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While I focus on Technology, Innovation, and Publishing, because I have a platform, I also flag items that I think are important. I also try to include some resources & opportunities. Please let me know what you think.
Important Items
Project 2025 architects lay out 2026 policy vision
Immigration restrictions: Heritage is calling for a continued, aggressive immigration system to maintain “national integrity.”
Election refinements: A federal judge struck down Trump’s March executive order requiring proof of citizenship on voter registration forms, but Heritage is still making it a priority. The foundation also wants to end the practice of ranked-choice voting to restore American “confidence” in election outcomes.
- Reality check: Ranked-choice voting, now used in both deep red and deep blue jurisdictions, has increased in popularity. Research shows the party-neutral system can increase voter turnout and improve representation for women and people of color.
Eliminating the Education Department: The group’s goal is reducing federal influence over K-12 education and “reclaiming higher education from the radical Left.”
Promoting traditional family values: Heritage outlines plans to “restore the nuclear family to the center of American life,” with goals that include reducing abortions at every stage and limiting access. The foundation also asserts that children should be born to a married “mother and father,” signaling opposition to same-sex marriage and efforts to eliminate related protections.
https://www.axios.com/2025/12/09/trump-china-project-2026-2025-policy-heritage-foundation-abortion
Project 2026 Declares Open War on Women’s Rights
When The Heritage Foundation released its new policy blueprint for 2026 this week—an extension of the now-infamous Project 2025—it did so with the calm confidence of an institution convinced no one will stop it. The document is shorter than last year’s 900-page “Mandate for Leadership,” but no less dangerous. It is, in fact, more candid. Project 2026 lays out a government redesigned to control women’s bodies, erase LGBTQ+ lives, dismantle civil rights protections and roll back decades of hard-won progress. Wrapped in the language of “family,” “sovereignty” and “restoring America,” it is a direct attempt to impose a narrow, rigid ideology on an entire nation. Make no mistake: This is a plan for forced motherhood, government-policed gender and the end of women’s equality as we know it.
Project 2026 picks up where Project 2025 left off: banning abortion pills, weaponizing the 150-year-old Comstock Act to criminalize medication by mail, embedding fetal personhood across federal agencies, and stripping every federal safeguard protecting reproductive freedom. As the Women’s March’s analysis notes bluntly, this blueprint is “designed to rebuild a country where women, queer people, trans people, and anyone outside their ‘ideal family’ have fewer rights.”
Nice Merger You’ve Got There, It Would Be A Shame If Something Happened To It
The federal government’s role in merger approvals gives the Trump administration an easy way to coerce big media companies; other industries could be next.
Innovation
Inaudible sound might be the next frontier in wildfire defense
https://techcrunch.com/2025/10/14/inaudible-sound-might-be-the-next-frontier-in-wildfire-defense/
Stretchy, Self-Healing Sensor Survives Being Cut in Half
https://spectrum.ieee.org/self-healing-flexible-sensor
Technology
Romance Book Publisher Harlequin uses AI translation
Interactive AI Features in E-books, Audiobooks Drive Debate
Anthropic Suit Opt-Out Deadline Extended
https://lunch.publishersmarketplace.com/2026/01/anthropic-suit-opt-out-deadline-extended/
AI’s Memorization Crisis
MT @draccah Large language models don’t “learn”—they copy. And that could change everything for the tech industry. “On Tuesday, researchers at Stanford and Yale revealed something that AI companies would prefer to keep hidden. Four popular large language models—OpenAI’s GPT, Anthropic’s Claude, Google’s Gemini, and xAI’s Grok—have stored large portions of some of the books they’ve been trained on, and can reproduce long excerpts from those books.”
https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/2026/01/ai-memorization-research/685552/
Instagram chief: AI is so ubiquitous ‘it will be more practical to fingerprint real media than fake media’
After a Rocky Year, Newsrooms Push Deeper Into AI
https://www.thewrap.com/media-platforms/journalism/ai-in-newsrooms-2026/
McClatchy’s Machine Mindset
https://www.status.news/p/mcclatchy-newspapers-ai-reporting-policy
AI was behind over 50,000 layoffs in 2025
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/21/ai-job-cuts-amazon-microsoft-and-more-cite-ai-for-2025-layoffs.html
“I was forced to use AI until the day I was laid off.” Copywriters reveal how AI has decimated their industry
https://www.bloodinthemachine.com/p/i-was-forced-to-use-ai-until-the
I Ran an AI Misinformation Experiment. Every Marketer Should See the Results
https://ahrefs.com/blog/ai-vs-made-up-brand-experiment/
Universal Music Group Partners With NVIDIA AI
https://www.billboard.com/pro/universal-nvidia-ai-music-discovery-fan-engagement-tools/
Google’s open standard lets AI agents build user interfaces on the fly
Google’s new A2UI (Agent-to-User Interface) standard gives AI agents the ability to create graphical interfaces on the fly. Instead of just sending text, AIs can now generate forms, buttons, and other UI elements that blend right into any app. Plain text or code output often doesn’t cut it for complex tasks. Google points to restaurant reservations as an example; a text-only conversation can get tedious fast. With A2UI, an agent can spin up a complete form with date pickers and available time slots right away. The goal is a “context-aware interface” that adapts as the conversation unfolds.
