International Jobs Report

I thought you might be interested in Going Global‘s, new Brazil Job Market report which found that Brazil is experiencing a strong recovery from the global financial crisis, resulting in job growth and talent shortages for South America’s largest country. Below are details. Please let me know if you’d like to see the full report or arrange an interview with Mary Anne Thompson, founder of Going Global. Please keep her in mind as a source on the global employment market.

Regards,

Beth Brody

609-397-3737

Brazil’s Job Market is Booming, Says Going Global’s New Brazil Employment Outlook

2016 Olympics, 2014 FIFA World Cup Boost Brazil’s Economy

Mobile, AL (July 7, 2011) — As it begins preparations to host the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Olympics, Brazil — South America’s largest country and economy, is one of the first emerging markets to begin an economic recovery, according to a new report from Going Global, the leading provider of employment, career and culture resources. With an unemployment rate of 6.1 percent, Brazil is experiencing job growth and talent shortages in many sectors.

“Brazil’s strong recovery from the global financial crisis has spurred increased hiring activity and a buoyant employment market, enabling the job market to become increasingly candidate-driven,” says Mary Anne Thompson, founder, Going Global. “Many workers in the private sector are seeing double-digit pay raises, and last year average salaries in Brazil increased 6.5 percent.”

Talent shortages persist in many of the growing industry sectors in Brazil. Recruiting professionals report infrastructure, oil, gas, consumer products, technology, financial services, and capital markets are the most in need of talent. Hiring in Brazil has been active across all sectors, with the heaviest volumes in FCMG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods), manufacturing, agribusiness and heavy construction.

Especially scarce in Brazil are engineers with technical backgrounds, experience with big oil finds, and knowledge of infrastructure, but Brazil turns out just 35,000 engineers a year, compared with India’s 250,000 and China’s 400,000 engineers.

“One problem Brazil is facing is that their companies and universities have not created sufficiently qualified people to satisfy the new demand,” explains Ms. Thompson. “Multinational organizations looking to hire in Brazil are seeking successful candidates who are flexible, skilled in communications between Brazil and headquarters, adaptable and multilingual. Although many companies invest in homegrown talent, there is also room for skilled foreign-born executives to work in Brazil.”

The talent shortages in Brazil have resulted in high salaries and large executive bonuses. Chief executives and company directors earn more in São Paulo, Brazil’s business capital, than in New York, London, Singapore or Hong Kong. For example, a CFO with 12 years’ experience or more can earn $400,000 to $530,00 USD in São Paulo, while a CFO with the same experience would earn approximately $125,000 USD in New York.

The 10 Jobs Most in Demand in Brazil

1. Technicians

2. Skilled trades

3. Production operators

4. Secretaries, PAs, administrative assistants and office support staff

5. Laborers

6. Engineers

7. Drivers

8. Accounting and finance staff

9. IT staff

10. Sales representatives

According to the 2010 Talent Shortage Survey Results by Manpower

To read the full report, Going Global Employment Outlook: Brazil and to see tips for a successful job interview in Brazil, visit www.goinglobal.com.

About Going Global

Going Global founder Mary Anne Thompson is an internationally recognized expert on global careers. A former White House attorney, she launched Going Global while living as an expat in Stockholm, Sweden. Today, Going Global is the leader in providing country-specific career content targeted to professionals seeking to begin or change careers both at home and abroad. With career guides for more than 80 locations, the company’s proprietary content supports the job aspirations of more than one million individuals, and includes corporate profiles and millions of job opportunities. Ms. Thompson’s first book, The Global Resume & CV Guide (John Wiley, Publisher), was the first publication on the market with worldwide job-hunting advice.

# # #

Media Contact:
Beth Brody

Brody PR

609-397-3737

beth

Global Employees Need Emergency Exit Strategy

Everyone working overseas should have a exit strategy if an emergency occurs, says Mary Anne Thompson of Going Global. She’d be happy to offer advice on working in a foreign country and what to do if you are caught in a dangerous situation. Details are below. Please let me know if you want to schedule an interview or mention some of her tips.
Thanks,
Beth Brody
609-397-3737

Going Global Employment Danger Zones: How to Prepare For An Emergency, What To Do If You Are Caught in One

March 17, 2011 (Mobile, AL) — There are 2.2 million foreigners, including a good number of Americans, currently living and working in Japan and all of them should have an exit strategy, explains Going Global www.goinglobal.com, the leading provider of country-specific employment information.

This month, many overseas workers suddenly found themselves caught in the middle of Japan’s powerful earthquake, along with its aftershocks and resulting tsunami, and are facing the threat of radiation exposure. In another part of the world, the political crisis in Egypt and the Middle East has not only caused food and gas shortages, but Americans working there may face dangerous unrest in the streets.

As businesses expand into new global markets, 10 percent of employees who are sent abroad from the U.S. are assigned to countries that are considered dangerous or have harsh living conditions.

“While employment in a foreign country can be a dream come true, anyone working outside their native soil should have an exit strategy in place and be prepared for a hasty departure – even if they are working in countries that are considered ‘safe’,” says global employment expert Mary Anne Thompson, founder of Going Global.

“Your first step should be to register with the appropriate embassy and consulate and regularly update your contact information. This will assure you will be notified and continually updated by the U.S. State Department in the event of a disaster or crisis in your host country,” Thompson said.

Employers with overseas workers have a priority to protect their human capital abroad and should have a risk management plan in place to ensure their employees are as safe as possible wherever they are in the world. Companies should also buy travel insurance policies, monitor the movement of their employees, hire medical evacuators and security companies to protect overseas offices.

While both the U.S. government and companies with employees overseas map out strategies to help citizens exit dangerous situations abroad, it is also the responsibility of the individual to be organized and prepared for the unthinkable.

