AGP Executive Report

Publishing & AI: The UK competition watchdog has ordered Google to let publishers opt out of AI scraping and AI search summaries, giving media sites more control over how their content is used. Banking & Books Culture: The Bank of England has defended its plan to put wildlife on new banknotes, replacing historical figures, after a public consultation. Royal Wedding Watch: Peter Phillips married Harriet Sperling in Kemble, with Princess Anne and other royals attending—another reminder of how publishing-adjacent celebrity coverage keeps driving attention. Local Publishing/Community: Newsquest Cumbria’s in-Cumbria magazine has launched a rebrand with more long-form business and tech coverage. Harry Potter (Screen-to-Books Buzz): HBO’s Potter reboot is already casting for Season 2, with Colin Creevey reportedly in the frame. Sport & Storytelling: Scotland’s World Cup history piece spotlights key moments like Jimmy Murray’s first goal in 1958 as fans look to progress in the tournament.

Publishing Deal: Wiley has bought UK-based Emerald Publishing for £337m in an all-cash move that boosts its research and AI/data analytics ambitions. UK Tech & Media Policy: The UK’s CMA has ordered Google to improve AI search attribution and let publishers opt out of AI use of their content. Book Reviews (UK readers): Maggie O’Farrell’s Land lands as a sweeping Ordnance Survey-era Ireland novel, while Patrick Gale’s Love Lane and Blake Morrison’s On Memoir offer homecoming and craft advice for life-writing fans. Controversial Distribution: Penguin Random House India won’t distribute Joe Sacco’s The Once and Future Riot after legal red flags, including an allegedly inaccurate India map. Culture & Reading: A new Books in brief round-up plus June TBR lists keep the focus on what to pick up next. Local Notices: Greenwich Council validated planning updates for Brookhill Estate in Woolwich, including EV charging changes, alongside extensions and tree works in Blackheath.

Google vs publishers: UK regulator rules Google must improve AI search attribution and let publishers opt out of AI summaries/training, shifting power in the AI search fight. EU legal pressure: European publishers are also suing Google for £552m+ over alleged adtech monopoly abuse after the Commission’s €2.95bn fine. Publishing & tech: OpenAI’s Codex gets new business plugins and deeper ChatGPT integration, while Microsoft pushes an always-on AI agent for Microsoft 365 workflows—both signals of more automated content and marketing work. Books & culture: Peter F. Hamilton’s Exodus sequel, The Helium Sea, lands June 16 with an exclusive extract; and Glasgow’s Kelvin Hall hosts Rehana Zaman’s Plantation films, spotlighting precarious immigrant labour and empire’s afterlife. Reading for summer: Boothbay’s “Unearth a Story” club picks Daniel Mason’s North Woods for shared discussions.

AI & Publishing: The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority has ordered Google to let publishers opt out of having their content used for AI Overviews and other AI search features, and to provide “effective tools” to block scraping for AI training, with clearer sourcing links required. Local Community & Reading Culture: Nairn businesses are being urged to get behind Scotland Loves Local Week (June 13–20), with shops encouraged to run special offers and events that keep money in the local economy. Children’s Books: A new picture book, Cobie the Cactus: Happy As He Is, launches in the UK with a neurodiversity-forward story about belonging, written for ages 3–7. Crime & Safety (Data): Shetland Islands Council disclosed 200 personal-data breaches over five years, with more than half involving sensitive information sent to the wrong recipient. Books & History: A fresh appeal has been launched in the 30-year-old Melanie Hall murder case in Bath, as her family continues to push for answers.

AI & Publishing: The UK’s CMA has ordered Google to let publishers opt out of AI Overviews/AI Mode via Google Search Console, without losing normal search ranking; Google must also add clearer source links/attribution and has started rolling the controls out with a UK pilot before wider rollout. Tech Policy: The CMA’s move is framed as a “world-first” shift in bargaining power for publishers, after complaints that AI summaries cut referral traffic. Publishing Business: Wiley has agreed to buy UK-based Emerald Publishing for $452m, expanding Elsevier’s reach in academic and professional publishing. Local Reading & Libraries: A new independent children’s publisher, Messy Press, is launching in the UK, while libraries continue to push events and reading schemes. Book Culture: Maggie O’Farrell’s Land is highlighted as a summer must-read, and the Week Junior Book Awards shortlist has been unveiled.

UK Publishing & Big Tech: The UK regulator has ordered Google to let publishers opt out of AI Overviews/AI Mode and to add clearer links and attributions, after complaints that AI summaries cut referral traffic; Global Media Payback: Meta has attacked Australia’s proposed “news for pay” draft laws as discriminatory and likely to fail, with a compulsory levy if deals aren’t struck; Publishing Deals: Wiley is buying UK-based Emerald Publishing for £337m, while Elsevier has acquired Wellsheet to plug EHR data into ClinicalKey AI; Books & Culture: Mark Twain’s Tom Sawyer manuscript is being displayed for the 150th anniversary, and a new exhibition at London’s Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration opens this week; Press Freedom: Egypt sentences poet Ahmed Douma to prison with labour over “fake news”, part of a wider crackdown on writers; Road Safety Policy: Oxfordshire’s “quiet lanes” pilot would physically block some traffic beyond DfT guidance, sparking fears it’s being “weaponised” against cars.

