The Powers That Be: Daily

Bill Cohan joins Peter for an inside look at the final days of Jay Powell at the Federal Reserve—and the shortlist of Trump sycophants who could replace him. Then they dig into Paramount’s ongoing quest to wrest Warner Bros. from Netflix, and how the Ellisons could still win.

Eriq Gardner joins Peter to explore a potential regulatory shockwave: F.C.C. chair Brendan Carr floating changes to the longstanding Equal Time Rule that could reshape everything from presidential debates to late-night comedy. They dig into what Carr is actually proposing, how serious the threat is, and whether his track record suggests he’s actually more bark than bite.

Abby Livingston joins Peter to navigate the politics of Minnesota and ICE, as Abby considers whether Senate Democrats will pursue a government shutdown this week by demanding reforms to the immigration agency—and the odds that Democrats will push to impeach D.H.S. secretary Kristi Noem. Then Abby breaks down the buzz on the Hill surrounding Virginia Democratic governor Abigail Spanberger’s early days in office.

Julia Ioffe joins Peter to discuss the tragic killing of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, the growing shift in American public opinion against ICE, and why even Republicans are beginning to push back on Trump’s deportation war. She also breaks down Trump’s Greenland gambit—what he stood to gain, and what it means after the president claimed victory in Davos by touting a new U.S. deal granting access to the Arctic territory.

Amid the snow and the football, Jon Kelly and Peter Hamby reunite for a spirited conversation about the most riveting questions in the media firmament. Can Bari Weiss outflank her proliferating player haters inside CBS following the ‘60 Minutes’ scandalette? And will Amazon Prime’s Melania movie reach its audience of one?

NCAA president Charlie Baker joins John to confront the growing sense that college sports are in troubled waters. Baker breaks down the chaos of the transfer portal, the accelerated professionalization of college athletics, and why Congress may need to step in to impose uniform eligibility rules. He also discusses the NCAA’s media rights deal with ESPN, makes the case for expanding March Madness, and much more. For more great episodes of The Varsity, click here

Ian Krietzberg joins Peter to discuss the mounting controversies surrounding X’s A.I. assistant Grok, which has been accused of generating non-consensual sexualized images of women—and why lawsuits against Elon Musk’s A.I. ventures are all but inevitable at this point. Ian also charts the soaring popularity of Anthropic’s new coding tool, Claude Code, and whether software engineers should begin planning to make a career pivot as the user-friendly tool is sure to spark fresh fears about A.I.’s impact on real-life jobs.

Leigh Ann Caldwell joins Peter to break down a rare moment of Republican relief, as Trump signals a diplomatic exit from the Greenland standoff after weeks of saber-rattling toward NATO allies. They also discuss the growing talk of impeaching DHS secretary Kristi Noem over her management of ICE—and why the threat carries more weight than it might appear.

Dylan Byers joins Peter for a clear-eyed look at the scrutiny facing Bari Weiss’s leadership at CBS News—what her critics are getting right, what they’re missing, and whether she can recover from an increasingly rocky start. Then they game out the Politico succession, and why Axel Springer might favor an external hire to revitalize the business.

Abby Livingston joins Peter for a close look at Minnesota’s political landscape as the state once again lands at the center of the national drama—this time as ground zero for Trump’s immigration crackdown. They examine Tim Walz’s exit, Amy Klobuchar’s ambitions, and a suddenly fierce Democratic Senate primary now being reshaped by immigration politics.

Jon Kelly returns for a special episode to unpack the meaningful, if unsurprising, leadership change at Politico and contemplate what it suggests about parentco Axel Springer’s ambitions. Then he and Peter weigh in on the latest Bari Weiss discourse.

New York Times reporters Jessica Testa and Michael Grynbaum join Lauren for a very special episode about the current state of legacy publisher Condé Nast. (Remember, Michael wrote a book about Condé Nast. called The Empire of the Elite.) They discuss Will Welch’s exit from GQ (and potential replacements), if Mark Guiducci is doing a good job at Vanity Fair, and whether every Condé Nast editor is contractually obligated to thank H.R. lord Stan Duncan in their departure (or arrival).

Matt Belloni joins Peter, fresh off the Golden Globes last weekend, to game out the Oscar race ahead of next week’s Academy Award nominations. Matt identifies a handful of locks, flags a few surprises, and explains why Leo DiCaprio might have the edge over Timothée Chalamet for Best Actor.

