Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich says Israel has “no interest” in joining the renewed US military campaign against Iran, arguing the current US-Iran conflict and sustained economic pressure on Tehran benefits Israel.
Published On 21 Jul 2026
During Hunter Biden and far-right influencer Nick Fuentes‘s soon-to-be-released interview — filmed in a Philadelphia studio designed to resemble a sleazy motel room earlier this month — the two opposing fringe political players tackle a range of topics including Holocaust denial, race in America and artificial superintelligence, according to a trailer for the Channel 5 interview exclusively shared with The Hollywood Reporter.
News of the unexpected Biden-Fuentes tête-à-tête — and the moment it apparently got so heated the conversation nearly turned violent — grabbed headlines when it was revealed last week. The interview was brokered by Andrew Callaghan, the creator and host of Channel 5, an offbeat YouTube news channel, and his publicist, after Fuentes reached out looking to do an interview that would shift perceptions about his brand, and Biden, who teamed up with Callaghan to do an interview that could “move the needle” in U.S. politics.
In the trailer, Biden appears to make good on a promise he recently made while appearing on the IHIP News podcast, to ask Fuentes — who has advanced white nationalism and white supremacy on his video podcast — why he is a Nazi, or at least the question is raised by Fuentes, who asks Biden about his interest in the topic in the trailer’s opening line.
The 1-minute, 25-second clip consists of a series of cuts from the two men’s lengthy and, it seems, wide-ranging discussion. It jumps from hot topics like the DEI debate to race and the great replacement theory to Holocaust denial — a view that has become synonymous with Fuentes and his brand, but one he says has shifted from over time.
“As far as Jews are concerned, in general, I think that everybody in the country should be treated with dignity and respect and have their civil rights,” Fuentes says in the trailer.
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani and his recent speech at the city’s Fourth of July celebration also come up, with Fuentes complaining about his nonwhite guests, before the two get into the Trump administration. Donald Trump Jr.’s record-breaking loan from the Department of Defense is also discussed, followed by the president, and Biden offers a stark read on Trump.
“What about fucking Donald Trump? There’s no ideological core,” he said.
Biden’s stated goal was to reach Fuentes’ growing audience of young men known for their devotion to the video podcaster. He has also said he’s seeking to find common ground through the interview — a sentiment that closes out the trailer.
“I want to find common ground on how much of a shithead Donald Trump is,” Biden says. “We can get there.”
The Biden-Fuentes interview is scheduled to be released on Channel 5 later this month; an exact date has not yet been announced.
On Monday, Channel 5 also launched C5.NOW, which it describes in a press release provided to THR as a new “completely independent streaming platform … for outsider documentarians and independent filmmakers outside of Hollywood.”
C5.NOW was born out of Callaghan’s frustrations with streaming services. In the release, he says major streaming platforms censor filmmakers and provide little funding for documentary content.
“You are only as free as the platform’s terms of service,” Callaghan says in the video announcement for the new platform. “It’s smart to create a foothold outside of the controlled web. It’s time to hatch a backup plan right now. Worse than the social media platforms themselves in terms of censorship is the institution of Hollywood, which I would describe as a sickening, nepotistic, gatekept world of godless narcissists.”
C5.NOW is launching with five documentary films, all of which embody Channel 5’s spirit of untold stories and gonzo journalism. The films are: Starcrash, which follows people who study the planets to decide when to buy and sell stocks; Physician, Heal Thyself, a documentary following Gabor Maté, one of the world’s most famous experts on addiction and trauma; Rat Film, Theo Anthony’s film about the city of Baltimore seen through its rats’ perspective; The Art of Protest, about an anonymous art collective in decline and the history of creative resistance; and Callaghan’s Finding Orson, in which he joins Ric Shore on a wild goose chase in search of his beloved bird.
Updated July 21: Your favorite playlist not hitting like it used to? Change it up and hear your tunes like they’re meant to be heard with a new set of speakers. You don’t ever have to pay full price here, though. I drilled through the audio offerings from all the major retailers to pick out tons of price cuts on top-rated home theater towers, compact portable Bluetooth boom boxes, and everything in between.
