ChinaTalk Joe Weisenthal and I do a Show About Nothing
23 snips
Dec 23, 2025 
Joe Weisenthal, a seasoned journalist and host of the Odd Lots podcast, celebrates a decade of podcasting. He reflects on the evolution of media, emphasizing the value of creator-led formats over traditional outlets. The conversation dives into China's economic narratives, discussing its industrial policies and implications for other nations. He shares insights on maintaining journalistic integrity and the personal challenges of parenting in NYC, offering a refreshingly honest take on balancing work and family life.
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Odd Lots' Slow Build To Full-Time
- Joe describes Odd Lots starting as a low-effort side project with little promotion.
- The show gradually grew and by 2022 it became his full-time job after a big surge in 2020–2021.
Creator-Led Media's Structural Trade-Off
- Individual creator-led media has become the dominant format for news consumption.
- Joe Weisenthal warns this blurs the separation between person and text, creating incentives tied to personalities over rigorous newsroom processes.
Lean Into Domain Expertise
- Develop deep domain expertise and a clear point of view to succeed regardless of format changes.
- Focus on finding good guests and being deeply knowledgeable in a niche to sustain an audience over time.
