Entrepreneurship

Please review each article prior to use: grade-level applicability and curricular alignment might not be obvious from the headline alone.

Ruth Bonneville / Free Press VOLUNTEERS Photo of Kendra Drever with Xena, a 2-year-old lively stray that she took on a walk from the Animal Services Agency. Kendra Drever volunteers with the Animal Services Agency’s Doggie Dates program. This program allows volunteers to take dogs out for a day or week. Volunteers bring them to parks, their homes, workplaces, malls, etc. The dogs wear a vest that says “adopt me” during the outings. This is for the Sept. 15 volunteers column. Sept 9th, 2025
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‘Doggie dates’ give four-legged friends a break from shelter life

Aaron Epp 8 minute read Preview
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‘Doggie dates’ give four-legged friends a break from shelter life

Aaron Epp 8 minute read Monday, Sep. 15, 2025

Whenever Kendra Drever has a day off or free time before class, she likes to go on a “doggie date.”

The 30-year-old Red River College Polytech student volunteers at the City of Winnipeg’s Animal Services Agency, which allows members of the public to take dogs who are up for adoption out for a walk in the community to get a break from the confines of the shelter.

“I love just getting to meet the dogs, seeing all their different personalities, taking them out and giving them new experiences and getting to relay some new information to the shelter,” Drever says.

Volunteers keep an eye on the dog’s behaviour during the dates, to give shelter staff intel that could be key to placing the dog in the right home, such as whether the animal is obedient while on a leash.

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Monday, Sep. 15, 2025
Local engineer was a real game changer
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Local engineer was a real game changer

John Longhurst 5 minute read Preview
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Local engineer was a real game changer

John Longhurst 5 minute read Saturday, Sep. 13, 2025

Forty-seven years ago, George Klassen had an idea that improved the lives of millions of people in Bangladesh. It was for a hand-powered rower pump, a classic piece of simple, inexpensive and appropriate technology that poor farmers could use to irrigate their crops.

Today, an estimated 500,000 rower pumps are still in operation, benefitting more than 2.5 million people in that southeast Asian country — a legacy to Klassen’s vision, curiosity and ingenuity.

Klassen, who died on April 15 in Steinbach, spent his early years in Blumenort (near Gretna) before moving with his parents and 10 siblings to a farm near Steinbach. After graduating from the University of Manitoba with a B.Sc., he taught science and math in Nigeria with Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) for three years.

There, he became convinced the best way he could serve people in the global south was by assisting them with practical skills and knowledge. With that in mind, when Klassen returned to Canada he decided to go back to the University of Manitoba to study engineering.

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Saturday, Sep. 13, 2025
SUPPLIED Ten tubs of Dairy Delight’s ice cream — 11.4 litres each — were spoiled after a pickup truck drove into a hydro pole on St. Anne’s Road, causing a 15-hour power outage.
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Anything but sweet: outage spoils dozens of litres of parlour’s ice cream

Kevin Rollason 3 minute read Preview
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Anything but sweet: outage spoils dozens of litres of parlour’s ice cream

Kevin Rollason 3 minute read Thursday, Sep. 11, 2025

The owner of an ice cream shop was licking her wounds Thursday after dozens of litres of icy treats melted away, causing profits to go down the drain.

Patty Mikos, the longtime co-owner of Dairy Delight on St. Anne’s Road, arrived at work to find 10 tubs of 11.4 litres of hard ice cream melting inside a freezer that had been off for hours because of a hydro outage.

The ice cream was tossed into a garbage bin with other perishable food products, including hamburger.

“We had to throw out all the meat — about 50 pounds today,” Mikos said. “You don’t want to risk it when it comes to meat.”

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Thursday, Sep. 11, 2025
Amazon-Zoox robotaxis are beginning to give free rides through parts of Las Vegas as part of its driverless service's launch. (Zoox Inc. via AP)
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Amazon’s Zoox launches its robotaxi service in Las Vegas

Michael Liedtke, The Associated Press 3 minute read Preview
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Amazon’s Zoox launches its robotaxi service in Las Vegas

Michael Liedtke, The Associated Press 3 minute read Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025

Amazon's Zoox on Wednesday launched its robotaxi service in Las Vegas, offering free rides through parts of the entertainment mecca for anyone willing to gamble on the safety of a driverless vehicle that operates without a steering wheel.

The Las Vegas debut of Zoox's long-planned ride-hailing service reflects Amazon-owned robotaxi maker's confidence in the safety of its boxy vehicles after two years of testing them in the city.