At PCMag, we deploy a well-tuned method for testing speakers to give you everything you need to know before you make a purchase decision. Each unit we evaluate is tested with its primary connection method (Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or wired connection) in real-world situations and then put through a number of quantitative comparisons. For units that work with TVs (like soundbars), we screen a selection of movies and shows with dynamic sound, potent sound effects, and assertive soundtracks. We also test other functionality for speakers with voice assistants, like connecting to Bluetooth and setting reminders.
The Beats Pill is our Editors’ Choice award for the best Bluetooth speaker for iPhone and iPad users, and in our review, we gave it an Editors’ Choice award. PCMag expert Tim Gideon said it delivered an “excellent, bass-focused sound signature” with bright highs and a good-quality microphone for speakerphone use. It runs for 24 hours on a single battery charge, with Bluetooth audio using the AAC and SBC codecs, or USB-C wired playback at up to 24-bit/48kHz. Controls are simple and intuitive, and the housing is IP67 rated for dust and water resistance. This is a mono speaker, but the Beats app lets you pair two of them for true stereo sound. Get $20 off right now at Amazon.
Do you want even more detail about what makes a Bluetooth or wireless speaker the best? Then take a deeper dive into our top-tested picks.
*Deals are selected by our commerce team
For your home theater, the speakers of choice are going to be towers, because you want to ensure spatial audio and stereo separation, especially when you also pick up a subwoofer for room-rattling bass. Klipsch makes a wide range of consumer home theater speakers. The RP-640D is an attractive and high-quality unit, with 90×90 Tractrix horns, spun-copper cerametallic woofers, and linear travel suspension titanium tweeters in a modern design. If you don’t like the exposed style, it also comes with a wrap-around grille that attaches easily to the front. Amazon has this model on sale for 31% off retail, making it our top tower speaker pick of the month.
Bookshelf speakers typically are designed for wired connections, but this pair from Ultimea couple all of the standard inputs (optical, AUX, USB) with some less-common ones like HDMI ARC and wireless Bluetooth, making them a very versatile choice for any home entertainment system. The 3-way driver design gives you rich, robust stereo sound, with a 5.25-inch long-throw woofer holding down the low end with bass response as deep as 50Hz. They’re easy to set up, connect effortlessly to a wide range of sound sources like TVs, game consoles, media players, and more, and look pretty cool. Best of all, you can get them at a 55% discount.
Speaker size determines a lot about how loud they can get and how low they can go, so the incredible bass fidelity and booming volume of the Sony ULT Field 5 make it our top portable pick for the month, especially at a 46% discount. In our review, we raved about this attractive unit’s features, including responsive tunable EQ through the Sony app, customizable LED lights, and IP67 dust and water resistance. It’s a terrific speaker for just about any situation, and 25 hours of battery life is excellent.
These aren’t explicitly designed for PC usage, but their small form factor and solid all-around sound make them a solid choice, especially at a massive discount. We reviewed the Onkyo Creator Series speakers and gave them a positive overall rating, noting that their audio profile was warm and rich for their size, with good volume and lots of connectivity options. They also have a subwoofer output if you want to hook one up for additional bass. They do rely on an external power brick instead of a built-in power supply, so plan your cable management around that. Although some physical controls are awkwardly located on the back of the speaker, the included remote means you never have to use them.
Powered by Sonos technology, these all-weather speakers give you access to your streaming music anywhere. The 6-inch speakers can be easily mounted to most surfaces, and boast a wide frequency range of 65Hz – 30kHz with 89dB of sensitivity, great for all kinds of audio content from podcasts to party jams. These are wired, so you’ll need to run power to their installation points, but aside from that they’re a breeze to set up. See how they compare on our list of the best outdoor speakers.
This depends on what “better” means and on many of the things mentioned above. Expensive speakers are often designed differently than mass-produced speakers, with a focus on quality rather than factors like keeping the price in check. Some expensive speakers use higher-quality materials, which can lead to better sound, but design plays a big role here. Also, what sounds better to one person may not sound better to you.
