We’re off today for the holiday, but we still have an episode for you! In only five years, TikTok has gained millions of fans around the world and become a source of geopolitical tension between the U.S. and China. We spoke to people who witnessed the app’s meteoric rise firsthand: influencers, former workers, and a government official who is concerned about TikTok’s data practices. This episode originally aired in November 2022. Further Reading: -TikTok’s Stratospheric Rise: An Oral History Fur...
Feb 20, 2023•23 min•Transcript available on Metacast Major layoffs keep making headlines, yet the U.S. is still seeing record low unemployment. WSJ’s Ray A. Smith dives into the mystery in the job market. Further Reading: - Mass Layoffs or Hiring Boom? What’s Actually Happening in the Jobs Market Further Listening: - The New Layoff: On a Wednesday On Zoom - What Will the Economy Look Like in 2023? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Feb 17, 2023•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast What happens when an activist investor sets his sights on one of the biggest media companies in the world? WSJ’s Robbie Whelan on the proxy battle that rattled Disney. Further Reading: - How Nelson Peltz and Disney’s Marvel Chief Teamed Up in Proxy Fight Further Listening: - The Disney Boss Who Wouldn’t Let It Go - Why Florida Is Fighting With Walt Disney World Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Feb 16, 2023•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast CVS’s plan to buy Oak Street Health, a network of senior-focused clinics, is the latest sign of the growing tie-ups between health insurers and primary-care doctors. WSJ’s Anna Wilde Mathews unpacks why the deal is happening and how it’s cementing CVS’s status as a healthcare giant. Further Reading: - CVS Reaches $10.6 Billion Deal to Buy Clinic Owner Oak Street Health - CVS Looks to Add Doctors to Its Payroll - CVS Completes $70 Billion Acquisition of Aetna Further Listening: - Is Healthcare Am...
Feb 15, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast How much are you willing to pay for love? Dating apps are asking users to pay more for features and access to matches as a way to counter slowing growth. WSJ's Heard on the Street columnist Laura Forman talks about the pressure on Match Group, the company behind some of the most popular dating apps. Further Reading and Watching: - The Price Is Wrong In Online Dating - Why Our Love Affair With Tinder Might Never Quite End - Online Dating Is Great—for Investors. For Customers, It’s Complicated. Le...
Feb 14, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast In just over a week, the U.S. has shot down four flying objects — one from China and three others of unknown origins. WSJ’s James T. Areddy on balloons, unidentified flying objects and the deterioration of relations between the two countries. Further Reading: -China’s Balloon Program Grew From a Humble Start -How a Balloon Opened a New Flashpoint in U.S.-China Ties -China Says U.S. Flew Balloons Through Its Airspace More Than 10 Times Further Listening: -China’s Accidental Dissidents Learn more ...
Feb 13, 2023•17 min•Transcript available on Metacast Days after Russia invaded Ukraine, a corpse turned up on a sidewalk in the center of Kyiv. The dead man, a 45-year-old banker named Denys Kiryeyev, was accused of being a traitor and a Russian spy. But as WSJ’s Brett Forrest reports, his work and allegiances were more complicated than they seemed. Further Reading: - Russian Spy or Ukrainian Hero? The Strange Death of Denys Kiryeyev Further Listening: - Ukrainian President Zelensky's Fight Against Corruption Learn more about your ad choices. Visi...
Feb 10, 2023•22 min•Transcript available on Metacast After decades of patent protection, the wildly successful arthritis and autoimmune drug Humira is finally facing competition. WSJ’s Jared Hopkins on what that could mean for patients and the drug industry. Further Reading: - Blockbuster Arthritis Drug Humira Faces Competition From First Lower-Price Copycat in U.S. - AbbVie Aims for New Drugs to Boost Sales as Competitors Target Humira Further Listening: - How Big Pharma Lost Its Swagger Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoi...
Feb 09, 2023•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast For more than a decade, the British government has run its National Health Service, the world’s largest government-run healthcare system, on a tight budget. Now, hospitals are so full they are turning patients away, and thousands of paramedics and nurses have walked out over pay. WSJ’s Max Colchester explains how budget cuts, Covid delays and an aging population are stressing the system. Further Reading: -The U.K.’s Government-Run Healthcare Service Is in Crisis -U.K. Nurses Stage Biggest Ever S...
Feb 08, 2023•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast Consumer spending accounts for roughly 70% of the economy. So when it slows, the U.S. economy risks a recession. Right now, U.S. consumers are spending less on groceries, travel and dining, breaking into their savings accounts, and putting more on their credit cards. To understand why consumers are pulling back, we sat down with one. Further Reading: - The U.S. Consumer Is Starting to Freak Out - Households Burn Through What’s Left of Their Pandemic Savings Further Listening: - What Walmart’s Ai...