The robotaxis initially were only available to employees in Las Vegas before gradually expanding to friends and family members. Now, anyone with the Zoox app will be able to request a ride to five designated locations, including Resorts World, the Luxor hotel and the New York-New York hotel. The longest distance the Zoox robotaxis will travel is about three miles (4.8 kilometers) while carrying up to four passengers.

All rides will be provided for free for at least the first few months to help promote the existence of the service in the perennially popular travel destination. Once it begins charging for rides in Las Vegas, Zoox says its prices will be comparable to traditional taxis and ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft.

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Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025
A welder works at steel manufacturing facility in Hamilton, Ont., on July 16, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

AI could help manufacturers offset tariff costs, depending on implementation: experts

Daniel Johnson, The Canadian Press 5 minute read Preview

AI could help manufacturers offset tariff costs, depending on implementation: experts

Daniel Johnson, The Canadian Press 5 minute read Monday, Sep. 22, 2025

Manufacturing experts say there are specific ways integrating AI into the sector can help reduce costs and improve margins in the face of trade tensions, but note it won’t be a silver bullet.

“When the U.S. charges a 25 per cent tariff, if you can drop the supply price by, let’s say 20 per cent … then we can neutralize the additional cost due to the tariff,” said Chi-Guhn Lee, a University of Toronto professor and director of the AI in Manufacturing centre.

Currently, he said AI adoption in Canadian manufacturing is “widespread” and interest is high across the board but implementation is at very different stages for different companies. Some firms made investments years ago and are now “quite advanced,” he said.

There are also stark differences between the U.S. and Canadian industries, said Jayson Myers, CEO of Next Generation Manufacturing Canada. He said that on average, Canadian firms have a “huge advantage” over their U.S. counterparts because "we don’t rely on volume of product out the door.”

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Monday, Sep. 22, 2025
Bell Canada is launching Bell Cyber, a new brand under its growing tech services umbrella which it says will offer AI-powered cybersecurity solutions. Bell Canada signage is pictured on a building in Ottawa on Monday, Aug. 14, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Bell launches Bell Cyber, building on AI and tech services umbrella

Sammy Hudes, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview

Bell launches Bell Cyber, building on AI and tech services umbrella

Sammy Hudes, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025

TORONTO - Bell Canada is launching Bell Cyber, a new brand under its growing tech services umbrella which will offer AI-powered cybersecurity solutions.

The company made the announcement Tuesday at its inaugural Bell Cybersecurity Summit in Toronto, which heard from Bell Cyber's leadership, government and law enforcement officials, as well as other industry stakeholders.

It said Bell Cyber unifies all of the company's cybersecurity capabilities under a single brand. It also complements Bell's other recent tech announcements, such as the launch of Bell AI Fabric and tech services brand Ateko.

Bell Cyber is the branding successor to Stratejm, a Mississauga, Ont.-based security services provider acquired by Bell in July 2024. The company has specialized in providing end-to-end security solutions with the use of artificial intelligence, including real-time threat detection and response.

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Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025
MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS Maddie Thompson (centre), founder of MAD Social, a full-service digital marketing agency and some of her employees (from left); Bailey Hurtig, head of operations, Blaise Lepine, head of social media and sales, social managers Elissa Hall, Anastasiia Pavlenko, Karley Jones, and Chantelle Mackie. Staff members work remotely but do occasional “work days” at Thompson’s house. Reporter: Aaron Epp 250903 - Wednesday, September 03, 2025.
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400+ brands in 5+ years: Winnipeg-based digital marketing firm Mad Social Agency continues to evolve

Aaron Epp 6 minute read Preview
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400+ brands in 5+ years: Winnipeg-based digital marketing firm Mad Social Agency continues to evolve

Aaron Epp 6 minute read Monday, Sep. 8, 2025

Maddie Thompson was on a beach when she decided to drop out of school.

It was February 2022 and she was studying architecture at the University of Manitoba. While maintaining her spot on the dean’s honour list, Thompson was also running Mad Social Agency Ltd., the digital marketing firm she’d started two years earlier. She had enough business by that point she was hiring friends to help manage accounts.

Sitting on Locarno Beach in Vancouver, she realized it made sense to drop out and pursue the business full-time.

“My thought process was: I’m going to take a one-year leave of absence and see if I can make this work,” says Thompson, 23. “And I just never went back.”

