Mixed Signals from Semafor Media

Joanna Stern on quitting the Wall Street Journal and building a media business with AI

Tech journalist Joanna Stern joins Mixed Signals to discuss leaving The Wall Street Journal after more than a decade to launch her own venture, “New Things,” and what it really takes to bet on yourself in today’s media landscape. Max and Ben ask how she’s using AI as a “co-founder,” and what she learned from immersing herself in artificial intelligence for her new book, I Am Not a Robot. Sign up for Semafor Media’s Sunday newsletter: https://www.semafor.com/newsletters/media  For more from Think with Google, check out ThinkwithGoogle.com. Find us on X: @semaforben, @maxwelltaniIf you have a tip or a comment, please email us mixedsignals@semafor.com

Michael Lynton on the infamous Sony hack and learning from his mistakes

Former Sony Entertainment CEO and current Snap Inc. Chairman Michael Lynton joins Mixed Signals to revisit the decision that led to one of the most consequential hacks in history: approving The Interview, the Seth Rogen–James Franco comedy that provoked a cyberattack from North Korea. Max and Ben ask why he broke his own greenlight process, and how he managed the fallout as private emails were leaked and careers were upended. They also dive into Lynton’s new book with Josh Steiner, and why he was frustrated by the US federal government’s inaction on its own TikTok ban. Sign up for Semafor Media’s Sunday newsletter: https://www.semafor.com/newsletters/media  For more from Think with Google, check out ThinkwithGoogle.com. Find us on X: @semaforben, @maxwelltaniIf you have a tip or a comment, please email us mixedsignals@semafor.com

The Twitch creators explaining the news to Gen Z

Douglas Scott Wreden and Aiden McCaig of the Lemonade Stand podcast join Ben and Max to explain how they turned gaming audiences into a loyal following for business, tech, and politics—and what it says about the future of media. Sign up for Semafor Media’s Sunday newsletter: https://www.semafor.com/newsletters/media  Find us on X: @semaforben, @maxwelltani If you have a tip or a comment, please email us mixedsignals@semafor.com

Introducing: The CEO Signal

Introducing The CEO Signal, a new show from SEMAFOR hosted by Penny Pritzker and Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson. In each episode, they sit down with global CEOs to discuss the moments of judgment that define leadership — how they interpret the forces shaping their industries, weigh difficult choices, and make decisions when the stakes are high. The CEO Signal builds on the SEMAFOR's CEO Signal newsletter, the briefing read by many of the world’s leading chief executives, bringing those insights into direct conversations about leadership, strategy, and the forces shaping the global economy. Watch the full conversations on The CEO Signal with Penny Pritzker and Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson.

Jeffrey Goldberg on "SignalGate," Trump's charm offensive, and why The Atlantic is winning

Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg joins Mixed Signals on the one-year anniversary of the scoop known as "Signalgate" — when he was accidentally added to a top-secret Trump administration group chat. Max and Ben ask if anything actually changed after the scandal, how Donald Trump reacted to the story, and why the president invited Goldberg to the Oval Office afterwards. Goldberg also talks about falling out with Benjamin Netanyahu, The Washington Post’s struggles under Jeff Bezos, and why he believes The Atlantic’s mix of magazine storytelling and newspaper reporting is the key to its success. Sign up for Semafor Media’s Sunday newsletter: https://www.semafor.com/newsletters/media  Find us on X: @semaforben, @maxwelltani If you have a tip or a comment, please email us mixedsignals@semafor.com