Speakers can cover a wide range of uses, so there might not be a single answer to this question. Our favorite affordable computer speakers are the Creative Pebble Pros, which typically retail for $59.99 and have solid sound and real stereo separation. For spatial audio and Dolby Atmos compatibility, the Sonos Era 300 is a little pricier but offers professional sound quality and ease of use.
In terms of cost-to-performance comparison, the super-cheap Tribit XSound Go is probably the biggest value on the market. At a ludicrously low $28.99 at Amazon, it’s competitive in price with shoddy no-name dropshipped brands but delivers sound quality that punches way above its weight with dual 40mm 8-watt drivers for true stereo audio, a fully waterproof casing, and an included lanyard. Even at top volume, the XSound Go sounds clear and bright, making it a great bang for the buck.
If you’re looking for a do-it-all smart speaker with decent sound that can also help with home automation and more, the Amazon Echo is a great choice at $99.99 and often goes on sale for less. For budget waterproof Bluetooth speakers, we like the Anker Soundcore Mini 3, which sells for $40.99. It’s a pocket-sized powerhouse with adjustable EQ, high-quality microphones, and an IPX7 rating.
While it’s possible to spend thousands of dollars on a speaker system, modern audio technology means you don’t have to. We have tested hundreds of speakers extensively, and one of the best in the sub-$200 price range is the Editors’ Choice-winning Beats Pill. It is a compact and potent portable that plays nice with iOS devices and retails for just $149.95. It doesn’t get discounts often, but it’s a great all-around speaker.
We have a complete rundown of the best Bluetooth speakers under $100. One of our favorites is the Anker Soundcore Motion 300, which typically retails for $79.99. We gave it an Editors’ Choice award in our review, praising its customizable EQ through the Soundcore app and LDAC support for higher-quality audio from compatible sources. It’s definitely one of the best choices at that price point, but other good options include the JBL Go 3 and the Amazon Echo.
Most of the speakers you might buy from electronics retailers are going to top out around 100 or 125 watts. These are your higher-end Bluetooth, bookshelf, home theater, and soundbar speakers. The majority of such speakers will be rated for 50 watts or less. In order to reach watts in excess of 200, you’ll need to turn to public address (PA) speakers, like those used in conference rooms, classrooms, and event venues. Some PAs reach as high as 2,000W, which is enough to fill event venues with loud sound.
A 1,000W speaker produces more volume than anyone needs in their home. Depending on the speaker’s efficiency and sensitivity, 1,000W is enough power to fill a medium-size event space with more than 100 people. This amount of power can produce in excess of 130dB, which is enough to cause hearing damage in a short amount of time. Unless you’re throwing raves in your backyard or deejaying weddings, no one needs any home speaker or system that delivers more than 100 watts.
Absolutely not. Many factors determine the sound quality of any given speaker, including the design, components, efficiency, sensitivity, and even the room in which it is used. Other variables include the quality of the source material (vinyl or MP3) and the type of power being supplied (analog or digital). Low-wattage speakers and amplifiers are easily capable of producing outstanding-quality sound.
We hunt deals all year long, and while price drops can happen any time, they’re more likely to be timed to tech world events like Amazon Prime Day or holidays like Christmas and Valentine’s Day. In general, the absolute lowest prices on most electronics surround Black Friday, the weekend after Thanksgiving in the United States. Another good time to shop is early January when many retailers have open box deals on returned merchandise from the winter holiday season.
Yes! Amazon’s Alexa-powered speakers often receive the deepest discounts during sales periods. But Amazon is also known for knocking down the price for Bluetooth speakers from JBL, LG, Marshall, Soundcore, Sony, and others.
K. Thor Jensen
Contributing Writer
Experience
K. Thor Jensen is a writer and cartoonist living in the Pacific Northwest. He has contributed to dozens of prestigious outlets, including PCMag, Tested, Clickhole, and Newsweek. His second graphic novel, Cloud Stories, was released in 2017.
Eric Zeman
Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics
Experience
I’m PCMag’s Managing Editor for Consumer Electronics content, overseeing an experienced team of reviewers and product testers. I’ve been covering technology for more than 25 years. Prior to PCMag, I worked at outlets such as Android Authority, Fortune, InformationWeek, and Phonescoop.
