07.21.08

is it protected by copyright?

Posted in General at 12:26 am by Paloma Cruz

Don’t know if something is protected by copyright? Check out this handy little sliderule, it may answer your questions.

07.11.08

Chicago Tribune is cutting 8o newsroom positions

Posted in General at 11:47 pm by Paloma Cruz

PRWeek blogs report that the Chicago Tribune is cutting 8o newsroom positions. “The Tribune Co. cuts continue. Management of the flagship Chicago Tribune began telling staffers on July 8 that it will cut 80 of the current 578 newsroom positions by the end of next month, as well as at least 13% of pages published per week. The only semblance of a silver lining is that management will only have to trim between 55 and 58 positions because it did not replace other recently departed employees.”

07.06.08

internships without pay a bad idea

Posted in General at 3:34 pm by Paloma Cruz

All of us took internships in college. Many of us took internships without pay. Here’s an article from the Houston Chronicle that cautions us against trying to use unpaid interns like real employees.

Internships without pay have pitfalls for employers
– Houston Chronicle2

Summer interns are ripe for exploitation.

They’re desperate for real-life experience to help them land a permanent job, at a time when the economy is slowing and positions are scarce. Many are willing to work for free or below market rates, just to get a foot in the door.

But that doesn’t mean employers should do that.

“It’s very tempting to try to come up with unique ways to get more out of your company, but the way to do it is not to bring in people who are unpaid,” said Jay Zweig, a labor lawyer at Bryan Cave in Phoenix. “An internship, to be unpaid and legal, needs primarily to be a learning experience for the intern and not something where the intern is expected to produce work product that is going to benefit the employer.”

“All it takes is one disgruntled intern, or their parent or spouse or friend, to call the U.S. Department of Labor, and the company who follows this type of exploitative advice is toast,” Zweig said.

[snip]

Footnotes
2 = article may expire in a few weeks.

07.01.08

Houston has a new PR agency

Posted in General at 8:57 am by Paloma Cruz

N. Scott Jones & Associates Inc. officially opened its doors to clients in Houston, specializing in stakeholder and corporate public relations. Though it actually opened in March, they are now announcing that they’re open.

Interestingly enough, the Houston Business Journal reports that they’ve signed on six clients since their formation in March.

So, I guess there is still work to be had for new PR agencies.

Source: New public relations firm launched in Houston, by the Houston Business Journal

real estate turns to PR

Posted in General at 8:23 am by Paloma Cruz

The San Antonio Business Journal reports that, while many industries are cutting back on advertising and public relations, one industry is actually turning to PR in an efforts to start up buzz: real estate. Developers are engaging public relations professional, ever-increasingly, trying to build up enthusiasm for their projects.

Nice to know that there are still some opportunities for us out there.

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