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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

How to Identify Credible Sources—A Skill More Crucial Than Ever

Per Kelly Jensen: It’s your responsibility to explore whether information is reliable and whether it is valid. These are two separate, but related, concepts. Reliability is about consistency. With information, reliability applies to whether what you’re reading is consistent across sources. There will certainly be differences in slant, but at heart, the information being shared is the same from outlet to outlet. Validity is about accuracy. With information, validity is about where something falls on the spectrum of fact to fiction.

https://bookriot.com/how-to-identify-credible-sources/

Inside Elon Musk’s “Digital Coup”

Musk’s loyalists at DOGE have infiltrated dozens of federal agencies, pushed out tens of thousands of workers, and siphoned millions of people’s most sensitive data. The next step: Unleash the AI.

https://www.wired.com/story/elon-musk-digital-coup-doge-data-ai/

The Volunteer Data Hoarders Resisting Trump’s Purge

More than 130,000 government pages have gone dark in a purge that one scientist likened to a “digital book burning.” A group of librarians and archivists are fighting back.

https://www.newyorker.com/news/the-lede/the-data-hoarders-resisting-trumps-purge

Block Donald Trump’s Attempts to Abolish the Department of Education

Public education in this country is under attack. And Trump has already made clear his intentions to undermine public education even further at every turn—including the extreme proposal to completely eliminate the Department of Education (DOE).

https://sign.moveon.org/petitions/block-donald-trump-s-attempts-to-abolish-the-department-of-education

Petition against Trump’s Attack on Federal Funding for Libraries

In a new executive order, Trump has targeted the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the federal agency charged with distributing Congressionally approved funds to state libraries and to library, museum, and archives program grant recipients.

https://www.everylibrary.org/statementimls2025

New Texas Bill Outright Criminalizes Being Trans As Felony Fraud

By @ErinInTheMorn

https://www.erininthemorning.com/p/new-texas-bill-outright-criminalizes

Texas cities run short of MMR vaccine as measles outbreak drives demand

Pharmacies are struggling with supplies as fatal outbreak expands and health secretary sows disinformation

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/08/texas-mmr-vaccine-measles-outbreak

Innovation

Geothermal Power Is a Climate Moon Shot Beneath Our Feet

ICYMI The center of the Earth is so hot that it could satisfy the entire world’s energy needs. But can scientists safely tap into it?

https://www.newyorker.com/news/the-lede/geothermal-power-is-a-climate-moon-shot-beneath-our-feet

Technology

ChatGPT firm reveals AI model that is ‘good at creative writing’

As tech firms battle creative industries over copyright, OpenAI chief Sam Altman says he was ‘really struck’ by product’s output ‘A machine-shaped hand’: Read a story from OpenAI’s new creative writing model. Jeanette Winterson: OpenAI’s metafictional short story about grief is beautiful and moving.

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/mar/12/chatgpt-firm-reveals-ai-model-that-is-good-at-creative-writing-sam-altman

News/Media Alliance urges US to encourage responsible AI innovation by protecting intellectual property rights

https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/newsmedia-alliance-urges-us-to-encourage-responsible-ai-innovation-by-protecting-intellectual,254772

Sony Music says it has removed over 75,000 deepfake tracks from streaming platforms

Sony Music criticizes the UK government’s AI plans for granting tech firms a copyright loophole & says it has acted against more than 75,000 AI fakes harming legitimate musicians.

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/sony-music-says-removed-over-112250717.html

Desperate for work, translators train the AI that’s putting them out of work

https://restofworld.org/2025/turkeys-translators-training-ai-replacements/

Russian Propaganda Has Now Infected Western AI Chatbots — New Study

A Well-funded Moscow-based Global ‘News’ Network has Infected Western Artificial Intelligence Tools Worldwide with Russian Propaganda

https://www.forbes.com/sites/torconstantino/2025/03/10/russian-propaganda-has-now-infected-western-ai-chatbots—new-study/

AI now ‘analyzes’ LA Times articles for bias

LA Times owner Patrick Soon-Shiong announced an AI-generated “Voices” label for opinion articles, prompting union criticism over unvetted analysis potentially eroding media trust

https://www.theverge.com/news/623638/la-times-ai-generated-views-summaries-political-bias

China’s Autonomous AI Agent, Manus, Changes Everything

ICYMI What happens when artificial intelligence stops asking for permission and starts making its own decisions?

https://www.forbes.com/sites/craigsmith/2025/03/08/chinas-autonomous-agent-manus-changes-everything/

