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Media Veterans Ervin Duggan and William Kristol Join Forces, Urging FCC Hearing into Character Fitness of FOX and Murdochs to Remain Public Interest Broadcast Licensees

Raynor Ave.

Today, former PBS President Ervin S. Duggan and former Weekly Standard Editor William Kristol filed a joint informal objection to the broadcast license renewal application for Fox Corp-owned television station FOX 29 Philadelphia (WTXF-TV). The pair's informal objection urges the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to hold a hearing that examines whether Fox Corporation (FOX) and its leadership have violated the character requirements expected from public trustees granted a broadcast license. The Duggan-Kristol objection follows a formal Petition to Deny filed by the Media and Democracy Project (MAD) earlier this month. It brings high-profile bipartisan backing to the group's efforts. "As media veterans, we are acutely aware of the power afforded to those who control the information broadcast on our nation's airwaves," said Ervin S. Duggan. "Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch's role in perpetuating election falsehoods stands as a blatant violation of the character requirements expected of those the FCC entrusts to hold a broadcast license." In the pair's objection, Duggan and Kristol say that although they were members of different parties when they served in government—and had different perspectives on many issues throughout their respective careers in public service and journalism—they strongly believe that American democracy must be grounded in open, respectful, and factual debate. The objection goes on to say, "[w]e believe that media companies who are directly or indirectly granted the privilege to serve the public through the operation of FCC-licensed television stations have a corollary duty to facilitate and strengthen democracy by participating in that debate—not by hiding their opinions, nor by providing 'equal time' on all issues to outside parties, nor by merely chasing ratings or corporate stock price, but by adhering to the highest journalistic standards in reporting and distributing news to ensure that the public has solid facts upon which to make the decisions that are essential to our society's future as a democracy." "The adjudication of the Dominion case unequivocally established that Fox News Channel repeatedly disseminated false news, and the Fox cable channels and its broadcast ones are clearly intimately linked, as Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch hold the authority for decision-making over both," said William Kristol. "The Commission should follow the well-established legal framework and conduct a hearing to fully consider the fitness of FOX and the Murdochs to continue as licensees of the public airwaves." WTXF is one of 29 broadcast television stations owned and operated by FOX through its 100 percent ownership of Fox Television Stations, and the ultimate control over these enterprises rests with Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch. Their controlling interest in FOX and all its various broadcast subsidiaries means they are the de facto party seeking renewal of the WTXF license. The judge overseeing the Dominion litigation refused to excuse Rupert from the case that found both Murdochs had presided over the presentation of false news. Similarly, the FCC must refuse calls to excuse the Murdochs from accountability and at a minimum initiate a hearing, if not outright deny their license renewal application. A copy of the full Duggan-Kristol informal objection is available here. A link to MAD’s initial Petition to Deny is available here. Ervin S. Duggan is a veteran of the Lyndon Johnson White House, a former Commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission, and former President of PBS. William Kristol is a veteran political analyst and commentator. He served in senior positions in the Ronald Reagan administration and the George H. W. Bush White House. For two decades, he edited The Weekly Standard magazine, and is now editor at large of The Bulwark and a director of the educational and advocacy group, Defending Democracy Together. For media inquiries, please contact Aaron Alberico at aalberico@raynoravenue.com. Contact Details Raynor Ave. Aaron Alberico aalberico@raynoravenue.com Company Website https://www.raynoravenue.com/

July 31, 2023 09:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Hunter Biden Plea Deal Rejected by Federal Judge

National Legal & Policy Center

Federal Judge Maryellen Noreika in Delaware rejected a sweetheart plea deal whereby Hunter Biden agreed to plead guilty to two misdemeanor tax violations and enter a pretrial diversion program for a felony gun charge. The gun charge would be dropped if he stayed off drugs and alcohol and complied with other conditions for two years. The prosecutors also recommended that there would be no jail time for the two tax charges. The National Legal and Policy Center (NLPC), an ethics watchdog group, had previously blasted the lenient plea agreement between the U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, David Weiss, and Hunter Biden. NLPC called upon Judge Noreika to reject the deal. The plea deal fell apart when the prosecutor told the court that the investigation is still ongoing, but Hunter and his attorneys thought the plea deal would give him immunity for any other crimes he may have committed. The frustrated judge gave the two sides some time to settle their differences during a break in the hearing but further problems arose regarding the gun charge. If Hunter did not abide by the terms of his pretrial diversion program, the judge was concerned that she would be the one to decide that the prosecution of the gun charge should proceed. She made it clear that the judiciary does not have that prosecutorial power under our Constitution’s separation of powers. She gave the parties thirty days to file additional briefs on a revised plea deal. Notably, Judge Noreika grilled Hunter during the hearing on the source of his foreign income. Hunter admitted receiving taxable income from Burisma oil company in Ukraine, where he was on the Board, and from a Chinese energy company. Yet despite the five-year investigation, no charges were brought against Hunter under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) for engaging in political activities on behalf of Burisma and Chinese interests, despite overwhelming evidence that NLPC had presented to the Justice Department in 2020. “It’s outrageous that after a five-year investigation of Hunter Biden, and the recent IRS whistleblowers’ sworn testimony of a Justice Department coverup and obstruction, the best that the prosecutor can come up with is a couple of misdemeanor charges and recommend probation as a slap on the wrist,” said Paul Kamenar, counsel for NLPC. “Thankfully, Judge Noreika rejected the plea deal as we urged, but it remains to be seen if a new deal is agreed to,” Kamenar added. "The two-level system of justice whereby the Biden family gets a pass is rightfully perceived by the public as the politicization of the justice system,” said Peter Flaherty, Chairman of NLPC. “If the Justice Department continues to cover up for the Biden family, Congress must vigorously pursue its investigation, which appears to be leading to impeachment proceedings.” ### Founded in 1991, NLPC promotes ethics in public life and government accountability through research, investigation, education, and legal action. Contact Details National Legal and Policy Center Dan Rene +1 202-329-8357 drene@nlpc.org Company Website http://www.nlpc.org

