Recode Media
What happens when media, entertainment, and technology collide? Peter Kafka, one of the media industry's most acclaimed reporters, talks to business titans, journalists, comedians and podcasters to get their take. Produced by Recode and the Vox Media Podcast Network.
Episodes
May 15, 2021 • 23 min
Antonio García Martínez used to work at Facebook, and wrote a book about it. In April, he started working at Apple, and weeks later he was gone, after Apple employees revolted. Martinez talks to Recode’s Peter Kafka about why he went to work for Apple, why he left, and what he thinks of the criticism of him and his writing.
Featuring: Antonio Garcia Martinez (@antoniogm)
Host: Peter Kafka (@pkafka), Senior Editor at Recode...
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May 13, 2021 • 44 min
The concert business has been shut down for a year, which means that Live Nation, the world’s dominant concert promoter and ticket seller, has been shut down, too. CEO Michael Rapino sits down with Recode’s Peter Kafka to talk about the industry’s comeback, how his company survived without revenue, and how he’s figured out new tricks, like a subscription model.
Featuring: Michael Rapino (@Michael_Rapino), President & CEO o...
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May 11, 2021 • 64 min
Bloomberg's Brad Stone and Recode's Jason Del Rey report on all things Amazon and Jeff Bezos. They discuss how Bezos built his global empire and Stone's new book 'Amazon Unbound.'
Featuring: Brad Stone (@BradStone), Tech writer for Bloomberg, and Author
Guest Host: Jason Del Rey (@DelRey), Senior Correspondent at Recode
More to explore: Subscribe for free to Recode Media, Peter Kafka, one of the media i...
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May 6, 2021 • 61 min
The antitrust trial between Apple and Fortnite’s parent company Epic Games is underway, so Apple observer John Gruber talks about Apple’s App Store problem with Recode’s Peter Kafka. Then, historian Jill Lepore joins to discuss her podcast The Last Archive, which looks at the demise of truth and the rise of doubt in American history - and why it matters to us today.
Featuring: John Gruber (@gruber), of Daring Fireball
Jill Lep...
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April 29, 2021 • 40 min
AMC Networks CEO Josh Sapan checks in with Recode’s Peter Kafka to talk about his company’s pivot from TV to streaming, and what it’s like to be a smaller fish in the video pond.
Featuring: Josh Sapan (@JWSAPAN), CEO of AMC Networks
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 busines...
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April 22, 2021 • 54 min
The Oscars are supposed to be a celebration for Hollywood, but this year it feels like a collapse: The pandemic has altered the slate of movies up for awards - and, crucially, seems to have removed most of the TV audience for Sunday’s show. Slate’s Allegra Frank and Vox’s Alissa Wilkinson talk to Recode’s Peter Kafka about what all of this means for the movie business and for moviegoers. Then The Ringer’s Rob Harvilla explains why ...
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April 21, 2021 • 23 min
Apple’s selling podcasts. Facebook wants to distribute podcasts - and take on Clubhouse, too. It’s been a busy couple days for big tech and audio, so Vox Media producer Zach Mack stopped by to talk to Recode’s Peter Kafka and sort through the news. What does all of this mean for creators? What about listeners? And what happens next?
Featuring: Zach Mack (@zachthemack), Senior Producer for the Vox Media Podcast Network
Host: Pe...
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April 15, 2021 • 42 min
Substack is known for recruiting high profile writers to leave the big name publications and start their own newsletter businesses. Now it wants to recruit writers you haven’t heard of, and get them to cover local news. Cofounders Chris Best and Hamish McKenzie talk to Recode’s Peter Kafka about their plans — as well as criticism and controversy their startup has kicked up in the last year.
Featuring: Chris Best (@cjgbest) Co-...
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April 13, 2021 • 78 min
NFT’s have been rising in popularity in recent months with franchises like the NBA partnering with Roham Gharegozlou’s Dapper Labs to create Top Shot, or UTA’s Brent Weinstein assisting entertainers to take advantage of it as well. Recode’s Peter Kafka speaks to both of them about their journey getting into NFT’s and blockchain, as well as The Verge’s Mitchell Clark who breaks down the industry as a whole.
Featuring: Roham Gharego...
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April 8, 2021 • 49 min
Warner Media CEO Jason Kilar started his job in the middle of a global pandemic. Things got even weirder after that. Kilar talks with Recode’s Peter Kafka about his controversial plan to stream big movies on HBO Max, and how he’ll change that in 2022. Plus thoughts on sports, CNN, and Amazon, where he got his start.
Featuring: Jason Kilar (@jasonkilar), CEO of Warner Media
Host: Peter Kafka (@pkafka), Senior Editor at Reco...
