ProfNet is a free service that provides journalists, bloggers, authors and other writers with links to experts and story ideas on the topics they cover. You’ll also find links to job opportunities and other news and resources we think you’ll find useful. To receive these updates by email, send a note to profnet@profnet.com with the industries you cover, and we'll add you to the appropriate edition.

If you are in need of an expert source, you can also submit a free ProfNet query and have qualified sources come to you, or search the free ProfNet Connect database, which features nearly 50,000 user profiles, all searchable by keyword. If you are looking for Spanish-speaking experts, you can also opt to send your query via ProfNet en Español; just select that option when submitting your request.

Submit a free ProfNet query

Search the ProfNet Connect experts database

EXPERT ALERTS

• Change Happens: Now What?
• NYC Soda Ban: Bad Idea for Consumer Choice?
• Organic vs. Conventional Food: What’s Best for Our Kids

MEDIA JOBS

• Investigative Reporter - Colorado Springs, Colo.
• Reporter - Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
• NFL Reporter - Mclean, Va.

OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES

• Media News Highlight
• Socialympics: Social Media Favorites From 2012 Summer Games
• Weekly Roundup: Reddit, Respect in PR, and Twitter and Political Journalism

********************

EXPERT ALERTS

Expert Alerts are listings of ProfNet members who are available to discuss timely news topics. If you are interested in interviewing any of the experts, please contact their media representative at the end of the listing. You can also find Expert Alerts online at bit.ly/pncalerts

Change Happens: Now What?
Natalie Caine
Owner
Life in Transition, What's Next
"Change happens over and over in your life, whether expected or unexpected. But how do you respond? 1) How do you make decisions? 2) What motivates you to make the change? 3) What really keeps you awake at night? Could it be a fear of leaving the part of you that you have known all your life and entering the unknown, more than the fear of mistakes or loneliness; or is it a combination of reasons? It helps to know if you are a spinner, collaborator, observer or leaper when making decisions or a combination of decisions. Know how you usually make choices. Dig deeper into why you are sleepless. Could it be the fear of sitting in the unknown without a net? If so, get curious about the unknown rather than panic. Curiosity and compassion are two best friends during changes."
Caine can discuss the answers to the questions above.
Websites: www.emptynestsupport.com and www.lifeintransition.org
Expert Contact: natalie@emptynestsupport.com

NYC Soda Ban: Bad Idea for Consumer Choice?
Jessica Levinson, RD, MS
Founder
Nutritioulicious
"On Sept. 13, the New York City Board of Health has an important decision to make. Will they vote to remove personal choice or honor people’s right to make decisions that are best for their individual lifestyles? Whatever the decision, one thing is fact: removing choice is never the answer to big problems like obesity. Knowledge and education are key. As a registered dietitian, I counsel clients every day on the importance of including a variety of foods and beverages in a balanced diet -- even sugar-sweetened beverages like soda. The key is moderation and balancing calories taken in with those burned through exercise. If we’re not teaching people these basic principles for healthy living, then no amount of rule-making will help solve our city’s issue with weight."
Levinson, a registered dietitian (RD), is available to provide perspective on the impact of the soda ban and elaborate on the important principles of inclusion, balance and moderation when it comes to making food and beverage choices. She is a consultant to The Coca-Cola Company, Frito-Lay, Centrum, Avocados from Mexico, and the Corn Refiners Association.
News Contact: Kimberly Wise, kwise@ccapr.com or +1-202-609-6015

Organic vs. Conventional Food: What’s Best for Our Kids
Shazi Visram
Founder, CEO and "Chief Mom"
Happy Family
"As a deeply passionate and involved member of the organic-food industry, I have a clear understanding of the benefits of organic food, but know many consumers face confusion in our cluttered landscape of food labels and certifications. I believe the recent Stanford University study is only adding to this confusion. I have always been a champion for organic, both as a mom and an entrepreneur, but today it’s not about my business -- it’s about the health and safety of the next generation. Organic food is crucially important for our children, and it’s not just because of the nutritional value. You don’t choose an organic strawberry over a conventional strawberry because it has more vitamin C -- you choose it because it’s free of harmful pesticides and toxins that can be absorbed by your child’s body. I encourage parents to look at all the facts, view this study with a critical eye and remember that choosing organic is about the safety of our kids and the health of the planet."
Visram is able to provide commentary on the subject of organic vs. conventional food for babies and children in response to the Stanford University study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Website: www.happyfamilybrands.com
News Contact: Laura Herbert, herbert@formulapr.com or +1-212-219-0321

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MEDIA JOBS:

Following are links to job listings for staff and freelance writers. You can view these and more job listings on our Job Board: bit.ly/pncjobboard

• Investigative Reporter - Colorado Springs, Colo.
• Reporter - Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
• NFL Reporter - Mclean, Va.

See more listings here.

********************

OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES:

Following are links to other news and resources we think you might find useful. If you have an item you think other reporters would be interested in and would like us to include in a future alert, please drop us a line at profnetalerts@prnewswire.com

• MEDIA NEWS HIGHLIGHT: ProfNet Editor Evelyn Tipacti shares stories from the worlds of media and journalism: bit.ly/Q3UxnJ

• SOCIALYMPICS: SOCIAL MEDIA FAVORITES FROM 2012 SUMMER GAMES: PR Newswire's Christine Cube shares some of the more creative social media items from this year's Olympic Games: bit.ly/P1y6h7

• WEEKLY ROUNDUP: REDDIT, RESPECT IN PR, AND TWITTER AND POLITICAL JOURNALISM: ProfNet Editor Jason Hahn reviews 10 interesting PR- and media-related stories from the past week: bit.ly/RiUqpY

ProfNet is a free service that provides journalists, bloggers, authors and other writers with links to experts and story ideas on the topics they cover. You’ll also find links to job opportunities and other news and resources we think you’ll find useful. To receive these updates by email, send a note to profnet@profnet.com with the industries you cover, and we'll add you to the appropriate edition.

If you are in need of an expert source, you can also submit a free ProfNet query and have qualified sources come to you, or search the free ProfNet Connect database, which features nearly 50,000 user profiles, all searchable by keyword. If you are looking for Spanish-speaking experts, you can also opt to send your query via ProfNet en Español; just select that option when submitting your request.

