Fort Worth PRSA

Communicators as Change Agents

2012-01-12T10:32:00.000-06:00

Linda Jacobson, APR (@LindaJacobson) shared her program on Change Management. Get the full presentation on Slideshare.

Let's Talk Video

2011-12-15T14:27:00.014-06:00

This is the digital age, which means we should be thinking visually more than ever before, according to Studios 121 Account Manager Dani Dufresne.

During her presentation to PRSA this week, Dufresne offered three basic tips to keep in mind when planning to tell your organization’s story via video:

1. Be Professional: Because visual storytelling leaves little room for distraction (vs. reading online text), poor video quality will be reflected without proper attention to audio, lighting and graphics. Therefore, beware of bargain packages, which may or may not offer excellence along those lines. Another sign of good video quality is the addition of other elements, which add interest and pace. No one wants to watch a talking-head-only video, so consider cutting away to B-roll footage and including graphics to add appeal.

2. Be Real: Coaching is highly recommended, and videos should be scripted, not read. Consider using what is “real” about your organization (e.g., featuring an employee, the campus, parts of the community, etc.), to convey authenticity.

3. Be Different: Dufresne likes the phrase, “be bold, not beige.” In other words, transform your dry content, be distinctive, and think outside the box.

When communications planning, consider using video in any way you can, such as for VNRs, brand awareness, community outreach, crisis management, and more. To contact Dufresne, send an email to: dani@studios121.com

Help Define Public Relations - #PRDefined

2011-11-29T16:59:00.001-06:00

by Richie Escovedo (@vedo)

In 1982, a first-class stamp was 20 cents, Michael Jackson's Thriller was released, the world's population was 4.6 billion, and Johnson & Johnson had a PR nightmare on their hands that led to what is now a model crisis response case study. Ironically, 1982 was also the last time the Public Relations Society of America defined public relations.

Last week, PRSA launched a campaign to create a modern definition for PR with a dedicated site and a strategic Media & Advertising column placement in the New York Times. I was thrilled to see this collaborative effort to get an updated (and hopefully better) answer to the question, "What is public relations?"

We've needed something new. Public relations takes a beating outside the industry from those who relegate it to only media relations or worse, spin. And honestly, we seldom do an adequate job within the ranks of PR pros of fighting these and other misconceptions. So it's time for a change. (Disclosure: I've been a member of PRSA since 2001.)

Out with the old, in with the new
In 1982, PRSA adopted a definition for PR as:

“Public relations helps an organization and its publics adapt mutually to each other.”

Today, we have an opportunity to adapt this definition to better fit what it is that we do. Take some time to review the notes from the one-day summit of the Definition of Public Relations Task Force.

The group concluded that a modern definition of public relations should be limited to a single sentence:

Public relations [DOES WHAT] with/for [WHOM] to [DO WHAT] for [WHAT PURPOSE].

The group also saw the need for the modern PR definition to explain two specific things:

How public relations drives business success; and
How public relations protects and/or promotes the organization or brand.

Submit your definition by Friday, December 2, 2011.

Only the beginning
The campaign is just a start to what could be something really fantastic for public relations. Will the final definition end the debate? No way. Consider it the start to a much greater conversation within our field. I can't wait to see what's next.

Follow the conversation on Twitter with the #PRDefined hastag.

(This is cross-posted from the Next Communications blog.)

Nowhere to Hide -- Transparency, Communication, Integrity Protect Reputation

2011-11-05T14:55:00.001-05:00

By Joan Hunter

*My Summary, Plus Full Speech, of GFW PRSA Ethics Month Speaker John “Pat” Philbin, Crisis1 CEO and former FEMA official.

Unethical practices or actions “are going to come out,” said John “Pat” Philbin, president and CEO of Crisis1, in Washington D.C.

Speaking to one of the largest-attended GFW PRSA monthly programs during our chapter’s September Ethics month, the former director of external affairs of FEMA, offered his personal experience and professional expertise on how public relations professionals can help protect and defend their organizations against unethical conduct charges – whether unintended, true or publicly misperceived.

As an Accredited Public Relations (APR) professional and long-time member of PRSA, Philbin emphasized the importance of leading our organizations to adhere to PRSA’s national code of ethics.

Philbin graciously agreed to allow the Fort Worth Chapter to share the text of his remarks which can be accessed at the end of some of his major points I’ve summarized here:

*Philbin emphasized that PR professionals must match the speed of traditional news media in getting their organization’s own messages out simultaneously, not just to news media but to all their key audiences.

His observations about the environment in which our organizations operate today included:

*Today, speed is viewed as “more important than accuracy.”

*(As a result of this environment), “we also can observe the role of technology and influence of immediacy in watching reporters who monitor twitter accounts and broadcast reports live without so much as qualifying the veracity of the information.”

*“PRSA’s Code of Ethics requires us to advance the free flow of accurate and truthful information that serves the public interest. It is one of the primary reasons that I entered this profession in the mid-1980s.”

*“…We as communicators must embrace and leverage the capability it (technology) provides by getting critical information to those who matter most to our organizations because we will be held to a much higher standard than the media if the information is inaccurate.”

*“I believe it is imperative to help organizations create trust with those who matter most. One way to accomplish this is to promote and enhance transparency throughout our organizations.”

