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People vs Algorithms
People vs Algorithms
Troy Young, Brian Morrissey, Alex Schleifer

Uncovering patterns of change in media, culture, and technology, each week media veterans Brian Morrissey, Alex Schleifer and Troy Young break down... more

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Episodes

Complex’s Next Chapter

Complex is a digital media survivor. It has lived many lives, including as a magazine, a dot-com, an ad network,... more

01 Nov 2024 · 1 hour, 22 minutes
The New Media Consensus

There’s a new consensus about the media business that is emerging. The past is not coming back, that much is... more

25 Oct 2024 · 53 minutes
The End of Text

Mass media’s extinction event has come first for text content. Text is increasingly being "pushed down the stack" and commoditized... more

18 Oct 2024 · 1 hour, 10 minutes
Bad Bets

This week, we take a look at making bets that go wrong, and how it’s often difficult to tell if... more

11 Oct 2024 · 1 hour, 6 minutes
Above-the-Line Media

This week, we discuss a new framework for the media industry that separates content into two distinct categories: "above the... more

04 Oct 2024 · 51 minutes
Productive Tension

The heart of organizations is tension, which when productive can lead to great outcomes. If it goes to extremes, disaster.... more

27 Sep 2024 · 1 hour, 11 minutes
Parasitic Ad Tech

We discuss the Department of Justice’s antitrust case against Google as a classic case of fighting the last war. And... more

20 Sep 2024 · 1 hour, 8 minutes
100th Episode with Emily Sundberg

This week we’re joined by Emily Sundberg and celebrate our 100th episode, talking about classic topics like X vs Threads... more

13 Sep 2024 · 1 hour, 13 minutes
Founder Mode

Founders can force change that managers (call them operators) can’t, at least as efficiently. Plus: AI land grab update, Gannett’s... more

05 Sep 2024 · 1 hour,
The Recalibration to Normal

This is shaping up to be a TikTok election where relatability is at a premium. The successful rollout of the... more

22 Aug 2024 · 1 hour, 3 minutes
The Olympics and the Future of TV

This week, we discuss conversations vs interviews, why social networking has been replaced by algorithmic content, YouTube’s pivotal role in... more

15 Aug 2024 · 43 minutes
Monopolies and Memes

A federal judge has ruled Google a monopoly for locking up distribution with Apple. We discuss the percent and likely... more

08 Aug 2024 · 1 hour, 2 minutes
The Future of Search

OpenAI is readying a new search engine, Meta is pushing further into search with Llama, Perplexity is cutting deals with... more

01 Aug 2024 · 48 minutes
The Dark Side of Performance

This week, we’re joined by Joe Marchese, operating and build partner at Human Ventures and veteran media exec. We discuss... more

25 Jul 2024 · 1 hour, 11 minutes
The Network is the Media

The assassination attempt on Donald Trump was a stress test for the Information Space, and a reminder of just how... more

18 Jul 2024 · 1 hour, 10 minutes
Rules of The Information Space

The tidal wave of crap is a reality in the Information Space. This week, we discuss the rules of winning... more

11 Jul 2024 · 1 hour,
"Embrace The Chaos"

In this July 4th episode, Alex, Brian and Troy chat about whether life will ever get back to 'normal,' Threads... more

04 Jul 2024 · 51 minutes
Banana In the Smoothie

Troy and Brian discuss the realist mood in Cannes, the key to good brand events, why hotels need a good... more

27 Jun 2024 · 49 minutes
War on Friction

Apple has entered the AI fray with a compelling view of using it to remove friction that gets in the... more

13 Jun 2024 · 58 minutes
Compression

Technology acts as a compressor. AI is the latest pressure point. This week, we look at compression in software development,... more

06 Jun 2024 · 57 minutes
Everyone is Hallucinating

In this episode Brian, Troy, and Alex talk about AI hallucinations, and how they mirror human misperceptions. Troy believes the... more

30 May 2024 · 53 minutes
AI Time Machine

What do tech and media look like in five years? Plus: Sam Altman as slippery character and AI comes to... more

23 May 2024 · 1 hour, 8 minutes
Maybe the AI Hype is Real

Brian, Alex, and Troy get into the new AI updates from OpenAI and Google. They unpack how these big changes... more

16 May 2024 · 57 minutes
Transforming Time with Jess Sibley

Jess Sibley, CEO of Time, joins Brian and Troy to discuss adapting Time to today’s digital challenges. Jess shares her... more

09 May 2024 · 1 hour, 5 minutes
Can the “Fediverse” Save Us?

Brian, Troy, and Alex discuss the commercialization of the internet and the impact of AI on media. They explore big... more

02 May 2024 · 1 hour, 9 minutes
Omnicom's Jonathan Nelson on Agencies & AI

Omnicom digital chief Jonathan Nelson joins the show to discuss why ad agencies, forever under threat, will adapt to AI.... more

25 Apr 2024 · 1 hour, 14 minutes
Sex, AI and Advertising

In this episode Alex, Brian and Troy dive into topics like how AI is changing advertising, the ways tech meets... more