Submit a free ProfNet query

Search the ProfNet Connect experts database

EXPERT ALERTS

• American Muslims Reflect on Fighting Intolerance, Growing Anti-Muslim Sentiment
• Communication Between Parents and Teachers
• Politics and the Workplace

MEDIA JOBS

• Investigative Reporter - Colorado Springs, Colo.
• Reporter - Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
• NFL Reporter - Mclean, Va.

OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES

• DNC 2012 Day One: Event Prep and CarolinaFest
• Media News Highlight
• Tool Spotlight: timeStats

********************

EXPERT ALERTS

Expert Alerts are listings of ProfNet members who are available to discuss timely news topics. If you are interested in interviewing any of the experts, please contact their media representative at the end of the listing. You can also find Expert Alerts online at bit.ly/pncalerts

American Muslims Reflect on Fighting Intolerance and the Growing Anti-Muslim Sentiment
Zainab Al-Suwaij
Executive Director
American Islamic Congress (AIC)
"As American Muslims honor the 11th anniversary of the tragedy of Sept. 11, we must reiterate our commitment to nonviolence, interfaith dialogue and tolerance. I co-founded AIC in the weeks following 9/11 in the hopes of building interfaith and interethnic understanding, and representing the diversity of American Muslim life at the time of highly charged and polarized debates. Eleven years after the horrific attacks that took nearly 3,000 of innocent lives, the American Muslim community has made great progress in its bid to empower the often silent moderate voices and to dispel many harmful stereotypes. But great challenges remain. As recent attacks on religious minorities in Oak Creek, Wis., and Joplin, Mo., demonstrated, religious intolerance is, unfortunately, still alive in the United States. Freedom of religion is one of the founding principles of the United States. This reminds us we must not take this freedom for granted. Religious intolerance must be countered by our communities as we lead by example. But we must also keep our leaders accountable when their words create the environment of intolerance and discrimination."
Al-Suwaij, the executive director of AIC since its inception just after 9/11, is a leader in the interfaith community and can speak about: 1) the significance of 9/11 to the American Muslim community; 2) the progress made over the past 11 years evident in the greater visibility of moderate Muslims; 3) the challenges the community still faces illustrated by the recent tragedies in Oak Creek, Wis., and Joplin, Mo.; 3) the status of interfaith dialogue in the U.S. and what it can do to help during times like these; 4) how actions and rhetoric from the nation's top leaders on down creates an environment of hate, discrimination and violence against certain religious or ethnic groups is permissible; and 5) how Muslim groups work with entities such as the Department of Justice, schools and community groups to dispel stereotypes and fears.
News Contact: Kseniya Zudava, i.zudava@aicongress.org or +1- 1-617-266-0080

Communication Between Parents and Teachers
Dr. Elizabeth Archambault
Assistant Professor in the College of Education
Argosy University, Inland Empire in California
"Keeping the lines of communication open with your child's school and teacher is critical to your child's academic success and establishing a home-school partnership. If a problem arises, whether it is academic or social, it is important and comforting to know you can address it with the child's teacher and try to reach a resolution through communication and cooperation. Your child will be more secure knowing you are participatory in his/her educational experience. Although most issues can be resolved between the child and teacher or parent and teacher, sometimes more serious circumstances arise that require intervention at a higher level."
Archambault is able to discuss how parents can keep the lines of communication open with the classroom teacher, as well as how to address those more difficult situations.
News Contact: Anne K. Dean, adean@argosy.edu or +1-714-620-0910

Politics and the Workplace
Robin E. Shea
Attorney
Constangy, Brooks & Smith LLP
Commentators agree that this year's presidential campaign is more divisive than any other in modern history. In the two months between the conventions and the election, employers need to know how to avoid being caught in the middle and how to keep the workplace civil. Is it a good idea for a public-minded employer to solicit political donations from employees, encourage employees to volunteer for the campaigns of certain candidates or even to "encourage" employees to vote the "right" way? Can a heated political debate in the workplace lead to hostile work-environment harassment claims? Do First Amendment rights apply in private-sector workplaces? Are there any "best practices" for employers to follow in this contentious election season? Shea can discuss these issues and more.
"There is an old saying that you shouldn't discuss politics or religion with people you don't know very well. That goes quadruple for this election, where opinions and emotions are so strong on both sides. Unless the employer is a political party or a candidate's organization, employers should not be putting any pressure on their employees to work on campaigns, make donations or vote a certain way. And employees should be respectful of their co-workers' rights to their opinions. Although the First Amendment applies only to 'state action,' it's very easy for a comment about a political issue, or political 'humor,' to be interpreted as evidence of race, sex or religious discrimination."
Constangy, Brooks & Smith LLP is a national employment and labor law firm. Shea has more than 20 years of experience in labor and employment law, and is the editor of the blog Employment & Labor Insider.
News Contact: Wendy Angel, wangel@constangy.com

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MEDIA JOBS:

Following are links to job listings for staff and freelance writers. You can view these and more job listings on our Job Board: bit.ly/pncjobboard

• Investigative Reporter - Colorado Springs, Colo.
• Reporter - Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
• NFL Reporter - Mclean, Va.

See more listings here.

********************

OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES:

Following are links to other news and resources we think you might find useful. If you have an item you think other reporters would be interested in and would like us to include in a future alert, please drop us a line at profnetalerts@prnewswire.com

• DNC 2012 DAY ONE: EVENT PREP AND CAROLINAFEST: PR Newswire's Christine Cube offers a glimpse into the Democratic National Convention: bit.ly/OTzYGY

• MEDIA NEWS HIGHLIGHT: ProfNet Editor Evelyn Tipacti shares stories from the worlds of media and journalism: bit.ly/PwPPvR

• TOOL SPOTLIGHT: TIMESTATS: ProfNet Editor Jason Hahn looks at timeStats, a Chrome browser extension that tracks your online browsing habits: bit.ly/NCDWmd

Following is a roundup of 10 interesting PR- and media-related stories found online last week:

