Mixed Signals from Semafor Media
Every Friday media reporter Max Tani and Semafor Editor-in-Chief Ben Smith pull back the curtain on the most important stories about media, revealing why you see and hear what you see and hear.
Mixed Signals from Semafor Media is supported by Think with Google.
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Steve Inskeep on NPR cuts, Iran, and radio’s place in the podcast era
Steve Inskeep has one of the most recognizable names and voices in the country, greeting millions of Americans every morning since the 2000s. This week, Ben and Max bring on the Morning Edition host to talk about NPR’s battle with the Trump administration, the role of public radio in an overcrowded media landscape, and why local journalism matters more than ever. They also discuss the conflict in Iran – a place that Steve has been to 6 times as a reporter – and whether Americans are less informed about global politics now than they were at the start of his career.
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Is journalism bad for The New York Times’ business? with CEO Meredith Kopit Levien
The New York Times has weathered incredible changes in the media industry throughout its 174 years – and it’s managed to stay on top through the recent shift to digital, topping podcast charts and becoming a daily app for games and cooking. This week, live from the Cannes Lions festival, Ben and Max are joined by CEO Meredith Kopit Levien to talk about how she keeps the company relevant, where journalism fits into the business, and how they’re navigating challenges like Trump and AI. They also ask her about acquiring The Athletic and Wordle, and what the Times might buy next.
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Professional optimist Cleo Abram on tech’s bright future
Cleo Abram left Vox and started her YouTube show, Huge If True, 3 years ago. Since then, the channel has grown to nearly 6 million subscribers and she’s become one of the most important tech journalists in the world. This week, Ben and Max talk to Cleo about why she started an optimistic show in an age of pessimism, the time she got space-sick in zero gravity, and how she navigates conversations with tech titans like Mark Zuckerberg and Jensen Huang.
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The Great Rebundling — With Peter Kafka and Brian Morrissey
The media industry has spent the last decade talking about its own decline — but where is it actually headed? This week on Mixed Signals, Ben kicks off a special three-part crossover with Peter Kafka of Channels and Brian Morrissey of The Rebooting. In part one of the conversation, the three discuss the future of media bundles, why everyone seems to be canceling and re-subscribing to streaming services, and whether Substack’s business model is sustainable. They also talk about selling ads as a solo operator, the false nostalgia for cable, and whether journalism is better — or just lonelier — outside of institutions.
To hear parts two and three of the conversation, head to Channels and The Rebooting.
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Top Chef’s Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons on how food ate media
Top Chef, which is airing its 22nd season finale next week, has been shaping how we think and talk about food for the past 2 decades. This week, Ben and Max talk to Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons, longtime judges since the first season, about how the show influenced the restaurant industry, how food media has changed, and why the show has gotten nicer over the years. And – they also share the social media food trends they hate the most.
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Adam Friedland on comedy, TV, and whether he’s the Joe Rogan of the left
Adam Friedland represents a new kind of comedian—one who rose up through podcasting and now hosts a late night-style weekly interview show… on YouTube. This week, Ben and Max bring on the comedian to talk about why he’s reviving a 1960s Dick Cavett-style talk show for the Internet, if podcasts have become too dumb, and whether he’s the long anticipated Joe Rogan of the left. They also talk about why he thinks phones are making people weirder, how Trump legitimized podcasting, and his fateful run-in with Swifties.
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Christiane Amanpour and Jamie Rubin on explaining the world — and podcasting with your ex
Christiane Amanpour has been on the front lines of global media since the 80s, while her ex-husband, Jamie Rubin, held top State Department jobs in the Clinton and Biden administrations. Now, with Jamie freshly out of the White House, they’ve come back together to make a podcast. This week, Ben and Max bring on the divorced couple to talk about why they decided to get into the digital media space now, what the role of media is in shaping foreign affairs, and how the information landscape has changed over their careers. They also talk about Jamie’s role in fighting Russian propaganda with the State Department’s Global Engagement Center and Christiane’s thoughts on the relevance of foreign correspondents in the internet age.
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'Substack isn’t cool,' gatekeepers are, and other strong opinions from tastemaker Chris Black
Chris Black has gone from managing a pop-punk band to becoming a fashion-world insider, podcast host, and brand consultant for labels like J. Crew and Thom Browne. This week, Ben and Max bring on the How Long Gone co-host to talk about building a cult hit podcast, the surprising comeback of media gatekeepers in 2025, and why he still believes in the power of institutions – including a high-production video version of How Long Gone. Also: his thoughts on Substack fatigue — and what it was like to interview the guitarist of the Smiths.
