Sunday, October 18, 2026Sun, Oct 18
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Transcript of the segment

What BBN said on air. The facts are in the original report: Axios.

  1. Gloria VanceIn the United States this morning, a communication app called RiseGuide is hiring Chief Small Talk Officers, and Axios reports it renamed the job from Head of Hanging Out to stress how serious it is.

  2. Gloria VanceThe monthlong gig pays each of up to three hires two thousand dollars, plus a budget for outings to parks, bookstores and fitness classes, where they approach strangers and rate how it goes.

  3. Dale BearmanThey approach strangers. On purpose. In a bookstore, where people go specifically to avoid that.

  4. Gloria VanceThe company's own survey of Gen Zers and millennials says eighty-six percent will chat, but only thirty-four percent will start it.

  5. Gloria VanceSo the job is to be the thirty-four.

  6. Dale BearmanThirty-four. I have been in the sixty-six my whole life, and I thought it was a choice.

  7. Gloria VanceA manager admits the irony of an app fighting screen time, but says the goal is for users to leave the app.

  8. Gloria VanceI have heard that from governments too.

  9. Dale BearmanBrilliant. A company paying people to make it redundant.

  10. Gloria VanceBrock, a question for you: it's a lovely forecast, so what exactly do you say to a stranger about it?

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