*“The interesting thing about being transparent is that it can actually reduce risk.”

*“Doing the right thing and performing well is necessary but not sufficient. An organization that does the right thing well can be quickly dismissed, marginalized, bankrupted, you-name-it, if it does not communicate well.”

*“As a communications professional, there is little I can do to help a client if they aren’t doing what they say they are doing. Integrity is the only currency we have in public relations.”

*Philbin’s 25+ year career includes public and international affairs, business development, change management, crisis communication, media relations, reputation management and strategic planning with top-level senior governmental officials and company executives. He may be reached at
jphilbin@crisis1.net or www.crisis1net.

Read the full text of Philbin’s remarks.

Grass Roots Media Relations and Social Media for the Small Non-Profit

2011-10-05T15:11:00.000-05:00

The Greater Fort Worth PRSA took an opportunity to give back to the local community with our annual service project. This year's event was a free presentation and panel: "'Grass Roots' Media Relations and Social Media for the Small Non-Profit" and was held at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth.

Small non-profits, operating on limited budgets, need information, assistance and training to use media relations, social media and other public relations tools to help raise awareness of their important missions. The free workshop was the chapter's way of providing some insight in these areas for local non-profit organizations.

The event included panelists (L-R) Sandra Brodniki, APR, Gigi Westerman APR, moderated by Nancy Farrar and Richie Escovedo.

Attendees had a chance to address and question panelists and speak with them one on one.

The following is the presentation:

Grass Roots Media Relations and Social Media for the Small Non-Profit

View more presentations from Richie Escovedo

Special thanks to PRSA members Kendal Lake and Dustin Van Orne from the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth for organizing the community service event.

Fort Worth #PRSA turns 25

2011-09-21T21:50:00.000-05:00

PRESIDENT’S COLUMN

Carol Murray, APR, Greater Fort Worth PRSA

Has Greater Fort Worth PRSA really been around 25 years?

It doesn’t seem that long ago that Fort Worth members of the Dallas-based North Texas chapter petitioned the National Assembly for a chapter of their own. But when I recall the events of 1986, it truly seems a lifetime away: Ronald Reagan was president. The space shuttle Challenger disintegrated in the sky. The national newspaper Today was launched. Prince Andrew wed Sarah Ferguson. Corazon Aquino became the first woman president of the Philippines. Pixar Studios opened. Ollie North and the Iran-Contra affair were household words. Bill Buckner became infamous for letting a baseball roll between his feet. “The Oprah Winfrey Show” premiered. And Geraldo Rivera made a big to-do over opening Al Capone’s secret vault, only to find … a bottle of moonshine.

In November we’ll celebrate the chapter’s 25th anniversary and look back at our successes and the many talented, dedicated practitioners who have nurtured our profession in Fort Worth. Following a nice dinner and program, we’ll poke a little fun at ourselves and laugh together with assistance from the improv group Four Day Weekend.

A “save the date” and more information are forthcoming. Meanwhile, mark your calendar for Thursday evening, November 10. Sorry, no moonshine on the menu.

What is your reputation worth? (#PRethics)

2011-09-07T22:33:00.000-05:00

What is your reputation worth? It’s worth protecting if you expect to flourish in the field of public relations.

Yes, it’s your reputation at risk, always, on the job or not. Some of the most serious hazards are on the job.

Check out the values of the organization or client who is paying for your public relations efforts. You are not the conscience of top management, including its Board. You can’t be if management has no conscience.

If you are asked to do something that conflicts with your own personal code of ethics, your own values, you have three choices.
The first is to talk about the risks to the organization if it is taking, or plans to take, a wrong turn. If personal, professional counsel fails, you can turn to PRSA’s code for behavior for its members and simply say the plans are putting your career in jeopardy. When that doesn’t work, you can quit. I’ve done it. Only once. I had four small children, a husband out of work and was in a similar economic climate to what we are experiencing now. It worked. I was coaxed back, and listened to thereafter.

If you don’t do this, you hurt yourself and the practice of PR.

Once when teaching at TCU, I had the idea of asking a philosophy professor who taught ethics to teach a class for us. When I asked him, his first response was, “I didn’t know PR people had any ethics.” You are still up against that perception. Now it’s called “spin.”
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Guest post by Dr. Doug Newsom, APR, Fellow PRSA, Professor Emerita Texas Christian University, for PRSA September Ethics Month.

Photo credit: nylffn via Flickr Creative Commons

Know thy objective

2011-09-06T12:37:00.001-05:00

Guest post by Linda Jacobson, APR

I recently judged communication campaigns and tactics, and was struck by the lack of planning involved in nearly every entry. Particularly absent was the lack of specific communications objectives. If you’re in public relations, marketing or corporate communications, you need to know how to craft a solid strategic communication objective because that is the single most important focal point of any communications campaign. If you don’t know what you're aiming for, you’ll never know if you reached it.

Below are components of a communication objective, but ultimately, you’ll want to ensure this is part of a strategic communication plan that aligns with your organizational or departmental business objectives.

