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ASMC, AUVSI and NCMA Collaborate for Combined Response to Interim Report from Congressional Commission on PPBE Reform

National Contract Management Association

The American Society of Military Comptrollers (ASMC) Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution (PPBE) Reform Task Force, the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI), and the National Contract Management Association (NCMA) today jointly respond to the Congressional Commission on PPBE Reform’s (Commission) Interim Report which was released on August 15, 2023. The PPBE Reform Task operates in parallel with the Commission to define a set of fundamental principles and policy actions to improve the allocation of resources deemed necessary to accomplish the mission of the Department of Defense (DoD). The ASMC PPBE Reform Task Force Chairman Michael Conlin released a statement on behalf of the Task Force stating, “We appreciate the Commission’s decisive leadership in itemizing actions that can be implemented now for immediate benefit, as well as identifying a range of potential changes and requiring congressional and DoD stakeholder input before the Commission makes recommendations in its Final Report.” He added, “The Commission’s recommendations equitably balance the interests of all stakeholders involved in the process.” The Interim Report provides information on the Commission’s research over the past year, specifically seeking feedback on potential recommendations under consideration that require additional stakeholder feedback and assessment to inform the Commission’s Final Report and identifying actions where implementation could begin as soon as feasible. These potential recommendations and actions are designed to improve: • PPBE-related relationships between the DoD and Congress; • PPBE processes to enable innovation and adaptability; • Alignment of budgets to strategy; • PPBE business systems and data analytics; and • Capability of the DoD PPBE programming and budgeting workforce. Michael Robbins, Chief Advocacy Officer at AUVSI, stated: “Our Nation’s ability to quickly adapt and field new technologies to counter our adversaries’ rapidly evolving capabilities hinges on meaningful PPBE Reform. The Interim Report's recommendations set a starting foundation to inject greater speed and agility into DoD’s Budget, Requirement and Procurement processes. Our industry members look for Congress and the Pentagon to consider these recommendations and implement change where appropriate as quickly as possible.” “The ASMC PPBE Reform Task Force applauds the Commission for its diligence over the past year, completing more than 560 interviews to date gaining insight from experts in the PPBE process and related fields that include current and former personnel from Congress, the DoD, industry, academia, and research organizations,” said Conlin. “The Commission has also leveraged research performed both by its own staff and several outside research organizations. We are encouraged by the dialogue we have had between the Commission who heavily relied on the knowledge and experience of its 14 Commissioners and the Commission staff.” The ASMC PPBE Task Force is encouraged by the Commission’s transparency in acknowledging, “that while the current PPBE system has its strengths, significant improvements can be made.” PPBE represents a decision support system that has been the standard process for over 60 years. “We remain committed to elevating the discussion on PPBE reform, advocating for ASMC member interests, and supporting reform recommendations that meet the needs of government and industry to produce military capability for the 21 st Century,” said ASMC President & CEO Rich Brady. “AUVSI and its industry members fully support both the Congressional PPBE Reform Committee and the ASMC PPBE Reform Task Force. It will be their combined recommendations that will position DoD stakeholders and decision-makers with the necessary tools to rapidly advance our warfighter’s technological advantage,” said Robbins. “Our community represents government and industry contracting professionals who are committed to the most efficient and effective business practices to facilitate mission delivery. We applaud the efforts and support findings of the Commission and the ASMC PPBE Reform Task Force to find real solutions that work,” said NCMA CEO Kraig Conrad. About ASMC The American Society of Military Comptrollers (ASMC) is the non-profit educational and professional organization for persons, military and civilian, involved in the field of defense financial management. It represents over 14,000 professionals in the defense financial management community, 105 chapters, and 70 corporate partners. ASMC promotes the education, training, and certification of its members, and supports the development and advancement of the defense financial management profession. About AUVSI: The Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI), the world's largest nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of uncrewed systems and robotics, represents corporations and professionals from more than 60 countries involved in industry, government, and academia. AUVSI members work in the defense, civil, and commercial markets. About NCMA: The National Contract Management Association (NCMA) stands as the premier contract management organization whose mission is to collaborate towards a globally recognized contract management profession that strengthens its nexus with related acquisition communities. Serving approximately 20,000 members in both the public and private sectors, NCMA propels the growth, advancement, and impact of practitioners through a steadfast commitment to serve through the open exchange of ideas in neutral forums. ### Since its founding on May 19, 1959, NCMA has grown as a professional society to advance the contract management profession and its nexus with related acquisition communities through engagement, standards, and professional development. Through the years, our mission has remained focused on providing high-quality resources to have a positive impact on our profession and the career goals of our members and customers. Contact Details NCMA Holly DeHesa +1 281-865-3296 holly.dehesa@ncmahq.org Company Website https://www.ncmahq.org/

