The implication, of course, is that the journalists accepted these gifts—although I’d be hesitant to accept PR Week’s version of the story. Too bad no one else is covering this important issue!

In a totally unrelated story (ha ha), PR executives in this week’s issue are urged to view recent print media layoffs as hiring opportunities. Or as it is sometimes called, community-building.

UPDATE ON ALL THIS MOMMY BLOGGING BUSINESS: We first started looking into the issue here and now it seems some mommies are beginning to demand compensation for their public awareness work. After all, it’s big business, according to Katie Couric (although it must be noted: not Couric the journalist, Couric the paid spokesperson). Why shouldn’t the moms doing the work benefit?: [Watch the video of Katie Couric for BlogHer here.]

—Thanks James David and Veronica Arreola</a>!

1. Listening Post: MySpace Play Count Inflaters – The Steroids of the Music Industry
2. What advertisers pay to catch your wandering eye
3. Print Magazine

“I think it’s the career path that will best utilize my networking skills and my ability to think outside the box,” said Deenan, whose smug, gloating tone and shit-eating smile just make you want to punch his goddamn teeth in. “So I’m definitely thinking marketing. Either that, or PR.”

From the Onion, Via Kottke

Related posts:

1. “Montauk Monster” is a “Marketing Monster?”
2. Who Hates Guerilla Marketing in Boston? (Updated again)
3. A Little Less Advertising in the World

The Workshops

1:00pm Redefining Your Skillset: Putting Together a Great Resume for the Non-Profit Sector In this 50 minute workshop, Anne and Steve provide tips and training on relanguaging your advertising skillset toward the needs of social justice organizations. Spent years designing cigarette campaigns? We’ll show you how to turn that into a valuable tool for the American Cancer Society. Please bring current resume and red pen.

2:00pm How to Find Good-Paying Jobs in Public Service Steve and Anne will lead you by hand through the most effective steps to locate, apply for—and get!—a sustainable job working for change. In just 50 minutes! Bring a pad of paper and a pencil.

3:00pm Telling Your Account Manager No: How To Refuse to Work On Ethically Bereft Ad Campaigns Want to stay in advertising for now? This 50 minute workshop will provide you with all the information you need to back away from the most damaging of commercial campaigns. Please note: we will still try to convince you to quit your job. Prepare to role play!

4:00pm Letter of Resignation Writing Seminar Write a clear, decisive, and hilarious letter of resignation to end your career in advertising without losing friends—Anne and Steve will show you how in just 50 minutes! Bring stamps and professional letterhead.

Applications for the 2008 AAAFFFA—the AAAFFFA Kit—will also be available for your convenience. As always, our workshops are free, but donations to the AAAFFF are encouraged. All workshops will be held at our oFFFice at Mess Hall: 6932 N Glenwood, Chicago, just across from the Morse stop on the Red Line. Please arrive ten minutes early and note each workshop requirement carefully, and feel free to sign up in advance by emailing FFF@antiadvertisingagency.com! We will also be making individual appointments with select ad pros—let us know when you’re available!

Related posts:

1. Why You Should Be In New York July 1st
2. oFFFice hours
3. Official Foundation for Freedom Press Release

Approximately two weeks after we reported on TuneBoom Pro, a tool apparently used by major labels and indie artists to artificially inflate the number of times their songs had been streamed on MySpace, the site has gone offline. We had contacted MySpace about TuneBoom Pro, but it’s unclear whether MySpace had anything to do with the site’s disappearance.

One way or another, the site is offline. However, bands and labels looking for a way to fake MySpace popularity have plenty of other ways to manipulate their play counts on MySpace Music. A reader recently sent in a list of 46 alternatives to the possibly defunct TuneBoom Pro service.

Is it wrong to inflate MySpace song plays? If every other band and label is doing it, you almost have to — just like baseball players and steroids. It’s unlikely that MySpace will be able to defeat every type of play count-increasing technology, just like it’s unlikely that Major League Baseball will ever be able to do away completely with all performance-enhancing drugs.

Read the rest… MySpace Play Count Inflaters: The Steroids of the Music Industry | Listening Post from Wired.com

Related posts:

1. So Happy Together?
2. So Happy Together, Part Two: Show Me The Money!
3. 5 Samaras Project Post Cards