Shows / The Media Odyssey
The Media Odyssey
Each week, two of media’s most influential thinkers, Evan Shapiro & Marion Ranchet, take on the hottest media topics with their hottest takes, helping their audience chart a course through the maelstrom that is today’s Media Odyssey. Based in the US, Evan Shapiro is the Media Industry’s official Cartographer, known for his well-researched and provocative analysis of the entertainment ecosystem in his must read treatises on Media’s latest trends and trajectories. Marion Ranchet, French expat…
Episodes
The Media OdysseyTHE SECRET TO HALLMARK'S BILLION-MINUTE FANDOM
Hallmark makes 100 movies a year in two to three weeks each, has a 70,000-person waitlist for its annual cruise, and received 84 million views in its first…
The Media OdysseyWHY BROADCASTERS ARE PARTNERING WITH THE PLATFORM THEY ONCE FEARED
Three years ago RTL Deutschland had no relationship with YouTube. Today, 200 old episodes of a 1996 action series are driving 123% more first video views and…
The Media OdysseyFINDING YOUR AUDIENCE FROM THE COUCH TO THE TOILET
Premium streaming lost 89% of the subscribers that signed up for new subscriptions last year, and the audience it’s chasing is watching video in the bedroom…
The Media OdysseyHOW TO FIX KIDS CONTENT
YouTube built the kids content economy, then broke its own monetization pipeline. Now it's time to fix kids content. This episode of the Media Odyssey Podcast…
The Media OdysseyTHE END OF THE PARAMOUNT SAGA AND THE TECH-BROS OF THE APOCALYPSE
An Anthropic engineer warned AI could destroy humanity, but Silicon Valley's sudden AI "safety" panic looks a lot like a marketing campaign. This episode of…
The Media OdysseyTHE AFFINITY 100: THE MOST IMPACTFUL CREATORS OF 2026
Blair Imani just beat MrBeast on a brand-new ranking of creator influence and and the metric behind it could change how brands spend their money on YouTube…
The Media Odyssey80% WEEKLY REACH, SHRINKING BUDGETS: EUROPE'S PUBLIC SERVICE MEDIA
Europe's public broadcasters are losing over 5% of their funding on average, and some budgets are being slashed by up to 70%. It's not because of economics…
The Media OdysseyTHE STREAMING PLATFORM RATIO
Streaming platforms are spending anywhere from 9% to 30% of revenue just to run their tech stack and a new study finally puts real numbers behind the…
The Media OdysseyWE KNOW WHAT MEDIA DID THIS SUMMER
The 2026 World Cup shattered streaming records worldwide, Paramount and Warner Bros are locked in a multi-billion-dollar antitrust standoff, and Meta just…
The Media OdysseyREGIFTED: MY DRAMA AND THE VERTICAL TAKEOVER
Happy Summer Break from The Media Odyssey podcast! What if the future of entertainment fits in your pocket and a six-year-old startup from Ukraine is already…
The Media OdysseyREGIFTED: HOW DISNEY KILLED BROADCAST WITH KIMMEL
Happy Summer Break from The Media Odyssey podcast! Jimmy Kimmel is at the center of the conversation where politics, free speech, and billion-dollar mergers…
The Media OdysseyREGIFTED: INSIDE THE MIND OF A CREATOR WUNDERKIND
Happy Summer Break from The Media Odyssey podcast! 244 million followers and a six-month content calendar: Jordan Schwarzenberger explains why showing up daily…
The Media OdysseyREGIFTED: IS 2026 MEDIA'S DARK AGES
Happy Summer Break from The Media Odyssey podcast! CES isn’t about gadgets anymore, but who controls the interface between audiences, data, and distribution…
The Media OdysseyREGIFTED: WHO WILL WIN 2026?
Happy Summer Break from The Media Odyssey podcast! The media industry isn’t heading for a clean recovery but bracing for another year of pressure…
The Media OdysseyREGIFTED: FRONTLINE PUTS PBS ON YOUTUBE
Happy Summer Break from The Media Odyssey podcast! Public service media isn’t outdated, instead, it’s fighting for relevance, trust, and survival in a…
The Media OdysseyH1 2026 PART 2: BUBBLES, BALLS, & BIG AGGREGATION
Two-thirds of the world watches more video on their phone than on TV, TikTok is beating Netflix in most markets under 55, and traditional media is ignoring 60%…
The Media OdysseyH1 2026 PART 1: BUBBLES, BALLS, & BIG AGGREGATION
AI infrastructure is now two-thirds of US GDP with 90% of companies investing in it reporting almost no ROI, and the media industry is frozen in place waiting…
The Media OdysseyTHE ART OF THE CAREER PIVOT
We’re back with another Media Odyssey LIVE! In this episode, Evan and Marion are joined by former media executives Tony Goncalves and Ami Angelowicz to discuss…
The Media OdysseyMEDIA SHARK WEEK
Comcast is splitting in three, Fox just bought Roku for $22 billion, and the Paramount-Warner merger still hasn't closed. Welcome to Media Shark Week. This…
The Media OdysseyVERTICAL PREMIUM TV: THE NEXT BILLION DOLLAR IDEA?
