The Grill Room
Cadence13
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
Location:
United States
Networks:
Cadence13
Description:
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
Language:
English
Episodes
Polymarket’s Press Test & WaPo’s Town Hall
2/27/2026
Julia and Dylan dive into the new partnership between Polymarket and Substack, and debate whether live markets actually make journalism better. Then they turn to the latest turbulence at The Washington Post after its recent town hall, and address the existential question: Is there anything Jeff Bezos can realistically do to steady the ship? To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:00:52:03
The Post-MrBeast Creator Economy
2/24/2026
Reed Duchscher, C.E.O. of Night Media, joins Dylan and Julia to discuss his management firm’s recent $70 million raise—and what it signals about the next phase of his company and the creator economy writ large. A former manager of MrBeast, Duchscher explains why we’re unlikely to see another YouTube star of that scale, weighs the tension between volume and scarcity, and weighs into the rise of platforms like TikTok and Roblox, the future of independent political commentary, and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:01:00:51
Media’s Trump II Stress Test
2/20/2026
Julia and Dylan assess the state of CBS—and the media industry writ large—in the Trump II era, from the fallout over Stephen Colbert’s interview with James Talarico to Anderson Cooper’s stunning exit from 60 Minutes. They also assess the early numbers from Peacock’s “Legendary February,” the steep implications of Paramount’s renewed pursuit of WBD, what a WBD-PSKY merger could mean for CNN, and much, much more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:00:50:41
The Calm Before the NFL Storm
2/17/2026
John Ourand and Julia Alexander dive into the biggest sports media storylines of the moment, from the forthcoming NFL rights negotiations and their sweeping implications to NBCUniversal’s “Legendary February” and Peacock’s ongoing subscriber challenges. They also discuss the NFL’s growing international ambitions, the competitive drag of NBA tanking, the Olympics, and much more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:00:57:57
The Peacock Problem & The Post in Peril
2/13/2026
Julia and Dylan to take stock of the week in media: Spotify’s rosy earnings report, NBC’s “Legendary February,” Peacock’s subscriber headaches, the enduring A.I.-media reckoning, and more. Plus, Dylan weighs in on what the future holds for the embattled Washington Post after a turbulent few weeks of layoffs and leadership upheaval. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:00:51:09
Can Sports Save Peacock?
2/10/2026
NBC Sports president Rick Cordella joins Dylan to discuss a pivotal month for the network, from the Super Bowl to the Winter Olympics and the NBA All-Star Game. Cordella explains how live sports fuel subscriber growth for Peacock, often driving audiences to other programming, and reflects on the enduring value of broadcast television, the challenges of media fragmentation, the strategic importance of retaining premium sports rights, and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:00:36:22
Matt Murray on the Washington Post’s Mass Layoffs
2/6/2026
The Washington Post executive editor Matt Murray joins Dylan for an exclusive, wide-ranging conversation about the sweeping layoffs that reduced the newsroom by 300 journalists and a third of the company overall. Murray defends the restructuring as necessary to meet changing audience behavior and address financial strain, while arguing that recent subscriber gains signal a viable path to growth in the paper’s next chapter. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:00:50:07
WaPo’s Extinction Event & The Dawn of D’Amaro
2/6/2026
Julia and Dylan dig into the week’s most consequential media storylines: the mass layoffs at the Washington Post, Peacock’s pivotal month of sports programming, the ascension of Josh D’Amaro as Disney’s new C.E.O., and the growing question of whether ESPN will ultimately be spun off as Disney signals that its future lies beyond traditional television. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:01:01:20
The Making of Tucker Carlson
2/3/2026
Jason Zengerle joins Dylan for a deep dive into his new book, ‘Hated by All the Right People: Tucker Carlson and the Unraveling of the Conservative Mind.’ Zengerle traces Carlson’s evolution from print journalist to cable news star—and eventually to media mogul—examining his strategic use of outrage, his close alignment with Trump, and how both have fueled his influence. They also explore the broader impact of conservative media on American political discourse and whether Carlson may ultimately pursue elected office. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:00:39:05
Can Barry Diller Save CNN?