Feb 07, 2023•17 min•Transcript available on Metacast Gautam Adani is ubiquitous in India. His energy and infrastructure conglomerate, the Adani Group, touches the lives of millions of Indians on a daily basis. But last month, Hindenburg Research, a U.S. short seller, alleged that the company was engaged in wide-ranging fraud. WSJ’s Shan Li explains a fallout that has cost Adani billions. Further Reading: - How Gautam Adani Made (and Could Lose) a $147 Billion Fortune - Adani Plans $1.1 Billion Loan Repayment After Share Collateral Plummets Further...
Feb 06, 2023•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast Cao Zhixin and her friends went to a rally to honor people who died in a fire. Several weeks later, they were detained by Chinese authorities and now face years in prison. WSJ's Shen Lu explains why Beijing is cracking down on a new kind of protester. Further Reading: - In China, Young Women Become Accidental Symbols of Defiance - Under Xi Jinping, Women in China Have Given Up Gains - The Exposure of China’s ‘Bought Wives’ Further Listening: - China’s Biggest Protests in Decades - What the End o...
Feb 03, 2023•22 min•Transcript available on Metacast Russia’s invasion forces have tightened the noose around Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine with help from a paramilitary outfit called the Wagner Group. Heading the group is one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s close confidants -- Yevgeny Prigozhin. WSJ’s Benoit Faucon explains why the Wagner Group has been drawing condemnation for its deployments in several global hotspots. Further Reading and Watching: - Wagner: How Russian Mercenaries Help Putin in Ukraine - Russia Tightens Grip Around Bakhmut ...
Feb 02, 2023•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast For years, the U.S. government went after hackers by trying to arrest them. Now, they’re trying a new approach. WSJ’s Robert McMillan tells the story of how one of the world’s most infamous hacking groups, called Hive, got busted. Further Reading: - FBI Disrupts ‘Hive’ Ransomware Group Further Listening: - Hack Me if You Can - Why a Ransomware Group Is Pretending to Be a Real Company - Ransomware, a Pipeline and a Gas Shortage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Feb 01, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was originally elected on an anti-corruption platform. Over the last two weeks, he has removed nearly a dozen top officials. WSJ’s James Marson explains why Zelensky is trying to shore up Western confidence in his administration at a crucial moment in the war. Further Reading: -Ukraine’s Zelensky Removes Top Officials in Bid to Contain Corruption Scandals -Ukraine’s Zelensky Urges Faster Weapons Deliveries Amid Russian Push Further Listening: -The Man Leadi...
Jan 31, 2023•17 min•Transcript available on Metacast North of the Arctic Circle, a Swedish mining company says it has located a coveted resource: Europe’s biggest cache of rare-earth minerals, elements used for making electronics and green technology. The deposit could be a blessing for the West, but WSJ’s Kim Mackrael explains that for Sweden’s indigenous Sami people, it also puts hundreds of years of tradition in peril. Further Reading: - Rare-Earth Find in Sweden Lifts Hope for Shift Toward Clean Energy Further Listening: - Diving Deep for Batt...
Jan 30, 2023•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast South Africa’s state-owned power company, Eskom, is struggling to keep the lights on in the country and is now looking for a new leader after its current CEO was poisoned. WSJ’s Alexandra Wexler on the difficult job of running Eskom. Further Reading: - South Africa Seeks State Power Chief After CEO Says He Was Poisoned Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 27, 2023•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Department of Justice is seeking to break up part of Google’s digital advertising business. In a lawsuit filed Tuesday, the government says the tech giant has taken actions that ‘severely weaken, if not destroy competition in the ad tech industry.’ Google says the lawsuit is an attempt to pick winners and losers. WSJ’s Miles Kruppa discusses the DOJ’s case and the moves Google made to become a giant in the online advertising space. Further Reading: - DOJ Sues Google, Seeking to Break Up Onli...
Jan 26, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Over the last year, fashion company Stitch Fix has lost 95% of its value as the company's attempts to expand beyond subscriptions floundered. WSJ columnist Laura Forman says the decline of Stitch Fix holds broader lessons for tech companies. Further Reading: - Stitch Fix’s Unraveling Should Sow Broader Tech Doubts Further Listening: - Shein Took Over Fast Fashion. Then Came the Backlash. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 25, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Tesla cut prices for some of its vehicles sold in the U.S. by nearly 20% earlier this month. WSJ’s Nora Eckert on what’s behind the price drop and what it means for the EV market. Further Reading: -Tesla’s Price Cuts Are Roiling the Car Market -What if Tesla Is…Just a Car Company? Further Listening: -GM’s All-Electric Bet -Will Americans Buy an Electric Truck? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 24, 2023•17 min•Transcript available on Metacast On Friday, FBI investigators found more classified documents at President Joe Biden’s Delaware home. This is the latest in a series of searches that turned up classified material at a number of Biden's offices and homes. WSJ’s Annie Linskey discusses the search, and what it could mean for Biden’s presidency. Further Reading: - String of Classified Document Discoveries Seen Tarnishing White House - More Classified Documents Found at President Biden’s Delaware Home Further Listening: - Why FBI Age...
