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
(There’s so much crazy stuff going on. Here’s some you may have missed.)
Trump Pulled In at Least $2B After Returning to White House
One of his biggest hauls in 2025 came when an investment firm tied to the United Arab Emirates bought nearly half of the Trump family’s main crypto company, World Liberty Financial. His crypto ventures, the report shows, are now some of his most lucrative enterprises, a remarkable turnabout for a man who once slammed crypto as a haven for drug dealers and scammers. The president’s finances highlight a conflict in his crypto business: Mr. Trump is a major crypto industry operator and its top policymaker. Last year, World Liberty marketed its coin to investors around the world, with 75% of each sale allocated to a Trump business entity, after the deduction of certain expenses, guaranteeing the president would make money even if the value of the token declined.
Trump bought as much as $5 million in Axon stock before ICE sought $220 million Taser deal
https://www.cnbc.com/2026/06/29/trump-axon-stock-ice-taser-immigration-enforcement.html
The Antiabortion Playbook Is Coming for Birth Control
The same strategy that weakened abortion rights—misinformation, incremental restrictions and attacks on access—is now being deployed against contraception.
Women Aren’t “Under-Babied.” They’re Under Threat.
ICYMI Government-funded “marriage boot camps”? Highway funding dependent on fertility rates? These are just a few extremist ideas included in the Heritage Foundation’s “pro-natalist” sequel to Project 2025
https://washingtonmonthly.substack.com/p/boot-camps-and-marriage-payments
Egg Producers to Pay $3.3 Million to Settle Federal Price-Fixing Lawsuit
Remember when the presidential election was about the high price of eggs? A group of major egg producers accused of price fixing for nearly 3 yrs will pay $3.3M as part of a settlement of an antitrust lawsuit brought against them by the federal govt & 17 states.
Russian Satellites Have Been Jamming GPS Signals Across Europe, Scientists Say
ICYMI Scientists & U.S. military briefers have linked short,widespread interference incidents to Russia, revealing vulnerabilities in a technology essential to everyday society
Innovation
How GPT‑5 helped immunologist Derya Unutmaz solve a 3-year-old mystery
In 2022 Unutmaz performed an experiment trying to understand how glucose affected the development of T cells. The results of Unutmaz’s experiment could have implications for ailments like cancer, autoimmune disease, and infections. But at the time, he and his lab couldn’t make sense of what they were seeing. In 2025, Unutmaz decided to resurface upload the results into GPT‑5 Pro and asked it to analyze the data. “GPT‑5 came up with this really remarkable insight that retrospectively, makes perfect sense,” Unutmaz said. It was just enough outside of his own area of expertise that he didn’t see the connection himself, and neither did anyone in his lab.
https://openai.com/index/gpt-5-immunology-mystery/
Technology
Google to Get Tough with Publishers Over AI
ICYMI Google is said to be threatening to exclude publishers from an AI deal unless they allow bots to train on their content.
The AI Books Panic Chart Is Real. The Panic Isn’t
https://thenewpublishingstandard.com/2026/06/29/the-ai-books-panic-chart-is-real-the-panic-isnt/
Fact-checkers reckon with shrinking budgets and growing AI threats at GlobalFact 2026
Hundreds gathered in Lithuania to discuss Russian influence operations, “LLM poisoning,” and how to survive a funding crisis.
Podcasting platform Riverside enters the newsletter publishing game
Podcasting platform Riverside launches AI tools to turn videos into newsletters, draft a first cut of a recording, create social media content, and more
You’re only supposed to blow the bloody hooves off: AI Michael Caine narrates Odyssey audiobook
ElevenLabs released its 1st in-house AI-produced audiobook, The Odyssey, narrated by the officially licensed AI voice of Michael Caine.
Netflix revives Gene Wilder’s voice with AI for new ‘Wonka’ reality series
Anthropic launches Claude Tag in Slack w plans for wider rollout
Claude can be a team AI agent in Slack – you can delegate tasks with @Claude while Claude works with shared context, approved tools, and follow-up updates inside the channel.
Eight ways to stay discoverable when search, social and AI stop sending people your way
The free routes that used to bring creatives their next commission are closing one by one. It’s been happening for some time. And now AI is pretty much destroying the web as we know it. Here’s how to keep being found – and, increasingly, recommended – without a marketing budget.
How data centers in space could become a reality
https://www.axios.com/2026/06/12/spacex-space-data-centers-blue-origin-google
Sony erases digital content from libraries; we’re reminded we don’t own what we buy
Sony recently informed its PlayStation customers in the United Kingdom that they will no longer be able to watch previously purchased movies and shows from production and distribution company StudioCanal. As of September 1, affected customers will no longer be able to stream 551 titles from the PlayStation Store.
Google Invests $75 Million in A24 to Develop AI-Powered Filmmaking Tools
Google’s Deepmind will help filmmakers test new workflows, tools and storytelling techniques.
https://variety.com/2026/film/news/google-a24-ai-filmmaking-tools-1236787297/
ByteDance Seedance 2.5 Launches This Week: 30-Second AI Video Carries Copyright Cloud
Seedance 2.5 can generate 30-second 4K videos in a single pass without stitching while leveraging up to 50 image, audio, & style references.
Google introduces a faster, cheaper image generator with Nano Banana 2 Lite
Google’s Nano Banana 2 Lite reworks AI image-making in just 4 seconds.
YouTubers setting box office records. It could change the future of moviemaking.