A Journalist's Guide to Reddit: Last Wednesday, President Obama took part in an AMA ("Ask Me Anything") on Reddit. (For the uninitiated, an AMA is "an open Q&A thread where one notable person answers questions from everyone else.") While Reddit didn't need the president's participation to establish its legitimacy, it's a call to journalists to start paying attention to a site that's becoming increasingly mainstream and culturally relevant. However, getting acclimated to the world of Reddit takes some education. This guide covers basic things like subreddits, the site's stance on self-promotional links and its broader definition of news. (Poynter)

Tips for Earning Respect in the PR Industry: Capable, young PR professionals are often given big responsibilities that come with a lot of pressure to perform, but respect is not always part of this package. Among the 10 tips included here for earning respect in the PR industry are to dress like an adult, balance causal banter with a serious demeanor and act as your own PR agent. (PR Daily)

Twitter and Political Journalism: Twitter has changed the game of political journalism, but is that good or bad? Controversial remarks spread much quicker than they did four years ago, pressuring campaigns to respond faster. On the other hand, Twitter and other social networks allow people to defuse incorrect or silly reports faster. The consequences of sources being able to "go direct" will be more apparent as the election draws closer. (GigaOM)

Traditional Journalism Is Connected to News via Social Media: Eric Carvin, social media editor at the Associated Press (AP), doesn't see it as "traditional journalism versus news over social media." Rather, he sees the two sides as connected, with social media providing up-to-the-minute information, and journalists verifying that information and putting it in a bigger context. Carvin also notes that social media can create closer ties between journalists and readers. His goal is for all of AP's 2,500 journalists to use social media well, not just to promote stories but to make stories better. (The Content Strategist)

Mobile Users Prefer News From Trusted Mainstream News Sites: According to the Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute's "2012 Media News Consumption Survey," 61.8 percent of mobile users prefer news stories produced by professional journalists. However, 30.6 percent of respondents said they don't trust the mainstream media. (Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute)

More Than 20 Percent of U.S. Newspapers Have Online Pay Walls: More than one in five U.S. newspapers have now put up pay walls requiring subscriptions for full online access to content. According to News&Tech, the number of papers with some form of metered pay walls or digital subscription plans has doubled since last year. (Mashable)

Thirty-Five Nuggets of PR Advice: "Public Relations is a marathon, and not a sprint." That was the best bit of public relations advice this PR professional received when he was fresh out of college. What advice do other PR practitioners want to pass on to the next generation of professionals in their field? Among the 35 bits of advice included in this post are: "Media/PR world is a small world, so don’t burn any bridges"; "When you walk into a meeting with a client, say one smart thing and ask one smart question"; and "Tell the truth faster." (fresh as.... A Mynt Public Relations Blog)

Fact-Checking and the Media's Crisis of Confidence: Paul Ryan's speech at the Republican National Convention brought a question to the minds of journalists and commentators: "Can the media stop politicians from misleading the public?" Journalists should remember to remind readers of bogus claims and cover a pattern of false claims as an ongoing story. They should also remember that whenever someone who could be the next president or vice president of the nation makes a false claim, it's always worth honoring their duty to truth, not the marketplace or people they cover. (Columbia Journalism Review)

How the Desert News Supports a Local Newsroom With a National Strategy: Here's a look at how Salt Lake City's Desert News is approaching the challenge facing most American metropolitan newspapers: "A local web audience isn’t large enough to support the newsroom, but a national audience can get national news from anywhere." The Desert News is faring well, as its digital revenue grew at more than 50 percent annually for the past three years and now accounts for more than a quarter of total revenue. The core of its success is an editorial strategy that focuses on issues not sufficiently covered by other news organizations and a digital unit that comes up with Web-only products. (Nieman Journalism Lab)

Ten Reasons Why I Hate Social Media: This social media coordinator and graphic designer shares 10 reasons why she hates social media. "Because I’m so immersed in it, occasionally there are things about it that make me want to throw staplers across the room in hopes that a rogue staple will somehow fly out and hit someone in the eye." Among the reasons are: typos/grammatical errors, the fleeting nature of content and the difficulty of proving ROI. (The Abbi Agency)

ProfNet, a service of PR Newswire, has helped journalists and experts connect since 1992. Writers can search the ProfNet Connect database of more than 50,000 profiles; send a ProfNet query by email to thousands of subscribers around the globe; or get timely experts and story ideas by email.

ProfNet is a free service that provides journalists, bloggers, authors and other writers with links to experts and story ideas on the topics they cover. You’ll also find links to job opportunities and other news and resources we think you’ll find useful. To receive these updates by email, send a note to profnet@profnet.com with the industries you cover, and we'll add you to the appropriate edition.

If you are in need of an expert source, you can also submit a free ProfNet query and have qualified sources come to you, or search the free ProfNet Connect database, which features nearly 50,000 user profiles, all searchable by keyword. If you are looking for Spanish-speaking experts, you can also opt to send your query via ProfNet en Español; just select that option when submitting your request.

Submit a free ProfNet query

Search the ProfNet Connect experts database

EXPERT ALERTS

• American Muslims Reflect on Fighting Intolerance and Anti-Muslim Sentiment in the U.S.
• Clostridium Difficile
• Eco- and Wallet-Friendly Kitchen Pantry Tips
• Life in Transition: Now What?

MEDIA JOBS

• St. Paul Bureau Team Leader - Minneapolis
• Assignment Editor - Phoenix
• Editorial Assistant/Community Reporter - Fort Collins, Colo.

OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES

• Media News Highlight
• Freelance Focus: Protecting Your Story Idea
• Tool Spotlight: timeStats

********************

EXPERT ALERTS

Expert Alerts are listings of ProfNet members who are available to discuss timely news topics. If you are interested in interviewing any of the experts, please contact their media representative at the end of the listing. You can also find Expert Alerts online at bit.ly/pncalerts