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Monday, Sep. 8, 2025
Researchers say that as AI chatbots become more commonplace, companies must find ways to alleviate concerns about trust, while balancing them with old-fashioned human-to-human conversations. A person uses a cellphone in Ottawa on Monday, July 18, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Building trust key as companies pivot to chatbots for customer service: experts

Sammy Hudes, The Canadian Press 7 minute read Preview

Building trust key as companies pivot to chatbots for customer service: experts

Sammy Hudes, The Canadian Press 7 minute read Saturday, Sep. 20, 2025

TORONTO - Mohammed Halabi has spent countless hours negotiating with customer service agents over the past 20 years.

Halabi is the director of MyBillsAreHigh.com, a company that finds savings on telecom and internet costs for both businesses and individuals. That means seeking out the best deals to fit clients' circumstances, plus taking the lead when problems arise requiring the attention of their provider.

These days, there's just one problem. He can't seem to get anyone on the phone.

"I've never seen customer service this bad," said Halabi.

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Saturday, Sep. 20, 2025

Avoid garbage in, garbage out trap of AI business tools

Tim Kist 5 minute read Saturday, Sep. 6, 2025

There are many articles, perspectives, advice and cautions regarding the use of artificial intelligence appearing daily across all sources. The big question remains: does it work?

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Clean air as privilege

Marwa Suraj 4 minute read Saturday, Sep. 6, 2025

For elders with dementia, youth with anxiety, or evacuees coping with displacement, smoke is not just a public health irritant. It’s an accelerant for mental health issues.

You can’t put an N95 on your brain. You can’t tell your nervous system to calm down when the air outside looks like dusk at noon.

For older adults, people with asthma, families on fixed incomes, or those living in crowded apartments or trailers, wildfire season in Manitoba is more than just a nuisance. It’s a trigger. Of breathlessness. Of panic. Of helplessness.

And every year, the advice is the same:

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS Gary Foidart’s driftwood sculptures in his Winnipeg Beach yard
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Drawn to their unique grain pattern, carver gravitates to trees’ ungainly outgrowths

AV Kitching 4 minute read Preview
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Drawn to their unique grain pattern, carver gravitates to trees’ ungainly outgrowths

AV Kitching 4 minute read Saturday, Sep. 6, 2025

There’s more to a burl than meets the eye. On the surface the flawed wood is a gnarly, lumpy mess. But beneath the scars hides something rather special.

“Burls are an unappealing wart-like growth on a tree,” artist Gary Foidart, 69, explains.

“They are horrific looking on the outside. Some of them look terrible. You never know what you are going to hit when you cut a burl open but the wood inside is the most beautiful wood there is. Each one is totally unique.”

Bulbous and rough, a wood burl forms when a tree experiences stress or disruption to its growth. Burls can also develop from insect infestation, bacterial or fungi growth, and environmental injuries.

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Saturday, Sep. 6, 2025
MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS Residents of Hollow Water FN are still reeling a day after the stabbing. RCMP continued to investigate and were combing through the homes where the stabbings occurred.
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Deadly attack renews calls to fix cellular gaps in, around Hollow Water

Chris Kitching 5 minute read Preview
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Deadly attack renews calls to fix cellular gaps in, around Hollow Water

Chris Kitching 5 minute read Friday, Sep. 5, 2025

A mass stabbing and head-on crash that killed two people, including a suspect, and injured eight has renewed concerns about cellular coverage gaps in and around Hollow Water First Nation.

Residents said there is no cellphone service in Hollow Water and some surrounding areas, leaving people vulnerable if they’re in a location or circumstance where there’s no other way to call 911 or an emergency service directly.

“I don’t get any service in Hollow Water. It’s difficult to communicate,” said Brook Monkman, who lives south of the First Nation near Lake Winnipeg.

Monkman said he was driving on a road about 40 kilometres north of Hollow Water in 2023 when he came upon a crash that killed a mother and young son, and left a father and young daughter seriously injured.

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Friday, Sep. 5, 2025
MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS Star Tactay (left) and Daezerae Gil are co-founders of Value Able, a new local collective that helps BIPOC creatives to connect and collaborate.

Collective encourages BIPOC networking

Eva Wasney 4 minute read Preview

Collective encourages BIPOC networking

Eva Wasney 4 minute read Friday, Sep. 5, 2025

It’s a warm weekday morning and Saintuary Café is filled with strangers chatting about their work and passion projects over lattes and croissants.

This has become a regular scene for the co-working café club hosted by the Value Able, a growing grassroots community designed to help BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of colour) creatives in Winnipeg meet and collaborate.

The idea started percolating when founders Star Tactay and Daezerae Gil met at a networking event in February.