Eriq Gardner joins Peter to break down the F.B.I.’s stunning raid on the home of a Washington Post journalist, a move tied to an alleged government leaker and one that’s almost without precedent. Eriq explains what the feds seized, what they may still be looking for, and what the raid says about the Trump administration’s escalating hostility toward the press—and what the Post could possibly do to fight back.

Julia Alexander joins Peter to explain why Facebook’s most viral content is now dominated by A.I.-generated slop—and what that means for advertisers weighing brand safety against reach. Then they dig into Google’s ballooning market cap and its new deal with Apple, as Google’s Gemini will power Siri’s long-overdue upgrade and Google’s monopolistic grip on smartphone software becomes even tighter.

Julia Ioffe joins Peter for a close examination of mass demonstrations and state killings in Iran—and whether Donald Trump, newly emboldened on the world stage after the arrest of Nicolás Maduro, might press for regime change in the Islamic Republic. Then they turn to the latest Washington intrigue, and discuss the meme-worthy meltdown of Trump-appointed H.R. director Lew Olowski at his farewell party after learning he’d been passed over for a coveted assignment.

Jon Kelly returns to debate Peter about the value of WBD’s stub of linear networks, and then the two evaluate the math behind Semafor’s recent fundraise.

Matt Belloni joins Dylan and Julia to chart the latest updates surrounding the Warner Bros. Discovery bidding war between Netflix and Paramount—and what each side stands to gain or lose. Then they dive into Hollywood’s accelerating A.I. anxiety in light of Disney’s pact with Sora 2, the upcoming film slate for 2026, YouTube's rights deal with the Oscars, and more. Plus: Matt explains his choices for Hollywood’s heroes and villain of the year. For more great episodes of The Grill Room, subscribe here

Lauren Sherman joins Peter to explain why Saks Global is now staring down bankruptcy—and what, if anything, could save its historic department store business. Then they turn to Will Welch’s sudden exit as GQ’s top editor and the short list of candidates who could replace him.

Leigh Ann Caldwell joins Peter to make sense of a frenetic week in Washington, from the ICE shooting in Minneapolis to classified national security briefings on Venezuela. They also dig into growing anxiety over Trump’s interest in seizing Greenland, a bloc of Republicans breaking ranks to join Democrats in extending Obamacare health subsidies, and more.

Julia Ioffe joins Peter to discuss Trump’s turn from isolationism to interventionism in the wake of the Venezuela raid. Drawing on Trump’s first term, Ioffe explains how earlier risk-free strikes taught him that he could attack foreign targets without escalation, retaliation, or U.S. boots on the ground—potentially emboldening him to stay in attack mode.

Abby Livingston joins Peter with fresh reporting from Capitol Hill on how Republicans and Democrats are responding to the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Then they turn to Tim Walz’s decision to abandon his reelection bid for Minnesota governor amid a mounting social services scandal, and what the episode reveals about the increasingly brutal realities of modern political life.

Jon Kelly and Peter are reunited to discuss CBS’s fascinating new set of principles and then delve into Netflix’s decision to plow into broadcasting podcasts.

In the second part of a special crossover episode, John Heilemann welcomes New York Times columnist, podcasting dynamo, and de facto Democratic strategist Ezra Klein to discuss the state of the nation: Trump, tariffs, the looming Newsom–Vance showdown, and more.

In a special crossover event, John Heilemann welcomes two of the Pod Save America dudes to the show for the first installment of a two-part, year-end review of the national political scene in 2025.

Julia Ioffe joins Peter to discuss the peace negotiations between Ukraine, Russia, and the U.S., and whether Volodymyr Zelensky’s recent tête-à-tête with Trump at Mar-a-Lago actually moved the needle. They dig into Zelensky’s strategic concessions, Russia’s ostensible military advantages, Europe’s reluctance to offer meaningful security guarantees, and more.

Leigh Ann Caldwell joins Peter to chart the headwinds facing Republican members in next year’s midterm elections. As Leigh Ann notes, the G.O.P. has struggled with economic messaging, Trump has said he’s “done” working with Congress for the rest of his term, and the One Big Beautiful Bill Act will be more than a year old when members start campaigning next fall. Is a blue wave inevitable?

