The Grill Room

Dylan Byers sits down with tech journalist Alex Heath, founder of the Sources newsletter, to discuss the impact of A.I. tools like Claude and WhisperFlow for efficiency in reporting. He also talks about what it actually takes to go independent: risk tolerance, revenue instincts, and a willingness to rewire how you work. Plus, the importance of adapting to A.I. advancements and the evolving role of agents in media consumption.

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Dylan and Julia dive right in to discuss Byron Allen's eye-popping $120 million purchase of BuzzFeed, a legacy media brand that has seen better days. They also look into the New York Times' decision to license Wordle to NBC and analyze how the outlet has made use of its growing IP. The conversation also covers CNN's new weather app and culminates in some well-earned optimism about the New York Knicks' chances in the NBA playoffs.

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In this special bonus episode of The Grill Room, presented by Paramount+, Julia Alexander convenes a star-studded panel of female cast members from the Taylor Sheridan cinematic universe—Ali Larter, Beau Garrett, Michelle Randolph, Nicole Kidman, and Zoe Saldaña—to discuss their career journeys and the challenges they’ve surmounted to bring their characters to life. They also speak candidly about playing complex characters in the male-dominated settings of Western shows and their strong working relationships with Sheridan himself.

Dylan is joined by Puck's own John Ourand and CNBC's Alex Sherman to discuss the tensions around NFL broadcast rights as upfront season gets into full swing in New York, including the standoff between legacy networks and streamers gunning for more games. They also discuss how Roger Goodell is navigating these talks, where Rupert Murdoch fits in, and what's at stake as NFL rights become the ultimate prize.

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Julia and Dylan chew over James Murdoch’s expected $300 million-plus acquisition of New York magazine and the Vox Media Podcast Network. They discuss what the deal signals about Murdoch’s true ambitions—whether he'll embrace a journalism-first approach á la The Atlantic or adopt Jay Penske’s events-driven playbook—and what it means for New York magazine’s legacy identity moving forward.

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Political scientist David Sterrett joins Dylan and Julia to discuss the findings of his latest data-driven report, which suggests we’ve officially crossed the Rubicon on creators and influencers becoming a primary news source for Americans, particularly younger audiences. They dig into why trust in creators has seemingly surpassed trust in traditional news outlets, what’s driving people toward the authenticity and transparency creators offer, and why legacy media brands are increasingly building their businesses around star talent rather than institutional identity.

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Julia and Dylan join forces to wrestle with A.I.'s growing footprint in journalism—and make the case for what real reporters still bring to the table that no artificial model can replicate. They also take stock of Substack’s current moment of uncertainty, prompted by The Ankler’s high-profile departure to Ben Thompson’s new platform Passport, and consider whether it’s time to hit the panic button on Substack.

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Trey Yingst, the leading war correspondent on Fox News, joins Dylan to talk about building one of the most prominent social media presences in TV news—and what his multiplatform reach means not just for his own profile but for Fox News as a whole. Yingst reflects on covering some of the world’s most consequential conflicts, including the U.S.-Iran war and the Israel-Gaza conflict, and makes the case for why social media and traditional broadcasting are more complementary than competitive. He also weighs in on maintaining journalistic integrity across platforms and the urgent, often overlooked issue of protecting journalists working in dangerous regions.

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Julia and Dylan discuss Andreessen Horowitz’s new Twitter-based live show, Monitoring the Situation, and what it reveals about the steep challenges of building influence in a hyper-fragmented media landscape. They also weigh in on the ego dynamics powering the live streaming boom, social media’s grip on C.E.O. culture, the role legacy media plays in fueling the very shows that claim to be replacing it, and much more.

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Family Lore is a weekly narrative podcast that celebrates and investigates ancestral mystique. Each episode begins with a guest sharing a fascinating family legend, followed by a historical deep-dive to uncover the truth and meaning behind the tale. Available now: link.pscrb.fm/f0281/FLFD