PROFNET EXPERT ALERTS: Business & Technology

PROFNET EXPERT ALERTS: Business & Technology

    ____________   TOPIC ALERTS    The Future of Newspapers (27 responses)   Digital TV Transition (20 responses)    _____________   EXPERT ALERTS    1.  Advertising: Super Bowl Advertising   2.  Building: Creating Jobs in the Building Sector   3.  Business: SEC Should Classify CEO Health as Fact Requiring Disclosure   4.  Business: Small-Business Persons Poised to Become Innovative Leaders   5.  Business: Public-Private Partnerships   6.  Economy: How to Deal with Current Stress of the Economy   7.  Finance: 2009 Expected to Be Record-Breaking Year for IRS Enforcement   8.  Finance: More Taxpayers May Qualify for IRS OIC Settlements   9.  Finance: The Call for Financial Transparency   10.  Food: Manufacturing Perspective on Alternative Sweeteners   11.  Insurance: Understanding the Cost and Benefits of Travel Insurance   12.  Workplace: E-Mail Addiction Has Reached New Levels   

THE FUTURE OF NEWSPAPERS

Due to economic uncertainty and increasing debt, many publishers have closed local print newspapers, while others are switching to an online-only format. In an effort to save local media, some state lawmakers are even seeking government support. While this option may provide financial relief, some believe government involvement poses a conflict of interest to free press and democracy. Following are experts who can comment:

1. MICHAEL RAY SMITH, Ph.D., professor of mass communication, CAMPBELL UNIVERSITY, and former reporter for Gannett and the Atlanta Journal- Constitution: "We've just elected a presidential candidate whose one-word mantra was unspecified 'change.' How can Americans so easily accept change at the very top of our political structure but fear it so much when it is applied within the news media? What sets journalists apart from anyone with a laptop and an Internet connection? It's a bit frightening, but the press will rebound and rediscover that it is uniquely qualified to offer content like no one else. The stretch will come in responding well to these inevitable changes." Smith has been studying trends in the press and is available to discuss what's happening in community newspapers, such as The Daily Record, Dunn, N.C., a daily with one of the highest circulation rates in the nation. Smith was recently interviewed on OurBlook.com on this topic (see link below). Web site: http://www.ourblook.com/Future-of-Journalism/Smith-on-future-of-papers.html (1/14/09)

2. JOHN YEMMA, editor of THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR, which plans to transition to a daily online newspaper with a weekly print component in April 2009: "In the wake of downsizing and decreasing circulation at major media companies, news organizations are re-examining their business models and devoting greater resources to online coverage. Mindful of this rapidly changing media landscape, the Monitor has become the first news organization of its reach and reputation to treat its Web site as its primary publishing format, thus enabling its readers to engage directly in global conversations and to take part in the many innovations coming to the news industry." News Contact: Matt Trocchio, CSMonitor@shiftcomm.com Phone: +1-617-779-1861 (1/14/09)

3. JANE PRIMERANO, treasurer and board member of the New Jersey Professional Chapter of the SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISTS, has 34 years of experience in the news business, reporting and editing: "The U.S., even with its raucous rush to post on the Internet everything you never needed to know about random celebrities, may be returning to an earlier medium: the weekly. The weekly can provide something a daily cannot -- context. If it can be told in 25 words or less, it can be discussed over the back fence or, the current equivalent, sent via text message, and weeklies provide more. Weeklies provide context for those council, school board, planning and zoning, library and environmental board meetings that make a difference in the lives of every citizen. Weeklies have the time to carefully craft a story that informs the readers who are the voters and taxpayers who need that information. Even if electrons replace dead trees, newspapers, crafted by professionals whose only agenda is to provide the facts, are as integral a part of democracy as when Jefferson said he would prefer newspapers without a government to the other way around. Government has no place in newspapers. Absolutely." News Contact: Tara DiMilia, tara@prdimilia.com Phone: +1-908-369-7168 (1/14/09)

4. KEN DOCTOR is an analyst who covers newspaper companies at OUTSELL, a research and advisory firm focused on the publishing, information and education industries. Doctor warned of newspapers' slide in his 2006 Outsell report, "Deadline with Destiny: Newspaper Industry Faces a $20 Billion Gap," which turned out to be prophetic. Among his current observations: "The winners will be those news companies that leverage their historical strengths and build new muscle -- through multimedia content, multi-platform delivery and multi-audience reach -- more quickly than the competition. There's much new journalism being created every week, from GlobalPost to MinnPost, Crosscut and voiceofsandiego. These efforts, though, are small compared to the downturn of legacy media. There are two escalators -- the down one of old media moving quickly and the up one of new media climbing slowly upward. This is the new gap." News Contact: Dawn Ringel, dawn@warnerpr.com Phone: +1-781-449-8456 Web site: http://www.outsellinc.com/ (1/14/09)

5. ART HOWE is chief executive officer of VERVE WIRELESS, a wireless technology developer providing applications and services to publishers and media companies. Howe has over 30 years of experience as both a publisher and a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist. Following are comments from an article he wrote for Editor and Publisher Shoptalk's June 2008 print issue: "A newspaper's core strength is its institutional knowledge of the community. Moving that information onto a mobile platform gives users a device with the intelligence of a PC, the power of pinpoint location, and the ability to transmit data at near-broadband speed. It gives newspapers the ability to transmit information, tailored to users' interests, to anyone, anywhere, at any time. There are now 3.3 billion active cell phones on the planet. That's three times the number of people hooked into the regular Internet. And, for a vast majority of young people -- those who newspapers need desperately to reach -- mobile is the primary communication device. The world's cell phone carriers see their future primarily as a provider of data services -- exactly the kind of news, reviews, photos, social guidance and advertising that newspapers happen to have available." News Contact: Matthew Houser, mhouser@digcommunications.com Phone: +1-415-233-4264 Web site: http://www.vervewireless.com/ (1/14/09)

6. CURT CHANDLER, senior lecturer of communications and multimedia at PENN STATE's College of Communications, has more than 25 years of newsroom experience in print and online: "In 2009, newspapers will continue the dance of trying to retain key employees while shedding the rest. If the recession continues beyond the first quarter, I wouldn't be surprised to see one or more mid-sized newspapers lay off an entire newsroom, then hire back a core of employees that would run a lean Web operation, repurposing event coverage and producing a print product that appears only twice weekly. This group would be a fraction of the size of the original newsroom, but would have the same brand. The number of employees would grow as Web revenues expand, rather than shrink as print losses mount. This may also be the year that a television station adopts this model, ramping up its Web site to more thoroughly cover breaking news and putting a newspaper out of business." News Contact: Steve Sampsell, sws102@psu.edu Phone: +1-814-865-8801 Web site: http://comm.psu.edu/people/cwc11 (1/14/09)

