Rephonic
Artwork for Channels

Channels with Peter Kafka

Vox Media Podcast Network
Donald Trump
Openai
Media Industry
Youtube
Disney
Trump Administration
Netflix
Apple
Meta
Social Media
ESPN
Digital Media
Tiktok
Warner Bros. Discovery
Television
Paramount
Twitter
Football
The New York Times
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.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes578Founded10 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
TechnologyNewsBusiness News

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Channels

Latest Episodes

Jason Blum built one of Hollywood’s smartest businesses: make low-budget horror movies, give filmmakers room, pay talent on the back end, and let the hits carry the misses. It worked so well that it became a Harvard Business Review case study.

But th... more

Sam Altman has spent years presenting himself as the face of AI: The guy warning that the technology could change everything, and the guy insisting that he should be the one to build it. Now we are facing some overdue questions: Can we trust Sam Altm... more

Jonathan Glatzer has written for shows like Succession and Better Call Saul. Now he’s got his own: The Audacity, a new AMC drama set in Silicon Valley.

So why make a Silicon Valley show right now — and what, exactly, is he trying to say about tech?

more

Elon Musk has spent the last year being quieter than usual — by Elon Musk standards.

That may be about to change in a very big way, as his SpaceX moves toward what could be one of the biggest IPOs in history. So what, exactly, is Musk selling? A rock... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

The Grill Room
The Grill RoomAudacy | Puck
Pivot
PivotNew York Magazine

Recent Guests

Ronan Farrow
Investigative journalist, New Yorker contributor
The New Yorker
Episode: Ronan Farrow and Andrew Marantz on Sam Altman’s Trust Problem
Andrew Marantz
Staff writer, The New Yorker
The New Yorker
Episode: Ronan Farrow and Andrew Marantz on Sam Altman’s Trust Problem
Jonathan Glatzer
Creator and writer of The Audacity, known for Succession connections
The Audacity (AMC)
Episode: What Happens When a “Succession” Writer Takes on Silicon Valley
Max Chafkin
Bloomberg Businessweek columnist focused on Elon Musk
Bloomberg
Episode: Why We Need to Pay Attention to Elon Musk Again
Kate Knibbs
Technology reporter at Wired
Wired
Episode: Why Prediction Markets Are Turning Everything Into a Bet
Neil Vogel
CEO of People Inc.
People Inc.
Episode: How to Survive without Google: People Inc's Playbook
Matt Belloni
Chronicler of Hollywood business, Puck
Puck
Episode: Matt Belloni on the Oscars, the Ellisons, and Hollywood’s Next Chapter
Roger Bennett
Co-founder and host of Men in Blazers Podcast Network
Men in Blazers Media Network
Episode: The World’s Cup Is Coming to Trump’s America, with Roger Bennett
Adam Bhala Lough
Director of Deepfaking Sam Altman
Episode: How Odd Lots' Joe Weisenthal Turned Curiosity Into a Career, and a Hit Podcast

Host

Peter Kafka
Host of Channels, known for interviewing industry leaders and providing accessible analysis of media and tech. He brings journalistic expertise to discussions, ensuring a thoughtful exploration of complex subjects without jargon.

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 947 ratings
  • 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 States5 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 States7 months ago
  • He does talk a lot

    I agree he should let the guests talk more.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Journalistikit
    United States10 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 States10 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 Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

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

Listeners appreciate the variety of guests, which prevents the podcast from feeling repetitive.
High-quality discussions with insightful guests on media and technology.
Some find the host's interruptions frustrating and feel more focus on guests would be beneficial.
The host's engaging style makes complex topics accessible.

Chart Rankings

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

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Why Prediction Markets Are Turning Everything Into a Bet
Q: What are the main regulatory tensions affecting Kalshi and Polymarket?
Regulators at the federal level (CFTC) are weighing licensing and jurisdiction against state laws, with ongoing debates about insider trading, market scope, and how to apply existing financial-market rules to prediction contracts.
Why Prediction Markets Are Turning Everything Into a Bet
Q: Are these markets primarily about sports betting, or do they aim to cover a broader set of events?
While sports betting accounts for a large share of activity due to volume and familiarity, the platforms envision a broader forecasting role, including political and global events, though current activity remains heavily skewed toward sports gambling.
Why Prediction Markets Are Turning Everything Into a Bet
Q: Why have prediction markets gained momentum now, and what signals show their staying power?
The growth is driven by a convergence of sports betting normalization, regulatory changes, tech-enabled trading, and high-profile endorsements; the most compelling signal is the traction Kalshi and Polymarket have gained, along with real-world use cases across politics, finance, and media.
How to Survive without Google: People Inc's Playbook
Q: How do you manage a portfolio of many brands without a single clear winner?
We accept that not all content will perform, so we create across many formats and brands, but concentrate effort on seven to eight core brands that have proven resonance, while allowing teams to operate semi-independently to tailor to each audience.
How to Survive without Google: People Inc's Playbook
Q: Why did you move away from a Google-centric model?
We recognized early that the open web and search traffic could not be our sole source of growth; we built direct channels—email, social, apps, and events—and focused on brands that people care about, which let us weather Google's shifts and still grow.

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?

Conversations with experienced journalists, media executives, and creators drive discussions about the evolving landscape of media and technology, emphasizing how intertwined these sectors have become. The content spans topics like the influence of major personalities on media, the dynamics of traditional versus digital storytelling, and the challenges facing industry leaders amidst economic shifts. What sets this podcast apart is its commitment to straightforward dialogue, tackling complex issues in a way that is accessible for a wide audience. Episodes frequently highlight the nuances of leadership decisions within prominent companies, offering a unique vantage point on the interplay between media economics, technology, and culture.

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?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Channels, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

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 578 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. Ronan Farrow
2. Andrew Marantz
3. Jonathan Glatzer
4. Max Chafkin
5. Kate Knibbs
6. Neil Vogel
7. Matt Belloni
8. Roger Bennett

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.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days