Jon Kelly and Peter Hamby reunite to project the biggest media storylines of 2026: who will win the Warner Bros. Discovery auction; who will ascend the greasy pole at The New York Times Company; the future of TikTok; the NBA's next great frontier and more...

As we wind down the year, revisit this special Grill Room episode with controversial Wall Street Journal top editor Emma Tucker, who joins Dylan Byers for a candid discussion about evolving the historic business, change management, tough choices, and the future of news media.

In this special episode from The Varsity archive, Sally Jenkins, perhaps the best sports columnist in the business, joins John for a candid conversation about her decision to leave The Washington Post after 25 years and join The Atlantic. She reflects on her rise through the ranks, Bezos’s generous buyout offer, the uncertain future of The Post, what she hopes to tackle in her next chapter—and much, much more.

From the Fashion People archives: Lauren is joined by Gene Pressman, grandson of the founder of Barneys New York and author of They All Came to Barneys: A Personal History of the World’s Greatest Store. Gene was co-C.E.O. of Barneys in the 1990s—a golden age for fashion—and he has a lot of opinions on what makes a good store, how fashion moves in and out of popular culture, why Hermès is best in class, and plenty more. To start, Lauren is joined by New York Times reporter Jessica Testa to discuss the passing of Mr. Giorgio Armani and the appointment of Chloe Malle as head of editorial content at American Vogue.

In this special episode from The Grill Room archive, Julia and Dylan dive into the launch of OpenAI’s new video-generation app, Sora 2, and Mark Zuckerberg’s A.I. social media platform, Vibes. They explain why these releases have sent Hollywood into a state of not-so-mild panic, and how these A.I. platforms might reshape the media industry writ large. Then, they turn to the YouTube TV–NBCU carriage dispute, and what it portends for similar industry battles going forward.

Jon Kelly and Peter Hamby share some yuletide warmth and share their impressions of Bari Weiss’s evolving plans at CBS News, which are starting to become clear. Then the duo pivot to Semafor’s surprising manifest destiny in the Middle East.

Orchestra C.E.O. Jonathan Rosen and Jon Kelly join Dylan live from New York to walk through new survey data capturing the media industry’s state of mind. They dig into the rise of subscription-based models, the FAST explosion, the creeping influence of A.I., and much more. Plus, cameo insights from Semafor’s Ben Smith and Feed Me’s Emily Sundberg who offer their own read on where the business is bending—and breaking. Learn more about Starbucks industry-leading benefits at ⁠starbucks.com/partners⁠⁠.⁠

Julia Alexander joins Peter to break down Barstool’s new multi-year deal with Netflix and the Oscars’ jump to YouTube—and what both moves reveal about two giants in the middle of an identity swap. Julia also serves up her media predictions for 2026, from Substack’s next act to the fate of pay TV and the sneaky upside of connected television.

Matt Belloni joins Peter to break down why the Oscars are ditching ABC for YouTube, which will begin broadcasting the awards in 2029 after years of eroding TV ratings. Matt breaks down why, though it may be a risk for the Academy, the move is a no-brainer in the long run. They also discuss Matt’s interview with Senator Elizabeth Warren, who’s already sharpening her antitrust scrutiny around a potential Netflix–Warner Bros. merger.

Abby Livingston joins Peter to assess how the redistricting wars may fizzle into a draw, as Democrats float counter-moves, Indiana Republicans reject Trump’s push to redraw the map, and weary G.O.P. lawmakers admit the whole exercise is chaotic and exhausting. Abby also breaks down Jasmine Crockett’s ambitious jump into the Texas Senate race—her clash-of-styles matchup against James Talarico, and whether her brand of politics can actually win statewide.

Bill Cohan joins Peter with fresh intel on why Warner Bros. Discovery remains skeptical of the Ellisons and Paramount Skydance’s offer, as questions linger over whether they actually have the money they’re offering—and whether foreign financing from the Saudis, Qataris, and beyond could spark a lengthy national security headache.

Jon Kelly and Peter reunite to discuss all the various reasons that Netflix actually needs Warner Bros. and HBO Max. Yes, the company may have definitively won the streaming wars, but it also currently finds itself in the middle of a two-front battle between insurgent F.A.S.T. platforms, like Tubi, and social platforms such as YouTube and TikTok.

