Mitch's Media Musings, July 16 - Aug. 15, 2017

We're excited to unveil the new and even-better Leff’s Atlanta Media and Mitch’s Media Match websites!

What's new? Faster. Sleeker design. Totally mobile-friendly. Voice-capable search on mobile. More social media.

Journalists can now easily access hundreds of experts and story sources via the Mitch's Media Match site on their mobile devices.

4 Questions: Recent offerings from our “4 Questions Journalist Spotlight” features with Atlanta Daybook include: Doug Gross, Patch.com, Victoria Camblin, ArtPapers, Cara Kneer, Atlanta Tech Edge and Rodney Ho, Atlanta Journal-Constitution. You can see them all here. Journalists, this could be you! Message me and we'll feature you in an upcoming Spotlight.

Every month we highlight for local media a selection of experts from our Mitch’s Media Match database.

• James Marlow, Radiance Solar. Atlanta-based solar installer can talk about the big story out of DC as the US International Trade Commission debates placing tariffs on imported solar panels, a move that could have a huge negative impact on the U.S. solar industry and cost thousands of jobs. • John Fry, Morris, Manning & Martin. Fry can can address the rising uses, and risks, of drones in business. Drones offer tremendous potential in technology, insurance, real estate, agriculture, public safety, disaster response, photography, news, entertainment and other industries. But people and companies using them may not realize that in some cases they are breaking the law. • Clyde Mize, Morris, Manning & Martin. Mize chairs the Ga. Bar Association's Diversity Program and is the incoming chair of the Gate City Bar Association - the oldest African-American Bar Association in the State of Georgia. Since only a fraction of attorneys are minorities, Mize started a summer program at the firm that educates teens about legal careers. • Brett Oliver, CF Real Estate Services. Oliver manages the company's new apartment brand, Olmsted, which is inspired by boutique hotels. He can discuss the importance of transit-oriented development, walkability, building modern apartments, especially for millennials, live/work/play (also known as mixed-use) communities.

Remember you can check our Atlanta media blog anytime throughout the month. The link’s right at the top of the main page of Leff’s Atlanta Media and Mitch’s Media Match.

Got changes? Working a new beat? Additions or departures? Great stories you want to brag about? Let me know and I'll put it in the blog.

Mitch Leff

Mitch’s Media Musings, Leff & Associates, Leff’s Atlanta Media, Mitch’s Media Match

Mitch's Media Musings July 16 - Aug. 15, 2017

Events

Society of Professional Journalists • Hyperlocal Journalism panel at Manuel's Tavern on Aug. 17. Includes Dan Whisenhunt of Decaturish, Larry Felton Johnson of the Cobb County Courier, Kristal Dixon of Patch.com. Click for details. • Writing for the New Yorker - Oct. 25. Details.

General Musings

Associated Press • Katie Foody departs for AP Denver • Alex Sanz promoted to deputy director of newsgathering for the U.S. South. He'll work from AP's South regional desk in Atlanta.

Atlanta Business Chronicle - The Chronicle names Melanie Lasoff Levs Atlanta Business Chronicle to an Associate Editor position. She'll be overseeing special sections and working with corporate partners. Levs joins the Chronicle after a very productive and successful 14 years as a freelance writer and editor.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution • Very sad news to report as long-time photographer Kent Johnson passed away this month. Here's a link to the obituary that was in the paper: http://tinyurl.com/y8og3h47. • Great story in the AJC this month by freelance writer Max Blau. "Exile on Peachtree Street" chronicles the story of homeless advocate Anita Beaty. Link http://tinyurl.com/yccj252b. • Chris Vivlamore moves off the Hawks beat to an editing position. Mike Cunningham takes over the Hawks beat. • Eric Stirgus is now covering higher education. • Vanessa McCray, formerly of the Toledo Blade, join the paper August 14 as the new Atlanta Public Schools reporter.