Tactay — a marketing professional and software development student from the Philippines — had recently moved to the city from Texas and was looking to meet other people of colour working in creative fields. Gil, a Winnipeg-born photographer, realized she was looking for the same thing.

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Friday, Sep. 5, 2025
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes speaks during a press conference ahead of a NFL football game against Los Angeles Chargers in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
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YouTube using creators to enhance broadcast of the NFL game between the Chiefs and the Chargers

Rob Maaddi, The Associated Press 5 minute read Preview
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YouTube using creators to enhance broadcast of the NFL game between the Chiefs and the Chargers

Rob Maaddi, The Associated Press 5 minute read Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025

Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Andy Reid’s Kansas City Chiefs face Justin Herbert and Jim Harbaugh’s Los Angeles Chargers in the most accessible game to viewers on Friday night in Brazil.

It’s the first NFL game streamed on YouTube and there will be plenty of unique elements surrounding the broadcast.

The league and YouTube have assembled a lineup of content creators to enhance the viewing experience.

Cam Newton, Brandon Marshall, Derek Carr and Tyrann Mathieu will be part of a pre-game and post-game shows hosted by Kay Adams.

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Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025
Signage marks the Statistics Canada offices in Ottawa on July 21, 2010. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
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Unemployment rate climbed to 7.1 per cent in August as economy lost 66,000 jobs

Craig Wong, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview
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Unemployment rate climbed to 7.1 per cent in August as economy lost 66,000 jobs

Craig Wong, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025

OTTAWA - The Canadian economy lost jobs for the second month in a row and the unemployment rate climbed to its highest level since May 2016, excluding the pandemic period, Statistics Canada reported on Friday.

The weaker-than-expected reading of the labour market prompted financial markets to increase the odds the Bank of Canada will cut its key interest rate target later this month.

The unemployment rate ticked up to 7.1 per cent in August as the economy lost 66,000 jobs for the month. The monthly jobs report comes after the July labour force survey that showed a loss of 41,000 jobs and an unemployment rate of 6.9 per cent.

A poll of economists heading into the release had expected August to show a gain of 10,000 jobs and the unemployment rate to rise to seven per cent for the month, according to LSEG Data & Analytics.

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Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025
FILE - Oakland Ballers players stand during the national anthem before a Pioneer League baseball game against the Rocky Mountain Vibes in Oakland, Calif., July 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)

Oakland Ballers to use artificial intelligence to manage Saturday home game against Great Falls

Janie Mccauley, The Associated Press 4 minute read Preview

Oakland Ballers to use artificial intelligence to manage Saturday home game against Great Falls

Janie Mccauley, The Associated Press 4 minute read Saturday, Sep. 20, 2025

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Oakland Ballers manager Aaron Miles will leave it to artificial intelligence to decide when to pinch hit or replace his pitcher.

The playoff-bound Ballers of the independent Pioneer League are turning to AI to manage most aspects of Saturday's home game against the Great Falls Voyagers at Raimondi Park. So it might feel almost like a day off for the skipper, whose lineup and in-game decisions will even be made for him — from a tablet he will have in the dugout providing instructions.

The starting pitcher is already set.

“Luckily it’s only game. Maybe we've done so well that the AI will just keep doing what we're doing,” Miles joked Wednesday. “Being a 70-win team we've got a very good bench. It's hard to write a lineup without leaving somebody out that's really good. This game I'll be like, ‘Hey, it’s not on me for not writing you in there, it's on the computer.' It won’t be my fault if somebody’s not in the lineup, I guess I’ll enjoy that.”

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Saturday, Sep. 20, 2025
GABRIELLE PICHE / FREE PRESS Anthony Kowalczyk (left) and Jason Hachkowski are two of six partners launching Plain Language, a Manitoba-based media buying and management agency.
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Getting word out in face of AI-made messaging

Gabrielle Piché 3 minute read Preview
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Getting word out in face of AI-made messaging

Gabrielle Piché 3 minute read Wednesday, Sep. 3, 2025

Manitoba marketing aficionados have named their new agency Plain Language — a nod to what they say they’ll speak.

There’s a lack of plain language around algorithms and outcomes found in online advertising, agency co-founders said. They’ve spent decades working in digital media, placing ads in an ever-changing online landscape.

“There’s a lot of different platforms, and the way that people talk about it can be quite obtuse,” said Anthony Kowalczyk, Plain Language’s chief executive. “I think that’s what we’re trying to move away from.”