July 27, 2023 11:59 AM Eastern Daylight Time

AI Singapore Awards S$20M in Research Funds to Address Challenges Relating to Increase Use of AI in Emerging Apps

AI Singapore

SINGAPORE - Media OutReach - 26 July 2023 - AI Singapore (AISG) announced today that it will award up to S$20 million, through the Robust AI Grand Challenge and the AI for Materials Discovery Grand Challenge, to support five multidisciplinary teams which will address challenges related to the increasing use of AI in emerging applications. AISG launched both Grand Challenges in December 2022 in collaboration with the Future Systems and Technology Directorate (FSTD), MINDEF Singapore, and DSO National Laboratories (DSO). Each Challenge is a first-of-its-kind and represents a major milestone in research collaboration between the academia and defence ecosystems. The research outcomes will have the potential for dual-use applications and can be leveraged by both the industry and defence to benefit Singapore. The grant awards were presented by Mr Heng Chee How, Senior Minister of State for Defence at the Joint Grant Awards Ceremony. In his speech, Mr Heng said, "The advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) will open up new possibilities and MINDEF/SAF is poised to harness its power to build important capabilities for our future. MINDEF's approach is to collaborate extensively with local and global partners from research institutes, and institutes of higher learning and industry. MINDEF's Defence Technology Community, which designs and develops technological capabilities for the SAF, will play a key role in this effort. "Moving forward, we will also be expanding our partnerships with industry, to accelerate progress in developing AI technologies and applications. I encourage the various communities to come together to co-ideate and co-innovate. I would like to invite all researchers and practitioners with bold ideas to reach out to us. Together, let's collaborate, innovate and build an exciting and better future, he added." Professor Mohan Kankanhalli, Deputy Executive Chairman for AISG, said that the current development efforts and outcomes can be translated into better and safer technologies for everyday living. "The problems that are being addressed have dual-use applications and can be leveraged by both industry and defence ecosystems to benefit Singapore. We are excited to work with our valued collaborators, FSTD and DSO, as they have deep expertise in both grand challenges to advise, guide and empower our research teams to develop novel AI solutions that can effectively address important problems faced by Singapore and the world. We believe that there is potential for these technologies to be scaled globally in the future". Robust AI and AI for Materials Discovery Grand Challenges AISG's Grand Challenge programme takes an outcome-driven approach to solve important problems faced by Singapore and the world through multidisciplinary collaboration and translation of AI-based solutions from research to deployment. Researchers from local Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) and Research Institutes (RIs), along with their collaborators from the public and/or private sectors, were invited to propose ground-breaking research ideas that adopt AI techniques to address both Grand Challenges' statements. Each challenge statement was jointly defined by AISG, DSO and FSTD. Robust AI Grand Challenge - "How can we design robust CV systems for AVs that can recover at least 80% of their original accuracy after physical testing-time adversarial attacks?" Computer vision (CV) systems based on AI/ML are vulnerable to adversarial attacks which could compromise their safety and security, thus limiting their performance and adoption in critical environments. In the field of autonomous vehicles (AV), these could result in delays, accidents and potentially, even death. This Grand Challenge aims to encourage the development of innovative approaches that increase the robustness of these CV systems, to accelerate the adoption of CV systems in critical environments. AI for Materials Discovery Grand Challenge - "How can AI accelerate inverse material design to discover advanced materials that are 50% lighter while retaining and/or enhancing their functional properties?" Technological breakthroughs and the development of next-generation systems such as lightweight transportation vehicles and energy-efficient buildings are often underpinned by the discovery and development of new and advanced materials. However, this discovery process can be prohibitively long and expensive. In addition, conventional methods can be limited by a scientist's personal experience, knowledge and even biases, resulting in only incremental discoveries. This Grand Challenge aims to advance the state-of-the-art applications of AI in materials discovery, to develop solutions that can help scientists accelerate material discovery process and overcome the constraints of