SiriusXM has signed a three-year deal with Trixie Mattel and Katya Zamolodchikova’s hit comedy podcast The Bald and the Beautiful.
SiriusXM will exclusively distribute the show hosted by the RuPaul’s Drag Race alums through the SiriusXM podcast network. SiriusXM Media, the company’s advertising division, will retain exclusive advertising sales rights for both the audio and video versions of the podcast.
“I can’t believe it! I’m so grateful be a Sirius girl now. Sirius just got a whole lot prettier … you’re all welcome,” Trixie said in a statement.
Added Katya: “I am so excited about this incredible opportunity … it feels surreal joining the SiriusXM family, I am so grateful.”
Launched in 2020, The Bald and the Beautiful has earned nearly 100 million lifetime downloads on RSS. The podcast’s YouTube channel has amassed more than 770,000 followers, cementing itself as a mainstay on the comedy podcast charts.
Trixie and Katya first crossed paths when they competed on season seven of RuPaul’s Drag Race, which premiered in 2015. From there, they continued to creatively collaborate with each other, beginning with the popular web series UNHhhh, which led to their sprawling professional relationship. Together, they also star in Netflix’s I Like to Watch web series and released their best-selling advice book in 2020.
Separately, they both have found success and are regarded as two of the most beloved talents to emerge from RuPaul’s Drag Race. Katya returned to compete in the beloved second season of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars, where she was a runner-up. Trixie subsequently revisited the series for All Stars season three and won the crown; outside of Drag Race, she has a successful makeup brand and starred in the Discovery+ series Trixie Motel, which tracked the real-life renovation project for Trixie’s Palm Springs motel.
New episodes of The Bald and the Beautiful will continue to be available wherever listeners get their podcasts, including the SiriusXM app and all major podcast platforms.
The Bald and the Beautiful and Katya, as well as Trixie’s audio and touring work, are represented by UTA.
The Bald and the Beautiful with Trixie and Katya
Courtesy
“The simple, the honest and human, as antidote to the complexity of life.”
That’s how Prada describes the vibe of a new campaign for the luxury house’s fall/winter 2026 collection, one filled with stars in front of the camera and an Oscar winner behind it. Prada tapped Barry Jenkins to direct the campaign, which features offerings from the men’s and women’s collections designed by creative directors Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons and worn by brand ambassadors Kelvin Harrison Jr., Hunter Schafer, Troye Sivan and Chen Haoyu.
Captured in still and motion images, the actors are seen in “scenes from life” as Jenkins reframes moments of “domestic intimacy” and “normalcy.” Think Harrison in front of a mirror or Schafer slipping on shoes while rushing to get out of the house and those simple moments become more profound — and stylish — as the clothes (or bags or shoes) become a character in the story. Fernando Verder serves as the campaign’s creative director.
Schafer
Courtesy of Prada
Sivan
Courtesy of Prada
Haoyu
Courtesy of Prada
Harrison
Courtesy of Prada
Jenkins comes to the project after having most recently directed the Disney blockbuster Mufasa: The Lion King. He won an Oscar for Moonlight, a best picture winner, and has also directed The Underground Railroad, If Beale Street Could Talk and an episode of Dear White People.
The showing marks the latest Prada moment for its roster of brand ambassadors, some of whom have been with the house for years like Schafer, who most recently starred in the final season of Euphoria. She next stars in Blade Runner 2099. “I would define Prada as an intersection. I feel like Prada represents the collision of multiple avatars. Prada is simultaneously youthful, and classic. Loud and conservative. Femme and masc. Hard and soft, etc., etc.,” Schafer said upon joining the house in 2021. “All the best combos.”
The campaign marked a reunion for Jenkins and Harrison after having previously worked together on Mufasa. He next stars in Alpha Gang and The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping. “Prada’s elegance is based in craftsmanship,” Harrison previously said about the fashion house. “They value people who don’t align with the status quo, who embrace difference, artists who challenge their industry. That mirrors their brand.”
