Mitch's Media Musings - July 2022

Mitch's Media Musings

June 16 - July 15, 2022

4 Questions Journalist Spotlight - Check out our latest interviews with Madison Hogan with Cobb Life magazine, Helmut Domagalski of The Gayly Dose podcast, and Dawn White with WXIA TV. 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.). We tape new segments every week if you'd like to get your media outlet featured! Email me at mitch@leffassociates.com to set up a taping time.

For journalists, we’ve got a great assortment of sources on a range of topics (more details in the Mitch’s Media Match expert database). If your business has experts they’d like included, let’s connect.

Expert Sources for July

General Sources

It's Christmas in July at Mellow Mushroom! From July 25 -31, when customers spend $25 or more online in Mellow Mushroom gift cards, they will receive a $5 bonus for themselves and Mellow will donate $5 towards the Marine Corps Toys for Tots effort. (Contact: Mitch Leff, mitch@leffassociates.com)
Dr. Cecil Bennett with Newnan Family Medicine can discuss the latest rise in covid cases, whether new boosters will work, and what you should be doing to stay safe and healthy. He can also talk about his own experiences around mental health issues and gun violence. (Contact: Mitch Leff, mitch@leffassociates.com)
Atlanta Children's Film Festival returns for its 15th year, featuring film screenings and workshops for children, teens, and industry professionals. Showcasing films produced by youth and adult independent filmmakers from around the world, the festival promotes positive, educational, and entertaining children and family-oriented independent productions. (Contact: Mitch Leff, mitch@leffassociates.com)
Foster care support org Wellroot Family Services (www.Wellroot.org) can speak to topics such as the current downward trend in foster family recruitment, generational poverty, mental health trauma in children and youth, the importance of the family system as the school year starts, and support services for unaccompanied immigrant children. (Contact: Meredith Fletcher, Meredith@PRbyFletcher.com, 404.316.8330)
Nour Rabai, founder and CEO of PITA Mediterranean Street Food, can discuss technology in restaurants. The fast casual, made-to-order Mediterranean franchise has added a mobile app, giving guests a new opportunity to customize and order PITA’s fresh, healthy favorites. (Contact: Gretchen Howard, gretchen@thinkmla.com)

Business Sources (Contact: Kim Speece, kim@leffassociates.com)

Prices Going Up – Prices are still high, even though gas prices seem to be dropping. Goizueta professor Saloni Vastani can talk all about it.
Supreme Court – With a decision on Georgia's "Heartbeat Law" pending, Goizueta Business School professor Wes Longhofer can talk about the business and business ethics implications
Interest Rates and Inflation– Goizueta Biz School professors Tom Smith and Ray Hill can discuss the latest.
Jobs in the Skilled Trades - Scott Shelar, CEO, Construction Ready. Demand continues to be high for skilled workers in the construction industry. Construction Ready recently expanding its work beyond Georgia, offering new training job training classes for adults and K-12 students.

Legal Sources

Supreme Court – With a decision on Georgia's "Heartbeat Law" pending, Emory Law has several constitutional law experts who can talk about the case. (Contact: Kim Speece, kim@leffassociates.com)

Keep that scroll button moving to see all our Musings for the month. A reminder that if you don’t see your news here, just shoot me an email. Changes in beats, awards, new publications are all of interest!

Enjoy!

Mitch Leff

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

www.leffassociates.com, 404-861-4769

Mitch's Media Musings

June 16 - July 15, 2022

General

Appen Media - North Georgia journalist Alexander Popp has joined the staff as a reporter. Popp will cover local government and public safety in Forsyth County and the City of Alpharetta. Originally from the Alpharetta area, he graduated from the University of North Georgia in 2016 and then spent six months hiking the Appalachian Trail before starting work as a Forsyth County crime reporter in 2017. Since then, he has worked as a newspaper editor in Dawson County and co-founder of an outdoor tourism business in North Georgia.

Atlanta Business Chronicle - Donnell Suggs writes this month about how the growth of Georgia's film industry is creating a revenue boost for hotels and other short-term rental options. Details via this link.

Atlanta Jewish Times - The Atlanta Jewish Times was named the Best Jewish Newspaper in America at the 41st annual Simon Rockower Awards for General Excellence. The award went to publisher Michael Morris and editor Kaylene Ladinsky. They also won second place for Best Website and Ladinsky was presented with the "Volunteer of the Year" award.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Check out a new series, "Dangerous Dwellings," which explores 162 apartment complexes in the city that account for one-fifth of al homicides. Alan Judd and Willoughby Mariano put it all together. More at https://www.ajc.com/news/investigations/dwellings/apartments-violent-crime/.
Eric Stirgus has been named education editor at the paper, replacing Susan Hogan who departs.
Katherine Landergan joins as a Safety Net reporter. She's worked previously at Politico and the Boston Globe.
Zach Hansen switches off the DeKalb County coverage beat to covering Economic Development and Commercial Real Estate.
Washington reporter Tia Mitchell is now also filling in as host of the Washington Journal on C-SPAN.

Atlanta Voice - Dawn Montgomery has departed the paper. She's done great work there over the past few years, particularly around their coverage of politics and the elections. We'll see where she lands next!

Best Self - Nominations are open for the magazine's "Over 40 and Fabulous" list. To make a nomination, click here. A reminder that my named is spelled "Mitch Leff."

East Cobb News - Editor Wendy Parker writes about her journey as the site hits its five year anniversary! Details.