conventional methods. This would in turn enable them to keep pace with the increasing demand for new and advanced materials for next-gen systems. AISG received 16 (7 Robust AI; 9 AI for Materials Discovery) quality research proposals from multidisciplinary teams in response to both grant calls. The teams comprise lead Principal Investigators (PIs) and Co-PIs from the National University of Singapore (NUS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore Management University (SMU), Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) and Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT). They also involve industry partners and/or collaborators from overseas universities. An Evaluation Committee comprising members from various stakeholders in the AI ecosystem selected five projects to be awarded Stage 1 funding: Robust AI Grand Challenge Holistic Moving Target Defence for Autonomous Driving Perception (by Associate Professor Rui Tan, NTU) - This project will develop a Moving Target Defence (MTD) approach that creates and deploys AI mechanisms that are diverse and rapidly changing to limit the exposure of vulnerabilities and opportunities for attacks, increase the complexity and cost for attackers. Development of Stable Robust and Secure Intelligent Systems for Autonomous Vehicles (by Professor Shuzhi Sam Ge, NUS) - This project will harness the collective strengths of machine learning, stable control and generative AI to develop a robust and intelligent system that can adjust its neural network's behaviour and characteristics in real- time to counter adversarial attacks in complex environments. Towards Building Unified Autonomous Vehicle Scene Representation for Physical AV Adversarial Attacks and Visual Robustness Enhancement (by Professor Yang Liu, NTU) - This project will develop novel multi-view and multi-modal defences based on a unified framework that comprises a novel AV scene representation that will be used to generate realistic scenes with diverse conditions and attack vectors. The projects are expected to deliver suites of multi-modal attack and defence techniques that can be deployed in the real world to increase the robustness of AI models applied in multi-sensor CV systems. AI for Materials Discovery Grand Challenge MATAI: An AI-Powered Generalist Material Discovery Platform (by Professor Bo An, NTU) - This project will develop an AI-powered generalist platform with three key components: a holistic material database, a foundational material property predictor and a generalist multi-property material designer in a large search space. Design Beyond What You Know: Material Informed Differential Generative AI (MIDGAI) for Light-Weight High-Entropy Alloys and Multi-functional Composites (by Professor Ivor Tsang, A*STAR) - This project will develop a generative AI framework for materials design that combines with discriminative models to enhance robustness and overcome data scarcity. By incorporating domain knowledge, the AI model will enable a more controllable, directed, and efficient exploration of material design spaces through advanced optimisation algorithms. The projects are expected to deliver AI solutions that can be used by AI and materials researchers to (i) discover novel materials based on performance needs, (ii) efficiently explore beyond the boundaries of conventional methods, (iii) exploit new and existing scientific knowledge and (iv) reduce resource and time cost of material discovery cycles. In Stage 1, the teams will be awarded up to S$4M each to work on their project for the next three years. Funding support for Stage 2 will be determined as part of the final evaluation near the end of Stage 1. Selected teams could be funded up to S$5M over 2 years where the teams will have the opportunity to work with agencies to adapt and scale up the developed AI techniques for dual-use applications. About AI Singapore AI Singapore (AISG) is a national programme launched by the National Research Foundation (NRF) to catalyse, synergise and boost Singapore's artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities to power our future, digital economy.AISG will also bring together all Singapore-based research institutions and the vibrant ecosystem of AI start-ups and companies developing AI products, to perform use-inspired research, grow the knowledge, create the tools, and develop the talent to power Singapore's AI efforts.AISG is driven by a government-wide partnership comprising NRF, Smart Nation and Digital Government Office (SNDGO), Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), Economic Development Board (EDB), Enterprise Singapore (ESG), amongst others. Contact Details Communications Consultant Joseph Rajendran +65 9228 7801 joseph@wiredcomms.sg Company Website https://aisingapore.org/

July 26, 2023 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Minuteman Press Franchise Owners Jim and Seamus Mooney Celebrate 5 Years and Relocation to Clark, NJ with Grand Opening Event

