The most important stories about money, business and power. Hosted by Ryan Knutson and Jessica Mendoza. The Journal is a co-production of Spotify and The Wall Street Journal.
Get show merch here: https://wsjshop.com/collections/clothing
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The most important stories about money, business and power. Hosted by Ryan Knutson and Jessica Mendoza. The Journal is a co-production of Spotify and The Wall Street Journal.
Get show merch here: https://wsjshop.com/collections/clothing
Copyright: Copyright © Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All rights reserved.
Elon Musk’s wild mood swings are legendary. His “demon mode" gets a lot of attention from biographer Walter Isaacson in a new book about Musk. WSJ’s Tim Higgins talks with Isaacson about what fuels Musk’s "demon mode" and how it plays out in his business ventures.
Further Reading and Watching:
-Elon Musk’s Lessons From Hell: Five Commandments for Business
-Elon Musk Is Running Twitter on His Impulses
-The Real Story of Musk’s Twitter Takeover
Further Listening:
-Elon Musk Wants to Build an Everything App
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As ESPN tries to transition to streaming and attract younger viewers, the sports-media giant is venturing outside its comfort zone with its newest star: Pat McAfee. WSJ's Isabella Simonetti explains why the F-bomb-throwing former NFL punter is a big bet for the network.
Further Reading:
- ESPN Bets Big on Pat McAfee, an F-Bomb-Throwing YouTube Star
Further Listening:
- How Americans Watch Sports Is Changing
- The Troubled Second Act of Disney CEO Bob Iger
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In the U.S., one in five mothers suffers from mood and anxiety disorders during pregnancy or after birth. But many of them struggle to find help. Last year, the CDC reported that the leading cause of maternal deaths in the country are suicide or drug overdose. We spoke with two mothers about their experience postpartum and to reporter Anna Mutoh about the FDA’s approval of a new drug to fight postpartum depression.
Further Reading:
- The Tragedy of Being a New Mom in America
- First Pill for Postpartum Depression Is Approved by FDA
- U.S. Maternal Mortality Hits Highest Level Since 1965
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Spotify spent more than $1 billion to build up its podcasting empire. After years of costly acquisitions and celebrity partnerships, most of its shows are still not profitable. WSJ’s Anne Steele unpacks why Spotify’s big bet hasn’t paid off yet.
Further Reading:
- Spotify’s $1 Billion Podcast Bet Turns Into a Serial Drama
- Harry and Meghan Produce a Hollywood Flop: Themselves
Further Listening:
- Neil Young, Joe Rogan and Spotify’s Balancing Act
- Harry and Meghan, Hollywood Royalty?
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United Auto Workers president Shawn Fain is throwing out the traditional union playbook for contract negotiations. WSJ’s Nora Eckert reports that Fain is preparing for a strike, possibly against three automakers at once.
Further Listening:
-Why 46,000 Auto Workers Are on Strike
Further Reading:
-Meet the Man Who Has Detroit on Edge
-UAW Accuses GM, Stellantis of Unfair Labor Practices
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Airbnb listings in New York City are disappearing as the city cracks down on short-term rentals as a way to address its housing shortage. As of today, it will now enforce some of the toughest laws in the nation around short-term rentals. WSJ's Allison Pohle unpacks what's happening and why other big cities are taking note.
Further Reading:
-Airbnb Hosts and Guests Scramble as New York Begins Crackdown
-Airbnb Fights New NYC Short-Term Rental Requirements
Further Listening:
-Why Airbnb is Letting Employees Work Anywhere
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Happy Labor Day! We’re bringing you an episode that was originally published in June 2022.
Peshtigo, Wisconsin, is grappling with a crisis: Chemicals known as PFAS have leached from a nearby industrial site into the town's groundwater. WSJ's Kris Maher traveled to the town to report on what the community is doing and how the contamination has affected people's health and lives.
Further Reading:
- A Wisconsin Town With Contaminated Drinking Water Must Decide Its Future
- Startups Race to Kill ‘Forever Chemicals’
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Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s health is raising concerns. On Wednesday, McConnell froze and fell silent during a press conference. He had a similar incident earlier this summer. WSJ’s Siobhan Hughes reports on the veteran Republican’s health scare and the speculation about who might succeed him.
Further Reading:
- Mitch McConnell Freezes a Second Time During Kentucky Press Conference
- Mitch McConnell’s Health Scares Shine Spotlight on Senate’s ‘Three Johns’
Further Listening:
- How Biden and McConnell Do Business
- The Fight Over the Speaker of the House
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This week, the U.S. government named 10 drugs that will be subject to the first ever price negotiations by Medicare. WSJ’s Jared S. Hopkins talks about how this major change came about and pharmaceutical companies’ efforts to stop it.
Further Listening:
-How Big Pharma Lost Its Swagger
Further Reading:
-Expensive Drugs From Pfizer, Other Companies Targeted for First U.S. Price Negotiations
-U.S. Chamber of Commerce Challenges Federal Government’s New Drug-Price Powers
-Merck Challenges U.S. Government’s New Powers to Negotiate Drug Prices
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Another Chinese real estate developer could be on the brink of collapse. Country Garden, the nation’s largest property developer, announced it lost $6.7 billion in the first six months of the year. WSJ’s Rebecca Feng explains how China’s real estate market — a key part of the country’s economy — ended up on such shaky ground.
Further Reading:
-Country Garden, China’s Largest Surviving Developer, Sinks Into Debt Crisis
-China’s Deepening Housing Problems Spook Investors
Further Listening:
-Why Millions of Chinese Young People Are Unemployed
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