“You should keep abreast of local political, social and meteorological developments, and have a personal safety plan and escape route,” Thompson says. “Keep a three-day supply of food and water on hand and your important papers in one location. Being prepared helps keep you safe.”

Going Global offers these tips for working in a foreign country:

§ Stay on top of local political, social and meteorological developments.

§ Register with the appropriate embassy and consulate and regularly update your contact information.

§ Have a personal safety plan and escape route.

§ Plan a way for family members to stay in contact.

§ Keep a few vital supplies (food, water, flashlight, battery-powered radio, cell phone with chargers, passport, visas, local maps, emergency phone numbers, first aid kit, etc.) on hand.

§ Maintain a reserve of cash in smaller denominations.

§ Be aware of the ways to leave the country (planes, trains, ferries, etc.)

§ Learn some basic safety skills.

For employment, career and culture resources in other countries, visit www.goinglobal.com

About Going Global

Going Global founder Mary Anne Thompson is an internationally recognized expert on global careers. A former White House attorney, she launched Going Global while living as an expat in Stockholm, Sweden. Today, Going Global is the leader in providing country-specific career content targeted to professionals seeking to begin or change careers both at home and abroad. With career guides for more than 80 locations, the company’s proprietary content supports the job aspirations of more than one million individuals, and includes corporate profiles and millions of job opportunities. Ms. Thompson’s first book, The Global Resume & CV Guide (John Wiley, Publisher), was the first publication on the market with worldwide job-hunting advice.

# # #

Media Contact: (interviews, bylined articles)
Beth Brody

Brody PR

609-397-3737

beth

Dealer.com Launches Highly Anticipated ‘Social Relationship Manager’

New Comprehensive Package Offers Seven Integrated Features to Help Dealers Manage Digital Relationships

February 5, 2011 – Burlington, VT – Dealer.com, the global leader in online marketing solutions for auto dealers, today announced the addition of a comprehensive social media package to its platform. With over 90% of car buyers shopping online and Americans spending 25% of their time online on social networking sites, the new “Social Relationship Manager” (SRM) meets the essential digital needs of dealers in this increasingly critical arena. The solution offers a unique three-prong approach to managing a dealership’s social presence – Listen, Talk, Connect – through seven current streamlined features.

“We’ve developed the industry’s most complete set of integrated tools to help dealers navigate the social media playing field and leverage it to their competitive advantage,” said Dean Evans, Chief Marketing Officer at Dealer.com. “SRM makes it easy for dealers to watch what people are saying and protect their online reputations, develop relevant content to post and ultimately build a greater dealer brand. That is what social media is about.”

The seven SRM features included at launch are Reputation Monitor, Dealer Ratings, Social Syndication, Content Suggestor, Facebook Social Applications, SmartBar and Social Analytics – all accessible through a single login and available as part of the Dealer.com website platform. The solution is designed with the flexibility to enable both dealers and any social media services agencies they choose to access and use it directly, although the tools and metrics will reside on the dealer’s platform.

The SRM includes two “Listen” tools that help dealerships know what customers and potential customers are saying about their business – Reputation Monitor and Dealer Ratings. These features allow dealers to track conversations by collecting comments, reviews and ratings from a bevy of online sources, measure the impact and quantify their brands’ reputations. The tools include a snapshot feature for quick updates on whether the conversation is positive, negative or neutral, as well as tools for more in-depth analysis.

“Talk” tools include a Social Syndicator and Content Suggestor, which allow dealerships to more efficiently participate in online conversations and build a social media following. With a single login page, social media channels can be accessed and digital strategy managed simultaneously. Blog posts, content sharing, status updates and comments can be scheduled in advance or updated on different sites simultaneously, and the Content Suggestor offers relevant news feeds and industry updates from OEMs, major auto blogs and review sites that dealers may want to post themselves.

The Social Relationship Manager includes new ways for dealers to “Connect” with their followers and better manage their social relationships. A Facebook Social Application seamlessly integrates a dealer’s existing Facebook profile into the SRM platform, or creates new ones with applications for dealer inventory, vehicle videos and incentives. The SmartBar feature integrates social channels into one central website toolbar, so consumers stay on the dealer’s web page while experiencing its social media offerings. Finally, a Social Analytics Dashboard helps dealers to analyze what social media is doing for their business.

Buy-Anywhere Options, Not Devices, Will Be Key to Digital Publishing Success, According to ABI Research

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Buy-anywhere electronic versions of books, magazines and newspapers will drive the digital publishing market, according to ABI Research’s new study of Digital Publishing for Portable Devices, which foresees digital content sales growing to nearly $16.5 billion worldwide in 2016, more than five times their 2010 level.

“Consumers can purchase digital texts through their PCs or smartphones, in addition to buying directly through their eReaders”

Despite the enormous media focus on iPads, Kindles, Nooks and other eReaders, the market for digital content will not be tied to the success or failure of any single one of these devices, according to the new study. “Consumers can purchase digital texts through their PCs or smartphones, in addition to buying directly through their eReaders,” explains Larry Fisher, research director of NextGen, ABI Research’s emerging technologies research incubator. “The variety of applications that allow people to buy this digital content reassures them that they won’t be tied to a single store—or device—for content.”

Significant barriers to the growth of digital publishing remain, however, including licensing of back catalog material, the conversion of publishing workflows designed specifically for digital instead of print content, and most importantly for periodicals, pricing. Paying for single issues of magazines and newspapers on the iPad in particular has met with resistance from subscribers accustomed to bargain-priced subscriptions rather than one-off sales. Still, says Fisher, “One-off sales won’t keep publishers from selling content to other device users, and Apple will likely offer some form of subscription service eventually.”