AI & Publishing: The UK’s CMA has ordered Google to let publishers opt out of AI Overviews/AI Mode and to avoid penalising them with reduced visibility, plus require attribution and reporting—while a wider global SPUR coalition pushes for fair value sharing with AI firms. UN Watch: A UN report warns AI’s growth is straining power grids, water and land, urging standardised environmental reporting from providers. Books & Culture: The Queen backs the National Year of Reading at the British Library, meeting young author Betsy Griffin. Publishing Industry: Wiley’s £337m Emerald Publishing deal is in the mix, and Quentin Blake’s new illustration centre opens in London. Local Reading Life: Libraries and literacy groups keep summer programmes going, including Reading Bridge’s building-fund boost. Tech/Media: Ofcom flags poor mobile coverage on trains, adding to the “digital access” pressure.

Publishing Awards: The deadline for entries to the 2026 Licensing Awards is Thursday 4 June, with categories spanning licensed products, retail, marketing, sustainability and live events, and winners revealed at The Grosvenor House Hotel in London on Tuesday 8 September. Reading & Community: A UK-wide push for kids’ literacy continues, with Waterstones Children’s Laureate Frank Cottrell-Boyce calling for national action on the reading crisis, while local library programmes keep rolling out summer reading challenges and book giveaways. AI in Writing: Granta’s Commonwealth Short Story Prize has sparked fresh debate after allegations that some winning stories show signs of AI use, putting AI-detection tools under scrutiny. Royal Cancer Support: Princess Kate and King Charles attended a Cancer Research UK reception at St James’s Palace marking the charity’s 125th anniversary, with both royals highlighting the cause’s work as they continue cancer treatment journeys. Sports & Culture Crossover: World Cup fever is everywhere, with coverage spotlighting star players and group matchups as the tournament approaches.

Publishing Deal: Wiley is buying UK-based Emerald Publishing for £337m, a major consolidation move in the UK trade. Crime & Adaptations: U&Drama’s The Marlow Murder Club (based on Robert Thorogood’s books) has been renewed for a fourth six-part season, with new mysteries adapted from Murder on the Marlow Belle plus fresh originals. Author Debate: Lee Child brands “editing” older books to remove offensive passages “slightly Orwellian”, arguing crime fiction should stay as a historical artefact. Children’s Reading Push: TGJones’ Bitesize Bookworms contest is getting kids aged 5–12 to describe favourites in 25 words or less, with entries like “It’s just a caterpillar eating.” Local Media Branding: Reach is dropping “live” branding for two Midlands titles, reverting Nottingham Post and The Sentinel names as it lines up a digital subscription push. Book Culture & Art: A new JR-focused Taschen volume and a Venice Biennale oral history highlight how publishers are leaning into illustrated, behind-the-scenes non-fiction.

Publishing & Books (UK): HarperCollins and The Athletic are rolling out excerpted chapters from The Soccer 100 ahead of the 2026 World Cup, spotlighting Pelé via a Plymouth Argyle match souvenir programme. Work & Rights: From October 2026, UK employers face a tougher duty to prevent workplace sexual harassment and harassment by third parties, with “all reasonable steps” raising the bar for compliance. Money for Older People: Nearly one million pensioner households across Scotland, England and Wales may be missing out on Pension Credit worth about £4,300 a year, as applications and awards fall year-on-year. Tech & Competition: Valve’s co-founder Gabe Newell argues in the US/UK antitrust fight that gamers have “enormous choice” over where to buy games, as the case scrutinises Steam’s market power. Libraries & Reading Access: A rural US library story highlights how digital services like Libby and Kanopy keep books and learning within reach. Business & Defence: UK defence tech firms say delays to the Defence Investment Plan have damaged finances, as publication keeps getting pushed back.

Publishing & Books: The International Booker Prize 2026 spotlight is on how the award works and what’s next, with publishers submitting 128 titles before a longlist of 13 and a shortlist of six. Children’s Literature: HarperCollins and Tatton Park are teaming up for a free Winnie-the-Pooh centenary exhibition (July 18–Sept 6), plus a story trail and new authorised editions in the gift shop. Book Collecting: A rare Beatrix Potter 50p coin set has been listed for £516.70, feeding the ongoing collector frenzy around Royal Mint releases. Media & Distribution: Ofcom has opened an investigation into Royal Mail over missed delivery targets, with performance figures for First and Second Class letters under scrutiny. Industry Careers: Reach has promoted George Grist as its revived chief customer officer, aiming to grow print and digital circulation revenue. Tech & Reading Culture: A new report looks at what U.K. podcast audiences think of podcasts, with “the living room” emerging as the key listening spot.

