Rephonic
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Channels with Peter Kafka

Vox Media Podcast Network
Openai
Siriusxm
Microsoft
Orion
Sam Altman
Youtube
Greg Brockman
Chatgpt
Augmented Reality
Disney
Donald Trump
Israel-Hamas War
Dropout
Howard Stern
Conan O'brien
Rob Harvilla
Effective Altruism
Facebook
Meta
Mark Zuckerberg

Media and tech aren’t just intersecting — they’re fully intertwined. And to understand how those worlds work, and what they mean for you, veteran journalist Peter Kafka talks to industry leaders, upstarts and observers - and gets them to spell it out in plain, BS-free English. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network.

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Artwork for Channels

Latest Episodes

I chat with lots of media reporters. Lachlan Cartwright is a different beast: An Aussie who started out working for Rupert Murdoch’s tabloids in London and New York, and then on to the National Enquirer — yes, that National Enquirer — back when it wa... more

In 2013, Netflix wanted to become HBO. Now Netflix is going to buy HBO along with the Warner Bros. Studio, in a blockbuster $83 billion deal.

Wowza. Here to talk me through this is Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw, who has been deep in the deal talks for week... more

The last time I interviewed PBS CEO Paula Kerger was 2019: Donald Trump was President, and Republicans were trying to defund public media — as they had been trying to do for decades.

That didn’t happen then, but this year it did, and now Kerger is t... more

We built the modern media business for the web — for people who visited websites, read articles, and saw ads. What happens when no one does that anymore?

That’s been one of the big themes of conversations we’ve been having on Channels with this year... more

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Recent Guests

Paula Kerger
CEO of PBS
PBS
Episode: PBS Lost a Billion Dollars. Now what? With CEO Paula Kerger
Tony Haile
Entrepreneur and former CEO of Chartbeat and Scroll
Episode: What Happens To Media When The Web Goes Away, with Tony Haile
Kevin Reilly
Former TV executive and current CEO of Kartel
Kartel
Episode: Kevin Reilly got to the top of the TV heap. Now he's in AI.
Charlotte Silver
Episode: Kevin Reilly got to the top of the TV heap. Now he's in AI.
Sarah Longwell
Co-founder and CEO of The Bulwark
The Bulwark
Episode: The Bulwark's Sarah Longwell on Why Republicans Won the Attention War
Brian Morrissey
Owner-operator of The Rebooting, founder of The Rebooting podcast and newsletter.
The Rebooting
Episode: The End of Mass Media—and What Comes Next
Ed Zitron
PR expert and critic of the AI hype cycle
EZPR
Episode: The PR Guy Who Says the AI Boom Is a Bust
Anna Bateson
CEO of The Guardian
The Guardian
Episode: Why the Guardian Doesn't Need a Billionaire to Thrive
Vivek Shah
CEO of Ziff Davis
Ziff Davis
Episode: Almost Everyone is Taking Money from OpenAI. Why is Ziff Davis suing them?

Host

Peter Kafka
Host of Channels, a veteran journalist specialized in the intersection of media and technology, known for engaging industry leaders in honest, informative discussions.

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 934 ratings
  • Don't talk over the guests!!

    Kafka's podcasts are always hit or miss for me but Channels has gone down to 20% hit 80% miss

    A recent example of why it's mostly miss is the October interview with the Guardian

    The difference between their model and typical US news models is intrinsically interesting, but Kafka just can't exercise enough discipline to shut up and let the guest talk without constant interruptions

    I can listen to aggressive mansplaining anytime, anywhere

    I don't want to hear it from a professional podcast... more

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Qwertiop8
    United States2 months ago
  • He does talk a lot

    I agree he should let the guests talk more.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Journalistikit
    United States5 months ago
  • 3 down from 4-5

    It used to be better - podcasters tend to turn into TV talking heads mostly talking about themselves - little less me me me blabber, a little more information is needed

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    igormax
    United States5 months ago
  • Quit interrupting

    Very interesting subjects and guests, but please let them finished their thoughts instead of continually interrupting with yours. Very frustrating to listen to. Also, Peter tends to trail off in volume at the end of his sentences which is annoying.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Josh99876
    United States7 months ago
  • Excellent Interviewer

    Peter is an excellent interviewer and manages to create very interesting conversations with his guests. He seems to be able to manage any ‘political’ left/right conversations well and instead focuses on the broader business/media questions underneath. There is a good spectrum of guests and it’s not just the same roster of people who seem to appear on every other podcast. It’s easy to recommend this show if you are interested in the business/media world.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    chris463
    United Kingdom10 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners appreciate the informative and insightful conversations with various industry leaders.
Some express concerns about the host's tendency to interrupt guests, which can detract from the overall experience.
There is a general acknowledgment of the high-quality guests that offer significant insights into various media and technology discussions.
Positive feedback highlights Peter's ability to cover complex topics in an engaging and straightforward manner.
Critiques mention the need for the show to maintain balance between different political perspectives.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

What Happens To Media When The Web Goes Away, with Tony Haile
Q: Why does Tony Haile believe that traditional journalism is facing extinction?
Haile expresses concern that the changing nature of media consumption, alongside the pressures from AI and automation, may lead to a decrease in fundamental journalism which is essential for a well-informed society.
What Happens To Media When The Web Goes Away, with Tony Haile
Q: What does the future look like for media with the changes brought by AI?
Haile suggests that AI acts as an interface change similar to the transition from print to digital, and he highlights the challenge for traditional media in adapting to this new landscape where user behavior is shifting away from visiting individual websites.
Kevin Reilly got to the top of the TV heap. Now he's in AI.
Q: What do you say to creatives who are afraid AI will replace them?
Reilly reassures creatives that AI should be seen as a tool for empowerment, and emphasizes the need for them to adapt and educate themselves.
Kevin Reilly got to the top of the TV heap. Now he's in AI.
Q: What are you doing in the AI sector and what does Kartel stand for?
Kevin Reilly explains that Kartel is focused on creative intelligence within AI and aims to assist brands in managing their creative brand assets.
Almost Everyone is Taking Money from OpenAI. Why is Ziff Davis suing them?
Q: What is more likely? That this gets settled out of court with a deal, or this goes all the way through the process?
It's hard to predict. I can't predict the future.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Channels

What is Channels about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This podcast frequently tackles the intertwining nature of media and technology by engaging industry professionals and thought leaders in insightful conversations. Topics often include the challenges facing traditional media and how they adapt in the digital age, the impact of AI on journalism, and the evolving role of public media in funding landscapes. Through interviews with executives from major companies and innovative startups, listeners gain an understanding of the dynamics that shape the future of media, such as funding models, audience engagement on social media platforms, and the influence of technology on content creation. The host's approach provides a refreshingly candid perspective on significant issues, making it a compelling... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Channels?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Channels. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Channels and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Channels get?

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What are the audience demographics for Channels?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Channels, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Channels have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Channels has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Channels?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Channels:

1. Decoder with Nilay Patel
2. The Grill Room
3. Pivot
4. Mixed Signals from Semafor Media
5. The Powers That Be: Daily

How many episodes of Channels are there?

Channels launched 10 years ago and published 557 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Channels?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Channels?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Channels from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

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What guests have appeared on Channels?

Recent guests on Channels include:

1. Paula Kerger
2. Tony Haile
3. Kevin Reilly
4. Charlotte Silver
5. Sarah Longwell
6. Brian Morrissey
7. Ed Zitron
8. Anna Bateson

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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