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California Gov. Gavin Newsom has vetoed Assembly Bill 7 (AB 7), a proposal introduced by Assemblymember Isaac Bryan, D-Los Angeles, that would have allowed colleges and universities to give admissions preference to descendants of enslaved people in an effort to address the long-term effects of slavery, the Los Angeles Times reports. The bill passed both the State Assembly and Senate before reaching the governor’s desk in October. Supporters said the measure recognized the continuing effects of slavery and systemic inequality in access to higher education. The California Faculty Association and several civil rights groups, according to Politico, supported the legislation, stating that it aligned with the state’s broader discussions on reparations and equity. AB 7 would have given colleges the option — but not the obligation — to consider whether an applicant was a descendant of an enslaved person as one of several factors in admissions decisions. The bill was written to comply with...
NBC News has reportedly laid off journalists reporting on marginalized communities, according to the Advocate. Restructuring In August 2025, NBC News reported that Comcast announced its various cable television networks would be moved into a separate publicly traded company called Versant. This umbrella would include MSNBC, CNBC, USA Network, Oxygen, E!, SYFY, and the Golf Channel. Comcast will maintain NBCUniversal assets, such as the NBC broadcast network, NBC News, NBC Sports, Peacock, and Bravo, under its portfolio. Why It’s Happening Versant CEO Mark Lazarus said the spinoff is about “building our individual identity and vision for the future while laying a foundation for the continued growth and success of our businesses,” according to NBC News. “This gives us the opportunity to charge our own path forward, create distinct brand identities, and establish an independent news organization following the spin,” he added. Advocate reports that executives noted the restructuring...
After a year marked by funding challenges, federal and political pressures, and demographic shifts expected to affect enrollment, America’s colleges and universities have faced significant uncertainty. Yet, the latest U.S. News & World Report college rankings show remarkable stability at the top, offering a familiar guide for students and families preparing for the new admissions season, according to The New York Times. Princeton University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Harvard University retained the top three spots, respectively, among national universities. Stanford University stayed at No. 4, but was tied with Yale University. Williams College again ranked as the nation’s top liberal arts college, while Spelman College maintained its position as the highest-ranked Historically Black College or University (HBCU) in the U.S. One notable change saw the University of California, Berkeley, surpass the University of California, Los Angeles to become the country’s...
Editorial Note: Opinions and thoughts are the author’s own and not those of AFROTECH™. When people hear the word “Apple,” they do not automatically think of the fruit; they think about the company that has been a mainstay in the world of consumer technology since Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak founded it in 1976. Apple was founded in Los Altos, CA, a suburb of Silicon Valley , in the home of Steve Jobs’ parents. The time Jobs spent building the original vision for Apple in his parents’ garage is why many entrepreneurial stories reference the garage as a symbol of humble beginnings when discussing how their companies first got off the ground. While many millennials and Gen Z remember how life-changing the iPod was when it was released, it revolutionized the way we listened to music, along with iTunes, which changed the way music was purchased and consumed. Long before the iPod, Apple’s first consumer smash hit was the Apple II . Released in 1977, the Apple II debuted alongside other...
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Have you ever received a gift that you did not want? Like it was just all-around bad? Well, that’s many people’s sentiment about this current job market. It’s dishing out notices no one wants to hear, such as layoffs and downsizing. And BuzzFeed is the latest to announce changes in its workforce.
There is a glimmer of hope for the Black News Channel. As AfroTech previously told you, the news outlet filed for bankruptcy after losing one of its biggest investors, Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shahid Kahn. Cablefax reports that the CEO and sole shareholder of Entertainment Studios Network, Byron Allen, may be stepping in and has already placed a bid worth $11 million to buy the network.
Living in a time where Black representation in media is still needed, we love to see the faces seated at this news station’s desk. BET reports that local Texas news station KCEN — an NBC affiliate — has a show where its hosts are all Black women. The show — “Texas Today” — is led by Jasmin Caldwell, Taheshah Moise, and meteorologist Ashley Carter, according to the outlet. Residents of Temple, Waco, Killeen, and surrounding areas are able to start their mornings by tuning into the show for the news. Although being a part of the trio herself, the hiring move from KCEN still feels surreal in a sense. “Growing up, I always saw all-white news anchors,” she said, according to BET. “I didn’t think that there would ever be Black newscasts. I knew there was always room for one, but I didn’t think that I would see three African Americans — male or female — permanently, all at one time. No way.” Being a part of a dream come true happened for Caldwell about five years after first joining KCEN,...
People are leaving Twitter at alarming rates following the news that billionaire Elon Musk has now acquired the company. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the follower counts for high-profile accounts like former President Barack Obama (the most-followed Twitter user) and Katy Perry have seen a significant drop on the social media platform. “Obama, who is Twitter’s most-followed user with 131.7 million followers, saw his follower count fall by 300,000 since Monday, NBC News says. Perry, who has 108.8 million followers, lost 200,000,” the outlet reports. And, what’s more, the decrease is allegedly happening due to Elon Musk’s estimated $44 billion purchase.
There’s an update on the ongoing story surrounding the Black News Channel following AfroTech’s previous report that the media outlet filed for bankruptcy. According to Bloomberg, the Black News Channel has reached out to a federal judge to grant permission for funds from billionaire Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shahid Khan. The request would grant the outlet more time to stay afloat as they hunt for a new buyer.