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Clay Travis on mixing sports and politics, his ‘pudding strike,’ and the billion-dollar bet on sports gambling
Clay Travis started his career with a stunt on his blog involving a pudding strike and NFL streaming rights. From roots in new media, he founded OutKick, a conservative sports and politics site that Fox Corp acquired in 2021. This week, Ben and Max bring on the outspoken media entrepreneur to discuss how sports and conservative politics have become intertwined, how gambling and sports media became intertwined, and how to attract an audience of men. They also ask about his current role as a Fox News personality and his 11 interviews with Donald Trump. Plus, he and Max duke it out over the NBA’s ratings.
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For more from Think with Google, check out the article called “How well do you know Google Search?” on ThinkwithGoogle.com
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Jen Psaki on her journey from politics to cable, what the Trump White House is doing right — and whether there was a Biden cover-up
Jen Psaki has gone from being a behind-the-scenes political staffer, to running the White House briefing room under President Joe Biden, to now hosting a primetime show on MSNBC. This week, Ben and Max bring on the former press secretary to talk about what it means to be a cable news host in 2025, how podcasts are changing how TV works, and what she thinks of the current administration’s press tactics. They also ask about the 2024 race — and what she makes of the idea that there was a cover-up of Biden’s health.
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For more from Think with Google, check out the article called “How well do you know Google Search?” on ThinkwithGoogle.com
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Ezra Klein on Trump, Sanity, and Podcasting
Ezra Klein is on a book tour — you may have heard his voice on some of your other favorite podcasts talking about Abundance. Today, Ben and Max also talk to The New York Times columnist and host… but you won’t hear anything about the book (so you’ll just have to buy it). Instead, they ask Ezra what he’s learned about the media and podcasting through this latest tour, how the “abundance” framework might apply to media, and if Trump will go after the press next. They also discuss how he’s become a rare media celebrity for liberals, why his fans feel saner listening to him — and how that may not be a good thing.
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Zeitgeist Genius Tina Brown on Meghan Markle, Vanity Fair and Whether We Still Need Editors
Tina Brown has shaped the culture and captured the zeitgeist since she reinvented Vanity Fair and The New Yorker in the 1980s and 1990s. But now, she’s moved onto the digital media space with her Substack, Fresh Hell. This week, Ben and Max talk to the magazine icon about what she makes of the state of print media today, if we still need editors in a world filled with influencers, and what she thinks the future holds for her former employer, Condé Nast. They also talk about her gripes with our current “uncouth” culture, how we’ve all become “scavengers of info,” and the stories she would assign today if she could.
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Can YouTube Debates Bring America Back Together? with Jubilee’s Jason Y. Lee
In a YouTube landscape filled with podcasts and talking heads, Jubilee Media’s wild debate videos stand apart: A doctor debates 20 anti-vaxxers, Ben Shapiro debates 25 liberals, Pete Buttigieg debates 25 conservatives. But are these viral videos bringing a divided America back together or are they just profiting off of polarization? This week, Ben and Max bring on Jubilee’s founder and CEO, Jason Y. Lee, to talk about his vision for “radical empathy” for quite extreme views and how even dumb debates – between flat earthers and “round earthers,” for one – can be productive. They also discuss why the Biden White House censored parts of their video with Pete Buttigieg and the media lessons Democrats can learn for the next election.
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Piers Morgan On Going Independent, Meghan Markle, and Why He Likes Pouring Gasoline On the Fire
Since the 80s, Piers Morgan has ridden massive changes in the media industry, jumping from print to cable to, more recently, YouTube. This week on Mixed Signals, the TV star joins Ben and (subbing in for Max) Semafor’s head of comms, Meera Pattni, to discuss how he’s building his Uncensored brand, what he likes about being a YouTuber, and if he misses anything about legacy media. They also talk about how some journalists take themselves too seriously, why having fun is important even in news media, and his views on Trump’s term so far.