He and Jason Hachkowski, Plain Language’s vice-president of digital ad operations and strategy, have worked together for more than a decade. A mutual colleague suggested the pair meet — both men were experts in digital marketing and advertising.

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Wednesday, Sep. 3, 2025
The ChatGPT app icon is seen on a smartphone screen on Monday, Aug. 4, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato)

AI chatbots changing online threat landscape as Ottawa reviews legislation

Anja Karadeglija, The Canadian Press 8 minute read Preview

AI chatbots changing online threat landscape as Ottawa reviews legislation

Anja Karadeglija, The Canadian Press 8 minute read Sunday, Sep. 21, 2025

OTTAWA - Wrongful death lawsuits citing the activities of artificial intelligence chatbots are underway in the United States, as reports emerge of mental health issues and delusions induced by AI systems.

These incidents are drawing attention to the changing nature of the online threat landscape — just weeks after the Liberal government said it would review its online harms bill before reintroducing it in Parliament.

"Since the legislation was introduced, I think it's become all the more clear that tremendous harm can be facilitated by AI, and we're seeing that in particular in the space of chatbots and some of the tragedies," said Emily Laidlaw, Canada research chair in cybersecurity law at the University of Calgary.

The Online Harms Act, which died on the order paper when the election was called, would have required social media companies to outline how they plan to reduce the risks their platforms pose to users, and would have imposed on them a duty to protect children.

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Sunday, Sep. 21, 2025
photos by BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS ClearSecure Manufacturing & Distribution fabricator Braeden Hay measures a panel of RockGlass while working at the company’s headquarters at CentrePort Canada (8-3149 Red Fife Rd.) in the RM of Rosser.
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CentrePort Canada-based ClearSecure Manufacturing & Distribution pitches protection premier product RockGlass

Aaron Epp 6 minute read Preview
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CentrePort Canada-based ClearSecure Manufacturing & Distribution pitches protection premier product RockGlass

Aaron Epp 6 minute read Tuesday, Sep. 2, 2025

RURAL MUNICIPALITY OF ROSSER — It’s not unusual for staff at ClearSecure Manufacturing & Distribution to encourage people to take a baseball bat or sledgehammer to the company’s signature product.

As far as visuals go, it’s a striking one. The company manufactures and distributes crystal clear security panels for windows and doors known as RockGlass.

“We’re a solution for broken glass,” says Colleen Munro, the company’s founder and president. “That’s kind of our catchphrase.”

People who visit the company, located just north of Winnipeg in the Rural Municipality of Rosser, can don protective gear and swing a sledgehammer at a door-sized panel to see if they — like the legend of Arthur removing Excalibur from the stone — might be the first to successfully reduce RockGlass to pieces.

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Tuesday, Sep. 2, 2025
MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS FILES Jenny Steinke-Magnus, executive director of the Manitoba LGBT* Chamber of Commerce
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Manitoba LGBT* chamber starts entrepreneur development program

Aaron Epp 3 minute read Preview
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Manitoba LGBT* chamber starts entrepreneur development program

Aaron Epp 3 minute read Friday, Aug. 29, 2025

A new program aims to support LGBTTQ+ entrepreneurs in Manitoba.

The Manitoba LGBT* Chamber of Commerce is accepting applications for Emerge, the queer entrepreneur development program it’s launching next month. The six-month program is designed for members of the LGBTTQ+ community to gain essential business skills and strategies, and to build a supportive network of mentors and colleagues in the process.

The program is the first of its kind for the chamber, said Jenny Steinke-Magnus, executive director. “There’s really some unique challenges that queer entrepreneurs face, so we wanted to address those challenges and offer this tailor-made program for queer entrepreneurs in Manitoba.”

Steinke-Magnus cites findings from Canada’s 2SLGBTQI+ Chamber of Commerce (CGLCC) that shows one in four LGBTTQ+ entrepreneurs have lost business opportunities because of their identity. Two in five have difficulty obtaining financing for their business because of their identity, and one in three have been unable to access mentoring and coaching.

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Friday, Aug. 29, 2025
Flower Shop's co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Mary Lou Bunn speaks as sketches of team logos for Professional Women's Hockey League are shown on a computer screen, Thursday, July 30, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
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‘You’re planting your brand flag’: The power of brand building in the women’s sports boom

Alyce Brown, The Associated Press 6 minute read Preview
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‘You’re planting your brand flag’: The power of brand building in the women’s sports boom

Alyce Brown, The Associated Press 6 minute read Friday, Dec. 5, 2025

On a cold day in the beginning of 2024, Alastair Merry and Mary Lou Bunn had a few questions for a public librarian in Ottawa, Ontario.

