AGP Executive Report

Publishing & Books: GKIDS unveiled an English-subtitled trailer and posters for the live-action film adaptation of Tatsuki Fujimoto’s manga “Look Back,” directed/edited by Hirokazu Kore-eda, with a 2026 U.S. theatrical release. Books & Culture: A new book spotlights Roy Henry Vickers’ 80th birthday with “The Best of Roy Henry Vickers: 80 Selected Works,” celebrating his Northwest Coast–linked art career. Media & Law: President Trump says he will ask the U.S. Supreme Court to revive his $475 million defamation lawsuit against CNN over the “Big Lie” label. Books & Society: A memorial service honored former congressman Barney Frank, remembered for civil rights work and the Dodd-Frank Act. Tech Merch: Amazon launched an in-app AI tool that turns text prompts into printable designs for apparel and drinkware via Alexa in the Shopping app. Health Research: A study reports microplastics found in human brain tissue linked to dementia and cardiovascular risk.

Print Tech & Publishing Ops: Fujifilm North America launched the REVORIA PRESS™ PC2120, a next-gen high-end press with AI-driven prepress automation and a CMYK+ workflow, rolling out in North America starting June 8. Media Business: NPR named Nadine Zylstra its new chief content officer, tasking her with growing audiences across news, entertainment and music. Christian Ministry & AI: Lifeway and Southern Baptist leaders released the “Brentwood Statement on AI and Christian Ministry,” urging churches to engage AI with wisdom rather than blindly adopt or reject it. Books & Reading Habits: ThriftBooks reported that many U.S. adults say summer reading now feels faster than childhood—but books help them slow down, with screens often blamed for breaking the “summer” feeling. Health Policy & Consumer Risk: Texas AG Ken Paxton opened a glyphosate residue investigation into Bayer and PepsiCo, while a separate report says the FDA missed its own deadline on proposed rules targeting electric shock behavior devices used with children. Local Culture: A Fort Worth riverfront development, Westside Village, is adding a new restaurant/beer garden concept tied to fly fishing and local retail, expected to open in 2027.

Rare Earth Race: A remote Utah mill is aiming to scale U.S. rare-earth processing by 2027, challenging China’s dominance in refining critical minerals used in defense and clean tech. World Cup Merch & IP: U.S. Soccer’s 11X11 World Cup clothing line pairs 11 designers with 11 host-city identities, including Philly’s local pick, as the federation leans into hyperlocal brands. Healthcare Cost Pressure: Care New England reports a $35.4M operating loss for the first half of its fiscal year and cuts 30+ leadership/nonclinical roles amid Medicaid reimbursement and cost headwinds. Shareholder Activism in Japan: Activists filed a record number of proposals ahead of Japanese AGMs, with more calls to oust executives—an ongoing pressure campaign that can reshape corporate governance. Broadway Night: The Tony Awards air live on CBS and stream on Paramount+ with Pink hosting, spotlighting 24 shows chasing wins that can keep productions alive. Israel-Iran Escalation: Israel says it struck Iran after missile fire, with sirens and intercepted launches raising fears of renewed regional conflict.

Broadway & Books Crossover: The Tony Awards hit Sunday with 24 shows chasing wins across 26 categories, hosted by Pink and streamed via Paramount+—a reminder of how theater buzz keeps feeding the wider entertainment and publishing ecosystem. Local Literacy Push: “Lucha Libro” is bringing live wrestling story times to libraries nationwide, with 40+ events planned this year to get kids reading through high-energy performances. Publisher/Platform News: BizWest expanded its business coverage onto Apple News, aiming to convert new readers on the free platform into subscriptions and paywalled access. Publishing & Culture Spotlight: A new Prime Video adaptation of Carley Fortune’s bestseller “Every Summer After” is set to debut Wednesday, showing how U.S. book-to-screen pipelines keep accelerating. Immigration Courts: Reports say DHS/DOJ are shifting job ads from “immigration judges” to “deportation judges,” raising alarm about how the system frames outcomes. Health & Consumer Safety: World Food Safety Day coverage highlights unsafe food’s global toll and calls for “safe food everywhere,” while a separate report spotlights hotel-safety tactics travelers are using to reduce risk.