American Muslims Reflect on Fighting Intolerance and the Growing Anti-Muslim Sentiment Zainab Al-Suwaij
Executive Director
American Islamic Congress (AIC)
"As American Muslims honor the 11th anniversary of the tragedy of Sept. 11, we must reiterate our commitment to nonviolence, interfaith dialogue and tolerance. I co-founded AIC in the weeks following 9/11 in the hopes of building interfaith and interethnic understanding, and representing the diversity of American Muslim life at the time of highly charged and polarized debates. Eleven years after the horrific attacks that took nearly 3,000 of innocent lives, the American Muslim community has made great progress in its bid to empower the often silent moderate voices and to dispel many harmful stereotypes. But great challenges remain. As recent attacks on religious minorities in Oak Creek, Wis., and Joplin, Mo., demonstrated, religious intolerance is, unfortunately, still alive in the United States. Freedom of religion is one of the founding principles of the United States. This reminds us we must not take this freedom for granted. Religious intolerance must be countered by our communities as we lead by example. But we must also keep our leaders accountable when their words create the environment of intolerance and discrimination."
Al-Suwaij, the executive director of AIC since its inception just after 9/11, is a leader in the interfaith community and can speak about: 1) the significance of 9/11 to the American Muslim community; 2) the progress made over the past 11 years evident in the greater visibility of moderate Muslims; 3) the challenges the community still faces illustrated by the recent tragedies in Oak Creek, Wis., and Joplin, Mo.; 3) the status of interfaith dialogue in the U.S. and what it can do to help during times like these; 4) how actions and rhetoric from the nation's top leaders on down creates an environment of hate, discrimination and violence against certain religious or ethnic groups is permissible; and 5) how Muslim groups work with entities such as the Department of Justice, schools and community groups to dispel stereotypes and fears.
News Contact: Kseniya Zudava, i.zudava@aicongress.org or +1- 1-617-266-0080

Clostridium Difficile
Dr. Tor Savidge
Associate Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology
University of Texas Medical Branch
Dr. Savidge is an expert on Clostridium difficile, or C. difficile, and can address the recent USA Today investigation on the rising C. difficile infection rates in hospital settings.
"In the majority of hospitalized patients, C. difficile infection is asymptomatic, and community-acquired CDI is rapidly becoming a more significant concern and may play a role in contaminating hospital and long-term care environments. Identifying high-risk patients and developing better laboratory tests and vaccines should be future goals to combat CDI."
Website: www.utmb.edu
Bio: bit.ly/PSNQ8S
News Contact: Brianne O’Donnell, brianne.odonnell@gabbe.com or +1-212-220-4444

Eco- and Wallet-Friendly Kitchen Pantry Tips
Joshua Joe
Storeroom Manger
The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California -- Los Angeles, a campus of Argosy University
For a basic green-living project with benefits to your wallet and the environment, consider revamping the kitchen pantry.
"Practicing a first-in, first-out method of consuming your pantry goods is a true way to save money and prevent food waste. The tendency is to go for the freshest or A+ product when the older, A-grade item will do. You don’t want to let perfectly usable goods go to waste."
Website: www.artinstitutes.edu/los-angeles
News Contact: Amy Rocha, arocha@aii.edu or +1-310-314-6174

Life in Transition: Now What?
Natalie Caine
Owner
Empty Nest Support Services
"Whether expected or unexpected, change happens. Kids come back home to live and parents aren't happy about it. Now what do you do? 1) OK, I set boundaries but now what? The kids are still home. 2) Why do I feel guilty that I am paying some of my kids' bills? 3) Can I just say 'No more' and live with myself as their parents? 4) How do I keep moving forward with my dreams even though my kids are on the sofa?"
Caine can discuss answers to these questions.
Websites: www.emptynestsupport.com and www.lifeintransition.org
Expert Contact: natalie@emptynestsupport.com

********************

MEDIA JOBS:

Following are links to job listings for staff and freelance writers. You can view these and more job listings on our Job Board: bit.ly/pncjobboard

• St. Paul Bureau Team Leader - Minneapolis
• Assignment Editor - Phoenix
• Editorial Assistant/Community Reporter - Fort Collins, Colo.

See more listings here.

********************

OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES:

Following are links to other news and resources we think you might find useful. If you have an item you think other reporters would be interested in and would like us to include in a future alert, please drop us a line at profnetalerts@prnewswire.com

• MEDIA NEWS HIGHLIGHT: ProfNet Editor Evelyn Tipacti shares stories from the worlds of media and journalism: bit.ly/PwPPvR

• FREELANCE FOCUS: PROTECTING YOUR STORY IDEA: ProfNet Director Maria Perez interviews two freelance writers about how to protect great story ideas: bit.ly/STPaYG

• TOOL SPOTLIGHT: TIMESTATS: ProfNet Editor Jason Hahn looks at timeStats, a Chrome browser extension that tracks your online browsing habits: bit.ly/NCDWmd

This is part of a biweekly series on tools, resources and apps to help PR and media professionals be more productive and effective.

The Internet is a valuable ally and a formidable foe when it comes to our daily productivity. If you're curious to see how helpful or harmful your use of the Web actually is, look no further than timeStats, a free Google Chrome extension that keeps track of your online browsing habits and generates colorful charts detailing which sites you spend the most time with, along with other interesting and useful information.

Once you add the extension to Chrome, you'll see a small red, green and yellow pie-chart icon in the upper right corner of the browser window. When you're visiting a website, that icon will show how much time you've spent on that site today. Hovering your cursor over the icon will also tell you this information.

However, the real charm of timeStats is seen when you click on the pie-chart icon. This opens up a new browser tab and takes you to the timeStats dashboard. Here you'll see a variety of colorful charts and graphs. For example, a pie chart titled "Visited sites" will show you the percentage of time spent with all the sites you've visited in the designated time frame (which can be adjusted at the top of the dashboard page). Hovering your cursor over each slice of the pie will display the domain URL and the time spent on that domain. Clicking on a slice of the pie will take you to that domain.

Other timeStats charts convey information like the amount of time spent with domain zones (e.g., .com, .org, .edu), how much time you spend with site categories (which must be manually assigned to sites), how much total time you spent browsing during each day of the week and each month, your most visited domains, and your busiest browsing days. The dashboard updates each chart in real time.

To the left of the dashboard are tabs that display the charts included on the dashboard, along with others, in more detail. You can choose whether or not each of these charts is included on the dashboard.

There's also a tab for options, where users can adjust things like the length of stored history, how long it takes for the browser to go idle, the first action that happens when you click on the timeStats browser button and excluded domains. On this page, users can also delete statistics, clear all statistics, restore default settings and export statistics to a CSV file.