7. NATHAN SIEGEL is a Washington media attorney at LEVINE SULLIVAN KOCH & SCHULZ LLP and adjunct professor at the UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND School of Law: "There will always be a market for the comprehensive news and investigative reporting that newspapers provide. The problem is many people now expect to receive news for free via the Web. I fear it may take the closure of some newspapers before consumers of news realize that cannot continue forever. But I'm hopeful that once people start to understand what their loss will mean for news coverage, a better market will develop, though it will likely be focused more on Web-based content. Governments have, in fact, subsidized many newspapers and other media for a long time, like other businesses. For example, newspapers can negotiate with local governments to obtain tax and other financial incentives, and can access government loan programs available to all businesses. So I don't think that government assistance in some form is out of the question, but actual government participation in running newspapers would conflict with basic principles of freedom of the press. We do have public radio and television, so if newspapers were really endangered altogether, I wonder if someone might propose starting a national public newspaper." News Contact: Jeffrey Raymond, jraymond@umaryland.edu Phone: +1- 410-706-3803 Web site: http://www.law.umaryland.edu/faculty/profiles/faculty.html?facultynum=405# (1/14/09)

8. CHARLES WHITNEY, chair and professor of the Department of Creative Writing (which includes a journalism minor) at the UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, RIVERSIDE: "The future of newspapers -- particularly the large metro papers with robust reporting and strong and varied departments -- has never been in greater jeopardy. A few of the strong ones will survive, but the day when some large cities don't have a daily of general circulation is fast approaching. Newspapers in smaller cities will last longer, and the print newspaper will certainly outlast me. Twenty years ago, when it first became apparent that the Internet would plunder classified advertising from the daily paper, I predicted that newspapers would evolve the same way dinosaurs did: The big ones would go extinct; the survivors would evolve into birds -- smaller, more nimble, less powerful. The future of journalism, on the other hand, is different, and it will be crafted by different hands. Hyperlocal and hyperspecialized journalism will continue to thrive. There won't be much profit in it, but there never has been. True quality journalism on topics of true importance will remain only if someone can solve the puzzle of how to get people to pay for it. I'm slightly optimistic that someone will." News Contact: Bettye Miller, bettye.miller@ucr.edu Phone: +1-951-827-7847 Web site: http://www.facultydirectory.ucr.edu/cgi- bin/pub/public_individual.pl?faculty=2296 (1/14/09)

9. DR. CAILIN BROWN, assistant professor of communications, THE COLLEGE OF SAINT ROSE, was previously a reporter for the Times Union (Albany, N.Y.): "Newspapers must continue to produce solid, multimedia stories that are well- researched, sourced and relevant in order to maintain a piece of the marketplace. No matter the financial challenges facing the media, though, government intervention on this front would be ill conceived. One reason why the public no longer looks to the mainstream media for news is because those news outlets are not getting the job done. Government watchdogging is one of the foundational obligations of the media, be it newspapers, Web sites or other outlets. Getting in bed with the government would further undermine the deteriorating condition of the media. Who was watching the eroding state of the economy in the last year? Newspapers and their sister media partners need to produce more and better coverage of what is happening, not less, and certainly not subsidized by those in need of the most oversight." News Contact: Benjamin Marvin, marvinb@strose.edu Phone: +1-518-454-5102 (1/14/09)

10. PAUL CONTI, instructor of communications, THE COLLEGE OF SAINT ROSE, was a news director of top-rated NBC affiliate WNYT: "In the past, executives reasoned that as 20-somethings aged into 30-somethings, they would pick up the newspaper habit. That isn't happening. And, it isn't likely to change. Readership will continue to erode, probably at an even faster pace than today. Newspaper publishers have to figure out their new business model. So far, everyone in media is trying to adjust the formulas to the old business model. It's dead. Gone. Goodbye. That ball is out of here. Newspapers will have significant challenges in the future and I expect many of them to fail financially. Furthermore, government should play absolutely no role in rescuing newspapers. How can the press be free and independent if the U.S. Treasury is writing their checks?" News Contact: Benjamin Marvin, marvinb@strose.edu Phone: +1-518-454-5102 (1/14/09)

11. LAUREN RICH FINE, CFA, is a practitioner in residence at KENT STATE UNIVERSITY's College of Communication and Information, director of research at CONTENTNEXT MEDIA, and a former media analyst at Merrill Lynch for 19 years: "The future of newspapers is dicey at best; not all will survive. Those that do will increasingly rely on the Web for distribution and will focus their efforts on what really matters in their respective market or niche. Difficult decisions will have to be made regarding which content needs to be produced locally with increased reliance on linking to other content and/or contractual collaborative efforts helping to fill the gaps. Hopefully, newspapers will get it right, as they are essential to our democracy, but also as they offer a tremendous value for advertisers." (1/14/09)

12. ROBERT M. STEELE, Ph.D., is the Eugene S. Pulliam Distinguished Visiting Professor of Journalism at DePAUW UNIVERSITY in Greencastle, Ind., and Nelson Poynter Scholar for Journalism Values at the THE POYNTER INSTITUTE in St. Petersburg, Fla.: "Newspapers must come up with a new business model to survive in the digital era. But newspapers must not abdicate their essential journalistic purpose and ethical principles in that quest for survival. Independence is a linchpin ethical principle for journalists. It would be very unwise for newspapers to seek or accept financial relief from government agencies. To do so would seriously erode that principle of independence." News Contact: Ken Owen, kowen@depauw.edu Phone: +1-765-658-4634 (1/14/09)

13. JEFFREY M. MCCALL, professor of communication at DePAUW UNIVERSITY in Greencastle, Ind., and author of "Viewer Discretion Advised: Taking Control of Mass Media Influences": "The government should absolutely take no role in financial bailouts or support of the struggling newspaper industry. It is essential that the government stay as uninvolved as possible from the print news industry, even if some print publications cease operations. The market will sort these challenges out, both from the information and financial sides of things. In the meantime, the newspaper industry clearly needs to carefully assess how it moves forward. A large part of that assessment needs to focus on how their papers have failed to maintain roles in their respective communities. That readers are abandoning an industry they believe is biased and not connected to their lives is not surprising. Newspaper executives need to reinvent their image and reconnect to their communities. A real, printed newspaper is good for society and for our communities. The industry needs to make sure news consumers know why." News Contact: Ken Owen, kowen@depauw.edu Phone: +1-765-658-4634 (1/14/09)

