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Media

Vox’s home for discussing, analyzing, and explaining the media industry, including journalism, social networks, and entertainment.

Politics
Trump’s unhinged Fox Business interview illustrates how Fox News normalizes TrumpTrump’s unhinged Fox Business interview illustrates how Fox News normalizes Trump
Politics

Hours after news of Mueller’s testimony broke, Trump called Maria Bartiromo and melted down on live TV.

By Aaron Rupar
Dan Rather’s single biggest secret for interviewing powerful people
Podcast
Culture

After nearly 70 years covering the presidency, the newsman knows a little something about talking to big names.

By Emily St. James
Technology
Twitter’s co-founder yearns for the time when bloggers couldn’t get instant feedbackTwitter’s co-founder yearns for the time when bloggers couldn’t get instant feedback
Technology

Medium CEO and Twitter co-founder Ev Williams said people get “burned out” on many social media platforms because of their competitive nature.

By Shirin Ghaffary
Politics
Activists see NBC’s Democratic debate moderators as a win for representationActivists see NBC’s Democratic debate moderators as a win for representation
Politics

Four of the five moderators that have been announced are women or people of color.

By Li Zhou
Technology
Running the New York Times is just one thing A.G. Sulzberger is working onRunning the New York Times is just one thing A.G. Sulzberger is working on
Technology

New York Times publisher A.G. Sulzberger will speak at Code Conference 2019.

By Peter Kafka
Technology
Russia and China are waging a “shadow war” against the US, and the battlefields will be AI and space, CNN’s Jim Sciutto saysRussia and China are waging a “shadow war” against the US, and the battlefields will be AI and space, CNN’s Jim Sciutto says
Podcast
Technology

Hacking and election interference were just the start.

By Eric Johnson
Technology
Why Amazon is going to be one of the winners of the streaming video warsWhy Amazon is going to be one of the winners of the streaming video wars
Podcast
Technology

A small number of companies will win the streaming “battle royale,” says former Amazon Studios strategist Matthew Ball. Amazon is “guaranteed” to be one of them, he says.

By Eric Johnson
Politics
Watch Laura Ingraham tell her audience to disbelieve something Trump just told herWatch Laura Ingraham tell her audience to disbelieve something Trump just told her
Politics

The final, most essential command.

By Aaron Rupar
Media
Even worse than Jeffrey Goldberg’s sexist quote was his gaslighting of a journalistEven worse than Jeffrey Goldberg’s sexist quote was his gaslighting of a journalist
Media

The editor of the Atlantic maligned a reporter for getting the story right.

By Laura McGann
Explainers
David French vs. Sohrab Ahmari and the battle dividing conservatives, explainedDavid French vs. Sohrab Ahmari and the battle dividing conservatives, explained
Explainers

The fight isn’t about a National Review columnist. It’s about what conservatism is, and should be.

By Jane Coaston
Technology
Jimmy Pitaro moved ESPN away from politics, controversy, and anything else that isn’t sportsJimmy Pitaro moved ESPN away from politics, controversy, and anything else that isn’t sports
Technology

A Q&A with the ESPN boss, who took over Disney’s powerful network a year ago.

By Peter Kafka
Technology
Meet the man with an impossible job: cleaning up YouTubeMeet the man with an impossible job: cleaning up YouTube
Podcast
Technology

A Q&A with Neal Mohan, YouTube’s chief product officer.

By Peter Kafka
Technology
Former US Attorney Preet Bharara says good journalism may have undermined the Mueller reportFormer US Attorney Preet Bharara says good journalism may have undermined the Mueller report
Podcast
Technology

“The ‘fake news’ that Donald Trump decried, I think there’s an argument that it sort of saved him.”

By Eric Johnson
Technology
Apple is the only media company rich enough to beat Netflix — but does it care enough to try?Apple is the only media company rich enough to beat Netflix — but does it care enough to try?
Podcast
Technology

On the latest episode of Recode Media, former Amazon and Hulu employee Eugene Wei explains why Netflix and its competitors aren’t playing the same game.