Digital text sales will get an extra boost in 2012 as some of these challenges are met and high-quality color eInk readers become widely available. Although such readers are currently on the market, they do not offer the full saturation color that print magazine readers have come to expect. Magazine and newspaper readership will still be greater on LCD-screen readers and tablet computers that can handle video and other graphics requiring a fast refresh rate.

ABI Research’s “Digital Publishing for Portable Devices” (http://www.abiresearch.com/research/1005638) examines the market opportunity and technical trends relevant to digital texts (including e-books, magazines and newspapers) and eReaders, providing a granular segmented five-year forecast for revenue, units sold and units in use, as well as profiles of the key market players.

It is part of ABI Research’s Human-Machine Technology Research Service (http://www.abiresearch.com/product/service/Human-Machine_Technology_Research_Service).

ABI Research provides in-depth analysis and quantitative forecasting of trends in global connectivity and other emerging technologies. From offices in North America, Europe and Asia, ABI Research’s worldwide team of experts advises thousands of decision makers through 29 research and advisory services. Est. 1990.

Yahoo! Labs Launches AdLabs to Advance the Science of Digital Advertising

Yahoo! Labs Launches AdLabs to Advance the Science of Digital Advertising

New study proves the power of hyperlocal online ad targeting in driving sales

SUNNYVALE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Yahoo! Inc. (NASDAQ: YHOO) today announced the launch of Yahoo! AdLabs, a group focused on providing scientific leadership to the industry and accelerating innovation in digital advertising products through Yahoo! Labs (http://labs.yahoo.com/), one of the world’s premier industrial research organizations.

"Yahoo! Labs has been instrumental in developing Yahoo!’s advertising products, laying a foundation of scientific research and innovative data analysis, supporting everything from the world’s most advanced display advertising marketplace to the world’s most effective ad targeting capabilities," said Dr. Prabhakar Raghavan, Yahoo!’s chief scientist and head of Yahoo! Labs. "AdLabs will build on this success and break new ground in combining scientific rigor with a deep understanding of the practical needs of marketers."

Since its founding in 2005, Yahoo! Labs has produced powerful studies on online advertising, created the new scientific discipline of Computational Advertising, and generated numerous insights into consumer behavior and advertising metrics (see addendum for a sample of recent projects).

With the launch of AdLabs, Yahoo! also released the latest results of its breakthrough, multi-part study of online advertising in the retail industry, that uses a controlled experiment conducted at unprecedented scale to quantify the effects of one of the most important new levers available to online marketers in 2011, hyperlocal ad targeting. The results included:

Hyperlocal targeting of a retail display campaign generated more than five times return-on-ad-spend, measured by sales lift at the retailer.

75% of the total return in this phase of the study was generated by in-store purchases.

Customers who live within two miles of one of the retailer’s stores represented 10.6% of the audience seeing the ads, but generated 56% of the revenue.

Return-on-ad-spend was four times the spend for customers living within five miles of a store, and 21 times the spend for customers living within two miles of a store.

"Successful campaigns change perceptions about brands and increase sales. Marketers need new, breakthrough, scientifically-tested methodologies to drive these important metrics," said Ken Mallon, vice president and head of Yahoo! AdLabs. "Yahoo! has the scale to measure the impact of many campaigns and the breadth of expertise to produce the new models and innovations that will move the digital advertising industry forward."

"As media models fragment, so too do the models for understanding their effectiveness. At the same time, with more people doing more online and ad spend going up, marketers need answers more than ever," said Ted McConnell, executive vice president, Advertising Research Foundation. "Yahoo!, with its diverse but integrated palette of options, provides a great Petri dish for experimenting with new measures. I, for one, am delighted that Yahoo! is taking this challenge head on, and I feel certain the entire industry will benefit."

For more information on Yahoo! AdLabs, please visit the Yahoo! Advertising blog (http://www.yadvertisingblog.com/blog/).

ADDENDUM: Yahoo! Labs — New research and insights into online advertising and consumer behavior

Yahoo! Labs is a leading industrial research and development organization focused on the science and technologies of the Internet. Its mission is to advance the state of the art across its areas of focus and create insights, driving the next generation of businesses for Yahoo!.

At Yahoo! Labs Winter Science Week on February 1-4, 2011, Yahoo! gathered the company’s leading scientists to examine the most important trends and questions about the future of the Web. Research at the event showcased the company’s expertise in the field of online marketing and advertising — most notably in Yahoo!’s ability to rigorously measure and quantify the effects of advertising.

Highlighted topics include:

Location, Location, Location: Understanding the Effectiveness of Online Advertising in Driving In-Store Retail Sales — Using a clinical trial-like methodology never before conducted at true Internet scale (more than 3 million users), this multi-part, ongoing study quantifies the return on investment of online advertising campaigns. The most recent results focused on the impact of hyperlocal targeting on in-store and online sales, finding that hyperlocal targeting of a retail display campaign generated more than five times return-on-ad-spend, with 75% of the total return generated by in-store purchases.

Birds of a Feather, Shop Together —

Measuring the extent to which friends’ behaviors predicts your own, this study found that in several consumer domains the effect is substantial, complementing traditional demographic and behavioral predictors.

Reach, Frequency, and Relevance

— This study examined the impact of frequency, or number of times someone is exposed to an ad, on user engagement. Contrary to conventional wisdom, the experiment, conducted on the Yahoo! homepage, found that individuals are just as likely to click on the 20th impression as they would the first impression.

The Demographics of Web Surfing

— This project examined the demographic composition of the top 100,000 domains on the Web, finding numerous prominent sites to have highly homogeneous audiences, which allowed researchers to uncover insights into consumer behavior.

Ad Relevance and Context

— This eye-tracking study revealed that the relationship between editorial content on a webpage and the content of an advertisement has a direct effect on the amount of time a person spends looking at an advertisement. Further, when the editorial and advertising content are related, ad recall also increased.