14. PAUL STEINMETZ, journalism professor and director of university relations at WESTERN CONNECTICUT STATE UNIVERSITY, and former editor of The News-Times of Danbury: "The next few years are going to be tough on newspapers, newsrooms and their readers, but I am optimistic that new methods to transmit meaningful journalism will develop on the Web to provide jobs for writers and important information and support for citizens." (1/14/09)

15. ROBERT STERN, media industry veteran, is the founder of MEDPAGE TODAY, a medical news Web site that provides up-to-the-minute, peer-reviewed medical research and health policy briefings for the medical community. Stern can offer solid perspective on the migration away from daily newspapers: "At a time when newspapers across the country are losing experienced health beat writers to staff cuts and relying more on wire services, online medical news has become a useful tool for learning about the latest developments. Readers, clinicians among them, find a plethora of information awaits -- not all of it original or trustworthy. In an age when research summaries and diagnostic and disease information are a mere click away, readers must remain on guard to ensure that it comes from a credible source." News Contact: Lindsey Thompson, lthompson@makovsky.com Phone: +1-212-508-9658 Web site: http://www.medpagetoday.com/ (1/14/09)

16. MARK RANALLI, CEO of HELIUM.COM, a citizen-journalism platform for writers to contribute articles: "The current struggles facing the newspaper industry are more akin to that of the auto industry. The reason GM is failing is not because people don't want to drive anymore, it's because Toyota can make a better car, for less. Likewise, people are not consuming less news -- they are just consuming their news in different media formats with different economic realities. The newspaper industry needs to embrace new technologies and leverage their unique position in each community as a 'virtual' town meeting place. If they don't embrace the future, they will be replaced. Unfortunately, to succeed in the future, newspapers will need to get a lot smaller before they start seeing top-line revenue growth again." News Contact: Liz Bradley, liz@kelandpartners.com Phone: +1-857-891-5531 (1/14/09)

17. UPENDRA SHARDANAND, CEO of DAYLIFE, an online news content provider: "What is in danger is investigative journalism -- the economics for supporting that doesn't exist online or offline. For that to survive, trust and foundations will need to intervene. Government source is possible, but can't be the sole solution -- you need a diverse community of funders. Newspapers -- sources of news and information -- survive and, in fact, flourish. They may not be the same brands, and it will become incredibly fragmented, but as the industry is restructured and a lot of efficiencies are found, the barrier to launching a new news property is actually decreasing. One could launch a local site in Cleveland, for example, using a small handful of writers focusing on highly differentiated, local content; use a content service for everything else; and outsource IT, monetization, etc." News Contact: Tim Cox, tim@zingpr.com Phone: +1-650-369-7784 Web site: http://www.daylife.com/

18. RICHARD LAERMER, CEO of veteran PR agency RLM, is a PR guru, futurist and author of "2011: Trendspotting for the Next Decade." Considered a modern-day Nostradamus (sans beard, pointy hat, and all that doom-and-gloom stuff), Laermer is available to offer his insights, predictions and hysterical quips on media to prepare us for what is to come in 2009: "It's unfortunate that newspapers forgot their audience is not made up of 'online' versus 'traditional,' and that so-called new media is not really new anymore. So if they still run Liz Smith or lots of cutely worded headlines on stories we ran yesterday, as opposed to, say, new content that actually instructs and/or entertains and/or informs, and in a way that makes us go, 'Wow, I did not know that,' then they obviously aren't here for the long haul. As for government handouts to the ink-stained wretches, I have to say not anymore. There are many other industries that need help and tried to improve; newspapers had their chance and felt that self-importance was more crucial than trying something brand new for a new type of reader." Laermer is the nonstop author of seven non-fiction guides to business, including the prophetic "Trendspotting," last year's bestseller "Punk Marketing" and the perennial, award-winning "Full Frontal PR." With his latest title, "2011: Trendspotting for the Next Decade," he forecasts what's to come in the next decade after what he calls "this particularly mediocre one." The book is loaded with topics, including business, media, entertainment, society, customer culture, sex, spare time and more. News Contact: Karen Ram, Karen@RLMpr.com Phone: +1- 212-741-5106, ext. 214 (1/14/09)

19. GIBBS HALJUN, managing director of media investment, North America, at MEDIAEDGE:CIA (MEC), the first global communications planning and implementation agency: "The closing of any publication is a tragic event and, in some cases, causes communities to feel like they have lost their identities. However, it is not something that should be prevented by the government. The times have changed, and so has the newspaper business. Many historic publications have closed because they were no longer relevant to the community, like the Saturday Evening Post and Life, without any government intervention. The issue with newspapers is not the credit crisis or weak advertising market (which have contributed to the decline in revenue), but the changing habits of consumers. When there were no news outlets like cable and the Internet, consumers read the paper for the news. However, consumers can get news instantly from around the globe and this has replaced newspapers for a lot of consumers. Additionally, the youth of America (the wired) no longer see newspapers as relevant; it is something that belongs to their parents' generation. When any business contracts, it is unfortunate. The newspaper business would be better served evolving to meet the consumer needs, instead of taking money from the government to keep an outdated model afloat." News Contact: Kendra Peavy, kendra@digennarony.com Phone: +1-212-966-9525 (1/14/09)

20. ROBERT B. NOLAN, JR., managing partner at HALYARD CAPITAL, a private equity fund focused on investing in media, communications and business services: "While the popular press continues to exult in the death of old media (newspapers come to mind, in particular), the answer is never quite that simple. The truth is that old media and new media are in an evolving symbiotic relationship, and their interplay is increasingly crucial to long-term success. A primary issue presents itself during this evolution: How do we structure the new economic paradigm to properly compensate for the transfer of the audience to the digital/interactive platform?" News Contact: Alex Gordon, agordon@cjpcom.com Phone: +1-212-279-3115, ext. 215 (1/14/09)

21. JONATHAN JAFFE, former reporter for The Star-Ledger, publishes HARD NEWS NJ, an online news site dedicated to important New Jersey news: "I recently started Hard News NJ to continue the flow of news in New Jersey. With the depletion of staff at The Star-Ledger and other newspapers, it's becoming clear that at least a large part of serious reporting will be moving online in the coming years." News Contact: Marty Steinberg, martin@jaffecom.com Phone: +1-908-789-0700 (1/14/09)

22. BOB BELLACK, chairman of ZETABID, a partnership of the Los Angeles Times Media Group and two other firms selling bank-owned properties, can talk about how the future of newspapers is finding new markets for its primary product -- ad space: "Ad space will continue to be the driver of growth for newspapers, but as an industry, we need to think differently about how we leverage our most prized asset. Given the changing distribution model and readership habits, newspapers need to be aggressive about creating new markets for ad space. The possibilities are limited only by our imagination." News Contact: Greg Berardi, greg@bluemarlinpartners.com Phone: +1-415-239-7826 Web site: http://www.zetabid.com/