August 31, 2023 02:05 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Velocity Global Expands Leadership to Drive Strategy Execution and Customer Success

Velocity Global

Velocity Global, the world’s expert on work, today announced the appointment of Susan McDonough as Chief Transformation Officer and Frank Lucier as Chief Customer Success Officer, effective August 28th and September 5th, respectively. In her role, Susan will manage and execute on Velocity Global’s long-term strategy and vision, driving key initiatives and leading a cross-functional team to make operational scale a reality. In his role, Frank will drive an even greater focus and emphasis on our customer journey. “As our industry matures and Velocity Global enters its next stage of growth, Susan and Frank will be a critical part of our leadership team. Their impressive and proven track record of transforming companies and creating meaningful customer journeys during crucial stages of development will allow us to achieve a sustainable and scalable growth strategy,” said Frank Calderoni, CEO at Velocity Global. Susan most recently led the Enterprise Transformation Office at global HR leader, Workday. Prior to that, she spent nearly two decades leading growth and driving scale at Cisco in roles spanning Customer Experience, Operations, Corporate Development and Finance. She is widely regarded as a transformation pioneer for her ability to translate strategy into operational execution. She joins Velocity Global at a pivotal point in the company’s trajectory as it scales across customer success, product innovation, and operational excellence. “I am passionate about creating high-performing teams that are driven to collaborate, innovate, and exceed customer expectations,” said Susan McDonough, Chief Transformation Officer at Velocity Global. “Joining a company that is laser-focused on making opportunity borderless for people everywhere caught my interest immediately and I am excited to execute on this important vision. I look forward to driving measurable growth and scale across all functions of the company, with the success of our customers in mind.” Frank has nearly 20 years of leadership experience in customer-centric technology and is an expert in prioritizing the customer journey that is holistic, impactful, and goes beyond metrics. He has previously held leadership roles at SAP Concur, ServiceSource, and iSpot.TV enhancing the customer experience and driving retention and business growth. “Velocity Global has built an impressive business helping companies scale and grow to reach new heights. Joining at this stage in their trajectory is an incredible opportunity and I look forward to ensuring every customer optimizes the value of working with us,” said Frank Lucier, Chief Customer Success Officer at Velocity Global. “My passion is to build teams that focus on helping customers achieve their business goals with measurable results. I’m excited to execute this strategy with the team to bring a world class experience to our customers." Susan and Frank’s announcements come shortly after the appointment of Ann-Christel Graham, who joined the company last month as its Chief Revenue Officer. Ann-Christel and Chief People Officer, Linda Lee, were both brought on by CEO Frank Calderoni, who took on the role in April. The company also recently launched a rebranding effort to more accurately represent its next phase of growth and scale. For more information on how Velocity Global makes opportunity borderless for people everywhere, visit www.velocityglobal.com. About Velocity Global Velocity Global gives you the power to build your team everywhere—combining seamless technology and local expertise in 185+ countries. We make it simple to compliantly hire, pay, and manage talent anywhere. With Velocity Global, the world is yours. Start hiring across borders at VelocityGlobal.com. Contact Details Media Contact press@velocityglobal.com Company Website https://velocityglobal.com/

August 29, 2023 08:00 AM Mountain Daylight Time

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New Survey Reveals Rise of Tethered Nomading: Digital Nomads Answer the Office's Beckoning

