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PODCAST

Mixed Signals from Semafor Media

Semafor Podcasts

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.

news news commentary

All Episodes

44:03

Ken Burns on the future of PBS, the new age of media,...

Mixed Signals from Semafor Media ·

2025/10/31

Ken Burns has been telling the story of America through his entire career with genre-defining documentaries on the Civil War, the Vietnam War, and now the American Revolution. This week, Ben and Max bring on the renowned documentarian to talk about his latest series, the parallels he sees between America’s founding moment and today’s media environment, and what we can learn from our history. They also discuss what he makes of the Trump administration’s cuts on PBS, and – after spending 10 meticulous

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42:26

The inside story of Sydney Sweeney's 'Great Jeans' —...

Mixed Signals from Semafor Media ·

2025/10/24

American Eagle’s summer campaign with Sydney Sweeney blew up in ways no one could’ve imagined – but chief marketing officer, Craig Brommers, knew they were going to hit a cultural nerve. This week, Ben and Max bring on the AE CMO to give us an inside look into the “Great Jeans” campaign, what he made of the controversy that surrounded it, and how Donald Trump and JD Vance boosted their sales. They also discuss how marketing today is like running an entertainment company, why he ignored the advice of

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49:03

Governor JB Pritzker on Chicago, ICE, and the...

Mixed Signals from Semafor Media ·

2025/10/17

Chicago is either a war zone quickly spiraling out of control, or a peaceful city under siege by an overreaching federal government. It all depends on who you ask — and which channel they watch. This week, Ben and Max bring on Illinois Governor JB Pritzker to talk about how he’s navigating a communications crisis and a messaging battle against the Trump White House in the new media landscape. They also talk about how conservative media is shaping the situation on the ground, what he thinks of

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49:28

Alison Roman on cookbooks, food influencers, and the...

Mixed Signals from Semafor Media ·

2025/10/10

Alison Roman was one of digital media’s first food stars – she’s had recipes go viral since 2018 and an infamous ‘cancellation’ in 2020. Now, with her latest cookbook, Something From Nothing, she’s trying to move away from life on the Internet. This week, Ben and Max bring on the chef and author to talk about food media, the value of a physical cookbook in a digital world, and how AI is influencing her recipes. They also talk about why cooking, and her new book, are the ‘antithesis of the

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49:05

Blackbird Spyplane’s Jonah Weiner on Substack,...

Mixed Signals from Semafor Media ·

2025/10/03

Blackbird Spyplane, a style and culture newsletter, launched in 2020 as one of the early adopters and success stories on Substack. This week, Ben and Max bring on co-author and longtime magazine journalist, Jonah Weiner, to talk about how the newsletter has evolved, how it changed his marriage, and why he’s ‘grossed out’ by affiliate links. They also talk about if he wants to expand the business further, and why Obama epitomizes ‘the state of the art of dad pants.’Sign up for Semafor Media’s

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54:55

Can MS survive without NBC? Inside CEO Mark Lazarus’...

Mixed Signals from Semafor Media ·

2025/09/26

MSNBC and 10 other television channels, from CNBC to Golf Channel, are splitting from NBC over the next several weeks to form a new digital-focused, publicly traded company called Versant. In his first interview about the new “SpinCo,” Ben and Max talk to CEO Mark Lazarus about how he envisions the company will operate, how he wants to grow each of the brands, and what independent outlets he’s looking to acquire. They also discuss how he looks at MSNBC and progressive media’s place in the company

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54:02

Malcolm Gladwell’s theories on podcasting, America,...

Mixed Signals from Semafor Media ·

2025/09/19

Malcolm Gladwell is a man of many theories – he’s made a career of it through his books and podcasts through Pushkin Industries. This week, Ben and Max bring on the author and Revisionist History host to get his current theories about the state of podcasting, how that industry can extend your career, and why he’s betting on narrative shows when everyone else is running towards chat shows. They also discuss his take on Joe Rogan as a “tightly muscled possum,” and why he’s skeptical of the power of

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37:43

How AI is reshaping media, with Google’s VP of...

Mixed Signals from Semafor Media ·

2025/09/12

This week, a special episode featuring Josh Spanier, VP of marketing at Google, who you might recognize from our branded segments. In this sponsored episode, Ben asks Josh about how Google thinks about advertising, how he’s navigated the technological changes in that space, and if AI is going to homogenize all of the ads we see. Josh also answers some listener questions about how advertisers work with creators and what the biggest blind spots in marketing are today. This episode is partner content

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43:35

How to be elite in the age of populism, with the FT’s...

Mixed Signals from Semafor Media ·

2025/09/05

The Financial Times is the paper for business and world leaders, and comes with a hefty subscription price of $45/month. But what does it mean to serve the elite in a growing age of populism, and what are the consequences of high quality journalism only being available to the 1%? This week, Ben and Max bring on the editor of the FT, Roula Khalaf, to talk about the paper’s position in a populist world, who it ultimately serves, and the surprising success that older FT journalists have had on social

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46:10

How media drove America crazy, with Thomas Chatterton...