Minuteman Press International Inc

Jim and Seamus Mooney have a lot to celebrate lately. The father-son team behind the Minuteman Press franchise in Clark, NJ (formerly Westfield) held their Grand Opening Palooza Event on June 22, 2023 as they celebrated their relocation to Clark as well as 5 years in business. Minuteman Press in Clark is located at 1120 Raritan Road, Suite 2, Clark NJ 07066. The grand opening event for Minuteman Press in Clark, NJ was sponsored by the Irish Business Association and featured live music, food trucks, vendors, and more. The Irish Business Association also recently honored Minuteman Press in Clark by awarding Jim and Seamus their Company of the Year Award. In addition, Jim and Seamus continue to hit new monthly sales milestones for their business. On the relocation, Jim shares, “We opened our doors on June 1, 2018. We have been in business for 5 years and we were looking for a larger production facility. Today, Minuteman Press Clark is a full-service printing, mail-house, and marketing design firm. We specialize in apparel (screen printing and embroidery), signage, paper based products (booklets, brochures, letterhead, envelopes, etc.) promotional products, mailings and graphic design.” Over the past 5 years, Jim has helped grow the family business through networking with a heavy focus on community involvement. He is President and an active member of Greater Westfield Area Chamber of Commerce, which includes multiple towns in Union County. Jim also appreciates being able to put his own stamp on Clark, Westfield and the surrounding community through his business. On that note, Jim says, “We have a lot of pride when we see our work displayed or distributed in the community – storefronts, window signage, direct mail, brochures, business cards – it’s always great to get kudos from happy clients.” Jim’s professional background includes managing strategic marketing for multi-unit franchise brands across various industries, most notably, McDonald’s Corporation working on the Company and Ad Agency side of the QSR industry. Jim says, “As the majority of my career was spent in franchise marketing, I am a true believer in franchising. Because I worked in advertising agencies where we had production and graphic design capabilities; I was very comfortable buying this business.” Jim continues, “I look at Minuteman Press as an ad agency for other businesses in Clark and Westfield and the surrounding towns. My career skills match up really well with what we are doing, and I am proud of our capabilities as well as the infrastructure we have in place being part of the Minuteman Press franchise family.” Speaking of family, while Jim concentrates on marketing the business, his son Seamus handles the operations. Prior to Minuteman Press, Seamus worked in recruiting and education operations management. Jim says, “Seamus is fantastic as our Vice President of Operations and I couldn’t do this without him. We’re a good team because we complement each other’s skills.” What’s it like going to work every day as a father and son? “It's an opportunity most people don't get to have,” Seamus Mooney said. “It's been great getting to work together for over five years — I've learned a lot during this time about business and life. Having a family business is rewarding." “It is fantastic to work with my son Seamus and to see him grow strategically and operationally as our vice president of operations,” Jim Mooney added. “Seamus is also a great thought partner in the business. It is a unique and fun experience.” Minuteman Press in Clark, NJ is located at at 1120 Raritan Road, Suite 2, Clark NJ 07066. For more information, call 908-857-4644 or visit their website: https://minuteman.com/us/locations/nj/clark/ Learn more about #1 rated Minuteman Press franchise opportunities and read Minuteman Press franchise reviews at https://minutemanpressfranchise.com Contact Details Minuteman Press International Chris Biscuiti +1 631-249-1370 cbiscuiti@mpihq.com Company Website https://minutemanpressfranchise.com

July 25, 2023 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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News Release

New Data Reveals Enforcement Alone Will Not Solve New York’s Gray Market Cannabis Problem

NuggMD

The recent headline-making raids by law enforcement designed to end illicit cannabis sales in New York are unlikely to work, according to a new, first-of-its-kind survey, because New Yorkers overwhelmingly trust the products they are purchasing in those locations. The survey was conducted by NuggMD, the nation’s leading telehealth platform for cannabis, and first reported by Cultivated, a cannabis newsletter written by Jeremy Berke, an independent journalist who formerly covered the cannabis industry for Insider. According to the survey, 61 percent of respondents who buy cannabis in unlicensed gray market locations said they trust that it has been tested for contaminants, while 22 percent of these respondents indicated they do not trust the safety of gray market products, but that they can’t purchase cannabis anywhere else. (Gray market locations do not have testing requirements.) Additionally, most respondents who purchase cannabis in the gray market reported one or more negative experiences with the products purchased. Thirty percent of these respondents said it made them higher than they expected, while 31 percent said the product looked, smelled, or tasted odd and 65 percent said the product didn’t get them as high as they expected, given the dose they consumed. Most concerning is that nearly 8 percent of respondents reported feeling unwell after consuming cannabis purchased in the gray market. “Our survey shows New Yorkers have an alarming amount of trust in the illicit cannabis products they’re purchasing from unlicensed retail locations. While this trust is misplaced, that doesn’t make it any less real, which is why enforcement alone is not a solution to the state’s illicit cannabis problem,” said Alex Milligan, co-founder and CMO of NuggMD. “So long as consumers trust those products, there will be demand for them.” While New York State legalized recreational cannabis more than two years ago, there are currently just 20 licensed recreational dispensaries open in the state, according to the Office of Cannabis Management. Five are clustered in one three-mile radius in Manhattan, and half have opened during the past two months. According to the NuggMD survey, individuals who hold medical cards were less likely to shop for cannabis in the gray market. Taken together, the data suggests that a combination of more licensed dispensaries and a public information campaign that emphasizes the difference between safe, lab-tested cannabis and cannabis bought in the gray market would slow the consumption of gray-market products and contribute meaningfully to public health and safety. Milligan concluded: “We know that it is difficult to regulate this sector while allowing operators to build a vibrant marketplace. But, as our survey shows, every barrier that impedes new licensed dispensaries from opening quickly where there is demand for them increases risk for many thousands of New Yorkers.” Methodology NuggMD sent a series of questions about cannabis buying patterns and preferences to approximately 70,000 cannabis consumers in New York State and received 354 responses. The survey is non-scientific and contains selection bias. The company hopes the survey prompts further study and ultimately reduces the barriers that impede more licensed recreational dispensaries from opening. About NuggMD NuggMD is the nation's leading medical marijuana technology platform, serving patients in California, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia. They've connected over 1,000,000 patients face-to-face with their new medical marijuana doctors via their state-of-the-art telemedicine platform. They believe every human being has the right to explore the benefits of medical cannabis and are fully committed to helping each patient explore every option in their journey to wellness. For further information, visit NuggMD.com. Contact Details NuggMD Andrew Graham +1 646-385-0189 andrew.g@getnugg.com Company Website http://www.nuggmd.com

