Tweens, or kids aged 8 to 12, have learned to shop online. Brands are taking note. WSJ’s Chavie Lieber spoke to TikTok-er Demetra Dias and explains the impact of influencers like her on young shoppers and the brands that court them. Further Reading: - Teen Girls Are Spending Big. She Tells Them What to Buy. - Why Tweens Are Obsessed With This $110 Sweatsuit Further Listening: - How the Stanley Cup Became the Internet's Favorite Water Bottle - Teens Are Falling Victim to AI Fake Nudes Learn more ...
Sep 04, 2024•17 min•Transcript available on Metacast Pavel Durov, the CEO of the messaging app Telegram, was arrested in France last month. He was charged with a host of crimes, including complicity in distributing child pornography, illegal drugs and hacking software on the app. Matthew Dalton reports on how the charges represent a major escalation by the French government in holding tech executives accountable for the content that appears on their platforms. Further Reading: - Telegram CEO Pavel Durov Charged by French Authorities - Exclusive | ...
Sep 03, 2024•22 min•Transcript available on Metacast Kamala Harris is trying to step out of President Biden’s shadow without distancing herself from their administration’s policies. Molly Ball breaks down a new WSJ poll that shows Harris has a narrow lead in the presidential election and unpacks the VP’s first big interview. She also takes your questions. Further Reading: - Harris Has Taken Narrow Lead Over Trump, WSJ Poll Finds - Race Is On To Reach the Rapidly Shrinking Pool of Undecided Voters Further Listening: - Is the Trump Campaign Going Of...
Aug 30, 2024•22 min•Transcript available on Metacast The world’s most lucrative sports league is allowing private equity to buy into teams. WSJ’s Andrew Beaton and Miriam Gottfried unpack why the NFL is opening up, and what it could mean for owners and fans. Further Reading: -Private Equity Ownership Is Coming to the NFL -College Sports Is About to Turn Pro. Private Equity Wants In. Further Listening: -Why Three Media Giants Are Betting on Sports Streaming -ESPN’s Big Bet on an F-Bomb-Throwing YouTube Star Learn more about your ad choices. Visit m...
Aug 29, 2024•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast Faced with stagnating economic growth, Chinese leader Xi Jinping decided to go all in on manufacturing and exporting. But, as Lingling Wei reports, the increase in low-cost Chinese goods is squeezing businesses around the world and raising the specter of a new trade war. Further Listening: - How Xi Jinping's Dream Slowed China's Economy - The Political Cost of China's Faltering Economy Further Reading: - Why China Is Starting a New Trade War - China Revives Socialist Ideas to Fix Its Real-Estate...
Aug 28, 2024•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast When Elon Musk bought Twitter in 2022, he borrowed $13 billion dollars from several banks to complete the deal. Now, it looks like the banks may not get all their money back. WSJ’s Alexander Saeedy on what the banks didn’t take into account when they made those loans. Further Reading: -Elon Musk’s Twitter Takeover Is Now the Worst Buyout for Banks Since the Financial Crisis -Elon Musk’s Hard Turn to Politics, in 300,000 of His Own Words Further Listening: -Elon Musk and Silicon Valley Turn Towar...
Aug 27, 2024•17 min•Transcript available on Metacast For almost 20 years, Etsy has been a popular website for handmade and specialized goods on the internet. But as the company grew, many current and former sellers say the platform has changed and is now full of mass-produced goods. They’ve also complained about increased seller fees. The CEO, Josh Silverman, responds, saying Etsy is still true to its original mission to keep commerce ‘human.’ Further Listening: - What’s Behind Amazon’s Review Problem - The Resurrection of Abercrombie & Fitch Furt...
Aug 26, 2024•26 min•Transcript available on Metacast Last night, Vice President Kamala Harris formally accepted the Democratic presidential nomination. It capped off a boisterous, speaker-packed week in Chicago as the Harris campaign tries to reach a broad swath of American voters. Molly Ball reports from Chicago. Further Listening: - Is the Trump Campaign Going Off Track? - Takeaways from the RNC: Trump Is in Control Further Reading: - Kamala Harris Defines the Democrats’ New Normal - Democrats’ Upbeat Convention Has Nancy Pelosi to Thank Learn m...
Aug 23, 2024•23 min•Transcript available on Metacast In May, an associate at Bank of America died unexpectedly after working long hours on a big acquisition. The death sparked an outcry about the all-nighters and 100-hour weeks that grind down young investment bankers. WSJ’s Alexander Saeedy spoke to over three dozen current and former employees about a pervasive culture of overwork at the bank. Further Reading: -How Bank of America Ignores Its Own Rules Meant to Prevent Dangerous Workloads -Bank of America Urges Bankers to Sound Alarm on Overwork...