https://the-decoder.com/googles-open-standard-lets-ai-agents-build-user-interfaces-on-the-fly/
China Launches 34,175-Mile AI Network That Acts Like One Massive Supercomputer
Meet the new tech laws of 2026
https://www.theverge.com/policy/851664/new-tech-internet-laws-us-2026-ai-privacy-repair
Can a social app fix the ‘terrible devastation’ of social media?
https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/04/can-a-social-app-fix-the-terrible-devastation-of-social-media/
Reddit Takes on Google and Meta with New AI Media Buying Tool
https://www.adweek.com/media/reddit-max-campaign-media-buying-ces/
UPS Buys Hundreds of Robots to Unload Trucks in Automation Push
UPS will invest $120 million in 400 robots used to unload trucks, revealing new details on the logistics giant’s $9 billion automation plan
Publishing & Media
Entertainment and media industries shed 17K jobs in 2025
https://nypost.com/2025/12/30/business/entertainment-and-media-industries-shed-17k-jobs-in-2025/
2025 Year in Review
https://janefriedman.com/2025-year-in-review/
Visions of 2050: Prominent media figures read the present—and predict the future.
Some refrains came up again and again: the dominance of a few outlets and the demise of the rest; the need for journalists to mix seamlessly into online content; the risks and rewards of AI. Emma Tucker, the editor in chief of the Wall Street Journal, predicts that “big brands” such as the Journal and the New York Times will still be around in 2050. Not so much for CNN, ABC, CBS, and other news networks, says Ben Smith, the editor in chief of Semafor. According to David Remnick, the editor of The New Yorker, “X will be gone.” And Taylor Lorenz, the founder of User Mag, wonders whether journalism as we know it now will survive at all. Some journalists we spoke to think the integration of AI into journalism is inevitable, or beneficial. Everyone agrees that if it is to survive, journalism will need a human touch. In any case, Kara Swisher, the New York magazine contributor and podcaster, says, one thing’s for sure: by 2050, we’ll be blasted with information all the time from the multitude of screens floating in front of our faces. Which, actually, is not too far off from the present.
Barnes & Noble to open 60 stores in 2026
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2025/12/21/barnes-noble-new-locations-2026/87850873007/
Dragons, Sex and the Bible: What Drove the Book Business This Year
HT @mariskreizman1 Some good news: “This year, 422 newly opened stores joined the American Booksellers Association — nearly a hundred more than joined last year.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/30/books/book-sales-trends-2025.html?unlocked_article_code
Audio ‘no longer an afterthought’ as publishers snap up raft of audio-first acquisitions
How the Publishing Industry Addresses the Carbon Footprint of Books
HT @publishingtrend From paper to screen, the industry is working to reduce its carbon footprint by fighting deforestation and paper waste through new technology.
https://impakter.com/how-publishing-industry-addresses-carbon-footprint-of-books/
Disney-backed DramaBox is seeking new funding as it tries to win the micro drama race in the US
Disney-Backed DramaBox Eyes New Funding: Disney is said to be in talks with DramaBox to adapt young adult fantasy novels into original micro dramas
Why publishers are building their own creator networks
Publishers are forming creator networks to regain control, combat traffic declines, and reach audiences shifting toward influencers.
https://digiday.com/media/why-publishers-are-building-their-own-creator-networks/
Media giant Essence launches a marketplace for Black women-led brands
Essence has launched http://WeLoveUs.shop, a new online marketplace dedicated to Black women-led brands.
https://digiday.com/media/media-giant-essence-launches-a-marketplace-for-black-women-led-brands/
Cooking TV show America’s Test Kitchen has agreed to buy the recipe site Food52 with an offer worth $6.5 million
Global Value of Music Copyright Hits New All-Time High, Nearly Doubling in a Decade to $47.2bn in 2024
https://pivotaleconomics.com/undercurrents/music-copyright-2025
People watched 700m hours of podcasts on YouTube on their TVs in October, almost double the number a year ago.