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April 1, 2021 • 37 min
Why is every digital media company talking about a SPAC? Why now? And what, exactly is a SPAC? Axios’ Dan Primack and WSJ’s Ben Mullin talk to Recode’s Peter Kafka about the wave of deal-making, what it means, and how long it will last.
Featuring: Dan Primack (@danprimack), Business Editor at Axios
Ben Mullin (@BenMullin), Media Reporter at The Wall Street Journal
Host: Peter Kafka (@pkafka), Senior Editor at Recode
Mo...
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David Dobrik was one of YouTube’s biggest stars. Now his career is in peril after an expose by Business Insider’s Kat Tenbarge; she talks to Recode’s Peter Kafka to talk about her story. Then The Markup’s Julia Angwin talks about her site’s efforts to peer into Facebook’s black box and an update on her non-profit newsroom.
Featuring: Kat Tenbarge (@kattenbarge), Reporter for Business Insider
Julia Angwin (@JuliaAngwin), Ed...
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March 18, 2021 • 49 min
Like many of us last year, Christina “Tinx” Najjar decided to download TikTok on a whim. Unlike many of us, she has become a TikTok star, with close to a million followers and lots of brands knocking on her door. She sits down with Recode’s Peter Kafka to detail her journey on how she did it. Then Vox’s Rebecca Jennings joins Peter to break down the business and economics of being an influencer.
Featuring: Christina "Tinx"...
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March 11, 2021 • 78 min
The pandemic changed everything - including the media landscape. What happens when things get back to mostly normal? ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, The Verge’s Bijan Stephen, and Lightshed’s Rich Greenfield talk about the way big-time sports, streaming, TV, movies, and gaming all responded to the pandemic, and predict what happens next.
Featuring: Brian Windhorst (@WindhorstESPN), NBA Reporter for ESPN
Bijan Stephen (@bij...
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March 8, 2021 • 47 min
Fubo TV wants to take on the giants in streaming and in sports betting. Investors have sky-high expectations and skeptics think it will never work. Fubo TV CEO David Gandler talks to Recode’s Peter Kafka about the way his company has evolved since he founded it in 2015, and what it’s like to run a public company in the Gamestop/Reddit age.
Featuring: David Gandler (@davidgandler), Co-Founder & CEO of Fubo TV
Host: ...
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March 4, 2021 • 56 min
Paramount Plus and Discovery Plus are the latest, and perhaps the last big streaming services to launch in a very crowded market. Recode’s Peter Kafka asks The Verge’s Julia Alexander to assess the new entrants and the overall state of the Streaming Wars. Then, New York Times tech columnist Kevin Roose talks about his latest book, Futureproof: Nine Rules For Humans In The Age of Automation. It’s a guide to thriving - or at least su...
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February 25, 2021 • 44 min
Facebook and Google faced off against Australia and Rupert Murdoch. Who won? Recode’s Peter Kafka asks his colleague Sara Morrison to explain. Then, comedian and actor Al Madrigal stops by to discuss his career in stand-up comedy; what it’s like to make TV shows during a pandemic, and how he started the very popular All Things Comedy podcast network with fellow comedian Bill Burr.
Featuring: Sara Morrison (@SaraMorrison), repo...
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February 18, 2021 • 37 min
Pandora founder and former CEO Tim Westergren is back in the music business with Sessions, a live-streaming service well-timed for the pandemic. He talks with Recode’s Peter Kafka about what happens when people start seeing live shows in person again - and the lessons he learned running a music service that used to be ubiquitous, but got side-swiped by Spotify and the on-demand era.
Featuring: Tim Westergren (@timwestergren), ...
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February 11, 2021 • 42 min
The New York Times has a thriving subscription business, award-winning journalism - and a staff that increasingly turns to Twitter and Slack to express its dissatisfaction. CEO Meredith Kopit Levien talks to Recode’s Peter Kafka about managing all of that. This interview was recorded at Digital Content Next’s virtual summit.
Featuring: Meredith Levien (@meredith_levien), CEO at The New York Times
Host: Peter Kafka (@pkafka...
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February 4, 2021 • 40 min
Can you make someone famous on the internet by buying their fame? Journalist Nick Bilton tries to do just that in “Fake Famous”, a new HBO documentary. Bilton talks to Recode’s Peter Kafka about bots, the influencer economy, and why he’s more convinced than ever that social media has outlived its usefulness.
Featuring: Nick Bilton (@nickbilton), director of Fake Famous
Host: Peter Kafka (@pkafka), Senior Editor at Recode
M...
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