23. Following are media experts from the UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA's Annenberg School for Communication:

-- GENEVA OVERHOLSER, director of the School of Journalism, is an expert on the future of journalism, changes in journalism, newspapers, journalistic ethics, First Amendment, and journalism's role in society. Overholser was the editor of the Des Moines Register (1988-95) and led the team that won the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service in 1991; former ombudsman of The Washington Post, editorial board member of The New York Times and syndicated columnist for The Washington Post Writers Group; is the author of "On Behalf of Journalism: A Manifesto for Change" (2006); and chair of the Center for Public Integrity. Web site: http://annenberg.usc.edu/Faculty/Journalism/OverholserG.aspx

-- MARC COOPER, journalism professor, is an expert on political journalism, justice and journalism, investigative reporting, journalistic ethics, new media, and YouTube and politics. Cooper is a special correspondent for The Huffington Post, editorial director of the Campaign '08 Off The Bus project, and author of "Pinochet and Me," "Roll Over Che Guevara" and "The Last Honest Place in America: Paradise and Perdition in the New Las Vegas." Web site: http://annenberg.usc.edu/Faculty/Journalism/CooperM.aspx

-- ROBERTO SURO, journalism professor, is an expert on Latino public opinion and voting behavior; Hispanic demographics; Spanish-language media in the U.S.; national, international and Washington print journalism; portrayal of Latinos in media; and immigration. Suro was the former director of the Pew Hispanic Center; is the author of "Strangers Among Us: Latino Lives in a Changing America" (1999); non-resident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution; and former senior staffer at The New York Times and The Washington Post. Web site: http://annenberg.usc.edu/Faculty/Journalism/SuroR.aspx

-- MICHAEL PARKS, journalism professor, is an expert on media management, journalism education, urban community coverage, newspaper design, war coverage, ethics, economics, and international affairs (Asia, China, Korea, Middle East, Afghanistan, Israel, Russia and Vietnam). Parks won the 1987 Pulitzer Prize for international reporting for coverage of the struggle against apartheid in South Africa; is a member of the American Society of Newspaper Editors and the Pacific Council on International Policy; former Los Angeles Times editor and former international correspondent for Los Angeles Times and Baltimore Sun, reporting from Moscow, Beijing, Jerusalem, Johannesburg, among other cities. He speaks foreign languages, including Russian, French and Latin. Web site: http://annenberg.usc.edu/Faculty/Journalism/ParksM.aspx

News Contact: Alex Boekelheide, boekelhe@usc.edu Phone: +1-213-821-6258 (1/14/09)

24. DAN KENNEDY is an assistant professor at the NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY School of Journalism. He writes for the Guardian (UK), CommonWealth Magazine and the Boston Phoenix, and is a regular panelist on Boston's WGBH-TV's "Beat the Press," hosted by Emily Rooney. His blog, Media Nation, has been featured on Jim Romenesko's media-news site at Poynter.org and on the Project for Excellence in Journalism's Daily Briefing page. News Contact: Dana Reichman, dreichman@oneillandassoc.com Phone: +1-617-646-1074 Web site: http://medianation.blogspot.com/ (1/14/09)

DIGITAL TV TRANSITION

On Feb. 17, all full-power broadcast television stations in the United States will stop broadcasting on analog airwaves and begin broadcasting only in digital. Televisions without digital tuners will need a converter box in order to keep working. Following are experts who can comment on the impact to consumers and the industry (followed by the results of a ProfNet Poll on whether consumers are ready for the switchover):

1. TODD SEDMAK, communications director of the NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, serves as the media relations director for the TV Converter Box Coupon Program, which helps households make the switch to digital television: "Consumers who rely on an antenna to receive free TV, who want to ensure that at least one of their TV sets is working, should consider all their options in switching to digital television, including purchasing a converter box without a coupon. Nielsen has reported that 93 percent of households are prepared for the transition. However, we still have more work to do to ensure that more Americans are ready. In January 2008, Nielsen estimated that there were 14.3 million over- the-air households. As of Jan. 13, 2009, coupons have been distributed to more than 13.5 million households that certify that they rely on an antenna for TV. We are continuing to work to ensure that Americans know their options prior to the transition." Web sites: http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ and http://www.dtv2009.gov/ (1/16/09)

2. FRANK GRAYBILL, lead engineer for THIRTEEN and WLIW21, New York's public television stations: "With so much misinformation and converter box coupon shortages, there is discussion about delaying the digital transition. Pushing back the switchover from analog to digital will only prolong the confusion and will not guarantee people will be prepared. Those who are not ready for the transition by Feb. 17 will most likely not be ready at a later date. Americans who still rely on rabbit ears or an antenna to receive reception must understand that they do not need to buy a new television set, nor do they need to subscribe to cable. They will need a converter box and, in some cases, a dual band UHF/VHF antenna to continue receiving free, over-the-air television. Cable subscribers do not need to do anything, as their cable companies will take care of everything." News Contact: Gloria Park, parkg@wnet.org Phone: +1- 212-560-2063 (1/16/09)

3. GARY SGRIGNOLI, a member of IEEE and president of SGRIGNOLI CONSULTING, a DTV-transmission consulting firm, is an expert on development of broadcast standards, specifically focused on DTV: "There are an alarming number of people out there that do not understand this change and will not be prepared to deal with it. This is especially unfortunate for those people in rural areas that depend on analog television for news, and are unaware of what simple steps they can take to prepare for the change." Sgrignoli was involved with the DTV Station Project in Washington, D.C., helping to develop DTV RF test plans. He has been involved with numerous television broadcast stations around the country, training them for DTV field testing and data analysis, and participated in numerous DTV over-the-air demonstrations. Sgrignoli spent 27 years working as a research and development design engineer for Zenith Electronics Corporation. He is located in Chicago. News Contact: Kori Green, greenk@ruderfinn.com Phone: +1-312-329-3913 Web site: http://www.mswdtv.com/ (1/16/09)

4. GREGORY J. GOLDA, clinical instructor of media studies and coordinator of multimedia productions at SACRED HEART UNIVERSITY in Fairfield, Conn.: "DTV transition has been an interesting confluence of government and corporate interests all angling for good positions. The government is moving this along with the benefit of the corporate money funding campaigns, and the businesses are enjoying a rare opportunity in the market where resistance to such a large-scale technological change is being widely supported, and even enjoyed, by the public with its love of the plasma TV and the associated media technologies like Blu-ray. The under-reported story is what that vacuum created by the cessation of the analog signal means to the public. The FCC has had hundreds of hearings across the country listening to citizens' concerns about how those public airwaves are being redistributed to the corporations and how it will impact free speech, not just in America, but throughout the world." News Contact: Funda Alp, alpf@sacredheart.edu Phone: +1-203-396-8241 (1/16/09)