Media Merger Fight: Hollywood workers rallied against the Paramount-Skydance plan to absorb Warner Bros. Discovery in a $110B deal, as states including California and New York prepare a lawsuit to block it. AI & Search Policy: Google is facing new pressure to let publishers opt out of AI search summaries, with regulators pushing control over how content is used. Immigration Courts: Federal prosecutors in Minnesota secured a first conviction in an anti-ICE protest case after downgrading charges for a defendant who pleaded guilty. Publishing/Books & Censorship: A school controversy over “Gender Queer” spotlights how e-book access and age labels collide with local library and classroom rules. Culture & Books: A Vancouver bookstore that won a landmark 2SLGBTQ+ rights case is being honored with a Canada Post stamp, underscoring the ongoing fight over queer reading access. Politics & National Security: Reports say the Pentagon is treating alleged Israeli spying as “critical,” including claims tied to U.S.-Iran negotiations.

Publishing & Books in the News: A Dominican author’s new WWII history book, Sea Wolves in Warm Waters, is being donated to 10 Dominica secondary schools, aiming to boost Caribbean historical awareness. Copyright & Royalties: A Uganda pop collaboration, Omega 256 and Cindy Sanyu’s “See You Tonight,” is now mired in a dispute over who financed, initiated, and controls the work—an all-too-common fight over ownership and creative credit. AI & Media Policy: New rules in the UK are pushing Google to let publishers opt out of AI search summaries, adding pressure on how content is used and credited. Tech & Reading Devices: TechRadar reviews Samsung’s Galaxy Book6 Enterprise Edition, praising battery and build while criticizing port choices at its price. Business & Industry Context: Fortune’s 2026 Fortune 500 list shows Texas pulling ahead of California and New York for corporate headquarters—another signal of where major publishing-adjacent business ecosystems are concentrating. Culture & Community: A New York brewery and the NYPL are teaming up for a George Washington–recipe beer tied to the U.S. 250th anniversary, using the library’s historical materials to drive public engagement.

Publishing & Books: A new American Girl archive coffee-table history, The Making of American Girl, spotlights the brand’s creative origins and early designs, while Phoebe Berman’s Gonna Lose It (Brooke Averick) and David Sedaris’ essay collection The Land and Its People lead major fiction/nonfiction bestseller lists. Copyright & AI: Publishers are pushing back on AI scraping and search summaries, with fresh reporting on Google’s publisher opt-outs and broader fights over how AI systems use copyrighted material. Education Culture Wars: A Brookings study finds school-board conflicts stayed elevated after the pandemic, with many districts still seeing “a lot” of conflict—an issue that keeps spilling into library and curriculum debates. Markets & Tech: A strong May jobs report and a tech-led selloff rattled stocks, while crypto slid as the AI trade cooled—signals that can quickly change how much consumers and investors spend on books and media. Local Book Life: A used-book sale at Catlin Public Library runs through June 6, underscoring how community events keep reading ecosystems alive.

Publishing & Media: Lee Enterprises papers ran a story about Rep. Virginia Foxx that critics say mischaracterized Zionism and distorted the underlying rhetoric in a lawsuit involving a former Columbia student. Books & Culture: Greenwich Village’s Stonewall National Monument 10 turns 27 storefronts into a self-guided LGBTQ+ history exhibit, amid renewed preservation and interpretation fights. Local History in Print: A new excerpt series from “Lewes During The Revolution: 1774-1783” highlights how Congress ordered guards at Lewes to protect Continental pilots. Education & Testing: A debate is back in the spotlight over whether the SAT should return, with some universities arguing students need stronger math and reading baselines. Industry Watch: Publishers are still adjusting to AI search and discovery shifts, including new moves aimed at easing referral and traffic concerns. Community Reading: Iowa’s SUN Meals program expands to 530+ meal sites statewide, supporting families during summer break.

