The Journal.
The most important stories about money, business and power. Hosted by Kate Linebaugh and Ryan Knutson, with Jessica Mendoza. The Journal is a co-production of Spotify and The Wall Street Journal.Get show merch here: https://wsjshop.com/collections/clothing
Charlie Munger: Curmudgeon, Sage and Investing Legend
Billionaire investor Charlie Munger died Tuesday, just weeks short of his 100th birthday. Munger was vice-chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, and he was best known for his close partnership with CEO Warren Buffett. As WSJ’s Jason Zweig explains, Munger often played Buffett’s sidekick, but his investing expertise made him a celebrity in his own right. Further Reading: - Charlie Munger’s Life Was About Way More Than Money - The Secrets to Charlie Munger’s Success - Charlie Munger, Warren Buffett’s Partner and …
The Oil Giant Hosting This Year’s U.N. Climate Summit
Dubai, a city known for private jets, giant yachts and other symbols of carbon-heavy living, is an awkward location for a conference on climate change. The man organizing the COP28 summit also runs the country’s national oil company. WSJ’s Ed Ballard digs into the contradictions at the heart of this month’s climate summit and why they may not be that unusual. Further Reading: - Welcome to COP28, the U.N. Climate Conference Hosted by an Oil Giant - What’s at Stake …
Lewd Photos, Booze and Bullying: Inside the FDIC’s Toxic Culture
A Journal investigation reveals a years-long culture of sexual harassment and intimidation at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, a government agency that regulates banks. WSJ's Rebecca Ballhaus on the allegations and how some of the problems went all the way to the top. Further Reading: - Strip Clubs, Lewd Photos and a Boozy Hotel: The Toxic Atmosphere at Bank Regulator FDIC - FDIC Chair, Known for Temper, Ignored Bad Behavior in Workplace Further Listening: - Can the Government Contain a …
Introducing - Artificial: The OpenAI Story
OpenAI was founded in 2015 as an idealistic nonprofit. Its goal was to build artificial general intelligence or AGI — an AI that could do most jobs better than a human could.In the years that followed, OpenAI’s pursuit of AGI led them to develop the viral chatbot ChatGPT. The company became one of the top AI labs in the world.But to get there, OpenAI’s leaders would compromise nearly every one of their founding ideals. Over four episodes, we explore how …
The Family Drama Inside Estée Lauder
Shares of Estée Lauder, the beauty giant, have plunged about 50% this year. And the members of the Lauder family are at odds about what to do. WSJ's Emily Glazer reports on the company's business mistakes and its rumblings of succession. Further Listening: - The World’s Richest Person Is Planning for Succession Further Reading: - The Estée Lauder Family Built a Beauty Empire. A Succession Rift Threatens It - Estée Lauder Stock Plunges After Another Profit Warning - Estée La...
The Fall of (Another) Crypto King
Changpeng Zhao built Binance into the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, and became one of the faces of crypto in the process. Last week, he appeared in federal court and pleaded guilty to violating U.S. anti-money-laundering laws and agreed to step down as CEO. WSJ’s Patricia Kowsmann explains what the deal means for Zhao, Binance, and the future of crypto itself. Further Listening: - The Trial of Crypto’s Golden Boy - A Crypto Exchange Crackdown - The Rise of Binance - …
Pig-Butchering: A Texting Scam With a Crypto Twist
We’re off today, but we still have a great episode for you. A texting scam that originated in China is on the rise in the United States. It’s more sophisticated than scams of the past, and it has already cost American victims more than $400 million. WSJ’s Robert McMillan explains how pig-butchering works, and one victim shares how it’s impacted her. This episode originally published in November 2022. Further Reading: -A Text Scam Called ‘Pig Butchering’ Cost Her More Than …
Canned or Homemade? America’s Biggest Cranberry Company Wins Either Way
Ocean Spray’s farmers are responsible for 65% of the world’s cranberries. It’s not a publicly traded company. It’s not a traditional private company, either. It’s a cooperative founded nearly a century ago and owned by roughly 700 families. WSJ’s Ben Cohen tells the story of how the cranberry got into the can, and how the company is planning for a future beyond your Thanksgiving table. Further Reading: - These People Are Responsible for the Cranberry Sauce You Love to Hate …
Cheap Drones Are Transforming the Battlefield
Cheap drones, once the domain of hobbyists, are now in high demand on battlefields. Following Hamas's attack on October 7, Israel has been flooding suppliers with requests for drones: it wants as many as possible, as soon as possible. WSJ’s Heather Somerville unpacks the benefits and perils of the use of off-the-shelf drones in modern warfare. Further Reading: -Israel Wants Inexpensive Drones. Chinese, American—It Doesn’t Matter. -How the Technological Revolution in Ukraine Is Reshaping Modern Warfare -U.S. Drone Startups See …
OpenAI’s Weekend of Absolute Chaos
OpenAI unexpectedly fired its CEO and co-founder Sam Altman on Friday. The move kicked off a series of twists and turns that left the company and its staff in upheaval. WSJ’s Deepa Seetharaman wades through the chaos and explains what might be next for the company. Further Listening: - A Conversation with OpenAI’s Sam Altman and Mira Murati - The Company Behind ChatGPT Further Reading: - OpenAI Employees Threaten to Quit Unless Board Resigns - Sam Altman Is Out at …