PR professionals and journalists can benefit from using timeStats as a way to see where most of their browsing time is spent. Not only can this reveal distracting leisure sites to consider blocking for productivity's sake, but it can also bring to attention daily responsibilities that might be better handled via delegation or teamwork. Using timeStats can also help with things like forecasting how much time will be spent actively using the Web or using particular websites during a day, week or month, which can help with prioritizing tasks.

According to Wips.com, the developer of the extension, a version of timeStats for Firefox is in the works, in addition to more graphs and an improved interface.

Another tool for reporters is ProfNet, a service of PR Newswire, has helped journalists and experts connect since 1992. Writers can search the ProfNet Connect database of more than 50,000 profiles; send a ProfNet query by email to thousands of subscribers around the globe; or get timely experts and story ideas by email.

Following is a roundup of 10 interesting PR- and media-related stories found online last week:

The Answer to a Struggling Journalist's Career: An Inheritance: Journalism is becoming a world filled with writers who have attained their positions thanks to some form of privilege, some detachment from the struggles of the everyday middle-class person. This is the account of a writer who was rescued from her dark days of financial struggles, avoiding unpaid internships, finding a "debtor's refuge" in a doctoral program and welfare thanks to an unexpected inheritance, which was enough to pay off her student loans. "It’s not that I feel like a cheat -- I’ve long realized that money is necessary to launch a creative career. How else does one do an unpaid internship? But the fact that I’ve proved the rule in my profession makes me wonder just what kind of profession it is." (Random House of Canada)

The Media's Use of Graphic Images From the Empire State Building Shooting: There are three questions to ask yourself before publishing graphic images: 1) What is the journalistic value of the photos? 2) What is the one and degree of usage? 3) How will you warn your audience and explain your decisions to the public? With that in mind, here's a look at how major national and New York media handled graphic images in their coverage of the Empire State Building shooting. (Poynter)

BuzzFeed Takes on Washington, D.C.: BuzzFeed's Washington, D.C., bureau opened in July, bringing the website's concise and "snackable" style of content packaging to politics stories in a bigger way. The trusted voice BuzzFeed owns is built upon its tone and structure. The site aims to break news and conduct serious journalism. Its only trick will be "breaking down the divide between the light and the serious." (Nieman Journalism Lab)

Eggs, Cigarettes and a Lack of Reporting: "Study: Eggs Are Nearly as Bad for Your Arteries as Cigarettes." That was the headline of an article on The Atlantic's website, an article that did not assess the cited study's credibility or share the perspectives of outside experts. Taking a study at face value is fine for some topics, "But when you’re a major news outlet and the study is concluding that eggs, a staple food, are nearly as bad for you as cigarettes, I’d like to see you do some reporting." (The Last Word On Nothing)

How Savvy PR Can Save Groupon and Facebook: Groupon and Facebook have recently come across their share of financial struggles. With this comes the disappearance of all the public relations excitement that accompanies the companies as they approached their respective IPOs. Still, there are ways PR can make these Internet sensations look better than they do right now. (PR Daily)

How Journalists Can Stay Safe Online: Whether in dangerous areas abroad or "safe" at home, journalists need to understand how to protect their data. Here's a rundown of how journalists can keep safe while surfing the Web, using your email and using social media. (IJNet)

What Is Journalism for?: Online media is adored by publishers because it's so measurable. But why are these metrics measured in the first place? Is it for advertisers or to verify journalism's worth to society? "Before we can properly measure whether online journalism -- of any kind -- is effective or not, we have to answer the question: What is journalism for?" (GigaOM)

How to Make Your Company's Blog Rock: With a hat tip to Jeff Bullas, here's a blog post that shares 50 ways to make your company's blog rock. Among them are: ask questions, use StumbleUpon or AllTop to increase your readership, develop "how-to" blog posts (and turn them into short videos) and be yourself. (Spin Sucks)

The Plague of Journalism and Falsification: This is a call for journalists and PR professionals to "aspire to the 'better angels of our [collective] nature' and put an end to plagiarizing and falsification once and for all." The recent string of plagiarism is a reminder that the "us vs. them" argument between journalists and PR pros is too often based on the assumption that journalists consistently take the moral high road in a vacuum devoid of agendas. It's also gives both sides of the debate a chance to distinguish between inspiration from different sources and plagiarism. (MediaPost Publications – Marketing Daily)

The Struggle for Alternative Weeklies: The Village Voice is an example of an alternative weekly that set out to oppose daily newspapers in its market, only to struggle because of the Web. Everything alternative weeklies offer is now available on the Web in digitized and democratized form, making those alternative publications look dull in comparison. However, smaller weeklies in smaller markets seem to be doing better. (NYTimes.com)

ProfNet, a service of PR Newswire, has helped journalists and experts connect since 1992. Writers can search the ProfNet Connect database of more than 50,000 profiles; send a ProfNet query by email to thousands of subscribers around the globe; or get timely experts and story ideas by email.

ProfNet is a free service that provides journalists, bloggers, authors and other writers with links to experts and story ideas on the topics they cover. You’ll also find links to job opportunities and other news and resources we think you’ll find useful. To receive these updates by email, send a note to profnet@profnet.com with the industries you cover, and we'll add you to the appropriate edition.

If you are in need of an expert source, you can also submit a free ProfNet query and have qualified sources come to you, or search the free ProfNet Connect database, which features nearly 50,000 user profiles, all searchable by keyword. If you are looking for Spanish-speaking experts, you can also opt to send your query via ProfNet en Español; just select that option when submitting your request.