Yahoo C.E.O. Jim Lanzone joins Dylan and Julia for a tour of the company’s Apollo era, four years after the private equity behemoth bought the business for just $5 billion—nearly $120 billion shy of its peak valuation. Lanzone breaks down Yahoo’s growth strategy: the metrics that actually matter, how the company monetizes at scale, and what the endgame looks like. They also dig into Yahoo’s A.I. ambitions, and what it takes to run a mass-market consumer business in a media landscape focused on niche and specialized content. Learn more about Starbucks industry-leading benefits at ⁠starbucks.com/partners⁠⁠.⁠ For more great episodes like this, subscribe to The Grill Room here

Ian Krietzberg joins Peter to dissect the growing friction between Trump and state regulators over A.I. governance, as Trump pushes for an industry-friendly executive order to slam the brakes on states passing their own rules—just what the A.I. evangelists ordered. They also weigh whether Democrats are missing a huge political opening to harness public anxiety about A.I. and carve out a populist stance against the president.

Bill Cohan joins Peter to break down the latest WBD deal frenzy as Paramount goes hostile and Netflix plays patient opportunist. Bill forecasts how high the Ellisons might go, what this M&A knife fight portends for Warner’s TV assets—and why the assets’ share price may ultimately decide the endgame.

John Ourand joins Peter to reveal the sleeper issue in the WBD acquisition wars: the fate of the company’s high-value sports rights. What happens if Paramount wins and absorbs the WBD portfolio—or if Netflix prevails, and the Global Networks division is spun off? The twosome also dig into Notre Dame’s College Football Playoff snub, and why the school’s media-savvy athletic director is now waging a scorched-earth P.R. campaign against the ACC.

Leigh Ann Caldwell joins Peter to break down what a sluggish, Republican-controlled Congress might look like next year, as G.O.P. lawmakers grow frustrated with the gridlock and are bracing for midterm losses—while some are already packing up amid promises of retirement. Can Trump breathe new life into the party, or is it too late to rally the troops?

Jon Kelly and Peter chew over Netflix’s shock victory in the WBD bidding war—outmaneuvering Paramount and Comcast to nab WBD’s Studio and Streaming assets. They parse every angle of this $83 billion deal: whether the Trump administration will actually scrutinize the merger, whether David Ellison is ready to give up and walk away, what this all means for the CNNs of the world, and more.

It’s been 20 years since How I Met Your Mother premiered, and just over 10 years since the finale. Josh Radnor, who played “Ted” for nine seasons teams up with series co-creator Craig Thomas for this episode-by-episode rewatch podcast. For the superfans, HWMYM (listen to the trailer to learn how it’s pronounced) will get into all the secrets, theories, and pineapples, but we'll also use HIMYM – and our relationship to it two decades later – to talk about life and love and art and everything in between. How We Made Your Mother… a flashback podcast for a flashback show.  You can listen to all episodes of season 1 now, and join Josh and Craig as they dive into season 2!

Varsity favorite Andrew Marchand reunites with John to debate the week’s biggest sports-media plot lines: the NFL’s holiday-week stacked matchups and Amazon Prime’s outsized role in juicing viewership; MLB’s new media-rights math; ESPN’s quiet strategic wins; and whether streamers like YouTube are ready to jump into the next bidding war. Plus: what Netflix poaching ESPN talent like Elle Duncan really signals about the streamer’s accelerating pivot into sports. For more great episodes of The Varsity, subscribe here

Dylan Byers joins Peter to discuss the latest twists in the never-ending Nuzzigate saga, as Olivia Nuzzi and her angry ex-fiancé Ryan Lizza keep trading barbs around this week’s release of Nuzzi’s “tell-nothing” memoir. They also dig into CNN’s new deal with prediction market Kalshi—further gamifying cable news and amplifying the media’s obsession with predicting the future.

Leigh Ann Caldwell joins Peter to discuss the heartburn inside the Republican Party heading into next year’s midterms: last month’s Democratic dominance, Trump’s plunging approval ratings, the G.O.P.’s messaging problem regarding the country’s enduring affordability crisis, and more. Is an insurmountable blue wave on the horizon? Leigh Ann says the Republicans she's spoken to fear so.

Eriq Gardner joins Peter to assess the White House’s laissez-faire posture toward regulatory and antitrust enforcement, as favored corporations seem to get free passes while everyone else is left guessing which rules still apply. Plus: Could a WBD–Paramount merger be derailed because the president hates CNN?