July 20, 2023 05:05 PM Eastern Daylight Time

FeganScott Named Consumer Protection Law Firm of the Year at The National Law Journal’s 2023 Elite Trial Lawyers Awards

FeganScott

FeganScott is proud to announce that it has been named Law Firm of the Year in the consumer protection category at The National Law Journal’s 2023 Elite Trial Lawyers Awards. FeganScott was selected for its exemplary work serving as a powerful legal ally for consumers, notably in its case against TikTok, in which it secured a groundbreaking $92 million settlement last year. “We’re honored to receive this prestigious recognition from The National Law Journal,” said Elizabeth Fegan, managing partner of FeganScott. “This achievement is a testament to our team’s collective expertise and unwavering commitment to pursuing justice on behalf of our clients.” Since its inception in 2019, FeganScott has established itself as a trusted advocate for consumers across the nation, leading class action cases against corporate giants like Allergan, Hyundai and 3M. The firm made history last year after it secured a groundbreaking $92 million settlement in its case against TikTok. The settlement, one of the largest in data privacy class action cases, resolved claims that the popular video-sharing app illegally collected, used, and stored users’ data without their consent. In addition to creating a cash fund to be distributed among class members, the settlement required TikTok to create a data privacy training and compliance program for employees and contractors. “As exemplified in our case against TikTok, the attorneys at FeganScott aren’t afraid to take on large corporations or industry players to demand accountability,” Fegan said. “Whether we’re fighting on behalf of individuals who’ve suffered damages or injury caused by a defective product or victims of identity theft or deceptive business practices, our team has the experience, skillset, and dedication needed to secure justice for our clients and implement impactful policy changes to protect future generations.” For nine years, The National Law Journal’s Elite Trial Lawyers Awards have recognized U.S. based law firms that have performed exemplary and cutting-edge work on behalf of plaintiffs. The annual awards program spotlights the nation’s top plaintiffs’ firms with major recent wins and impressive track records of success. ### About FeganScott: FeganScott is a national law firm dedicated to helping victims of sexual abuse and sexual harassment. Beth Fegan, the firm’s founder and managing member, represents the group of survivors suing criminally convicted movie mogul Harvey Weinstein. The firm, championed by acclaimed veteran, class-action attorneys who have successfully recovered more than $1 billion for victims nationwide. FeganScott is committed to pursuing successful outcomes with integrity and excellence while holding the responsible parties accountable. Media Contact: Mark Firmani feganscottpr@firmani.com About FeganScott FeganScott is a national law firm dedicated to helping victims of sexual abuse and sexual harassment. Beth Fegan, the firm's founder and managing member, represents the group of survivors suing criminally convicted movie mogul Harvey Weinstein. The firm, championed by acclaimed veteran, class-action attorneys who have successfully recovered more than $1 billion for victims nationwide. FeganScott is committed to pursuing successful outcomes with integrity and excellence while holding the responsible parties accountable. Contact Details Firmani + Associates Mark Firmani feganscottpr@firmani.com Company Website https://feganscott.com