Mixed Signals from Semafor Media ·

2025/08/29

Five years since the start of the pandemic and the racial reckoning post-George Floyd, we’re still seeing the effects that 2020 had on culture and politics. This week, Ben and Max bring on The Atlantic staff writer, Thomas Chatterton Williams, to talk about how we can trace Donald Trump’s re-election to that summer, the role that media played in fueling the right-wing backlash, and how his experience on social media at the time spawned his latest book, Summer of Our Discontent. They also discuss the

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39:54

Don Lemon on Elon Musk, Chris Cuomo, and why YouTube...

Mixed Signals from Semafor Media ·

2025/08/22

After his dramatic breakup with CNN and failed partnership with Elon Musk’s X, Don Lemon now has almost 800,000 subscribers on YouTube. This week, Ben and Max bring on the broadcaster-turned-streamer to discuss what he’s learned in the transition to new media, the latest on his legal battle with Musk, and if there’s a place for centrists on YouTube. They also get his take on his former TV “friend,” Chris Cuomo, his thoughts on corporations “bending the knee” to the administration, and why he

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46:50

Mark Cuban on AI in politics, running for president...

Mixed Signals from Semafor Media ·

2025/08/15

Mark Cuban is everywhere – and famously accessible. But what might be called overexposure in a previous era is now a strength in a fragmented media world, to the point that many people want him to run for president in 2028. This week, Ben and Max bring on the former Shark Tank “shark” and former majority-owner of the Dallas Mavericks to talk about how he predicted today’s media landscape in 1995, why he hates the media business, and why he thinks AI is the biggest threat to media and politics. They

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63:36

Pablo Torre on ESPN, investigating LeBron, and...

Mixed Signals from Semafor Media ·

2025/08/08

Pablo Torre was one of ESPN’s rising stars — a fixture on shows like PTI and Around the Horn. But now he’s building something outside the machine. This week, Ben and Max bring on the host of Pablo Torre Finds Out to talk about leaving ESPN, launching his own show with Dan Le Batard’s Meadowlark Media, and how it recently became part of The Athletic under The New York Times. They also discuss how Torre has broken major stories on his show — including scoops involving Bill Belichick, LeBron James, and

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52:25

Emily Maitlis on Epstein, Prince Andrew, and why...

Mixed Signals from Semafor Media ·

2025/08/01

Emily Maitlis got one of the biggest scoops in the Epstein story when she interviewed Prince Andrew about his involvement in 2019. She was then a longtime presenter for the BBC, but has since moved onto hosting one of the UK’s top podcasts, The News Agents. This week, Ben and Max bring on the British broadcaster turned podcaster about how she thinks of her new medium, if it affects the kind of journalism she does, and if she could still get a Prince Andrew-level interview on a podcast. They also

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44:01

Scott Galloway on money, marketing, and masculinity

Mixed Signals from Semafor Media ·

2025/07/25

Scott Galloway has become ubiquitous in the new media world – he hosts 6 podcasts and counting – and he’s emerged as a voice for an underserved audience of young men on the left. This week, Ben and Max talk to the Pivot co-host about how he turned a career in marketing into a new kind of media stardom, how much money his podcasts make him, and why he’s become so vocal about masculinity. They also talk about how podcasts will become the new target for political campaigns and which Democrats are

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45:43

Director Ari Aster on ‘the movie that Twitter wrote’

Mixed Signals from Semafor Media ·

2025/07/18

Ari Aster, the filmmaker behind Hereditary and Midsommar, is out with a new movie today called Eddington. The new film is a modern Western placed in the height of lockdown during the 2020 pandemic, where the real villain is digital media. This week, Ben and Max bring on the writer and director to talk about why he decided to make a film set during Covid when the rest of Hollywood is running in the other direction, how his relationship with social media led to Eddington, and how researching for the

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44:55

Why YouTube’s favorite doctor won’t stop talking...

Mixed Signals from Semafor Media ·

2025/07/11

Doctor Mike is a leading medical voice in digital media, with over 14 million subscribers on YouTube. This week, Ben and Max talk to YouTube’s favorite doctor about the role of medical experts online, why he thinks legacy media has failed to communicate medical information, and why he’s not afraid to be overtly political by calling out RFK Jr. and the current administration. Plus, a helpful reminder for everyone, including Max, on why you should have a primary care physician.Sign up for Semafor

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47:17

The secret to Zohran Mamdani’s winning media strategy...

Mixed Signals from Semafor Media ·

2025/07/03

Zohran Mamdani, until recently a little-known lawmaker, surprised New Yorkers by winning the Democratic primary for mayor last week. He broke out through vertical video on social media in ways that few political candidates have been able to pull off. This week, Ben and Max talk to the candidate’s media team, Rebecca Katz, founder of the political ad agency Fight, and Morris Katz (no relation), the lead media strategist for the campaign. They get the behind-the-scenes scoop on how viral videos like

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43:22

Steve Inskeep on NPR cuts, Iran, and radio’s place in...

Mixed Signals from Semafor Media ·

2025/06/27

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

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43:23

Is journalism bad for The New York Times’ business?...

Mixed Signals from Semafor Media ·

2025/06/20

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

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70 results

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