MBO Partners

The latest research conducted by MBO Partners® has uncovered a new workforce phenomenon - "Tethered Nomading" - redefining the world of digital nomadism. Contrary to traditional globetrotting norms, more than half (53%) of American digital nomads now plan to embrace their work-travel lifestyle exclusively within the United States; 47% plan on spending at least some time in another country. Only 10% of all digital nomads intend to spend the entire year abroad. As employers call employees back to the office, digital nomads still plan to continue their nomadic lifestyle. However, the data underscores an uptick in "slomading"- visiting fewer locations but spending more time at each stop. The MBO Partners 2023 State of Independence study found that 17.3 million American workers currently describe themselves as digital nomads, increasing 2% from 2022 after increasing a staggering 131% from the pre-pandemic year 2019 to 2022. "As employers enforce back-to-office mandates, a paradigm shift is unfolding, revealing the dynamic evolution of the modern-day nomad," said Miles Everson, CEO of MBO Partners. "While a considerable number of digital nomads are gravitating towards domestic pursuits, this presents an opportune moment for employers to embrace that spirit of exploration while fostering seamless connections to local communities. It calls for innovative policies and practices as employers navigate a world that includes adventure and productivity." This year's study showed five additional key insights about digital nomads, including: The Silver Nomads Are Rising… and Fast. While digital nomads have traditionally skewed young, older cohorts -- Gen Xers (born 1965-1980) and Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964) -- increased their share of digital nomads from 36% in 2022 to 42% in 2023. With the decline of the pandemic, older workers are more willing to travel and more interested in becoming digital nomads. Digital Nomads Hit the Road with Their Kids (and Pets). The survey showed that nearly a quarter (24%) of digital nomads travel with their children, and 14% even bring their pets. But traveling with kids is more challenging and complex than traveling alone or even as a couple. The top challenges digital nomads with kids cited are the expenses associated with traveling as a family, safety, and health concerns, the lack of stability and routines, educational challenges, and socialization issues for their children. Geoarbitrage Becomes Hack for Financial Freedom. To help stretch their income, many digital nomads work from places with relatively low living costs, including destinations like Southeast Asia or Portugal, which has established itself as a European hotspot popular with nomads. At the same time, they often serve customers virtually in higher-wage labor markets, or their employers are in higher-wage countries. Combining low-cost living with higher expat income, they can take advantage of income/living cost "geo-arbitrage." This enables lower-income digital nomads to fund their travels and spend less time working to support themselves and more time enjoying their adventures. Nomadic Camouflage Becomes the New Workforce Hue. In this year's survey, 14% of digital nomads with traditional jobs reported that their employer does not know they are nomadic. An additional 18% say their company has no digital nomad policy, but their boss has permitted them to work nomadically. In other words, about one-third of digital nomads with traditional jobs are "hidden nomads," meaning the company does not know where they are working. This means they could break local employment laws and regulations without their employer knowing they are doing so. The Nomad Rush: Countries and Cities Vying Hard for Digital Wanderers. Five years ago, digital nomads were considered an eccentric and fringe group of nomadic workers. But digital nomadism is now mainstream, and this year 17.3 million Americans – a stunning 11% of American workers – are digital nomads. Governments at all levels, both in the U.S. and abroad, realize that digital nomads spend more money than tourists, create jobs for locals - and even start local businesses. Because of this, 58 countries have created special digital nomad visas and other programs, smoothing out red tape and making it easier for digital nomads to locate in their countries. To obtain a copy of the 2023 MBO Partners Digital Nomad research brief, please visit www.mbopartners.com/state-of-independence/digital-nomads. About MBO Partners® MBO Partners is a direct sourcing platform that enables enterprises and independents to work efficiently together. Its unmatched experience and industry leadership enable it to operate on the forefront of the independent economy and consistently advance the next way of working. For more information, visit mbopartners.com. Contact Details Karen Swim +1 586-461-2103 karen@wordsforhirellc.com Company Website https://mbopartners.com

August 29, 2023 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Weekday secures $2.2m funding as it tackles critical trust gap in hiring tech teams with its reference focus

