First on PRNewser: Forbes‘ Taylor Buley gives a glowing review of Peter Shankman‘s connect journalists with sources service, Help A Reporter Out. Here’s some relatively new information, notably the bits about Shankman not taking a salary and having four salaried employees:

Shankman says he doesn’t take a salary, but his personal finances are not entirely divorced from his business. He did not disclose HARO’s earnings, but says HARO burns about $25,000 a month. He now employs four people on salary: a chief operating officer, a marketing manager and two editors focused on putting together the e-mails.

Did HARO’s recently hired PR firm, Propheta Communications, score the “hit?” We asked Shankman via email, who told us that the Forbes story, “wasn’t from Propheta. We’re not working with them anymore.” The boutique firm, run by ex-5WPR SVP Kevin Mercuri had just announced their relationship with HARO five weeks ago.