July 20, 2023 11:56 AM Eastern Daylight Time

PRCG’s James F. Haggerty Elected President of the Crisis Protection Network

PRCG | Haggerty LLC

PRCG | Haggerty LLC is pleased to announce that its CEO and Founder, James F. Haggerty, has been named President of the Crisis Protection Network (CPN), an exclusive worldwide association of senior communications professionals in 16 cities across the globe. Based in New York, Haggerty is an attorney, author, and communications consultant who has served on the CPN board since 2019. Through its network of affiliated professionals, CPN offers expertise in high-stakes issues related to reputation management, legal and regulatory communications, crisis planning and response, and other areas. In addition to leading boutique communications consultancies in major cities around the world, CPN member professionals have prior experience in some of the world’s largest public relations agencies, as well as in corporations, major media outlets, and government. In addition to New York, current members are located in cities that include Atlanta, Brussels, Chiasso, Dublin, Los Angeles, London, Melbourne, Munich, New York, Oslo, Singapore, Sydney, Toronto, and Zurich. “I am honored to lead such a prestigious organization and look forward to continuing my collaboration with some of the best reputation professionals in the world,” Haggerty said. “We live in a time of radical change in communications and information,” he added. “With Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other new technologies altering perception at an elemental level, clients need senior-level communications counselors with the experience and resources to meet existential reputational challenges. That is what our organization is all about.” More information about the Crisis Protection Network can be found at crisis-protection.net. About James F. Haggerty and PRCG | Haggerty LLC Based in New York, PRCG | Haggerty LLC (PRCG) is a premier specialist communications consultancy with a worldwide reputation for the management of sensitive, high-stakes communications challenges. In 2019, PRCG created PRCG | Sports, a sports marketing and public relations brand involved in reputation management, public relations, and sports-related crisis communications. PRCG and its founder, James F. Haggerty, have been repeatedly ranked by Chambers and Partners, the prestigious international directory, as among the top public relations firms in the United States. Chambers has called Haggerty a “powerhouse” who “thinks on a different level,” bringing a “double barrel of legal and media experience” to his work. In 2017, PR News named Haggerty one of “50 Game Changers” of public relations for his work as a “trailblazer” in litigation communications. Major media have also lauded PRCG | Haggerty for providing “sophisticated,” “round-the-clock” global services to clients in crisis and litigation matters. In addition to his work as a communications consultant and attorney, Haggerty is the author of two landmark books on communications: In the Court of Public Opinion: Winning Strategies for Litigation Communications and Chief Crisis Officer: Structure and Leadership for Effective Communications Response, both published by Hart + Harvest Press. Considered the definitive guide to communicating during litigation and other legal matters, In the Court of Public Edition was first published in 2003 to rave reviews—including in the Financial Times, which called the book “the perfect handbook for this age.” 2023 will see the publication of a 20 th anniversary edition of In the Court of Public Opinion, with new information, strategies, and case histories for a brave new world of litigation communications. Chief Crisis Officer: Structure and Leadership for Effective Communications Response has just been released in a new Hart + Harvest paperback edition, with a provocative new preface covering the communications response to the COVID-19 crisis and Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Chief Crisis Officer has been prominently featured in the Harvard Business Review, Fortune, and Entrepreneur, among other publications. For more information about PRCG | Haggerty LLC, visit prcg.com. Contact Details PRCG | Haggerty LLC Juliette Foyle +1 212-683-8100 jfoyle@prcg.com Company Website https://www.crisis-protection.net/

July 20, 2023 11:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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University of Virginia School of Continuing and Professional Studies Empowers Students with National Contract Management Association's Contract Management Standard

National Contract Management Association

The University of Virginia School of Continuing and Professional Studies (UVA SCPS) and the National Contract Management Association (NCMA) have forged a partnership to enhance student success and drive excellence in contract management education. UVA SCPS is proud to announce the adoption of the ANSI-Approved Contract Management Standard™ (CMS™) as the foundation of its graduate Procurement and Contracts Management Certificate online program and course curricula. “Our alignment with the CMS™ and the Contract Management Body of Knowledge ® enables us to prepare our students for NCMA certifications which serve as a as a strong steppingstone into the contract management profession," said Jimm Rich, MPA, Ph.D., Faculty Program Coordinator at UVA SCPS. “UVA SCPS and NCMA have a shared commitment to student success, built on the understanding that we must equip our students with the necessary skills and knowledge to thrive in the contract management profession,” stated Melissa M. Lubin, Ph.D., Dean of the University of Virginia’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies. “By aligning our curriculum with the CMS™, UVA SCPS will ensure that our students are well-prepared for the demands of the industry.” "We couldn’t be happier to have University of Virginia’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies as an official Contract Management Standard adopter," stated Kraig Conrad, Chief Executive Officer of NCMA. "This collaboration not only prepares students for success but also positions UVA SCPS as a champion of the contract management workforce." The adoption of the Contract Management Standard™ ensures that UVA SCPS students are exposed to the industry's best practices, fostering their professional growth, and preparing them for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. By integrating the CMS™ into their program, UVA SCPS offers a comprehensive and robust educational experience that empowers students to excel in the field of contract management; all while continuing to set a new standard in contract management instruction. For more information about the Higher Education Institutions that have adopted the Contract Management Standard™ of the Contract Management Body of Knowledge into their curriculum, please visit www.ncmahq.org/adopters. The National Contract Management Association (NCMA), a nonprofit professional society founded in 1959, is an important resource in the field of contract management. With nearly 20,000 members, NCMA is dedicated to promoting excellence in the practice and profession through education, certification, and networking opportunities. NCMA serves through an open exchange of ideas in neutral forums of buyers and sellers. Visit www.ncmahq.org to learn more. About University of Virginia School of Continuing and Professional Studies The University of Virginia’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies provides transformative educational experiences for lifelong learners who seek to complete degrees, certificates or professional programs to advance their careers, enrich their lives, and impact their communities. More information is available at scps.virginia.edu. Contact Details NCMA Holly DeHesa +1 281-865-3296 holly.dehesa@ncmahq.org Company Website https://www.ncmahq.org/

