At the beginning of the three-hour live broadcast he hosts with Jordi Hays from Los Angeles, co-presenter John Coogan said, “This is not an April Fool’s joke.” TBPN (Technology Business Programming Network), which is broadcast on X, YouTube, and Spotify, has become a must-visit for startups, venture capitalists, and tech luminaries. The show, which claims an average of 70,000 viewers per episode and $5 million in advertising revenue in 2025, is particularly known for its ritual of ringing the gong with each fundraising announcement.
A unique communication strategy
“The traditional communication manual does not apply to us,” justified OpenAI’s number 2, Fidji Simo, in an internal memo released by the company. “We are undergoing a significant technological upheaval, and the mission of bringing AGI to the world,” a level of AI that would surpass human intelligence, “comes with a responsibility: to contribute to creating a space for real and constructive conversation about the changes AI brings,” wrote the Frenchwoman to her teams.
“TBPN will continue to define its programming, choose its guests, and make its own editorial decisions. It is fundamental to their credibility, and it is something we explicitly protect as part of this agreement,” wrote Fidji Simo, without disclosing the financial terms of the acquisition. “We can say what we want because we are live,” reassured John Coogan on Thursday in response to skeptical or mocking comments that immediately surfaced on social media within the tech bubble, amidst a wave of enthusiasm from the show’s fans.
Integration of hosts and governance issues
In her memo, Fidji Simo explicitly announces her intention to “mobilize” the “talents” of the two hosts “outside of the show” for OpenAI’s communication. “They have helped many brands grow online, and because they have their finger on the industry’s pulse, their ideas on communication and marketing have really impressed me,” she wrote.
OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, praised the acquisition of his “favorite tech talk show” on X. “I don’t expect them to spare us, and I’m sure I’ll contribute to that with a few questionable decisions,” joked the quadragenarian, whose company, now valued at over $850 billion, still needs to prove its ability to become profitable. TBPN will be part of OpenAI’s “Strategy” division, under the authority of Chris Lehane, the director of public affairs and communication, the company confirmed.
