Tech News Weekly Adds New Hosts, New Perspectives
Tech News Weekly has undergone an exciting transformation! TWiT's mid-week tech news show, hosted by me, Mikah Sargent, now features four recurring co-hosts throughout the month: Abrar Al-Heeti of CNET, Amanda Silberling of TechCrunch, Jennifer Pattison Tuohy of The Verge, and Emily Dreibelbis of PCMag.
March marked our first full month of the show's new format, with each of the lead hosts bringing a Story of the Week to the table. For those of you who've yet to subscribe to Tech News Weekly, now's the time to hop on board — the show is jam-packed with great interviews, insightful guest hosts, and a few laughs along the way.
March 7: Abrar Al-Heeti, CNET
For the first episode of March, Abrar Al-Heeti joined me to talk about U.S. lawmakers making another push to get ByteDance to divest TikTok or face a ban within the country. Our conversation was multifaceted, as we explored the potential impact of a TikTok ban on election year dynamics, considering the app's popularity among younger voters and the broader implications of such a ban on free speech.
Abrar Al-Heeti admits to spending a good amount of time on TikTok, so it was great to get her perspective on the impact of such a ban.
March 14: Amanda Silberling, TechCrunch
For March's second episode, Amanda Silberling shared further insights on TikTok's looming ban in the U.S. She and I spent time highlighting creators' mixed reactions, ranging from active lobbying to uncertainty about national security implications. The debate extends to the political theater surrounding the ban, especially in an election year, and the lack of concrete evidence against TikTok's operations in the U.S.
Amanda Silberling is a social media expert, providing insights into specific social media platforms while understanding the broader implications therein.
March 21: Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, The Verge
For our third episode, Jennifer Pattison Tuohy joined me just in time to talk about the breaking news that the U.S. Department of Justice is suing Apple for claims that the company has an illegal monopoly over the smartphone market. We acknowledged the vast influence of technology in daily life, the difficulty of self-regulation within the tech industry, and spent some time discussing the challenges of regulating fast-evolving technologies like smartphones and AI, emphasizing the need for forward-looking policies that anticipate future developments rather than merely addressing past issues.
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy might be an expert on the smart home, but she's also an insightful tech journalist who came to the table with a great story and thorough commentary about something that will impact the tech industry as a whole.
March 28: Emily Dreibelbis, PCMag
Lastly, Emily Dreibelbis was kind enough to share her expertise regarding EVs. She shared her experience using Tesla's superchargers with a regular EV vehicle and talked about how difficult it is to find a Tesla charger that will work with non-Tesla EVs.
My favorite part of our conversation was the chance to finally get to ask an expert about some of the most common questions I have about electric vehicles. Emily Dreibelbis was gracious enough to take the time to answer my general questions about EV costs, charging, and for whom EVs make the most sense.
Every Thursday Right Here on TWiT!
I hope you're just as excited as I am for this new direction with Tech News Weekly! Having a rotating cast of regular guest hosts means better and varying perspectives, compelling new Stories of the Week, and — we hope — more laughs and entertainment. If you haven't subscribed to the show, head over to the show page and join the fun! We'd love it if you also considered sharing the show with a friend or family member. See you on Thursday!