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Nick Denton’s Surprising Return, Courtesy of Elon Musk, Denmark, and Chinese Cars
Nick Denton, the founder of Gawker, more or less disappeared from the Internet in 2017, after a public legal battle with Hulk Hogan (backed by Peter Thiel) resulted in the site being shut down… That is until earlier this month, when Denton suddenly reappeared on X, tweeting over 200 times over the course of days. In his first podcast appearance since his recent return, Ben and Max talk to the former digital media mogul about why he’s come back after almost a decade of relative anonymity and what he makes of this current media moment. They also discuss his new AI venture for journalism, why he’s short Tesla and Elon Musk, long China, and how he looks back on his Gawker days today.
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Secrets of YouTube with CEO Neal Mohan
YouTube is undeniably the dominant media platform of the moment, and it’s increasingly the go-to place for what used to be an audio-only medium: podcasts. Last month, the company announced that podcasts on YouTube rack up 1 billion viewers a month. This week, Ben and Max bring on CEO Neal Mohan to talk about how YouTube has become the epicenter of culture, how the company is thinking about podcasts and TV, and who Neal thinks its biggest competitor is. They also discuss why YouTube’s content policing guidelines have changed since 2020 and how he plans to manage their recent run-in with the FCC. Oh, and also some tips for how Mixed Signals can get our own YouTube numbers up.
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Does Mass Culture Still Matter? And How Snoop Dogg Mastered Commerce, with Frank Cooper
In this moment of media fragmentation and the rise of niche communities, are there still ways to reach mass audiences? This week, Ben and Max bring on legendary marketing executive, Frank Cooper, who’s always been at the center of big cultural shifts from his time at Def Jam in the 90s, AOL in the 2000s, and BuzzFeed in the 2010s. Throughout his career, he’s also been seen as the culture translator for big corporations, as the CMO at PepsiCo and the CMO of Visa. They talk about Frank’s unique career, who and what he thinks still moves people in mass — like Post Malone at the Louvre — and what he makes of this particular moment in the culture. He also shares stories from his time working in hip hop, what he’s learned from LL Cool J, and how Snoop Dogg became the world’s most marketable star.
Also: if you have feedback for the show and want to participate in a casual focus group, please email Ben at ben.smith@semafor.com.
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Inside the Independent Creator World, with Substack’s Hamish McKenzie – and Nayeema Raza
This week, we get an inside look at the independent creator model of media with a two-part conversation: First, Ben and Max interview Substack co-founder and chief writing officer, Hamish McKenzie, about the platform’s appeal for the resistance on the left, their move into video, and why they turned down Elon Musk’s offer to buy them a few years ago. Then, former Mixed Signals co-host and newly independent creator, Nayeema Raza, joins to talk about her foray into the new media landscape, what she’s learned about the space, and why her show, Smart Girl Dumb Questions, isn’t on Substack.
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New York Times Editor Joe Kahn, Podcaster Megyn Kelly and More on the Collapse of Trust
Today, we have a special bonus episode: Ben and Max break down the most interesting moments from the Innovating to Restore Trust in News summit held last week in Washington, D.C. They discuss Gallup’s findings on the worsening trust in news media, New York Times executive editor Joe Kahn’s acknowledgment that Donald Trump is good for business, and FCC chair Brendan Carr’s plans to go after liberal media. Plus, Ben responds to Megyn Kelly’s take on what she called a “tense interview.” Is this the start of a heated podcast feud? Maybe, if it helps our ratings.
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Why Netflix Is “Obsessed” With Winning an Oscar, with Puck’s Matt Belloni
The 97th Academy Awards are this weekend, giving us a glimpse into the past and future of Hollywood and the entertainment industry. For an insider’s take on the state of the business and how the Academy works, Ben and Max bring on Matt Belloni, founding partner of Puck and host of The Town podcast. They talk about Netflix’s Oscars strategy with Emilia Pérez, the disconnect between the Academy’s interests and what happens on stage, and why the Oscars still matter in 2025. They also discuss if Hollywood will take a rightward turn with the culture, Matt’s own career from behind the scenes at the Hollywood Reporter to now being recognized for his voice, and his predictions for this weekend’s awards.
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How Fox Is Embracing the Creator Economy, with Red Seat’s Chris Balfe
This week, a big story of media consolidation – and one that devoted Mixed Signals listeners would have seen coming: Fox announced that it has acquired Red Seat Ventures, the digital media company that produces and markets the podcasts of several big names in conservative media, including Megyn Kelly, Tucker Carlson, and Bill O’Reilly. Ben and Max bring on Red Seat’s co-founder, Chris Balfe, to talk about the acquisition, how Piers Morgan brokered the deal, how Fox Corp. will deal with empowered creators, and what it all means for the future of media.
