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The hype around the metaverse rises and falls, but Second Life is 20 years old and continues to draw users and make money. Neville and Shel explore the reasons Second Life enjoys its ongoing modest success in the June monthly long-form episode of “For Immediate Release.” Also in this episode:

• The state of digital news raises concerns for the public’s news literacy, how companies can get their news into the hands of stakeholders, and what “news” means to people today.
• The political assault on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) is producing polarization among employees and, in some companies, questionable decisions by leaders.
• Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) will have an impact on every department in an organization. That makes it a key focus area for Chief People Officers.
• The merger of the PGA and the LIV golf tour caught many players by surprise. They should have been a top priority.
• The metaverse, contrary to popular opinion,  is not dying while AI rises. In fact, AI is breathing new life into the metaverse.
• In his Tech Report, Dan York looks at the Jetpack AI Assistant for WordPress users, why thousands of subreddits are going dark on Reddit, and why we should pay attention to Canada’s C-18 Online News Act.

The next monthly, long-form episode of FIR will drop on Monday, July 24

We host a Communicators Zoom Chat each Thursday at 1 p.m. ET. For credentials needed to participate, contact Shel or Neville directly, request the credentials in our Facebook group, or email fircomments@gmail.com.

Special thanks to Jay Moonah for the opening and closing music.

You can find the stories from which Shel’s FIR content is selected at Shel’s Link Blog. Shel has started a metaverse-focused Flipboard magazine. You can catch up with both co-hosts on Neville’s blog and Shel’s blog. Neville’s Asides blog is also available.

Link from this report:

• Overview and key findings of the 2023 Digital News Report
• Sharp decline in appetite for news in recent years, Reuters Institute says
• ESG wankery has to go up in smoke
• The chief people officer’s quick guide to generative artificial intelligence
• PGA and LIV Merger: A Lesson for Employee Communicators
• PGA Tour and Saudi-backed LIV merge in stunning end to bitter golf rivalry
• Who needs the Metaverse? Meet the people still living on Second Life
• AI As The Driving Force For Metaverse Adoption: A Conversation Looking Towards Transformation

Links from Dan York’s Report

• Meet Your New Creative Writing Partner — The Jetpack AI Assistant
• Reddark: The list of subreddits that went dark from June 12-14
• Reddit CEO Triples Down, Insults Protesters, Whines About Not Making Enough Money From Reddit Users
• Why Link Taxes Like Canada’s C-18 Represent An End To An Open Web
• Canada’s Online News Act could encounter choppy waters with Google news blockage
• Meta’s position on Canada’s Online News Act
• Internet Impact Brief: How Canada’s Online News Act Will Harm the Internet, Restricting Innovation, Security, and Growth of the Digital Economy

About Shel Holtz

Shel Holtz, ABC (Accredited Business Communicator), is director of Internal Communications at Webcor, a commercial general contractor headquartered in San Francisco. Before joining Webcor, Shel spent 21 years as principal of Holtz Communication + Technology. In addition to integrating technology into communications strategies, his expertise includes strategic communications planning, change management, organizational culture, business initiatives and communications research. Full bio

About Neville Hobson

Neville Hobson is a communicator, social strategist, consultant, digital change agent, writer, and podcaster. He is co-founder and co-host of the 'For Immediate Release' podcast. Since 2000, his career has focused on working with organisations globally to help them leverage his experiences, knowledge and subject-matter expertise of social networks, social media marketing, analytics and insights reporting, to create and build foundations for authentic engagement and to expand online reach and influence. Full bio