Submit a free ProfNet query

Search the ProfNet Connect experts database

EXPERT ALERTS

• Bully-Proof Your Kids for School
• Communication Is Key for Divorced Parents
• Empty Nesters: Am I Going Crazy?
• Halloween Decor: More Treat Than Trick
• Sandalwood: The Top Fragrance Trend This Fall
• Summertime Dental Hygiene

MEDIA JOBS

• Journalist, Multimedia - Sacramento, Calif.
• Online Editor/Producer - Washington, D.C.
• Anchor, Multimedia Journalist - Phoenix
• Assignment Editor/News Producer - NYC
• News Anchor/Producer/Reporter - Pocatello, Idaho

OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES

• Media News Highlight
• Religion Blogs: Coexist Peacefully!
• Grammar Hammer: Julia Child's Recipe for Parallel Structure

********************

EXPERT ALERTS

Expert Alerts are listings of ProfNet members who are available to discuss timely news topics. If you are interested in interviewing any of the experts, please contact their media representative at the end of the listing. You can also find Expert Alerts online at bit.ly/pncalerts

Bully-Proof Your Kids for School
Dr. Ronda Beaman
Author and Professor
California Polytechnic University
The first day back at school is right around the corner, and while you're out rushing around ensuring that your kids have all the supplies they need for the new school year, it's equally important that you also equip them with the emotional tools they need to face the year.
"There's a lot of lip service paid to the notion that schools need stringent anti-bullying policies, and many districts across the country have implemented strong regulations designed to curb bullying behavior, but the truth of the matter is that bullies can be clever. The best thing you can do for your kids is to bully-proof them before they even set foot on a school bus this year. You can achieve this by using the five C's of bully-proofing kids: communicating, confidence boosting, comprehending motives, circumventing and counteracting."
News Contact: Anna Steinbock, anna@exposeyourselfpr.com

Communication Is Key for Divorced Parents
Mary Jo McCurley
Family Law Attorney
McCurley Orsinger McCurley Nelson & Downing LLP in Dallas
"Back-to-school time can be tough for newly divorced couples, but a little planning and a lot of mutual consideration can go a long way toward smoothing the path for parents and kids alike. Everybody should sit down together with a calendar and make sure all the important dates are recorded. Visits with their non-custodial parent, after-school activities, recitals, trips to grandma’s, dentist appointments -- everything that will occupy the children’s time needs to be recorded and shared with both parents. It may seem trivial, but both parents also need to make sure that they are included in all school, team or scout-troop communications because staying in the loop on daily activities is critical for both parents to maintain a healthy relationship with their children."
News Contact: Rhonda Reddick, rhonda@androvett.com or +1-800-559-4534

Empty Nesters: Am I Going Crazy?
Natalie Caine
Owner
Empty Nest Support Services
"Parents long for quiet time, yet when the house goes silent, empty nesters are kicked into a kingdom they didn't quite want: 1) Unrealistic expectations with their children, who leave for college, birth a new swirl of confusion for parents. 2) Wonderment of 'What do I want to do with the rest of my life,' and 'Is it too late for me?' 3) Who is that partner sitting across the kitchen table from me? 4) Yippee, I am free -- oh no, I am suddenly caretaking my parents. 5) Where is my new community, since there are no school fairs or sports events?"
Website: www.emptynestsupport.com
Expert Contact: natalie@emptynestsupport.com

Halloween Decor: More Treat Than Trick
Gary LaVasser
Academic Director in Set & Exhibit Design
The Art Institute of California -- Hollywood, a campus of Argosy University
"At Halloween, dark red can be symbolic of blood, and any time black is used it represents scariness. For an elegant look, combine dark red arrangements of roses, cover them in black hat veiling and tie them together with black satin ribbons."
While displaying ghosts and goblins is great for the kids and the standard for Halloween decor, you can also get into the spirit with sophistication. LaVasser says that while everyone thinks of orange and black, consider the combination of dark red or purple and black. Other decor ideas can be to use vintage accessories that look worn; and paint objects that normally are normally not black, such as jack-o'-lanterns, black.
News Contact: Sandra Bernardo, sbernardo@aii.edu or +1-714-338-1303

Sandalwood: The Top Fragrance Trend This Fall
Amy Braden
Director of Product Development
Tru Fragrance
"Sandalwood is a deeply sensual and calming note that helps extend the wear in fine fragrances. Its lingering scent is ideal for those looking for a fragrance that will complement cooler days and nights."
Fall "HipNote" Sandalwood was selected by fragrance and flavor company Firmenich and Tru Fragrance, a leading custom fragrance development company. Recognized as one of the oldest, most valuable and expensive raw materials in modern perfumery, Sandalwood’s sexy scent is known to evoke a calming effect and awaken sensuality. Braden is available to discuss Sandalwood as this upcoming season’s hottest fragrance note, as well as other trends around the fragrance industry.
News Contact: Aimee Nicholls, nicholls@formulapr.com or +1-212-219-0321

Summertime Dental Hygiene
Dr. Todd Pizzi, DDS
Owner
Modern Dentistry of Shrewsbury, Mass.
"Summer is often the time of year when kids tend to indulge in Popsicles, ice cream and conveniently portable (but often sugary) juice boxes. Making sure that they brush not just in the morning and evening, but after every meal and sugary snack, will ensure that their teeth are as protected as possible against decay-causing food. Adults, too, should realize that the acids in summery citrus fruits and cocktails can erode enamel. Frequent brushing and flossing is the key to eliminating corrosive agents. Better yet, substitute healthier poolside snacks for sweet treats: Gatorade contains a little less sugar than juice, and kid-sized water bottles are available almost anywhere if you’re looking to stay hydrated while out in the sun. Swap out the ice cream for less sugary yogurt and consider sugar-free frozen treats, which are just as tasty as their sugary counterparts."
News Contact: Anna Steinbock, anna@exposeyourselfpr.com

********************

MEDIA JOBS:

Following are links to job listings for staff and freelance writers. You can view these and more job listings on our Job Board: bit.ly/pncjobboard

• Journalist, Multimedia - Sacramento, Calif.
• Online Editor/Producer - Washington, D.C.
• Anchor, Multimedia Journalist - Phoenix
• Assignment Editor/News Producer - NYC
• News Anchor/Producer/Reporter - Pocatello, Idaho

See more listings here.

********************

OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES:

Following are links to other news and resources we think you might find useful. If you have an item you think other reporters would be interested in and would like us to include in a future alert, please drop us a line at profnetalerts@prnewswire.com

• MEDIA NEWS HIGHLIGHT: ProfNet Editor Evelyn Tipacti shares stories from the worlds of media and journalism: bit.ly/TZ9BDi

• RELIGION BLOGS: COEXIST PEACEFULLY!: PR Newswire's Thomas Hynes shares some of the best religion blogs he's seen lately: bit.ly/SvZ04o

• GRAMMAR HAMMER: JULIA CHILD'S RECIPE FOR PARALLEL STRUCTURE: ProfNet Editor Grace Lavigne reviews the rules for parallel structure: bit.ly/O4o24O

ProfNet is a free service that provides journalists, bloggers, authors and other writers with links to experts and story ideas on the topics they cover. You’ll also find links to job opportunities and other news and resources we think you’ll find useful. To receive these updates by email, send a note to profnet@profnet.com with the industries you cover, and we'll add you to the appropriate edition.