Aug 22, 2024•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast Last week, Starbucks ousted its CEO Laxman Narasimhan and replaced him with Brian Niccol, the current leader of Chipotle. Lauren Thomas reports on the dramatic leadership change, as Starbucks struggles to turn around its business and contend with activist investors. Further Listening: - Can Chinese Customers Rescue Starbucks? - The Underdog Coffee Bean That’s Making a Comeback Further Reading: - Inside Starbucks’s Surprising CEO Firing and Hiring Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone...
Aug 21, 2024•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Democratic National Convention is underway in Chicago, where the party aims to unite behind its new nominee for president, Kamala Harris. But the war in Gaza, and American military aid for Israel, is dividing the party. WSJ’s Sabrina Siddiqui explains why that fracture could impact the Harris campaign. Further Reading: -DNC 2024 Live Updates -DNC Protesters Have a Message for Kamala Harris: ‘Talk Is Cheap’ -Pro-Gaza Activists Size Up Kamala Harris Further Listening: -The Economy: Trump vs. H...
Aug 20, 2024•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Last week, the two presidential candidates put forward some specific policy proposals about the economy. WSJ’s Andrew Restuccia breaks down what each candidate is proposing. Further Reading: - Harris Calls for Expanded Child Tax Credit, 3 Million New Housing Units - Harris, Trump Propose Divergent, Costly Solutions for Inflation Further Listening: - Is the Trump Campaign Going Off Track? - 'Phony' and 'Weird.' Trump and Harris Size Each Other Up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone....
Aug 19, 2024•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast WSJ’s Molly Ball breaks down the past week for the Trump campaign as the former president continues to try and counter a surge of support for Harris. Plus, do undecided voters truly exist? Molly answers your questions. Further Reading: - Race Is On To Reach the Rapidly Shrinking Pool of Undecided Voters - Inside Elon Musk’s Hands-On Push to Win 800,000 Voters for Trump Further Listening: - The Week that Changed the Presidential Race - Kamala Harris, In Context Learn more about your ad choices. V...
Aug 16, 2024•22 min•Transcript available on Metacast Former YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki died last week at the age of 56. WSJ’s Miles Kruppa shares how Wojcicki developed a reputation as perhaps the most important Google employee that few people have heard of outside of the company’s walls. Further Reading: -Former YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki Dies at Age 56 -YouTube’s Susan Wojcicki on Transforming the Video Service Further Listening: -Why the DOJ Is Suing Google Again Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Aug 15, 2024•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast In the past three months, Robby Starbuck has fueled social-media attacks that have led to two companies rolling back their diversity initiatives. He is part of a larger movement that is pushing back against diversity, equity and inclusion policies at companies. WSJ’s Chip Cutter reports. Further Listening: -Conservatives Come for ESG Further Reading: -The Activist Pushing Companies to Ditch Their Diversity Policies -Diversity Goals Are Disappearing From Companies’ Annual Reports Learn more about...
Aug 14, 2024•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast After years of pressure from the U.S., China is imposing new restrictions on chemicals used in the production of fentanyl. WSJ’s Brian Spegele says the move marks a small step forward after nearly a decade of sometimes-tense negotiations. Further Reading: -China Restricts Fentanyl Chemicals After Years of U.S. Pressure Further Listening: -The Push to Test Drugs for Fentanyl -How a Balloon Burst U.S.-China Relations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Aug 13, 2024•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast In June, Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft successfully docked at the International Space Station. But issues with its propulsion system have called into question its safety. Now, NASA is weighing alternatives to bring the astronauts home. WSJ’s Micah Maidenberg shares how the Starliner program has faced a bevy of problems and what it means for Boeing. Further Reading: - Boeing Sent Two Astronauts Into Space. Now It Needs to Get Them Home. - NASA Says Starliner Astronauts Could Return With SpaceX—Ne...
Aug 12, 2024•23 min•Transcript available on Metacast The world’s rainforests have shrunk dramatically in recent decades due to the expansion of land for growing cash crops, like cocoa. The European Union is trying to limit destruction with a new law which aims to track where cocoa is grown. Farmers who want to sell to Europe— the world’s largest cocoa market— are racing to meet the law's requirements, or lose out. WSJ’s Alexandra Wexler details how the law will impact millions of cocoa farmers in West Africa. Further Reading: - Chocolate Prices Ha...
Aug 09, 2024•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Bill Ackman has pressed pause on the initial public offering of a new fund aimed at everyday investors after a lack of demand. Ackman originally aimed to raise around $25 billion in the offering, hoping to capitalize on his social-media celebrity but his fund goals shrunk dramatically. WSJ’s Peter Rudegeair unpacks what happened. Further Reading: -Can Bill Ackman Turn Social-Media Stardom Into a Blockbuster IPO? -What Bill Ackman Got Wrong With His Bungled IPO Further Listening: -The Life of One...