What you need to know about Manus, the new AI agentic system from China hailed as a second ‘DeepSeek moment’

https://venturebeat.com/ai/what-you-need-to-know-about-manus-the-new-ai-agentic-system-from-china-hailed-as-a-second-deepseek-moment/

OpenAI launches new tools to help businesses build AI agents

OpenAI’s Responses API enables developers and enterprises to create custom AI agents that can perform tasks such as web searches and file scanning.

https://techcrunch.com/2025/03/11/openai-launches-new-tools-to-help-businesses-build-ai-agents/

Amazon Is Running Video Ads in Rufus, Its Gen AI Search Engine

https://www.adweek.com/commerce/amazon-is-running-video-ads-in-rufus-its-gen-ai-search-engine/

Chatbots, Like the Rest of Us, Just Want to Be Loved

A study reveals that large language models recognize when they are being studied and change their behavior to seem more likable

https://www.wired.com/story/chatbots-like-the-rest-of-us-just-want-to-be-loved/

XR At SXSW 2025: Expanding The Boundaries Of Immersion

SXSW 2025’s XR showcase pushed the limits of immersive storytelling, featuring award-winning VR, AR, and MR experiences, from haptic empathy-driven VR to large-scale dome projections. The top Jury Award was won by Chloé Lee’s Reflections of a Little Red Dot, an open-world documentary exploring Singapore. Also honored with a Special Jury Award Special was Proof As If Proof Were Needed where participants navigated a virtual Taiwanese home, triggering different scenes as they moved. “They’re tracking where people move on a grid, and what entices them to shift determines what’s shown on-screen.”

https://www.forbes.com/sites/charliefink/2025/03/15/xr-at-sxsw-2025-expanding-the-boundaries-of-immersion/

YouTube at 20: How the Video Colossus Launched the Creator Economy and Turned From Hollywood Foe to Friend

Over the past 20 years, Google-owned YouTube has become the world’s most-watched video platform, bar none. It’s the home base of countless self-made influencers, podcasters, commentators and entrepreneurs and over time has made it into the big leagues of TV through rights deals with the NFL, Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery and NBCUniversal.

https://variety.com/2025/digital/news/youtube-20th-anniversary-sean-evans-hollywood-1236327520/

Publishing & Media

‘Something magical is happening’: sales boom for children’s comics creating young readers of the future

Publishers and analysts say popularity of genres like manga and superhero comics is a gateway into reading. Sales of children’s comics and graphic novels have reached an all-time peak of almost £20m in Britain.

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/mar/09/something-magical-is-happening-sales-boom-for-childrens-comics-creating-young-readers-of-the-future

OverDrive Distributes Podium’s Audiobooks Outside North America

The United States’ OverDrive is to distribute Podium Entertainment’s audiobooks catalogues to libraries and schools outside the States and Canada.

https://publishingperspectives.com/2025/03/overdrive-distributes-podiums-audiobooks-outside-north-america/

NetGalley launches new consumer marketing platform Booktrovert

NetGalley is launching Booktrovert, a standalone consumer marketing platform where readers can participate in digital giveaways, promotions and book-related activities. The website will launch in the US in Q2 2025, but publishers, authors, and PR firms will be able to set up book giveaways and other public and private campaigns from early April.

https://www.thebookseller.com/news/netgalley-launches-new-consumer-marketing-platform-booktrovert

Zando Acquires Tin House

Zando, the independent publisher founded by Molly Stern in 2020, has made its first major acquisition, acquiring the highly respected literary press, Tin House. The purchase includes Tin House’s backlist and frontlist of more than 200 titles. Per the deal, Tin House will become an imprint of Zando. Zando currently has nine imprints, including Sarah Jessica Parker’s SJP Lit, Gillian Flynn’s eponymous imprint, John Legend’s Get Lifted, the romance imprint Slowburn, and the Atlantic’s Atlantic Editions.

https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/industry-deals/article/97298-zando-acquires-tin-house.html

Najafi Sells Author Solutions

The former leader in self publishing Author Solutions has been sold by the Najafi Companies, to Center Street Ventures. Najafi took Author Solutions off of Penguin Random House’s hands at the end of 2015. Penguin had acquired the business for $116 million in mid-2012 from Bertram Capital — about 3 months before Penguin and Random House agreed to merge.

https://lunch.publishersmarketplace.com/2025/03/najafi-sells-author-solutions/

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Owner Looks to Merge Company with Cambium Learning

Veritas Capital, the investment firm that took Houghton Mifflin Harcourt private in 2022, is reported to be preparing a merger between HMH and Cambium Learning — which Veritas acquired in 2018. The merger has been expected since Veritas acquired HMH. Cambium carries $2.15 billion in debt and HMH has $2.5 billion in loans outstanding, according to Bloomberg.

