How to be elite in the age of populism, with the FT’s Roula Khalaf episode artwork

EPISODE · Sep 5, 2025 · 43 MIN

How to be elite in the age of populism, with the FT’s Roula Khalaf

from Mixed Signals from Semafor Media · host Semafor Podcasts

The Financial Times is the paper for business and world leaders, and comes with a hefty subscription price of $45/month. But what does it mean to serve the elite in a growing age of populism, and what are the consequences of high quality journalism only being available to the 1%? This week, Ben and Max bring on the editor of the FT, Roula Khalaf, to talk about the paper’s position in a populist world, who it ultimately serves, and the surprising success that older FT journalists have had on social media. They also discuss the ways the paper is experimenting with AI, what Khalaf has learned through her conversations with tech leaders like Sam Altman, and how she thinks about reporting on Trump. Sign up for Semafor Media’s Sunday newsletter: https://www.semafor.com/newsletters/media  For more from Think with Google, check out ThinkwithGoogle.com. Find us on X: @semaforben, @maxwelltani If you have a tip or a comment, please email us [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Financial Times is the paper for business and world leaders, and comes with a hefty subscription price of $45/month. But what does it mean to serve the elite in a growing age of populism, and what are the consequences of high quality journalism only being available to the 1%? This week, Ben and Max bring on the editor of the FT, Roula Khalaf, to talk about the paper’s position in a populist world, who it ultimately serves, and the surprising success that older FT journalists have had on social media. They also discuss the ways the paper is experimenting with AI, what Khalaf has learned through her conversations with tech leaders like Sam Altman, and how she thinks about reporting on Trump. Sign up for Semafor Media’s Sunday newsletter: https://www.semafor.com/newsletters/media  For more from Think with Google, check out ThinkwithGoogle.com. Find us on X: @semaforben, @maxwelltani If you have a tip or a comment, please email us [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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How to be elite in the age of populism, with the FT’s Roula Khalaf

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This episode was published on September 5, 2025.

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The Financial Times is the paper for business and world leaders, and comes with a hefty subscription price of $45/month. But what does it mean to serve the elite in a growing age of populism, and what are the consequences of high quality journalism...

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