Aug 08, 2024•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast In a historic decision this week, a federal judge ruled that Google acted to illegally maintain a monopoly in online search. The case was the first of several antitrust lawsuits the U.S. government has brought against some of the nation’s leading tech companies, and the ruling marks a major victory for its efforts to reign in big tech. WSJ’s Miles Kruppa explains how this decision could shake up Google’s business and potentially change how we search the internet. Further Reading: -Google’s Antit...
Aug 07, 2024•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast Slow job growth in the U.S. and interest rate cuts in Japan triggered a global stock market sell off on Monday. WSJ’s Nick Timiraos breaks down how it happened, what it says about the economy, and what it means for the Federal Reserve’s long-term goal of a soft landing. Further Listening: -Live from Seattle: A Weird Economy + Election = ?? -Why the Fed Is Steering Away From Rate Cuts Further Reading: -Market Selloff Upends Fed Rate-Cut Calculus -Lousy Jobs Report Forces Fed to Reckon With Hard L...
Aug 06, 2024•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Under the Americans With Disabilities Act, businesses are supposed to make their websites accessible to the visually impaired. WSJ's Ruth Simon found that this requirement has led to an explosion of lawsuits, many of which are against small businesses. Further Reading: - The Law Firm Hitting Businesses With Thousands of Disability Suits Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Aug 05, 2024•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast As Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign gets underway, Democrats and Republicans are rushing to define her. And Democrats are shifting the way they talk about the GOP. WSJ’s Molly Ball explores the strategies behind how both sides are framing each other. Further Listening: - The Week That Changed the Presidential Race - Takeaways from the RNC: Trump Is in Control Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Aug 02, 2024•24 min•Transcript available on Metacast Russia freed wrongfully convicted Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and more than a dozen others on Thursday as part of the largest East-West prisoner swap since the Cold War. WSJ’s Joe Parkinson and Drew Hinshaw report on the effort to bring Gershkovich home. Further Listening: -Russia Tries a WSJ Reporter in a Secret Court -Two Parents on a Crusade to Free Their Son Further Reading: -Inside the Secret Negotiations to Free Evan Gershkovich -WSJ Reporter Evan Gershkovich Is Free Lear...
Aug 01, 2024•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast After ten years of sales, 500 million Amazon smart devices have found their way into homes around the world. But the company is losing billions of dollars on the devices. WSJ’s Dana Mattioli discovered an accounting tool that’s kept the huge losses under wraps. Further Reading: -Alexa Is in Millions of Households—and Amazon Is Losing Billions Further Listening: -Amazon's Secret Operation to Gather Intel on Rivals -What Is Amazon's Secret 'Project Nessie'? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ...
Jul 31, 2024•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast Today, Olympics officials in Paris postponed the men’s triathlon because of elevated E. coli levels in the River Seine, where the event was set to take place. WSJ’s Joshua Robinson reports on how decades of trying to clean up the river may not have been successful. Further Reading: - Paris Olympics Postpones Triathlon Because of Pollution in River Seine - Yes, They’re Actually Doing Olympic Swimming in the River Seine. Gulp. - Herculean Feat in Paris Olympics: Make the Seine Safe to Swim Further...
Jul 30, 2024•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast Have you ever thought about who is behind your scam texts? WSJ reporter Feliz Solomon spent months investigating and discovered that many of these texts are coming from slaves trapped in scam dens in Southeast Asia. She talked to one person who had been imprisoned there and learned how he became ensnared in a growing criminal empire. Further Listening: - Pig Butchering: A Texting Scam With A Crypto Twist Further Reading: - Posing As ‘Alicia,’ This Man Scammed Hundreds Online. He Was Also A Victi...
Jul 29, 2024•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast The 2024 presidential election has taken a major turn after Biden dropped out of the race. WSJ’s Molly Ball charts how the 2024 political election has hit a reset and what Harris’s candidacy could mean for her party and the country. Further Listening: - Takeaways from the RNC: Trump Is in Control Further Reading: - Biden Withdrawal Caps Weeks of Epic Political Turbulence Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 26, 2024•23 min•Transcript available on Metacast USAntibiotics's plant in Tennessee is one of the last plants in the United States that makes amoxicillin, the crucial antibiotic that has been in shortage in some forms since 2022. But the plant isn’t breaking even, financially. WSJ’s Liz Essley Whyte reports on why it is so hard for American-made generic drugs manufacturers to survive. Further Listening: - Will Florida’s Plan to Get Cheap Drugs From Canada Work? - Trillion Dollar Shot Further Reading: - Drug Shortages in America Reach a Record ...
Jul 25, 2024•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast Democrats are rallying around Vice President Kamala Harris as she takes over President Biden’s campaign. WSJ’s Tarini Parti discusses some key moments in her political career and explores what they reveal about her as a candidate. Further Listening: - Biden Taps Out. Harris Taps In. - Takeaways from the RNC: Trump Is in Control Further Reading: - Inside the Slow-Building Biden-Harris Relationship - How Kamala Harris Views Policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Jul 24, 2024•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
