What real men watch: Cable TV finds elusive upscale audience for 'Pawn Stars'
The Wall Street Journal
Reality TV has gotten a shot of testosterone. In an effort to reach young men—who watch less TV than women, and whom marketers pay a premium to reach—cable networks have found a formula that celebrates gritty, blue-collar jobs. The shows represent a breakthrough in the industry's long quest to attract elusive male viewers. … Some shows go beyond danger and into other gritty realms. One of cable TV's most-watched shows is History's "Pawn Stars," about the family-run, 24-hour Gold & Silver Pawn Shop in Las Vegas. It draws an average 4.9 million viewers per episode, with an average age of 44 compared with 55 for most broadcast shows.More

Documentary on pawnshop wins television broadcasting industry award in Canada
The Edmonton Journal
Filmmaker Rosie Dransfeld was recently awarded the Donald Brittain Award for best social/political documentary at the Gemini Awards ceremony in Toronto. Dransfeld wore the hats of producer, director and writer for Broke, a documentary about an inner-city pawnshop in Edmonton, Canada, its owner David Woolfson and his customers. Filmed in cinema verite, using fly-on-the-wall camera techniques, it's an intimate and often heartbreaking look into a world where people who are down and out sell or pawn precious, and sometimes not-so-precious, goods in exchange for money.More

Friendly, family-owned pawnshop just the ticket in San Antonio
KENS 5-TV
Quite a few people believe pawn shops are where thieves can fence stolen merchandise for some quick cash. But, if the walls could talk at Bill's Pawn and Jewelry in San Antonio, they would probably never shut up. "It's always something new," says manager Frank Camacho. … Pawnshops provide secured loans in return for merchandise. They lend based on product value and customer loyalty. You usually get, at least, a quarter of what the merchandise is worth.More

70-year-old UK bravery medal found in US pawnbrokers
BBC
A bravery medal awarded to a North Wales policeman in the United Kingdom 70 years ago has turned up in pawnbroker's shop, 4,500 miles away. Officers from New Orleans Police Department hope to reunite the owner or their descendants with the trophy.More

Texas community's pawnshop brings in U-Haul products and services
PR Newswire
Michael Miller, owner of Ray's Pawn Shop in Bridge City, Texas, recently added U-Haul truck and trailer rentals to the quality merchandise pawnshop he has been operating since 1970.More

GFMS: Silver prices at $30 in 2011
International Business Times
The price of silver is once again recovering it losses as the white metal heads toward the $27 level. Analysts site speculators buying the dip, improved industrial demand, a recovery in base metal prices, stronger equity markets and a weaker dollar for silver's resurgence.More

'Pawn Queens' is no threat to 'Pawn Stars'
Associated Content
Pawn Queens premiered on TLC, the channel's attempt to try to cash in on the popularity of Pawn Stars. This half hour program follows the doings at a pawnshop in the Chicago area (Naperville, Ill.) that caters primarily to women customers. Two women, the tough Minda, and bubblier Nikki plus their two down to earth male business partners, Greg and Tom, help run this store. More

Pawnshop for the rich
Credit.com News
If you have a private jet but can't get a loan, what do you do? Pawn it! And best of all, you don't have to suffer the humiliation of parking your Bentley in front of some grimy pawn shop. A company called Boomerang Lending lets the wealthy pawn their jets, boats, collectible cars, diamonds, and other luxury goods online.More

The Fair Labor Standards Act has become a big danger to employers
Forbes
Don't think that because your business is small or your industry is niche you won't be scrutinized. You are in the crosshairs whether you have five employees or 50,000. In 2008 the DOL awarded settlements to workers in virtually every state, in fields as diverse as health care, government, legal services, hospitality, electrical contracting and food service, awarding judgments of up to $574,486.More