On with Kara Swisher Liberal Media Bias, Trump & Taming Big Tech with Cable Impresario John Malone
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Sep 4, 2025 
John Malone, the influential Chairman of Liberty Media and cable industry pioneer, shares his journey from engineer to media mogul. He discusses the evolution of cable television and how he navigated its challenges. Malone dives into the hot topics of liberal media bias, the impact of Trump's political narrative, and the necessity for regulating Big Tech. He critiques CNN’s approach and contrasts it with companies like Fox News, all while advocating for a balanced media landscape amidst changing viewer preferences.
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How Malone Entered Cable
- John Malone joined TCI after consulting for General Instruments and fell in love with the cable concept.
- He moved his family to Denver in 1972 and stayed to build the company from a struggling operator into a national player.
Isolate Risk, Build Scale
- Malone emphasises isolating risk and building scale to win in capital-intensive industries.
- He financed big builds separately and kept dry powder at the parent to survive failures.
Protect The Parent Balance Sheet
- Pay a bit more for protection rather than cross-guaranteeing everything with banks.
- Keep the parent company debt-free and liquid while leveraging operating subsidiaries to contain failures.