July 20, 2023 07:55 AM Eastern Daylight Time

‘AI Can’t Replace Creativity’ finds Freelancer.com’s latest job trends report

FREELANCER.COM

Freelancer.com (ASX: FLN) (OTCQX: FLNCF), the world’s largest freelancing marketplace by number of users and jobs posted, today released new figures revealing a surge in freelance creative writing jobs, growth in business marketing activities, and an increase in on-site photography and videography gigs. The Fast 50 Q2 2023 report, a quarterly dataset ranking the fastest growing and falling jobs on the platform, analyzed over 280,000 jobs posted to Freelancer.com between April and June 2023. According to the data, the fastest growing freelance jobs by percentage growth in Q2 2023 were: 1. Creative Writing - up 58% (from 1,868 to 2,961 jobs) 2. User Interface Design - up 52% (from 2,017 to 3,075 jobs) 3. Twitter Marketing - up 41% from (1,650 to 2,334 jobs) 4. Photography - up 40% from (2,101 to 2,945 jobs) 5. Writing (Microsoft Word) - up 38% (from 3,175 to 4,401 jobs) While the world debates whether AI will take human jobs or not, and therefore dramatically hit the labor indexes, the latest figures reviewed by Freelancer.com’s data science team revealed interest for freelance writing jobs are increasing on the platform over the last quarter. Other writing related skills also saw growth across the quarter, including Copy Typing (up 31.2%, 4,867 to 6,389 jobs) and Ghostwriting (up 22.8%, 5,212 to 6,404 jobs). Other jobs which have been deemed as ‘at risk’ of being automated by AI, such as data entry, have also seen an increase over the quarter. Projects for Data Processing were up 21% (from 9,076 to 11,024 jobs) and projects requiring Excel as a skill also saw a 15% increase (from 13,246 to 15,301 total job postings). “AI can’t replace creativity yet. While workers and businesses are benefiting from productivity gains offered by generative AI, the data suggests that the technology in its current form isn’t able to replace creative work. We saw a similar trend occur in the first quarter of the year, as creative design jobs were flourishing despite interest for generative AI tripling,” said Matt Barrie, Chief Executive at Freelancer.com. The Fast 50 Q2 2023 report also reveals an increase in businesses investing heavily in freelance marketing support. This trend comes off the back of an unprecedented rise in jobs usually associated with the creation of new businesses and new ventures as found in the Fast 50 Q1 2023 report. In addition to Twitter Marketing ranking as the third fastest growing job, growth also surged for the following marketing skills: ● Search Engine Marketing (SEO) - up 26% (from 1,840 to 2,328 jobs) ● Sales - up 23% (from 2,614 to 3,233 jobs) ● Marketing - up 19% (from 8,269 to 9,867 jobs) ● Social Media Marketing - up 16% (from 6,524 to 7,574 jobs) ● Facebook Marketing - up 14% (from 5,602 to 6,410 jobs) Marketing jobs are some of the highest earning on the platform per project. Projects seeking SEO experts typically pay US$2,231 per project. General marketing jobs on average pay US$1,422 per project, while Social Media Marketing pays $584 per project. Local jobs, which is where employers hiring freelancers in their local area to do service or physical-based jobs, are growing across the platform by 37%, from 2,122 to 2,905 total projects. The two key drivers for growth for these types of jobs relate to Photography and Videography which are up by 40% (from 2,101 to 2,945) and 32% (from 3,095 to 4,097), respectively. On average, projects for Videography attract US$70 per hour. Fastest Falling Jobs of Q2 2023 The most significant declining trend observed in the Q2 2023 report shows that employers are easing their interest for tech and IT related skills. The Fast 50 report for Q3 2022 highlighted significant growth in a number of highly specialized and niche tech skills, such as software development, android app development, programming, and others. The catalyst for demand being global mass layoffs and hiring freezes across the tech sector towards the end of 2022. The latest Fast 50 Q2 2023 data shows interest for niche tech skills is beginning to slow down, with software development (down 28%, from 1,308 to 942), API (down 26%, from 1,516 to 1,109), iOS Development (down 26%, from 1,220 to 894) and Microsoft SQL Server (down 25%, from 1,309 to 975) all decreasing over the last quarter. Easing of these types of skills also aligns with Layoff.fyi’s tech layoff tracker also showing a reduction in the number of layoffs occurring globally. Fast 50 Q1 2023 - Data Analysis Relief For Writers As Data Suggests AI Can’t Replace Creativity The main trend from the Freelancer.com Fast 50 Q2 2023 report shows freelance writing jobs, specifically those seeking journalists and editors, increasing on the platform over the last quarter. Despite having access to freely available generative AI tools, employers are turning to on-demand freelancers to help write creative content for their websites and blogs. Creative Writing jobs were the number one fastest growing job on Freelancer.com in Q2, growing 58% from 1,868 to 2,961 jobs posted. Other writing related skills, such as Writing (Microsoft Word) (up 38.6%, 3,175 to 4,401 jobs), Copy Typing (up 31.2%, 4,867 to 6,389 jobs) and Ghostwriting (up 22.8%, 5,212 to 6,404 jobs), also saw an increase over the quarter. Interestingly, other