People vs Algorithms

Jess Sibley, CEO of Time, joins Brian and Troy to discuss adapting Time to today’s digital challenges. Jess shares her strategies for navigating algorithm changes and AI, shifting Time’s focus from consumer to business-oriented models, and the implications for digital content and monetization. Troy Young's People vs Algorithms newsletterBrian Morrissey's The Rebooting newsletterAlex Schleifer's Universal EntitiesAlexBrianTroy Skip to topic:

Brian, Troy, and Alex discuss the commercialization of the internet and the impact of AI on media. They explore big media-tech partnerships, the evolving role of AI in content distribution, and the potential benefits and challenges AI brings to our digital lives. Troy Young's People vs Algorithms newsletterBrian Morrissey's The Rebooting newsletterAlex Schleifer's Universal EntitiesAlexBrianTroy Topics:

Omnicom digital chief Jonathan Nelson joins the show to discuss why ad agencies, forever under threat, will adapt to AI. We go into Omnicom's purchase of Flywheel Digital, a software company for digital commerce -- a further sign that the next phase of what we used to call the internet will be defined by commerce rather than advertising. Troy Young's People vs Algorithms newsletterBrian Morrissey's The Rebooting newsletterAlex Schleifer's Universal EntitiesAlexBrianTroy Topics:

In this episode Alex, Brian and Troy dive into topics like how AI is changing advertising, the ways tech meets human needs, and the big shifts society might see because of tech. They chat about everything from AI taking over creative jobs to why we still need a human touch in things like art. Troy Young's People vs Algorithms newsletterBrian Morrissey's The Rebooting newsletterAlex Schleifer's Universal EntitiesAlexBrianTroy Topics:

In this episode Brian, Troy, and Alex dive into AI mishaps in Teslas, muse over BuzzFeed's AI pivot, and ponder the future of creativity in tech. They chat about navigating power in the digital age, laugh at media's latest shenanigans, and champion the underdog entrepreneurs shaking things up. Troy Young's People vs Algorithms newsletterBrian Morrissey's The Rebooting newsletterAlex Schleifer's Universal EntitiesAlexBrianTroy Topics:

With Alex still on vacation, Axios senior media reporter Sara Fischer joins Troy and Brian to break down the current state of the media business, including why TikTok is winning, the death of aggregation as a competitive advantage, why social media is a major reason women’s sports is one of the hottest segments, The New York Times as an extensible model and the future of print magazines as marketing pieces. Troy Young's People vs Algorithms newsletterBrian Morrissey's The Rebooting newsletterAlex Schleifer's Universal EntitiesAlexBrianTroy Topics:

Emily, Brian and Troy delve into the complex world of influencers and celebrities as they navigate public scrutiny and fame in the digital age. They explore the societal impact of extensive phone use and the rise of influencers creating their own brands. Troy Young's People vs Algorithms newsletterBrian Morrissey's The Rebooting newsletterAlex Schleifer's Universal EntitiesAlexBrianTroy Topics:

In this episode of 'People vs. Algorithms,' hosts Brian Morrissey, Troy Young, and Alex Schleifer engage in a wide-ranging discussion on how algorithms shape our cultural landscape, the future of AI in content creation, and the consequences of a digitally dominated world. They share insights from the Game Developer Conference about the optimism among independent studios and discuss the ramifications of algorithmic sameness across media. The episode features a detailed conversation with Kyle Chayka, a writer at the New Yorker and author of 'Filterworld,' centering on how algorithms are flattening culture and what it means for creators and consumers alike. Troy Young's People vs Algorithms newsletterBrian Morrissey's The Rebooting newsletterAlex Schleifer's Universal EntitiesAlexBrianTroy Topics:

As Alex says, the ground is shifting more and faster than it has in some time in the tech world, which usually means gaping craters are opened to swallow up media companies. We discuss the Reddit IPO, X apparently pivoting to video – we recorded this prior to Don Lemmon announcing he wouldn’t be launching his show on X after an apparently disastrous interview with Elon Musk pissed off Musk, go figure – and the effort to ban TikTok. We also have a guest this week. Tony Stubblebine joined us to discuss where Medium fits in the information space. We talked to Tony about how Medium aims to be the place for expert content, why journalism is apparently expensive to produce because journalists have to learn about the stuff they cover, and the frequent misalignment of incentives in the media business, particularly ones reliant on advertising. Submit a question or comment for the show here: https://memo.fm/pva/ Troy Young's People vs Algorithms newsletterBrian Morrissey's The Rebooting newsletterAlex Schleifer's Universal EntitiesAlexBrianTroy Topics:

This week, we discuss how to turn the ship at two very different companies facing different challenges: CNN and Google. At CNN, former New York Times CEO Mark Thompson is looking to reinvent the still very profitable broadcaster into a more nimble, digitally focused operation as its viewership and cultural importance fade. Google is facing its biggest threat yet in the form of AI and signs with Gemini AI image search that there might just be something to those complaints about a “woke culture.” Plus: nostalgia for websites, invisible paywalls and Substack’s next chapter. Troy Young's People vs Algorithms newsletterBrian Morrissey's The Rebooting newsletterAlex Schleifer's Universal EntitiesAlexBrianTroy Topics:

This week, we're joined by Puck fashion correspondent Lauren Sherman, who gives her view on how to build a career in journalism during what's billed as an "extinction event." Hint: persistence plays a big part. Plus: Troy gets nostalgic about Vice. Troy Young's People vs Algorithms newsletterBrian Morrissey's The Rebooting newsletterAlex Schleifer's Universal EntitiesAlexBrianTroy Topics:

Dotdash Meredith CEO Neil Vogel joins the show to discuss how a publisher reliant on search traffic is back in growth mode, the future of the affiliate business, the impact of generative AI on traffic-dependent publishing businesses, why performance comes before premium in advertising strategies and that time Prince played the Webby Awards. Troy Young's People vs Algorithms newsletterBrian Morrissey's The Rebooting newsletterAlex Schleifer's Universal EntitiesAlexBrianTroy Topics:

The arrival of AI means the paradigm of searching for information and entertainment will give way to instant delivery. This week, we discuss the implications for the media ecosystem. Troy Young's People vs Algorithms newsletterBrian Morrissey's The Rebooting newsletterAlex Schleifer's Universal EntitiesAlexBrianTroy Skip to topic:

In this episode Alex, Brian, and Troy, with guest Rafat Ali, discuss the future of technology, focusing on the Apple Vision Pro's impact on work, personal life, and media consumption. They explore its potential to revolutionize how we interact with digital content and the broader implications for traditional media and AI in content creation. Troy Young's People vs Algorithms newsletterBrian Morrissey's The Rebooting newsletterAlex Schleifer's Universal EntitiesAlexBrianTroy Skip to topics:

With an era of digital media ending in chaos, we look ahead to the challenges media companies face in fixing a product that in most instances is far behind the times. Troy Young's People vs Algorithms newsletterBrian Morrissey's The Rebooting newsletterAlex Schleifer's Universal EntitiesAlexBrianTroy

Layoffs at The Los Angeles Times, the end of the road for Pitchfork, and an uncertain future for Sports Illustrated illustrate how digital media is architected to collapse the middle of the media business, leaving a precious few scaled players and many scrappy outfits. Troy Young's People vs Algorithms newsletterBrian Morrissey's The Rebooting newsletterAlex Schleifer's Universal EntitiesAlexBrianTroy

This week we talk CES, the ongoing silliness of the Bill Ackman-Business Insider feud, and why news aggregation apps are the obvious solution in search of a (monetizable) problem. Troy Young's People vs Algorithms newsletterBrian Morrissey's The Rebooting newsletterAlex Schleifer's Universal EntitiesAlexBrianTroy

This week, we dig into the latest front into the so-called hit piece. Last week, Business Insider published a pair of stories that dug into the academic record of Neri Oxman, a former MIT professor. Oxman happens to be the wife of Bill Ackman, a powerful activist investor who has been on a campaign against the leaders of top universities, including Harvard's Claudine Gay, who resigned a week ago after plagiarism accusations. The Wall Street Journal meanwhile continued its scrutiny of Elon Musk with a piece that looked into his drug use and whether it has negatively impacted his stewardship of his companies and the requirements of federal law since Starlink is a government contractor. The pieces raise the question of what a fair target for accountability journalism, and whether drug use is the issue or behavior exhibited during drug use (or without drugs of any kind, outside the intoxicant of ego). Finally, we consider the Apple Vision Pro and the prospect of people on planes with it strapped to their faces. Troy Young's People vs Algorithms newsletterBrian Morrissey's The Rebooting newsletterAlex Schleifer's Universal EntitiesAlexBrianTroy

The New Year is maybe the perfect holiday. It’s celebrated by just about every culture and creed. And in a time of great division, we sorta come together around the idea of a new year meaning a new start. And we probably need that. This week, we look at reasons for hope, what lies ahead for AI, the coming legal and regulatory battles with Big Tech, and why it's probably safer to be an electrician. Troy Young's People vs Algorithms newsletterBrian Morrissey's The Rebooting newsletterAlex Schleifer's Universal EntitiesAlexBrianTroy

Troy and Brian go over some of the lessons of 2023 and look ahead to 2024, starting with the end of the long era of dominance of the search engine results page and the dawn of a new SERP and promise of a new syndication paradigm that's reminiscent of the portal era. Troy Young's People vs Algorithms newsletterBrian Morrissey's The Rebooting newsletterAlex Schleifer's Universal EntitiesAlexBrianTroy