Technology • Innovation • Publishing — Issue #160

Innovation

Now that machines can learn, can they unlearn?

arstechnica.com

Researchers see if they can remove sensitive data without retraining AI from scratch. #AI

What If? Imagine Then… — by Rishad Tobaccowala

rishad.substack.com

Some wisdom about going back to the office, speed, time, and success from @rishad

Re-Invented Marketing — by Rishad Tobaccowala

rishad.substack.com

More insight from @rishad.

Vans is launching its own world inside of Roblox’s metaverse

www.fastcompany.com

Vans World is the latest way Roblox has become a marketing platform to help companies reach 46 million kids a day. In Vans World, Roblox users can design their own virtual shoes and skateboards and take them for a spin.

The Loot project flips the script on NFTs

techcrunch.com

#NFTs

League of Legends is getting a virtual interactive heavy metal concert

www.theverge.com 
League of Legends’ in-universe heavy metal band Pentakill will be putting on a virtual concert on September 8th, powered by a new platform called Wave.

Technology

Netflix eyes more theatrical releases in bid to have ‘bigger cultural impact,’ JPMorgan analyst says

www.cnbc.com 
Netflix is eyeing a more traditional theatrical release for some of its future films, according to a report from JPMorgan out of CinemaCon.

Locast Shutting Down After Losing Court Battle With TV Networks

www.nytimes.com

Amazon has been investing in a new live audio feature similar to offerings like Clubhouse, Twitter Spaces and Spotify live audio

www.axios.com 
The service will begin with a focus on live music performances.

Amazon is close to launching its own TV in the US

www.businessinsider.com

Amazon is targeting the US launch of its own branded TV as soon as October, challenging Samsung, LG, and Sony. #Amazon #TV

Amazon plans to hire 55,000 people for tech and corporate roles globally in the coming months

www.reuters.com

#Amazon

Apple will allow media apps to create links to sign-up pages on their websites, allowing them to bypass its subscription cuts

www.wsj.com 
The company said it would allow media apps to create in-app links to sign-up pages on those companies’ websites, allowing the likes of Spotify and Netflix to bypass the iPhone maker’s cut of subscriptions.

Apple Plans Blood-Pressure Measure, Wrist Thermometer in Apple Watch

apple.news

#Apple

Apple has acquired the classical music streaming service Primephonic and plans to launch a classical music app next year.

www.cnbc.com 
The acquisition will bring more content to Apple Music’s catalog of more than 75 million songs

YouTube has signed up more than 50 million paid subscribers to its music service

www.ft.com

#YouTube #music

U.S. antitrust officials are preparing a second monopoly lawsuit against Google over the company’s digital advertising business

www.bloomberg.com

#Google #advertising

WhatsApp is fined $267 million for breaching EU privacy rules

www.cnbc.com

Facebook-owned WhatsApp has been fined by Ireland’s data watchdog for breaching EU data privacy rules. #WhatsApp #Facebook #privacy

Walmart GoLocal will offer delivery across the U.S. at what the company calls “competitive pricing” to merchants, ranging from local bakeries to national auto-supply stores.

www.digitalcommerce360.com

HT @BISG

LinkedIn has told advertisers to prepare for the end of its short-lived test of Stories, after the ephemeral videos failed to catch on

adage.com

Brands will have to adjust ad campaigns when video format leaves the platform after September. #LinkedIn

People with more than 10,000 Twitter followers can now earn money from tweeting — here’s how

www.cnbc.com 
Twitter on Wednesday launched Super Follows, a feature that allows select users to charge others for access to subscriber-only content.

Twitter launches ‘safety mode’ to block accounts for harmful language

www.nbcnews.com

HT @michellemanafy Twitter will launch a safety feature that would allow users to temporarily block accounts for seven days for using harmful language or sending uninvited replies.

Facebook plans to downrank current events content and political posts in the News Feed, which could reduce traffic to some news publishers

www.axios.com

Publishing & Media

‘Devastating’ copyright changes could put 64% of publisher revenue at risk and hurt authors and illustrators

www.thebookseller.com

#copyright

Copyright Office Concurs that Maryland’s Library Lending Law Is “Likely…Preempted” By the Copyright Act

lunch.publishersmarketplace.com

Beijing International Book Fair rescheduled for September 14–18

www.thebookseller.com

The Beijing International Book Fair (BIBF) has been rescheduled for later this month following its last-minute postponement.

ComiXology.com is closing up shop and moving to Amazon

aiptcomics.com

Salman Rushdie to bypass print and publish next book on Substack

www.theguardian.com

Marley Dias is American Library Association’s honorary chair for ‘Library Card Sign-Up Month’ — www.clickorlando.com

Lit in Colour programme to diversify curriculum will reach 12,000 students — www.thebookseller.com

The Lit in Colour Pioneers programme, which supports UK schools in diversifying their English Literature curriculum, will be working with 119 cohorts from across the country this year, reaching almost 12,000 students. #teamPRH

France’s Asmodee Slates Book-to-Comics Releases for 2022

publishingperspectives.com 
Asmodee Group’s brand-extension partnerships now include Ox Eye Media and its Source Point Press for comics based on games.

