Why Are Airline Rewards So Complicated?
Frequent flyer programs began as a way for airlines to build loyalty and fill empty seats. They’ve since morphed into a complex financial ecosystem that’s drawn the ire of even the most savvy consumers and the scrutiny of the US Department of Transportation. Bloomberg’s global aviation editor Benedikt Kammel joins David Gura to talk about points, miles, qualifying trips — and how we got here in the first place. Read more: The Airline Rewards Game Is Getting Tougher to Win See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
27 Dec 202413min
Market-Moving US Economic Data Is Under Threat
From inflation data to unemployment rates, the US government releases numbers every month that move markets and shape policies. But the agencies responsible for gathering that data are struggling — and President-elect Donald Trump’s promise to find cuts across agencies could further strain their resources. On today’s Big Take DC podcast, Bloomberg economics editor Molly Smith joins host Saleha Mohsin to dig into what’s at stake if the federal government scales back on its investment in economic data. Read more: Market-Moving Data Under Threat as Trump Returns to Washington BLS Needs Culture Revamp After Botched US Releases, Review Finds See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
26 Dec 202413min
Netflix’s Big Bet On ‘Squid Game’
The gory, dystopian South Korean thriller Squid Game is the most popular series Netflix has ever released. This week, it drops season two — in the midst of the company’s efforts to grow the show beyond the screen. On today’s Big Take Asia Podcast, host Rebecca Choong Wilkins talks to Bloomberg’s Sohee Kim and Lucas Shaw about the new season, the story of how the show was nearly never made and all the ways Netflix is trying to expand Squid Game into a global franchise — from reality TV and video games to in-person fan experiences. Read more: ‘Squid Game’ Returns in Test of Netflix Global Marketing MuscleFurther listening: K-Pop’s Big Bet on Becoming Less Korean See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
24 Dec 202415min
The Weight-Loss Drug Boom’s Prescription Problem
Drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy have skyrocketed in popularity over the past few years. To capitalize on that demand, telehealth companies started offering compounded versions of those drugs. That’s made them easier to access, but it’s also introduced new potential risks for people recovering from eating disorders like anorexia. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg reporter Madison Muller joins host Sarah Holder to share what she’s learned about the ways telehealth can make it easier for people to get prescriptions that could harm them. Read more: The Weight-Loss Drug Gold Rush Has a Dangerous Prescription ProblemSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
23 Dec 202415min
The Human Egg Trade: Episode 2 - The Theft
A new series from the Big Take podcast investigates the booming market for human eggs. It’s a global and opaque market where demand is so great, that even where regulations are in place, there are powerful incentives to evade them. In this episode, host Sarah Holder and Bloomberg’s Vernon Silver focus on one fertility clinic in Greece that police say stole the eggs of as many as 75 women. It’s a story that shows how the actions of one clinic can have ripple effects around the world and reveals the unique ways that the fertility industry runs not only on capital, but on trust. Read more from Bloomberg Businessweek: The Egg See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
20 Dec 202424min
Antony Blinken: The Exit Interview
In his final month as the United States’ chief diplomat, Secretary of State Antony Blinken is racing around the globe, responding to conflicts in the Middle East and the latest developments in the war in Ukraine. During a stop in New York, he sat down with host David Gura to talk about how he is preparing to hand over the country’s sprawling foreign policy portfolio to the incoming Trump administration. Read more: Syria: Blinken Says US Weighs Sending Officials for Talks - Bloomberg See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
19 Dec 202417min
The Race for Asylum Before Trump Takes Office
Tens of thousands of migrants in Mexico are currently in limbo after new policies put in place there and in the US changed the process for how people seek asylum. Now, with President-elect Trump promising an immigration crackdown as soon as he takes office, some asylum-seekers are anxious to make it into the US before Inauguration Day. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg reporter Alex Vasquez joins host Sarah Holder to explain the complex intersection of these policies and to share the story of one family navigating that system. Read more: Stranded in Mexico: Trump’s Looming Crackdown Scares MigrantsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
18 Dec 202415min
China Had a Plan to Rescue Its Housing Market. It’s Not Working
China’s property crisis has become a massive headache for the world’s second-largest economy. Tens of millions of newly built apartments lie vacant, home prices have tumbled and cash-strapped developers are struggling to finish construction. On today’s Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha talks to Bloomberg’s Lulu Chen about what China is doing to try and solve its housing crisis. We go to Zhengzhou, home to the world’s biggest iPhone factory and the city where the housing market first imploded. It's now become a testing ground for government efforts to revive the ailing property sector. We look at whether they’re working, and what it will mean for China’s economy if the big push fails. Read more: China’s Housing Rescue Falls Short in City That Signaled the Crisis Further listening: What Comes Next in China’s Property CrisisSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
17 Dec 202414min
