The Business with Kim Masters (KCRW)
Sharp entertainment industry journalism from KCRW's veteran reporter
Overview
The Business is a weekly radio show and podcast from KCRW hosted by veteran entertainment journalist Kim Masters. It covers the deals, power dynamics, and trends shaping Hollywood, from studio negotiations to streaming wars.
Episodes feature interviews with executives, producers, agents, and creatives, alongside analysis of breaking industry news. The reporting is rigorous and informed by decades of entertainment journalism experience.
How It Works
Essential listening for actors who want to understand the business side of the entertainment industry. Knowing how studios, networks, and agencies operate gives actors important context for their own career decisions.
Free on all podcast platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts.
Who Uses It
Strongly recommended for any actor who wants to be informed about the industry landscape. Understanding the business forces at play helps actors make smarter career moves and negotiate more effectively. Kim Masters is one of the most respected entertainment journalists working today, with sources throughout the executive suites and agency floors of Hollywood, and her reporting consistently reveals the power dynamics and financial considerations that drive industry decisions. The show's association with KCRW, a public radio station known for its editorial independence and cultural programming, ensures that the coverage is rigorous and free from the commercial pressures that can influence trade publications. For actors who want to understand why certain types of projects get greenlit, why studios make specific casting decisions, and how broader economic forces shape the entertainment landscape, The Business provides the kind of analytical context that transforms your understanding of your own career.
Pricing & Plans
The Business is completely free on all podcast platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and as a stream on KCRW's website. As a public radio production, the show is supported by listener donations to KCRW and is available without any subscription or paywall. Episodes are typically 25-30 minutes long, making them easy to incorporate into a daily commute or exercise routine. The show also produces occasional bonus content and extended interviews that are freely available on the KCRW website. KCRW offers a membership program for supporters, but listening to The Business and all other KCRW programming is free regardless of membership status.
Pros & Cons
What's Great
The Business's greatest strength is the caliber and depth of Kim Masters' journalism, which brings investigative reporting standards to entertainment industry coverage in a way that few other outlets consistently achieve. Her interviews with studio executives, producers, agents, and creative leaders draw out information and perspectives that are typically hidden from public view, providing actors with an insider understanding of how decisions are made at the highest levels of the industry. The show's analysis of industry trends — streaming economics, studio mergers, international expansion, technology disruption — helps actors understand the forces that will shape their career opportunities in the years ahead. Kim's ability to connect specific news developments to broader industry patterns creates a coherent narrative of how the entertainment business is evolving, rather than presenting isolated stories without context.
What Could Be Better
The Business focuses on the executive and business side of Hollywood, which means actors looking for craft advice, audition tips, or career-building strategies will need to supplement it with actor-focused content. The show's reporting is centered on Los Angeles and the major studios and agencies, providing less coverage of theater, regional markets, international industries, and the independent sector. Some episodes cover topics — corporate governance, regulatory issues, technology deals — that feel distant from the daily concerns of working actors, though understanding these forces enriches your overall industry literacy. The show's weekly format means it cannot cover every development in a fast-moving news cycle, and some stories may be discussed days after they break on daily outlets like Deadline. The public radio format, while ensuring editorial independence, means the show has a more measured, analytical pace than the energetic style of some entertainment podcasts.
Our Recommendation
Every actor who wants to understand the business environment in which they work should listen to The Business regularly — the intelligence it provides about studio strategies, agency dynamics, and industry economics is invaluable context that informs smarter career decisions. The show is particularly valuable during periods of industry disruption — strikes, studio mergers, platform launches — when understanding the business forces at play helps you navigate uncertainty with greater clarity and confidence. Pair The Business with actor-focused podcasts that provide craft and career guidance to create a comprehensive professional development listening rotation. If you find the business-focused content less immediately applicable to your daily work as an actor, remember that the most successful actors are those who understand their industry broadly enough to anticipate opportunities and position themselves strategically.
Pro Tips
Listen to The Business consistently over time rather than cherry-picking episodes, as the show's cumulative value comes from building a layered understanding of industry dynamics that develops across months and years of regular listening. When Kim reports on developments at specific studios, networks, or streaming platforms, note how these developments might affect the types of projects being developed and the casting opportunities that will emerge — translating business intelligence into career strategy is the most practical application of the show's content. Use The Business as preparation for meetings with agents, managers, producers, and executives by staying current with the industry topics they are likely discussing internally. Share insights from the show with your representatives, demonstrating that you are an informed professional who understands the business context of your career. When the show covers major industry shifts — new leadership at a studio, a platform's content strategy change, a significant merger or acquisition — discuss the implications with your agent or manager to ensure your career strategy adapts to the evolving landscape.