for the Big Apple. They don’t know it yet, but their struggles and successes...
Sep 13, 2021•23 min•Ep 2•Transcript available on Metacast This episode contains explicit language. In the 1990s, the landscape of American music was changed forever by two titans of hip hop: Death Row and Bad Boy. The rivalry between these iconic rap labels would go on to become as legendary as it was notorious. But in these early days? It’s all good. Death Row Records, the West Coast company, is already the hottest label in gangsta rap. But now that they’ve signed mega-star Tupac Shakur, they’re poised to dominate the industry. New York-based Bad Boy ...
Sep 08, 2021•21 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast 
