Guests Casey Newton and Kevin Roose discuss the challenges of creating a podcast on rapidly evolving tech news. They explore the impact and future of Twitter, and delve into the confusing world of bitter drinks. They also examine the current state of media and social networks, and discuss their approach to interviewing guests on the podcast.
Hard Fork podcast evolved to cover a broader range of topics including AI.
Explaining tech topics in an accessible way is important for a wide audience.
Balancing analysis, opinion, and personal perspective without becoming pure conjecture is a challenge.
Deep dives
The Evolution of the Hard Fork Podcast
Casey Newton and Kevin Rus discuss how their podcast, Hard Fork, evolved from focusing on crypto to covering a broader range of topics, including AI.
The Importance of Accessible Explanations
Casey Newton and Kevin Rus emphasize the value of explaining tech topics in a way that is accessible to a wide audience, striking a balance between providing enough information and avoiding unnecessary jargon.
Balancing Analysis and Opinion
Casey Newton and Kevin Rus discuss the challenge of balancing analysis and opinion in their podcast episodes, aiming to provide insights based on reporting and personal perspectives without becoming pure conjecture.
Navigating the Changing Media Landscape
Casey Newton shares insights on the changing media landscape and the need to adapt to new platforms while still engaging with readers and listeners.
The Power and Limitations of AI Reporting
Kevin Rus reflects on the power of reporting on AI-related topics, the challenges of staying up to date with a rapidly evolving field, and the importance of balancing technical explanations with accessible language.
Casey Newton writes the Platformer newsletter. Kevin Roose is a technology columnist for The New York Times. Together they co-host the podcast Hard Fork.
CN: “People actually like to be a little bit confused. They like listening to things where people are talking about things they don’t quite understand, which was very counterintuitive to me. I think a lot of editor-types would scoff at, but I’ve come around.”
KR: “We can revisit subjects and we do. We can change our minds. Print pieces feel so permanent, they feel so definitive. Podcasts, we can just sort of say, ‘I don't know what to make of this, ask me again in a month.’”