Sivan most recently released his album Something to Give Each Other in 2023, and he shared a tour with Charli XCX. Chen, a Chinese singer and actress, has been seen in such projects as The Heart, A Journey to Love, Be My Friend, Begin Again, Home Coming, A Writer’s Odyssey 2, Summer of Meizhou and the reality competition Ride the Wind, which she won.
Alejo Igoa, a top Latin digital creator who has 120 million YouTube subscribers, has signed with WME for worldwide representation in all areas.
WME will work with Igoa — who is from Argentina — to expand his touring, media and digital content businesses, while building out his brand partnerships, books, ventures and licensing verticals. He did not previously have representation.
On his YouTube channel, Igoa focuses on highly energetic, family-friendly content centered around “24-hour” survival challenges, pranks — and extravagant experiments. Igoa’s most YouTube popular video to date is “Underwater 100 Mystery Buttons.. Only 1 Will Let you ESCAPE the Box!!” with more than 136 million views. In his videos, he’s backed by an ensemble cast of recurring friends, family members and other creators. Igoa also counts 15 million Instagram followers and 6.9 million on TikTok.
In April 2026, Igoa made his live show debut with “El Show de Alejo Igoa,” in which he performed before than 70,000 people across seven sold-out shows at the Movistar Arena in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Earlier this year, the 29-year-old Igoa became the first Latin creator to receive the YouTube Red Diamond Creator Award for surpassing 100 million subscribers. In addition, Igoa this year was awarded a pair of Guinness World Records: one for “most subscribers for a Spanish-language channel on YouTube” and another for “most subscribers for a Spanish-language entertainment channel on YouTube.”
WME touts itself as the leading global talent agency for Latin talent, whith a roster of clients that includes Ana de Armas, Anitta, Becky G, Bizarrap, Camila Cabello, Carín León, Carlos Alcaraz, Eva Longoria, Guillermo del Toro, Ivan Cornejo, J Balvin, Juanes, Julieta Venegas, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Maluma, Natanael Cano, Oscar Isaac, Pitbull, Selena Gomez, Shakira and Tainy.
“Ancestral Beasts,” in which a young Métis woman, Elyse, is stalked by a grotesque creature after returning to her ancestral home to focus on her mental health, prowled Cannes’ Marché du Film in 2025 as a Proof of Concept project at Fantasia’s Frontières Platform and became the first acquisition for Cercamon’s new genre sales label Vorteks.
This week, the project emerges as a fully formed psychological horror film ready to connect with audiences, kindle buyer conversations, and make you look under the bed just one more time.
Ahead of the film’s world premiere at the Fantasia International Film Festival on July 22, Métis writer-director Tim Riedel has shared the trailer exclusively with Variety and offered new insights into his work.
Riedel is hosting the Fantasia premiere screening with stars Morgan Holmstrom (“Outlander”), who plays Elyse, and Asivak Koostachin (“Duster”), who plays Cody, along with key producers and crew.
“Ancestral Beasts,” which was lensed in Manitoba in late 2025 and boasts a nearly all-Indigenous cast and crew, has a second screening (a rarity for Fantasia) on July 28. Mongrel Media has boarded the film for Canadian distribution; a release date has yet to be set.
“The theme of the film is the idea of curses,” Riedel tells Variety before the festival, just a few days after a closed screening of the film to a group of elders and survivors of the Sixties Scoop. Many of those elders wanted to express their personal connection to the film’s story, something Riedel regards as a part of his reconnection to his community.
“What we inherit is not our fault, but we often allow those things to become our responsibility,” he says, referring to mental health struggles of family members.
Riedel spent more than a decade documenting underrepresented global issues and communities for NGOs before shifting his focus to his own backyard, so to speak. The process of reconnecting with and learning about his Métis community sparked his feature debut.
“An elder challenged me: ‘You seem to be traveling all over the world telling other people’s stories. Why don’t you ever tell our stories?’
“You’re not supposed to disagree with an elder; you’re supposed to take time to listen and contemplate,” Riedel continues. “So, I did.”
Indigenous filmmakers and screen storytellers often feel pressure to burn sage and show feathers, Riedel says. “Though that’s part of our tradition, it’s not necessarily everyday life. I didn’t want any of that in my film.