Expect your outcome. Are you trying to raise awareness of a new widget or new process? Or do you need to move the needle by changing employee or customer attitudes? Perhaps you need a target audience to adopt a specific behavior. Before you can craft an objective, know what you expect the outcome to look like.
Use verbs! Once you know the expected outcome of your objective, select an appropriate verb. Do you want customers to buy, ban or endorse? Are you looking for employees to adopt, support or change?
Be specific. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve looked at communications plans that aren’t tied to specific objectives. If you can’t articulate the objective specifically, then you are already missing the goal.

Who is the audience?
What is the timeframe?
What is the attainment level?

Measure the objective. Know how to accurately measure your objective, and know your baseline. This is your starting point. What is the current status quo? You need to know this before you initiate your strategy; otherwise, you won’t know whether you moved the needle or not.

Below is an example of a specific communication objective that anticipates an increase in audience awareness:

Within the next 60 days, 70 percent of our organization’s customers will see or hear about our new widget.

Starting with these basics, you’ll add a solid, measurable component to your strategic planning. What other components help you achieve your goals?

What PR Pros Should Know About the GLBT Community - August Recap

2011-08-15T20:13:00.002-05:00

The August 2011 speaker shared some stats that all public relations professionals should know, but may have surprised many in the room:

75.4% of all Texas voters support prohibiting employment and housing discrimination based on sexual orientation.
68% of all Texas voters support gays/lesbians having the same legal rights with respect to their children.
79.2% of all Texas voters support uniform anti-bullying legislation to prohibit harassment in schools. [Note: Texas legislature passed an anti-bullying law in May.]

“Texas has come a long way,” said Fairness Fort Worth President Thomas Anable, who grew up in the state, and marvels at how perceptions have changed over the years. After the Rainbow Lounge Raid just two years ago, “Fort Worth now has the most progressive and inclusive policies and ordinances of any other city in the United States.”

Anable said that unlike other cities, Fort Worth residents and officials swiftly acknowledged perception issues associated with the GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender) community – with the Raid as a catalyst – and earnestly sought to find peaceful, workable solutions.

To show how far we’ve come, he said all City of Fort Worth employees are now required to take four hours of GLBT diversity training. Other organizations are following suit, including public and corporate entities. Also, Fort Worth’s newly elected Mayor Betsy Price is lending political support, having agreed to Grand
Marshal this year’s Fort Worth Gay Pride Parade.

PR Professionals wanting more information about GLBT issues, including the political and economic power they now wield, were directed to the following resources:

Diversity Committee Chair Mary Gugliuzza said that part of PRSA’s mission is to be more inclusive and welcoming and thus, each year, the chapter dedicates its August program to diversity issues. This includes reaching out to industry professionals of diverse racial backgrounds, ethnicity and sexual orientations, for improved multicultural understanding so that we’re better prepared to address the nation’s diverse audiences.

PRSA Southwest District Quick Start 2011 - #prsasw

2011-07-26T17:34:00.000-05:00

#Fail: Social Media #PR Disasters - recap

2011-06-13T14:43:00.000-05:00

(Cross-posted from the Next Communications blog)

Thanks to Stephanie Scott and Corey Lark for sharing their 10 Lessons from Social Media PR Disasters for the June Ft. Worth PRSA luncheon: (Get their presentation slide deck.)

You are not in a vacuum
Err on the side of caution; Respond swiftly
Be prudent; Accept responsibility
Update your tactics
Context matters
If you apologize, mean it
Mocking your customers = bad
Be transparent
Manage your social media presence (or someone may manage it for you)
Sometimes you are the problem

Below is a recap built on Storify from last week's Fort Worth PRSA luncheon. Aside: This was the first time for me to use Storify. (Way cool tool.)

Our chapter blog went to the dogs

2011-05-31T15:54:00.000-05:00

(Photo credit: readinginpublic via Flickr Creative Commons)

Ok, I suppose it's not fair to blame Lucy for not coming up with anything good for our chapter's blog. She tried her best, it was just too much to ask this furry friend to write posts for us with any consistent frequency for this blog. Of course, most canines can't understand the in's and out's of public relations, corporate and nonprofit communications trends or thoughts on the profession. Plus, her spelling was atrocious.

We should have tried to get the PR professionals to handle the writing process. Unfortunately, we've not had a major push within the chapter to offer up this blog as a place for members to write posts. And thus, we haven't had anything new since January. (Face in palms)

But, things are about to change. We've let Lucy run free in the backyard and have now opened the blog up to posts from our fellow PRSA members.

Here's how you can help: Use the online submission form for your guest post. Blog writing is a great way for PR pros to hone writing skills. If you don't have your own blog, feel free to use our chapter blog submission opportunity to share your thoughts. If you do blog elsewhere, be sure to note where you blog so we can include it.

We're looking for posts that cover public relations trends, tools, topics and more. What's happening in your industry or area of expertise? Be creative and share.

What do you think? Is this a good way to add writers to our chapter blog? Have you wanted to write for the blog but didn't know how? We can't wait to see our members' posts.

Fort Worth Media Panel - Learn from the Locals

2011-01-14T14:46:00.000-06:00

The first program of the year did not disappoint.

Those hoping to get insight from the Fort Worth 2011 Media Panel heard from editors about imminent publication changes, social media trends, and tips plus preferences for the local PR professional-journalist working relationship.

