Peter Kafka
@pkafka.bsky.social
Bleep blop bloop. Talking https://link.chtbl.com/kafka typing https://www.businessinsider.com/author/peter-kafka
Buzzy tech CEOs: Ads are gross. Certainly we can do better.
Buzzy tech CEOs, a few years later: The thing about ads is that they're great.
Welcome to the ChatGPT ads era:
www.businessinsider.com/chatgpt-ads-...
Buzzy tech CEOs, a few years later: The thing about ads is that they're great.
Welcome to the ChatGPT ads era:
www.businessinsider.com/chatgpt-ads-...
ChatGPT's advertising era has started. It's rolling out ads to some US users.
A ton of people use ChatGPT but don't pay to use it. Now those free users are about to become revenue-generating users.
www.businessinsider.com
February 9, 2026 at 7:09 PM
Buzzy tech CEOs: Ads are gross. Certainly we can do better.
Buzzy tech CEOs, a few years later: The thing about ads is that they're great.
Welcome to the ChatGPT ads era:
www.businessinsider.com/chatgpt-ads-...
Buzzy tech CEOs, a few years later: The thing about ads is that they're great.
Welcome to the ChatGPT ads era:
www.businessinsider.com/chatgpt-ads-...
Fun, and correct, to dump on Will Lewis.
But if you're not doing the same for Jeff Bezos - the man who owns the business, hired Lewis and made the business worse through his own decisions...
www.businessinsider.com/will-lewis-j...
But if you're not doing the same for Jeff Bezos - the man who owns the business, hired Lewis and made the business worse through his own decisions...
www.businessinsider.com/will-lewis-j...
February 8, 2026 at 2:30 AM
Fun, and correct, to dump on Will Lewis.
But if you're not doing the same for Jeff Bezos - the man who owns the business, hired Lewis and made the business worse through his own decisions...
www.businessinsider.com/will-lewis-j...
But if you're not doing the same for Jeff Bezos - the man who owns the business, hired Lewis and made the business worse through his own decisions...
www.businessinsider.com/will-lewis-j...
Hard to remember now but Jeff Bezos and the Washington Post used to get along just great.
I talked to longtime Post vet @ErikWemple about what happened to his old paper, and his old owner.
Excerpts: www.businessinsider.com/jeff-bezos-w...
Whole thing: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/c...
I talked to longtime Post vet @ErikWemple about what happened to his old paper, and his old owner.
Excerpts: www.businessinsider.com/jeff-bezos-w...
Whole thing: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/c...
After Jeff Bezos bought the Washington Post, things went great — for a while. I asked an insider what happened.
After Jeff Bezos bought the Washington Post in 2013, the billionaire was considered a model owner. Not anymore. I asked an insider what happened.
www.businessinsider.com
February 5, 2026 at 8:36 PM
Hard to remember now but Jeff Bezos and the Washington Post used to get along just great.
I talked to longtime Post vet @ErikWemple about what happened to his old paper, and his old owner.
Excerpts: www.businessinsider.com/jeff-bezos-w...
Whole thing: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/c...
I talked to longtime Post vet @ErikWemple about what happened to his old paper, and his old owner.
Excerpts: www.businessinsider.com/jeff-bezos-w...
Whole thing: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/c...
Blame Jeff Bezos!
And, also: We need a business plan for news that doesn't rely on benevolent billionaires.
From me: www.businessinsider.com/jeff-bezos-b...
And, also: We need a business plan for news that doesn't rely on benevolent billionaires.
From me: www.businessinsider.com/jeff-bezos-b...
Billionaires like Jeff Bezos can save The Washington Post until they decide they won't. We need a better model.
The problem with billionaires like Jeff Bezos owning news properties like The Washington Post is they can decide one day to turn off the spigot.
www.businessinsider.com
February 5, 2026 at 12:48 AM
Blame Jeff Bezos!
And, also: We need a business plan for news that doesn't rely on benevolent billionaires.
From me: www.businessinsider.com/jeff-bezos-b...
And, also: We need a business plan for news that doesn't rely on benevolent billionaires.
From me: www.businessinsider.com/jeff-bezos-b...
The big box office winner from the weekend wasn't "Melania"- $75mm costs, $7mm sales. It was @markiplier, whose "Iron Lung" cost ~ $3 million and grossed $22mm.
New from me: www.businessinsider.com/youtube-mark...
New from me: www.businessinsider.com/youtube-mark...
YouTube star Markiplier made his own movie for much less than "Melania" and beat it at the box office
Hollywood has been waiting to see if a big YouTuber could bring their fans to theaters. It just happened.
www.businessinsider.com
February 2, 2026 at 9:39 PM
The big box office winner from the weekend wasn't "Melania"- $75mm costs, $7mm sales. It was @markiplier, whose "Iron Lung" cost ~ $3 million and grossed $22mm.
