Odds and Ends

1. PR Week reports on a new study, from the Bulldog Reporter and TEKgroup International, which shows that reporters across all media are increasingly dependent on blogs, RSS feeds, online newsrooms, and other Internet sources of information. About 73% said they visit an online newsroom or corporate Web site to conduct research at least once per week and 69% said they read one or more blogs regularly.

2. This month, Microsoft launched its own socnet, Windows Live. Even better, Windows Live has partnered with Operation Smile, so that during the months of November and December, each time you upload a photo and share a smile with someone, Microsoft will donate a portion of its ad revenue to Op Smile. The more smiles that are shared, the more children Operation Smile can help. It's simple and it's free. Click here to add your smile now.

3. To avoid catastrophes like this, "Severely limit the number of releases you send out, and send them only to those reporters for whom the information is relevant," advises David Grant, president of the LVM Group. "Spend your time instead building one-on-one relationships with reporters and developing creative story angles."