Episode notes
New cars have gotten really expensive, with average prices hovering around $50,000. It's put potential buyers in a tough spot and instead, many drivers are keeping their cars for longer. WSJ’s Sharon Terlep explains the market and economic forces that squeezed out buyers on a budget and how the auto industry is adapting. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - Confused About Automated Driving Features? You’re Not Alone. - Can the U.S. Keep Chinese Cars Out? Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Podcast
The Journal.
The Wall Street Journal & Spotify Studios · News · English
The most important stories about money, business and power. Hosted by Ryan Knutson and Jessica Mendoza. The Journal is a co-production of Spotify and The Wall Street Journal. Get show merch here:
More from The Journal. All episodes →
-
16 Sep 2026 · 20 min
Why China Isn’t Panicking About AI Armageddon
President Trump has pushed back against calls for an AI slowdown, citing competition from China as a threat. But in China, reports WSJ’s Stu Woo, the main concern is keeping up with the United States. And WSJ’s Amrith Ramkumar explains why AI deescalation between the two countries remains unlikely. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - The Great AI Freakout Has Begun - Cybersecurity Braces for ‘AI Bugmaggedon’ Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
-
15 Sep 2026 · 18 min
Are Budget Airlines Facing Extinction?
Frontier was one of many budget airlines that rose to prominence during the low-cost airfare craze. But economic and market shifts have changed the game. WSJ’s Alison Sider explores how Frontier is trying to find a balance between the cheap flights that originally made budget airlines popular and the premium amenities consumers increasingly want. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - R.I.P. Spirit Airlines - How Spirit Airlines Landed in Bankruptcy - The Love Triangle Over Spirit Airlines - Frontier, Spirit and the Future of Low-Cost Airlines Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News…
-
14 Sep 2026 · 22 min
The Great AI Freakout Has Begun
A frenzy erupted after Anthropic’s CEO Dario Amodei published a blog post warning that AI is advancing too quickly. Other major AI executives, like Sam Altman and Elon Musk, have echoed those concerns. These sudden calls for a slow down are raising widespread alarms about AI's potential for harm. WSJ's Robert McMillan breaks down the question on everyone's mind: is AI going to end humanity? Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - The College Student Who Defeated the World’s Biggest Cyberweapon - Cybersecurity Braces for AI ‘Bugmaggedon’ Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn…
-
13 Sep 2026 · 20 min
My Monday Morning: Twiggy
Twiggy is one of the most recognizable supermodels of the 20th century. Now the documentary, “Twiggy” about her career and life is being released in the U.S. In My Monday Morning, a new Journal video series inspired by the longstanding column of the same name, Lane Florsheim sits down with Twiggy about her documentary, the many tuxedos in her closet and the unusual secret to her success. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
-
11 Sep 2026 · 20 min
The MAHA Shake-Up at Steak ‘n Shake
Patriot Shakes. Huge American flags. Beef Tallow. Steak ‘n Shake, the classic fast food chain, is in the middle of an audacious turnaround strategy: a full embrace of the Make America Healthy Again movement. WSJ’s Heather Haddon spoke with the chain’s new “chief MAHA officer” and explains what’s behind the rebrand. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - Breakfast Battle: The Cereal Industry vs MAHA - The Corporate Grudge Fueling Cracker Barrel’s Logo Fiasco Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
-
9 Sep 2026 · 29 min
A Data Center Offered $26 Million for Her Land. She Said No.
Delsia Bare and her mother, Ida Huddleston, rejected $26 million dollars for their Kentucky farmland from the builder of an AI data center. Their stance has made them folk heroes across the country but has also divided their town. WSJ’s Erich Schwartzel spent a few days with the mother and daughter to better understand their resistance. Further Listening: - The Vanishing of an Anti-AI Activist - A Data Center Revolt in Missouri Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
-
8 Sep 2026 · 21 min
AI Companies Are Buying and Destroying Used Books
Something strange has been happening in the world of used books. Sales are up, but booksellers were initially confused about who was behind the purchases. We talked to one bookseller who decided to solve this mystery herself. WSJ’s Melissa Korn explains why at least some of the books are being bought, and then destroyed, by AI companies. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - AI Loves Reddit, but Redditors Aren’t So Sure - Readers Can’t Get Enough of BookTok. Publishers Are Cashing In. Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit…
-
6 Sep 2026 · 19 min
My Monday Morning: Lee Pace
Actor Lee Pace has made a name for himself playing bad guys and mythical beings, like a vampire in “Twilight” to an elvenking in “The Hobbit.” He’s starring in the new “Practical Magic 2” alongside Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock. In My Monday Morning, a new Journal video series inspired by the longstanding column of the same name, Lane Florsheim sits down with Lee to talk about his intense coffee habit, his belief in witches and his farm upstate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
-
4 Sep 2026 · 21 min
How the Bond Market Will Affect Your Wallet
Yields on U.S. Treasuries continued to rise this week, climbing near a 20-year high. There are many reasons why this is happening but the main driver of this run-up is inflation. As the cost of government borrowing keeps creeping up, it will trickle down to everyday Americans, impacting all kinds of consumer debt. WSJ's Jack Pitcher breaks down what's behind the bond market volatility. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - Let’s Talk Bonds. Treasury Bonds. - The Economy Is Booming. Why Does It Feel Like a Bust? Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad…
-
3 Sep 2026 · 18 min
The Cardboard Box Economy Is Breaking Down
America is using less cardboard, which is bad news for the farmers who grow the pulpwood trees that get turned into paper products. WSJ’s Ryan Dezember explains how the cheapest, smallest trees in the forest hold up a much larger timber industry. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - The Bean at the Center of the Trade War - Is Jane Goodall Fighting a Losing Battle? Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Take it with you
The Melo app keeps playing with the screen off, works in the car and on your watch, wakes you to your station, and browses the whole catalogue offline. Free, no ads, no account.