New from me: www.businessinsider.com/youtube-mark...
New from me: www.businessinsider.com/youtube-mark...
A banger if there ever was
January 30, 2026 at 9:24 PM
A banger if there ever was
These are times when you have to do what's needed, not what you want. So I went to see Melania.
www.businessinsider.com/melania-movi...
www.businessinsider.com/melania-movi...
January 30, 2026 at 8:48 PM
These are times when you have to do what's needed, not what you want. So I went to see Melania.
www.businessinsider.com/melania-movi...
www.businessinsider.com/melania-movi...
Launching a media startup is hard. One way to make it easier is by targeting Washington, where there's a lot of ad money around the industry/policy complex.
My interview with Semafor CEO @Justin_B_Smith. Excerpt: www.businessinsider.com/semafor-just... full audio podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/c...
My interview with Semafor CEO @Justin_B_Smith. Excerpt: www.businessinsider.com/semafor-just... full audio podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/c...
Media startups are hard. Semafor says it's working by targeting politicians, CEOs, and advertisers who want to reach them.
Semafor CEO Justin Smith explains how his company bucked industry trends by focusing on Washington, DC, and the "global leadership class."
www.businessinsider.com
January 16, 2026 at 4:28 PM
Launching a media startup is hard. One way to make it easier is by targeting Washington, where there's a lot of ad money around the industry/policy complex.
My interview with Semafor CEO @Justin_B_Smith. Excerpt: www.businessinsider.com/semafor-just... full audio podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/c...
My interview with Semafor CEO @Justin_B_Smith. Excerpt: www.businessinsider.com/semafor-just... full audio podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/c...
Jerome Powell says Trump's dubious, transparently leverage-seeking investigation into the Fed is unprecedented.
That's true for the Fed. Very standard for Trump, and we see it every day.
New from me: www.businessinsider.com/trump-jerome...
That's true for the Fed. Very standard for Trump, and we see it every day.
New from me: www.businessinsider.com/trump-jerome...
The Powell probe is an unprecedented move from Trump's familiar playbook
The Federal Reserve is supposed to be independent from the president. The Justice Department investigation into Jerome Powell could change that.
www.businessinsider.com
January 12, 2026 at 9:34 PM
Jerome Powell says Trump's dubious, transparently leverage-seeking investigation into the Fed is unprecedented.
That's true for the Fed. Very standard for Trump, and we see it every day.
New from me: www.businessinsider.com/trump-jerome...
That's true for the Fed. Very standard for Trump, and we see it every day.
New from me: www.businessinsider.com/trump-jerome...
Reposted by Peter Kafka
truly what could a satirist make up that would be dumber and funnier than the White House East Wing sponsored by Roblox and defense contractors
SCOOP-1: The @nytimes.com has confirmed the following previously unreported donations/pledges to the WH ballroom:
▶️Miriam Adelson’s foundation: $25m
▶️Lockheed Martin: $10m
▶️Palantir: $10m
▶️Ripple: $5m
▶️Parsons: $2.5m
▶️Roblox CEO: $2.5
Here's a gift link.
There's more in the story 🧵…
▶️Miriam Adelson’s foundation: $25m
▶️Lockheed Martin: $10m
▶️Palantir: $10m
▶️Ripple: $5m
▶️Parsons: $2.5m
▶️Roblox CEO: $2.5
Here's a gift link.
There's more in the story 🧵…
Hundreds of Big Post-Election Donors Have Benefited From Trump’s Return to Office (Gift Article)
Well into his second term, the president and his allies have continued aggressively raising money. Many donors have interests before his administration, The Times found.
www.nytimes.com
December 22, 2025 at 10:41 PM
truly what could a satirist make up that would be dumber and funnier than the White House East Wing sponsored by Roblox and defense contractors
Sometimes Donald Trump actively meddles with media companies - a reality we've already gotten numb to in the last year.
Sometimes the *idea* of Trump is enough to mess with media companies. Which bring us to Bari Weiss and the Ellisons.
From me:
www.businessinsider.com/bari-weiss-6...
Sometimes the *idea* of Trump is enough to mess with media companies. Which bring us to Bari Weiss and the Ellisons.
From me:
www.businessinsider.com/bari-weiss-6...
Donald Trump's shadow hangs over the call to kill a '60 Minutes' story
The new head of CBS News has been immersed in politics since she started. So of course her call to hold a story will be viewed from a political lens.
www.businessinsider.com
December 22, 2025 at 8:20 PM
Sometimes Donald Trump actively meddles with media companies - a reality we've already gotten numb to in the last year.
Sometimes the *idea* of Trump is enough to mess with media companies. Which bring us to Bari Weiss and the Ellisons.
From me:
www.businessinsider.com/bari-weiss-6...
