Podcast
The Grill Room
Hosted by Audacy | Puck · EN
Finally, a media podcast about what’s actually happening in the media—not the over-sanitized, legal-and-standards-approved version you read online. Every Tuesday and Friday, join Dylan Byers, Puck’s veteran media reporter, and Julia Alexander, a longtime media analyst, as they sit down with TV personalities, moguls, political pundits and industry executives for raw, honest, sometimes salacious conversations about the business of media and its biggest egos. “The Grill Room,” an homage to the exclusive dining room within The Four Seasons where a generation of media executives consummated deals and traded gossip, is produced in partnership with Audacy Podcasts. The Grill Room is an extension of In the Room, Dylan’s private email for Puck, where he chronicles the intrigue and inside stories behind what’s really going on in the media industry—from the board room to the newsroom to the green room and everything in between. Subscribe here: https://puck.news/dylanbyers
62episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Introducing: Money Moves with Jill Schlesinger
Jul 1200:02:08Tap to summarizeThere’s a lot of dopey financial advice out there. Jill Schlesinger is here to call it out, answer your questions, break down the financial news that actually matters, and help you manage your money without losing your mind. No jargon. No judgment. Just clear, actionable financial guidance about saving, investing, buying a home, managing your career, and deciding how to spend your hard-earned dollars. When it’s time to panic, Jill will tell you. When everyone else is panicking and you shouldn’t be, Jill will tell you that too. Your money. Your move. Let’s go.
Transcribe →The New York Times’s Video Manifesto
Jul 1000:43:07Tap to summarizeJulia and Dylan reunite to dig into The New York Times’s pivot to a video-first model—confirmed this week by executive editor Joe Kahn, who’s likening the shift to the paper’s move from print to digital. They discuss what it means for the Times’s business and marketing strategy, what happens to newsroom culture when a star system takes hold, and what the move portends for journalism writ large. They also touch on Netflix’s upcoming earnings and what they’re likely to reveal about the state of streaming.
Transcribe →Trump Fatigue Meets Its Match
Jul 700:33:40Tap to summarizeThe New York Times’ Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan join Dylan for an inside look at their new book, ‘Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump,’ which moved an extraordinary 300,000 copies in its first week. They shed light on their reporting process, why the book has cut through despite widespread Trump fatigue in media, where their reporting partnership goes from here, and more.
Transcribe →Inside the NBCU Custody Battle
Jul 300:41:18Tap to summarizeJulia and Dylan reunite to talk through the implications of the Comcast-NBCUniversal split—a move that could actually reposition NBCU as a buyer rather than an acquisition target, with Netflix and Amazon among the potential suitors. Then they turn to a revealing Beehiiv report on the newsletter business, and break down why niche topics like finance and investing are dominating the industry leaderboard.
Transcribe →Who Watches the Bots?
Jun 3000:36:30Tap to summarizeCampbell Brown, the former CNN veteran and founder of Forum AI, joins Dylan to explain why A.I. companies shouldn’t be trusted to evaluate themselves—and why the industry’s self-grading habit may be its worst blind spot. Then they debate whether media outlets that are hesitant to reckon with A.I. are just accelerating their own obsolescence. See all the ways bp is driving American energy forward at bp.com/InvestingInAmerica.
Transcribe →The New York Times’ Russini Reckoning
Jun 2600:54:33Tap to summarizeJulia and Dylan reconvene to pull on every thread from The New York Times’ sprawling exposé on former Athletic reporter Dianna Russini. They dig into the journalism scandal at the heart of the piece, what it really means to be an insider versus a reporter, and how The Times balances standards and ethics as it grows its business, courts new audiences, and elevates its own stars—all while protecting the legacy institution it’s built. See all the ways bp is driving American energy forward at bp.com/InvestingInAmerica.
Transcribe →The Silicon Valley Comms Manifesto
Jun 2300:50:25Tap to summarizeLulu Cheng Meservey, the communications guru and founder of Rostra, joins Dylan to make the case that traditional media and P.R. are dead, and that founders are better off talking directly to their audiences than waiting for others to tell their story. She breaks down how to balance the demands of publicity with actually building a worthwhile product, and suggests why founders who show up, build trust, and align their incentives tend to win in the long run. See all the ways bp is driving American energy forward at bp.com/InvestingInAmerica.
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Roku, Vox, and More Bari Madness
Jun 1900:39:47Tap to summarizeDylan and Julia trade notes on a gigantic week in media: Lachlan Murdoch’s $22 billion move on Roku, Jay Penske scooping up the Vox Media scraps, and the tortured hunt for a new No. 2 to run CNN and CBS with Bari Weiss. See all the ways bp is driving American energy forward at bp.com/InvestingInAmerica.
Transcribe →Lazarus Rises
Jun 1600:39:52Tap to summarizeVersant C.E.O. Mark Lazarus joins Dylan to make the bull case for the cable business everyone keeps pronouncing dead, and his four-vertical strategy anchored by MS Now, CNBC, Golf Channel, and Fandango. They also discuss MS Now’s digital expansion, Crooked Media’s licensing deal, and other media topics du jour. See all the ways bp is driving American energy forward at bp.com/InvestingInAmerica.
Transcribe →The Next Creator Gold Rush
Jun 1200:52:39Tap to summarizeDylan and Julia relive the Knicks' instant-classic Game 4 win at MSG and break down the cultural spectacle that is Celebrity Row. They then dive into the latest seismic shocks in the creator economy: CAA and Integrated Media's $250 million venture, Billy Parks' Creator Studios at Fox, and the Times' plan for Substack creators. See all the ways bp is driving American energy forward at bp.com/InvestingInAmerica.
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