18 Apr 2024 · 1 hour, 1 minute
The Power Play

In this episode Brian, Troy, and Alex dive into AI mishaps in Teslas, muse over BuzzFeed's AI pivot, and ponder... more

11 Apr 2024 · 1 hour, 6 minutes
Shifting Tides in the Media Business with Axios’s Sara Fischer

With Alex still on vacation, Axios senior media reporter Sara Fischer joins Troy and Brian to break down the current... more

04 Apr 2024 · 59 minutes
The Business of Influence with Emily Sundberg

Emily, Brian and Troy delve into the complex world of influencers and celebrities as they navigate public scrutiny and fame... more

28 Mar 2024 · 1 hour, 11 minutes
Algorithmic Sameness with Kyle Chayka

In this episode of 'People vs. Algorithms,' hosts Brian Morrissey, Troy Young, and Alex Schleifer engage in a wide-ranging discussion... more

21 Mar 2024 · 1 hour, 11 minutes
Platform Shifts

As Alex says, the ground is shifting more and faster than it has in some time in the tech world,... more

14 Mar 2024 · 1 hour, 17 minutes
Change at CNN and Google

This week, we discuss how to turn the ship at two very different companies facing different challenges: CNN and Google.... more

07 Mar 2024 · 1 hour, 22 minutes
Survivors

This week, we're joined by Puck fashion correspondent Lauren Sherman, who gives her view on how to build a career... more

29 Feb 2024 · 1 hour, 5 minutes
DDM's Neil Vogel on Navigating Change

Dotdash Meredith CEO Neil Vogel joins the show to discuss how a publisher reliant on search traffic is back in... more

22 Feb 2024 · 1 hour, 13 minutes
The New Internet

The arrival of AI means the paradigm of searching for information and entertainment will give way to instant delivery. This... more

15 Feb 2024 · 1 hour, 1 minute
Blending Realities with Rafat Ali

In this episode Alex, Brian, and Troy, with guest Rafat Ali, discuss the future of technology, focusing on the Apple... more

08 Feb 2024 · 1 hour, 11 minutes
Game Over

With an era of digital media ending in chaos, we look ahead to the challenges media companies face in fixing... more

01 Feb 2024 · 59 minutes
The Gravity of Platforms

Layoffs at The Los Angeles Times, the end of the road for Pitchfork, and an uncertain future for Sports Illustrated... more

25 Jan 2024 · 54 minutes
CES, Ackman’s War, News App Fails

This week we talk CES, the ongoing silliness of the Bill Ackman-Business Insider feud, and why news aggregation apps are... more

18 Jan 2024 · 1 hour, 6 minutes
Hit Pieces, Fairness, Drugs & VR

This week, we dig into the latest front into the so-called hit piece. Last week, Business Insider published a pair of... more

11 Jan 2024 · 57 minutes
New Year, New Optimism

The New Year is maybe the perfect holiday. It’s celebrated by just about every culture and creed. And in a... more

04 Jan 2024 · 1 hour, 12 minutes
The New SERP, the New Syndication

Troy and Brian go over some of the lessons of 2023 and look ahead to 2024, starting with the end... more

21 Dec 2023 · 58 minutes
Minisode: Troy and Alex discuss AI

Troy and Alex kept the conversation going after the recording of last episode. After sharing a "transcendental" experience with Chat... more

15 Dec 2023 · 14 minutes
2024 Storylines

In news, we discuss Google's antitrust loss, the miracle of Cheddar selling for $200 million, 5-Hour Energy Guy cleaning house... more

14 Dec 2023 · 50 minutes
Conspirituality, Celebrity, E-Acc vs Decels, GTA

We live in an age of cults, narratives and fleeting fame. Centralization is giving way to a fragmented culture and... more

07 Dec 2023 · 1 hour, 12 minutes
What’s Next for the Open Web?

The website might be dying. How will this affect media and advertising? We cover this and other hot topics in... more

30 Nov 2023 · 53 minutes
OpenAI and the Culture of Silicon Valley

The OpenAI drama exposed fault lines in the very unique culture of Silicon Valley, highlighting the imperfect methods used to... more

23 Nov 2023 · 44 minutes
The New Interface

AI agents will accelerate the interface shift and change the economics of software, media and beyond. Troy Young's People vs... more

16 Nov 2023 · 55 minutes
Will Brands Still Matter?

The power of brands has eroded, particularly media brands. The path forward for legacy media brands is uncertain but almost... more

09 Nov 2023 · 1 hour, 9 minutes
Gen Z Is Built Different

9-5 Girl on TikTok sparked a debate over the outdated ideas of the 9-5 work day, which was stared by Henry... more

02 Nov 2023 · 51 minutes
The Information Space

While many people pretend that “the media” are still gatekeepers to information, those days are past. The information space is... more

26 Oct 2023 · 1 hour, 1 minute
More With Less

On a crossover episode of The Rebooting Show and People vs Algorithms, Alex and Brian discuss zero-interest rate phenomena and how... more

