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Channels with Peter Kafka

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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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Latest Episodes

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... more

We originally published this interview with Bloomberg's Joe Weisenthal on Feb. 11, 2026, and it's one of my favorite chats of the year. We'll be back with a new conversation on July 8.

If Joe Weisenthal didn’t exist, the internet would have to inven... more

The Rebooting's Brian Morrissey joins me from Cannes, where OpenAI is pitching advertisers, creators are becoming media brands, and thousands of people are still flying across the Atlantic to meet with people they could see back home. We talk about w... more

Today’s show is about money, and how to make it in entertainment.

The streaming boom made Hollywood feel like it had solved its money problem: Netflix, Amazon, Apple, Disney and everyone else wanted endless stuff. Top talent got paid, and so did eve... more

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Recent Guests

Brian Morrissey
CEO of the Rebooting newsletter/podcast operation; veteran ad industry journalist
The Rebooting
Episode: The Ad Industry's Weirdest Tradition
Pete Micelli
Head of Range Media Partners, represents top talent in film, TV, and digital
Range Media Partners
Episode: A Hollywood Manager Explains the New Rules of Show Biz
Brian Stelter
Chief Media Analyst at CNN
CNN
Episode: Brian Stelter on the 60 Minutes Mess; Nilay Patel on Apple’s AI Problem
Nilay Patel
Editor-in-Chief of The Verge
The Verge
Episode: Brian Stelter on the 60 Minutes Mess; Nilay Patel on Apple’s AI Problem
Dhar Mann
Content creator and founder of Dhar Mann Studios
Dhar Mann Studios
Episode: How Dhar Mann Turned After-School Specials Into A Billion-View Business
Almar Latour
CEO of Dow Jones
Dow Jones
Episode: Dow Jones CEO Almar Latour Explains Why Boring Data Is a Great Media Business
Jim Bankoff
CEO of Vox Media
Vox Media
Episode: Vox Media's Jim Bankoff Explains Why He's Selling to James Murdoch
Mark Lazarus
CEO of Versant (spun out from NBCUniversal/Comcast)
Versant
Episode: Versant CEO Mark Lazarus is Running a Post-Cable Cable Company
Roger Lynch
CEO of Condé Nast
Condé Nast
Episode: Condé Nast CEO Roger Lynch on AI, the Met Gala and His Secret Succession Plan

Host

Peter Kafka
Host of Channels with Peter Kafka

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 950 ratings
  • Still enjoying

    Highly enjoy! Keeps me informed and think abt different angles

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    LibbyAPierson
    United Statesa month ago
  • shillout

    why did bankoff sell to murdoch? money. everything else is just corporate shilling at its worst. vox has an penchant for platforming that. … maybe ad kickbacks who knows.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    familieheinzbecker
    Germany2 months ago
  • 2 - down from 4-5

    Peter is going into becoming Tucker Carlson of media business

    Annoyingly long monologues and unproductive interruptions of guests are turnoffs for me.

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

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    igormax
    United States7 months ago
  • 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 States9 months ago
  • He does talk a lot

    I agree he should let the guests talk more.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Journalistikit
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

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

Listeners appreciate breadth of topics and depth of industry context.
Overall positive reception for strong guests and industry insight; host style is a frequent point of critique.
Some listeners feel interruptions and host emphasis on politics can detract from guest conversations.

Chart Rankings

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

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

A Hollywood Manager Explains the New Rules of Show Biz
Q: Why is Range focusing on four-part content strategy?
Because success now requires talent, financing, distribution, and awareness; all four elements must work together for a project to reach audiences at scale.
A Hollywood Manager Explains the New Rules of Show Biz
Q: What does Range do in layperson terms?
Range views itself as a cultural capital firm doing representation across film, TV, digital, music, and sports, with production capability and an investment platform to launch businesses with celebrity partners.
Brian Stelter on the 60 Minutes Mess; Nilay Patel on Apple’s AI Problem
Q: What are your takeaways on the state of CBS News and 60 Minutes after the recent upheaval?
Stelter argues that 60 Minutes remains a powerful American institution facing disruption from leadership changes, with a tug-of-war between traditional production values and a push toward online, newer voices. The situation tests trust in newsrooms and may force a hard reset in how the show operates and how CBS News positions itself in a changing media landscape.
How Dhar Mann Turned After-School Specials Into A Billion-View Business
Q: How long did it take you to get to that style, and how many times did you have to refine it?
It took about 100 videos before one went viral; starting scrappy in a studio apartment, I learned through a lot of trial and error, which allowed me to refine the format into something scalable and recognizable.
Versant CEO Mark Lazarus is Running a Post-Cable Cable Company
Q: Why spin out the cable networks from Comcast and what's the strategic thesis now?
Spinning allowed two focused businesses to pursue distinct strategies: one cash-generating, legacy cable assets and a second, growth-focused portfolio leveraging brands and new digital ventures to transform into a broader media company.

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 show centers on the intersection of media, technology, and business, hosting top executives, journalists, and industry observers who dissect strategy, platforms, and industry shifts in candid, no-nonsense conversations. Episodes frequently cover media company pivots, AI's impact on publishing and entertainment, platform dynamics, and the evolving economics of content creation, with occasional forays into politics and culture as they intersect with business. Noteworthy are insightful guests, sharp industry context, and a consistent focus on how leadership decisions reshape the media landscape for creators, publishers, and advertisers. The format often blends strategic storytelling with practical takeaways for those building or promoting... 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. The Grill Room
2. Decoder with Nilay Patel
3. The Powers That Be: Daily
4. Mixed Signals from Semafor Media
5. Pivot

How many episodes of Channels are there?

Channels launched 10 years ago and published 590 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.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Channels?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Channels. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Channels?

Recent guests on Channels include:

1. Brian Morrissey
2. Pete Micelli
3. Brian Stelter
4. Nilay Patel
5. Dhar Mann
6. Almar Latour
7. Jim Bankoff
8. Mark Lazarus

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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