HT @FoSTorg As YouTube-born creators drive box office success, Hollywood rethinking where talent comes from, how audiences form, & why internet-native creators skilled at this.
https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/31/media/hollywood-movies-youtubers-gen-z
Meta debuts new, cheaper smart glasses under its own brand
Meta’s $299 smart glasses have camera, speakers, Meta AI, live translation, and upcoming pedestrian navigation.
https://techcrunch.com/2026/06/23/meta-debuts-new-cheaper-smart-glasses-under-its-own-brand/
The Quest to Make Humanoid Robots Safe Enough for Humans
Companies say electronics, sensors and engineering will allow the robots to work alongside people, but Viral mishaps underscore a big challenge for robot makers aiming to put them to work in factories and warehouses: How can they ensure a humanoid doesn’t hurt a human?
https://www.wsj.com/tech/the-quest-to-make-humanoid-robots-safe-enough-for-humans-4887c123
Getty Images scraps $3.7 billion merger with Shutterstock over UK scrutiny
https://www.reuters.com/legal/transactional/getty-images-scraps-shutterstock-merger-2026-06-30/
Publishing & Media
Libby Rolls Out AI Filter as Digital Libraries Brace for Bot Books
HT @publishingtrend OverDrive’s new CEO announces AI content controls for Libby app amid rising tide of AI-generated ebooks.
https://www.techbuzz.ai/articles/libby-rolls-out-ai-filter-as-digital-libraries-brace-for-bot-books
Rakuten Kobo rejects 45% of submissions after slew of AI-generated books uploaded
E-book platform Rakuten Kobo was forced to reject 45% of submissions to its platform last year, after a slew of AI-generated books were uploaded: Some accounts had uploaded thousands of titles. Kobo now routinely screens submissions for AI & removes them.
Podcast Publicity for Authors and Publishers: What’s Working
HT @publishingtrend Podcasts Overtaking Traditional Media Author Appearances via @janefriedman
https://janefriedman.com/whats-working-in-podcast-publicity-for-authors-and-publishers/
Ingram, PRH Offer Libraries POD Options
Ingram Library Services and Penguin Random House announced a print-on-demand program designed to supply libraries with popular backlist titles. #teamPRH
Frustrated with book bans, these Utah bookstores now hand out free copies of titles pulled from public schools
The bookstores teamed up with Utah’s LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce on the giveaways, which they say they won’t stop until the state stops banning books.
https://www.sltrib.com/news/education/2026/06/30/utah-book-bans-local-bookstores/
Resources & Opportunities
WMG Small Group Socials
Take a look at WMG’s exciting mix of in-person and virtual members-only small group socials! Affinity groups include children’s books, audiobooks/podcasts, and beachgoers. I’m hosting a Power Lunch in July and hope to see you there!!
https://www.womensmediagroup.org/events
WMG Job Seekers Weekly Meetup
Are you unemployed, under-employed, or just thinking about a career change? WMG members join our free virtual weekly support group and come when you can to help each other rise.
https://www.womensmediagroup.org/event-6735264
WMG Monday Happy Hour Meetup
7/13 5:30-7:30 Members Only. NYC.
https://www.womensmediagroup.org/event-6733068
LinkedIn Strategies for Career Growth
8/5 12:30-1:30pm via Zoom. FREE for WMG members, $15 for non-members.
Join this event to learn how to improve your LinkedIn profile and position yourself for new career opportunities. Lynne Williams, Executive Director of the Great Careers Network, will share practical tips for strengthening your personal brand and optimizing your profile. Lynne will cover:
- How to clearly define and communicate your personal brand
- How to effectively incorporate keywords throughout your profile
- How to strengthen your headline with a unique selling proposition
- Where to find free tools and resources to enhance your LinkedIn presence
https://www.womensmediagroup.org/event-6715943
Pamela Tobey Award for Excellence in Visual Storytelling
2026 Series Scriptwriters Program
RT @marcelalandres National Hispanic Media Coalition Series Scriptwriters Program welcomes applications from aspiring Latine writers with a strong desire to write for streaming & television, deadline 7/27 @NHMC
AXS Film Fund – Breaking Barriers for unheard voices
AXS Film Fund provides funding to documentary filmmakers and nonfiction new media creators with a focus on those of color living with disabilities. Each year we aim to support 3-5 creators. Awards are up to $10,000, depending on project need. The deadline for the 2026 open call is July 31st at 11:59pm ET.
https://axsfilmfundapply.smapply.us
12 Best Ways To Celebrate Disability Pride Month
July is Disability Pride Month! For the past 36 years, July has been an important month for the disability community. The Americans With Disabilities Act was passed on July 26th, 1990. It’s a time for all disabled people to unapologetically celebrate our bodies as they are. Whether you are disabled or an ally, Disability Pride Month is full of so much to celebrate!
https://www.goodgoodgood.co/articles/how-to-celebrate-disability-pride-month
Buy a book, get a free burger in NYC in July: Here’s where
For the entirety of July, if you buy a book at the independently owned Chinatown shop Yu & Me Books, you can get a free cheeseburger from 7th Street Burger’s 250 Mulberry St. location.
https://pix11.com/things-to-do/buy-a-book-get-a-free-burger-in-nyc-in-july-heres-where/
NY Book Forum Bookstore Walk
8/11 6-8:30pm NYC
https://newyorkbookforum.org/event/nybf-book-store-walk/
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