UK Higher Education Crisis: A new report warns Britain’s “world-leading” university system is in serious trouble, with around 45% of providers facing deficits and course closures and humanities job losses piling up. Children’s Publishing & Taboo Topics: A children’s book on IVF and childbirth has sparked bans and death threats abroad, highlighting how publishing can collide with cultural and political pressure. Independent Bookshops: A fresh look at the independent trade suggests physical bookstores aren’t just disappearing—membership and new formats are growing, including pop-ups and mobile shops. Education Tech Backlash: India’s CBSE On-Screen Marking rollout is under fire after students report blurred scans, missing pages and mix-ups, with the re-evaluation portal also crashing. Local Health Legal Planning: Highland NHS and council launch Power of Attorney Month to encourage adults to set up legal decision-making before illness strikes. Publishing & Print Culture: Japan’s zine boom is getting a boost as creators argue paper can’t be replaced by AI.

Publishing & Culture: Hamnet author Maggie O’Farrell says she turned down an OBE for two reasons, including not wanting “British Empire” on her name. Publishing & Law: Sarah Wynn-Williams was silenced at the Hay Festival after legal advice tied her appearance to an injunction from Meta over her book Careless People; the festival removed the title from sale to help her comply. Books & Community: Blackburn with Darwen’s Children’s and Young People’s Literature Festival runs June 8–20, with Michael Rosen headlining and schools/library talks across the borough. Tech & Security: The US, UK and Australia plan unmanned undersea vehicles under AUKUS to protect seabed cables and pipelines from sabotage. Local Impact: Traders in Chepstow say business rates and the Old Wye Bridge closure are hitting footfall and livelihoods. Missing Person: Police in the Highlands appeal for help finding 15-year-old Natasha Reid, last seen near North Kessock and possibly travelling up to Carrbridge.

Publishing & Book Trade: Hay Festival will pull Sarah Wynn-Williams’ Careless People from sale while she appears, after a request tied to an injunction over promotion. Local Literary Life: Oxford Independent Authors and Wolvercote & Wytham Midsummer Festival return with a free June 28 community festival, plus a short-story collection with submissions due June 2. Culture & Recognition: Oxfordshire’s blue plaque scheme will honour pioneering anthropologist Beatrice Mary Blackwood, with the unveiling at her former Walton Street home. Education Under Pressure: A new analysis argues the UK university system is in “deep trouble”, citing deficits, course closures and humanities job losses, alongside heavy reliance on international student fees. AI & Retail Discovery: A UK Fashion and Apparel AI Visibility Index finds big gaps in how often retailers show up in ChatGPT/Google AI citations, with Harrods leading and Next ranking near the bottom.

Higher Education Funding Crunch: A new warning flags UK universities in “deep trouble”, with deficits rising and course closures and humanities redundancies piling up, while international student income leaves providers exposed to immigration policy swings. Publishing & AI Tension: A writer argues the literary world can’t keep pretending AI won’t shape submissions and judging, urging editors and competitions to become AI-literate as AI-assisted writing spreads. Book Culture & Community: A Belfast YA debut, The Last Death Poet, uses visions and a paranormal “death poet” to tackle intergenerational trauma and queer identity in a post-conflict society. Literary Travel & Ideas: A feature traces Cecília Meireles’s India journey and how Latin America’s literary encounters with India fed Cold War-era questions about art and philosophy. Local Bookish Finds: A hidden library-in-the-woods walk on Scotland’s Isle of Arran is drawing attention from book lovers. Cricket (Not Books, but UK readers will click): Gujarat Titans’ Sai Sudharsan and Shubman Gill break T20 century-partnership records ahead of IPL Qualifier 2.

Higher Education Crisis: Wales’ universities are facing a £97m-plus operating deficit, with Medr warning cost-cutting “is not sustainable” as deficits worsen and job cuts loom. NICE Update: NICE recommends mepolizumab as an add-on maintenance option for uncontrolled COPD in adults with raised eosinophils on triple inhaler therapy. Publishing & Games: Playstack (Balatro, Abiotic Factor) is set for majority ownership by IMC after TruFin agrees to sell its 84.5% stake for about £112.4m, valuing Playstack at roughly £125m. Crime Writing Spotlight: Richard Osman is announced as an early headliner for Bloody Scotland in Stirling this September, joining a line-up that includes Lee Child, S A Cosby, Tana French and Lucy Foley. Science Education: A new free, referenced guide site, stephenhawking.co.uk, aims to bring Hawking’s life and work together with links to original papers. Reading Culture: A London children’s bookshop profile highlights how one independent store is building community and even judging the inaugural Children’s Booker prize.