Today, we have a special bonus episode: Ben and Max break down the most interesting moments from the Innovating to Restore Trust in News summit held last week in Washington, D.C. They discuss Gallup’s findings on the worsening trust in news media, New York Times executive editor Joe Kahn’s acknowledgment that Donald Trump is good for business, and FCC chair Brendan Carr’s plans to go after liberal media. Plus, Ben responds to Megyn Kelly’s take on what she called a “tense interview.” Is this the start of a heated podcast feud? Maybe, if it helps our ratings.

Sign up for Semafor Media’s Sunday newsletter: https://www.semafor.com/newsletters/media 

Find us on X: @semaforben, @maxwelltani

If you have a tip or a comment, please email us [email protected]

The 97th Academy Awards are this weekend, giving us a glimpse into the past and future of Hollywood and the entertainment industry. For an insider’s take on the state of the business and how the Academy works, Ben and Max bring on Matt Belloni, founding partner of Puck and host of The Town podcast. They talk about Netflix’s Oscars strategy with Emilia Pérez, the disconnect between the Academy’s interests and what happens on stage, and why the Oscars still matter in 2025. They also discuss if Hollywood will take a rightward turn with the culture, Matt’s own career from behind the scenes at the Hollywood Reporter to now being recognized for his voice, and his predictions for this weekend’s awards.

Sign up for Semafor Media’s Sunday newsletter: https://www.semafor.com/newsletters/media 

Find us on X: @semaforben, @maxwelltani

If you have a tip or a comment, please email us [email protected]

This week, a big story of media consolidation – and one that devoted Mixed Signals listeners would have seen coming: Fox announced that it has acquired Red Seat Ventures, the digital media company that produces and markets the podcasts of several big names in conservative media, including Megyn Kelly, Tucker Carlson, and Bill O’Reilly. Ben and Max bring on Red Seat’s co-founder, Chris Balfe, to talk about the acquisition, how Piers Morgan brokered the deal, how Fox Corp. will deal with empowered creators, and what it all means for the future of media.

Sign up for Semafor Media’s Sunday newsletter: https://www.semafor.com/newsletters/media 

Find us on X: @semaforben, @maxwelltani

If you have a tip or a comment, please email us [email protected]

The Super Bowl, the biggest single media event in the US, is upon us. And the Chiefs and the Eagles aren’t the only ones with a lot on the line: advertisers have staked their reputations – and for Instacart’s Laura Jones, her job – on 30 seconds of airtime this Sunday. This week, Ben and Max bring on the Instacart CMO to talk about what it takes to make a Super Bowl ad, the thinking behind their Marvel-style approach, and her high stakes bet in one of the only remaining mass audience moments in media. They also talk about how she got 9 other brands to participate in the ad, why she avoided celebrities, and the vibe shift from “purpose” to escapism in advertising.

Find us on X: @semaforben, @maxwelltani

If you have a tip or a comment, please email us [email protected]

Sign up for Semafor Media’s Sunday newsletter: https://www.semafor.com/newsletters/media

Kara Swisher has been a reporter, an editor, a founder, and is now one of the most successful podcasters in the world. This week, Ben and Max bring on the host of On with Kara Swisher and co-host of the popular tech podcast Pivot to talk about the business of media in 2025. She talks unabashedly about her own income, and whether other journalists can and should break out of big media companies to build brands like hers. She’s also got unexpectedly kind words for how Rupert Murdoch – “Uncle Satan” as she calls him – is handling the current media moment, and an update on her bid to buy The Washington Post.

Find us on X: @semaforben, @maxwelltani

If you have a tip or a comment, please email us [email protected]

Sign up for Semafor Media’s Sunday newsletter: https://www.semafor.com/newsletters/media

This week, we look at digital fragmentation through the eyes of a transformed marketing industry – because to really see where media is headed, you have to follow the money. Ben and Max bring on CMO of Verizon and former Twitter CMO, Leslie Berland, to talk about how creators have changed marketing and what she thinks is coming next. They also talk about how Twitter and social media changed the brains of the people who worked there and how advertisers avoid cringe when chasing memes.

