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March 15, 2010

History Today: 1937 – The Cook County Hospital in Chicago (now The John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County) is credited with opening the first hospital-based blood bank exchange facility in the United States. The concept was soon imitated and spread throughout the world, proving to be invaluable during WWII when many soldiers' lives were saved as a result of blood transfusions.

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Let's talk sports
Radio stations that were previously Top 40, Jazz or Oldies formats may now produce the sounds of talk, guys and sports. It’s what a Lincoln, Neb. station recently decided to do after changing to an Oldies format in January. “We listened to the public. We decided to make that decision,” KLMS-AM general manager Joy Patten told AllAccess about their decision to switch back to ESPN Radio.

Since January, the format that seems to reign is Sports Talk as various stations across the country have opted for the switch. Minneapolis’ KSTP-AM flipped last month, providing listeners with a mix of local Sports Talk and ESPN programming. Honolulu’s KUPA-AM will return to the air sometime next month airing Fox Sports. In San Francisco, KNBR-AM expanded its sports coverage. And just last week, Oregon’s KKEE-AM flipped from Liberal Talk to Sports as a Fox Sports affiliate...READ MORE

Also in the inVocus Media Blog:
Social media and its place in the circle of traditional media
Like the media industry, the freelance model is changing
Hispanic media on demand

Celebrate America's volunteers in April
What: Many charitable, religious, and community organizations have dedicated teams of volunteers who make progress possible. According to the Corporation for National and Community Service, approximately 61.3 million Americans take time to volunteer in their communities. National Volunteer Week, observed April 18-4, celebrates those who offer their time and skills year-round.

Story Pitch: If your organization gets a boost from volunteers, now is the time to recognize their efforts. Promoting your volunteers also promotes the work they do for your organization. Additionally, experts can weigh in on the health aspects of volunteering...READ MORE

Daily Media Moves

Magazines
Local lifestyle quarterly launching for active seniors

Lynn Wade
Ageless Magazine
(417) 667-3344
lwade(at)nevadadailymail.com

Launching in April, Ageless Magazine will cover articles on leisure and lifestyles in southeast Kansas and southwest Missouri. It will focus on local travel, entertainment and outdoor activities for active readers, 50 and up. Leading the magazine is editor Lynn Wade.

Ageless Magazine will print quarterly with an initial circulation of 5,000. It is published by the Fort Scott Tribune and Nevada Daily Mail.

Cooking Light gets new online editor
Allison Lowery
Cooking Light
(205) 445-6000
allison_lowery(at)timeinc.com
www.cookinglight.com

Allison Lowery recently joined Cooking Light as the magazine’s online editor. She was previously a managing editor at Oxmoor House, which is the book publishing division of Southern Progress Corporation.

newline

Newspapers
Editors promoted in Missouri
The Examiner
www.examiner.net

Sheila Davis
(816) 350-6349
sheila.davis(at)examiner.net

Stephanie Boothe
(816) 350-6319
stephanie.boothe(at)examiner.net

Heather Jarvis
(816) 254-8600
heather.jarvis(at)examiner.net

Sheila Davis has been promoted from managing editor to executive editor at The Examiner. She replaces Dale Brendel, who left to become the general manager and executive editor of the Leavenworth Times. News editor Stephanie Boothe takes over for Davis as managing editor, while night copy editor Heather Jarvis takes over as news editor.

The Examiner has a daily circulation of approximately 12,000 and serves Independence, Blue Springs, and Grain Valley in western Missouri.

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Television
Miller moves up
Matt Miller
WXIX-TV
(513) 421-1919
assignmentdesk(at)fox19.com
www.fox19.com

WMBF-TV (Myrtle Beach, S.C.) news director Matt Miller has been named news director at WXIX-TV in Cincinnati. He replaces Steve Ackermann who was promoted to corporate regional news director last month. Miller is expected to take the slot in mid-June.

WXIX-TV is the Fox affiliate in the Cincinnati area. The station airs a mix of syndicated programming and network-provided news, sports and entertainment.

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Radio
Former Detroit host tackles double duties at Dallas’ KKDA
Suga Rae
KKDA-FM 104.5 (“K104fm”)
(972) 263-9911
www.k104fm.com

Beginning Thursday, former WHTD-FM midday host Suga Rae joins KKDA to co-host the “Skip Cheatham & Da Playground” morning show. In addition to her morning duties, she will host weekdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

KKDA-FM is an Urban station serving the Dallas area.

The industry’s first Pitching Tips selection featuring

Podcasts. Click to hear pitching preferences directly from the media contact.

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Magazines
Karen Murphy, editorial director
Latino Future Magazine
(602) 418-7602
kmurphy(at)latinofuture.com
www.latinofuture.com

As editorial director of Latino Future Magazine, Karen Murphy covers culture and lifestyle topics for bicultural Hispanics living in the U.S. She says the magazine’s target audience is second- and third-generation, college-educated Hispanics, age 21 to 44. Murphy is primarily interested in topics related to Hispanic culture, such as up-and-coming artists and actors, Hispanic-owned businesses and successful individuals in the Hispanic community. She is also looking for potential features on Latin heritage.

Pitch her by e-mail at least four months in advance. Do NOT include a photo attachment in the initial press release. Murphy requests that PR firms become familiar with the publication prior to sending a pitch.

Latino Future Magazine features information on money, health, business, education, careers and other key topics for Latinos seeking achievement and success. It is published every other month, with a circulation of approximately 19,000.

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Newspapers
Lee Margulies, deputy daily calendar editor
Los Angeles Times
(213) 237-7793
lee.margulies(at)latimes.com
www.latimes.com

Lee Margulies covers entertainment, lifestyle and society news for the paper’s calendar section. His primary responsibility is the Daily Quick Takes column, which features news briefs from all over the world. “I’m just looking for short news items that probably don’t merit breaking news,” he says. “It can be on anything that would be of interest to our readers, and that’s a fairly broad group.”

Margulies notes his interest is in general spot news, NOT specific subject areas. “There are a lot of other assignment editors here in the calendar section who deal with specific areas,” he says. Pitches for features, reviews or personality interviews are “better off going to one of them.” He asks that PR professionals do some research on who to contact with specific story ideas. Pitch him by e-mail; include photos or attachments upon request ONLY. The pitch’s key point should be in the headline or first paragraph of the press release.

Margulies’ entertainment columns also appear in the Centre Daily Times of State College, Pa.

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Television
Catherine Mason, owner / general manager
KPLE-TV
502 East Elms Road
Suite D
Killeen, TX 76542
(254) 554-3683
cmason(at)kpletv.org
www.kpletv.org

Catherine Mason covers all aspects of Christianity as station manager of KPLE. She accepts Christianity-related story ideas and press releases via e-mail. Press releases should be short and include all necessary contact information. She also accepts material on DVDs and mini DVDs; pitches that include DVD material should be sent through postal mail. Mason does not appreciate when PR people call her at home.

KPLE-TV is a Trinity Broadcasting Network affiliate broadcasting to Killeen, Texas, and other areas of Central Texas.

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