“My attitude was: This is the story, this is the journey that the character is on, this is the obstacle in her way, this is who or what is putting obstacles in her way, and this is how she’s trying to overcome those obstacles, and this is what she needs to sacrifice.”
The creature in “Ancestral Beasts” does not relate to specific Métis stories or Indigenous mythologies. “I don’t like putting our folklore out there,” Riedel says. “As far as I know, there are no creatures from our mythologies that look like a giant centipede, with gnarled old hands for a head.
“I wanted something unique, and this was the image I had in mind.
“The centipede is representative of the homeland but also gives that creepy feeling. The hand represents intergenerational trauma handed down from generation to generation.”
Riedel says major U.S. distributors have expressed interest in “Ancestral Beasts.” Riedel and Vorteks’ David Kwok are eager to accelerate those conversations at Fantasia, as well as chat up Riedel’s next genre feature project, “Nine Dying,” which deals with the way humans inflict inhumane acts on other humans by hiding behind systems, corporations and government procedures.
“The focus of my next film is a community that comes together to solve the greater issue. It’s sort of ‘Saw’ meets ‘Squid Game,’” Riedel says. “But those films and shows make you feel dirty and hopeless, whereas I’ve designed this one to make you feel closer to your neighbors by the time you leave.”
“Ancestral Beasts” screens at the Fantasia Film Festival on July 22, its premiere, and July 28.
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Hyperscale Data, a Nasdaq-listed company that operates a Bitcoin treasury and AI data center business, has acquired an additional 51.5 Bitcoin through its subsidiary Ault Capital Group. The purchase, completed last week, brings the firm’s total Bitcoin holdings to 1,087.4527 $BTC, valued at approximately $70.3 million based on current market prices.
The acquisition continues Hyperscale Data’s strategy of building a substantial Bitcoin reserve alongside its core AI data center operations. The company has been steadily increasing its digital asset holdings over the past year, positioning itself among publicly traded firms with significant corporate Bitcoin treasuries. This approach mirrors a broader trend among some technology and financial companies that view Bitcoin as a strategic reserve asset and a hedge against inflation.
Hyperscale Data’s subsidiary, Ault Capital Group, executed the purchase. The company has not disclosed the average purchase price or the specific exchange used for the transaction. However, the timing of the buy aligns with recent market fluctuations, suggesting the company may have capitalized on price dips to accumulate more Bitcoin at a lower average cost.
Hyperscale Data is part of a select group of publicly traded companies that hold Bitcoin on their balance sheets. While MicroStrategy remains the largest corporate Bitcoin holder, other firms like Tesla, Coinbase, and Block have also allocated portions of their cash reserves to the cryptocurrency. The strategy has drawn both praise from Bitcoin advocates and scrutiny from traditional investors concerned about volatility.
For Hyperscale Data, the Bitcoin treasury is intertwined with its AI data center business. The company operates facilities that support high-performance computing for artificial intelligence workloads, and it has explored using Bitcoin mining operations to optimize energy usage and generate additional revenue streams. This dual focus on AI infrastructure and digital assets creates a unique business model that appeals to investors interested in both sectors.
The announcement comes at a time when Bitcoin prices have shown resilience, trading in a range that has encouraged corporate accumulation. For Hyperscale Data shareholders, the increased Bitcoin exposure means the company’s stock price is now more closely correlated with cryptocurrency market movements. This can amplify both gains and losses, depending on market conditions.
Analysts note that corporate Bitcoin treasuries require careful risk management. Companies must account for potential price drops, regulatory changes, and accounting treatment of digital assets. Hyperscale Data has not indicated any plans to sell its Bitcoin holdings in the near term, suggesting a long-term conviction in the asset’s value proposition.
Hyperscale Data’s latest Bitcoin purchase reinforces its commitment to a digital asset-heavy corporate strategy. With over 1,087 $BTC now on its balance sheet, the company continues to distinguish itself in the public markets as a hybrid AI infrastructure and cryptocurrency treasury firm. Investors and industry observers will be watching to see whether this approach yields sustained returns or introduces additional volatility to the company’s financial profile.
