ProfNet Experts Available on Las Vegas Shooting, First Amendment, More

NEW YORK, Oct. 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Below are experts from the ProfNet network who are available to discuss timely issues in your coverage area.

You can also submit a query to the hundreds of thousands of experts in our network – it's easy and free. Just fill out the query form to get started: http://prn.to/queryform

EXPERT ALERTS

• Proving Liability in Las Vegas Shooting Could Be Challenging
• Courts Should Protect Media from Trump Threats
• United Nations Celebrates 'Africa Week' Oct. 16-20

MEDIA JOBS

• Global Industry Editor – Reuters (NY/MI/CA)
• US Lifestyle Writer – The Independent (NY)
• Editor, Digital Studio Middle East – ITP Business (Dubai)

OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES

• So You Want to Be a Ghostwriter. Here's What You Need to Know
• Authors: How to Sign a Top Literary Agent
• Blog Profiles: Thrifting Blogs

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EXPERT ALERTS:

Proving Liability in Las Vegas Shooting Could Be Challenging
Timothy Zeiger
Attorney
Shackelford, Bowen, McKinley & Norton, LLP in Dallas
Among the first lawsuits filed in response to the Oct. 1 Las Vegas massacre seeks to hold MGM Resorts, Live Nation, Bump Stock manufacturer Slide Fire and the estate of the gunman liable. Says Zeiger: "There does not appear to be any dispute that Stephen Paddock was the gunman, making the move to freeze the estate a prudent decision. Injured victims will often sue the estate of the person who acted negligently, such as when a careless driver causes a traffic fatality, or in this case carries out an intentionally malicious act. However, despite the reported size of his estate, given the large number of potential claims related to the horrific injuries and deaths he caused, the chance that any particular victim will be justly compensated from the estate does not appear to be likely and it is still too early to determine the legal responsibility of MGM Resorts, Live Nation or Slide Fire."
Zeiger, head of the litigation section at Shackelford, Bowen, McKinley & Norton, notes that unless a tragedy is "reasonably foreseeable" and not just an "isolated, and up to now, unique crime," it will be difficult to prove negligence.
Contact: Rhonda Reddick, [email protected]

Courts Should Protect Media from Trump Threats
Paul C. Watler
First Amendment Lawyer
Jackson Walker LLP in Dallas
President Donald Trump's threats against NBC for news coverage he didn't like are not unprecedented, says Watler: "There is a long history of American presidents criticizing the coverage they receive in the press, with an equally long history of American journalists doing their jobs despite presidential disfavor. A few presidents, most notoriously Richard Nixon, actually attempted to turn their dislike of the media into official retaliation by government agencies or regulators. But those vengeful efforts at official harassment were abject failures. The First Amendment guarantee of freedom of the press stands as a fundamental bar to the type of vindictive action that the current president seems to contemplate or encourage. As long as we have federal judges who are true to their oaths to uphold the Constitution, media organizations should be protected from efforts to intimidate or subvert independent news reporting."
Contact: Kit Frieden, [email protected]

United Nations Celebrates 'Africa Week' Oct. 16-20
Efosa Ojomo
Research Fellow
Clayton Christensen Institute
"The theme of this year's UN 'Africa Week' conference (https://tinyurl.com/ybsxrhza) is encouraging, since 'prosperity' is one of the areas of focus. However, upon reading the details of what the week is intended to accomplish, unfortunately, there is no mention of the word 'innovation.' In addition, many of the recommendations aim to integrate Africa's 54 countries. If the 'Africa Week' conference focused on answering the simple question, "How can we get every working-age African employed?" the event would likely solve not just Africa's rising population and employment problems, but also its integration issues. Africa, as a region, will integrate only when it makes sense economically and politically. Until then, while it might not be impossible, it will be very difficult to organically advance the integration agenda."
A native of Nigeria, Ojomo moved to the U.S. to attend college. He earned a BS in Engineering from Vanderbilt University and an MBA from the Harvard Business School. Ojomo has spoken widely on the topic of global poverty and prosperity (see his TEDx talk at https://youtu.be/KjlRaaMduzo). He has also been interviewed broadly on the topic (see recent coverage in the Wall Street Journal at https://tinyurl.com/ycu6pfk3). He is based in Boston.
ProfNet Profile: http://www.profnetconnect.com/efosaojomo
Website: https://www.christenseninstitute.org
Contact: Brian Hyland, [email protected]

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MEDIA JOBS:

Following are links to job listings for staff and freelance writers, editors and producers. You can view these and more job listings on our Job Board: https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/community/jobs/

• Global Industry Editor – Reuters (NY/MI/CA)
• US Lifestyle Writer – The Independent (NY)
• Editor, Digital Studio Middle East – ITP Business (Dubai)

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OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES:

Following are links to other news and resources we think you might find useful. If you have an item you think other reporters would be interested in and would like us to include in a future alert, please drop us a line at [email protected]

• SO YOU WANT TO BE A GHOSTWRITER. HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW. Like any type of freelance writing, ghostwriting comes with its challenges. Example: When you're on deadline, there's no time for writer's block. But much like freelancing, prep and ironing out logistics are the same: http://prn.to/2kDSsGV 
• AUTHORS: HOW TO SIGN A TOP LITERARY AGENT. For many authors, landing an agent is the most sought-after goal. It's long been considered the fastest and most profitable path to publishing success. If that's your goal, you'll want to check out these tips, techniques and resources to help you land the quality literary agent you're seeking: cisn.co/2xWj7DA
• BLOG PROFILES: THRIFTING BLOGS. Each week, PR Newswire's Audience Relations team selects an industry/subject and profiles a handful of sites that do a good job with promoting and contributing to the conversation. This week, they look at a few thrifting blogs: http://prn.to/2iiMSsG

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