Below are highlights from each speaker:

Maricar Estrella, Fort Worth Star-Telegram Social Media Editor:

The Star-Telegram is placing more emphasis on the key role social media plays in news production with the creation of her position last year.
Mari shared examples of how Facebook or Twitter postings have led to breaking news, albeit, after a thorough journalistic follow-up.
Mari also shared that she is a blogger on the mom2momdfw.com site.
When sending photos or other attachments, be aware that there’s a 10mb size limit.
The following addresses help those wishing to connect with the paper through social media: Facebook: www.facebook.com/fwstar; Twitter: @startelegram; @dfwsuperbowl @maricare (use hashtag #sbst to tweet your Super Bowl experience; best tweet will be featured); Gowalla Super Bowl Trip: http://gowalla.com/trips/27156; FourSquare: @maricar estrella
Email Mari at: maricar@star-telegram.com

Robert Francis, Fort Worth Business Press Editor

Robert let everyone know to watch for changes soon on the Business Press website.
There’s a new owner and perhaps you’ve heard of him before: Rich Connor.
Be sure to sign up for Business Press e-mail alerts, which offer local, breaking business news.
Keep in mind their weekly deadlines. No need to send notices for events happening after publication.
Email Robert at: rfrancis@bizpress.net

Lois Norder, Fort Worth Star-Telegram Managing Editor

While newspaper print circulation numbers have gone down, the paper is more widely read – even globally – than ever before.
Consider always copying the newsroom (newsroom@star-telegram.com) when sending a release or story idea. Chances are that the reporter who used to cover your beat topic has changed positions.
Stay away from attachments for news delivery when possible – editors like the convenience of cutting and pasting pertinent facts from an email text vs. a PDF.
Email Lois at: lnorder@star-telegram.com
BONUS: For those who didn’t get the handout from Lois Norder, she was kind enough to share that information for us to post here. Thanks Lois!

How to get your press release noticed by the Star-Telegram:

Put the local angle in the subject line. We look for those that highlight local people or places or issues.
Contact the right people. That’s plural, because we have a family of publications, including community newspapers, magazines such as Panache and Indulge and our websites. Call to ask who covers a topic if you haven’t touched base in a while. Be sure to also copy your release to newsroom@star-telegram.com. Except for breaking news, we prefer information via email.
Include a contact name, phone number, and address. We require that for photos and story assignments.
Make sure we can cut and paste key details. Don’t use read-only pdfs or other web-based forms that will only pick up an entire block of information.
Time your release. Friday is too late to send information on long-planned weekend events. A month in advance is too soon, except for the biggest events when we want to save a date. For breaking news, send the release immediately and follow up.

Key contacts:

Newsroom@star-telegram.com — For all press releases

lnorder@star-telegram.com — Lois Norder, managing editor for news

cxwilliams@star-telegram.com — Celeste Williams, managing editor for sports and features

cmallette@star-telegram.com — Catherine Mallette, features editor

jfuquay@star-telegram.com — Jim Fuquay, business editor

etrainor@star-telegram.com — Gene Trainor, editor for Grapevine, Colleyville and Southlake weekly

amurray@kellercitizen.com — Alice Murray, editor of the Keller Citizen

nmatocha@thetimesregister.com — Nancy Matocha, editor for Roanoke, Westlake, Trophy Club and Haslet weekly

arogers@mansfieldnewsmirror.com — Amanda Rogers, editor of the Mansfield News-Mirror

mbaker@star-telegram.com — Max Baker, editor of the Arlington Citizen-Journal

lwinter@weatherford.com — Lance Winter, editor of the Weatherford Telegram

Passing the torch of the chapter presidency

2010-11-29T16:15:00.000-06:00

PRESIDENT’S COLUMN -- Tom Burke, APR, Greater Fort Worth PRSA

It’s great to return home after an incredible five weeks in Turkey.

Turkey is a hidden gem; at least it was to me. I’m glad I discovered this amazing country, full of the most genuine, happy, caring, proud and fun-loving people you will ever meet. If the opportunity to visit Turkey arises, seize it. Or just create the opportunity for yourself. You’ll be glad you did.

[Note: Tom was in Turkey taking part in the IBM Corporate Service Corps.]

Not only is it good to be back in the U S of A, it’s good to be back during the holiday season, which is one of my favorite times of the year. Especially when the TCU football team is undefeated and all through the land there’s talk of the Horned Frogs perhaps playing in the national championship game! But the end of this year also means that my term as president of Greater Fort Worth PRSA is about over.

Passing the torch

When you’re president of an organization like the Fort Worth PRSA chapter, time can move very, very slowly, and your term can seem to go on and on. But time also flies. In many ways, it seems only yesterday that I was entrusted with the leadership of this incredible group. I am ready, however, to pass the torch to Carol Murray, APR. The chapter is in good hands.

[Photo by stevemoraco via Flickr Creative Commons]

Thank you to Carol, who presided over the board and chapter the nearly two months I was in Turkey, and who was as fine a president-elect as a president could hope for. Thanks, also, to the other officers and the board members, all of whom made this a successful and unforgettable year. A special thanks to Andra Bennett, APR; Laura Van Hoosier, APR; and Marc Flake, former presidents who accepted other officer roles this year and always were ready with feedback, guidance and recommendations. It says a lot about an organization when leaders step forward year after year to contribute their expertise. And thank you to the new members who assumed leadership roles. You are our future, and the trust and respect you earned this year will serve you well.