Weekday

Sourcing talent has been challenging recently but hiring the correct talent has been painful for a lot longer. A key feature when hiring is the reference check process, which has become a redundant tick box exercise for recruiters and over 95% are not seeking references from their previous colleagues to gain insights into their past work performance and behaviors, and assess their suitability for the role. In addressing this pressing concern, Weekday has today launched from stealth with a $2.2m seed funding round to supercharge the hiring landscape through the power of trusted references. The funding round was led by Venture Highway with participation from several influential angel investors. Weekday is a Y-Combinator backed business. Founded in 2021 by Amit Singh, Anubav Malik and Chetan Dalal, Weekday has been operational in beta mode until today. Its genesis lies in the pain point the founders faced (in a previous startup) which centered on hiring a technology team. Despite the plethora of tools available, it took 3 months to find their first engineer but remained unconvinced. So, they turned to their network to get references which validated the individual and their skill set. This ended up almost doubling their candidate pipeline. Now, the three founders are productising the same approach of hiring with Weekday starting with a focus on tech hires. Weekday invites software engineers to connect their social graph (i.e. LinkedIn and Contacts) and gives them a readymade shortlist to refer talent to various companies. Weekday gamifies the experience and makes this unique data of references available for recruiters. Weekday hosts multiple people’s references and companies can utilize the “Backchannel” feature to get background references (from former colleagues) on every candidate they interact with; making hiring less about resumes and interviews; and more about real-life experiences and capabilities. For companies, Weekday is a sourcing engine on auto-pilot; where they can not only find candidates but also reach out to them automatically while getting reference checks on them in an instant. After 4 days of signing up, they start getting candidates suggestions with ready back channel references on their calendar to interview. Amit Singh, CEO and Co-founder of Weekday commented: “People check and rely on reviews nowadays for everything, be that going to a restaurant or buying anything on Amazon. But, when it comes to making the important decision of hiring someone, they are happy to rely on a self reported resume. We did a survey of more than 200 companies’ hiring process and while a majority did a basic background check on candidates (ie criminal record or whether they actually worked in their previous organization), less than 5% of companies use reference checks from previous colleagues to make their hiring decisions. This often leads to wrong hires. Eventually leading to firing; which ends up being detrimental to both employer as well as the employee. We want to change that. We want to solve the problem of lack of trust in the hiring process. We believe that a recruiting platform with “references” as the cornerstone is the solution that solves all these problems. We are what LinkedIn should have been.” Over 120 companies have used Weekday for their hiring needs. These recruiters are attracted because of the large pool of passive candidates (those who are not actively looking for a new role) who have been recommended by their peers which means the quality of candidates is much superior to any job board based platform. Moreover, with remote hiring on the rise, trust becomes even more important and so having references really matters to recruiters. “While most other company functions like design, product, dev tools, and sales have seen breakthrough products in the last 5-6 years, recruitment still hasn't. LinkedIn is a 20-year-old company that continues to be the de-facto platform for recruitment. We are partnering with Weekday as they try to change that” said Aviral Bhatnagar from Venture Highway Weekday is currently focused on companies hiring remote software engineers. Majority of these companies are headquartered in the US while the majority of the candidates are based in India and Southeast Asia. About Weekday Weekday is a Y Combinator backed startup solving for recruitment via its crowdsourced reference network. Weekday ( http://weekday.works/), helps startups hire engineers who are vouched by other software engineers. They have worked with over 100 companies (specializing in seed and Series A funded startups) and have helped them hire CTOs, Tech Leads, and Senior Software Engineers. They have worked with companies like Coinbase, Clipboard Health, AtoB, Daloopa, Zepto, Round Finance etc. Weekday is a sourcing engine on auto-pilot for these companies, that finds candidates as well as facilitates outreach to them; and sends interested parties to interview with ready references. Contact Details Weekday Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com Company Website https://www.weekday.works/

