The Grill Room

Епизоде

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  Ellison Exit Threats & ESPN Talent Math 18.09.2026 1ч 2мин

  Julia and Dylan dig into Paramount’s Nashville-or-Texas brinksmanship with Rob Bonta and the red-state logic behind it, then unpack the Bari Weiss ratings discourse and Nielsen’s shifting methodology. They debate how mainstream media should cover the AI extinction-risk debate, weigh in on Ari Emanuel’s memoir, and close with ESPN’s talent-pay math on Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, and Tom Brady.
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  The Art of the Argument 15.09.2026 46мин

  Jessica Tarlov, co-host of Fox’s “The Five” and author of the new book, “I Disagree: Winning Arguments Without Losing Friends,” joins Dylan to discuss why she believes respectful, fact-based debate beats “Molotov cocktail” tactics, how her conservative co-hosts have sharpened her own politics, and why she thinks Fox—not MSNBC—will be the key TV battleground for Democrats heading into 2028.
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  60 Minutes’ Make-or-Break Moment 11.09.2026 1ч 1мин

  Julia and Dylan break down this weekend’s high-stakes relaunch of 60 Minutes under Bari Weiss and Nick Bilton, and dig into MS Now’s new $8-a-month membership bet on parasocial fandom with talent like Rachel Maddow. They also cover the newspaper skirmish between Robert Allbritton’s rebranded Washington Sun and a rebuilding Washington Post.
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  MS Now’s Membership Bet 08.09.2026 44мин

  Rebecca Kutler, president of MS Now, joins Dylan ahead of the network's first-ever DTC launch to unpack the philosophy behind its new membership community. She explains why MS Now is starting from strength: a top cable ranking, a digital business outpacing outlets like The Atlantic, and YouTube numbers beating ABC, NBC, and CBS News combined, and how that fuels a bet on “super fans” and “future fans” alike. Kutler also digs into new features like mindfulness content with Dan Harris and weighs in on why she refuses to call cable's future a decline.
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  The Information Age 04.09.2026 1ч 9мин

  Jessica Lessin, the founder, editor in chief, and C.E.O. of The Information, joins Dylan and Julia to unpack the record growth behind her 13-year-old subscription business. She explains her bet on China coverage as rivals shutter Asia bureaus, the push into finance reporting to track AI’s reshaping of Wall Street, and her expansion into video with TITV and a new AI Deep Dive show. Lessin also weighs in on the “information mafia” of alumni going independent and tech’s cratering public image.
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  The Next Weather Media Supercycle 01.09.2026 35мин

  Julia and Dylan make the case that climate and weather coverage—supercharged by an incoming Super El Niño—could become news media’s next dominant storyline. They discuss why outlets like CNN and the New York Times are investing early, how AI skepticism is boosting trust in authoritative reporting, and why reframing weather through food, sports, and daily life could turn it into a real subscription business.
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  Media’s Great A.I. Shrug 28.08.2026 53мин

  Julia and Dylan spar over Stan Druckenmiller’s A.I.-assisted Wall Street Journal op-ed and what it signals for trust in media. Julia argues transparency is essential as A.I. creeps into newsrooms and op-eds alike, while Dylan makes the case that the line between “using A.I.” and “writing” is blurrier than purists admit...
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  Do Democrats Need a Rebrand? 25.08.2026 31мин

  Peter Hamby joins Dylan to decipher new polling on the Democratic Party’s perception problem—to wit, Trump may be historically unpopular, but voters still don’t love Democrats, either. Then they dig into the A.O.C.-Mamdani favorability gap, why Bernie’s brand of populism ages better than the “intersectional” variety, and the Gavin Newsom content-studio model for winning back young men and Latino voters ahead of 2028.
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  The Times–Pablo Torre Loophole 21.08.2026 44мин

  Julia and Dylan trade notes on the dueling NBA and ESPN investigations into the Clippers and the odd dynamics of the Times’ licensing deal with Pablo Torre, using it to explore how legacy outlets increasingly outsource journalism—and risk—to independent creators. They also dig into CNN and MS Now’s new “all-access” membership services, and whether cable news can reinvent themselves for a D.T.C. world.
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  The Smart Brevity Manifesto! 18.08.2026 44мин

  Axios’s Jim VandeHei joins Dylan to make the case for radical simplification in the age of A.I., drawing on his new book, Simplify, as well as Axios’s own moves to kill off sports and Policy Pro while doubling down on politics, tech, events, and local news.
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  YouTube’s New Velvet Rope 14.08.2026 42мин