“If you could describe Ottawa and what it means to you in a couple words, how would you do it?” they asked. “What do you think of the spirit of the city?”

Merry and Bunn, along with the design firm Flower Shop that they co-founded, were hired by the then newly minted Professional Women’s Hockey League to create the nicknames and logos for the league’s inaugural six teams. They were traveling around North America to figure out what made those six cities tick.

As the ever-growing crop of new women’s leagues — at least eight have launched in the past three years — all aim for longevity, one of the cornerstones of any sustainable foundation is team branding. It encompasses everything from the nicknames to the color schemes and logos, and the PWHL has set a high bar there that other up-and-comers would love to emulate.

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Friday, Dec. 5, 2025
Sofia DelGiudice is seen in this undated handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout - Instagram, @Oliveandfigco (Mandatory Credit)
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How young content creators plan to balance their social media success and campus life

Vanessa Tiberio, The Canadian Press 6 minute read Preview
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How young content creators plan to balance their social media success and campus life

Vanessa Tiberio, The Canadian Press 6 minute read Friday, Oct. 10, 2025

Growing up, Sofia DelGiudice never imagined her father’s annual back-to-school tradition would be a pivotal moment in her social media career.

Before starting university two years ago, the 19-year-old content creator from Toronto had the idea to stitch together all the videos her dad filmed of her descending the stairs in the family's home on the first day of school.

"It's the first day of what grade?" DelGiudice’s dad can be heard asking her in each clip recorded from kindergarten onward.

DelGiudice posted what she thought was a cute homage only her small TikTok following would see — and it went viral.

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Friday, Oct. 10, 2025
Game Set Matchmaker's Prianca and Saad are filmed on a date at the 2025 US Open on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, in Flushing, NY. (Kent Edwards/USTA)

The US Open dating show: How Grand Slam tennis tournaments are shooting for a Gen Z audience

Alyce Brown, The Associated Press 4 minute read Preview

The US Open dating show: How Grand Slam tennis tournaments are shooting for a Gen Z audience

Alyce Brown, The Associated Press 4 minute read Friday, Sep. 19, 2025

NEW YORK (AP) — Over the course of the past week across the U.S. Open's grounds, eight couples went on their first dates — on camera.

They were all part of the tournament’s newest content creation venture, “Game, Set, Matchmaker,” the most recent play for Gen Z attention from the world of Grand Slam tennis. From Wimbledon to Flushing Meadows, the sport is starting to take risks in pursuit of a new generation of fans.

“We’re always looking for new ways to engage new audiences,” said Jonathan Zipper, the senior director of social media for the U.S. Tennis Association. The USTA governs tennis in the United States and runs the U.S. Open. "In particular, Gen Z and Millennials are a focus for us to bring into the sport of tennis. So we think about the different types of content that those demographics typically engage with and enjoy watching.”

The eight-episode YouTube series that made its debut Sunday comes amidst an explosive moment for dating shows. “Love Island,” “Love is Blind” and “The Bachelor” are just a few shows in the genre that have dominated young American audiences in the past year.

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Friday, Sep. 19, 2025
FILE - Elon Musk speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference, CPAC, at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, in Oxon Hill, Md. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)

Key things to know about how Elon Musk has boosted hard-right figures in Europe

Erika Kinetz And Aaron Kessler, The Associated Press 6 minute read Preview

Key things to know about how Elon Musk has boosted hard-right figures in Europe

Erika Kinetz And Aaron Kessler, The Associated Press 6 minute read Tuesday, Sep. 23, 2025

ROME (AP) — Elon Musk may have tumbled from political grace in Washington, D.C., but as he seeks to build a new political party, his power on X — where he commands the most popular account — remains unchecked.

Musk is a kingmaker on the platform he acquired in 2022 for $44 billion. He has used his influence to cultivate hard-right politicians and insurgent activists across Europe. A retweet or reply from Musk can lead to millions of views and tens of thousands of new followers, according to an Associated Press analysis of public data.

That fact has not been lost on influencers who have tagged Musk persistently, seeking a reply or a retweet. It has also fueled concerns in Europe about foreign meddling -- not from Russia or China, but from the United States.

“Every alarm bell needs to ring,” Christel Schaldemose, a vice president of the European Parliament who works on electoral interference and digital regulation, told AP.

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Tuesday, Sep. 23, 2025