Mitch's Media Musings - February 2022
Mitch's Media Musings
January 16 - February 15, 2022
General
Dick Williams has died. The long-time Atlanta journalist passed away this month at the age of 77. He worked for the Atlanta Journal, WXIA TV, WSB TV, and created the "Georgia Gang" on Fox5. In 1996, he purchased the Dunwoody Crier. Details.
A frightening incident as a TV reporter in WV was hit by a car during live shot. This story has generated a lot of buzz in the TV community. Former CBS46 reporter Ashley Thompson talked with the NYT about it.
Who's on TikTok? Shoot me your handle!
SPJ Georgia and SPJ National recently offered a zoom panel, "MMJ Safety First town Hall." It was a mix of nuts-and-bolts advice for MMJs in the field and an examination of bigger issues such balancing safety with getting the job done as well as fostering trust, communication, and compromise. The panel brought together journalists, reporters, producers, TV news directors, and photogs and came out of the case of a West Virginia MMJ hit by a car while doing a nightside live shot. More: https://spjgeorgia.com/2022/01/29/mmj-safety-first-town-hall-recap/
Atlanta Press Club - The APC is looking for a new Executive Director. Kristi York Wooten is leaving her role as Atlanta Press Club’s president in March, 2022. She will remain involved with the Club as she continues to pursue her career in journalism. The new ED will work with the Board of Directors to fashion the club’s strategic vision, and is responsible for the growth and sustainability of the Club. Learn more: https://atlantapressclub.org/were-hiring/.
4 Questions Journalist Spotlight - Check out our latest interviews with Axios Atlanta, WABE, and Newsy.com. You can watch in video format or listen to audio: https://www.leffsatlantamedia.com/q4-journalists. You can also find our podcasts on just about any podcast platform (Apple, Amazon, Spotify, iHeartRadio, etc.).
Atlanta Business Chronicle - The paper will be moving its offices to the Old Fourth Ward area of Atlanta.
Atlanta Inno - Zach Armstrong joins and takes over the newsletter. He'll be focused on Tech & Innovation and Erin Schilling focuses on Tech & Development.
Atlanta Jewish Times - Robyn Spizman has a new column "What's Jewish About ..." It's about "making connections with high profile names to find 'what is Jewish about' them to share.
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
For PR folks pitching the AJC, here's a little background on what Scott Trubey and Andy Peters are covering lately. Trubey's focus on the investigative team is development and places where business and government meet. When the pandemic hit, he says that became his focus. He cites his recent coverage of the Development Authority of Fulton County as an example. Peters is the day-to-day reporter for commercial real estate and economic development on their "Economy Team."
"Flipped,” Greg Bluestein's book on Georgia’s transformation into the nation’s most important battleground, is out on March 22. There's a book launch party on March 24 at the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta. Details: https://bit.ly/3Jmy4AD
Todd Duncan named Senior Editor for Hiring and Staff Development
Gabe Burns moves off the Braves beat, now covering all sports (features, analysis, news)
Justin Toscano is the new Braves beat writer
Sports columnist Steve Hummer has retired
Reporter Chris Joyner has a new book out, "The Three Death Sentences of Clarence Henderson." It's about a Black sharecropper who was wrongfully accused and sentenced to die for a murder he didn't commit. More from Decaturish at https://tinyurl.com/yb3qqc4k.
Political reporter Greg Bluestein made his debut this month as an MSNBC political contributor. Greg says "There's no such thing as a slow news week here in Georgia!" Link: https://twitter.com/i/status/1486803260640047104.
Reporter Josh Sharpe departs the paper. He'll now be writing for the San Francisco Chronicle.
Black News Channel - Pat St. Claire moves from WABE to this cable network as a writer/producer
Capital B Atlanta - Bureau is launching this month featuring news by and about Black Atlanta.
Fox News - Jayla Whitfield departs. She's now a White House producer at The Grio.
Georgia Public Broadcasting
Sarah Rose departs. She says she'll be spending some time on the road with her band ("Sarah and the Safe Word") but expects we'll see her back in a journalism job.
Georgia Trend - Susan Percy pens her final column for the magazine as she retires after 20 years and 244 columns.
Newsy - Maura Sirianni joins as National Correspondent from WXIA TV.
Revolt Black News - Ryan Dennis is now an editor there.
WABE
Public Broadcasting Atlanta TV is changing its name to WABE across all of its platforms. That means radio, tv, and web will all be WABE. Their new tagline is "Amplifying Atlanta." More from the Saporta Report and Rodney Ho at the AJC.
Emil Moffatt is the subject of one of our 4 Questions Journalist Spotlight podcasts this month!
WGCL TV/CBS46
Sabrina Silva moves to WHDH TV in Boston.
New news at 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.
I've noticed the station using SMTs on their morning show
We've added Digital Journalist Mariya Murrow to our database.
WXIA TV/ 11Alive
Meteorologist Samantha Mohr has retired.
Andrew Wilson joins as meteorologist.
News from the PR Dept
Congrats to Lindsey Raimondi, PRSA Georgia's Chapter Champion for January. Raimondi is a public relations specialist with the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau (ACVB).
Melissa Libby PR adds Michael Erickson as Communications Director.
Poston PR's Dave Poston was interviewed this month by Atlanta Business Chronicle's Crystal Edmonson for her "On Leadership" podcast. Listen: https://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2022/02/08/dave-poston-leadership-activating-the-team.html
Jamie Cwalinski is PRSA Georgia’s February Chapter Champion. He’s an Account Manager at Porter Novelli.
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