This has been one of the most energizing, fulfilling and amazing years of my 35-year career. I only hope that in some way I helped make 2010 as memorable for others as it has been for me.

Thank you.

Congratulations, Dr. Amiso George

2010-11-06T14:35:00.000-05:00

Dr. Amiso George, APR, Fellow PRSA, was recently inducted into the PRSA College of Fellows at the 2010 International Conference.

The Greater Ft. Worth Chapter of PRSA held a reception for Amiso at Dos Gringos on October 29.

Also, please read the thank you letter from Amiso to the chapter (PDF).

Dr. George with two of her TCU students.

Group shot of the PRSA Fellows from the Fort Worth chapter, including (from left) Mary Dulle, APR; Carolyn Bobo, APR; Dr. Doug Newsom, APR; Bill Lawrence, Dr. Amiso George, APR.

Dr. George at her induction ceremony

Dr. George with Dr. Julie O’Neil (left) and Carolyn Bobo, APR (right)

Read the full release from PRSA on the 2010 College of Fellows Inductees. Amiso George, Ph.D., APR, Fellow PRSA, is an associate professor of strategic communication at Texas Christian University.

Translucency and the No Comment Debate in the Era of Transparency (September)

2010-09-10T13:38:00.000-05:00

The following are notes provided by GFW PRSA chapter member and past president, Holly Ellman from the September luncheon:
------------------------------------------------------------

Rob Wakefield, Ph.D. and Susan Walton - Brigham Young University

Two years ago Brad Rawlins was one of the first to get information on transparency into the public relations body of knowledge.

Three Concepts of Transparency

1. Embrace open and honest communication of both successes and failures

2. Engage with your publics, facilitate ongoing dialogue

3. Relinquish the intent to hide things to make your organization look perfect

Sometimes there are limitations to what you can say. When and how should you be transparent?

No Comment

There are traditional reasons for not being transparent:

· You don’t know the answer

· You feel a different spokesperson, perhaps with more or specialized knowledge, should respond

· Response involves a legal issue

· The activity/event deals with personal or confidential information

Consider Translucency. It’s not a replacement for transparency, but is a necessary supplement, or corollary.

Translucency discerns the outline of an object, but does not completely reveal the object.

When should you be transparent?

Is what you are disclosing the truth? (Not just a collection of facts – appropriate context is important.)
Does it meet cultural norms and expectations? (For example, in the Toyota recalls, the Japanese people were insulted that the Toyota CEO addressed the company’s crisis. In this culture, it is sometimes more important to save face.)
Is it authentic? Does it reflect who you are and who you say you are?
Is it the best ethical and emotional choice? Could reputation be damaged?
If releasing the information available at the time, when you know more information will be available at a later date, would you cause someone to act too early without all the facts?

Photo: dbl90 via Flickr Creative Commons

Transparency

A complaint is lodged.

An investigation is launched.

Public is informed about investigation.

The complainant is absolved.

Reputation is potentially damaged.

Translucency

A complaint is lodged.

An investigation is launched.

The complainant is absolved.

Public is informed.

Reputation is maintained.

Toward Translucent Transparency

Does not give permission to hide things.

Most important thing is commitment to open communication with stakeholders to the highest extent possible.
Maintain open, transparent communication always – in good times and bad – ahead of a crisis as well as in the midst of one.
Recognize and freely acknowledge that you rarely have all the answers. Say this clearly and frequently, and explain why this is true.
Hold both sides of the debate accountable for transparency. What are the motives on both sides? (i.e., the media)

Question and Answer Period

Translucency is becoming more acceptable to attorneys, who are beginning to realize the importance of the court of public opinion.

In the non-profit world, transparency is hugely important. A lot of the organization’s credibility depends on its past behavior. Carefully think through and explain why you can’t share some financial information, for example. (i.e., problems the Red Cross faced when it was discovered that some of the money donated for Katrina victims went instead to operating funds or to save for future needs)

Should PRSA Board Service be tied to Public Relations Accreditation?

2010-09-07T21:53:00.000-05:00

This is cross-posted from a post by Ft. Worth PRSA member, Dan Keeney, APR.
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The big debate in public relations circles these days has nothing to do with the outrageous efforts to sully the reputation of Wiki Leaks founder Julian Assange and its implications for the profession and journalism in general, BP’s ham handed response to the biggest manmade environmental disaster in U.S. history or even whether PR staffers caught posting phony reviews online should be tarred and feathered. Instead, the greatest minds of our profession are embroiled in a no-win argument about whether the Public Relations Society of America should require professional accreditation before being considered for service on the Society’s Board of Directors.

Established in 1964, the Accredited in Public Relations credential (APR) is awarded by the Universal Accreditation Board (disclosure: I earned my APR in 2000). It measures a public relations practitioner’s fundamental knowledge of communications theory and its application; establishes advanced capabilities in research, strategic planning, implementation and evaluation; and demonstrates a commitment to professional excellence and ethical conduct.

The APR credential has nothing to do with a person’s ability to govern effectively on the board of a national PR society. Zip. Zero. Nada.