Q1: Why is Hyperscale Data buying Bitcoin?
A1: Hyperscale Data views Bitcoin as a strategic reserve asset and a hedge against inflation. The company also operates AI data centers and sees synergies between cryptocurrency mining and high-performance computing infrastructure.
Q2: How much Bitcoin does Hyperscale Data now hold?
A2: After the latest purchase of 51.5 $BTC, Hyperscale Data holds a total of 1,087.4527 Bitcoin, worth approximately $70.3 million at current market prices.
Q3: Is this a common strategy among publicly traded companies?
A3: A small but growing number of public companies, including MicroStrategy, Tesla, and Block, have added Bitcoin to their balance sheets. The strategy remains controversial due to Bitcoin’s price volatility and regulatory uncertainties.
Zoom has since the days of the coronavirus pandemic been known for its expertise in video. Now the company wants to demonstrate its talent for putting on a show.
Starting this week, Zoom is launching a partnership with podcaster and independent journalist Nayeema Raza, creator of the program “Smart Girl Dumb Questions,” where she seeks out seeks out leaders in business, science, and culture to respond to seemingly disarming queries. Raza on Tuesday debuts a new interview series designed for social media in which she puts a spotlight on “solopreneurs,” or people who launch their own independent operations. She will also conduct a six-part series on her own program, set to debut in August, in which she explores how technology is reshaping work and leadership. In October, Raza will participate in Zoomtopia, Zoom’s annual user conference, and bring her content to the main stage of the event.
The alliance may just be a harbinger of some of the new ways so-called “creators” work with major marketers in an era when independent editors and reporters are increasing their allure in the marketplace of ideas. According to data from Pew Research, younger adults are “especially likely” to get news from influencers. Approximately 38% of those between the ages 18 to 29 regularly do so, a figure more than four times greater than 8% of those 65 or older who do the same.
With creators holding more sway among the consumer crowd most likely to be open to experimenting with the products and services they buy, “it is important for us to be a brand that people like Nayeema and other creators want to work with,” says Kimberly Storin, the chief marketing and communications officer of Zoom, during a recent interview. “We want to be a preferred partner.”
Raza broke into journalism with a background in documentary filmmaking, producing work that was featured at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival. She launched “Smart Girl Dumb Questions” in February of last year, after logging stints as a senior staff editor with The New York Times’ opinion section, and as the on-air executive producer of “On With Kara Swisher.”
Such an alliance requires new ways of thinking, says Storin, to which some advertisers may not be accustomed. Raza’s efforts with Zoom won’t be authentic if she isn’t left alone to pursue programming as she sees fit.
“I need my audience to trust me,” says Raza, during an interview. “I need to do what I do with a lot of editorial integrity.”
Conversations about the future of work are a regular part of Raza’s program and having them with the backing of Zoom doesn’t represent anything jarring, she says. On “Smart Girl Dumb Questions,” Raza regularly examines “ how we live, how we work, how we lead, how we have family or partnership in a world that is really changing technologically and culturally.”
The only change people should notice in the way Raza handles her work with Zoom is none. “The editorial is shaped by me. I’m asking questions I would organically ask. I’m speaking to people that I would speak with and what the partnership with Zoom allows me to do is to expand the possibilities of my content,” she says.
If Zoom wants to be a place creators trust, says Storin, then it needs to be willing to cede ground to the creators with whom it works. Zoom has had to “get comfortable with having creators be our advocates and to share their stories. We like to write five-page-long briefs with guardrails and North Stars, and we have to really teach ourselves. We gave our influencers one-sentence briefs. And that was a big shift,” she says. “And we had to really let go of the control that a brand typically likes to have.”
Zoom isn’t backing away from traditional commercials, says Storin, but sees a need to shift to new tactics as digitally-savvy consumers discover services, products and brands in different ways. The “buying journey” is shifting, and becoming “driven by a discovery process that starts in ChatGPT or Claude,” she says, referring to popular new A.I. interfaces. “We have to focus on being found, being present, being believed and being preferred, which is a new level of marketing.”
Should the new partnership work well, other combinations of creators and marketers could become quite common.