5. YUVAL BRISKER, CEO of TOA TECHNOLOGIES, a developer of software that predicts in-home service appointment arrivals, can discuss how cable companies can survive the switch from analog to digital without losing customers, and how consumers can have a larger say in the way their service requests are handled: "As the deadline for the switch from analog to digital TV looms, cable companies and consumers alike have failed to calculate the true cost of the conversion. By February, cable companies will have invested in hundreds of thousands of man-hours to schedule and service in-home appointments, while consumers will have wasted even more time as they sit out their four- to six- hour appointment window. But it doesn't have to be this way. The cable industry is plagued with poor customer satisfaction ratings, and it's not getting any better. Some MSOs are making valiant efforts to reduce churn and improve customer service by reducing the wait time of the in-home appointment to less than two hours. In fact, the appointment window can be reduced to 60 minutes, if they wanted to install such timesaving technologies. But why hasn't the cable industry been quick to adopt such convenient and self-serving systems?" News Contact: Maureen Shaw, mshaw@kwitco.com Phone: +1-646-747-7155 (1/16/09)

6. ROB ENDERLE is president and principal analyst of the ENDERLE GROUP, a forward-looking emerging technology advisory firm, and an expert on consumer technology: "Folks who have cable, IPTV or satellite services can generally snooze through this transition; however, people who live on antennas, particularly those that have portable TVs, will either need to buy digital set-top boxes or new TVs. The big problem at the moment is that the funds the government has put aside for rebates have mostly run out, suggesting there will be a lot of folks, come February, who won't be able to watch TV. This will likely, given the economy, be a much more difficult transition than has been anticipated. It could be a huge boon for IPTV, which could benefit the most from this, given how many people will be scrambling to get connected that are already paying for broadband, but didn't consider using it for TV." News Contact: Jessica Mularczyk, mularczykpr@verizon.net Phone: +1-508-498-9300 (1/16/09)

7. DAVID BERMAN, director of training and public relations of the HOME THEATER SPECIALISTS OF AMERICA, an association of high-end electronics integrators around the country: "This transition is a landmark because it's the first time that anyone will be able to see digital picture quality for free. This will open up the high-definition community to people who wouldn't have this opportunity otherwise, and makes HDTV even more mainstream. Truth be told, the large majority of people have already converted -- most of the sets sold in the past few years were digital. Even those who didn't purchase an HDTV have a cable box. But the transition has certainly driven sales, created demand for those 50 and over, and been a positive step for the industry." Berman, who is located in Chester Springs, Pa., can also offer extensive knowledge about the HDTV industry. (1/16/09)

8. CHRIS MAUZY, president and CEO of ZIP EXPRESS INSTALLATION, a home- installation service company, and co-creator of GEEK SQUAD, says the digital television transition is going to leave millions of Americans desperate for solutions on Feb. 17: "Perhaps not as dramatic as its failures during the Gulf Coast hurricanes or in some foreign policy decisions, the federal government's response to the transition to digital broadcasting still stands out as another case of governmental bungling that's going to sting an estimated 20 million television viewers in the United States -- that's more viewers than the entire population of Florida. And, the confusion and inability to find easy solutions hits Americans least able to cope with these difficulties, including the elderly, minorities and disabled communities." Mauzy is based in Minneapolis. News Contact: Chad Giron, chad@dbcpr.com Phone: +1-202-292-4560 (1/16/09)

9. LEO DELGADO, CEO of CSI ASSOCIATES, a group of cable TV consultants based in South Florida: "Communities composed of elderly residents are the least likely to understand the changeover from analog to digital. Some of them have gone out and bought expensive digital television sets, thinking that they are going to lose their off-air television signals, even though they are subscribing to cable or satellite television. The same confusion exists in the minority or ethnic communities. A lot more education needs to be done before Feb. 17." News Contact: Michelle Friedman, mfriedman@boardroompr.com Phone: +1-954-370-8999

10. PAUL RYDER, vice president of consumer electronics and wireless businesses for AMAZON.COM, can discuss retail trends in regards to DTV, best- selling boxes, HDTVs and more: "On average, we have seen a 134 percent increase in month-to-month sales (by unit) for converter boxes since Amazon.com began accepting the government DTV coupons last September." News Contact: Erin Byram, ebyram@webershandwick.com Phone: +1-212-445-8174 Cell: +1-646-872-2812 (1/16/09)

11. CHRISTINE WATKINS, CEO of INVISION, a provider of advertising sales solutions, managing the sales of TV inventory for broadcast networks, cable networks, ethnic market media and syndication television: "After years of predictions about 'digital convergence,' we can now see it clearly on the horizon. By next month, all TV broadcasters will shift to digital delivery. At the same time, the Internet has matured from a testing ground to a mainstream media buy for nearly every major brand. Giant hardware companies are rapidly developing new devices that will soon marry watching television with being online. The interactivity and accountability of Internet advertising will become an inevitable part of broadcast and cable television. This enormously complex issue will have major implications for those who will be the big winners in the future." Watkins can answer questions such as: How will these vast technological advancements affect the buying and selling of media, and the delivery of media to the consumer? Will it ever be possible to use a single interface to place ads in all-digital media? If so, how will it work? News Contact: George Simpson, george@georgesimpson.com Phone: +1-203-521-0352 (1/16/09)

12. LINETTE GEORGE is president of GET ORGANIZED BY GEORGE, member of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZERS (NAPO), a non-profit group committed to helping the public understand the importance of being organized, and a member of NAPO-Chicago's Green Team. George is encouraging consumers to consider recycling their old TV set, instead of dumping it in landfills when the digital TV transition takes effect: "How many millions of televisions are going to be chucked? Most people still think they can throw those in the landfill. If people know what chemicals are in TVs, that might help. I look at my computer and I don't see toxic. I just see a computer." George can provide home organizing tips for individuals as they embark on outfitting their living room with a new TV. She resides in Lombard, Ill. News Contact: Theresa Katalinas, theresa@comsolutionsgroup.com Phone: +1-215-884-6499 (1/16/09)