East Cobber - Long-time publisher Cynthia Rozzo has retired and sold the magazine to Laren Brown. Brown has been the magazine's sales rep for the past eight years. Rozzo founded the magazine in 1993. More at https://eastcobber.com/east-cobber-continues-under-new-ownership/.

Gayly Dose - We've added this podcast to our database. It focuses on the LGBTQ community. Check out our recent 4 Questions Journalist Spotlight interview with the founder and host, Helmut Domagalski.

Georgia Public Broadcasting / Radio - Peter Biello joins as host of All Things Considered

MundoNow - Mundo Hispanic is now MundoNow! A press release says "Mundo Hispanico, the largest certified-minority-owned bilingual and bicultural digital media platform in the USA, announced today it is rebranding to MundoNow in a move to reach the newly dominant 55 percent of America’s Latino population that identifies as either bilingual/bicultural or English-language preferred." Details: https://tejanonation.net/2022/06/14/mundo-hispanico-becomes-mundonow-in-move-to-reach-new-generation-of-u-s-latinos/.

(The) New York Times - Maya King joins the Atlanta bureau as a political reporter

ProPublica - Nicole Carr won the July Sidney Award from the Sidney Hillman Foundation for her recent investigative story, "White Parents Rallied to Chase a Black Educator Out of Town. Then, They Followed Her to the Next One." Link.

WABE Radio (NPR) - Check out the station's "Sounds Like ATL" music series. From their site: "Built around a desire to amplify Atlanta’s diverse and world-renowned musical community, each WABE presents SOUNDS LIKE ATL concert features live performances from a fresh lineup representing a variety of genres. Season 1 of the Tuesday-night, live-music series runs through November 8 at City Winery. Details. Upcoming shows include:

July: Amy Ray, Indigo Girls
August: ATL Hometown Heroes
September: Latinx American Heritage
October: LGBTQ Pride

WAGA TV/Fox5

Amy Oates Ranel is now Assistant News Director
Erin Leport Rader is now Executive Producer of Good Day Atlanta
Portia Bruner will be hosting a new daily talk show on Fox5 starting this fall. The station says "the goal of the program will be to inform, uplift, and enlighten through conversations about faith, family, health, wellness, and social issues that affect all the station's viewers." The show will air weekdays at 1 p.m. and will stream on Fox Soul. Details via this link.
Chris King is now full time, working Monday - Friday on the Nightside beat
George Franco has returned to Fox5 on a freelance basis (rumor is that they offered him a LOT of money to come back, plus a personal driver, and a private chef to cook him dinner at his live shots every night.

WRDW (Augusta) - Reporter Celeste Springer moves to Orlando

Paste - The magazine celebrates 20 years this month!

WGCL/CBS46

Reporter Jamie Kennedy departs
Reporter Hayley Mason has departed. She's moving to New York City as a full-time MBA candidate at Columbia Business School concentrating in Media, Entertainment, and Technology.

WSB Radio

Congrats to reporter and anchor Cheryl Castro who was married recently!
You've heard his voice as part of the team on the daily "Von Haessler Doctrine," but there's more now! Tim Andrews has launched "The Popcast," a weekly podcast that airs Saturdays from 6 - 7 p.m. on WSB Radio and streams in all the various places. What's it all about? Andrews and his guests "pull back the velvet rope on Atlanta's vibrant happenings in the world of comedy, film, pop culture, and stage performances." Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-popcast/id1624553254.

WSB TV

Whoops! I'm a little color blind so I must have seen pink instead of blue as Tyisha Fernandes announced the birth of her baby boy (not daughter)!
Tony Thomas will be leaving the station for a position with the Atlanta office of the FBI. His last day was July 15.There's a lot I could say about Tony after so many years working with him at WAGA and WSB. He's a great journalist and we'll miss him on the Atlanta airwaves. Maybe we'll see him on TV guest starring on one of those many FBI TV shows (I'm voting for FBI: Most Wanted).
Check out neighborhoodtv.com. It's a new streaming news site focused on North Metro Atlanta. It features WSB newscasts, but also exclusive stories you won't see elsewhere.

WBIN - Tanita Myers, VP of News Operations, has died. BIN president Tony Coles posted the news on Twitter on July 13.

WXIA TV/11Alive

Shiba Russell departs for anchor position at the Fox affiliate in Philadelphia
Ron Jones is now anchoring the 5,6 and 11 p.m. newscasts
Jeff Hullinger is now anchoring on the weekends

News from the PR Dept

From Dale DeSena: Taste of Atlanta is back with a brand new event recipe, bringing you 4 hyper-local foodie experiences featuring top chefs & favorite restaurants near you! T aste Around Town in Alpharetta is first at Union Hill Park on July 22 & 23. Your all-inclusive ticket provides unlimited bites, bottomless beverages, fabulous live entertainment at night, and chef demonstrations during the day. Bring your friends and family for an unforgettable foodie experience. Buy your ticket today, click here.
It's time to do your PRSA Georgia Phoenix Awards! Info at https://prsageorgia.secure-platform.com/a/organizations/main/home.
Jennifer Jones has been named one of the top 50 Woman Leaders in Georgia for 2022. Link: https://thewomenweadmire.com/2022/06/13/the-top-50-women-leaders-of-georgia-for-2022/.
Marilyn Pearlman has been named the "Lion of the Year" by the Atlanta Lions Club. Pearlman chairs both the program committee and the Leader Dogs fundraising committee.
The Wilbert Group's Caroline Wilbert has been named one of Atlanta's Most Admired CEOs by the Atlanta Business Chronicle.