Mixed Signals from Semafor Media

Semafor Podcasts
  • 5.0 (3)
  • NEWS COMMENTARY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY
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.

  1. Professional optimist Cleo Abram on tech’s bright future

    5D AGO

    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. Sign up for Semafor Media’s Sunday newsletter: https://www.semafor.com/newsletters/media  For more from Think with Google, check out ThinkwithGoogle.com. Find us on X: @semaforben, @maxwelltani If you have a tip or a comment, please email us mixedsignals@semafor.com

    45 min
  2. The Great Rebundling — With Peter Kafka and Brian Morrissey

    6D AGO

    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. Sign up for Semafor Media’s Sunday newsletter: https://www.semafor.com/newsletters/media  For more from Think with Google, check out ThinkwithGoogle.com. Find us on X: @semaforben, @maxwelltani If you have a tip or a comment, please email us mixedsignals@semafor.com

    28 min
  3. Top Chef’s Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons on how food ate media

    JUN 6

    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. Sign up for Semafor Media’s Sunday newsletter: https://www.semafor.com/newsletters/media  For more from Think with Google, check out ThinkwithGoogle.com. Find us on X: @semaforben, @maxwelltani If you have a tip or a comment, please email us mixedsignals@semafor.com

    35 min
  4. Adam Friedland on comedy, TV, and whether he’s the Joe Rogan of the left

    MAY 30

    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. Sign up for Semafor Media’s Sunday newsletter: https://www.semafor.com/newsletters/media  For more from Think with Google, check out ThinkwithGoogle.com. Find us on X: @semaforben, @maxwelltani If you have a tip or a comment, please email us mixedsignals@semafor.com

    34 min
  5. Christiane Amanpour and Jamie Rubin on explaining the world — and podcasting with your ex

    MAY 23

    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. Sign up for Semafor Media’s Sunday newsletter: https://www.semafor.com/newsletters/media  For more from Think with Google, check out ThinkwithGoogle.com. Find us on X: @semaforben, @maxwelltani If you have a tip or a comment, please email us mixedsignals@semafor.com

    40 min
  6. 'Substack isn’t cool,' gatekeepers are, and other strong opinions from tastemaker Chris Black

    MAY 16

    '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. Sign up for Semafor Media’s Sunday newsletter: https://www.semafor.com/newsletters/media  For more from Think with Google, check out the article called “How well do you know Google Search?” on ThinkwithGoogle.com Find us on X: @semaforben, @maxwelltani If you have a tip or a comment, please email us mixedsignals@semafor.com

    54 min
  7. Clay Travis on mixing sports and politics, his ‘pudding strike,’ and the billion-dollar bet on sports gambling

    MAY 9

    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. Sign up for Semafor Media’s Sunday newsletter: https://www.semafor.com/newsletters/media  For more from Think with Google, check out the article called “How well do you know Google Search?” on ThinkwithGoogle.com Find us on X: @semaforben, @maxwelltani If you have a tip or a comment, please email us mixedsignals@semafor.com

    58 min
  8. 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

    MAY 2

    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. Sign up for Semafor Media’s Sunday newsletter: https://www.semafor.com/newsletters/media  For more from Think with Google, check out the article called “How well do you know Google Search?” on ThinkwithGoogle.com Find us on X: @semaforben, @maxwelltani If you have a tip or a comment, please email us mixedsignals@semafor.com

    44 min
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5
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3 Ratings

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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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