Author: Marketplace

On this week’s Marketplace Tech Bytes: Week in Review, Nova Safo speaks with Axios tech policy reporter Maria Curi about the details and lingering unknowns of President Donald Trump's new, $100,000 fee on incoming H-1B visas, how secret service authorities dismantled a network of more than 100,000 SIM cards that could have been used to disrupt communications on a massive scale and why French fans of the video game franchise “Tomb Raider” were up in arms over an AI-generated voice.

Turns out the economy grew faster than we initially thought in the second quarter of 2025. Between a slowing job market and uncertain trade policies, an upward revision to GDP came as a bit of a surprise. In this episode, a quick lesson on how GDP is calculated and why consumer spending drove the acceleration. Plus: Hiring-related text scams get more believable, the housing market stays stuck, and companies ramp up spending on durable goods.

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Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Today we’re diving into the business of music. Trapital founder Dan Runcie joins Kimberly to explain what Anthropic’s recent copyright settlement with authors could mean for record labels who’ve sued AI companies, the “fair use” debates dominating the music industry, and why even the biggest stars are struggling to create chart-toppers these days. Plus, we’ll celebrate a win from one of our listeners.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "The Generative AI Music Sweepstakes" from Trapital 
• "Anthropic Agrees to Pay Authors at Least $1.5 Billion in AI Copyright Settlement" from Wired
• "Labels Claim Suno Pirated Songs From YouTube in Bulked-Up AI Copyright Lawsuit" from Billboard
• "YouTube copyright fight: Rick Beato warns UMG claims over short music clips could end his channel" from TechSpot 
• TikTok from Lizzo

• "Kneecap, Faye Webster & 400 Other Artists Remove Their Catalogs From Israel: ‘No Music for Genocide’" from Billboard 

  
  

  Join us tomorrow for “Economics on Tap.” The YouTube livestream starts at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time, 6:30 p.m. Eastern.

A lunch out may give you sticker shock, but a popping boba won't pop the budget, right? While some consumers are trying to be more money-conscious, many are still spending big on eating and drinking out. Chains like Chick-fil-A, Taco Bell, and McDonald's are all trying to cash in — in part by offering fancier, pricier, non-alcoholic drinks. Also on the program, we'll check in on New England's economy.

The Office of Management and Budget sent out a memo with stark instructions for heads of federal agencies: They should consider layoff notices for all employees in programs that haven’t been funded yet for the government’s 2026 fiscal year, which starts Oct. 1. Also on the show: The U.S. is in negotiations to lend $20 billion to Argentina’s central bank, and climate change is treatening New Mexico's centuries-old irrigation system.

From the BBC World Service: Apple has called for the European Union's antitrust watchdogs to scrap some of its tech regulations, which it says lead to a worse experience for users. It's not the first time Apple has voiced its opposition to Europe's Digital Markets Act. We hear more. Plus, China has — for the first time — set a target for reducing carbon emissions. And, a Dutch village famous for its windmills is planning to charge visitors to see them.

The EV tax credit expires September 30, and Americans have been rushing to take advantage before the deadline. But according to reporting from Marketplace’s Henry Epp, many dealerships are facing new friction when processing tax credits with the IRS.

Marketplace’s Nova Safo spoke with Epp about the new IRS requirements and how dealerships are handling the changes.

Disney’s streaming platforms — Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN — will see price hikes come October 21. They aren’t alone. As the streaming wars escalate, companies have switched focus to profit over customer volume, while consumers whittle down their subscriptions. Also in this episode: A soybean farmer faces trade war realities, manufacturers pour cash into new equipment, and Warren Littlefield, producer of “Fargo," “The Handmaid’s Tale” and more discusses the TV business with Kai.

Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.

Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Every fall for about three decades, the U.S. Department of Agriculture comes out with a report assessing food security across the country. We'll get the latest in a month, but it will be the last. The USDA is terminating the annual report, saying it was “politicized.” Researchers, however, say it was vital. Also on the show: no sure thing on the future of interest rates and the costs for Chinese adoptees to search for their birth family.

After being pulled by ABC, Jimmy Kimmel's late-night show returned to TV last night. Thing is, station groups Nexstar and Sinclair — which control ABC affiliates that reach about 20% of the country — opted out. Nexstar is working on a $6 billion merger with Tegna, awaiting Trump administration approval. All of this highlights a widening gap between big TV networks and local station owners. And later: If Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill can’t reach a deal, many federal agencies will close a week from today.