Who Searches for What and How?

— In a paper to be released at the 2011 WSDM Conference in Hong Kong, Yahoo! Labs conducted an in-depth segmentation analysis of an anonymous query log of 2.3 million Yahoo! users to evaluate and identify online search behavior in terms of who users might be (demographics), what they search for (query topics), and how they search (session analysis). A sampling of the full results revealed that:

People with higher educational levels made fewer navigational queries.

Searches related to actors and actresses were about three times higher in L.A. than in any other region.

San Francisco had the highest percentage of travel queries out of any region.

About Yahoo!

Yahoo! (NASDAQ: YHOO) is an innovative technology company that operates the largest digital media, content, and communications business in the world. Yahoo! keeps more than half a billion consumers worldwide connected to what matters to them most, and delivers powerful audience solutions to advertisers through its unique combination of Science + Art + Scale. Yahoo! is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California. For more information, visit the pressroom (pressroom.yahoo.com) or the company’s blog, Yodel Anecdotal (yodel.yahoo.com).

Yahoo! is the trademark and/or registered trademark of Yahoo! Inc. All other names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

Zillow and Yahoo! Real Estate Launch Largest Real Estate Network on the Web

Zillow and Yahoo! Real Estate Launch Largest Real Estate Network on the Web

SEATTLE and SUNNYVALE, Calif., Feb. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Zillow.com® and Yahoo!® Real Estate (

http://realestate.yahoo.com) today launched an exclusive partnership that brings together the two sites and creates the largest real estate network on the web, according to comScore® Media Metrix®(1) Zillow’s sales force now sells local advertising across both sites, and the 4 million for-sale listings on Zillow now also appear on Yahoo! Real Estate. Zillow® and Yahoo! Real Estate announced plans for the partnership in July 2010.

Real estate agents and brokers will now have the ability to buy local advertisements on both sites with just one phone call to Zillow. Tens of thousands of industry professionals have reached Zillow’s nearly 16 million monthly unique users(2) with advertising programs like Zillow’s Premier Agent, which allows agents to target specific ZIP code searches, and with Showcase Ads and Featured Listings, which allow agents and brokers to increase traffic to individual listings. Both of these programs will now be extended to Yahoo! Real Estate.

For the first time, real estate agents have the opportunity to advertise locally on Yahoo! Real Estate, one of the largest individual real estate sites on the web, gaining access to a new set of customers and clientele. Home buyers will now have access to more local listings on Yahoo! Real Estate, along with more photographs.

In addition to selling local ads, Zillow is also selling national display advertising across both sites to new home builders, real estate agents and brokers.

Additionally, Zillow is now Yahoo! Real Estate’s exclusive provider of for-sale listings. Any for-sale listing that appears on Zillow – including many listings not found on other sites, such as for-sale-by-owner listings – will automatically appear on Yahoo! Real Estate.

The Yahoo! and Zillow relationship began in 2006 when Yahoo! Real Estate incorporated Zillow’s Zestimate® home valuations for more than 72 million U.S. homes into its user experience.

"We’re thrilled to be providing agents and brokers with outstanding new opportunities to extend their reach on the largest online real estate network," said Spencer Rascoff, Zillow CEO. "One phone call can now connect industry professionals to the biggest real estate network on the web. The launch of this partnership will simplify advertising decisions and bring Zillow listings to millions of additional users every month."

"This partnership brings together the scale of Yahoo!’s audience with the depth of Zillow’s real estate listings," Greg Hintz, head of Yahoo! Listings, said. "No other real estate websites are better suited to bring such a vast offering to agents, brokers and advertisers."

Real estate agents or brokers interested in advertising across the Yahoo!/Zillow Real Estate Network can contact Zillow’s sales team at 866-324-4005.

About Zillow.com

Zillow Inc. is a real estate information company with a marketplace where homeowners, buyers, sellers, renters, real estate agents and mortgage professionals find and share vital information about homes and mortgages. Launched in early 2006 with Zestimate® home values and data on millions of U.S. homes, Zillow has since added homes for sale and homes for rent, a directory of real estate and lending professionals, Zillow Advice, Zillow Mobile apps and Zillow Mortgage Marketplace. One of the most-visited U.S. real estate websites, with nearly 16 million unique visitors per month, Zillow’s goal is to help people become smarter about homes and real estate in every stage of their lives — home buying, selling, renting, remodeling and financing. The company is headquartered in Seattle.

Zillow.com, Zillow and Zestimate are registered trademarks of Zillow, Inc.

About Yahoo!

Yahoo! is an innovative technology company that operates the largest digital media, content, and communications business in the world. Yahoo! keeps more than half a billion consumers worldwide connected to what matters to them most, and delivers powerful audience solutions to advertisers through its unique combination of Science + Art + Scale. Yahoo! is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California. For more information, visit the pressroom (pressroom.yahoo.net) or the company’s blog, Yodel Anecdotal (yodel.yahoo.com).

Yahoo! is the trademark and/or registered trademark of Yahoo! Inc.

comScore and Media Metrix are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of comScore, Inc.

(1) The Yahoo!-Zillow Real Estate Network was the most-visited real estate entity (including both networks and individual websites) as measured by comScore Media Metrix Key Measures – Ranked Category, December 2010.

(2) Zillow had 15.7 million monthly unique users in January 2011, according to Omniture internal tracking.