If you are in need of an expert source, you can also submit a free ProfNet query and have qualified sources come to you, or search the free ProfNet Connect database, which features nearly 50,000 user profiles, all searchable by keyword. If you are looking for Spanish-speaking experts, you can also opt to send your query via ProfNet en Español; just select that option when submitting your request.

Submit a free ProfNet query

Search the ProfNet Connect experts database

EXPERT ALERTS

• Benefits of Urban Redevelopment
• Bully-Proof Your Kids for School
• Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals

MEDIA JOBS

• Journalist, Multimedia - Sacramento, Calif.
• Online Editor/Producer - Washington, D.C.
• Anchor, Multimedia Journalist - Phoenix
• Assignment Editor/News Producer - NYC
• News Anchor/Producer/Reporter - Pocatello, Idaho

OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES

• The Importance of Social Media in the U.S. Presidential Election
• Grammar Hammer: Julia Child's Recipe for Parallel Structure
• Tool Spotlight: TweetCharts.com

********************

EXPERT ALERTS

Expert Alerts are listings of ProfNet members who are available to discuss timely news topics. If you are interested in interviewing any of the experts, please contact their media representative at the end of the listing. You can also find Expert Alerts online at bit.ly/pncalerts

Benefits of Urban Redevelopment
John McGrail
Founder and CEO
Mayo Group
As urban sprawl begins to make its way past beltways and into territory previously considered suburbia, enterprising companies are seeking to overhaul urban expanses by reimagining downtown spaces and shoring up existing infrastructure to breathe new life into urban areas. McGrail is a big proponent of urban redevelopment and cites major benefits to putting a new face on a crumbling or neglected neighborhood.
"Through redevelopment, previously vacant or neglected buildings vanish as modern edifices appear in their place, drawing people back to the area. Urban renewal also includes public improvements such as parking and utilities as cleaner, greener services edge out outdated utilities. Finally, incorporating new apartments organically into a site can draw in a new population of urban dwellers or provide updated living space for those already living in the area."
News Contact: Anna Steinbock, anna@exposeyourselfpr.com

Bully-Proof Your Kids for School
Dr. Ronda Beaman
Author and Professor
California Polytechnic University
The first day back at school is right around the corner, and while you're out rushing around ensuring that your kids have all the supplies they need for the new school year, it's equally important that you also equip them with the emotional tools they need to face the year.
"There's a lot of lip service paid to the notion that schools need stringent anti-bullying policies, and many districts across the country have implemented strong regulations designed to curb bullying behavior, but the truth of the matter is that bullies can be clever. The best thing you can do for your kids is to bully-proof them before they even set foot on a school bus this year. You can achieve this by using the five C’s of bully-proofing kids: communicating, confidence boosting, comprehending motives, circumventing and counteracting."
News Contact: Anna Steinbock, anna@exposeyourselfpr.com

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals
Andrea Ramos
Professor and Director of the Immigration Law Clinic
Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles
Ramos is available to comment on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). Prior to joining Southwestern's faculty, she served on the staff of Public Counsel for 10 years, originally leading the School-Based Legal Assistance Program, then directing the Children's Rights Project. As directing attorney of the project, she represented children in Special Immigrant Juvenile cases, the Violence Against Women Act and U visa cases, and provided training and workshops to lawyers and social service providers. Professor Ramos established and directs Southwestern Law School’s Immigration Law Clinic, which began operation during the 2008-09 academic year.
"News of the implementation of DACA is welcome. Though the policy is temporary and provides limited relief, it opens the door to thousands of children and young adults who came to the U.S. at an early age. DACA allows youths to come out of the shadows and live their lives openly and with some sense of security. For young adults with college or other advanced degrees, it provides them with the opportunity to secure work, give back to the community and pursue their dreams. The program is a beacon of hope to the young undocumented population (often referred to as 'Dreamers') who have worked tirelessly to change immigration policy. Many brave young 'Dreamers' revealed their undocumented status and put themselves at risk in their fight for passage of immigration reform. DACA is the result of their hard work."
Expert Contact: avramos@swlaw.edu

***************

MEDIA JOBS:

Following are links to job listings for staff and freelance writers. You can view these and more job listings on our Job Board: bit.ly/pncjobboard

• Journalist, Multimedia - Sacramento, Calif.
• Online Editor/Producer - Washington, D.C.
• Anchor, Multimedia Journalist - Phoenix
• Assignment Editor/News Producer - NYC
• News Anchor/Producer/Reporter - Pocatello, Idaho

See more listings here.

********************

OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES:

Following are links to other news and resources we think you might find useful. If you have an item you think other reporters would be interested in and would like us to include in a future alert, please drop us a line at profnetalerts@prnewswire.com

• THE IMPORTANCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN THE U.S. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: ProfNet Editor Evelyn Tipacti shares stories about how social media will play a role in the 2012 presidential election: bit.ly/PwNio1

• GRAMMAR HAMMER: JULIA CHILD'S RECIPE FOR PARALLEL STRUCTURE: ProfNet Editor Grace Lavigne reviews the rules for parallel structure: bit.ly/O4o24O

• TOOL SPOTLIGHT: TWEETCHARTS.COM: ProfNet Editor Jason Hahn reviews a free tool that allows you to call up charts with data about hashtags, words/phrases, usernames or URLS on Twitter: bit.ly/RCDGem

Following is a roundup of 10 interesting PR- and media-related stories found online last week:

PR Pros Aren't Keeping up With Journalists' Expectations: According to the TEKGroup Online Newsroom Survey, 80 percent of journalists and bloggers value images, while 75 percent want video. But according to a PRESSFeed survey, just 4 percent of PR pros think images are important to journalists, while 8 percent said including a video gallery is important to journalists. The PR industry isn't keeping up with what journalists want. (Spin Sucks)

