NotebookLM — an “SLM” of Note

Google Labs In a rare visit back to TwitterX, I fortuitously stumbled across a conversation between the prolific author Steven B. Johnson, now editorial director of Google Labs (who knew?), and This Week in Startup’s host and MAGA wannabee Jason Calacanis. In the convo/demo, the erudite Mr. Johnson kvelled over his latest creation, NotebookLM. https://youtu.be/Uu6bxAbgAGU?si=Ic4QOAHVxuDOpUfD While the world marvels at the large language models…… Continue reading NotebookLM — an “SLM” of Note

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Categorized as The Flack

Where Founders, VCs, Creators, and Journalists Collide

In Toronto’s Distillery District In my last post, I offered some personal observations and select conversations from several media panels at the 2022 Collision Conference, which just concluded in Toronto. Here I’d like to share some memorable moments, which included taking the ContentMakers Stage alongside three path-breaking entrepreneurs who built their companies by helping gamers…… Continue reading Where Founders, VCs, Creators, and Journalists Collide

Collision’s Audacious Return to Toronto

It’s been three years since Web Summit’s sister tech conference, Collision was physically held at Toronto’s Enercare Centre. This year the tech confab returned big time, with a sold-out audience of 35,000+ and more than a fair share of forward-thinking founders, entrepreneurs, VCs, and established tech giants and luminaries to fill the nearly four days of programming…… Continue reading Collision’s Audacious Return to Toronto

Substack, Media Fragmentation & PR

How the Explosion in News Creators impact Communications Pros It was inevitable. The ability to profit from a personal news brand through the creation and distribution of original content has gotten even easier. “We the media” started 15+ years ago with CGM/blogging and, to a lesser degree, podcasting and has evolved to the point where established journalists…… Continue reading Substack, Media Fragmentation & PR

PR Firms: Doing Well, But Doing Good?

Can An Industry That Advocates for its Clients to Embrace ‘Social Good’ Practice What it Preaches? It’s been a long-time pet peeve of mine to observe how many reputable firms in the PR industry will accept clients whose business or advocacy goals raise ethical questions. We’ve seen big oil companies retain PR agencies to publicly tout their social good…… Continue reading PR Firms: Doing Well, But Doing Good?

White House Communications Team Encounters Turbulence

Did @PressSec’s Staff Seek Journalists’ Questions in Advance? White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki (Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images) I suppose it’s all relative. Compared to the horrific daily White House press briefings of the last four years — when there were any — the transparent and truthful approach of President Biden’s new Press Secretary…… Continue reading White House Communications Team Encounters Turbulence

Embargoes and Exclusives

Media Manipulation or Good PR Strategy? Journalists bristle at the notion of being manipulated by PR people as if they’re some cog in a company’s marketing communications program. Some of their biggest gripes include the PR person’s request to see a reporter’s questions in advance or review his/her story copy prior to publication. More often…… Continue reading Embargoes and Exclusives