By Eric Johnson
Technology
Hulu CEO Randy Freer explains why Hulu never promoted its ad-free versionHulu CEO Randy Freer explains why Hulu never promoted its ad-free version
Podcast
Technology

The more expensive Hulu No Commercials plan was announced in 2015, and almost four years later, the company is finally ready to start advertising that it exists.

By Eric Johnson
Technology
Netflix has made a rare acquisition, to help it make more kids’ stuffNetflix has made a rare acquisition, to help it make more kids’ stuff
Technology

The streaming company has bought StoryBots, a kids’ brand made by the guys who made JibJab.

By Peter Kafka
Technology
Disney put more than $400 million into Vice Media. Now it says that investment is worthless.Disney put more than $400 million into Vice Media. Now it says that investment is worthless.
Technology

A now-familiar story: Investors say they overvalued a high-flying digital publisher.

By Peter Kafka
Technology
Disney+ will not be a “Netflix killer” because at this point, nothing can kill NetflixDisney+ will not be a “Netflix killer” because at this point, nothing can kill Netflix
Podcast
Technology

Redef CEO Jason Hirschhorn watches a lot of TV and he says Netflix has sucked him into watching less of everything else.

By Eric Johnson
Technology
Amazon wants to pay the New York Times and BuzzFeed to expand so it can reach more shoppers outside the USAmazon wants to pay the New York Times and BuzzFeed to expand so it can reach more shoppers outside the US
Technology

Big US publishers already make money from Amazon’s “affiliate” business. Amazon may pay them upfront to expand.

By Peter Kafka
Technology
Kickstarter co-founder Perry Chen’s advice to startup founders and investors: Don’t lie to each otherKickstarter co-founder Perry Chen’s advice to startup founders and investors: Don’t lie to each other
Podcast
Technology

“It will always come back to bite you.”

By Eric Johnson
Technology
YouTube says it’s still trying to fix itself. But it’s not going to stop selling itself to advertisers.YouTube says it’s still trying to fix itself. But it’s not going to stop selling itself to advertisers.
Technology

A report from YouTube’s glitzy sales event in New York City, where “responsibility” is important but Daddy Yankee is even more important.

By Peter Kafka
The fight for the bundle is the war for the future of TV
Technology

The TV guys want to keep selling you TV you don’t watch. It won’t work.

By Peter Kafka
Politics
Coverage of Trump’s latest rally shows how major media outlets normalize his worst excessesCoverage of Trump’s latest rally shows how major media outlets normalize his worst excesses
Politics

Lying is still being recast as “reviv[ing] an inaccurate refrain.”

By Aaron Rupar
Technology
David Haskell has one of the hardest jobs in media: replacing a beloved magazine editorDavid Haskell has one of the hardest jobs in media: replacing a beloved magazine editor
Technology

Haskell took up the reins of New York Magazine this year after its 15-year editor Adam Moss stepped away.

By Eric Johnson
Technology
What the hell happened at The Markup? Part 1: Former editor-in-chief Julia Angwin on Recode DecodeWhat the hell happened at The Markup? Part 1: Former editor-in-chief Julia Angwin on Recode Decode
Technology

Angwin was fired Monday evening, and most of her staff resigned in solidarity. “I have to brush up on my coup literature,” she joked.

By Eric Johnson
Technology
What the hell happened at The Markup? Part 2: Co-founders Sue Gardner and Jeff Larson respond to Julia Angwin’s Recode Decode interviewWhat the hell happened at The Markup? Part 2: Co-founders Sue Gardner and Jeff Larson respond to Julia Angwin’s Recode Decode interview
Technology

Gardner said Angwin “is going out and just making up an entirely whole-cloth kind of theme around this advocacy thing.”