13. HOLLY MACHINA is president of PRECISION ORGANIZERS COMPANY, member of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZERS (NAPO), a non-profit group committed to helping the public understand the importance of being organized, and a member of NAPO-Chicago's Green Team. Machina is encouraging consumers to consider recycling their old TV set, instead of dumping it in landfills when the digital TV transition takes effect: "Really, the best green choice we can make is to keep our existing TVs and buy the conversion box. Older TVs are comparable or more energy-efficient than most of the flat-panels. In fact, plasma TVs eat up a ton of energy, almost the amount of energy as a refrigerator." Machina can also provide home organizing tips for individuals as they embark on outfitting their living room with a new TV. Machina resides in Riverside, Ill. News Contact: Theresa Katalinas, theresa@comsolutionsgroup.com Phone: +1-215-884-6499 (1/16/09)

14. Following are experts from the GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY who can comment:

-- DR. JOY LASKAR heads a research group with a focus on integration of high- frequency electronics with optoelectronics, and integration of mixed technologies for next-generation wireless and optoelectronic systems. He has authored or co-authored more than 400 papers, several book chapters, three books (including two books in development), numerous invited talks, and has more than 40 patents issued or pending. Most recently, his work has resulted in the formation of two companies. In 1998, he co-founded RF Solutions, an advanced WLAN IC company, which is now part of Anadgics (NASDAQ:Anad) . In 2001, Laskar co-founded Quellan, a next-generation interconnect company, which is developing collaborative signal processing solutions for the enterprise, video, storage and wireless markets.

-- DR. PAUL STEFFES, professor of electrical and computer engineering, received the S.B. and S.M. degrees in Electrical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), in Cambridge, Mass., in 1977, and the Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University in California in 1982. His doctoral research at Stanford University concentrated on microwave radio occultation experiments using the Voyager and Mariner spacecraft, with specific interest in microwave absorption in planetary atmospheres. In 1982, Steffes joined the faculty of Georgia Tech. His research has been sponsored by NASA, the NSF, the SETI Institute and by the industry. He has been involved with numerous NASA missions, including Pioneer Venus, Magellan, the Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS), and the High Resolution Microwave Survey (HRMS).

-- DR. HELENA MITCHELL, Ph.D, is the executive director of the Center for Advanced Communications Policy. She guides the development of the technology policy agenda and creates programs and services to strengthen Georgia's leadership in advanced technology. Mitchell holds the rank of principal research scientist for the Georgia Institute of Technology and is the principal investigator and director for a $5 million grant for a Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on mobile wireless technologies for persons with disabilities. In tandem, she directs the Innovative and Dynamic Educational Applications for Learning (IDEAL) lab, which is a collaboration of experts creating innovative technologies that span educational, community and business environments. Her areas of specialty include spectrum management, educational technologies, regulatory and legislative policy, DTV, emergency/public safety communications, and universal service to rural and vulnerable populations.

-- PROFESSOR GREGORY DURGIN joined the faculty of the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering in fall 2003. He received the BSEE ('96), MSEE ('98), and Ph.D. ('00) degrees from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. In 2001, he was awarded the Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) post-doctoral fellow and spent one year as a visiting researcher at Morinaga Laboratory in Osaka University. In 1998, he received the Stephen O. Rice prize (with co-authors Theodore S. Rappaport and Hao Xu) for best original journal article in the IEEE Transactions on Communications. Durgin also authored "Space-Time Wireless Channels," the first textbook in the field of space-time channel modeling. Durgin serves on the IEEE Wave Propagation Standards Committee. He has won several teaching awards, as well as the National Science Foundation Career research award. He serves regularly as a consultant to the industry.

-- DR. NIKIL S. JAYANT is executive director of the GEORGIA CENTERS FOR ADVANCED TELECOMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY (GCATT), director of the GEORGIA TECH Broadband Institute (GTBI) and director of the MULTIMEDIA COMMUNICATIONS LABORATORY. Jayant, who grew up in Bangalore, India, obtained his BSc in physics and mathematics from Mysore University, and the BE and Ph.D. degrees in electrical communications engineering from the Indian Institute of Science. As part of his doctoral program, he was a research associate at Stanford University. Jayant joined Georgia Tech in 1998. He is a co-founder of an ATDC company, EGT, and a VentureLab company, VQLink.

News Contact: Don Fernandez, don.fernandez@comm.gatech.edu Phone: +1-404-894- 6016

15. SHERMAZE INGRAM is the senior director of media relations for the digital television transition, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BROADCASTERS (NAB), which is educating America about the Feb. 17 transition to digital television. NAB experts can discuss technical aspects of the DTV transition. Ingram is located in Washington, D.C. News Contacts: Rob Volmer, rvolmer@cvic.com Phone: +1-202- 232-6572, and Ashley Dos Santos, adossantos@cvic.com Phone: +1-202-232-6571 (1/16/09)

16. LINDA YUN is the media relations manager of the digital television transition, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BROADCASTERS (NAB), which is educating America about the Feb. 17 transition to digital television. NAB experts can discuss technical aspects of the DTV transition. She is located in Washington, D.C. News Contacts: Rob Volmer, rvolmer@cvic.com Phone: +1-202-232-6572, and Ashley Dos Santos, adossantos@cvic.com Phone: +1-202-232-6571 (1/16/09)

17. PROFNET POLL:

We asked 100 people: Are you ready for the digital TV transition?

Yes: 84% No: 16%

[Note: This is an unscientific poll. Users were asked at random.]

_____________ EXPERT ALERTS

1. ADVERTISING: SUPER BOWL ADVERTISING. DR. CARL MARCI, CEO of INNERSCOPE RESEARCH: "Which companies are getting the most out of their Super Bowl advertising? Our study found that a number of companies still benefit from their Super Bowl ads in the months following the game, but they aren't necessarily the ads scoring well in the media's post-game report cards. Measuring emotions is the most accurate reflection of performance, because emotions drive behavior. That's what we measure and the results can be surprising." Marci can discuss a wide range of Super Bowl advertising topics, including what makes for a successful spot. His company will be conducting a second annual live biometric test of Super Bowl advertising on Feb. 1. News Contact: Todd Graff, tgraff@ctpboston.com Phone: +1-617-309-0401 (1/20/09)

