OpenAI has acquired Technology Business Programming Network, or TBPN, a daily tech business talk show, as first reported by The Wall Street Journal. The purchase comes weeks after the company pledged to end 'side quests' like its Sora video generator and a planned adult ChatGPT mode. Executives emphasized that TBPN will retain editorial independence.
OpenAI announced the acquisition of TBPN, which streams a three-hour live show weekdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. PT on YouTube and X. The program airs from the Ultradome studio on a Hollywood film lot and features news, analysis, and interviews on topics including AI, crypto, startups, and defense. TBPN launched in October 2024 and averages 70,000 daily viewers, projecting over $30 million in revenue this year, mostly from advertising. A person familiar with the deal said it was valued in the low hundreds of millions of dollars. The show's co-hosts and founders, Jordi Hays and John Coogan, have hosted guests such as OpenAI's Sam Altman, Meta's Mark Zuckerberg, Microsoft's Satya Nadella, Mark Cuban, and Salesforce's Marc Benioff. TBPN has sometimes critiqued the AI industry, including OpenAI. Fidji Simo, OpenAI's CEO of AGI deployment, told employees the acquisition would create a space for constructive AI conversations and leverage TBPN's marketing expertise. She stressed that TBPN will continue choosing its guests and making editorial decisions independently. Altman posted on X that TBPN is his favorite tech show and he expects it to remain critical. Hays said OpenAI's openness to feedback impressed him, calling the move an opportunity for real impact on AI distribution. TBPN will report to OpenAI's Chief Global Affairs Officer Chris Lehane and assist with the company's marketing and communications. The deal drew criticism on social media, with journalist David Sirota questioning media independence amid industry consolidation.
