Trapital

YouTube is the biggest TV, music, and video platform in the world, but it’s not satisfied. The company still wants to compete for the dollars that go to traditional TV. But can YouTube have it all?

In this episode, we examine YouTube’s push into the living room, from securing the NFL Sunday Ticket to becoming the exclusive home of the Oscars starting in 2029. But as YouTube chases TV legitimacy and higher profit margins, it faces a core tension: how can it get there without losing the creator-driven ethos that made it dominant.

We break down YouTube’s battle for short-form dominance, where YouTube TV fits in, and what its evolving strategy reveals about the future of media, creators, and global attention.

CHAPTERS

02:12 YouTube’s Ambition

04:59 YouTube vs TikTok

10:04 YouTube TV

13:16 Future of YouTube

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Where technology shapes culture. New episodes and memos every week. Sign up here for free.

Meta’s short-form video surface, Reels, now generates $50 billion in annual run rate. That’s more than some of the largest media companies like Netflix, TikTok, and YouTube’s ad business.

Reels may be less culturally relevant than those companies, and its users spend less time on the platform than others, but it prints money and shows no signs of slowing down.

This episode explores how Meta’s infrastructure made Reels one of the most successful monetization plays in modern tech and what could threaten its momentum next.

CHAPTERS

02:51 Culture vs. Cash

04:30 How Reels Makes Money

06:49 Meta’s Advantage

15:34 Risks Ahead

18:54 What’s Next for Reels

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Linktree: Help your followers discover everything you do, with one simple link. Use code TRAPITAL50 for a discount

TRAPITAL

Where technology shapes culture. New episodes and memos every week. Sign up here for free.

In this episode, we sit down with Will Page, economist and author of Pivot, for a deep dive on the global economics of music. Using Will’s latest Global Value of Music Copyright Report, we explore streaming economics, global market gaps, AI, and where the music industry’s next phase of growth may come from.

CHAPTERS

02:45 Global Value of Music: 10 Years in Review
11:24 Emerging Music Markets
13:37 Africa’s Music Economy
18:11 Brazil’s Music Market
21:12 The Crocodile Smile
33:18 AI and Music’s Future

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beatBread: Smarter choices. Better deals.

GUEST

Will Page, former Chief Economist of Spotify and PRS for Music, Author of Pivot

LINKS

Global Value of Music Copyright - Will Page

TRAPITAL

Where technology shapes culture. New episodes and memos every week. Sign up here for free.

Prediction markets like Polymarket and Kalshi have had a big year in 2025, but what are they really? Securities? Derivatives? Sportsbooks? They may be all of the above.

Listen to my breakdown on how these markets have evolved over time, and what led to their current rise today. We then dive into the opportunities, risks, and the regulatory challenges that may shape their future.

CHAPTERS

02:54 The Origin of Prediction Markets

06:43 Polymarket, Kalshi, and Modern Prediction Markets

09:16 Regulation and What’s Next

09:31 Bucket A: Policy, Finance, and Economics

13:36 Bucket B: Sports, Entertainment, and Pop Culture

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Too Lost: empowering artists with tools to manage, distribute, and grow their music independently.

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Where technology shapes culture. New episodes and memos every week. Sign up here for free.

People say they miss when MTV played music videos, but their viewing habits say otherwise!

We revisited one of our most popular episodes from 2023, but trimmed it down to include the best parts. I’m joined by Zack O’Malley Greenburg to unpack MTV’s rise from a scrappy video platform to a cultural powerhouse. We break down breakthrough moments like Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean”, the rise of reality TV, the networks influence, rise, fall, and what’s next?

CHAPTERS

01:04 The Birth of MTV
04:45 MTV's Business Model
13:01 Cultural Impact of Influence
21:28 Rise of Reality TV
29:59 MTV ‘s Decline

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beatBread : A music funding platform that empowers independent artists to access advances on their streaming income while keeping 100% ownership of their music.

Splice, a cloud-based music creation platform offering millions of royalty-free samples, plugins (via rent-to-own), and AI-powered tools to inspire creators everywhere

GUEST

Zack O’Malley Greenburg, Author, Empire State of Mind

TRAPITAL

Where technology shapes culture. New episodes and memos every week. Sign up here for free.