Sometimes the *idea* of Trump is enough to mess with media companies. Which bring us to Bari Weiss and the Ellisons.
From me:
www.businessinsider.com/bari-weiss-6...
Someone I know has made money by taking old busted phones - from my house - and selling them to classmates so they can put them in their Yondrs, since no one checks to see what's actually in them.
December 18, 2025 at 3:00 AM
Someone I know has made money by taking old busted phones - from my house - and selling them to classmates so they can put them in their Yondrs, since no one checks to see what's actually in them.
In a single day, three of old media's most treasured assets have been acquired by digital usurpers — internet services that used to be dismissed by media giants, and are now giants themselves.
New from me: www.businessinsider.com/oscars-youtu...
New from me: www.businessinsider.com/oscars-youtu...
Why the Oscars are leaving ABC for YouTube — and what it means for Hollywood
Moving the Oscars from ABC to the internet is hugely symbolic. That doesn't mean that a huge audience will follow.
www.businessinsider.com
December 17, 2025 at 9:26 PM
In a single day, three of old media's most treasured assets have been acquired by digital usurpers — internet services that used to be dismissed by media giants, and are now giants themselves.
New from me: www.businessinsider.com/oscars-youtu...
New from me: www.businessinsider.com/oscars-youtu...
The Ellisons were using $24 billion from Saudi, Qatar and Abu Dhabi in their WBD bid. That was an issue - but not the main one.
New from me: www.businessinsider.com/paramount-wb...
New from me: www.businessinsider.com/paramount-wb...
Paramount wanted to use $24 billion in Middle Eastern money to help buy WBD. That's not why Netflix won.
You might think the notion of Saudi money owning part of an American media giant would kill a deal. That's not why it's failed so far.
www.businessinsider.com
December 17, 2025 at 2:55 PM
The Ellisons were using $24 billion from Saudi, Qatar and Abu Dhabi in their WBD bid. That was an issue - but not the main one.
New from me: www.businessinsider.com/paramount-wb...
New from me: www.businessinsider.com/paramount-wb...
Lachlan Cartwright worked for the National Enquirer when it was functionally an arm of the Trump campaign in 2015/2016 - he was part of the catch-and-kill activities. Now he dishes super insidery NYC media gossip. Our chat here:
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/c...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/c...
Lachlan Cartwright Started in Tabloids. Now He’s a Must-Read Media Gossip.
Podcast Episode · Channels with Peter Kafka · 12/10/2025 · 47m
podcasts.apple.com
December 10, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Lachlan Cartwright worked for the National Enquirer when it was functionally an arm of the Trump campaign in 2015/2016 - he was part of the catch-and-kill activities. Now he dishes super insidery NYC media gossip. Our chat here:
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/c...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/c...
Last week Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Abu Dhabi were going to put (at least) $24 billion into WBD - the company that owns HBO, CNN and a big movie studio.
The petrostates are part of the new hostile bid Larry Ellison and his son are making, too.
www.businessinsider.com/paramount-wb...
The petrostates are part of the new hostile bid Larry Ellison and his son are making, too.
www.businessinsider.com/paramount-wb...
Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Abu Dhabi are backing the Ellisons' hostile bid for Warner Bros. Why?
Paramount's Larry and David Ellison are making a hostile bid for Warner Bros. Three of their partners are Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi.
www.businessinsider.com
December 8, 2025 at 6:38 PM
Last week Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Abu Dhabi were going to put (at least) $24 billion into WBD - the company that owns HBO, CNN and a big movie studio.
The petrostates are part of the new hostile bid Larry Ellison and his son are making, too.
www.businessinsider.com/paramount-wb...
The petrostates are part of the new hostile bid Larry Ellison and his son are making, too.
www.businessinsider.com/paramount-wb...
What is the point of being the world's second richest man if you can't get the President of the United States to kill a deal?https://www.businessinsider.com/netflix-wbd-warner-paramount-larry-david-ellison-trump-doj-antitrust-2025-12
Donald Trump likes Paramount's Larry and David Ellison. Will he try to stop the Netflix-WBD deal for them?
Larry and David Ellison have a good relationship with Donald Trump. Is that enough to get him to kill Netflix's deal to buy Warner Bros. Discovery?
www.businessinsider.com
December 5, 2025 at 3:43 PM
What is the point of being the world's second richest man if you can't get the President of the United States to kill a deal?https://www.businessinsider.com/netflix-wbd-warner-paramount-larry-david-ellison-trump-doj-antitrust-2025-12
The point is he was always going to have partners
December 3, 2025 at 7:14 PM
The point is he was always going to have partners
He certainly *could* pay for it by himself but I don't think most people thought he would - just like Elon Musk found investors to help him buy Twitter.
December 3, 2025 at 6:54 PM
He certainly *could* pay for it by himself but I don't think most people thought he would - just like Elon Musk found investors to help him buy Twitter.