19 Oct 2023 · 50 minutes
Chris Kimball Says Screw the Algorithm

“Deliver something nobody else is delivering,” advises Milk Street’s Christopher Kimball. The media veteran, who created Cooks Country and America’s... more

12 Oct 2023 · 1 hour,
Product People

You don't have to be an engineer or be a developer to be a product person, although it helps. This week,... more

05 Oct 2023 · 50 minutes
Bustle's Bryan Goldberg on the Post-Scale Era

Bustle Digital Group's Bryan Goldberg joins to discuss why the scale era wasn't as great as it was portrayed. The... more

28 Sep 2023 · 1 hour, 29 minutes
Misaligned Media

Most of the challenges facing media come down to misaligned incentives. Publishers face a bad set of options to serve... more

21 Sep 2023 · 1 hour, 19 minutes
Dismembering Disney

This week, we discuss the rebundling, with a focus on the future of pay TV and why tech companies will... more

14 Sep 2023 · 58 minutes
Heroes, Villains and Assholes

One person's "fire-breathing dragon" is another person's asshole. The zero-interest rate era is in the rearview mirror, and businesses will... more

07 Sep 2023 · 55 minutes
Mass Media Crackup

The foundations of mass media continue to erode, from the declining relevance of presidential debates to the uncertain future of... more

24 Aug 2023 · 45 minutes
Media Is From Mars, Tech Is From Venus

In this Brian-free episode Troy and Alex discuss the tension between media and tech, what changed and why. Plus: weird... more

16 Aug 2023 · 53 minutes
Summer Media

This week Troy, Brian and Alex talk about their summer media habits when on vacation or just trying to unplug.Troy... more

09 Aug 2023 · 43 minutes
More With Less

Maybe publishing stinks as a scaled business, and it won't ever be otherwise. The most promising models I see tend... more

03 Aug 2023 · 36 minutes
Distribution Chokepoints

This week: Media cannot escape being aggregated; Elon Musk's superapp fever dream; Hollywood's dead-cat bounce with Barbieheimer; and publishers look... more

26 Jul 2023 · 1 hour, 5 minutes
Distribution Disruption

Every business deals with disruption and challenges, but the media business is somewhat unique in having such profound upheavals to its... more

19 Jul 2023 · 1 hour, 10 minutes
The Talent Repricing

The zero-interest rate is in the rearview mirror. And now comes the repricing, not just of assets but also talent.... more

12 Jul 2023 · 52 minutes
Twilight of the Open Web

The open web has never faced more threats, and the prevailing winds of the digital economy are working against the... more

07 Jul 2023 · 58 minutes
Dark Patterns

The FTC has declared war on dark patterns, the use of design to manipulate people into taking actions against their... more

30 Jun 2023 · 58 minutes
NYT vs CNN

The old levers of the media business aren't working. This is a time of existential change in many parts of... more

14 Jun 2023 · 43 minutes
Enter the Face Computer

Apple has unveiled its long-anticipated entree into mixed reality, with the announcement of a headset that will be available starting next year.... more

07 Jun 2023 · 58 minutes
The End of Ads and The Last Impression

Ads are like cockroaches. You might not like them, but they always find a way to survive and multiply. But... more

01 Jun 2023 · 54 minutes
Advertising Is Bugs

This week, Troy, Alex and I discuss a variety of topics, ranging from Alex’s beef with advertising, whether gaming will... more

25 May 2023 · 57 minutes
The Deterioration of Webpages

The pageview has long been the atomic unit of the internet. The business of digital publishing has revolved around it.... more

17 May 2023 · 1 hour,
Ambient Media

The battle for engagement has long been a losing battle. The arrival of AI, and the prospect of limitless synthetic... more

10 May 2023 · 51 minutes
The New Interface

The commanding heights of the digital economy are control of the interface. It’s the interface through which the vast expanses... more

03 May 2023 · 47 minutes
Why Buzzfeed News got shut down

Today we talk about why a lack of alignment led to the demise of the once buzzy Buzzfeed News. We... more

26 Apr 2023 · 55 minutes
AI meets tech's friction paradox

Nobody likes friction, at least in the moment. It stands in the way of accomplishing a task. Modern life in... more

19 Apr 2023 · 52 minutes
Ideation time

This week, Troy, Alex and Brian discuss how we come up with ideas and take them through to execution. We... more

13 Apr 2023 · 39 minutes
Fear and Loathing, AI Edition

This week, we discuss how the conversation about AI has broken into camps of maximalists, doomers and fatalists. AI looks... more

05 Apr 2023 · 48 minutes
The death of ad formats

It's been 20 years, and despite endless attempts to bend the internet to its will, advertising remains a fraught part... more

29 Mar 2023 · 1 hour, 2 minutes
People vs Algorithms
Why Buzzfeed News got shut down
People vs Algorithms
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Listen now on

Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Overcast
Podcast Addict
Pocket Casts
Castbox
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iHeartRadio
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Castro
RSS

Description

Today we talk about why a lack of alignment led to the demise of the once buzzy Buzzfeed News. We also dive... more