Stephen A. Smith

I think you can see that converging, whether how it converges, whether it can actually – this has been the challenge for most media organizations. You've witnessed this. Truly, with the exception of The New York Times, there is not a good example of a previous legacy media organization that has made an actual transition to digital. Right. And it's just like, they cannot do it.

I think you can see that converging, whether how it converges, whether it can actually – this has been the challenge for most media organizations. You've witnessed this. Truly, with the exception of The New York Times, there is not a good example of a previous legacy media organization that has made an actual transition to digital. Right. And it's just like, they cannot do it.

Some, you know, some like Politico start digitally, right? Like you had, like when you started, there was an actual newspaper that people read over lunch at Capitol Hill, but it was a digital first publication. And, but no one else can do it because they are, I mean, it is to the great credit of the New York times as a business story of pulling that off. But people can't actually do it.

Some, you know, some like Politico start digitally, right? Like you had, like when you started, there was an actual newspaper that people read over lunch at Capitol Hill, but it was a digital first publication. And, but no one else can do it because they are, I mean, it is to the great credit of the New York times as a business story of pulling that off. But people can't actually do it.

ESPN is trying to do it, and maybe they'll be successful with, like, Pat McAfee is an example of it.

ESPN is trying to do it, and maybe they'll be successful with, like, Pat McAfee is an example of it.

Yeah, Disney's trying to do it. Right, it is incredibly hard. But it just seems to me that people are producing, podcasters are producing shows that are more interesting than most of what's on TV, and they have big audience and big followings, and they're doing it for, like, a tiny fraction of the cost of producing an hour of television. And meanwhile, television's running out of money.

Yeah, Disney's trying to do it. Right, it is incredibly hard. But it just seems to me that people are producing, podcasters are producing shows that are more interesting than most of what's on TV, and they have big audience and big followings, and they're doing it for, like, a tiny fraction of the cost of producing an hour of television. And meanwhile, television's running out of money.

And it just seems to me that set of factors means inevitably that I'm going to, like, be in a dentist's office and see your face very soon.

And it just seems to me that set of factors means inevitably that I'm going to, like, be in a dentist's office and see your face very soon.

Well, I hope not. Not my face, but maybe some other face. But there is a little of everything is old is new again, which is for a long time, the thing ESPN ran all morning was just a video feed of ESPN radio shows. Because ESPN radio was where the money was. And so it was just like, you could just watch Mike and Mike every morning. And Imus, another example. I mean, Howard Stern.

Well, I hope not. Not my face, but maybe some other face. But there is a little of everything is old is new again, which is for a long time, the thing ESPN ran all morning was just a video feed of ESPN radio shows. Because ESPN radio was where the money was. And so it was just like, you could just watch Mike and Mike every morning. And Imus, another example. I mean, Howard Stern.

Yeah, this is that. Right. This is not a complicated business. And so what is that? But then what does that mean for this super fragmented political landscape? I actually think it means it gets a little less fragmented than these... kind of re-coalesces around really, really big individual voices probably more than, I mean, I think like the Megyn Kellys of the world, like you guys.

Yeah, this is that. Right. This is not a complicated business. And so what is that? But then what does that mean for this super fragmented political landscape? I actually think it means it gets a little less fragmented than these... kind of re-coalesces around really, really big individual voices probably more than, I mean, I think like the Megyn Kellys of the world, like you guys.

I mean, I think there's sort of a re-consolidation around a relatively smaller number of really big voices.

I mean, I think there's sort of a re-consolidation around a relatively smaller number of really big voices.

Well, it's like how you think of channels is different because it's not... that's not like a network channel. It is, um, either a media network that is centered around a podcast like crooked media or daily wire or Alex Cooper's unwell network or whatever that you like, because you try and that usually you're entering it because of the talent at the top.

Well, it's like how you think of channels is different because it's not... that's not like a network channel. It is, um, either a media network that is centered around a podcast like crooked media or daily wire or Alex Cooper's unwell network or whatever that you like, because you try and that usually you're entering it because of the talent at the top.

And then that gives you entry into the other people. Um, but it just, it exists very differently. I think that you asked me the question about like, why not CNN, MSNBC, um, The thing that I watch – I talk to a lot of people in the progressive media space is the thing you have to be careful not to do is take your new thing and then just rebuild the failed model of the old thing.

And then that gives you entry into the other people. Um, but it just, it exists very differently. I think that you asked me the question about like, why not CNN, MSNBC, um, The thing that I watch – I talk to a lot of people in the progressive media space is the thing you have to be careful not to do is take your new thing and then just rebuild the failed model of the old thing.