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Inside the Making of a Super Bowl Ad
The Super Bowl, the biggest single media event in the US, is upon us. And the Chiefs and the Eagles aren’t the only ones with a lot on the line: advertisers have staked their reputations – and for Instacart’s Laura Jones, her job – on 30 seconds of airtime this Sunday. This week, Ben and Max bring on the Instacart CMO to talk about what it takes to make a Super Bowl ad, the thinking behind their Marvel-style approach, and her high stakes bet in one of the only remaining mass audience moments in media. They also talk about how she got 9 other brands to participate in the ad, why she avoided celebrities, and the vibe shift from “purpose” to escapism in advertising.
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How to Make Money in Media, with Kara Swisher
Kara Swisher has been a reporter, an editor, a founder, and is now one of the most successful podcasters in the world. This week, Ben and Max bring on the host of On with Kara Swisher and co-host of the popular tech podcast Pivot to talk about the business of media in 2025. She talks unabashedly about her own income, and whether other journalists can and should break out of big media companies to build brands like hers. She’s also got unexpectedly kind words for how Rupert Murdoch – “Uncle Satan” as she calls him – is handling the current media moment, and an update on her bid to buy The Washington Post.
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How the Creator Economy Has Transformed Advertising
This week, we look at digital fragmentation through the eyes of a transformed marketing industry – because to really see where media is headed, you have to follow the money. Ben and Max bring on CMO of Verizon and former Twitter CMO, Leslie Berland, to talk about how creators have changed marketing and what she thinks is coming next. They also talk about how Twitter and social media changed the brains of the people who worked there and how advertisers avoid cringe when chasing memes.
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Davos, the Inauguration, and Media’s Place in the New Global Order, with Ian Bremmer
As the second inauguration of Donald Trump approaches and global leaders head to Davos, Switzerland for the World Economic Forum, we at Mixed Signals want to know: what will media’s role be in an increasingly unstable era? And will it bring more order or disorder for global politics? To discuss this, Ben and Max bring on political risk advisor Ian Bremmer of the Eurasia Group. They talk about how global leaders are engaging with new media and if digital media is shaping global politics, or vice versa. They also talk about Ian’s run-in with Elon Musk in 2022, and how Donald Trump’s second term will influence media leaders like Zuckerberg and Bezos.
Be sure to follow Nayeema’s new show, Smart Girl Dumb Questions, on Apple, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get your content!
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How Technology Will Shape Media in 2025, with Jessica Lessin
This year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) showcased an array of new gadgets, screens, and robots – but will any of them impact how and what we consume? Or will the real changes come from Washington, where the big tech companies from Meta to Amazon seem to be targeting their attention? To discuss all the ways that tech and tech leaders will impact the media industry this year and beyond, Ben and Max talk to Jessica Lessin, founder and CEO of The Information. And Max hits the ground running with his first episode as co-host, as Taniacs rejoice.
Nayeema Nation: Be sure to follow Nayeema’s new show, Smart Girl Dumb Questions, on Apple, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get your content!
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How Dating Apps Survive in the Age of Digital Exhaustion, with Tinder’s Melissa Hobley
We’re kicking off 2025 with a foray into dating apps — and an announcement of Nayeema’s next venture (not a dating app but a new show called Smart Girl Dumb Questions). But first: Today’s episode of Mixed Signals merges Ben and Nayeema’s interests in CMO podcasts and dating apps, respectively. Tinder CMO Melissa Hobley joins us to talk about digital exhaustion, the reality of rebranding and the political license that comes with a GenZ audience. Max Tani joins to debrief, and next week, he’ll take the baton as co-host for the next era of Mixed Signals!
Be sure to hit follow on Nayeema’s new show on Apple, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get your content!
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Ozy Founder Gets Prison Time: What Digital Media’s Most Notorious Scandal Says About the Business
On Monday, Carlos Watson, the founder of Ozy Media, was sentenced to nearly 10 years – 116 months – in prison for fraud. Today, in Ben’s first extensive conversation about it since Watson’s arrest, he and Nayeema discuss Ozy, the scandal, and what it reveals about the broader digital media and advertising business. They bring on Madison and Wall analyst and former GroupM Global President for Business Intelligence, Brian Wieser, to talk about why marketers and investors were duped by Watson, what changed in the aftermath, and what the next digital media scam might be. After the conversation, Max Tani joins them to debrief.
