The Grill Room

Simpsons fans —THE VAULT IS OPEN!  I’m Nancy Cartwright, the voice of Bart Simpson for 35+ years, and I’m finally taking you inside Springfield. Simpsons Declassified is your all-access pass to the world’s most iconic, animated  series.   Each week, we crack open wild predictions, eerie coincidences and fan conspiracies and stories  from 36 seasons (that’s 800+ episodes!) behind-the-scenes with wr...

Julia Alexander and Dylan Byers dive into the week’s media maelstrom, courtesy of the Disney-Kimmel-F.C.C.-Trump kerfuffle. They explore the paradox of an administration trying to strong-arm broadcast TV—which is on its way out—and speculate on how Trump and Co. might attempt to flex on independent creators on YouTube, TikTok, and other platforms. They also weigh the stakes for Disney and Bob Iger...

Kim Masters joins Dylan to address the existential questions surrounding Jimmy Kimmel’s return to ABC: Will Nexstar and Sinclair actually air the show? How does the creative community in Hollywood feel about this? Is the pressure from the F.C.C. going to subside? Are people going to forgive Bob Iger? Plus, Kim shares the latest updates regarding David Ellison’s WBD fantasy. The Grill Room Podcast...

Julia and Dylan scrutinize Disney’s perplexing decision to sideline Jimmy Kimmel under pressure from the F.C.C.—a move that raises thorny questions about media freedom, corporate backbone, and whether Disney actually just created more headaches for itself. They also dig into The New York Times’ evolving strategy and why the paper has emerged as one of the last news institutions standing up to Trum...

Meredith Kopit Levien, C.E.O. of The New York Times, joins Dylan and Julia for a deep dive into the paper’s metamorphosis from a traditional news company to a full-spectrum lifestyle brand. Levien breaks down how they’re harnessing A.I. tools, tinkering with audio and video, and sharpening its advertising playbook—all while building a diverse revenue stream anchored in subscriptions. She also weig...

Julia and Dylan chew over the latest machinations along media's waterfront: Rupert Murdoch’s succession denouement and the future of Fox and News Corp, how ‘The Atlantic’ is faring in the new media landscape, the latest angst percolating through Hudson Yards, and  much more. The Grill Room Podcast is presented by bp. See all the ways we’re investing in America: https://www.bp.com/InvestingInAmeric...

On this special crossover episode, Peter Hamby and Dylan chronicle the closing act of the Murdoch succession drama, as Rupert’s massive media empire lands squarely in the hands of his staunchly conservative son, Lachlan, while the other three siblings walk away with a hefty payout. They explore what this means for Fox’s future—and just how long the 94-year-old Rupert will continue to wield his pow...

Rick Berke, former Politico executive editor and founder of STAT News, joins Dylan to reflect on his 10-year journey from startup to building one of the most authoritative voices in the life sciences industry. Berke explains how he turned STAT into a profitable media venture, the hurdles facing subscription-based models, and why it’s so difficult for legacy giants like the Washington Post or LA Ti...

Julia and Dylan break down David Ellison’s imminent acquisition of Bari Weiss’s The Free Press—and how her anti-establishment worldview could reverberate through the editorial D.N.A. of CBS News. They also explore how the likely nine-figure deal could spark a fresh cycle of digital media M&A, and what it augurs for the Substack economy and creator economy writ large. Then Dylan and Julia decode th...

Andrew Rosen, the former Paramount executive and founder of PARQOR, joins Dylan to break down the divergent digital strategies of The New York Times and ESPN. While the Times is precise and leans into product design tailored to specific consumer habits, ESPN continues to chase mass scale and broad reach. Rosen argues that ESPN’s model risks leaving engagement on the table—and makes the case for a...

Julia Alexander and Dylan reunite to hash out the week’s biggest media stories: The New York Times’ increasing investment in A.I.; how technology is undermining Disney magic—and what this portends for Bob Iger’s media strategy; the spectacle of the U.S. Open; the brewing Portnoy-McAfee rivalry, and much, much more.  The Grill Room Podcast is presented by bp. See all the ways we’re investing in Ame...

Andy Lack, former chairman of NBC News and MSNBC, joins Dylan to pore over the myriad existential crises rattling television news, from CBS’s messy Trump settlement to the Versant spin that leaves MSNBC in the wilderness—and more. He also discusses his new act as a purveyor of local news startups across the Deep South, and his bid to build sustainable outlets at a time when local journalism is fac...