Currently, PRSA requires that any prospective board member be accredited. When a ground-up rewrite of the PRSA bylaws was proposed last year, the organization’s General Assembly (the PRSA version of Congress) rejected the proposed language that would have stripped accreditation from board requirements. Despite voting a few years ago to drop the requirement that all Assembly Delegates be accredited, the Assembly balked at taking the next logical step.

The reason the PRSA general assembly voted to drop the requirement that Assembly Delegates be accredited (or “decouple” service from accreditation as we called it then) was that doing so eliminated so many highly qualified PRSA chapter leaders. How could a person serve as the president of a large chapter and not qualify to represent that chapter as a PRSA Assembly Delegate?

The rationale for keeping the accreditation requirement for Assembly Delegates then (as it is now for board service) is that it illustrates an organizational commitment to the credential. If PRSA’s leaders aren’t willing to pursue and achieve the credential, how can the organization suggest it has value for everyone else? What kind of PR practitioner would seek a leadership position but not consider it worthwhile to seek this profession’s credential?

That is a pretty good argument, but we aren’t in a world where everything makes sense. The fact is that only about 20 percent of PRSA members have achieved the APR credential. As a result, until the middle of the last decade, the organization basically had a class system of governance. Only 20 percent of the membership had the ability to serve on the PRSA General Assembly and/or Board of Directors. The other 80 percent, for which everything else was the same (including dues) could not participate in leadership.

Included in that 80 percent are highly capable PR practitioners, including accomplished leaders in corporate communications and agency management. Included in that 80 percent are people who have been leaders of the profession for 20 or more years and regularly shape thoughts about effective strategies, trends and ethics. And included in that 80 percent who, until the mid-00s, could not serve as an Assembly Delegate and STILL cannot serve as a PRSA Board Member are practitioners who have given countless hours of their time as leaders at the chapter and regional levels.

It didn’t make sense for the PRSA General Assembly and it does not make sense for the PRSA Board of Directors.

Last year when the general assembly passed an amendment to the proposed new bylaws that re-inserted the accreditation requirement for board service, I thought it was wrong. To make a point, I presented an amendment to re-insert the accreditation requirement for service as a General Assembly Delegate. I knew it would be defeated, but I wanted to make a point that their insistence on requiring an APR for board service made no sense given their vehement distaste for requiring APR for the assembly.

It was and is a blatant contradiction. If you believe accreditation should be a requirement for PRSA leadership, I respect that. But I can’t understand how you can require accreditation for one set of leaders but drop the same requirement for the other set of leaders.

I don’t think anyone really got the point I was trying to make. Turns out PR people are a very literal group and don’t really get irony.

Fast forward to today with forum posts and e-mails flying with semi-respectful insults pitting the leaders of our profession against each other. Each side is entrenched with very little likelihood that many will be influenced by the back and forth argument. But here’s the bottom line:

It makes no sense to require accreditation of the PRSA Board of Directors, especially since the PRSA General Assembly dropped the requirement for accreditation for itself and nearly all chapters have no APR requirements for leadership.
Given the fact that a majority of the leaders of PRSA chapters, regions and the PRSA General Assembly are not accredited, it is impossible to argue that accreditation has any impact on the ability to govern. The organization is already largely governed by unaccredited PR practitioners.
The inability of four out of five PRSA members to serve on the PRSA board regardless of their level of achievement, track record of service to the organization or interest in serving is patently unfair.
If the real goal is to illustrate the organization’s commitment to the credential, there must be better ways to accomplish that goal than coupling accreditation and board service.

That last point is where a meaningful and productive conversation really should start, but unfortunately year after year the PRSA General Assembly gets a glossed over report on the status of the organization’s accreditation promotion efforts. Let’s hope this year it is different.
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This post was shared in the spirit of having a Point / Counterpoint discussion. What do you think? We are also open to posting a counter argument from membership.

Not the Usual Suspects: Diversity in public relations work (August)

2010-08-18T15:29:00.000-05:00

The following is a guest post provided by Bill Prickett, APR:
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Photo by clevercupcakes via Creative Commons

The August program focused on “outsiders,” so I guess it’s appropriate that this post is written by someone from the Dallas chapter. I’ve been active in PRSA for many years, and served as the first co-chair of the Dallas Diversity Committee and was also involved in the diversity initiative with PRSA national. When I saw this topic, I knew I wanted to attend.

First, I want to report that the speaker, Jacquie Lambiase, Ph.D., was stellar, offering so much insight into a difficult and sometimes uncomfortable topic. She’s an associate professor in the strategic communication division of TCU's Schieffer School of Journalism and has co-edited and co-written two books on advertising's use of sexually oriented appeals, along with writing journal articles and books chapters on ethics, social media, and gendered images in mass media. Her content was informative and her style was casual, encouraging the interactive discussion that the audience obviously didn’t want to end.

She informed the group of her intentions to cover three basic areas on the topic of diversity: religion (specifically Islam) and disabilities, though her primary concentration would focus on gays, lesbian and transgendered in the workplace. At the very beginning, she shared that all three of these barriers would be helped by each of us adopting an attitude of hospitality—making people feel welcomed, valued and accepted.