SOURCE Zillow.com

The New York Times Company Reports 2010 Fourth-Quarter and Full-Year Results

AutoNation Reports Record Fourth Quarter and Record Full Year Results

TK Carsites Offers Auto Dealers More Options with the Largest Automotive Advertising Network

Irvine, CA (Vocus/PRWEB) February 02, 2011

TK Carsites Inc. announced today that the Automotive Advertising Network (AAN) program is now available to all TK Carsites clients and prospects (http://www.tkcarsites.com/AAN). The Automotive Advertising Network is the first optimized, dealer-centric network with no third-party ads, designed to promote car dealers’ inventories on national, regional, local and specialty sites.

Richard Valenta, CEO of TK Carsites, states, “The Automotive Advertising Network program is a natural fit with TK Carsites’ social media and search engine optimization (SEO) programs. The combination of the three products is a first for the auto industry. This TK Carsites/ AAN package offers a unique digital marketing service to auto dealers because it leverages inventory, content and SEO marketing strategies to produce more leads at a lower cost.”

Car dealers are looking for a competitive edge and new strategies to increase their market share. The Automotive Advertising Network gives members unprecedented search authority to amplify their brand online. As an integrated reseller, TK Carsites will leverage the hundreds of locally optimized automotive websites in the AAN to publish press releases, and build critical links to car dealers’ websites.

Brian Pasch, founding partner of the AAN adds: “TK Carsites will leverage the hundreds of locally optimized automotive websites in the AAN to advertise car inventory on dealers’ blogs and social media websites. This integration will drive more traffic directly to dealer websites created by TK Carsites.”

“The potential of digital marketing through high-converting websites, automotive social media, online advertising and online inventory is tremendous,” summarized Jim Bradford, President of TK Carsites. “Having these all bundled from a vendor like TK Carsites will provide a unique opportunity to dealers to amplify their brand online and increase their market share.”

About TK Carsites, Inc.

TK Carsites, Inc. is an Internet marketing company located in Irvine, CA. TK Carsites specializes in website design, automotive search engine optimization (SEO) and social media for auto dealers in the U.S. and Canada. TK Carsites’ key Power Series products include the award-winning Power of 5 Websites, in addition to Power SEO and Power Social, both launched in 2010.

2010 Foreclosure Activity Down in Hardest Hit Markets But Increases in 72 Percent of Major Metros

AOL Buys Online Video Network Goviral For $96.7M

DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

AOL Inc. (AOL) agreed to buy European video distributor Goviral A/S for $96.7 million, the latest in an acquisition spree AOL has pursued in an effort to recast itself as a destination for online video and articles.

AOL restructured its main home page last year to focus on video and local integration. The redesigned home page more prominently features AOL’s original news, entertainment and other content, part of the company’s broader push to revive its fortunes and redefine itself as a hot spot for online videos and articles.

Last year, AOL also acquired technology blog TechCrunch Inc., one of the most influential blogs in Silicon Valley, and Web video-syndication company 5min Media. The company has also hired hundreds of writers recently to create more original content.

The purchase price for the Goviral deal includes $22.6 million in deferred compensation over two years. Goviral’s clients include Nike, Sony, Coke, Nokia, Audi, Mercedes and Proctor & Gamble.

Goviral will retain offices in the U.K., Germany, France, Denmark, Sweden and Spain and plans to expand further soon. Its video content distribution network includes more than 18,000 publishers that reach more than 350 million users, AOL said. The network allows advertisers to reach a large audience at a low cost, the Internet company said.

AOL also added to its content base Monday after it agreed with CliffsNotes publisher John Wiley & Sons Inc. (JWA, JWB) and Coalition Films to develop a series of comedic videos based on the publisher’s ubiquitous literature guides. Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed.

Shares of AOL were recently up about 0.04% at $23.91. The stock is off about 10% over the last three months.

AutoTrader Classics Appoints Bryan A. Weston as Director of National Accounts

ATLANTA, Jan. 27, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — AutoTrader Classics announced today the appointment of Bryan A. Weston as Director of National Accounts, effective immediately. In this new role, Bryan will assume responsibility for AutoTrader Classics’ national account sales department.

"Bryan’s experience in the automotive industry and his ability to develop strategic relationships with clients will be an asset to AutoTrader Classics," said Rob Huting, General Manager of AutoTrader Classics. "As our business grows, Bryan will ensure our National Accounts team will serve both current and future customers."

Most recently, Weston was Director of National Sales at Jumpstart Automotive Group, wholly owned by Hachette Filipacchi Media-US, where he was responsible for integrated program development and sales. In this role, he was responsible for the sell-in and execution for all platforms and products within the Jumpstart Automotive Group.

Weston will be based in AutoTrader.com’s Novi, MI office, with nationwide responsibilities. He is a graduate of Michigan State University, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in advertising.

About AutoTrader Classics

AutoTrader Classics, launched in 2008 and headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., is the Internet’s leading automotive classifieds marketplace dedicated to the muscle car, sports car & classic vehicle market, with more than 20,000 related vehicle listings, as well as parts for those vehicles. Utilizing the same innovative merchandising functionality as found on AutoTrader.com, AutoTrader Classics unites automotive enthusiasts with the vehicle of their dreams. In addition to the online marketplace, AutoTrader Classics produces a series of print publications designed to inform & entertain classic, sports & muscle car enthusiasts and collectors. The company also owns www.DealsOnWheels.com an up-to-date source for muscle cars, sports cars, 50′s classics, antique automobiles, related parts, services and accessories. For more information, please visit www.autotraderclassics.com.

CareerCast.com/JobSerf Employment Index Reports Slight Uptick in U.S. Hiring

CareerCast.com/JobSerf Employment Index Reports Slight Uptick in U.S. Hiring

San Diego and Louisville Show Hiring Gains While D.C. and Baltimore Suffer Double Digit Losses

CARLSBAD, CA/RICHARDSON, TX (January 27, 2011) – Managerial recruitment activity showed improvement in January with a gain of 3.8 points over December 2010, according to the new CareerCast.com/JobSerf Employment Index. The January 2011 Index, which measures managerial hiring activity online, stands at 103.7, rising 32.9 points since January 2010.