If you want more on the Ozy story, check out the three-part series, “The Unraveling of Ozy Media” from CJR’s The Kicker. And for more from Brian Wieser, check out Madison and Wall’s podcast and newsletter.
NOTE: We’ll be off next week – but stay tuned for our next episode (and some exciting news) on January 3rd, 2025.
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How YouTube Became TV – with Colin and Samir
YouTube and podcasts have come fully of age as dominant forms of media, and legacy media companies are frantic to buy their way in. Ben and Nayeema tackle this with Colin and Samir, two veteran YouTubers and media thinkers who have spent years helping their peers figure out digital media. They talk about this latest rise of YouTube, the reality of revenue-backed creative, and what legacy media gets wrong about digital creators. It’s a conversation so compelling that… Nayeema reveals she might try to jump ship into that world herself…?! After the conversation, Max Tani joins to debrief and offer his fact-check for the lacrosse scene in LA.
Oh, and Colin and Samir also share their many GoDaddy accounts for their endless business ideas. For more from Colin and Samir check out their podcast, The Colin and Samir Show, and their newsletter, The Publish Press.
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Elon Musk Is Today’s Ted Turner, and Legacy Media Is “Scared”
Mixed Signals is back for Season 2, and this season we’re following the money in the changing media business. What happens now, after the clear win by podcasts and YouTubers in the election? Is it the end of legacy media, for real this time? And can advertisers keep up with audiences’ evolving media diet? To kick off this conversation, Ben and Nayeema bring on author, New Yorker writer, and media savant, Ken Auletta, who’s been examining the industry since the 90s. They talk about if and how this moment feels different from previous disruptions, how Elon Musk is reshaping media, and Ken shares his, uh, colorful recollections of flying with Ted Turner, his girlfriend, and the couple’s bed.
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Post-Election: Escapism, Resistance, and Cheeseburgers
The 2024 election cycle is finally over – so, what’s coming to your screens next? Today, Ben and Nayeema dissect what the media learned from 2024 and where we go from here. They first chat to Max Tani about the news media, and then sit down with Ankler Media’s Janice Min – who has been reporting on (and embedded in) Hollywood culture for decades. The conversation tackles whether politics and art stay linked or divorce, if Donald Trump will wake up “wokeism” again or if Americans will turn to escapism … and why TV is chasing the “gourmet cheeseburger.”
Importantly: This is our last episode of season 1 and we want your feedback! Please email us with what you’ve liked, not liked and want more of for season 2. We’re at bsmith@semafor.com and nayeema@semafor.com.
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Election 2024: What You’re NOT Seeing
In a noisy election cycle it’s hard to find signals — even of the mixed variety. Today, Ben and Nayeema sit down with reporters David Weigel and Max Tani to parse what you’re not seeing, from the “insane” tv ads at a Pittsburgh Steelers game and the print ads in an Arizona nail salon, to an unpublished Washington Post endorsement that was quashed by Jeff Bezos. One of these things may decide the election, and another could shape the blamegame that follows.
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Is Fox News Winning the Election? Inside the Network with Nate Fredman
With recent appearances from Kamala Harris, Donald Trump, JD Vance and Tim Walz, it looks like Fox is dominating this election. Ben and Nayeema investigate the channel’s durability despite massive lawsuits, MeToo scandals, and star exits from Tucker Carlson, Bill O’Reilly and Megyn Kelly. To go inside the machine, they talk to former “O’Reilly Factor” and “The Five” producer Nate Fredman (who spent nearly 20 years at the network) about what makes Fox tick — and stick.
Stick around for Ben and Nayeema’s debrief with Max Tani, who wrote about Fox this week. Fox News insiders, send your tips to Max!
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Media Bias from the Middle East to Manhattan, with James Bennet
Ben and Nayeema take on the critique of bias in the media with The Economist's James Bennet —a conversation that always seems timely, but especially so right now, weeks away from a US election and with an expanding conflict in the Middle East. To help make sense of what we see as media bias and the moral questions that journalists grapple with every day, James shares his experience as the Jerusalem Bureau Chief at The New York Times. He continued to be at the fulcrum of this discourse when he was forced to resign as the Times Editorial Page editor during a heated moment at the publication in 2020. Bennet is now a senior editor at The Economist where he writes the Lexington column.