Major News Organizations Are Less Credible: According to the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, positive believability ratings have fallen for 9 of 13 news organizations studied. "The falloff in credibility affects news organizations in most sectors: national newspapers, such as the New York Times and USA Today, all three cable news outlets, as well as the broadcast TV networks and NPR." For all 13 news organizations, the average positive believability rating is 56 percent, which is down from 62 percent in 2012 and down even further from 71 percent in 2002. (Pew Research Center for the People and the Press)

Illinois Judge Dismisses Case, Upholding Media Shield Laws for Bloggers: A judge in Cook County, Ill., overturned his original ruling against technology site TechnoBuffalo, which is a good sign for online publications. The ruling, which dealt with TechnoBuffalo keeping a tipster's identity anonymous, means that the website is protected under Illinois shield law, marking the first time a blog was able to successfully argue for protection traditionally given to "old media." (The Verge, Chicago Tribune)

Magazines Have a Bundling Problem: A big part of the problem magazine publishers are having in this age of new media is their misidentification of their problems. They're "striving to find new ways to distribute their packages without acknowledging that those very packages are fast becoming relics, a testament to a time past, when publishers had the power of platform and could demand that readers come to them." Magazines have to shift toward being leaner, producing strong content that can be easily shared, purchased, and moved beyond pages and apps. They must accept that they won't be the ones determining the mode of delivery, and know who their new competition will be. (PandoDaily)

PR Is Still About People: Despite the emergence of social media platforms, where public relations pros now do much of their communication, it's important not to forget that on the other end of those digital interactions sits a human being. "People make public relations programs a reality. People make a business successful. No matter how sophisticated the message or the means of communication… 'It’s still about the people.'" (Waxing UnLyrical)

Homicide Watch D.C. Hopes to Stay Alive With a Kickstarter Campaign: The Internet has enabled anyone to become a publisher that holds people's attention the same way large media companies do. But large companies are built for sustainability, something that doesn't always come easily for smaller companies. This is a lesson crime reporting website Homicide Watch D.C. is learning. After a licensing deal with a local news organization fell through at the last minute, the company has turned to a Kickstarter campaign to stay afloat. (Nieman Journalism Lab)

Four Types of FOIAs and How Journalists Should Use Them: Using Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests is like "getting a peek at your kid sister’s diary, if your kid sister just misappropriated government funding and/or covered up a professional scandal." The four types of FOIAs are: the lock, the R.I.P., the wild card, and the FOIA of the FOIA'ers. There's a lot a journalist can do once they accept that their job grants them a look at other people's secrets without penalties. (Poynter)

Why Reporters Should Love PR Pros: Some members of the media might truly dislike PR professionals, but this shouldn't be the case. Among the eight reasons given here for why reporters should love PR pros are: PR pros serve reporters, PR pros are nice to reporters even when they're treated like crap and PR pros keep reporters informed. (PR Daily)

The Wrong Way to Do Blogger Relations: Behold this terrible email pitch. Here's why it's so bad: it used spray-and-pray tactics, it doesn't offer a call to action, it came from a Gmail account and it's an opt-out message. "This really is the worst kind of PR -- the kind that actually makes me angry about people who claim to work in the same space as me." (Dave Fleet)

English News for Latinos: Univision and ABC News are teaming up to create a new network for Hispanics who prefer to get their news in English. ABC News is trying to shift its newsroom culture, going so far as to offer its staffers free Spanish lessons. Still, the new network, set to debut in the second quarter of next year, isn't a guaranteed success. (NPR)

ProfNet, a service of PR Newswire, has helped journalists and experts connect since 1992. Writers can search the ProfNet Connect database of more than 50,000 profiles; send a ProfNet query by email to thousands of subscribers around the globe; or get timely experts and story ideas by email.

This is part of a biweekly series on tools, resources and apps to help PR and media professionals be more productive and effective.

TweetCharts.com is a free tool that enables you to call up charts with data about hashtags, words/phrases, usernames or URLs on Twitter. You can basically search for anything on Twitter and see pie charts, line graphs and bar charts conveying various nuggets of relevant and helpful information.

The site, which comes to you courtesy of HubSpot and "social media scientist" Dan Zarrella, offers a simple and efficient way for journalists to get a pulse on their beat, see what's trending in their assigned coverage area or find new Twitter users worth connecting with, among other things. For public relations professionals, TweetCharts.com can be a helpful tool for tasks like keeping tabs on brand mentions, tracking sentiment toward a client, or finding Twitter users worth connecting with or responding to.

TweetCharts.com's bare-bones home page doesn't leave much room for doing wrong, though it's worth noting that the second box labeled "Your Email Address" is an optional field. Once you enter your query in the first box, labeled "Search Query," you can press Enter on your keyboard or hit the "Go" button on the page.

After a transition box with some text appears on a dimmed page, you'll be taken to the report page for whatever text you entered in the search box. Here's the report page for "profnet":

At the top of the report is a yellow box telling you how many tweets for your query were found, and during which dates and times. There are also links for tweeting the report and embedding it on your website.

Below this is a section with 10 pie charts for the following data:

- Links

- ReTweets

- Replies

- Mentions

- Hashtags

- Sentiment

- Media

- Questions

- Unique Users

- Genders

After these pie charts, a line graph is displayed along with the tweets per hour for whatever you searched for. The last section comprises six series of bar charts:

- Top Words

- Most Mentioned Users

- Top Sources

- Top Hashtags

- Top Links

- Top Media (if available)

While it would be nice to have the ability to filter using factors like date/time and location, it's tough to complain about everything TweetCharts.com offers at no cost to the user.

The site acts as a dashboard of visualized data that can be used by journalists and PR professionals to quickly dig up topics, trends, people or links that might warrant their attention and action. TweetCharts.com offers a glimpse into Twitter that can breathe new life into the way you use Twitter.

Other resources:

• Introducing TweetCharts: Get the Twitter Data You Need (Dan Zarrella)
• HubSpot introduces new social media analyst: TweetCharts.com (Reynold’s Center for Business Journalism)
• Example TweetCharts.com report for "profnet"

Another tool for reporters is ProfNet, a service of PR Newswire, has helped journalists and experts connect since 1992. Writers can search the ProfNet Connect database of more than 50,000 profiles; send a ProfNet query by email to thousands of subscribers around the globe; or get timely experts and story ideas by email.