I will attempt a brief (sigh) overview of some highlights from the presentation and discussion.

The day of the luncheon happened to be the first day of Ramadan, and it was brought out that neither of the DFW primary newspapers had carried any stories about the event or the religion. “Can you imagine Christmas without a front page story? Or Easter?” Jacquie asked the group.

On the subject of disabilities, Jacquie pointed out that most accommodations cost nothing. She said the best way to deal with people with disabilities is to “have the conversation”—talk about it and get it out in the open. Our differences keep us at a distance, but communication can bridge the gap.

When it comes to sexual orientation and gender identity, Jacquie encouraged companies to “come out of the closet” in their open, vocal support of GLBT employees. The group made numerous suggestions to help GLBT employees :

Provide domestic partnership benefits
Change the options on forms (Male and Female only; Single, Married, Divorced… Partnered?)
Use of offensive terminology: sexual preference, chosen lifestyle, etc.

I wish there was time and space to share all the insights I recorded in my notebook; they were helpful. (I learned the new term “Gay Vague Advertising” and how some companies are content with a casual ‘wink’ in the direction of the gay/lesbian market. That discussion was worth the price of the meal for me.) But it’s my hope that what I have shared here will give you an idea of what was discussed…and the incredible value of such programs.

As Jacquie pointed out, it’s not that we don’t need to continue our discussion on issues such as racial and gender diversity, but we must broaden our perspective and our hospitality. I applaud the Fort Worth chapter for addressing this topic in such a (pardon the pun) straight-forward and thoughtful approach.
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Bill Prickett, APR works in Public Relations/Communications at Certified Payment Processing and is a Dallas PRSA chapter member.

In the hot Texas sun, sweating and wondering...

2010-08-03T12:23:00.000-05:00

Image via Wikipedia

PRESIDENT’S COLUMN -- Tom Burke, APR, Greater Fort Worth PRSA

Just sitting here in the hot Texas sun, sweating and wondering ...

... When is it okay to call a woman a fellow? Well, when that woman is Dr. Amiso M. George, APR. Amiso is a member of the Greater Fort Worth PRSA Chapter, and she's just been accepted by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) into its prestigious College of Fellows. The College of Fellows is an honorary organization within PRSA comprised of nearly 500 accredited practitioners and educators with at least 20 years of experience in the business. That's the top two percent of the profession who are members of PRSA.

Dr. George is an associate professor of strategic communication and advisor of the TCU-PRSSA/Bateman Team, Schieffer School of Journalism, Texas Christian University. Dr. George will be inducted into the College of Fellows at the PRSA International Conference in Washington, D.C., in October. She will be the fifth member of the Greater Fort Worth PRSA Chapter to become a Fellow. The four others are Dr. Doug Newsom, APR, Carolyn Bobo, APR, Bill Lawrence, APR and Mary Dulle, APR. It's a tribute to our Chapter that nearly four percent of our members are PRSA Fellows.

... What would we have done, and what would have happened, if the BP oil well in the Gulf couldn't be capped and the flow of oil stopped? What happens if we can't stop the flow of an underground oil well in the future?

... Was Neil Armstrong chewing gum when he walked on the moon 41 years ago, last month?

... How can millions of people daily be able to view a video being transmitted from a mile underwater, but the local cable company can't maintain service to my house during a thunderstorm?

... If there now are 400 billionaires in the world, why aren't we hearing about the many good things they are doing with their money to benefit the human race?

... If members of the millennial generation are supposed to be such collaborative communicators, why are they like so many other youngsters and do not talk to their parents?

... Shouldn't there be a national holiday for the original Anthora's inventor, who recently died?

... If we are supposed to be flying the friendly skies, why are so many pilots depressed? Just recently, the FAA changed a generations-old policy and began allowing pilots with mild to moderate depression to fly while taking antidepressants. The thought of having a depressed pilot in the cockpit depresses me.

... If after reading the August issue of Texas Monthly, you wondered, as I did, if John Graves found a back porch while he was at TCU.

Try to stay cool. Hopefully, August will fly by and give way to cooler weather and the 2010 college football season!

Do you have 20/20 vision? Who will rule the business and political world in 2020

2010-07-26T22:37:00.000-05:00

PRSA Monthly Luncheon, Wednesday, July 14, 2010
By Corey Lark, Open Channels Group

The Fort Worth PRSA July 2010 presentation was a little different than usual. The main focus was business and the International business environment. For those that missed it, here's a summary of lessons learned and take-aways from the program, Do you have 20/20 vision? Who will rule the business and political world in 2020, with Bill Moncrief, Ph.D., senior associate dean and professor of international business at the Neeley School of Business at Texas Christian University. (See the notes in Flashpaper below or get the PDF.)