Read James' piece "Letter From the Middle East; Children Fill Ledger of Death, No Matter How, or How Many."
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How AI Cures Writer’s Block
Ben and Nayeema tackle the emerging AI battle between machines and humans, a topic that was glaringly absent from this week’s Veep debates but is at the center of everything from the dockworkers’ strike to Hollywood’s grand plans. To figure out how long they and the creative and media elite have job security, they speak with Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist and playwright Ayad Akhtar whose latest play, McNEAL, wrestles with AI and ethics.
And for Blindspots, Max spills on what film you need to see … before, um, the machines replace the filmmakers.
NOTE: This episode discusses the dockworkers’ strike, and was taped before the strike was suspended on Thursday night.
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Can Centrism Go Viral? With The Bulwark’s Tim Miller
Ben and Nayeema discuss a reporter’s digital dalliance with RFK. Jr, and what it says — and doesn’t — about journalism. Then they bring on Tim Miller, host of The Bulwark Podcast, and a star of the anti-MAGA movement. They ask: Is the hot new space in the media, and on YouTube, in the political center? Finally, Max joins in for Blindspots to get quick takes on VP Harris’ decision to guest on the All The Smoke podcast.
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A Safe Space for CEOs (and Politicians?) with All-In’s Jason Calacanis
On the heels of Mark Zuckerberg’s live interview with the Acquired podcast, hosted at a packed Chase Center in San Francisco, Ben and Nayeema explore the icy relationship between traditional media and big tech.
Why are Silicon Valley’s CEOs more likely to be found gabbing on a podcast about their fashion choices than quoted in the New York Times? When did the media and tech breakup, who is to blame, and who wins and loses when hard questions are optional?
To answer these questions, they talk to a podcast host, creator, and investor who has been on the winning side of this dynamic: Jason Calacanis host of This Week in Startups and co-host of All-In. On All-In, Jason has interviewed tech titans and political figures including Marc Benioff, Elon Musk, JD Vance, and Donald Trump. Ben and Nayeema ask whether anything is lost when “CEO safe spaces” replace hardball interviews.
To wrap things up and bring the temperature down, Max Tani brings on an ESPN blindspot.
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It’s a Man Eat Dog World, with Food Critic Pete Wells
After a quick review of what moderator lessons and memes will stick from this week’s debate, Ben and Nayeema turn to New York Times reporter and former restaurant critic Pete Wells to explore the fight between the new wave of influencers and the old guard of gatekeepers in food. On the menu: the health hazards of criticism, how celebrity chefs and TikTokers altered the power of his seat and whether diversifying food reviews in the midst of the culture wars were “DEI,” “virtue signaling” or simply — as Pete reveals — an organic evolution. Also: if, unlike immigrants in Ohio, he’s ever tasted dog or cat. “It's one of the few things I haven't eaten”
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The Sports Boom — Football, Pickleball, Tennis and, um, Cricket
If you feel surrounded by sports on all sides, losing the battle to keep up with new leagues (hello pro pickleball?), athlete-influencers post-game podcasts, and who’s getting paid what, you’re not alone. Sports is swallowing media, and swallowing our lives. This week, Ben and Nayeema explore whether the sports boom is driven by culture or by commerce, and if this boom might be a bubble.
To help figure it out, they bring on John Skipper, former President of ESPN and current founder and CEO of Meadowlark Media who makes a compelling case of American exceptionalism in sports, and the incentives of billionaires who own these teams.
Finally they bring on Semafor business and finance editor Liz Hoffman for a blindspot from Silicon Valley: the rise of “founder mode.”
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Can Kamala Keep It Up? With Tommy Vietor
Ben and Nayeema tape from the Democratic National Convention, breaking down the positive vibes, rise of the credentialed TikTok creator and what Trump is up to on the outside of this bubble. Tommy Vietor joins them to discuss what sway he and his fellow Pod Save America hosts have with Obama, why the DNC is tuning out Gaza protesters, and whether the party’s newfound unity around Kamala Harris can last through November 5. Finally, fresh off a GQ photoshoot, Max joins the podcast to talk style and the viability of a Chick-fil-A streaming service.
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Mixed Signals from Semafor Media is presented by Think with Google
Hacks, Olympics, and “Boomscrolling”
Fresh off digital detoxes, Ben and Nayeema plug back in to a moment of Olympics patriotism and to a patriotic (?) American media that is refusing to report on the substance of a foreign hacking campaign that targeted former President Trump.