https://lunch.publishersmarketplace.com/2025/03/houghton-mifflin-harcourt-owner-looks-to-merge-company-with-cambium-learning/

Just two buyers left in race to buy WH Smith high street division

Alteri and Modella Capital are the only two parties remaining in talks, according to Sky News, for WH Smith’s 500 UK high street shops.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/mar/09/two-buyers-left-buy-wh-smith-high-street-division-alteri-modella

Seattle Times: Tariffs Could Kill Newspapers

“Canada supplies most of the newsprint used in America. Hundreds of newspapers could close if the newsprint tariff continues.”

https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/tariffs-latest-blow-to-newspaper-industry-ai-fears-confirmed/

Librarian Criminalization Bills Are Growing, But They’re Not New

https://bookriot.com/librarian-criminalization-bills-are-growing/

Moms For Liberty Is Shutting Down BookLooks

https://bookriot.com/booklooks-shutting-down/

Resources & Opportunities

Feminist Journalism Today: A Crucial Conversation About Women’s Voices in Media

@WMG_NYC is proud to announce a 2nd collaboration with @MsMagazine exploring the important role of women’s voices and stories in journalism. Come to our luncheon on 3/25 at 12:30pm ET at Barbetta, NYC. This time the speakers include:

Lindsay Peoples (Editor-In-Chief of The Cut),
Katherine Spillar (Executive Editor, Ms. magazine; Co-Founder and Executive Director at Feminist Majority Foundation),
Carol Jenkins (Co-Host of “The Invisible Americans” and “Lady Liberty is VERY Pissed!” podcasts and Founding President of The Women’s Media Center)

More speakers to be announced.

$65 for members; $75 for non-members. All welcome. https://www.womensmediagroup.org/event-6090610

Annual Business Meeting

Spend 30 minutes with Co-Presidents Jodi Brockington and Jennifer A. Perry, and members of the board, in an abbreviated virtual meeting to:

Vote in the new board (me included!)
Welcome new members
Review highlights of the past year
Talk about opportunities to volunteer

Wednesday, 4/2, 12-12:30 pm ET via Zoom. WMG members only; FREE

https://www.womensmediagroup.org/event-6101505

WMG Wellness Series

Do you feel anger, rage, and despair in the current social and political climate? Come join WMG to feel your feelings, release and renew, and then vision forward and begin embodying empowered action.

4/3, 4/10, and 4/17 from 6-8 pm ET in NYC – come to 1, 2, or all 3!

Per session price: $30 WMG members; $39 for non-members

Special Bundle Discount: $80 WMG members; $100 for non-members

https://www.womensmediagroup.org/event-6090679

INKLUDED: Providing Mutual Aid Through Books

MT @GetInkluded We’re excited to announce our March Spotlight event! Join us in person at the Nonbinarian Bookstore in Bklyn to discuss independent bookstores and mutual aid organizations with Jihye Shin-Perez. $5 3/21 7-8pm.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/inkluded-providing-mutual-aid-through-books-registration-1271799218699?aff=ebdsoporgprofile

INKLUDED: Freelance Ghostwriting

INKLUDED: Pathways Event for March 2025 will explore the world of collaborative writing and what ghostwriting really is about. 3/24 7-8:30pm ET virtual, free.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/inkluded-freelance-ghostwriting-tickets-1271788737349?aff=ebdsoporgprofile

The Blk Powerhouse Summit

Bringing together the Black Book Ecosystem: The summit is a virtual gathering for Black professionals across the book industry—publishers, authors, booksellers, librarians, book influencers, and more. With industry-specific breakout sessions and thought-provoking keynotes, this event is designed to foster connections and drive solutions that make publishing more equitable for Black professionals. $35-$75 4/25 12-3:30pm ET virtual.

https://events.zoom.us/ev/AgTkHMnqnjNI5VdN0X9xSJ7td1n1gZeo2W6nMezNZCi5DPSfzt68~AvZe33e5GqqC1KVJESCJEQibF1JPWkBWyUhhHd8-PejdAZsQvMJm28zjvQ

The McGraw Fellowship for Business Journalism

MT @womenjournos Are you a journalist who likes to dig deep? the McGraw Center offers $15K grants to report high-impact stories that ‘Follow the Money’ on key econ/biz issues: inequality, work, climate, health, corp accountability & more via Newmark J-School. Apply by 4/14.

https://www.mcgrawcenter.org/the-harold-w-mcgraw-jr-business-journalism-fellowships/

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