The Journal.
The most important stories about money, business and power. Hosted by Ryan Knutson and Jessica Mendoza. The Journal is a co-production of Spotify and The Wall Street Journal. Get show merch here: https://wsjshop.com/collections/clothing
Episodes
January 16, 2026 • 23 mins
From a young age, it was clear that Phillip Bell was a football phenom. He got his first college scholarship offer in middle school. But that talent drew Bell into Southern California’s unruly youth football black market. In that system, high schoolers and their families are paid millions to play football. WSJ's Harriet Ryan reports on a system that ultimately tore Phillip Bell's family apart. Ryan Knutson hosts.
Further Listeni...
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January 15, 2026 • 20 mins
For the past two weeks, Iran has been consumed by protests that have resulted in a heavy government crackdown with deaths estimated in the thousands. But the prelude to the unrest wasn’t just political. It stemmed from a deep financial crisis, and specifically, as WSJ’s Jared Malsin explains, the collapse of an obscure and indebted bank. Jessica Mendoza hosts.
Further Listening:
- Iran Retaliates After U.S. Strike. How Could T...
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January 14, 2026 • 17 mins
President Donald Trump's sweeping plan for Venezuelan oil is coming into focus. It includes cutting off illicit oil exports, gaining more control over Venezuela's state-run oil company and rebuilding infrastructure. Some of these goals require the participation of U.S. oil companies, but those companies are reluctant to invest in the still-unstable country. WSJ's Andrew Restuccia explains Trump's gambit to bring down oil prices and...
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January 13, 2026 • 19 mins
After receiving grand jury subpoenas from the Justice Department last week, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said the investigation was part of a pressure campaign to get the Fed to lower interest rates. WSJ’s Nick Timiraos explains how the investigation could change who controls monetary policy in the future. Jessica Mendoza hosts.
Further Listening:
- Is the Economy Getting Better or Worse? The Fed Says It’s Hard to Tell ...
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January 12, 2026 • 23 mins
An AI bubble. Geopolitical turmoil. Inflation and interest rates. These things and more could rock the stock market in 2026, and investors have to be prepared. WSJ’s Jason Zweig, writer of The Intelligent Investor column and newsletter, discusse s how investors can best set up their portfolios for the new year and breaks down his outlook for the year ahead. Ryan Knutson hosts.
Further Listening:
- It's Almost 2026. How’s the...
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January 9, 2026 • 25 mins
In August, a troubled man named Stein-Erik Soelberg killed his mother and took his own life. In the months leading up to the tragedy, Soelberg had been engaging in delusion-filled conversations with ChatGPT. Now, his mother’s estate has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against OpenAI, and Soelberg’s son Erik wants the tech giant to take responsibility for a product that he believes deepened his father’s decline. WSJ’s Julie Jargon te...
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January 8, 2026 • 19 mins
Netflix is in a high-stakes fight to buy storied movie studio Warner Bros. The company has a $72 billion deal in hand, but rival Paramount isn't going down without a fight. At the helm of the streaming giant is co-CEO Ted Sarandos, whose strategies have helped transform the entertainment industry. WSJ’s Joe Flint says that Hollywood’s creatives were once enamored with Netflix’s approaches but have grown more wary of what new change...
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January 7, 2026 • 21 mins
Amid an intense trade dispute with the US, China has started looking to other markets to sell its low value items. In recent months, Chinese e-commerce companies like Shein and Temu have started homing in on Europe. But the pivot has been met with resistance by many in Europe. WSJ's Chelsey Dulaney reports on the evolving China-Europe trade dynamic. Ryan Knutson hosts.
Further Listening:
- China and the U.S. Are in a Race for A...
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January 6, 2026 • 20 mins
Since World War II, U.S. geopolitical strategy prioritized global trade and building alliances, especially with democracies. Now, after his action in Venezuela, President Trump is ushering in a new era of American foreign policy that is focused primarily on territory and resources. WSJ’s chief economics commentator Greg Ip breaks down the moment, its historical context, and what’s next. Ryan Knutson hosts.
Further Listening:
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January 5, 2026 • 14 mins
For months, the U.S. sold its pressure campaign against Venezuela as a way to curtail drug trafficking. Now, after a surprise military operation on Saturday that led to the capture of President Nicolàs Maduro, U.S. oil companies have a path to regaining access to one of the world’s largest oil reserves. But WSJ’s Collin Eaton explains why getting companies to flock back to Venezuela will be a massive challenge. Ryan Knutson hosts.