Entangled Announces Audio Partnership with RBmedia

rbmediaglobal.com

Francisco Partners, the private equity firm that acquired Vital Source from Ingram Content Group earlier this year, has acquired Follett School Solutions

www.publishersweekly.com

The sale does not include Follett Higher Education Group or Baker & Taylor.

McGraw Hill to Acquire Achieve3000

lunch.publishersmarketplace.com

What to Know Before You Hit the Livestreaming Button

www.thetilt.com

RT @TheTiltNews Audiences are increasingly interested in watching livestreams. Livestreaming could be a great opportunity for content entrepreneurs #contentcreation #contentcreators #revenue #video

Trend: Magazine Editors Flee to New Jobs in Tech

www.thecut.com

#magazines

At Top Magazines, Black Representation Remains a Work in Progress

www.nytimes.com

Last summer’s racial reckoning brought calls for an industrywide overhaul in fashion. But change is slow.

Sports Illustrated Launches Sports Betting Product in Colorado

www.adweek.com

PubWorX Rebrands as PWX Solutions

myemail.constantcontact.com

HT @BoSacks

New York Times’ Wirecutter Product-Review Site Moves Behind Paywall

www.wsj.com 
The product-review site will be available for $5 every four weeks or as part of a premium bundle as the news publisher looks to further diversify its subscription business.

Women now make up the majority of the newsroom of USA Today — www.usatoday.com

#NewsBusiness

Miss Marple back on the case in stories by Naomi Alderman, Ruth Ware and more

www.theguardian.com 
Agatha Christie’s beloved sleuth to return in new authorised collection featuring contemporary writers including Dreda Say Mitchell, Kate Mosse and Val McDermid

Publishing Workers Feel the Burn Out

lunch.publishersmarketplace.com

Did you know that Marie Antoinette had a secret library of 10,000 books?

www.themorgan.org

LeVar Burton’s ‘Reading Rainbow’ to Be Celebrated in Documentary Film — www.hollywoodreporter.com 
The documentary film from XTR will chronicle the journey of the legendary children’s television program and feature interviews with former host LeVar Burton along with others involved in the show.

Family of ducks waddles through University of Nottingham library — www.bbc.com 
The mother and her ducklings were “calm and unflustered” as they walked around George Green Library.

Resources & Opportunities

Open a Book, Open the World: The Library of Congress National Book Festival

www.loc.gov

MT @librarycongress COMING THIS WEEK: The 2021 National Book Festival, “Open a Book, Open the World” begins on September 12 with a @PBS Special hosted by @levarburton. Mark your calendar. #NatBookFest

Free Virtual Publishing@W3C Seminar September 14

www.w3.org

Sessions on Accessibility, Metadata, Fixed Layout EPUBs, and W3C Audiobooks Specification.

Refugee and Migrant Walter Grants

diversebooks.org

MT @diversebooks GOOD NEWS: we’ve extended the deadline for our Walter Grant for refugee & migrant creators until September 22, 2021 at 11:59 pm ET! Thanks to author @a_reflective for making this $2000 grant possible.

2 Free 1yr subscriptions to Melanin in YA monthly newsletter

twitter.com

MT @StorySorcery Are you an unagented Black YA writer? I’m gifting two 1yr subscription to the comprehensive Melanin in YA monthly newsletter. To enter: 👍🏿 follow @melanin_ya 👍🏿 tag a friend who could benefit from MIYA 👍🏿 retweet this post 2 names will be randomly selected. Ends on 9/9/2021.

Nominate an inspirational woman

www.toryburch.com

MT @ToryBurchFdn Tell us about a woman, anywhere in the world, who is embracing her ambition and making a change. We will choose one amazing woman a month — and she will receive $5000 to give to a non-profit of her choice.

Women’s March 10/2/21 — womensmarch.com

FREE Women’s Media Group virtual event 9/15 12–1pm ET

www.womensmediagroup.org

According to Forbes, influencer marketing spend is projected to hit $15 billion in 2022, a rise from $8 billion in 2019. How can you be a part of that, and ensure a positive ROI? Sign up today for this free public virtual @WMG_NYC event!

FREE WMG virtual event 9/23 7–8pm ET

www.womensmediagroup.org

Writer and editor Michelle Burford has co-authored ten memoirs and six New York Times best sellers (three of which debuted at #1) including Just As I Am written with legendary actress Cicely Tyson (who tragically passed away on January 28, 2021, two days following publication of her memoir). Michelle’s celebrity collaborations also include books with Alicia Keys, Toni Braxton and Simone Biles (to name just a few) — plus there are more in the pipeline (this past summer Michelle was working on no less than three memoirs). Come hear from Michelle at this FREE public @WMG_NYC event — sign up today!