Julia Alexander reunites with Dylan to break down ESPN’s long-awaited “super app,” which launched yesterday as the network’s boldest bid yet to remain the central hub for sports fans in an increasingly crowded rights landscape. They also touch on Fox’s new streaming gambit, Fox One—a leaner, no-frills play for cord-cutters—and what these parallel moves reveal about the shifting future of sports me...

Mosheh Oinounou joins Dylan to discuss his leap from legacy media to independent journalism with the founding of Mo News, which, despite early challenges, has grown to more than 12,000 paid subscribers and expanded into podcasts and newsletters. Oinounou also digs into the importance of A.I. in news customization, the potential for future collaborations between independent creators and legacy medi...

Julia Alexander swings by the pod to dig into the recent slew of licensing deals, à la ESPN-McAfee and Fox-Portnoy, which allow creators to maintain their independence while benefiting from additional exposure and revenue. This leads to a broader conversation about the challenges and opportunities for legacy media companies in adapting to the creator economy writ large. The Grill Room Podcast is p...

On this special episode, the Ruthless Podcast co-hosts, Josh Holmes, Michael Duncan, John Ashbrook, and Shashank Tripathi, join Dylan to discuss the origins of their podcast—and more intriguingly, their new licensing deal with Fox News. They also dig into their unique approach to politics, the lack of conservative humor in the media landscape, the challenges faced by legacy media, and much more. T...

Dylan and Julia chew over the most pressing media news of the week: Disney’s dynamic NFL deal, the finalized Paramount-Skydance merger, the chatter surrounding David Ellison’s interest in Warner Bros., and much more. The Grill Room Podcast is presented by bp. See all the ways we’re investing in America: https://www.bp.com/InvestingInAmerica To learn more about listener data and our privacy practic...

Katie Drummond, global editorial director of Wired, joins the pod to reflect on her overhaul of the tech magazine—transforming it into a sharp-edged outlet covering the dystopian intersection of technology, politics, and culture. She discusses the significance of original reporting, Wired’s notable growth and ambitions growth strategy, A.I.’s threat to journalism, and much, much more. The Grill Ro...

Julia Alexander rejoins Dylan to hash out the most combustible stories in media: The Wall Street Journal’s increasingly aggressive Trump-Epstein coverage—and Trump’s retaliatory lawsuit against Rupert Murdoch; how editor Emma Tucker is turning the Journal into a serious challenger to The New York Times; what the media world might look like in a post-Murdoch landscape; and much, much more. The Gril...

Vox Media C.E.O. Jim Bankoff joins Dylan for a deep dive into the company’s evolution following a recent investment that now values the business at $500 million, roughly half what it was worth a decade or so ago. They dig into Vox’s strategy around talent-driven content, the central role of their podcast network, the enduring value of their legacy print publications, how the company is adapting to...

Julia Alexander reunites with Dylan to chew over the media industry’s latest soap operas: South Park’s satirical take on Trump and Paramount, the unfolding legal battle between Trump and Rupert Murdoch, Bari Weiss’s $200 million valuation target for The Free Press, Bezos-CNBC acquisition murmurs, and much more. The Grill Room Podcast is presented by bp. See all the ways we’re investing in America:...

Dylan sits down with an anonymous, plugged-in investment banker in the media space to peel back the curtain on Substack’s recent $100 million raise—and the staggering $1.1 billion valuation that came with it. They unpack what it means for the future of the platform, the broader implications of this investment on the media landscape, and whether it can lead to more sustainable business models and i...

Julia Alexander reunites with Dylan for a wide-ranging chat about the most pressing plotlines consuming the media industry: what Substack’s recent $1.1 billion evaluation portends for the creator economy writ large; Apple’s $150 million offer for F1 and the streamer’s broader sports media ambitions; David Ellison's courtship to bring Bari Weiss to Skydance; and much, much more. The Grill Room Podc...

John Ourand joins Dylan to dissect Apple’s $150 million bid for F1’s U.S. media rights—and what it reveals about the company’s growing ambitions in live sports. They also examine why ESPN, facing a new era of financial restraint, chose not to compete, and what that decision portends for the broader sports rights arms race. The Grill Room Podcast is presented by bp. See all the ways we’re investing...

Julia Alexander reunites with Dylan to delve into how A.I. services like ChatGPT are cutting into Google’s search market share—and how Google’s new A.I. tools may be cannibalizing its own business. They also discuss the annual Allen & Co. conference, dig into the biggest storylines stemming from the Sun Valley Lodge this year, and much, much more. The Grill Room Podcast is presented by bp. See all...