Opening Bid Unfiltered Liberty Media chair John Malone: Big tech may dominate TV
10 snips
Sep 1, 2025 
John Malone, Liberty Media Chairman and dubbed the 'cable cowboy,' shares insights from his new book, 'Born to be Wired.' He reflects on his pioneering journey in the media industry and the evolution of Liberty Media. The conversation dives into innovative financial strategies, including tracking stocks and their impact on corporate governance. Malone discusses competition in cable and the relationships with media titans like Rupert Murdoch. He also addresses the challenges that major players, like Disney, face in the rapidly changing entertainment landscape.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Early TV Lab In The Backyard
- John Malone grew up around television development because his father worked on TV and radar at GE.
- He had early access to cutting-edge TV hardware, which seeded his lifelong focus on media technology.
Liberty's Purpose Evolved Through Restructuring
- Liberty Media began as the venture arm of TCI, focused on synergistic startups tied to cable.
- Malone repeatedly restructured Liberty to unlock market value and focus on owning or consolidating businesses.
Spinoffs, Tracking Stock, And AT&T Cohabitation
- Malone recounted merging, spinning and re-integrating Liberty with telecom deals including Bell Atlantic and AT&T.
- Those moves gave Liberty tax and structural flexibilities that funded strategic investments when markets turned down.