AI & Publishing Policy: The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority orders Google to let publishers opt out of having their web content scraped for AI Overviews and other AI search features, plus require clearer citation links and opt-outs for model fine-tuning—an immediate win for newsrooms worried about traffic drops. Education & Tech Backlash: Randi Weingarten and the AFT push back on screens and devices amid record declines in student test scores, while critics note unions helped keep schools closed during COVID. Sports Media & Culture: LA28 says it will use the 2026 World Cup in Los Angeles as a live test for Olympic transport, security, and crowd movement. Publishing & Books Events: The James Welch Native Lit Festival returns to Missoula July 16–18, spotlighting Native writers and poetry. Local Arts: Denver’s City Park Jazz vows to continue after a bandshell fire, using a temporary stage while reconstruction proceeds. Health Policy: Colorado signs new laws adding quarterly inspections of immigration detention facilities and targeting rising costs of coverage for some immigrants.

AI & Search Policy: The UK Competition and Markets Authority ordered Google to improve AI Overviews sourcing and let publishers opt out of having their content used, aiming to give publishers clearer attribution and more leverage in deals. Independent Publishing Funding: The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and partners announced $7.7 million in Literary Arts Fund grants to 40 nonprofit and independent book organizations across 19 states, including major literary groups and presses. Healthcare Labels Supply Chain: RRD extended its Vizient contract for clinical labels and patient identification solutions, citing delivery of nearly two billion labels and wristbands since 2017. Music Licensing Transparency: AllTrack met with Rep. Scott Fitzgerald’s office to push for clearer, more transparent performance-rights licensing for independent creators. Publishing Tech in Travel: IHG launched a ChatGPT app to help travelers search and compare hotels, signaling more conversational discovery in booking flows. Markets Watch: Jobless claims rose to a four-month high, while gold and silver moved on Hormuz risk and softer dollar conditions.

AI & Publishing Traffic: Google says it’s adding new controls and display tweaks so publishers can opt out of AI Overviews and still protect referral traffic, responding to U.K. rules that force publisher choice. Library Value: A new roundup highlights how public libraries can save money beyond books—tools, classes, and free local perks—plus local library program announcements. Academic Publishing Deal: Elsevier is buying Wellsheet to plug EHR data into ClinicalKey AI, aiming to deliver patient-specific guidance inside clinical workflows. Book Heritage Spotlight: Mark Twain Birthplace State Historic Site marks the 150th anniversary of “Tom Sawyer” by displaying the original handwritten manuscript and recounting the book’s piracy-era print drama. Media Industry: CBS News fired 60 Minutes correspondent Scott Pelley after a clash with new leadership, underscoring ongoing newsroom power shifts. Music Rights Watch: Reports say Garth Brooks is considering a sale of his music catalog, potentially including publishing and recorded rights, for up to $2B.

AI & Publishing Policy: The UK’s competition watchdog ordered Google to let publishers opt out of AI scraping for generative search summaries, and to publish how search content is used—an immediate shift for how publishers’ work can feed AI discovery. Legal/Finance: A top U.S. prosecutor said prosecutors are pressing for more transparency in how private credit and private equity value hard-to-trade assets, targeting inconsistent “marks” that can affect fees and investor trust. Space & IPO Buzz: SpaceX plans to set an IPO price at $135 per share to raise about $75 billion, aiming for a $1.75 trillion valuation—one of the biggest public-market tests in years. Healthcare Fraud: A new study alleges widespread improper enrollment on ACA exchanges, projecting billions in taxpayer costs in 2026. Books & Culture: Pittsburgh author Andrew Moore is set to speak at Monkey Wrench Books about “The Beasts of the East,” focusing on reintroducing elk, bison, and red wolves to the eastern U.S. Entertainment Adaptations: “Warrior Cats” is moving into an authorized animated series, with Tencent Video and Coolabi Group, targeting a 2028 debut.