skills which experts predict will be overtaken by AI are also increasing on the freelancing platform. Data processing grew by 21%, from 9,076 to 11,024 in Q2. Jobs with Excel as a key skill also increased by 15.5%, from 13,246 to 15,301 jobs. Data entry recently ranked as the World’s Most Boring Job in Freelancer.com ’s global survey measuring attitudes towards work. Data entry is also one of the most popular jobs that employers tend to delegate to on-demand freelancers. Businesses Focus On Growth, Following Startup Boom, By Investing In Marketing Jobs seeking Sales experts grew 23.6% and Business Analysis increased by 21.4% over the last quarter. This is another indication that businesses are focusing heavily on growth and strategy alongside promotion. In Q1 2023, Freelancer.com observed an unprecedented rise in jobs usually associated with the creation of new businesses and new ventures. This was apparent with projects for logo design, corporate identity design and eCommerce all growing simultaneously and aligning with new business formation statistics released by the US Census. While there isn’t data supporting another rise in new businesses in Q2 2023, what Freelancer.com is seeing is businesses now doubling down on marketing, sales and social media efforts to increase business. This aligns with global trends of big consumer brands, such as ones reported in Australia, slashing their marketing spend and look towards more self-driven or low budget or organic marketing efforts. Twitter Marketing, which ranks third in the most in-demand skills for Q2 2023 after growing 41% over the quarter, is growing to become a popular option for businesses looking for social media support. Social Media Marketing as a skill increased by 16% and Facebook Marketing increased by 14%. Marketing, as a skill generally, is up 19.3%, growing from 8,269 to 9,867 total jobs in Q2. Classic marketing tactics such as Search Engine Marketing (SEO) and Web Search grew by 26% and 21%, respectively. SEO and Web Search are both budget friendly ways for businesses to maintain a competitive advantage in search engines results. A similar trend was observed in the Q3 2022 as many tech companies began mass layoffs and cut Search Engine Marketing spend as a way to reduce marketing spend. As a result, Freelancer.com observed growth in SEO related projects or social media marketing as both are cost effective marketing strategies. Jobs seeking Sales experts grew 23.6% and Business Analysis increased by 21.4% over the last quarter. This is another indication that businesses are focusing heavily on growth and strategy alongside promotion. Demand For Tech Jobs Slows Down As Layoffs Reduce Worldwide Freelancer.com is beginning to see interest for niche tech and IT related skills reduce on the platform. A sudden surge in technology related skills was observed all throughout 2022, however, was largely apparent in the Fast 50 report for Q3 2022 which saw a significant increase in jobs relating to niche IT-related projects all being driven by a surge in tech layoffs. The latest figures from the Fast 50 report for Q2 2023 shows interest is beginning to slow down as 16 of the top 25 fastest falling jobs are related to tech, which are the same jobs which climbed heavily towards the end of last year. Software Development, which had sustained growth quarter-on-quarter throughout 2022, saw a decline of 28% from 1,308 to 942 jobs. Projects requiring API as a skill are down 26% (from 1,516 to 1,109) and iOS Development jobs are also down 26% (from 1,220 to 894). Location-Based Photography & Videography Jobs Are Booming Local Jobs are a specific type of job which are location based and are specific to a location. These jobs are typically service or physical jobs, such as local pick up, delivery, photography, gardening or cleaning services. This quarter saw Local Jobs grow by 37%, from 2,122 to 2,905. The two key drivers for growth for these types of jobs relate to Photography and Videography which are up by 40% (from 2,101 to 2,945) and 32% (from 3,095 to 4,097), respectively. Visual content will always be in-demand for any business, regardless of size. Whether it’s capturing an event or shooting footage to use for ads, real-life imagery will always be an important part of promoting businesses. ##### Freelancer Fast 50 The Freelancer Fast 50 report is the world’s largest forward indicator of trends in online jobs related to industries, technologies, products, and companies. The data is based on 280,000 jobs posted to the Freelancer platform between April 1 to June 30 2023. Fast 50 Q2 2023 Data About Freelancer Freelancer.com is the world’s largest freelancing and crowdsourcing marketplace by total number of users and projects posted. More than 67 million registered users have posted over 22.7 million projects and contests to date in over 2,000 areas as diverse as website development, logo design, marketing, copywriting, aerospace engineering and manufacturing. Freelancer also owns Escrow.com and Loadshift. Freelancer Limited is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange under the ticker ASX:FLN and is quoted on OTCQX Best Market under the ticker FLNCF. Contact Details Freelancer.com Marko Zitko +61 404 574 830 marko@freelancer.com

July 19, 2023 12:53 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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