Artificial intelligence firm OpenAI has pushed into the media sector, acquiring the technology news podcast TBPN.
Technology Business Programming Network (TBPN), a daily podcast hosted by John Coogan and Jordi Hays, covers technology and business news and features interviews with major technology leaders. It airs for three hours a day on platforms such as YouTube, X, and Spotify, and has acquired a strong following in Silicon Valley since launching in 2025.
TBPN generated about $5m in advertising revenue in 2025 and is on track to exceed $30m this year, according to the Wall Street Journal, which first reported the deal.
Fidji Simo, CEO of AGI Deployment at OpenAI, said the acquisition “brings a team with strong editorial instincts, deep audience understanding, and a proven ability to convene influential voices across tech, business, and culture.”
“TBPN has built something pretty special. It’s one of the places where the conversation about AI and builders is actually happening day to day. A lot of you already watch it and rely on it to stay close to what’s going on,” said Simo.
In a blogpost, Simo suggested that the acquisition was driven by a desire for OpenAI to communicate about its work and technology more effectively. She said that AI wanted to “help create a space for a real, constructive conversation about the changes AI creates” but that “rather than trying to recreate that ourselves, it made a lot of sense to bring [TBPN] in, support what they’re doing, and help them scale – while keeping what makes them special.”
OpenAI said that TBPN would retain editorial independence, and that its “amazing comms and marketing instincts” were an important factor in the deal. Simo said: “I can't wait to leverage their talent outside of the show to innovate on how we bring AI to the world in a way that helps people understand the full impact of this technology on their daily lives.
In a statement, Jordi Hays, Co-Founder and Co-Host of TBPN, said: “Over the past year, we’ve had a front-row seat not just to OpenAI, but to the entire ecosystem, covering the daily news, announcements, and launches in real time. While we’ve been critical of the industry at times, after getting to know Sam and the OpenAI team, what stood out most was their openness to feedback and commitment to getting this right. Moving from commentary to real impact in how this technology is distributed and understood globally is incredibly important to us.”
Disney recently withdrew its licensing agreement with OpenAI, following the AI company’s decision to drop its video generation tool Sora. Discover more here.
Global snooker organisation launches digital community platform
The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) has partnered with Nagravision to launch what it claims is the world’s first fully integrated digital platform for playing, competing, and connecting across snooker’s global community.
IABM rebrands as IAMT and launches agentic AI-powered discovery platform
At NAB 2026, the International Trade Association for Broadcast and Media Technology (IABM) has rebranded as the International Association of MediaTech (IAMT) and launched an AI-powered intelligence platform.
QVC to file for bankruptcy protection
QVC Group plans to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, according to the TV shopping company.
Roku passes 100 million streaming households
Roku has passed 100 million streaming households worldwide, a key milestone for the streaming platform and devices company.
UK censor BBFC turns to AI to help classify HBO Max shows
For the first time ever, the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) has used a bespoke AI tool to help classify a streaming service’s entire library.