Publishing & Books: South Carolina writer Julia Elliott won the 2026 Carol Shields Prize for Fiction for her short-story collection Hellions (Tin House), a $150,000 award for women and non-binary authors. Media & Law: A federal judge blocked NOTUS from rebranding as “The Star” in a trademark fight with The Washington Star, aiming to prevent reader confusion as both outlets push into Washington coverage. Politics & Memoir: Jill Biden apologized for not talking more about Hunter’s drug addiction during her White House years, saying openness about recovery can offer hope, as she promotes her memoir View from the East Wing. Tech & AI: Anthropic filed for an IPO that could value it near $1T, while Trump signed a scaled-back executive order letting the government review powerful AI models before public release. Business/Markets: Applied Aerospace & Defense priced its IPO at $20, raising $650M, and is set to begin trading on the NYSE.

Publishing & Media: The Pentagon is tightening press access after redesignating a press office as a classified security space, barring reporters from entering. Books & Culture: Prime Video’s hockey-romance hit “Off Campus” is renewed for season 2, with filming set to begin in Canada in early June. Independent Journalism: Editor and Publisher highlights more legacy reporters moving into newsletters and direct-to-audience brands, including Terry Moran’s Substack shift. Tech & Reading Habits: A Pew survey finds parents worry social media hurts teens’ sleep and mental health, even as they see some benefits for friendships—fueling more state-level regulation. Books & Markets: People Inc. (publisher of PEOPLE and Food & Wine) makes a bid to acquire MGM Resorts, signaling continued media-and-entertainment consolidation. Industry Watch: TRAFFIX launches the NAX Index to track U.S.-Canada and U.S.-Mexico cross-border freight conditions in one monthly score.

Publishing & Books: Horror keeps climbing into the mainstream: Daniel Kraus’ “Angel Down” won a 2026 Pulitzer, and publishers/reading communities are leaning into the genre with events like Denver’s “Creepaway Camp” (June 29–July 3). Local Book Culture: A Tuscaloosa author is bringing “Mayberry” back to readers with “Whistlin’ Wisdom: The Gospel According to Mayberry,” releasing June 1. Health & Consumer Reading: Mayo Clinic Press highlights patient-facing gut-health guidance in “Mayo Clinic Guide to Gut Health,” reflecting how medical publishers are meeting demand for microbiome explainers. Markets & Media Attention: Wall Street’s latest push is still AI-led, with the S&P 500 hitting another record as investors look past geopolitical noise. Civic History & 250th: America’s 250th anniversary coverage continues to frame the Civil War’s roots through constitutional and sectional divides, feeding a steady stream of history-focused reading and programming. Rural & Community Events: UVM’s RISE Summit (June 16) spotlights “AI and the Future Rural Economy,” signaling growing interest in tech-forward community partnerships.

Publishing & Media Jobs: Sports Illustrated carried out another round of layoffs, cutting high-profile writers including Greg Bishop and Michael Rosenberg, as parent Minute Media reportedly trims more broadly. Books & Culture: Hulu added Steven Spielberg’s “Catch Me If You Can,” based on Frank Abagnale Jr.’s book, to its streaming lineup. Local Publishing/Community Pages: A U.S. newspaper is gearing up for America’s 250th with special event pages and limited-run anniversary yard signs. Books & Reading Habits: A new study finds Americans’ financial literacy fell to a 10-year low, with Gen Z scoring worst—another reminder of why accessible, practical reading matters. Tech & Markets: Honeywell’s Quantinuum is pursuing an upsized IPO targeting up to a $14.3B valuation, signaling continued investor appetite for quantum computing. Weather & Safety: Florida’s hurricane season guide kicks off June 1, with below-average forecasts and new inland forecast-cone tools highlighted.