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December 29, 2025 • 9 mins
The stories that defined 2025, the themes to watch in 2026. Ryan Knutson and Jessica Mendoza hear from top editors across the paper. Plus, Ryan's bold proposal to switch Christmas and Valentine's Day.Thanks for listening to the show in 2025. We’ll see you in 2026!
Listen to Ryan and Jess’s playlist of their Greatest Hits of 2025.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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December 23, 2025 • 28 mins
According to a WSJ analysis, the epicenter for Stand Your Ground killings is in the state where the laws were first enacted: Florida. From 2021 through 2024, the Jacksonville area had a larger share of its homicides classified as justifiable killings by civilians than any U.S. city or county with a population greater than 500,000. WSJ’s Hannah Critchfield reports on the law’s unintended consequences and one case labelled as a self-...
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December 22, 2025 • 26 mins
Federal officials say Chinese money launderers moved more than $300 billion in illicit transactions through U.S. banks and other financial institutions in recent years. WSJ’s Dylan Tokar explores the rise of these highly lucrative schemes and former federal prosecutor Julie Shemitz takes us inside the federal investigation to bring them down. Ryan Knutson hosts.
Further Listening:
- The Money Laundering Behind TD Bank's $3 Bil...
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December 19, 2025 • 22 mins
How did the U.S. economy do in 2025? With unemployment ticking up, tariffs shaking up global trade and the stock market booming, it has been hard to make sense of it all. Ryan Knutson talks with three WSJ economics reporters–Justin Lahart, Rachel Wolfe and Jeanne Whalen– about the state of the economy as we wrap up the year, and about what to expect in 2026.
Further Listening:
- The Era of AI Layoffs Has Begun
- Is the Econom...
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December 18, 2025 • 19 mins
After a historic church in the heart of Nashville was taken over by a businessman, the family of the church’s original founder, including Christian pop star Amy Grant, says the building was “steeple-jacked.” The businessman leading the church denies the allegations. WSJ’s Cameron McWhirter explains to Ryan Knutson why many American churches are vulnerable to a hostile takeover.
Further Listening:
- ‘Exmo’ Influencers Are Taking ...
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December 17, 2025 • 21 mins
Cloud seeding is a decades-old rain-making technology, and it’s making a comeback in drought-stricken western states. Utah is partnering with a startup called Rainmaker as they try to stabilize the Great Salt Lake, assisted by drones and AI. But those efforts are colliding with weather conspiracy theories that have only gotten more persistent after some blamed Rainmaker for deadly floods in Texas last year. Jessica Mendoza spoke to...
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December 16, 2025 • 20 mins
Risky investing strategies are on the rise, and Robinhood’s CEO Vlad Tenev is leading the charge. He’s built the company’s trading app not just to buy and sell ordinary stocks, but to make it easier to invest in more exotic financial products. WSJ’s Hannah Erin Lang profiles Tenev and explores the extraordinary success his company has had over the past year. Ryan Knutson hosts.
Further Listening:
- Free Trading Isn't Free: How R...
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December 15, 2025 • 21 mins
Compass CEO Robert Reffkin wants to change the way Americans buy and sell homes by encouraging sellers to list their homes privately when they first hit the market. That strategy is challenging companies like Zillow, which have made information about home listings accessible to buyers. WSJ’s Nicole Friedman explains why Compass wants to overhaul the real estate market, and why Zillow is putting up a fight. Jessica Mendoza hosts.
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December 12, 2025 • 20 mins
While some viewers complain that AI-generated ads look uncanny, brands like Coca-Cola are making them anyway. WSJ’s Katie Deighton explains how Coke remade their iconic “Holidays Are Coming” ad with artificial intelligence, and what that signals for the ad industry’s future. Jessica Mendoza hosts.
Further Listening:
- The Era of AI Layoffs Has Begun
- How a $1.5 Billion Settlement Could Alter the Course of AISign up for WSJ’s f...
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December 11, 2025 • 20 mins
OpenAI kickstarted the AI race, but is it now at risk of falling behind Google? As the company behind ChatGPT releases its latest update to fend off Google's Gemini, WSJ’S Berber Jin explains OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's urgent "code red" memo to all employees and why the strategy will come at a cost. Jessica Mendoza hosts.
Further Listening:
- Is the AI Boom… a Bubble?
- AI Is Coming for Entry-Level Jobs - The Journal.
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