The Journal. - The Wall Street Journal & Spotify Studios

Latest Episodes:

Red, White and Who? Veep! Veep! All Eyes On Vance and Walz Oct 04, 2024

Show notes

The vice-presidential candidates took center stage at a debate this week. Ryan Knutson talks with Molly Ball about the important takeaways, and Rachel Humphreys speaks to a listener about why she’s thinking about climate change this election.

Further Listening:

- Red, White and Who? Playlist

- Red, White and Who? It's Always the Economy!

- Red, White and Who? Why Ohio Could Decide the Senate

Further Reading:

- JD Vance’s Version of Trump Is Better Than the Real Thing

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The Missteps That Led Nike Off Course Oct 03, 2024

Show notes

Under CEO John Donahoe, Nike pulled away from retailers and ramped up production of its classic sneaker lines. Now sales have plummeted, the company has lost market share to competitors and Donahoe is stepping down. WSJ's Inti Pacheco discusses what went wrong.

Further Reading:

-Nike CEO John Donahoe Stepping Down After Rocky Tenure

-How Nike Missed the Boom in Running Culture

-Nike Reverses Course as Innovation Stalls and Rivals Gain Ground

Further Listening:

-Nike’s Sneaky Sneaker Thieves

-How Allbirds Lost Its Footing

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The Risk of an All-Out War in the Middle East Oct 02, 2024

Show notes

Israel is now fighting on multiple fronts, after clashing with Hezbollah in Lebanon and sustaining Iranian strikes yesterday. WSJ’s Michael Amon explains the growing risk of an all-out regional war.

Further Reading:

- Israel Clashes With Hezbollah in Lebanon

- Israeli Response to Iran’s Attack to Set Course of Widening War

- Israeli Review Shows Minor Damage From Iran’s Missile Barrage

Further Listening:

- Exploding Pagers and the Risk of a Spreading War

- The Brutal Calculation of Hamas’s Leader

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The Big Changes Tearing OpenAI Apart Oct 01, 2024

Show notes

In less than two years, OpenAI—the company behind ChatGPT—has gone from a little-known nonprofit lab to a world-famous organization at the forefront of an artificial intelligence revolution. But the company has faced a series of challenges, culminating last week in another high-profile departure and the decision to become a for-profit corporation. WSJ’s Deepa Seetharaman discusses the permanent change to OpenAI's ethos and what it could mean for the AI industry.

Further Listening:

- Artificial: The OpenAI Story

- Artificial: Episode 1, The Dream

Further Reading:

- Turning OpenAI Into a Real Business Is Tearing It Apart

- OpenAI’s Complex Path to Becoming a For-Profit Company

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The Justice Department Takes On Visa Sep 30, 2024

Show notes

The Department of Justice is taking Visa, the largest card network in the U.S., to court, accusing the company of illegally monopolizing the debit card market. WSJ's Angel Au-Yeung breaks down the Justice Department's allegations.

Further Listening:

- The Unusual Economics of the Bilt Credit Card

- The Deal That Could Change Credit Cards

- The Trustbuster Taking on Ticketmaster

Further Reading:

- Justice Department Sues Visa, Alleges Illegal Monopoly in Debit-Card Payments

- Google Faces Blockbuster Antitrust Case—Again

- Getting Oasis Tickets Was a Nightmare. Ticketmaster Is Again Being Asked for Answers.

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How Eric Adams Became New York City’s First Indicted Mayor Sep 27, 2024

Show notes

The mayor of America’s largest city likes to say he’s been “rejected, arrested and then elected.” Now, he’s been indicted. WSJ’s Jimmy Vielkind unpacks the unprecedented federal foreign bribery case against Eric Adams.

Further Listening:

-Gold Bars, Cash and a Mercedes: A U.S. Senator's Corruption Trial

Further Reading:

-Inside the Eric Adams Indictment

-After the Eric Adams Indictment, What’s Next?

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Red, White and Who? It’s Always the Economy! Sep 27, 2024

Show notes

After two big economic speeches this week, Ryan Knutson and Molly Ball discuss the candidates’ different economic strategies. Plus, voting has begun! We explore mail in voting and its impact on this election!

Further Listening:

- Red, White and Who? Playlist

- Red, White and Who? Why Ohio Could Decide the Senate

- Red, White and Who? A Swing-State Debate

Further Reading:

- Harris Puts Government Intervention at Heart of Economic Policy

- Trump Says Plan Will Convince Foreign Companies to Shift Jobs to U.S.

- Voters Love the Policies That Economists Love to Hate

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China, an Alabama Business and a 20-Year Battle Sep 26, 2024

Show notes

Milton Magnus, an Alabama businessman who runs one of the last makers of wire hangers in the U.S., has waged a decades-long tariff battle against Chinese manufacturers to try to stay afloat. We hear from Magnus and we talk to Chao Deng about th e effectiveness of tariffs as the trade tool becomes more popular with politicians.

Further Listening:

-Why China Is Risking a Trade War

-The Fight Over U.S. Steel and the Community Caught in the Middle

Further Reading:

-The Family Business in Alabama That Fights China for Survival

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Inside the Trump Crypto Bromance Sep 25, 2024

Show notes

Former president Donald Trump wants to be the crypto president. With stops at a bitcoin conference and a bitcoin-themed bar, Trump is tapping into an industry that’s eager to support a crypto-friendly candidate. WSJ’s Vicky Huang explains how Trump and the crypto industry have cozied up ahead of the 2024 election.

Further Reading:

- Trump Hitches His Campaign to the Crypto Crowd

- That Time Donald Trump Walked Into a Bar and Bought a Round Using Bitcoin

- The Crypto Industry Is Trying to Elect Political Allies. The Stakes Couldn’t Be Higher.

Further Listening:

- Elon Musk and Silicon Valley Turn Towards Trump

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Red Lobster's New CEO Plots Its Comeback Sep 24, 2024

Show notes

This month, Red Lobster emerged from bankruptcy. At the helm of the restaurant chain is its new CEO, 35-year-old Damola Adamolekun. Ryan Knutson talks to Adamolekun about what brought about Red Lobster’s decline and his plan to revitalize the company.

Further Listening:

- McDonald’s Wants To Offer Quality And Value. Can It Do Both?

Further Reading:

- The 35-Year-Old CEO Plotting Red Lobster’s Comeback

- Red Lobster Exits Chapter 11 Bankruptcy With New Owners, CEO

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