ESPN has a new president, following the abrupt resignation of its former president in December. Disney appointed James Pitaro as the new head of ESPN. Previously, he was Disney's consumer products and digital chief. Pitaro will have his work cut out for him. Next month, ESPN will launch its new streaming service. The network is also facing declining viewership.
The popular trivia app HQ has received an additional $15 million in funding. Axios reported the new funding on Tuesday, noting that the company's total valuation is now estimated at $100 million. HQ has been very successful in drawing in younger audiences. On Sunday night, 2.1 million users tuned in for the game show.
In other funding news, the insurance app Lemonade recently secured $120 million in Series C funding. Daniel Schreiber, CEO and co-founder of Lemonade, tells Cheddar he plans to use this new money to expand the app globally. Schreiber says Lemonade is trying to reinvent insurance. Lemonade wants to make customers happy, not make money by denying claims.
And we're joined by iconic travel writer Rick Steves to hear about his new book, "Travel as a Political Act." Steves says it's more important than ever for people to travel in today's world. He says some events in the last few years, such as Brexit and the election of Donald Trump, have made people anxious to travel. But Steves encourages everyone to branch out and travel somewhere new, especially in light of current global politics.
Chris Versace, CIO at Tematica Research, joins to discuss earnings season trends, Flash PMI signals, Walmart’s strategy updates, and Nike’s evolving outlook.
Andrew Nusca, Editorial Director at Fortune, dives into WhatsApp’s first-ever ads rollout —and how Meta’s ad push intensifies its showdown with OpenAI.
Ben Geman, Energy Reporter at Axios, joins to discuss the latest Middle East tensions, Brent crude price swings, and why gas prices aren’t falling with oil.
Al Root, Associate Editor at Barron's, joins to discuss Tesla’s robotaxis going live in Texas—what it means for autonomy, safety, and the EV race ahead.
Dena Jalbert, M&A expert and CEO of Align Business Advisory Services, on the state of U.S. M&A: deals worth $1–$10 billion (including debt) are surging.
Jeremy Jansen, Head of Supply Chain at Wells Fargo, unpacks the ongoing trade talks between the United States and China as consumers still wonder about tariffs.
IBM Fellow Jerry Chow talks IBM’s expansion of the Quantum Data Center in Poughkeepsie, installing Heron processors that deliver utility‑scale performance.