A scenario we couldn't imagine a few years ago, now quite plausible: Larry Ellison, backed by $ from Saudi and other petrostates, controlling a huge American media conglomerate.
www.businessinsider.com/paramount-wa...
www.businessinsider.com/paramount-wa...
Will Middle Eastern oil nations end up owning part of CBS, HBO, CNN — and Hollywood?
Paramount might rely on financing from Middle Eastern petrostates for its offer to buy Warner Bros Discovery. That raises some tricky issues.
www.businessinsider.com
December 3, 2025 at 6:36 PM
A scenario we couldn't imagine a few years ago, now quite plausible: Larry Ellison, backed by $ from Saudi and other petrostates, controlling a huge American media conglomerate.
www.businessinsider.com/paramount-wa...
www.businessinsider.com/paramount-wa...
Wrote about the very plausible scenario where Saudis (or another petrostate) end up owning a chunk of major American film studios, streaming services and news outlets.
www.businessinsider.com/saudi-arabia...
www.businessinsider.com/saudi-arabia...
Why oil money could end up owning part of a giant American media company
A few years ago, it would have been hard to imagine Saudi Arabia — or any Gulf state — owning a piece of a US media giant. Now, it might happen.
www.businessinsider.com
November 20, 2025 at 9:46 PM
Wrote about the very plausible scenario where Saudis (or another petrostate) end up owning a chunk of major American film studios, streaming services and news outlets.
www.businessinsider.com/saudi-arabia...
www.businessinsider.com/saudi-arabia...
Bubble popped! SoftBank just sold all of its Nvidia shares.
Bubble still bubbling! SoftBank is putting another $22 billion into OpenAI.
A real @edzitron.com special. Let's discuss.
www.businessinsider.com/softbank-nvi...
Bubble still bubbling! SoftBank is putting another $22 billion into OpenAI.
A real @edzitron.com special. Let's discuss.
www.businessinsider.com/softbank-nvi...
SoftBank just sold the world's hottest AI stock — so it can buy more of the world's hottest AI company
Nvidia is out. OpenAI is in. Does that make sense?
www.businessinsider.com
November 11, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Bubble popped! SoftBank just sold all of its Nvidia shares.
Bubble still bubbling! SoftBank is putting another $22 billion into OpenAI.
A real @edzitron.com special. Let's discuss.
www.businessinsider.com/softbank-nvi...
Bubble still bubbling! SoftBank is putting another $22 billion into OpenAI.
A real @edzitron.com special. Let's discuss.
www.businessinsider.com/softbank-nvi...
Reposted by Peter Kafka
"I don't want to be reliant on any of the platforms. I don't want people to say, oh, you're a Substack company or oh, you're a YouTube company. Nope. We're The Bulwark."
@sarahlongwell25.bsky.social talks media strategy with @pkafka.bsky.social on Channels:
@sarahlongwell25.bsky.social talks media strategy with @pkafka.bsky.social on Channels:
November 7, 2025 at 6:01 PM
"I don't want to be reliant on any of the platforms. I don't want people to say, oh, you're a Substack company or oh, you're a YouTube company. Nope. We're The Bulwark."
@sarahlongwell25.bsky.social talks media strategy with @pkafka.bsky.social on Channels:
@sarahlongwell25.bsky.social talks media strategy with @pkafka.bsky.social on Channels:
Reposted by Peter Kafka
Catch @sarahlongwell25.bsky.social talking the Bulwark's big success on Channels with @pkafka.bsky.social: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
The Bulwark's Sarah Longwell on Why Republicans Won the Attention War
Podcast Episode · Channels with Peter Kafka · 11/05/2025 · 45m
podcasts.apple.com
November 5, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Catch @sarahlongwell25.bsky.social talking the Bulwark's big success on Channels with @pkafka.bsky.social: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
Talked to former Republican strategist Sarah Longwell about supercharging The Bulwark by turning on the laptop cameras.
+ why Gavin Newsom's fake Trump is less effective than JD Vance's fake Trump.
Exceprts; www.businessinsider.com/bulwark-sara...
Full chat: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/c...
+ why Gavin Newsom's fake Trump is less effective than JD Vance's fake Trump.
Exceprts; www.businessinsider.com/bulwark-sara...
Full chat: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/c...
November 5, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Talked to former Republican strategist Sarah Longwell about supercharging The Bulwark by turning on the laptop cameras.
+ why Gavin Newsom's fake Trump is less effective than JD Vance's fake Trump.
Exceprts; www.businessinsider.com/bulwark-sara...
Full chat: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/c...
+ why Gavin Newsom's fake Trump is less effective than JD Vance's fake Trump.
Exceprts; www.businessinsider.com/bulwark-sara...
Full chat: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/c...