Episodes

  • Flynn McGarry on growing up as a food prodigy and the waning power of restaurant reviews

    Flynn McGarry on growing up as a food prodigy and the waning power of restaurant reviews
    May 15 2026
    Chef and Cove owner Flynn McGarry joins Mixed Signals to talk about what it's like to navigate food media. He was first profiled as a teenaged chef prodigy and has since become a restaurant owner trying to figure out what actually drives people through the door in 2026. Max and Ben ask Flynn how early media attention shaped his sense of himself, how he missed years of TV development deals (including one with White Lotus creator Mike White), and how he learned what kinds of social media content drives traffic at his restaurants. 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
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    42 mins
  • Angel Studios is crowdsourcing a "values-based" alternative to Hollywood

    Angel Studios is crowdsourcing a "values-based" alternative to Hollywood
    May 8 2026
    The brothers behind Angel Studios, the faith-and-values-based studio behind increasingly popular blockbusters, join Mixed Signals to explain how their two-million-member Guild subverts the traditional greenlighting process. Max and Ben ask the Harmon brothers whether Angel Studios is a niche media company or something with genuine mainstream scale. 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
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    49 mins
  • Johnny Harris on building a journalism project that doesn't sell out

    Johnny Harris on building a journalism project that doesn't sell out
    May 1 2026
    YouTube creator and Newpress co-founder Johnny Harris joins Mixed Signals to break down how he went from selling his own plasma to running a YouTube channel with over 7 million subscribers. Max and Ben ask Johnny about how he built a sustainable business explaining difficult topics without chasing the outrage that drives so much attention online, and why millions of people are obsessed with longform video explainers. 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, @maxwelltani If you have a tip or a comment, please email us mixedsignals@semafor.com
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    54 mins
  • Maverick Carter on building the future of sports media

    Maverick Carter on building the future of sports media
    Apr 27 2026
    Sports media mogul Maverick Carter joins Mixed Signals to discuss the next phase of athlete-led media, from scaling SpringHill Company into a global content powerhouse to rethinking how fans engage with sports. He also breaks down the NBA’s attention economy, his foray into live and digital entertainment, and why a more global basketball game could be the industry’s biggest opportunity. 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, @maxwelltani If you have a tip or a comment, please email us mixedsignals@semafor.com
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    31 mins
  • Patrick Radden Keefe on page-turning journalism, his own celebrity, and the humanity behind his work

    Patrick Radden Keefe on page-turning journalism, his own celebrity, and the humanity behind his work
    Apr 17 2026
    Max Tani and Ben Smith sit down with bestselling author and journalist Patrick Radden Keefe to discuss his gripping new book, London Falling. Keefe reveals how he finds his projects, and navigates his new, unexpected status as a celebrity journalist. They also discuss the art of true crime storytelling, adaptations of his work for film and TV, and how compelling human drama lies at the heart of every interesting topic. 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
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    38 mins
  • Bluesky COO Rose Wang on building a better social network

    Bluesky COO Rose Wang on building a better social network
    Apr 10 2026
    On this week’s episode of Mixed Signals, Max and Ben chat with Bluesky COO Rose Wang about how the social media platform is rethinking social media through a more decentralized model. They discuss its rapid growth, reputation as a politically charged space, and the challenge of turning a utopian vision into a real business. 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, @maxwelltani If you have a tip or a comment, please email us mixedsignals@semafor.com
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    39 mins
  • Joanna Stern on quitting the Wall Street Journal and building a media business with AI

    Joanna Stern on quitting the Wall Street Journal and building a media business with AI
    Apr 3 2026
    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
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    40 mins
  • Michael Lynton on the infamous Sony hack and learning from his mistakes

    Michael Lynton on the infamous Sony hack and learning from his mistakes
    Mar 27 2026
    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
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    42 mins