Louisville was the big winner this month, with an 11% increase in managerial hiring, followed by San Diego with a 6% hiring increase.

Washington, D.C. and Baltimore showed serious declines in hiring, with Baltimore dropping 16% and D.C. with a 12% decrease in hiring.

“The double digit losses in hiring that hit Baltimore and Washington DC this month may be due to the leveling off of new federal government jobs and negligible private sector job creation,” says Jay Martin, COO, JobSerf. “Even with a 12% hiring loss, Washington, DC nonetheless remains the best place to find a job.”

Houston (-9%), Detroit (-9%), and Phoenix (-8%) were among the other cities that showed significant losses in January. Houston and Phoenix saw the largest drop in hiring per capita ranking, both falling four spots, followed by Minneapolis, which dropped three spots and St. Louis, which dropped two spots.

“The hiring boom that is being forecast for 2011 could start to bring the economy back into gear and provide employment for many Americans, including manager-level jobs on up.” says Tony Lee, publisher, CareerCast.com. “Certainly with the Northeast, Midwest and Southwest reaching their highest levels since March of 2008, it’s a promising sign, and we are hopeful that this upward trend will continue in the ensuing months.”

The CareerCast.com/JobSerf Employment Index per capita hiring levels for U.S. cities in January are:

1. Washington, DC – 147

2. Boston – 125

3. San Francisco – 111

4. Seattle – 97

5. Atlanta – 79

6. Baltimore – 76

7. Chicago – 73

8. New York City – 73

9. Denver – 67

10. Philadelphia – 64

11. Cleveland – 60

12. Dallas – 57

13. Nashville – 57

14. Milwaukee – 56

15. San Diego – 55

16. Hartford – 53

17. Minneapolis – 52

18. Pittsburgh – 52

19. Houston – 51

20. Louisville – 49

21. Miami – 47

22. Indianapolis – 47

23. Los Angeles – 46

24. Phoenix – 45

25. St. Louis– 45

26. Cincinnati – 44

27. Tampa – 41

28. Detroit – 31

29. Memphis– 31

30. Riverside – 19

The CareerCast.com/JobSerf Employment Index is an exclusive barometer showing managerial hiring activity based on the number of jobs posted online nationally. The Index reveals the differences in job listings by month, and offers valuable trends and forecasts using proprietary employment data hand-counted by a team of researchers.

To read the full report and get more information on the best and worst cities to find a job, visit www.careercast.com/career-guidance/employment-trends.

About JobSerf
JobSerf, Inc. (www.jobserf.com) is a privately held Texas-based corporation that pioneered the job search outsourcing (JSO) industry with its revolutionary ‘Find & Apply’ service. The company’s patent-pending process provides for an affordable means to both ‘find & apply’ for jobs on behalf of clients. For more information, visit the website at www.jobserf.com.

About CareerCast.com

CareerCast.com, created by Adicio, is a job search portal that offers extensive local, niche and national job listings from across North America, job-hunting, career-management and HR-focused editorial content, videos and blogs, and provides recruiters with the ability to post jobs directly to more than 800 niche career sites. CareerCast.com also compiles the Jobs Rated Report (www.jobsrated.com), where 200 jobs across North America are ranked based on detailed analysis of specific careers factors.

Media General Reports Fourth-Quarter 2010 Results, Provides Outlook

Media General Reports Fourth-Quarter 2010 Results, Provides Outlook

RICHMOND, Va. – Media General, Inc. (NYSE: MEG) today reported that operating income in the fourth quarter of 2010 increased 12 percent to $36.4 million from $32.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2009. Net income in the fourth quarter of 2010 was $9 million, or 39 cents per share, compared with $27.4 million, or $1.18 per diluted share in the 2009 fourth quarter. The year-over-year change in net income was due almost entirely to non-cash tax expense and higher interest expense in the 2010 period.

Total revenues in the quarter increased 7.2 percent to $189.9 million, driven by a nearly 29 percent increase in Broadcast television revenues, which reflected strong Political advertising and an overall firming in broadcast transactional business. Total operating costs in the fourth quarter increased 6.1 percent, reflecting the absence of last year’s furlough days, a 28 percent increase in newsprint expense and support of new revenue initiatives.

“In the fourth quarter of 2010, our broadcast-intensive markets – Mid-South and Ohio/Rhode Island – generated significantly higher profits compared with the prior year. Our television stations, most of which are rated number one or two in their markets, were in an excellent position again this year to attract Political advertising dollars. Operating results benefited from nearly $24 million in fourth quarter Political revenues, compared with $3.7 million last year. Our stations benefited from hotly contested races in several markets and from a surge in national party and issue spending in the final weeks and days leading up to November 2,” said Marshall N. Morton, president and chief executive officer.

“We experienced strengthening in our overall broadcast advertising as well. In the fourth quarter, Local time sales grew nearly 6 percent and National time sales increased nominally, which was a good performance given some displacement of transactional advertising by Political issue and candidate spending. Automotive advertising, in particular, was strong,” Mr. Morton said.

“In addition, we were pleased to see the benefits of our aggressive digital sales initiatives, which drove a 19 percent increase in revenues at our newspaper and broadcast media websites. Online Classified revenues grew for the fourth consecutive quarter and increased more than 9 percent, due in part to Yahoo! Hot Jobs and Zillow real estate partnerships. Local online revenues rose more than 29 percent, reflecting increased advertiser adoption of new online advertising opportunities. The extension of partnerships for Yahoo! display and Zillow real estate advertising to several TV markets helped accelerate revenue growth at a number of television websites,” Mr. Morton said.