This episode digs into the irony of the media’s glee at the 2016 DNC hack – and the careful treatment of the Trump campaign hack of today. Eight years ago Wikileaks dumped a trove of emails before the public, leading to revelations about Hillary Clinton’s Goldman Sachs speeches and John Podesta’s secret to a great risotto. Today, we’re not sure if any amazing recipes are part of the Trump campaign hack because The New York Times, Politico, and The Washington Post have all declined to report its contents. Ben and Nayeema explore why these two campaign hacks are receiving totally different media treatments and why people are mad at Ben for celebrating today’s editorial restraint.
To dive deeper, they talk to Christina Reynolds, a Democratic operative, opposition researcher, and two-time victim of digital hacks. Her emails were part of both the 2014 Sony hack and the 2016 DNC hack. Finally, producer Alli stands in for Max this week, offering a breakdancing blindspot.
COVID Special: What the Media Got Wrong, and Right, with Dr. Anthony Fauci
COVID-19 feels like ancient history, but its effects linger — including what the pandemic did to citizens’ trust in media. Ben and Nayeema discuss the distrust that came out of the coronavirus pandemic and dig into the role that the media played. They talk to the man who became the center of media scrutiny during the peak of the crisis: Dr. Anthony Fauci, who recently came out with his memoir, On Call: A Doctor's Journey in Public Service. Then for Blindspots, they check in with Donald McNeil Jr., the health and science reporter behind The Wisdom of Plagues, whose voice became a fixture of The Daily during the pandemic.
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Mixed Signals from Semafor Media is presented by Think with Google
Can Kamala Hold On? With Veep EP Frank Rich
In the flurry of the brat phenomenon, Nayeema and Ben debate whether Kamala Harris can surf memes all the way to election day and how “childless cat lady” is only expanding the K-hive. They bring on Frank Rich, the executive producer of the hit shows Veep and Succession, to get his notes on an election month that’s stranger than fiction, and ask whether an idealist show like The West Wing could be made today.
Finally, Max Tani joins for Blindspots to discuss RFK’s phone-free farming program for the Lexapro-addled, Adderall-popping American populace — plus: why Americans are hiding their spending habits from loved ones.
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Mixed Signals from Semafor Media is presented by Think with Google
Trump, the Man's Man at the RNC, AKA the Happiest Place on Earth
Ben and Nayeema discuss reactions to the attempted assassination of former President Trump – from a cautious media, an internet in overdrive and a Republican National Convention that proved surprisingly welcoming. Then, they turn to the undercurrent of the RNC: the campaign for the hearts of American men, via the UFC, Hulk Hogan, and broader “manosphere.” Semafor Political Reporter Kadia Goba also joins to talk about Trump’s appeal to Black men, particularly the iconic athletes of the 80s (you’ll hear from Mike Tyson and Lawrence Taylor). And, of course, Max Tani fills our blind spots … with a dog interview and gym etiquette.
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Is Sex Political? And Will Biden — and Kamala — Survive the Vibe Shift?
After a brief assessment of President Biden’s strategy to shut down his critics, Ben and Nayeema move on to the larger culture and gender wars that will define the 2024 election, regardless of who ends up on the Democratic ticket. They look at recent upheavals of a media-fueled myth that women can “have it all” and dig into how trends of trad wives, polyamory and “hot celibacy summer” pierce that mythology, as does the conservative Project 2025.Then they connect with Lindsay Peoples, editor-in-chief of The Cut, to discuss vibe shifts, the politicization of gender roles and whether the publication is putting its thumb on the scale for Kamala Harris.
Finally, Max Tani joins to rid us of our blindspots, replete with DC spin and (national security) influencers in the wild.
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Did The Media Cover Up Biden’s Condition? And 13.5 Other Conspiracy Theories
How did the media miss the biggest story in American politics? Many journalists were shocked by Joe Biden’s decline, showcased on a debate stage. Did we ask the wrong questions, or fall for White House spin? Or did we, as Republicans claim, engage in a cover-up?
In this emergency pod, Nayeema, Ben and Max separate conspiracy from reality and reasonable reporting questions falling out of everything from “Weekend at Bernie’s theories” to Jill Biden’s role. They take you inside the media and party machinery bringing spicy takes from top editors and other media elite. Finally, they make some predictions about where it goes from here and who would be the media savviest Biden-replacement (… if it comes to that).