August 24, 2023 07:00 AM Pacific Daylight Time

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Shareholders Called Upon to Nix Mark Parker, Tim Cook as Top-Level Directors for Nike

National Legal & Policy Center

Ahead of the company’s annual meeting next month, National Legal and Policy Center is asking its fellow investors to vote against the re-elections of Mark Parker, the executive chairman, and Tim Cook, the lead independent director, as members of the board at Nike, Inc. The nonprofit shareholder, in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, argues that both Parker and Cook have never been held accountable for human rights and sexual harassment scandals on their watches, and are also overcommitted with major responsibilities as top executives at other corporations. Parker is also executive chairman for The Walt Disney Company, and Cook is chief executive officer for Apple Inc. “Mark Parker is now double-dipping on ‘woke’ as the top dog at two Left Coast-based, extremist companies – Nike and Disney,” said Paul Chesser, director of the Corporate Integrity Project for NLPC. “And Tim Cook was caught with his pants down in China late last year during its Zero COVID phase, costing Apple millions of dollars in sales due to production shutdowns. Both Mr. Parker and Mr. Cook should not have such significant roles at Nike when they have major responsibilities elsewhere.” As executive chairman of both Nike and Disney, Parker is tasked with leading both boards of directors to set the companies’ priorities and goals, while holding executive staff accountable. As Nike’s lead independent director, Cook is responsible to guide the board in Parker’s absence, to serve as his top outside advisor, and to act as an intermediary between the chairman, the board, and management. Parker’s track record of late is anything but stellar – both Nike and Disney have underperformed the S&P 500 index in recent years. Disney is embroiled in several controversies, conflicts and business challenges, including: a failed CEO succession; media, streaming and entertainment industry headwinds; foolish forays into divisive political issues; off-putting, anti-family social stances; and a host of other problems that Parker is expected to help resolve. Meanwhile Nike has been challenged about its alleged use of forced labor in China, and widespread sexual harassment allegations which led to the departure of several executives – all on Parker’s watch when he was CEO. Cook leads the largest corporation in the world, Apple, which has an estimated $3 trillion-plus market capitalization. The tech giant has had its own accusations regarding coerced labor in its China-dependent supply chain, as well as sexual harassment allegations. Does he really have time to keep an eye on the performance and decision-making at the global athleticwear leader? “Mr. Parker and Mr. Cook bear material responsibility for Nike’s lagging stock price,” said Luke Perlot, associate director of NLPC’s Corporate Integrity Project. “Nike shareholders should expect underperformance when management alienates a large portion of its customer base with ‘woke’ policies, allows a culture of sexual harassment, and lends brand credibility to a genocidal regime.” ### For more information or to schedule an interview with the Corporate Integrity Project’s Luke Perlot or Paul Chesser, contact Dan Rene at 202-329-8357 or drene@nlpc.org. Please visit http://www.nlpc.org. 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

August 24, 2023 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Media and Democracy Project Debunks FOX Opposition in Broadcast License Challenge; Highlights ‘Overwhelming, Uncontested, and Irrefutable’ Evidence of Character Violations

Raynor Ave.