Media General’s Publishing revenues in the fourth quarter declined 8.4 percent from last year. Classified print revenues decreased 15 percent, and National and Local print revenues declined 8.2 percent and 7.5 percent, respectively. Outside sales for Printing and Distribution Services increased 7.7 percent in the quarter. Total Digital Media revenues increased 1.3 percent and reflected lower revenues at the company’s advertising services businesses, DealTaker.com and Blockdot, which mostly offset the double-digit revenue growth at local media websites.

Market Segments
Virginia/Tennessee market profit in the fourth quarter was $10.9 million, compared with $15.6 million in the 2009 fourth quarter. Revenues declined 4.4 percent from last year and expenses increased 6 percent. Broadcast revenues grew 4.4 percent at the market’s two television stations, mostly due to increased department store and telecommunications spending. Political revenues were $1.6 million compared with $1.7 million in the prior year’s quarter. The market’s main driver of Political advertising this year was the Tennessee gubernatorial race and two Congressional elections in Virginia. The Virginia gubernatorial election was the main contributor to Political advertising in 2009. Digital revenues in Virginia/Tennessee rose 16.8 percent, reflecting increases in Local, National and Classified online advertising. Publishing revenues decreased 6.8 percent. Classified revenues decreased 12.7 percent and Local revenues declined 1.7 percent. National revenues increased 1.9 percent and reflected higher spending by automotive, insurance, department store and telecommunications advertisers.

Florida market profit was $6.3 million, compared with $6.6 million a year ago. Revenues increased 2.4 percent and expenses increased 3.6 percent. Broadcast revenues grew more than 30 percent, due to strong Political advertising on WFLA. Political revenues were nearly $6 million compared with their virtual absence last year, reflecting Florida’s hotly contested gubernatorial, U.S. Senate and attorney general races. Publishing revenues decreased 12.8 percent. Total market Classified and Local revenues decreased 15.3 percent and 6.7 percent, respectively. Increases in Local advertising spending at WFLA and TBO.com were offset by declines in Local newspaper advertising. National revenues decreased 10.7 percent as BP image advertising and higher spending by automotive, financial services and travel advertisers on WFLA were offset by lower newspaper National advertising. Digital revenues increased 6.8 percent, due to solid growth in Local and National online advertising.

Mid-South market profit was $14.9 million, compared with $8.7 million in the prior year. Total revenues increased 23.2 percent, due to strong Political spending, and expenses increased 9.6 percent. Total Broadcast revenues in the Mid-South increased nearly 30 percent. Political revenues were $6.8 million, compared with $391,000 in 2009. Total Publishing revenues increased nearly 1 percent, reflecting higher legal Classified advertising, new store Local spending and special sections related to Auburn University’s football team playing in the SEC title game and BCS National Championship. Total market Local, National and Classified revenues increased 8.4 percent, 12.5 percent and 1.2 percent, respectively. Printing and distribution revenues nearly doubled. Digital media revenues rose 26.8 percent, reflecting higher Local and National spending.

North Carolina market profit was $2.9 million, compared with a profit of $3.4 million last year. Revenues increased 1.5 percent, and expenses increased 4.5 percent from last year. Broadcast revenues increased 20.5 percent, due to Political advertising as well as higher spending by Local and National advertisers at the market’s two television stations. Political revenues were $724,000, an increase from $203,000 in 2009, and overall reflected the absence of hotly contested races in North Carolina. Publishing revenues declined 8.6 percent in the fourth quarter. National and Local revenues increased 2.5 percent and 2.3 percent, respectively, while Classified revenues decreased 19 percent. Digital media revenues increased 40.5 percent, due to robust Local and Classified revenue growth, which was directly attributable to the company’s aggressive digital sales initiative.

Ohio/Rhode Island market profit was $9.4 million, compared with $5.3 million last year, due to strong Political revenues from the market’s two NBC-affiliated television stations. Total revenues increased 38.4 percent and expenses increased 13 percent, excluding severance costs. Broadcast revenues grew from the prior year by nearly 40 percent. Political revenues were $8.8 million compared with $1.2 million in 2009, reflecting gubernatorial and Congressional races in Ohio and a gubernatorial election, Congressional race and issue spending in Rhode Island. National advertising decreased 12.9 percent, despite increases in automotive, furniture and bank advertising. Local revenues were about even with the prior year’s quarter. Digital media revenues rose 8.5 percent.

Advertising Services and Other segment profit of $316,000 declined from $1.7 million last year, due largely to a decrease in revenues from DealTaker.com, the company’s shopping and coupon website; Blockdot, which specializes in interactive entertainment and advergaming technologies, and NetInformer, a provider of wireless media and mobile marketing services.

Other Results
Interest expense was $17.1 million in the fourth quarter, compared with $10.3 million last year, due to the company’s new debt financing structure completed in February 2010. Debt at the end of 2010 was $663 million, compared with $712 million at the beginning of the year.

Corporate expense increased $865,000 from last year, due in part to the impact of employee furlough days.

Income tax expense in the fourth quarter was $10.5 million, all non-cash. The previous estimate of $7.5 million was impacted by intraperiod tax allocation and other non-cash adjustments. A tax benefit of $1 million was reported for the same period last year, which reflected the company’s estimated net operating loss carryback claim for 2009.

EBITDA (income from continuing operations before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) was $49.1 million in the fourth quarter of 2010, compared with $46.7 million in the 2009 period. After-Tax Cash Flow was $32 million, compared with $25.1 million in the prior-year’s quarter. Capital expenditures in the fourth quarter of 2010 were $10.9 million, compared with $6.8 million in the prior-year period. Free Cash Flow (After-Tax Cash Flow minus capital expenditures) was $21.1 million, compared with $18.3 million in the prior-year period.