Jan 23, 2023•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast A month after China scrapped most of its zero-Covid restrictions, Omicron has spread rapidly. WSJ’s Brian Spegele explains that while some people are able to resume life as normal, infections have skyrocketed and medical facilities are stretched to their limits. Further Reading: - China’s Precarious Moment: Covid Everywhere and Few Restrictions - China Confronts First Lunar New Year Since Covid Lockdowns Ended - China’s Young Protesters Wrestle With How Far to Push: ‘We Don’t Want Covid Tests, W...
Jan 20, 2023•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast After the collapse of FTX, WSJ Reporter Eliot Brown wanted to find out where all the money went. He was surprised to discover that the biggest investment had been in a bitcoin mining company based in Kazakhstan. Further Reading: - Sam Bankman-Fried’s Supersized Bet: $1 Billion For A Bitcoin Miner On The Kazakh Steppe - FTX Says It Has Located More Than $5 Billion in Cash, Liquid Assets Further Listening: - The Charges Against FTX's Sam Bankman-Fried - ‘Do You Expect to Go to Prison?’: An Intervi...
Jan 19, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella speaks with WSJ Editor in Chief Matt Murray at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, about the company’s artificial-intelligence ambitions and how tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT could revolutionize the way we work. Further Reading and Watching: - Microsoft CEO Talks AI Integration and Leadership at Davos - Microsoft to Lay Off 10,000 Workers as Slowdown Hits Software Business Further Listening: - The Company Behind ChatGPT Learn more about your ad choices. Visi...
Jan 18, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast ChatGPT was released only a few months ago but the artificial intelligence chatbot has already taken the internet by storm. WSJ’s Berber Jin tells the story of the company behind ChatGPT and how the world is responding to this technology. Further Reading: -The Backstory of ChatGPT Creator OpenAI -ChatGPT Creator Is Talking to Investors About Selling Shares at $29 Billion Valuation -Microsoft Plans to Build OpenAI, ChatGPT Features Into All Products Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megapho...
Jan 17, 2023•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Federal Trade Commission wants to ban noncompete clauses in employment contracts. WSJ's Lauren Weber explains what these clauses are, the surprising number of workers they might affect, and how businesses are reacting. Further Reading: - Noncompete Clauses: What They Are and What to Know Before Signing Your Contract - FTC Proposes Banning Noncompete Clauses for Workers - The Noncompete Clause Gets a Closer Look Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 13, 2023•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast When a new Miss Universe is crowned this Saturday, she will be the first winner under new pageant owner Anne Jakrajutatip, a Thai businesswoman and transgender advocate. We talk to Jakrajutatip about her views on beauty and how she wants to transform the pageant. Further Reading: - Miss Universe Bought by Thai Businesswoman for $20 Million Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 12, 2023•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast Wednesday or Friday? In-person or via Zoom? As dozens of companies undergo layoffs, human resource executives are grappling with a lot of questions about how to let employees go and avoid public blowback. WSJ’s Chip Cutter walks us through the do’s and don’ts of layoffs. Further Reading: - The Debate Swirling Inside HR Departments: How to Lay Off Workers Further Listening: - What Will the Economy Look Like in 2023? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 11, 2023•17 min•Transcript available on Metacast Brazil is reeling after supporters of former right-wing president Jair Bolsonaro forced their way into several government buildings on Sunday. Many protesters called for military intervention to oust the newly-inaugurated leftist president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. WSJ’s Luciana Magalhaes explains how the protests could undermine da Silva’s agenda. Further Reading: -Brazil Riots: The Aftermath of Pro-Bolsonaro Protests -Brazilian Investigators Home In on Suspects in Riot Financing -Brazilian A...
Jan 10, 2023•16 min•Transcript available on Metacast Silvergate went from a small real-estate bank to the bank of choice for the crypto world’s big players. Then it experienced a historic bank run. WSJ’s David Benoit explains why customers pulled their money from crypto’s top bank. Further Reading: - Silvergate Raced to Cover $8.1 Billion in Withdrawals During Crypto Meltdown Further Listening: - The Charges Against FTX's Sam Bankman-Fried - ‘Do You Expect to Go to Prison?’: An Interview With SBF - How Crypto Giant FTX Suddenly Imploded Learn more...
Jan 09, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