1/30/2026
Julia and Dylan chew over the reports that Barry Diller is interested in buying CNN, and whether a new owner would solve the network’s digital dilemma (probably not). Then they assess the broader, largely self-inflicted crises facing Bari Weiss at CBS News, Will Lewis at The Washington Post, and Mark Thompson at CNN. They also break down Netflix’s latest Engagement Report and the streamer’s increasingly YouTube-esque programming. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:00:57:40
Food52’s Recipe for Bankruptcy
1/27/2026
Former Barstool Sports C.E.O. and Food52 chief executive Erika Ayers Badan joins Dylan to reflect on navigating bankruptcy at Food52, a onetime $300 million company that ultimately collapsed under roughly $25 million in debt. She breaks down what went wrong, the dangers of undisciplined growth, and why diversified revenue streams matter now more than ever. She also discusses what kind of buyers might be circling, what industry peers can learn from Food52’s downturn, her take on the state of media writ large—and much more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:00:43:03
Netflix vs. YouTube vs. Everybody
1/23/2026
Julia and Dylan break down the week’s biggest media storylines, from Netflix’s earnings and Ted Sarandos’s candid take on the state of television to Neal Mohan’s annual letter outlining YouTube’s present—and A.I.-shaped future. The duo weigh into the ever-growing challenge of capturing attention in an increasingly oversaturated and fragmented media ecosystem—and the curious case of Mediaite’s perplexing new newsletter about… newsletters. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:00:48:25
Ben & Justin on Semafor’s $330M Valuation
1/20/2026
Semafor co-founders Justin Smith and Ben Smith join Dylan to discuss their recent $30 million financing at a staggering $330 million post-money valuation—and to address some industry player-hating. They justify the math behind the valuation, break down the economics of a media company with a significant events business (while rejecting the idea that Semafor is events-first), and walk through their broader ambition to build a global, intelligent, independent news brand in the mold of The Economist and the Financial Times. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:00:48:33
CBS News on the Rocks
1/16/2026
Dylan and Julia dig into the mess surrounding a potential corporate sponsorship of CBS News’ “Whiskey Fridays” with Tony Dokoupil, after an Evening News set featuring a Jack Daniel’s logo leaked online. The controversy also sparked a bigger debate about whether corporate sponsorships lack journalistic integrity—or actually offer a viable lifeline to a news industry in perpetual decline. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:00:56:41
The Gospel According to VandeHei
1/13/2026
Jim VandeHei, the co-founder and C.E.O. of Axios, is back with hot takes on the industry’s biggest challenges: the media’s trust deficit, the imperative to serve hyper-targeted audiences, and how A.I. is writing journalism’s next chapter. Jim predicts a potential golden age for quality reporting—provided publishers actually embrace A.I.—and delivers a characteristically blunt assessment of The Washington Post and CBS News. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:00:49:07
The Dokoupil Debacle & Semafor’s $330M Question
1/9/2026
Julia and Dylan survey a volatile week in media: Tony Dokoupil’s rocky debut at CBS Evening News and the broader questions it raises about Bari Weiss’s leadership, Semafor’s eyebrow-raising $330 million valuation, the flood of A.I.-generated content overtaking Instagram and X, and plenty more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:01:11:22
Hollywood’s Future ’26 War Stories
1/6/2026
Matt Belloni joins Dylan and Julia to chart the latest updates surrounding the Warner Bros. Discovery bidding war between Netflix and Paramount—and what each side stands to gain or lose. Then they dive into Hollywood’s accelerating A.I. anxiety in light of Disney’s pact with Sora 2, the upcoming film slate for 2026, YouTube's rights deal with the Oscars, and more. Plus: Matt explains his choices for Hollywood’s heroes and villain of the year. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:00:54:04
CNN Sale Chatter, Meta TV & Other 2026 Predictions
1/2/2026
Dylan and Julia forecast the media chaos to come, mapping out the storylines likely to dominate the year ahead—from the ongoing Warner Bros. Discovery drama to Disney’s Sora experiment, Instagram Reels invading connected TV, and the likely disruption of the ad market. They also predict CNN’s uncertain future, the waning influence economy, the A.I. forces quietly rearranging everything, and much more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:00:51:48
Are the Kids… All Right?
12/30/2025
Jim Steyer, the founder and C.E.O. of Common Sense Media, joins Dylan for a fascinating end-of-year conversation about which tech companies and social media platforms are getting it right (and wrong) when it comes to child safety. They also chat about his legendary class at Stanford and forthcoming podcast, his brother Tom’s gubernatorial bid in California, and much more. Learn more about Starbucks industry-leading benefits at starbucks.com/partners. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:01:16:05
Media’s ’25 Crisis of Nerve
12/26/2025
Julia and Dylan reunite to survey the stories that defined media in 2025, starting with the recent uproar over Bari Weiss pulling a ’60 Minutes’ segment critical of the Trump administration. Then they dig into the impact of David Ellison’s bid for Warner Bros., Trump’s omnipresent influence on the media ecosystem, the mounting pressures on legacy outlets, and much more. Learn more about Starbucks industry-leading benefits at starbucks.com/partners. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:00:51:45