By Eric Johnson
Technology
Digital media lifestyle brand Brit + Co is laying off most of its employeesDigital media lifestyle brand Brit + Co is laying off most of its employees
Technology

Another casualty of Facebook and Google’s advertising duopoly.

By Theodore Schleifer
Technology
Why is LinkedIn producing original journalism? LinkedIn editor-at-large Jessi Hempel explains.Why is LinkedIn producing original journalism? LinkedIn editor-at-large Jessi Hempel explains.
Technology

Hempel joined the site’s editorial team this year after 17 years at magazines like Businessweek, Fortune, and Wired.

By Eric Johnson
Technology
Netflix is booming internationally, but its growth is slowing in the USNetflix is booming internationally, but its growth is slowing in the US
Technology

The streaming company added 9.6 million subscribers last quarter — and it says it isn’t worried about Apple or Disney.

By Peter Kafka
Politics
What Pete Buttigieg learned from Donald TrumpWhat Pete Buttigieg learned from Donald Trump
Politics

In a crowded field, it pays off to say “yes” to everything and get attention.

By Matthew Yglesias
Technology
AMC Networks boss Josh Sapan wants the people who make TV to look at the data — but not too muchAMC Networks boss Josh Sapan wants the people who make TV to look at the data — but not too much
Technology

There’s no algorithm for creativity yet, Sapan says on the latest Recode Media.

By Eric Johnson
Technology
If Congress cancels federal funding for PBS, rural areas will be hurt the most, says CEO Paula KergerIf Congress cancels federal funding for PBS, rural areas will be hurt the most, says CEO Paula Kerger
Technology

All 335 PBS stations use federal funding, but the ones that depend on it are largely in Trump country.

By Eric Johnson
Technology
Nancy Pelosi says Trump’s tweets “cheapened the presidency” — and the media encourages himNancy Pelosi says Trump’s tweets “cheapened the presidency” — and the media encourages him
Technology

“He’s just being a freak.”

By Eric Johnson
Technology
Disney used to make hundreds of millions from Netflix. Now it will spend billions to fight it.Disney used to make hundreds of millions from Netflix. Now it will spend billions to fight it.
Technology

Bob Iger in 2015: “We look at Netflix as more friend than foe.” Now it’s a very expensive war.

By Peter Kafka
Technology
Everyone in TV news goes for outrage. That makes it “ripe for disruption,” says former CNN reporter Jessica YellinEveryone in TV news goes for outrage. That makes it “ripe for disruption,” says former CNN reporter Jessica Yellin
Technology

Yellin is trying to use her Instagram feed to offer people video news “without a panic attack.”

By Eric Johnson
Politics
Mark Halperin says his conduct has changed. His commentary is the same.Mark Halperin says his conduct has changed. His commentary is the same.
Politics

His first interview post-#MeToo included a pretty sexist assessment of the 2020 field.

By Laura McGann
Technology
Apple has sold lots of music subscriptions — so it thinks it will sell lots of other stuff, tooApple has sold lots of music subscriptions — so it thinks it will sell lots of other stuff, too
Technology

Apple Music has eclipsed Spotify in the US. Now Apple wants to do the same thing in news, games, and video.

By Peter Kafka
Technology
The company that owns the New Yorker and Vogue is bleeding money. A new CEO is supposed to turn things around.The company that owns the New Yorker and Vogue is bleeding money. A new CEO is supposed to turn things around.
Technology

New Conde Nast boss Roger Lynch comes from Pandora and Sling.

By Peter Kafka
Technology
Here are all the new products Snap launched at its first partner conferenceHere are all the new products Snap launched at its first partner conference
Technology

Snapchat games, new shows, and more augmented reality.

By Kurt Wagner
Video
Why Tucker Carlson pretends to hate elitesWhy Tucker Carlson pretends to hate elites
Play
Video

Why an “out-of-the-closet elitist” rails against the “ruling class.”

By Carlos Maza