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 fires election commission members in latest attempt to control voting process
ICE’s Internal Watchdog Is Now Investigating Online Critics
The watchdog office is responsible for inspecting detention facilities, investigating allegations of employee and contractor misconduct, and processing security checks for new applicants. But lately it is pursuing civilians for what they say online.
https://www.wired.com/story/ices-internal-watchdog-is-now-investigating-online-critics/
Get Loud: Public Library and School Internet Access Is Under Threat
https://bookriot.com/proposed-fcc-e-rate-changes/
Historians Reject White House’s Criticism of Smithsonian Museum
Innovation
AI is designing radio chips that humans couldn’t even imagine
Cell phones, streaming, even air tags are possible because of radio chips. Further evolution of this technology could bring wide-spread autonomous vehicles, quantum communications, 6G mobile service and satellite communications. Researchers started to develop machine-learning-driven algorithmic methods for designing RFICs. The physical prototypes bested state-of-the art circuits in terms of performance. The real achievement, however, is that it took the AI orders of magnitude less time to conceive a working design than it would a human designer.
https://spectrum.ieee.org/ai-radio-chip-design
Technology
Publishers Are Preparing to Opt Out of Google Search
USA Today Inc is prepared to delist from Google in the next six to 12 months, according to CEO Mike Reed.
https://www.adweek.com/media/publishers-opt-out-google-search/
Meta pulls new AI image feature after days of backlash
It allowed users of the Meta AI chatbot to tag public-facing accounts on Instagram and quickly use content on those accounts to create AI-generated or altered content and images.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2dy6e8klw0o
AI Actor Tilly Norwood to Star in First Movie
AI creation Tilly Norwood will star in her first feature film, a “self-aware” comedy-drama called “Misaligned.”
Reddit is battling a new kind of spam
A new study looks at the skills journalists are losing (and gaining) because of AI tools
Since AI tools can regularly output hallucinated, biased, or incomplete information, journalists will need to strengthen their ability to discern “between fact and fiction, facts and opinions, good and bad journalism or writing, and biased and unbiased content.”
OpenAI proposed donating 5% of its equity to a US sovereign wealth fund
ICYMI According to the FT’s reporting, the donation would be meant to “secure good relations with the administration and … address political blowback.” Similar discussions were reported by CNBC in June and were subsequently confirmed by President Trump, who said he had discussed “concepts where pieces could be given to the American public, where the American public essentially becomes a partner with the companies.”
How AI is changing language
The internet is being rebuilt for machines
https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/28/the-internet-is-being-rebuilt-for-machines/
How Time and others are rebuilding parts of the web for AI agents
https://digiday.com/media/how-time-and-others-are-rebuilding-parts-of-the-web-for-ai-agents/
Apple Sues OpenAI, Alleging It Stole Trade Secrets
https://www.wsj.com/tech/apple-openai-lawsuit-f86bd58c
Are we human? Why ByteDance and Alibaba are disabling AI agents in China
With Beijing’s rules on humanlike AI interaction services taking effect on July 15, Doubao and Qwen move to disable customised features
Google’s NotebookLM can sum up your research in a TikTok-style clip
Google updated NotebookLM to generate 60-second vertical Shorts in Video Overviews. The 60-second videos summarize your sources with AI-generated images and narration.
https://www.theverge.com/tech/959778/google-notebooklm-ai-clips
Apple Creator Studio Just Got Its Biggest Update Since Launch. Here’s What’s New
Gemini Spark, Google’s agentic assistant, is now available on Mac
https://techcrunch.com/2026/07/01/gemini-spark-googles-agentic-assistant-is-now-available-on-mac/
OpenAI Debuts ChatGPT Work Workplace AI Agent With GPT-5.6
Walmart is paying $1.4 billion to purchase a French advertising-technology firm
Publishing & Media
Hachette Book Group Employees Vote to Unionize
Workers at a major publishing house have established what organizers are calling the largest union in trade book publishing history.
E-Book Pricing Antitrust Case Against Amazon May Become Class Action
ICYMI
KDP Raises Price Ceiling for 70 Percent Royalty Rate for the First Time
Amazon announced for those using Kindle Direct Publishing, the 70% royalty has expanded from a top price of $9.99 up to $12.99. That is the first increase in the price band since 2007. As the Authors Guild notes, “This move also brings Amazon closer in line with its competitors: Apple Books and Barnes & Noble Press pay a flat 70 percent at every price point, and Kobo pays 70 percent on any ebook priced at $2.99 or above.”
The Rise of the “As Seen on TikTok” Sticker
https://www.newyorker.com/culture/infinite-scroll/the-rise-of-the-as-seen-on-tiktok-sticker
Netflix dabbles in shorter video content with its new set of publisher deals with Variety, People Inc, Hearst, Conde Nast
Hearst Magazine Sets Sail on Wellness Cruise
Harper’s Bazaar Wellness at Sea began its week-long voyage on Sunday on Cunard’s Queen Anne
The End of Reading Is Here
Optimists once believed that universal literacy was inevitable. Now it seems that the age of reading might be a short anomaly in human history.
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/2026/08/reading-crisis-postliterate-age/687618/
The global reading crisis that started with smartphones
What if just 10 minutes of reading a day could help shape a child’s future? Reading for pleasure is one of the strongest predictors of a child’s future success—it has been shown to boost achievement, mental health, and empathy. Declining reading rates should concern us all. From the rise of smartphones to book deserts and access to books, young readers face challenges, and helping children discover the joy of reading has never been more important.
https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2026-07-07/reading-crisis-smartphones
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
Gival Press Short Story Award
The Fund for Investigative Journalism Grants
https://fij.org/apply-for-a-grant/
National Press Foundation offering local biz journalism workshop
10/5-10/8 workshop in Chicago will cover small biz trends, housing, labor, impact of AI, + investigating biz. 35 journalists get tuition-free training, cover airfare & hotel.
Write Your World: Worldbuilding Workshop with N.K. Jemisin
Free. 8/1 2-4:30pm. In person at Bronx Library Center and livestreamed.
https://events.leapevents.com/event/writeyourworld/tag/nyplevents
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