Founding President of Fox Broadcasting Company, Jamie Kellner, Joins Growing Coalition Seeking FCC Hearing into FOX Broadcast License New filings argue FOX cannot be relied upon to deal truthfully with the public, election lies “shock the conscience,” and Murdochs lack character to remain public interest broadcast licensees MAD Reply (PDF) | Duggan-Kristol Supplement (PDF) | Kellner Informal Objection (PDF) Today, three blockbuster filings were submitted to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in support of the Media and Democracy Project’s (MAD) petition challenging the broadcast license renewal application for FOX Corp-owned television station FOX 29 Philadelphia (WTXF). The filings include MAD’s formal reply to Fox Television Stations (FTS) opposition submitted earlier this month. MAD is joined by a growing bipartisan coalition filing informal objections calling for an FCC hearing to fully consider the fitness of FOX Corporation (FOX) and the Murdochs to continue as licensees of the public airwaves. Informal objections were filed by former PBS President and FCC Commissioner Ervin S. Duggan, former Weekly Standard Editor William Kristol, and founding President of Fox Broadcasting Company Jamie Kellner. Media and Democracy Project Formal Reply The lies about the 2020 election that aired on Fox News, authorized at the highest levels of FOX’s corporate structure to retain FOX’s conservative viewer base and reverse failing ratings, represent a severe breach of the FCC policy on licensee character qualifications, MAD reaffirmed today in a legal response to their effort to call for an evidentiary hearing into the matter. In the reply, MAD took the opportunity to fact check and debunk various “strawman” arguments made by FTS in defense of WTXF. MAD argues that not only does the FCC have the authority to convene a hearing, but it has an obligation to do so built on decades of precedent. According to MAD, “Never in the history of the Commission has the agency been confronted with a license renewal applicant whose parent was found by a court of law to have repeatedly presented false news.” On whether MAD has made the case that FOX is not qualified to be an FCC licensee and the policy violations are sufficient to require an evidentiary hearing, the filing stated: “FOX knew – from the Murdochs on down – that Fox News was reporting false and dangerous misinformation about the 2020 Presidential election, but FOX was more concerned about short-term ratings and market share than the long-term damage caused by its spreading disinformation.” “What is astounding is the Opposition’s [FOX’s] utter failure to reckon with the findings of false statements in Dominion that raise substantial and material questions of FOX’s character qualifications to be an FCC licensee.” "FOX has demonstrated a willingness to lie to preserve its corporate profits. FOX’s lies concerning the outcome of the 2020 election caused a great injury to the American people and the institutions of our democracy. FOX’s willingness to lie demonstrates a fatal character flaw." Responding to accusations that holding FOX accountable violates the First Amendment, MAD writes: “This is not a First Amendment case. Rather the issue here concerns a corporation that, with the full knowledge and approval of its management, lied to millions of Americans. The question before the Commission is not whether FOX had a right to lie, rather it is about the consequences of those lies and the impact on FOX’s qualifications to remain an FCC licensee.” Beyond citing FOX’s willingness to lie as demonstrating a fatal character flaw, MAD highlights numerous instances of “material misrepresentations” in the WTXF renewal application itself. These violations and the station’s false certifications in FCC licensee records are “further evidenc[e of] its propensity for untruthfulness and FOX’s poor character.” MAD ends its filing by saying, “[a]s such, the Communications Act obligates the Commission to designate these vital questions to be answered in an evidentiary hearing.” A copy of the MAD’s formal reply to FOX’s opposition is available here. Duggan-Kristol Informal Objection Supplement Ervin S. Duggan and William Kristol joined MAD in responding to the “gaping holes” found throughout FOX’s opposition. The media veterans reiterate their call for an evidentiary hearing, saying: “Every application for a broadcast license renewal is not only a test for the applicant, but also for the FCC itself. In considering this application, the Commission inevitably will reveal whether it is serious about its regulations, or merely pretending; whether its standards are genuine, or mere shibboleths; whether its regulatory spine is strong, or made of mush.” The filing points out that the FCC Media Bureau already refuted FOX’s argument in 2012 that the parent company has no involvement in a station’s operations: “During the last television renewal cycle in 2012, FTS argued that the conduct of its parent company and of affiliates not directly involved in station operations cannot impact a station’s license renewal application, even if that conduct violates the FCC’s policy statements on licensee character. The Fox Reply takes essentially the same tack. But since the Media Bureau went out of its way to say that it did not endorse that position ten years ago, FTS now clothes its position in a new cloak of legalisms and technicalities that have no more merit than its previous bald assertion.” On FOX’s First Amendment defense, the pair said: “[D]espite the Fox Reply’s strenuous efforts to obscure the point through First Amendment rhetoric, the character and public-interest standards of the FCC are in fact standards of behavior, not speech. And in invoking the Commission’s character standards, MAD through its petition is asking the FCC to weigh FOX’s behavior, not asking the Commission to evaluate or sanction the content of its speech.” Duggan and Kristol say this of FOX’s claim that Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch’s role in perpetuating election falsehoods has no bearings over their ownership of WTXF: “If a broadcast licensee shows poor judgment or questionable character in managing a business that -- but for FCC licensure -- is identical in core objectives and operational particulars to the operation of a broadcast station, that bad judgment and suspect character should speak loudly to the Commission. In fact, it should speak much louder than the direct licensee misconduct in more attenuated contexts, or employees’ misconduct in unrelated businesses, that have provoked the FCC to designate hearings or seek to deny license renewals in the past.” A copy of the Duggan-Kristol informal objection supplemental is available here. Jamie Kellner Informal Objection Former Fox Broadcasting Company (FBC) President Jamie Kellner joined others in calling on the FCC to designate a hearing. Kellner is a well-respected former television executive who was present at the creation of Fox Broadcasting Company. He was hired by Rupert Murdoch in 1986 to serve as the broadcasting arm’s founding president and chief operating officer and helped FOX establish a foothold as America’s long-sought fourth over-the-air broadcast television network. In his filing Kellner says, “[m]y amazing colleagues and I worked hard to establish the Fox brand in television and to help Rupert Murdoch become an established force in American Network television.” He goes on to say: “While I was President of FBC we started a news division that provided daily feeds of national and international news stories for the Fox-owned and affiliated television stations for inclusion in their locally produced newscasts. Unlike the news feeds provided today by Fox News Channel, our news feeds did not prominently feature advocates like Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell spouting nonsensical lies about a Presidential election.” A copy of the Kellner informal objection is available here. The Media and Democracy Project: MAD is a non-partisan, all-volunteer, grassroots civic membership organization fighting for a more informative and pro-democracy media operating in the public interest. MAD aims to improve our national discourse so that American voters can engage in informed decision-making. As part of that goal, MAD has an interest in the responsibility of journalists and media to report fully, accurately, and fairly on the electoral process and the outcome of elections. Additional information is available at www.MediaAndDemocracyProject.org. 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. Jamie Kellner was the Founding President of Fox Broadcasting Company, having also founded The WB Network and served as CEO of Turner Broadcasting System, overseeing networks like CNN, TNT, and TBS. Contact Details Raynor Ave. Aaron Alberico +1 202-744-0786 aalberico@raynoravenue.com Company Website https://www.raynoravenue.com/

