Bad Writing, Good Journalism, and AI (w/ Ben Smith) MO #341
Summary
Ben Smith joins The Fifth Column to discuss his new venture, Semaphore, and its $10 billion valuation driven by profitable journalism and high-profile tech events. He analyzes the firing of Washington Post journalist Karen Attia, arguing that social media mistakes should not automatically warrant termination unless they involve fabrication. The conversation also touches on the challenges of billionaire ownership in media, citing Jeff Bezos and Laurene Powell Jobs, while Smith shares anecdotes about his colleagues and the evolving landscape of digital news.
Topics discussed
Intro: AI uncanny valley and Art Laffer interview
Ben Smith intro and his guardedness at NYT vs Semaphore
Karen Attia reinstatement and firing journalists for tweets
Dave Weigel's Twitter presence and mustache branding
Semaphore's valuation, profitability, and revenue streams
Silicon Valley event with tech CEOs like Jensen Huang
Jeff Bezos, WaPo losses, and billionaire media ownership
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