Find us on X: @semaforben, @maxwelltani

If you have a tip or a comment, please email us [email protected]

Sign up for Semafor Media’s Sunday newsletter: https://www.semafor.com/newsletters/media 

As the second inauguration of Donald Trump approaches and global leaders head to Davos, Switzerland for the World Economic Forum, we at Mixed Signals want to know: what will media’s role be in an increasingly unstable era? And will it bring more order or disorder for global politics? To discuss this, Ben and Max bring on political risk advisor Ian Bremmer of the Eurasia Group. They talk about how global leaders are engaging with new media and if digital media is shaping global politics, or vice versa. They also talk about Ian’s run-in with Elon Musk in 2022, and how Donald Trump’s second term will influence media leaders like Zuckerberg and Bezos.

Be sure to follow Nayeema’s new show, Smart Girl Dumb Questions, on Apple, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get your content!

Find us on X: @semaforben, @maxwelltani

If you have a tip or a comment, please email us [email protected]

Sign up for Semafor Media’s Sunday newsletter: https://www.semafor.com/newsletters/media 

This year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) showcased an array of new gadgets, screens, and robots – but will any of them impact how and what we consume? Or will the real changes come from Washington, where the big tech companies from Meta to Amazon seem to be targeting their attention? To discuss all the ways that tech and tech leaders will impact the media industry this year and beyond, Ben and Max talk to Jessica Lessin, founder and CEO of The Information. And Max hits the ground running with his first episode as co-host, as Taniacs rejoice.

Nayeema Nation: Be sure to follow Nayeema’s new show, Smart Girl Dumb Questions, on Apple, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get your content!

Find us on X: @semaforben, @maxwelltani

If you have a tip or a comment, please email us [email protected]

Sign up for Semafor Media’s Sunday newsletter: https://www.semafor.com/newsletters/media 

We’re kicking off 2025 with a foray into dating apps — and an announcement of Nayeema’s next venture (not a dating app but a new show called Smart Girl Dumb Questions). But first: Today’s episode of Mixed Signals merges Ben and Nayeema’s interests in CMO podcasts and dating apps, respectively. Tinder CMO Melissa Hobley joins us to talk about digital exhaustion, the reality of rebranding and the political license that comes with a GenZ audience. Max Tani joins to debrief, and next week, he’ll take the baton as co-host for the next era of Mixed Signals!

Be sure to hit follow on Nayeema’s new show on Apple, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get your content!

Find us on X: @semaforben, @nayeema, @maxwelltani or on instagram.com/nayeemaraza

If you have a tip or a comment, please email us [email protected]

Sign up for Semafor Media’s Sunday newsletter: https://www.semafor.com/newsletters/media 

On Monday, Carlos Watson, the founder of Ozy Media, was sentenced to nearly 10 years – 116 months – in prison for fraud. Today, in Ben’s first extensive conversation about it since Watson’s arrest, he and Nayeema discuss Ozy, the scandal, and what it reveals about the broader digital media and advertising business. They bring on Madison and Wall analyst and former GroupM Global President for Business Intelligence, Brian Wieser, to talk about why marketers and investors were duped by Watson, what changed in the aftermath, and what the next digital media scam might be. After the conversation, Max Tani joins them to debrief.

If you want more on the Ozy story, check out the three-part series, “The Unraveling of Ozy Media” from CJR’s The Kicker. And for more from Brian Wieser, check out Madison and Wall’s podcast and newsletter.

NOTE: We’ll be off next week – but stay tuned for our next episode (and some exciting news) on January 3rd, 2025.

If you have a tip or a comment, please email us [email protected]

Find us on X: @semaforben, @nayeema, @maxwelltani or on instagram.com/nayeemaraza

Sign up for Semafor Media’s Sunday newsletter: https://www.semafor.com/newsletters/media