August 22, 2023 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

NAVEX Enhances Communication with AI-Driven Translations

NAVEX Global

NAVEX, the leader in integrated risk and compliance management software, announces the launch of a new NAVEX One platform shared service: dynamic machine translations. This first-to-market addition in the governance, risk and compliance (GRC) space will empower organizations operating across different countries to overcome language barriers, enabling accurate risk and compliance-related communication between employees, third parties and program administrators. NAVEX understands the challenges organizations face in maintaining accurate communication when dealing with sensitive data arising from risk and compliance tasks. Many organizations struggle with language barriers, hindering effective collaboration. With varying language skills among responders, the potential for misunderstandings and misinterpretations can be detrimental to decision-making and compliance efforts – especially in time-sensitive cases. "NAVEX is pioneering the future of machine translations within the GRC space, directly tackling the complexities of multilingual communication," stated A.G. Lambert, chief product officer at NAVEX. "The integration of secure machine translation into NAVEX One makes it simple for GRC professionals to translate disclosures, assessments, and responses, leading to better communication and faster resolution." The introduction of dynamic machine translations addresses these issues and improves communication efficiency. With advanced artificial intelligence technology, this shared service allows end users to translate directly from the NAVEX One user interface. How machine translations work In the past, administrators encountered the repetitive task of manually copying text, relying on external translation tools, and then painstakingly inputting the translations to proceed with their workflow. However, with the introduction of the machine translations shared service built on Amazon Web Services (AWS), administrators are now equipped to address important matters promptly and efficiently, leading to quicker resolution rates. Moreover, administrators can assess third-party entities proficiently, regardless of the languages they speak or the answers they provide. The user-friendly NAVEX One interface makes translating disclosures, evaluations, and responses easy, promoting smooth communication and understanding. "By relying on the broadest and deepest set of cloud services on AWS, including Amazon Translate, NAVEX is able to use machine translations within the governance, risk and compliance space, directly tackling the complexities of multilingual communication,” stated Venky Nagapudi, Senior Product Management Leader, Amazon Translate, AWS. “The work between NAVEX and AWS makes it easy to translate disclosures, assessments, and responses, leading to better communication and faster resolution." Key benefits of NAVEX One machine translations include: Multilingual support: The system supports 75 languages, facilitating seamless communication with stakeholders worldwide. Accurate and reliable: Powered by advanced neural network technology, the feature ensures precise translation of critical information. Streamlined workflow: The translation functionality integrates seamlessly into existing GRC workflows, saving time and effort for administrators and responders. Cost-effective translations: Organizations can deliver faster results and decrease operational costs by reducing the need for external translation services. Data privacy: Advanced technical and physical measures, including encryption at rest and in transit, are used to prevent unauthorized access or sharing of content. Incorporating a dynamic machine translation service highlights NAVEX's continued commitment to fostering innovative solutions throughout the NAVEX One platform. By seamlessly integrating artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities, NAVEX continues to empower companies to overcome language obstacles, promoting cross-cultural teamwork and elevating the effectiveness of GRC processes. As NAVEX continues to leverage AI and ML, it cements its position as a leader in cutting-edge technology within the GRC space. The NAVEX One GRC – Information System Multilingual Machine Translation marks a bold stride in NAVEX’s innovative journey following the recent launch of the NAVEX Compliance Assistant. NAVEX's unwavering commitment to AI/ML innovation propels the governance, risk, and compliance landscape into a new era. By harnessing the power of AI, NAVEX is reshaping the compliance landscape, streamlining intricate processes, and automating tasks. This first-to-market shared service accelerates and enhances compliance initiatives while fostering clarity across your organization. Navigate the future of compliance with your AI-powered ally, simplifying employee compliance in ways that redefine ease and efficiency. For more information, visit the NAVEX One Platform. And read our blog. NAVEX is trusted by thousands of customers worldwide to help them achieve the business outcomes that matter most. As the global leader in integrated risk and compliance management software and services, we deliver solutions through the NAVEX One platform, the industry’s most comprehensive governance, risk and compliance (GRC) information system. For more information, visit NAVEX.com and our blog. Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn. Contact Details Scott Levesque +1 617-388-5773 scott.levesque@navex.com Company Website https://www.navex.com

August 22, 2023 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

News Release

Former Republican FCC Chair Joins Growing Chorus Calling for Hearing into License Renewal Application for Fox Philadelphia

Raynor Ave.

Former Republican Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman and broadcast licensee Alfred Sikes today joined the Media and Democracy Project (MAD) and media veterans Ervin S. Duggan and William Kristol to support a petition to deny the broadcast license renewal application for FOX Corporation-owned television station FOX 29 Philadelphia (WTXF-TV). “The FCC has allowed the public interest responsibility of broadcast licensees to become a bureaucratic construct,” said Alfred Sikes. “The behavior of Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch, highlighted in the MAD petition, raises a first principles question. Is truthful conduct a part of the standard?” Nominated by President George H.W. Bush, Alfred Sikes served as the FCC Chairman from 1989-1992. Prior to his service as Chair, Sikes was nominated by President Reagan to become Assistant Secretary of Commerce and director of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. As FCC Chair, Sikes supported providing Rupert Murdoch with critical FCC waivers needed to launch Fox Broadcasting Company. Throughout his tenure at the FCC, Sikes opposed the advocacy of Murdoch’s competitors seeking to block efforts to create America’s fourth broadcast network. “It is noteworthy that Fox News declared Biden the winner in 2020; it was after all paying expert analysts to parse data to help it project winners and losers,” Sikes says in the objection. “And then much of its prime-time news coverage and opinionators fell in behind the Donald Trump version, not the Fox version of the outcome. They choose fiction over non-fiction to make many of its listeners and viewers happy. They knew the facts and decided to ignore them.” The objection concludes by saying, “The FCC has allowed the pledge to operate in the public interest to become perfunctory at best. If the public interest means anything, the FCC must designate for a hearing the application of the Murdochs and FOX for renewal of their license to operate station WTXF, Philadelphia.” On July 3, 2023, MAD filed a petition to deny the broadcast license renewal application for Fox Corp-owned television station FOX 29 Philadelphia (WTXF-TV). MAD is calling on the FCC to initiate an evidentiary hearing into FOX’s conduct to examine whether FOX and its leadership have violated the character requirements expected from public trustees granted a broadcast license. As an FCC broadcast licensee, WTXF-TV, one of 29 FOX subsidiary broadcast stations, has a basic statutory duty to conduct its operations in the “public interest.” A copy of Alfred Sikes informal objection is available here. A link to MAD’s initial Petition to Deny is available here. For media inquiries, please contact Aaron Alberico at aalberico@raynoravenue.com. Alfred Sikes is a former Administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration during the Reagan Administration. He was nominated by President George H.W. Bush to the Federal Communications Commission where he served as the Republican Chairman from 1989-92. Contact Details Raynor Ave. Aaron Alberico +1 202-744-0786 aalberico@raynoravenue.com Company Website https://www.raynoravenue.com/

