Stratechery’s Ben Thompson sits down with Recode’s Peter Kafka to unpack what Oracle's proposed TikTok deal actually means, and why removing China's oversight is a good idea.
Featuring: Ben Thompson (@benthompson) author and founder of Stratechery
Host: Peter Kafka (@pkafka), Senior Editor at Recode
More to explore: Subscribe for free to Recode Media, Peter ... Show More
Jul 22
Substack Wants To Become A Social Network; Beehiiv Wants To Stay Invisible
You are a normal person, so if you think about “people writing their own newsletters” you probably think: “Substack”. But just as Xerox isn’t the only way to make photocopies, Substack doesn’t own the professional newsletter industry. So let’s meet a competitor: Beehiiv, run by 3 ... Show More
42m 1s
Jul 15
Inside Podcasting’s Fight Over Netflix, YouTube, and Creator Control
Chris Balfe is the CEO of Red Seat Ventures, the company behind some of the biggest names in podcasting, including Megyn Kelly, Tucker Carlson, Bill O’Reilly, and, more recently, Kill Tony. Since we last spoke, Red Seat has been acquired by Fox, making it one of the company’s big ... Show More
45m 24s
Jul 8
"We’re in a Race Against Time," Joe Kahn on Running the New York Times in the Age of AI Slop
Joe Kahn runs the New York Times newsroom, which means he runs the most powerful news operation in the world. He joins me to talk about what that power is for — and why he thinks the Times’ next big transformation is video, and why the paper is in “a race against time” to compete ... Show More
1h 4m
Jan 2025
Meta, Big Tech Make Political Shifts
Bloomberg's Tim Stenovec and Katie Greifeld discuss Meta's new political position as longtime Republican Joel Kaplan takes the helm as President of Global Affairs. And, what's next for TikTok as its ban deadline draws ever closer. Plus, China flexes its lithium dominance by plann ... Show More
43m 14s
Sep 2023
Writers Strike Deal, Betting Against the FTC, and Guest Mathias Döpfner
Kara and Scott discuss the tentative deal between Hollywood writers and studios, and what it means for the future of the industry. They also talk about GOP attacks on misinformation researchers, as well as the hedge fund making billions betting against FTC Chair Lina Khan. Friend ... Show More
1h 13m
Mar 2020
Recode Decode: Jason Calacanis
Inside CEO and This Week in Startups host Jason Calacanis talks with Kara Swisher about the future of Uber after its troubled IPO, why one of the tech giants should buy Tesla, and Jeff Bezos' Achilles heel: His lack of generosity. Calacanis, who was an early investor in Uber, als ... Show More
1h 6m
Mar 2023
TikTok, Freedom, and the First Amendment with Jeff Kosseff
Kara and Scott talk big earnings at Salesforce, Amazon's HQ2 construction pause, and more executive departures at Apple. Also, TikTok ban bills are moving ahead, amid renewed GOP attacks on Big Tech. Plus, we’re joined by Friend of Pivot Jeff Kosseff to discuss how new bills aime ... Show More
1h 12m
Aug 2020
Trump’s executive order on TikTok & WeChat, Friend of Pivot Jennifer Palmieri about women in politics, and guest host Andrew Ross Sorkin on a billionaire tax
Kara is joined by New York Times columnist, founder of Deal Book and CNBC Sqwuakbox Host Andrew Ross Sorkin to talk about about Trump's new executive orders to ban Chinese social media apps. They also discuss Bernie Sanders' proposed new tax legislation that would implement a one ... Show More
1h 1m
Feb 2017
Ep. 179: The Battle for Tech Supremacy With Ben Thompson
HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Stratechery founder Ben Thompson to discuss the Apple–LeBron James comparison (6:00), Netflix's dominance (14:00), Hulu's handicap (21:00), Twitter's lack of evolution (27:00), Facebook and Google's advertising strategy (37:00), Slac ... Show More
56m 45s