#pr By 5pm: Scholastic News seeks experts re: post-holiday sales: why they are held, what to be wary of, etc.:

I'm writing a story for a teen consumer/health magazine about post-holiday sales -- why they are held, what to be wary of, where you can find good deals, etc. I am looking for a consumer or retail expert who can explain to students why what you see is not always what you get when it comes to store advertising, especially in a post-holiday environment. This will be for a December or January issue of the magazine. As I am on a tight deadline, I would need to conduct the interview sometime today or tomorrow. Contact: Carli Entin, centin@scholastic.com

#pr By 4pm: Sarasota Herald-Tribune seeks experts re: oversight of private K-12 schools, common problems, etc.:

I'm looking for experts to talk about the lack of oversight of private K-12 schools, particularly in Florida. Are other states more diligent? Should there be oversight? What are common problems and shortcuts that private schools take? Contact: Chris O'Donnell, chris.odonnell@heraldtribune.com

#pr By 3pm: Miami Herald seeks experts re: influence of William Foster on the evolution of the marching band, etc.:
I need a music expert -- and/or even a marching-band/college marching-band director -- who can talk about the influence the late William Foster had on the evolution of the marching band. Foster revolutionized bands, when he introduced dance steps to the Florida A&M University band in 1946. Other historically black colleges followed suit, as did other, larger schools later. His style has since been mimicked in movies, music videos and hundreds of college-band programs. I also need a general pop culture expert who can talk about Foster's influence and black college band-style influence on music culture in general, in the U.S. Contact: James Burnett, jburnett@miamiherald.com
#pr By 4pm: Christian Science Monitor seeks experts re: Fox News running the Media Matters ad:

I need experts to comment on the news that Fox News has agreed to run the Media Matters ad that is critical of the $1 million donation to the Republican Party by the network's parent company, News Corp. Why does this matter? What impact will this have? Why should we care? What questions should we ask? E-mail responses are welcome. Contact: Gloria Goodale, gcgoodale@aol.com

#pr By 5pm: Crain's New York Business seeks travel-technology experts re: GroundLink's partnership with Aircell:

[Limited to the Northeast] For a story on the global ground transportation company GroundLink, (www.GroundLink.com), I need a travel-technology expert or analyst to comment on the company's latest expansion -- they have partnered with Aircell to allow travelers who are using the Internet on planes to arrange for ground transportation while in flight. If they do, they get a coupon for free Internet use through GoGo (Aircell), either for that same flight or a future one. The company (GroundLink) is growing exponentially, and I want a comment about how this latest expansion is beneficial or not. The analyst or expert must be based in New York City. I'm a freelancer. Contact: Eilene Zimmerman, ezimmerman@sbcglobal.net

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