  Dylan and Julia break down YouTube's new monetization rules—an A.I. slop-proof 8,000 view threshold designed to crown a class of “premium” creators and pull news brands deeper into its orbit. Plus: What Bob Iger and Josh Kushner’s $12.5 billion Lakers bid reveals about the state of sports and Bob’s post-Disney life.
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  Politico's Power Play 11.08.2026 48мин

  Jonathan Greenberger, the unconventional editor in chief of Politico, joins Dylan to explain how a business-side executive ended up running the newsroom—and what it means for Politico's future. They discuss the relaunch of Playbook and its early scoop streak, the push to make every franchise multi-platform (podcasts, video, events), and Politico's bet that its global footprint can turn political disruption into a worldwide story. Greenberger also opens up about newsroom AI hackathons, the competitive threat from Punchbowl and Notus, and his pitch to TV talent thinking about jumping ship.
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  The Business Insider Rescue Plan 07.08.2026 25мин

  Christian Baesler, the new C.E.O. of Business Insider, joins Dylan to lay out his strategy for revitalizing the media company. He makes the case for monetizing scale beyond the website, doubling down on pro-consumer niches like AI Insider and CMO Insider, and using A.I. to sharpen the publication’s journalism. Baesler also shares his vision for Business Insider to become a platform for independent creators—like a music label for journalists or… Substack.
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  The Times’ Talent Trap 04.08.2026 48мин

  Julia and Dylan discuss Ross Douthat’s move from The New York Times to CBS’s 60 Minutes—and what it signals about the Times’ pivot to video, which may have inadvertently created a star system with real talent-retention consequences. They also dig into the broader challenge of holding onto talent inside legacy organizations, the growing pull of going independent, and why video has become so central to driving engagement and keeping audiences.
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  Netflix–NFL Murmurs & A World Cup Scandal 31.07.2026 33мин

  John Ourand joins Dylan to make sense of the evolving sports media landscape and the outsized role streamers like Amazon Prime and Netflix now play in the battle for rights. They discuss why the streamers are leaning into sports while remaining wary—the A.I. capex race is eating into budgets—and get into the World Cup’s record viewership and revenue on Fox. They also look ahead to the uncertain 2030 and 2034 World Cup rights negotiations, FIFA’s controversial privatization plans, the future of MLS, and more.
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  Back in the News: Byron Tells All 29.07.2026 1ч 6мин

  In this special replay episode, new BuzzFeed majority stakeholder Byron Allen joins Dylan to discuss his plans for the platform—and his long-term goal of building the world’s biggest media company. They discuss how the acquisition could help boost awareness for his app, Local Now, and his plan to ultimately turn BuzzFeed into a free streaming service (like YouTube) to appeal to advertisers and content creators.
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  Media’s Midyear Report Card 24.07.2026 30мин

  Julia and Dylan reunite to reflect on the biggest media plotlines of the first half of 2026: the impact of A.I. on news organizations, the rise of prediction markets, and the transformation of platforms like YouTube and Instagram into full-blown entertainment hubs. They also dig into the struggles of legacy brands like CBS and CNN to adapt, before looking ahead at how media companies can evolve, differentiate, and stay alive in an increasingly hopeless era of A.I. slopification.
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  Brian Tyler Cohen’s Media Gospel 21.07.2026 27мин

  In this special crossover episode of The Powers That Be, Brian Tyler Cohen, progressive content creator and author of The Day After, joins Peter Hamby to diagnose the Democratic Party’s persistent media problem. Cohen digs into why the party's reliance on traditional press has left it flat-footed against Trump’s effective use of various platforms. He also takes aim at the F.C.C. under Brendan Carr, and makes the case that broader outreach—and far less infighting—is the only way forward for his party. 
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  The Times Goes Local! 17.07.2026 27мин

  Julia and Dylan reunite to examine the perennial crisis in local news and The New York Times’ new bet on solving it—a local newsletter launching in the Twin Cities. They discuss the strategic thinking behind the “experiment” and why the Times, of all players, might have the resources and reach to actually make this model work.
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  YouTube Freakonomics 14.07.2026 30мин

  Stephen Dubner, author of Freakonomics and host of Freakonomics Radio, joins Dylan to discuss the makings of his new YouTube show, Better in Person. Stephen gets into his pivot from traditional to digital media, the value of authenticity in an increasingly crowded media landscape, and what he hopes audiences take away from the show.