Peter Kafka's podcast returns to Vox Media
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Peter Kafka, a veteran media and technology journalist, is reviving his old "Recode Media" podcast under a new name, "Channels," with the Vox Media podcast network, he told Axios in an interview.
Why it matters: Kafka's podcast was considered a must-listen for media and technology insiders for nearly eight years. When he left Vox Media last fall for Business Insider, no long-form interview show that catered to the same audience replaced it.
State of play: Kafka will continue to write full time for Business Insider as a chief correspondent, but he'll work with Vox Media as a production, distribution and sales partner for "Channels," he said.
- He also worked out an arrangement with Vox Media CEO Jim Bankoff where he'll own the podcast, giving him freedom and flexibility.
- Asked why he chose Vox Media over other podcast partners, Kafka said, "You really can't undersell how important it is to have an established operation that doesn't just tolerate podcasts, but embraces them and has figured out various ways to monetize them, distribute them and promote them."
How it works: Listeners can expect a similar experience to "Recode Media."
- "Channels" launches Wednesday as a weekly show featuring long-form interviews with senior executives in the media and tech industries.
- Kafka will continue to cover the technological disruption of the media industry through interviews that highlight success stories and learning moments.
- "Recode Media" followers will be automatically redirected to "Channels" in their podcast feeds, which means Kafka doesn't need to build an entirely new audience from scratch. The show will be free, supported by advertising and widely available.
Catch up quick: Kafka launched the "Recode Media" podcast in 2016, a year after the outlet was acquired by Vox Media. He left Vox Media a few months after the company sunsetted the Recode brand in 2023.
The big picture: Vox Media has established itself as a home for journalists from other outlets looking to build their podcast brands independently.
- The Washington Post's Taylor Lorenz launched a video podcast with the company earlier this year. Kara Swisher left the New York Times to bring her podcasting efforts back to Vox Media in 2022.
What's next: Kafka's first episode, featuring an interview with the New Yorker's David Remnick, will be out on Sept. 11. Ironically, Remnick was Kafka's first interviewee when he launched "Recode Media" in 2016.
