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The Grill Room

The Grill Room

Audacy | Puck 182 Episodes Jul 3, 2026

The Grill Room is a media podcast hosted by Dylan Byers and Julia Alexander, offering raw and honest conversations about the media industry. They interview TV personalities, moguls, political pundits, and industry executives, discussing the business of media and its biggest egos. The podcast is produced in partnership with Audacy Podcasts and is an extension of Dylan Byers' private email newsletter for Puck.

Episodes

Inside the NBCU Custody Battle Jul 3, 2026 2673 Julia and Dylan reunite to talk through the implications of the Comcast-NBCUniversal split—a move that could actually reposition NBCU as a buyer rather than an acquisition target, with Netflix and Amazon among the potential suitors. Then they turn to a revealing Beehiiv report on the newsletter business, and break down why niche topics like finance and investing are dominating the industry leaderb
Who Watches the Bots? Jun 30, 2026 2385 Campbell Brown, the former CNN veteran and founder of Forum AI, joins Dylan to explain why A.I. companies shouldn’t be trusted to evaluate themselves—and why the industry’s self-grading habit may be its worst blind spot. Then they debate whether media outlets that are hesitant to reckon with A.I. are just accelerating their own obsolescence. See all the ways bp is driving American energy forward
The New York Times’ Russini Reckoning Jun 26, 2026 3468 Julia and Dylan reconvene to pull on every thread from The New York Times’ sprawling exposé on former Athletic reporter Dianna Russini. They dig into the journalism scandal at the heart of the piece, what it really means to be an insider versus a reporter, and how The Times balances standards and ethics as it grows its business, courts new audiences, and elevates its own stars—all while protecting
The Silicon Valley Comms Manifesto Jun 23, 2026 3219 Lulu Cheng Meservey, the communications guru and founder of Rostra, joins Dylan to make the case that traditional media and P.R. are dead, and that founders are better off talking directly to their audiences than waiting for others to tell their story. She breaks down how to balance the demands of publicity with actually building a worthwhile product, and suggests why founders who show up, build t
Roku, Vox, and More Bari Madness Jun 19, 2026 2582 Dylan and Julia trade notes on a gigantic week in media: Lachlan Murdoch’s $22 billion move on Roku, Jay Penske scooping up the Vox Media scraps, and the tortured hunt for a new No. 2 to run CNN and CBS with Bari Weiss.  See all the ways bp is driving American energy forward at ⁠⁠bp.com/InvestingInAmerica.⁠⁠ To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyin
Lazarus Rises Jun 16, 2026 2587 Versant C.E.O. Mark Lazarus joins Dylan to make the bull case for the cable business everyone keeps pronouncing dead, and his four-vertical strategy anchored by MS Now, CNBC, Golf Channel, and Fandango. They also discuss MS Now’s digital expansion, Crooked Media’s licensing deal, and other media topics du jour. See all the ways bp is driving American energy forward at ⁠⁠bp.com/InvestingInAmerica.
The Next Creator Gold Rush Jun 12, 2026 3354 Dylan and Julia relive the Knicks' instant-classic Game 4 win at MSG and break down the cultural spectacle that is Celebrity Row. They then dive into the latest seismic shocks in the creator economy: CAA and Integrated Media's $250 million venture, Billy Parks' Creator Studios at Fox, and the Times' plan for Substack creators. See all the ways bp is driving American energy forward at ⁠⁠bp.com/Inv
Fox One's Big Moment Jun 9, 2026 2326 Dylan sits down with Fox One head Pete Distad to discuss why the World Cup is a make-or-break moment for Fox's streaming service. They dive into the platform's new features designed to pull in and retain fans and why sports fans are sticking around for Fox News in greater numbers than anticipated. See all the ways bp is driving American energy forward at ⁠⁠bp.com/InvestingInAmerica.⁠⁠ To learn
60 Minutes' Ticking Time Bomb Jun 5, 2026 2847 Dylan and Julia sit down to discuss the chaos unfolding at CBS, with the addition of Nick Bilton and the loss of Scott Pelley et al. They talk about how strong-minded leadership without relevant experience might impact the network's ability to retain top talent going forward and whether the still-valuable 60 Minutes brand can survive its reinvention. See all the ways bp is driving American energy
Joanna Stern’s A.I. Playbook Jun 2, 2026 1900 Dylan and Julia welcome tech reporter Joanna Stern, who after 12 years at the Wall Street Journal recently went independent — launching a newsletter called New Things, joining NBC News as a contributor, and publishing a new book on A.I., I Am Not a Robot. They also get into the state of A.I. wearables and the role of A.I. agents in decision-making at all levels. See all the ways bp is driving Ame
Can Nick Bilton Fix ‘60’? May 29, 2026 2819 Dylan and Julia get right down to brass tacks with the latest shocks in the  Bari Weiss–CBS News psychodrama: the firing of Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega, and the stunning appointment of Nick Bilton—a magazine journalist without TV news experience—to replace Tanya Simon as executive producer. Then they turn to the challenges of managing a news program, the friction between staff and new leadersh
Byron Allen Tells All May 26, 2026 4289 Media investor and new BuzzFeed majority stakeholder Byron Allen joins Dylan to discuss his plans for the platform—and his long-term goal of building the world’s biggest media company. They discuss how the acquisition could help boost awareness for his app, Local Now, and his plan to ultimately turn BuzzFeed into a free streaming service (like YouTube) to appeal to advertisers and content creators

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