2. BUILDING: CREATING JOBS IN THE BUILDING SECTOR. ANDREW GOLDBERG, senior director of federal relations for the AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS (AIA), leads the AIA's advocacy program before Congress and the administration: "The AIA has proposed a $100 billion plan, which, if implemented correctly over a 24-month period, has the potential to create 1.6 million jobs in the design and construction industry. Recent reports estimate that the new administration's economic recovery package in its current form may total as much as $800 billion, with at least $350 billion dedicated to infrastructure projects. However, the AIA's recommendations call for funding for a more energy-efficient, sustainable-built environment, in addition to longer planning and design periods for projects to help ensure that they are carried out in the most effective, cost-efficient manner and that funds are not poorly spent due to hasty planning and execution. The AIA is calling on the new Obama administration and Congress to allocate funds for five key policy areas: 21st- century schools; green commercial, residential and institutional buildings; historic preservation projects; transit, mixed-use development and complete streets projects; and tax relief for businesses." Goldberg, who spent six years as a legislative assistant to members of Congress after receiving his B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania's design of the environment program in architecture and landscape architecture, can speak to the AIA's economic stimulus plan to revitalize the building sector, which accounts for about one in every $10 of U.S. GDP. News Contact: Leena Soman, lsoman@peppercom.com Phone: +1-212-931-6176 (1/14/09)

3. BUSINESS: SEC SHOULD CLASSIFY CEO HEALTH AS A MATERIAL FACT REQUIRING DISCLOSURE. ALEXA A. PERRYMAN, assistant professor of management at TEXAS CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY in Fort Worth, is the lead author of a paper, "When the CEO is Ill: Keeping Quiet or Going Public?" which has been accepted for publication in a forthcoming issue of the journal Business Horizons. In light of Apple CEO Steve Jobs' health, Perryman can discuss why the SEC should classify CEO health as a material fact requiring disclosure: "It is suggested that the threshold for disclosure be any illness that results in the CEO being unable to work for an extended period of time, or any illness that has the possibility of shortening the lifespan of the CEO." News Contact: Laura Snyder, laura@dickjonescomm.com Phone: +1-814-867-1963 (1/20/09)

4. BUSINESS: SMALL-BUSINESS PERSONS POISED TO BECOME INNOVATIVE LEADERS. RIMA MCDONALD, founder and publisher of WOMEN'S ONLINE MAGAZINE: "Amid all the festivities being held in the nation's capital on Jan. 20, from the swearing- in ceremony to the inaugural balls and galas honoring the new president of the United States, entrepreneurs and citizens alike will be focused on the inauguration's theme: 'Renewing America's Promise.' The promises made to 'restore opportunity and possibility for all' appear to capture the public mind at a time when a struggling economy continues to pose a threat. But some entrepreneurs seem to see the light at the end of the tunnel and appear to embrace the positive outcomes yet to be revealed in relation to their industries. Small-business persons are poised to become future innovative leaders. At a time when job losses dominate the economic landscape, they are blazing a trail of entrepreneurial success that goes hand-in-hand with the new optimism Obama has forged for this nation." McDonald can speak about starting a business in an age of economic uncertainty. News Contact: Jackie O'Neal, jonealarts@verizon.net Phone: +1-609-334-8621 Web site: http://womensonlinemagazine.com/ (1/20/09)

5. BUSINESS: PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS. HERBERT KOHN, partner at BRYAN CAVE, represented Kansas City in securing its contract with Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) to operate the $276 million Sprint Center: "Public- private partnerships will be the forerunner for other arenas that will be built in the future. That is because you have a city that provides tax-exempt financing and a private entity, which has the capability of handling the construction and running of the facility." News Contact: Luis Mocete, luis.mocete@bryancave.com Phone: +1-212-541-1141 (1/20/09)

6. ECONOMY: HOW TO DEAL WITH CURRENT STRESS OF THE ECONOMY. JONATHAN ALPERT, a Manhattan-based psychotherapist and advice columnist: "I've seen an increase in clients presenting for stress related to the economy, including wealthy Wall Streeters and middle-income clients. I've also counseled those impacted by the Bernie Madoff scheme." Alpert is available to discuss what he's seeing in his practice, and can provide insight and practical tips on how to deal with the current stress of the economy. He recently appeared on "NBC Nightly News" commenting on Madoff, and on CNN to discuss the impact of the economy on some Wall Streeters who turned to adult sexual services to cope. Web site: http://www.jonathanalpert.com/ (1/20/09)

7. FINANCE: 2009 EXPECTED TO BE A RECORD-BREAKING YEAR FOR IRS ENFORCEMENT. BRIAN COMPTON, president of TAX RESOLUTION SERVICES, CO., and tax relief expert: "In 2008, the IRS collected $56.4 billion, only slightly down from 2007's record year of $59.2 billion, and $7.7 billion more than in 2006. Today, the audit rate is 100 percent higher than in 2000, and nearly 1.4 million Americans were audited in 2008, which equates to just over one percent of all returns filed. We would have seen higher 2008 collection enforcement numbers had it not been for a reduction in the IRS workforce -- the attrition rate at the IRS (agents/officers retiring) rose by about 10 percent from 2007. The IRS now needs to hire new collection revenue officers and more examination revenue agents, as a good portion of this part of their work force is at, or near, retirement age. And, Congress has already appropriated billions of dollars to the Treasury Department to do just that. So, expect 2009 IRS collection numbers to keep pace or exceed that of 2007." Editor's Note: Compton has a profile listed in the ProfNet Experts Database. To view the profile, go to http://www.profnet.com/ and, after logging in, click on "Search Expert." News Contact: Debbie Edwards, debbie@taxresolution.com Phone: +1-866- 477-7762, ext. 326 Web site: http://www.taxresolution.com/ (1/20/09)

8. FINANCE: MORE TAXPAYERS EXPECTED TO QUALIFY FOR IRS OFFER IN COMPROMISE SETTLEMENTS. MICHAEL ROZBRUCH, CEO of TAX RESOLUTION SERVICES, CO., and tax relief expert: "Faced with overwhelming tax debt, more Americans than ever will be hoping to qualify for the IRS Offer in Compromise (OIC) program to save thousands of dollars in taxes, penalties and interest. In 2007, approximately 46,000 offers were submitted to the IRS nationally and only 12,000 were accepted. This year, there will definitely be more offers submitted, as well as a higher IRS acceptance rate due to the state of the economy. While the OIC program can offer relief to Americans who have exhausted all financial resources available to them to pay their taxes, it also allows the government to collect a negotiated payment from distressed taxpayers now, which helps the IRS save on the administrative costs of going after people who simply don't have the money to pay their tax debt. When the economy was strong, the IRS tightened the rules on the OIC program, but now things have changed and there are lots of people that deserve to take advantage of the program." Editor's Note: Rozbruch has a profile listed in the ProfNet Experts Database. To view the profile, go to http://www.profnet.com/ and, after logging in, click on "Search Expert." News Contact: Debbie Edwards, debbie@taxresolution.com Phone: +1-866-477-7762, ext. 326 Web site: http://www.taxresolution.com/ (1/20/09)