August 21, 2023 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Hart + Harvest Press Announces New Edition of James F. Haggerty’s Chief Crisis Officer, featuring an Insightful New Preface on the COVID and Ukraine Crises

PRCG | Haggerty LLC

“Not having a crisis plan is like sending your team onto the field, and only then making up the plays. You may win the game… but I wouldn’t bet on it.” Hart + Harvest Press is thrilled to release the latest edition of Chief Crisis Officer: Structure and Leadership for Effective Communications Response, by noted attorney, author and communications consultant James F. Haggerty. The new edition is now available for purchase on platforms such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, independent booksellers, and at hartandharvest.com. The Hart + Harvest edition of Chief Crisis Officer features a new preface that provocatively looks at the communication impacts of two of the most dominant crisis events of the past several years: the COVID-19 pandemic, and Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. On the COVID crisis, Haggerty writes that the government’s disastrous public response “serves as a prime example of why basic principles of crisis communications are so critical, including: having structure and leadership in place for response before a crisis occurs; ensuring an actionable plan that everyone understands and buys into; understanding the importance of rapid response protocols in an age of social media and other instant communications; and creating messages that are compelling and clear… messages that resonate with your audience.” On the subject of messaging, Haggerty contrasts the COVID failures with the success of President Volodymyr Zelensky in the wake of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. “As in the public speeches of Churchill, Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan,” Haggerty writes, “Zelensky chose his words and images incredibly carefully, rallying the Western world to a cause thought hopeless in the early days of the conflict.” Haggerty adds: “There was no committee noodling his words on Google Docs, adding various equivocations and lawyerly qualifications. No banal clichés. None of the muddied verbiage of the type that ensures that the bulk of your audience doesn't hear your message at all.” Structure and Leadership In Chief Crisis Officer, Haggerty emphasizes the necessity for all organizations, regardless of size, to (1) have the structure in place for effective communications response, and (2) appoint a leader who can execute in the heat of the modern crisis—the “Chief Crisis Officer.” “Crisis communications planning is not merely for the largest of companies facing the biggest of issues in the most major of media outlets,” Haggerty writes. “Effective crisis communications is for everyone involved with issues or events that could negatively impact their organization.” Throughout the book, readers will gain insights into crisis management, including the anatomy of a crisis, the selection of a Chief Crisis Officer, the creation of a crisis communications plan, rapid response strategies, crafting the right messages, and more. Since its original release, Chief Crisis Officer has become mandatory reading for CEOs, business executives, lawyers, public affairs and public relations executives, and high-profile individuals who seek guidance in crisis management. Prior editions of Chief Crisis Officer have been positively featured in publications that include the Harvard Business Review, Fortune and Entrepreneur magazines. About James F. Haggerty Called a “powerhouse of PR and communications” by Chambers & Partners’ international directory, James F. Haggerty is a well-known author, attorney and communications consultant. Haggerty is CEO of PRCG | Haggerty LLC, an internationally renowned public relations firm based in New York City, and its sports brand, PRCG | Sports. He is also president of the Crisis Protection Network (CPN), an association of senior communications executives in 16 cities worldwide. Haggerty is also the author of In the Court of Public Opinion: Winning Strategies for Litigation Communications, Third Edition (Hart + Harvest Press, 2022), which has been called “the perfect handbook for this age of show trials…” by Financial Times. The first business book to examine the interplay of media, public relations, and public perception during litigation, In the Court of Public Opinion was named one of the Top 10 PR Books of the Year by The Holmes Report. A 20 th anniversary edition will be published in 2023. About Hart + Harvest Press Hart + Harvest Press is an independent publishing company specializing in compelling nonfiction written by experts in business, communications, public policy, and related fields. Established and backed by PRCG, Hart + Harvest is driven by a genuine passion for storytelling—narratives that inspire, thoughts that provoke, and critical thinking that test conventional wisdom. Above all, Hart + Harvest firmly believes in the power of language to entertain, enlighten, and persuade. Contact Details Hart + Harvest Press Sandra Prendergast +1 212-683-8100 sprendergast@hartandharvest.com Company Website https://hartandharvest.com/

August 18, 2023 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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