If you have a take on whether it was the media’s fault - drop us a line mixedsignals@semafor.com
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When Biden Lost It & Nate Silver's Bet
Where were you when Joe Biden lost the debate to Trump? Max was in the CNN Spin Room, Nayeema watched with a cabal of crypto bros and Ben was at home scrolling X. They discuss the moment the debate was decided (9:22 or 9:23 EST) — and who gets to call it. Then, Ben and Nayeema turn to an interview with political statistician and professional gambler Nate Silver to talk election prediction, Biden’s age, and why Nate’s new Silver Bulletin model gives Trump a 66% chance of winning the election in November.
Finally, Nayeema makes us eat our spinach with a quick tour of global elections whose participants can’t possibly produce 90 minutes of television as bad as we just watched.
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Mixed Signals from Semafor Media is presented by Think with Google
TikTok Ban, Journalists Have Ethics?!, and the Gods of Cannes
Despite Washington moves to ban TikTok, the company and influencers in the South of France seem to be in denial. Ben, Nayeema, and Max explore conspiracies around TikTok and the company's future, particularly if its most recent Tokfluencer, Donald Trump, wins in November. Then they turn to the saga of Will Lewis, CEO of The Washington Post, unpacking why everyone (in media) is talking about it and what it means for the bigger picture of journalistic ethics. Max brings blind spots from the worlds of short-short fashion and political video editing, and Nayeema and Ben talk about how we get to the bottom of the age question in the presidential campaign.
Also: on-the-ground updates from the Cannes Lions Festival, where you can find the real conspiracy behind media: The ad business.
Watch the full TikTok from user tophertownmusic that we played part of in the episode: https://www.tiktok.com/@tophertownmusic/video/7368680270368787758
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Hunter Biden Conspiracies, Coverage of Gaza and Sudan & Got Raw Milk?
In the wake of Hunter Biden’s conviction, Ben and Nayeema revisit the media’s history of covering the President’s son and the “October surprise” of his infamous laptop. Then they turn to the challenge of covering foreign wars, including Gaza, and talk with Linda Thomas-Greenfield, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, about her critique that the media is ignoring the crisis in Sudan.
Max joins to share a couple blindspots: The politicized rise of drinking raw milk, and the state of Trump’s private jet.
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Brits vs Biden, Linklater on Sexless Cinema & the Song of Summer
Ben and Nayeema dissect the battle brewing between American newsrooms and President Biden, wondering whether the Brits are to blame. Then they call up Richard Linklater, famed director of films including Boyhood, Dazed and Confused and, his latest, Hit Man, to contemplate whether it was Marvel, #MeToo or something else that took sex out of the cinema.
Also: Max tries to open our hearts and minds to a faith-based Trump ballad, and Ben vows to improve Amtrak, with the help of unlimited LinkedIn messaging.
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Mixed Signals from Semafor Media is presented by Think with Google
Media Circus of the Century, BuzzFeed Buzz & Sleeping with Your Phone
In our first episode, Ben and Nayeema catch New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman outside the courthouse where a jury just convicted former President Donald Trump. But will the media circus change anyone’s mind?
Then they sit down with Vivek Ramaswamy to talk about his plans for BuzzFeed, following his purchase of 8.4% of the company.
Finally, Semafor Media Editor Max Tani joins the show to discuss media blindspots and defend phones at bedtime.
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Mixed Signals from Semafor Media is presented by Think with Google
Introducing: Mixed Signals from Semafor Media
The truth about modern media — from inside the machine. Every Friday starting May 31, journalists Ben Smith and Nayeema Raza pull back the curtain on the week’s key stories, revealing how money, access, culture and politics shape everything you read, watch, and hear.
Sign up for the Sunday night blockbuster newsletter from Semafor Media: https://www.semafor.com/newsletters/media
Or drop us a line if you’ve got thoughts on the show, or a tip for a story: mixedsignals@semafor.com
Read more from Ben on Semafor: https://www.semafor.com/author/ben-smith
Find Nayeema on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nayeemaraza
Mixed Signals from Semafor Media is presented by Think with Google
Podcasten Mixed Signals from Semafor Media är skapad av Semafor Podcasts. Podcastens innehåll och bilderna på den här sidan hämtas med hjälp av det offentliga podcastflödet (RSS).
En liten tjänst av I'm With Friends. Finns även på engelska.