The growing vertical video landscape has potential far beyond microdramas. Two TV veterans just built the studio to take vertical premium all the way with true…
The Media OdysseyBLUEY, LEGO, AND CROSS GENERATIONAL FANDOM
Two nearly century-old brands. One brand-new animated series. And a first-of-its-kind partnership that's never been done before. This special episode of the…
The Media OdysseyAI SLOP, GATEKEEPERS, AND THE KID'S MEDIA CRISIS
Demand for high-quality kids' content has never been higher, but the supply has never been more broken. And YouTube, the most powerful kids' platform on Earth…
The Media OdysseyTHE WHOLE CONSUMER: A CARTOGRAPHER'S BLUEPRINT
59% of people now watch video on their phone first. If your content strategy doesn't account for that, Evan Shapiro has a message for you: you're already…
The Media OdysseyVALERIE'S PLACE WITH VALERIE BERTINELLI
Valerie Bertinelli has been a content creator since she was 12 years old. She just stopped asking permission to make the shows she wants. This episode of the…
The Media OdysseyTHE CLIP ECONOMY & HOW TO COVER A WORLD CUP WITHOUT BUYING RIGHTS
1.7 million subscribers. A Global deal. Live Bundesliga rights. And a studio in Brooklyn for the World Cup. The Overlap built it all without owning a single…
The Media OdysseyMEDIA M&A MANIA
Full Disclosure meets Media Odyssey in this crossover episode of The Media Odyssey podcast with Roben Farzad, host of Full Disclosure on NPR and former Wall…
The Media OdysseyTHE FILMTOK EFFECT: BONUS EPISODE
Eight episodes, $25,000, 2 million views. One indie creator just proved you don't need a studio, a streamer, or a greenlight to break into the fastest-growing…
The Media OdysseyTHE NEW PRODUCTION PLAYBOOK
10 billion views. 200+ episodes. A Random House deal and a streamer announcement incoming. Toonstar built it all without asking anyone's permission. Welcome to…
The Media OdysseyUPFRONT 2026: THE CROWN JEWEL OF TV ADS
Pure play digital is now capturing 75% of every US ad dollar and 60% of that goes to just three companies. What's left for everyone else? This episode of the…
The Media OdysseyTHE FAN-FUNDED FILM REVOLUTION
What if fans could own a piece of the films they love and get paid when they hit? One company is making it happen, and Hollywood gatekeepers are not invited…
The Media OdysseyWHAT’S THE MATTER WITH KIDS…CONTENT, THE AI LOOP, AND FRANCE TV UNDER THREAT
Five companies just committed $725 billion to AI in a single year. Meanwhile, kids content is in freefall and the people who can least afford it are paying the…
The Media OdysseyMY DRAMA AND THE VERTICAL TAKEOVER
What if the future of entertainment fits in your pocket and a six-year-old startup from Ukraine is already building it? Welcome to the Media Odyssey Podcast…
The Media OdysseySTREAM TV EUROPE UNPLUGGED
Europe’s media industry leaders gathered in Lisbon this past week for the inaugural Stream TV Europe, and the prognosis is—to everyone’s surprise—refreshingly…
The Media OdysseyTHE SUBSCRIPTION GAP
You have six subscriptions, can't remember what's on any of them, and still can't find something to watch. Welcome to the subscription economy in 2026. Get the…
The Media OdysseyTHE MAKING OF A HIT PODCAST
He helped create the most listened-to podcasts in history and then walked away from the New York Times to start over from scratch. Welcome to The Media Odyssey…
The Media OdysseyAIVE: EVERYTHING, EVERYWHERE, ALL AT ONCE
AI can't replace your editors, but it can do 80% of their most tedious, repetitive work in a fraction of the time. Welcome to The Media Odyssey Podcast! In…
The Media OdysseyINSIDE THE MIND OF A CREATOR WUNDERKIND
244 million followers and a six-month content calendar: Jordan Schwarzenberger explains why showing up daily is the only strategy that matters. Welcome to The…
The Media OdysseyTWO REPORTS, ONE EPISODE: THE PARAMOUNT INVESTOR DECK & THE STREAM
Get The Stream by Tubi! US: https://tubitv.com/thestream?utm_campaign=262713069-The%20Stream%202026&utm_source=influencer&utm_medium=thought%20leader&utm_conten…
The Media OdysseyTHE SIGNAL FROM EUROPE: Q4 EARNINGS
Versant spins out with $2B free cash flow, ITV faces Sky acquisition, Banijay grows experiential 18%, and Canal+ hits 42.3M subscribers. Welcome to The Media…
The Media OdysseyTHE TRANSFORMATION OF ITV STUDIOS
