The Unraveling of Ozy Media

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In the fall of 2021, Ozy Media—a small but seemingly high-achieving digital startup—burst into the public eye, when the New York Times reported that one of the company’s cofounders had impersonated an executive from YouTube during a conference call with potential investors. Soon, Ozy was in shambles, as was Carlos Watson, the face of the company, who, two years later, was indicted on federal charges, including fraud. Had Watson really broken the law, or was he just doing much of the same ethically murky business that pervaded digital news in the 2010s, when Silicon Valley shareholders set impossibly high demands? Hosts Josh Hersh and Susie Banikarim delve into the saga in this special three-part series of The Kicker: “The Unraveling of Ozy Media”—and explore what Watson’s case says about digital journalism now. The whole series is available now on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Episode 1: Truth and Mythmaking

Carlos Watson’s media startup arrives on the scene—and insiders reveal a dark reality under its glossy veneer.

Episode 2: Built on a Bluff

How inflating traffic data went mainstream in digital media.

Episode 3: The Verdict and the Pain

Carlos Watson takes the stand—and the jury reaches a verdict.

The Exhibits: What the Court Saw in the Case of Ozy Media

The case against Watson was built largely on the testimony of his key lieutenants, including his young cofounder, Samir Rao. But prosecutors also presented several other pieces of evidence. Click here to review text messages, emails, and other exhibits from the trial.

On December 16, Watson was sentenced to nine years, eight months in prison. He was ordered to surrender in late March. “I’m not saying for two seconds that I’m perfect,” he said before the court. “I’m clearly saying that I made mistakes. I’m very, very sorry that so many people were hurt—including myself.” You can read more details from the final sentencing here.

Hosted and coproduced by Josh Hersh and Susie Banikarim
Produced and edited by Amanda Darrach 
Fact checking by Will Tavlin
Audio mix by William Flynn

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Susie Banikarim and Josh Hersh co-created this project. Susie Banikarim is an Emmy-winning journalist and recovering media executive. She is the director of the 2020 documentary Enemies of the People: Trump and the Political Press and cohosts the podcast In Retrospect. Josh Hersh is an editor at CJR. He was previously a correspondent and senior producer at Vice News.