9. FINANCE: THE CALL FOR FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY. BRETT HALSEY is the CEO of ATRADIUS, a leading global credit insurer that helps U.S. businesses grow by protecting companies against the risk of bad debt. Halsey can address the call for financial transparency -- why open and honest communication is key for unlocking business potential in this new economy: "Without access to information, the credit crisis will perpetuate itself and future slides are inevitable. With more U.S. companies seeking protection against payment defaults from credit insurers, access to credible financial information is essential, as the true value of credit insurance is not derived solely from the reimbursement of defaults, but also from preventing such claims in the first place. While analysts and academics will review this credit crisis for years to come, hoping to lay blame somewhere, the business community must learn a lesson in transparency -- sharing credible information protects our ability to conduct business, choose our partners and, ultimately, protect receivables from default." Non-sales-oriented data and research can be accessed at the link listed below. News Contact: Cheri Winchester, cwinchester@commongroundpr.com Phone: +1-636-530-1235, ext. 223 Web site: http://www.atradius.us/ (1/20/09)

10. FOOD: MANUFACTURING PERSPECTIVE ON AGAVE, STEVIA AND ALTERNATIVE SWEETENERS. KEVIN MILLER, vice president of sales and marketing for Sparta, Mich.-based OLD ORCHARD BRANDS, the nation's fourth-largest fruit juice manufacturer, which introduced its first product sweetened with agave nectar last year: "Agave nectar is getting a lot of attention as a hot new food trend for 2009 -- 176 new products with agave were launched in 2007, compared with just 56 four years earlier. Developing products featuring agave nectar does not come without a new set of challenges. These new natural sweeteners are very attractive because they offer a solution to consumer demand for low- calorie, naturally sweetened products that pass the 'good' vs. 'good for you' taste test. But they're not silver bullets -- agave costs 10 times more than refined sugar, it can be difficult to source, and the consumer has to understand the benefit in paying a premium price." Miller has been with Old Orchard Brands for seven years and has spent nearly 15 years advising food and beverage manufacturers on marketing strategy. News Contact: Matt Jackson, mjackson@lambert-edwards.com Phone: +1-616-233-0500 (1/20/09)

11. INSURANCE: UNDERSTANDING THE COST AND BENEFITS OF TRAVEL INSURANCE. JIM GRACE, president and CEO of INSUREMYTRIP.COM, the leading online travel insurance comparison site: "Travel insurance is your best defense against many of the most common risks affecting travel today, including supplier bankruptcies and loss of employment. But policy prices and coverage vary greatly, and it's important to know that you don't always have to pay more to get more." News Contact: Vikki Corliss, Vikki.Corliss@insuremytrip.com Phone: +1-401-773-9210 (1/20/09)

12. WORKPLACE: E-MAIL ADDICTION HAS REACHED NEW LEVELS. MARSHA EGAN, internationally renowned e-mail productivity expert and author of "Inbox Detox" (Acanthus Publishing, 2009) in Reading, Pa.: "With the increased presence of e-mail technology in our daily lives, e-mail habits are getting out of control. People are becoming incapable of parting with their e-mail to the point that recent news items even show a new trend toward sleep e-mailing, or 'zzzmailing,' as they're calling it. In the workplace, employees are losing hours of their time and costing businesses billions of dollars a year due to ineffective e-mail practices. There are steps you can undertake to help you break toxic e-mail habits: put down your BlackBerry, clean out your inbox and take back your life." Egan is available to speak about tips for managing your inbox, conquering e-mail overload, e-mail and BlackBerry etiquette, e-mail addiction, as well as other e-mail-related topics. News Contact: Leyna McKenney, Leyna@IctusInitiative.com Phone: +1-617-840-4689 (1/20/09)

PROFNET is an exclusive service of PR Newswire. To submit an Opportunity by e-mail: profnet@profnet.com To consult the ProfNet Experts Database: http://www.prnewswire.com/profnet To contact ProfNet by phone: +1-800-PROFNET, ext. 1 To share a thought on ProfNet Expert Alerts: profnetalerts@prnewswire.com

PRNewswire -- Jan. 20

Source: ProfNet

NOTE TO EDITORS: The following experts have provided direct contact information: Michael Ray Smith, Campbell University smithm@campbell.edu Phone: +1-910-893-1528; Jane Primerano, Society Of Professional Journalists jprim7@netscape.net Phone: +1-908-459-5082; Curt Chandler, Penn State cxc11@psu.edu Phone: +1-814-865-2176; Nathan Siegel, Levine Sullivan Koch & Schulz LLP nsiegel@lskslaw.com Phone: +1-202-508-1184; Charles Whitney, University Of California charles.whitney@ucr.edu Phone: +1-951-827-6076; Lauren Rich Fine, Kent State University laurenrichfine@yahoo.com; Robert M. Steele, DePauw University robertsteele@depauw.edu or steele@poynter.org Phone: +1-765-658-4473; Geneva Overholser, University of Southern California genevao@usc.edu Phone: +1-213-821-6258; Marc Cooper, University of Southern California markcoop@usc.edu Phone: +1-213-740-9435; Roberto Suro, University of Southern California suro@usc.edu Phone: +1-213-821-6263; Michael Parks, University of Southern California mparks@usc.edu Phone: +1-213-743-5324; Paul Steinmetz, Western Connecticut State University Steinmetzp@wcsu.edu Phone: +1-203-837-8771; Jonathan Jaffe, Hard News NJ jonathan@jaffecom.com Phone: +1-908-789-0700; Dan Kennedy, Northeastern University da.kennedy@neu.edu Todd Sedmak, National Telecommunications and Information Administration press@ntia.doc.gov Phone: +1-202-482-7002; Rob Enderle, Enderle Group renderle@enderlegroup.com Phone: +1-408-272-8560; David Berman, Home Theater Specialists of America david@htsa.net Phone: +1-610-363-9055 ext. 305; Shermaze Ingram, National Association of Broadcasters singram@nab.org Phone: +1-202-429-5477; Linda Yun, National Association of Broadcasters lyun@nab.org Phone: +1-202-429-4190; Robert Puff r.puff@alum.ptsem.edu Phone: +1-714-337-4889; Robin Gorman Newman, LoveCoach.com rgnewman@optonline.net Phone: +1-516-773-0911 and +1-516-770-1611; Upendra Shardanand, Daylife upendra@daylife.com Phone: +1-212-219-1022, ext. 4006; Alexa A. Perryman, Texas Christian University a.a.perryman@tcu.edu Phone: +1-817-257-7558; Jonathan Alpert jonathan@jonathanalpert.com Phone: +1-202-841-3458

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Profile: International Entertainment