HelpAReporter.com (HARO), the source-to-journalist matching service quietly hired Propheta Communications as their agency of record recently.

Propheta is a New York boutique founded by ex-5WPR SVP Kevin Mercuri less than a year ago.

Considering the rapid growth of HARO (nearly 100,000 members), and the media-begets-media snowball affect Peter Shankman has cultivated, we had to ask why, and why now?

Shankman, the self-deprecating gadfly and former agency principal explained to us the move was needed to cope with growth--as was the addition of Thom Brodeur as COO. "As you know, I'm not the most organized person in the world - I'd rather have smart people who are."

Propheta is mainly on board to handle media inquiries and pitching "WHERE APPROPRIATE," Shankman wrote in all-caps reinforcing his rules of the road he laid out for his HARO members.

Shankman didn't respond to our question of whether or not he was bartering retainer against access to placement for Propheta and its clients on his valuable email blasts.