Mitch's Media Musings - August 2019

Mitch's Media Musings

July 16 - Aug 15, 2019

General

"Smartphone, Dumb User" - Local writer Lisa Schoolcraft has a new book! Set in Atlanta, "Smartphone, Dumb User" tells the story of freelancer Ravyn Shaw, who is desperate to get the profile story of hunky entrepreneur Marc Linder. Will she also get the man? The contemporary romance can be purchased in both ebook and paperback on Amazon.com.

ABC News - Congrats to Steve Osunsami for being awarded a "Salute to Excellence" award by the NABJ for a story on Florida's stand your ground law.

Appen Media

Appen has launched a new podcast, The Good Life. It's hosted by Frank Duffy, Ray Giudice and Ted Jenkin and focuses on topics such as good food and wine, investing, sports, gambling, entertaining, concerts, getting ahead in business and stopping to smell the roses. More: http://tinyurl.com/yyhgtbvg
Podcasting manager Daniel Milana departs. Hans Appen is now your contact for their podcasts.

Associated Press - Former Atlanta newsperson Katie Foody (now Chasan) will move to Chicago to take on a new beat covering how technology shapes our lives. She's been in Colorado the last few years.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Chip Towers returns to cover UGA football and other sports.
Bala Sundaramoorthy has been hired as the new VP/GM. He'd be the leader for Product and Technology and oversee customer service, operational strategy, content print and digital operations.

Atlanta Inno - Check out our "4 Questions Journalist Spotlight" with editor Madison Hogan this month! Link: https://leffsatlantamedia.wordpress.com/.

Atlanta Loop - Derek Prall departs. Jeff Cochrane is the editor there now. Details: http://tinyurl.com/y44qqyyr.

Atlanta Jewish Times - Reporter Molly Samuel with WABE radio has been named one of the paper's "Jewish Atlanta's 40 Under 40" for 2019. Here's a link to the full list: http://tinyurl.com/y48kq26n.

Atlanta Social Season - Gloria Lane, the founder and editor of the magazine, died this past month. In addition to founding the magazine, Lane was the first female television anchor in Atlanta. The AJC's Rodney Ho wrote a nice piece about her: http://tinyurl.com/y3lts2as.

CNN - Long-time CNN producer Jay Suber died this month. I had the chance to work with Jay on the CNN Student News show back in the early part of the century. A great man. Our condolences to his family.

Fanbolt.com - Check out our "4 Questions Journalist Spotlight" profile of founder/editor Emma Loggins this month! https://leffsatlantamedia.wordpress.com/

Georgia Hollywood Review - We've added this new magazine to our database. The publisher is Miles Neiman, who's been running mags in Georgia and Florida for decades. Online at http://tinyurl.com/y5z42bf2.

Georgia Public Radio

As part of this year’s Macon Film Festival, GPB’s Kalena Boller is moderating a live panel on how Georgia’s film industry has changed over the years for women cast and crew. She’ll talk with Mercer University professor Michele Prettyman, Atlanta-based casting director Chad Darnell, Laura Lundy of thegroup Safety Shot, and actress Jameelah Nuriddin. The panel will be recorded for the podcast in front of an audience on Saturday, August 17 at 10:30 am at 450 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd in Macon. Here are details on attending the event: http://tinyurl.com/yystk2bu.
Sara Shahriani is no longer with GPB. The AJC's Rodney Ho reports "her position was eliminated and they are now hiring a vice president of news, a more expanded position."
Pria Mahadevan joins as producer for "On Second Thought." She landed in Atlanta from a job in San Francisco.
We had a great time this month at an event down at GPB. Bitter Southerner creator Chuck Reece talked with the creators of "Squidbillies." Look for it soon as an audio podcast, but here's a link to the video: http://tinyurl.com/y3ahfzpy. Name dropping other folks I ran into at the event: "On Second Thought" Producer Amy Kiley, Bitter Southerner Media Director and Co-Founder Kyle Tibbs Jones, "On Second Thought" host Virginia Prescott, GPB Communications Director Mandy Wilson, and of course the man who never tires, GPB Director of Podcasting Sean Powers!

(The) Georgia Sun - We've added this online publication to our database. The site is "all about the Peach State, its people, its places, its happenings, and its continuing story."

Girls on Film - A new podcast launches. Sarah Smith and Teresa Roth "cover the latest Hollywood fliks alongside TV’s most promising binge-worthy shows. Praising the pro’s and calling some shade with humorous, opinionated, well-informed editorials, Roth and Smith tell the truth about today’s best AND worst produced movies and shows." Contact details in the Leff's Atlanta Media database!

Marietta Daily Journal - Congrats to the MDJ's Katy Ruth Camp! She was honored this month as a "Next Generation Award Winner" by the Cobb Chamber of Commerce. Details here: http://tinyurl.com/y4ksz2c5.

Oz magazine - Did you see the cover of Oz this month? "The REAL Guardian of the Galaxy," profiles Marvel's Joann Perritano, plus the mag looks at "Hollywood's Abandonment Issues" with our state, and profiles a local stuntman.

Stomp and Stammer - Check out our "4 Questions Journalist Spotlight" profile of founder/editor Jeff Clark this month! https://leffsatlantamedia.wordpress.com/

WABE

Claire Reynolds joins as Senior Producer for "City Lights with Lois Reitzes."
Summer Evans joins as Producer for "City Lights."
Joy Barge has joined as a reporter/producer.

WAGA

Reporter Jaclyn Schultz departs and moves to Las Vegas.
Anchor Cynne Simpson has left the station. She says she'll be doing humanitarian work.
Congrats to Marissa Mitchell for receiving the “Salute to Excellence” award for General Assignment- Short Form at the NABJ Convention.

WGCL - Congrats to Astrid Martinez who's been named one of the "50 Most Influential Latinos in Georgia"!

WSB Radio - Morning host Scott Slade was nominated for the Radio Hall of Fame.

WSB TV

Former Atlanta reporter, Jessica Jaglois, who's been in Nashville for a few years, now moving to Memphis.
The AJC's Rodney Ho reports that Chief Meteorologist Glenn Burns is handing his 11 p.m. duties to Brad Nitz. He'll still be doing the 4 and 6 p.m. weather. Details: http://tinyurl.com/yyjf7b6u.
Craig Lucie has left the station. He says he'll be starting his own content/communications company. His last day was Aug. 16.

WXIA

Former producer Brennan Donnellan has produced a new film "Hollywood Bob" that's an online selection at the Toronto Lift Off Film Festival. He's also recently joined the Cleveland Metro Bar Association as Director Marketing and Communications.
Reporter Matt Pearl has completed a MFA degree from UGA's Grady College of Journalism.

News from the PR Dept.

Kristen Ellis is PRSA Georgia's Chapter Champion for July and Sue Smith is the Chapter Champion for August.
Julia Levy has been named one of "Jewish Atlanta's 40 Under 40" for 2019 by the Atlanta Jewish Times. Levy is the communications officer for the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation. Many years ago, she was also one of the first student reporters for the CNN Student Bureau. Here's a link to the full list: http://tinyurl.com/y48kq26n.

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