Every Podcast From The Ringer, Barstool and iHeart Media Coming to Netflix in 2026
More than 30 video podcasts are coming to Netflix, from deals with iHeartMedia, Barstool Sports and The Ringer
https://www.whats-on-netflix.com/coming-soon/all-the-video-podcasts-coming-to-netflix-in-2026/
Want to read more in 2026? Here’s how to revive your love of books
40% Of Americans Did Not Read a Single Book in 2025
https://bookriot.com/american-reading-habits-2025/
Doomsayers warn about a post-lit society – here’s why they are wrong
HT @publishingtrend Concentration levels are down, but predictions of the death of the novel – & reading – are false. Why the life of the mind has a future–even more so in world of AI
Kids Rarely Read Whole Books Anymore. Even in English Class.
ICYMI HT @BISG Many teens are assigned few full books to read from beginning to end — often just one or two per year.
America’s libraries are falling apart
HT @bookriot GAO report: 40% of libraries have poor bldg systems, 61% a potential health/safety concern, 7K don’t have access for disabled people, 3 years: the length of time libraries expect to defer these repairs.
https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-26-107262
Plato Censored as Texas A&M Carries Out Course Review
Entire Library Board Dissolved Over One Picture Book About a Trans Kid
The Bills Igniting Book Bans
MT @PENamerica In this policy brief, we describe the evolving ways in which state laws are propelling book bans at the local level and the impact they are having on schools and students.
https://pen.org/report/the-bills-igniting-book-bans/
ACLU Files Book Banning Suit On Behalf of Vonnegut Estate
Resources & Opportunities
The Art of Being Irreplaceable: Creativity in the Age of AI
1/22, 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET. Free for WMG members; $15 for non-members (Zoom)
Are you afraid that AI is going to take your job? Yes—we all are! Yet one truth remains: artificial intelligence can mimic style, but it can’t replicate soul. Join Women’s Media Group for a thought-provoking session with award-winning author Jane K. Cleland, whose new book, Beat the Bots: A Writer’s Guide to Surviving and Thriving in the Age of AI, offers a roadmap for writers determined to stay both relevant and inspired. Guided by acclaimed publishing expert Jane Friedman, Cleland will share practical exercises to nurture imagination, spark original thinking, and resist creative conformity. Expect practical creativity boosters, encouragement to take risks, and a renewed sense of purpose in your storytelling journey. It’s not about resisting technology—it’s about harnessing what only humans can do.
https://womensmediagroup.org/event-6429044
WMG Comedy Night: Smart Laughs, Big Energy
1/27 6pm (VIP Reception) | 7:15 pm General Admission
Get ready for a night of fearless, full-throttle comedy with Women’s Media Group, celebrating women who rule the mic and the moment. Featuring Ophira Eisenberg, Akilah Hughes, Leighann Lord, Youngmi Mayer, Phoebe Robinson, and Maysoon Zayid with emcee Audra Boltion-Ortiz, this live show brings together some of the funniest and most fearless voices in entertainment. Invite friends, bring your sense of humor, and get ready to laugh, connect, and unwind with WMG.
https://womensmediagroup.org/event-6425404
Bookstore & Brasserie with Kathleen Schmidt
2/12 6:30 p.m. ET. WMG members only; FREE
Join Women’s Media Group Board member Kathleen Schmidt for an evening of bookstore love and camaraderie! We’ll meet at 6:30 at the bookstore for shopping in the East Village of NYC and then walk to dinner to talk about our favorite books.
https://www.womensmediagroup.org/event-6509655
WMG Job Seekers
2/23, noon; Penguin Random House, NYC. WMG members only; FREE
Are you looking for a job, underemployed, or planning to pivot? Women’s Media Group is pleased to offer our first Job Seekers event of the year to network, share tips, and offer support. Come join us for a free, in-person, members-only small group session. Connect with each other, hear from an expert, and come armed with questions! Former WMG Membership Chair Susan McCulloch will be in conversation with WMG Board member Keline Adams, Director at Penguin Random House. Feel free to bring your own lunch.
https://www.womensmediagroup.org/event-6509718
PEN America Emerging Voices Fellowship
MT @marcelalandres PEN America Emerging Voices Fellowship offers $1500, a virtual 5-month mentorship program, and introductions to editors/agents/publishers, submission period 1/1-1/31
https://pen.org/emerging-voices-fellowship/
ALA Scholarship Program
ALA provides more than $300K annually for study in a master’s degree in library & info science from an ALA-accredited program, or for a master’s degree with a specialty in school librarianship. Apply by 3/1.
https://www.ala.org/educationcareers/scholarships
FAO Schwarz Fellowship: Launching Careers in Social Impact
The Fellowships are paid, two-year positions with benefits at leading nonprofit host organizations in Boston, New York City and Philadelphia. Deadline: 2/1.
https://www.faoschwarzfellowship.org
New Cambridge grant to help under-represented scholars publish
Introducing RE:Store — a new storefront program from the Downtown Alliance
Looking to grow your business, try out a new concept or connect with new customers? Open a Pop-Up in Lower Manhattan rent free in one of New York City’s busiest retail corridors.
https://downtownny.com/restore/
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