Archive content finds new life on YouTube while broadcast TV is officially "a blip in history." Welcome to The Media Odyssey Podcast live from MIP London! In…
The Media OdysseyDISCO BROS AND NEPO BABIES: Q4 EARNINGS
Netflix backs out of the bid for Warner Bros. Discovery (aka “Disco Bros”), leaving Paramount Global — sorry, “Nepomount” — as the likely merger partner…
The Media OdysseyEARNINGS SEASON: PINTEREST, TF1, & ROKU
Pinterest loses 14% in five days, Roku posts its first profitable year, and Netflix's market cap drops $200 billion. Welcome to The Media Odyssey Live! In this…
The Media OdysseyEARNINGS SEASON: AMAZON, ROBLOX, & MORE
Amazon invests $200 billion in AI, Roblox pays out $1 billion to creators, and Spotify's ad sales decline. Welcome to another episode of The Media Odyssey…
The Media OdysseyGOOGLE & DISNEY EARNINGS BREAKDOWN
Google crushes expectations even as YouTube slows, and Disney names a CEO to distract from its numbers. Welcome to The Media Odyssey Live! In this live…
The Media OdysseyAPPLE, META, & MICROSOFT EARNINGS BREAKDOWN
Apple, Microsoft, and Meta — with a quick detour into Comcast — have all reported earnings, and we’re breaking it down. Welcome back to The Media Odyssey…
The Media OdysseyTHE CREATOR BILL OF RIGHTS
The Creator Economy has 1.5 million creators, billions in revenue, and… zero worker protections. Welcome back to The Media Odyssey Podcast! In this episode…
The Media OdysseyGOOGLE, APPLE, HBO MAX, NETFLIX, RTL & SKY: NEW YEAR, BIG CHANGES!
Google officially beat Apple and HBO Max is conquering Europe. Welcome back to The Media Odyssey Podcast! In this episode, Evan Shapiro and Marion Ranchet…
The Media OdysseyBREAKING DOWN NETFLIX Q4
Netflix’s earnings beat expectations, but the numbers reveal a business increasingly reliant on optics, pricing, and financial engineering rather than…
The Media OdysseyIS 2026 MEDIA'S DARK AGES?
CES isn’t about gadgets anymore, but who controls the interface between audiences, data, and distribution. Welcome back to The Media Odyssey Podcast! From CES…
The Media OdysseyWHO WILL WIN 2026?
The media industry isn’t heading for a clean recovery but bracing for another year of pressure, recalibration, and structural change. Welcome back to The Media…
The Media OdysseyREGIFTED: THE CTO PLAYBOOK FOR SURVIVING FRAGMENTATION
Happy New Year from The Media Odyssey podcast! We're regifting this episode hosts Evan Shapiro and Marion Ranchet recorded live from IBC with Simon Farnsworth…
The Media OdysseyREGIFTED: TURNING STRUGGLE INTO SCALE WITH DHAR MANN
Happy holidays from The Media Odyssey podcast! We're regifting this episode where hosts Marion Ranchet and Evan Shapiro sit down with Dhar Mann, one of the…
The Media OdysseyFRONTLINE PUTS PBS ON YOUTUBE
Public service media isn’t outdated, instead, it’s fighting for relevance, trust, and survival in a fractured global information ecosystem. Welcome back to The…
The Media OdysseyGRADING 2025: WERE WE RIGHT?
Media is not shifting, it’s revealing which predictions actually mapped the year and which trends will define what comes next. Welcome back to The Media…
The Media OdysseyBREAKING NEWS: Netflix x WBD
Hollywood isn’t just consolidating, it’s entering a new era where politics, regulation, and financial pressure determine who survives. Welcome back to The…
The Media OdysseyFANDOM > AUDIENCE
Modern media isn’t just transforming, it’s rebuilding itself around fandom, experimentation, and platform-native storytelling. Welcome back to The Media…
The Media OdysseyBBC STUDIOS + YOUTUBE A PARTNERSHIP CASE STUDY
Global media isn’t just transforming, it’s reorganizing itself around fandom, creators, and direct-to-audience ecosystems. Welcome back to The Media Odyssey…
The Media OdysseyFLYING WITH THE EAGLES
Sports fandom isn’t just evolving, it’s becoming one of the most powerful engines of modern storytelling and audience engagement. Welcome back to the Media…
The Media OdysseyTUBI PUTS CREATORS IN THE SPOTLIGHT
The line between Hollywood and the creator economy is disappearing…Tubi is leading the charge. Welcome back to the Media Odyssey Podcast! In this episode…
The Media OdysseyTHE AFFINITY ECONOMY: A MASTERCLASS
The rules of media have changed and the user is now in charge. Welcome back to the Media Odyssey Podcast! In this live episode presented with PreciseTV, Evan…