Atlanta magazine - Betsy Riley takes on the Editor-in-Chief role, while Steve Fennessy moves to Executive Editor.

Atlanta Magazine's HOME - Mary Logan Bikoff takes on the Editor-in-Chief role.

Atlanta Tribune - The "Who's Who in Black Atlanta" list for 2017 is out. See who you know on this list on their site.

Cox Media – On Sunday, July 16, Cox Media Group (CMG) launched a new weekly digital ePaper section called Health Care Extra available to subscribers of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and other CMG papers. Mark Waligore, managing editor at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and CMG content team lead says, “This section will explore all sides of the debate to overhaul the Affordable Care Act, and it will spotlight the impact of future health care changes.”

East Cobb News - Wendy Parker launches new online news outlet focused on, you guessed it, East Cobb! Contact info in the Leff's Atlanta Media database.

Fox 5/WAGA – Sharon Lawson takes over for Constance Jones on Fox 5’s Good Day Atlanta. She’ll co-anchor with Katie Beasly at 4:30 am and Buck Lanford at 5 and 8 am. Sharon joins the station from Miami NBC affiliate WTVJ-TV. (h/t Rodney Ho).

Georgia News Network - GNN won four awards from the Georgia Association of Broadcasters at the GABCON conference. • Best Newscast or News Story – Hurricane Matthew – Matt Cook • Best Feature Story or Series – Year of Georgia Music – John Clark • Best Sportscast or Sports Series – Master’s Moments – John Clark • Best Weather Coverage – GNN Meteorologist John Wetherbee

HLN - Lisa Clark joins as producer for the new Carol Costello show, "Across America." She'd previously worked at GPB.

Morris Newspapers - Morris Communications is selling its newspaper assets to Gatehouse Media. This includes 11 daily newspapers, non-daily papers and various web and digital assets. These include the Athens Banner-Herald, the Augusta Chronicle and the Savannah Morning News. Details: http://tinyurl.com/y8ljyt3e.

Simply Buckhead - Check out the "Rising Stars" feature in the magazine's July issue. There are some interesting stories about those selected, including Aaron Polk in a story by H.M. Cauley, where he notes "I'm the only quadriplegic in the world who owns a moving company."

WABE - Kate Sweeney departs for a Senior Communications Specialist position with the Atlanta Regional Commission.

WDUN Radio – Scott Kimbler joins the station. He was previously with NewsRadio 106.7.

WGCL/CBS46 • Paul Ossmann marks 30 years on Atlanta TV and he's now the station's Chief Meteorologist! • Former News Director Frank Volpicella has a new position as Managing Editor of Content at WJXT in Jacksonville. • Reporters Will Frampton and Julian Johnson are leaving the station.

WXIA - The station announced on July 28 that it's shuffling many of its anchors. • Weekday Mornings - Shiba Russell moves back to the morning, with Crash Clark and Chesley McNeil. The show is now called "Morning Rush." The show has been significantly reformatted. • 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. - Jeff Hullinger and Cheryl Preheim (she moves from the morning show) • 7 p.m. - Melissa Long • 10 p.m. - Jeff Hullinger and Melissa Long • 11 p.m. - Vinnie Politan (he moves from the morning show)

Other WXIA News • We've added Jessica Glicker to the database. She's producing the Atlanta Tech Edge show on Sundays. • Julie Wolfe has been named Assistant News Director.

News from the PR Dept

• Hope Beckham's Bob Hope was named one of the city's most admired CEOs by the Atlanta Business Chronicle • Alpine Communications CEO Wendy Alpine has been named to the Cobb Chamber of Commerce's Leadership Cobb Class of 2018. • Scott Leith has been promoted to Senior Director, Financial Communications at The Coca-Cola Company. • Scott Williamson, VP Public Affairs and Communications at Coca-Cola, announced he'll be retiring at the end of September. • After 26 years at UPS, Director of Public Relations Susan Rosenberg announced her retirement this month.

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