Slate Money

Are the Billionaires Smothering HBO?

Oil prices spike globally, HBO’s elite status is slipping, and Reuters reveals Banksy’s identity (again).

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Episode Notes

This week: The war in Iran has caused a dramatic spike in global oil prices. Felix Salmon, Elizabeth Spiers, and Emily Peck discuss the international repercussions of the oil shortage and how central banks are responding. And: With the dust settling on the Paramount-Warner Brothers deal (including a $700 million payout to David Zaslav for some reason), the biggest loser in the megamerger might be HBO. The hosts discuss how billionaire dealmaking and rebrand fatigue is hurting the network’s reputation for edgy, prestige TV. And later: Reuters published a very long story “revealing” Banksy’s real name—which, Felix will tell you, has been public knowledge since 2008. So what was the point?

In the Slate Plus episode: Claude is not an accountant.

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Podcast production by Jessamine Molli.

Bonus Episode

Bonus: Claude Is Not an Accountant

Apparently A.I. is not ready to take on the U.S. tax code.

About the Show

A weekly roundup of the most important stories from the worlds of business and finance, hosted by Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spiers.

All episodes

Hosts

  • Emily Peck is the co-host of Slate Money and a markets correspondent for Axios.

  • Felix Salmon is a host of the Slate Money podcast.

  • Elizabeth Spiers is Slate’s Pay Dirt columnist. She was the founding editor of Gawker and the former editor in chief of the New York Observer. Prior to Gawker, she was a financial analyst.