Media General provides the non-GAAP financial metrics EBITDA from continuing operations, After-Tax Cash Flow, and Free Cash Flow. The company believes these metrics are useful in evaluating financial performance and/or are common alternative measures used by investors, financial analysts and rating agencies. These groups use EBITDA, along with other measures, to evaluate a company’s ability to service its debt requirements and to estimate the value of the company. A reconciliation of these metrics to amounts on the GAAP statements has been included in this news release.

Outlook
For the first quarter of 2011, Media General expects total revenues in the range of level to 3 percent down compared with last year. Broadcast revenues are expected to be in a range from even with last year to down 3 percent from last year, due mostly to the absence of Political, Olympics and Super Bowl advertising revenues partially offset by strengthening of the transactional business. Publishing revenues are expected to decrease 2-6 percent, due to continued weakness in Local and Classified revenues. Digital Media revenues are expected to increase 6-9 percent and the company’s local media websites are expected to increase 18-21 percent. Total operating costs are expected to increase 5-7 percent, which mostly reflects 2 percent of merit raises and partial restoration of the company’s 401(k) match.

Conference Call, Webcast and Financial Statements
The company will hold a conference call with financial analysts today at 2:30 p.m. ET. The conference call will be available to the media and general public through a limited number of listen-only dial-in conference lines and via simultaneous webcast. To dial in to the call, listeners may call 1-800-599-9829 about 10 minutes prior to the 2:30 p.m. start. The participant passcode is “Media General.” Listeners may also access the live webcast by logging on to www.mediageneral.com and clicking on the “Live Webcast” link on the homepage about 10 minutes in advance. A replay of the webcast will be available online at www.mediageneral.com beginning at 5:30 p.m. today. A telephone replay is also available, beginning at 5:30 p.m. today and ending at 5:30 p.m. on February 3, 2011, by dialing 888-286-8010 or 617-801-6888, and using the passcode 18563205.

Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to various risks and uncertainties and should be understood in the context of the company’s publicly available reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Media General’s future performance could differ materially from its current expectations.

2010 Audited Financial Statements
Media General will issue its 2010 audited financial statements, including footnotes, on its website www.mediageneral.com, following the close of the stock market today. A link to the statements will be posted prominently on the website’s home page.

About Media General
Media General is a leading provider of news, information and entertainment across multiple media platforms, serving consumers and advertisers in strong local markets, primarily in the Southeastern United States. Media General’s operations are organized in five geographic market segments and a sixth segment that includes the company’s interactive advertising services and certain other operations. The company’s operations include 18 network-affiliated television stations and their associated websites, three metropolitan and 20 community newspapers and their associated websites, and more than 200 specialty publications that include weekly newspapers and niche publications targeted to various demographic, geographic and topical communities of interest. Many of the company’s specialty publications have associated websites. Media General additionally operates three interactive advertising services companies: Blockdot, which specializes in interactive entertainment and advergaming technologies; DealTaker.com, a coupon and shopping website; and NetInformer, a leading provider of wireless media and mobile marketing services.

Newspaper Websites Reach Nearly Two-Thirds of All Internet Users in Fourth Quarter (comScore)

NEWSPAPER WEBSITES REACH NEARLY TWO-THIRDS OF ALL INTERNET USERS IN FOURTH QUARTER

Strong Reach in Key Demographics and High Level of Engagement Accompanies Traffic of More than 100 Million Monthly Visitors

Arlington, Va. – Newspaper websites saw tremendous traffic in the last year’s fourth quarter, drawing an average monthly audience of 105.3 million unique visitors – - nearly two-thirds (62 percent) of all adult Internet users. The analysis, performed by comScore for the Newspaper Association of America, also indicates that newspaper websites continue to attract key demographics, reaching 58 percent of 25-to-34-year-olds and 73 percent of individuals in households earning more than $100,000 a year on average throughout the quarter.

The findings also pointed toward audience engagement, with newspaper website visitors generating an average of 4.1 billion page views each month, spending nearly 3.4 billion minutes browsing the sites.

“Newspaper websites stand out in today’s online environment, with trusted brands and high-quality journalism attracting an impressive audience that sets them apart from other players in the digital space,” said NAA President and CEO John F. Sturm. “As publishers continue to reinvent their business models, digital is at the forefront of a multiplatform transition that has seen steady growth in online advertising revenue.”

Figures released by NAA in early December indicate that online advertising generated $690 million for newspapers in last year’s third quarter, a nearly 11 percent increase from the same period a year earlier.

From comScore:

Month	Total Unique Visitors 18+ (000)	% Reach	Total Minutes (Millions)	Total Pages Viewed (Millions)
October	105,250	61.8	3,238	3,992
November	106,720	62.9	3,416	4,180
December	103,903	61.3	3,496	4,126
Q4 Average	105,291	62.0	3,383	4,099

comScore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR) is a global leader in measuring the digital world and preferred source of digital marketing intelligence. comScore helps its clients better understand, leverage and profit from the rapidly evolving digital marketing landscape by providing solutions in the measurement and evaluation of online audiences, advertising effectiveness, social media, search, video, mobile, e-commerce , and a broad variety of other emerging forms of digital behavior.

NAA is a nonprofit organization representing nearly 2,000 newspapers and their multiplatform businesses in the U.S. and Canada. NAA members include daily newspapers, as well as non-dailies, other print publications and online products. Headquartered near Washington, D.C., in Arlington, Va., the Association focuses on the major issues that affect today’s newspaper industry: public policy/legal matters, advertising revenue growth and audience development across the medium’s broad portfolio of products and digital platforms. Information about NAA and the industry also may be found at www.naa.org.

Contact

Jeff Sigmund, NAA Director of Communications

(571) 366-1088

Jeff.Sigmund