Key PR Take-Aways:

The Internet is a blessing, has brought the world together
We always need to be looking 10 years out, change is always coming
In order to thrive in business, you need to be doing business in the world market
When the Obama administration took office, the world's perception of the U.S. became more positive and international business picked up
The world is constantly changing, we need to be prepared to work in the global marketplace; we need to be prepared for the rapid change that is constantly occurring

The value of PR and driving fast

2010-07-15T21:07:00.000-05:00

Image by James Marvin Phelps (mandj98) via Flickr

PRESIDENT’S COLUMN
Tom Burke, APR, Greater Fort Worth PRSA

Thanks to a special gift received this past Christmas, I recently had the opportunity to "Be like Richard Petty" by driving a 600-horsepower NASCAR car eight laps around the 2.5-mile track at Texas Motor Speedway. My wife didn't understand why such an experience was a big deal. After all, she said, I drive along Interstate 35 everyday as if I am racing at the Speedway. Friends and colleagues figured I was checking off an item on my bucket list. Truth is, the only item on my bucket list is to not "kick the bucket" each and every day!

Traveling along at 130 mph like a pea crammed into an extra-small pod (how do pro racers drive 500 or so miles in such conditions?) certainly gives you a different perspective on things, especially when you have to navigate banked turns and zip alongside a daunting wall displaying black skid marks from earlier confrontations, all of which the wall easily won. It also makes you realize that this is what many of us in the fast-paced world of public relations profession do on a daily basis; we speed along, perhaps overlooking opportunities to display the art and science of our profession.

While many would argue that the deep value of public relations is exemplified during a crisis, such as the BP offshore drilling incident in the Gulf of Mexico, perhaps because we often are moving at the speed of sound we forget how powerful and beneficial public relations can be during the best of times. Take, for instance, corporate social responsibility. From Tom's Shoes to Kimberly-Clark to the Pepsi Refresh Project, the American Express Members Project and the IBM Corporate Service Corps, companies worldwide are becoming part of the corporate social responsibility trend. As Laura Moore, vice president, global communications, Kimberly-Clark, said during the June Greater Fort Worth PRSA luncheon, through its corporate social responsibility program, Kimberly-Clark and its employees contributed $21.6 million in cash and product donations and 60,000 hours of time to charitable causes worldwide last year. Kimberly-Clark highlighted these amazing accomplishments in its "2009 Sustainability Report Summary." It's a classic example of a classic definition of public relations: "Do good, then tell others."

When you've done good, and told others, it can make it a lot easier to pick up the pieces if you happen to crash into a wall going 130 mph or more.

That's the value of public relations.

Recap: Building a Corporate Social Responsibility Program

2010-06-23T08:50:00.003-05:00

The following is a summary of lessons learned and take-aways from the Ft. Worth PRSA June 2010 program, Building a Corporate Social Responsibility Program, with Laura K. Moore, Vice President - Global Communications, Kimberly-Clark Corporation:

What is strategic Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)?

Aligning your corporate strategy with your business strategy
Defining the positive impact you aim to make based on what your company is good at
An understanding that doing good can be good for business

Why is CSR important?

Growing environmental concerns
Companies moving from seeing CSR as less of an obligation to more of a business opportunity
Internet enables people to scrutinize corporate behavior
Increased expectations of companies to contribute
Corporate reputations bruised post-recession
Millennial expectations (the connected generation)

CSR goes beyond philanthropy, this is about corporate citizenship.

How the company treats:

Community
Suppliers
Government
Employees
Customers
Environment

Your CSR strategy has to be lived from the inside out.

Be it. Do it. Say it.

A cohesive CSR strategy ensures all key elements of the organization work together.

Employee contributions + Brand Cause Marketing + Corporate Giving = Greater Impact, More Recognition

Corporate trust is a key driver of choice and is currently seriously challenged.

* When people trust a company they:

Will pay more
Will recommend it to others

Engagement increases when an employee is satisfied with the company's CSR initiatives. Employees need to be asking themselves, "What do we stand for?"

Laura Moore pulled the curtain back a little bit on Kimberly-Clark's CSR strategy and plans to move forward. She stated that Kimberly-Clark Corporate Goal: Be responsible stewards of the environment and positive contributors to our community.

Kimberly-Clark has the global assets and framework, however Moore explained that she doesn't have the Ta-Da example from the corporation yet since it is still a work in progress.
(Photo: Kimberly-Clark Sustainability Report)

A CSR Enterprise Signature Project needs to:

be based in research;
have a defined focus to be successful;
leverage brands for focus in relevant areas and expertise from with organization; and
be supported and endorsed by whole organization.

What would you add? What do you see as necessary components, objectives, or concepts for a successful CSR program? The comments are yours.
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Special thanks to Corey Lark, AE at Open Channels Group for providing feedback and notes on the June program for the chapter.

BP: A disaster on all fronts

2010-06-14T09:17:00.005-05:00

By Margaret Ritsch, APR (cross-posted from the Balcom Agency blog)

As PR professionals watch the biggest environmental disaster in U.S. history unfold, we just shake our heads in wonder. Are there any seasoned public relations people at BP's executive table?

It is clear that BP's mistakes not only have damaged untold species, livelihoods, and local economies. Its problems are compounded by the apparent disregard for some of the key principles of crisis communications. Granted, lawyers are now in control because of the likelihood of criminal charges. But early in a crisis is when a company's behavior and communications matter most. Failure to respond quickly and communicate openly in ways that meet the public's needs and expectations will always make matters worse.

1. Accessibility and openness. When a company has a big problem that causes public harm, that company should communicate both internally and externally just as aggressively as it works to fix the problem.

This is one of many principles taught by James Lukaszewski, APR, a leading national figure in crisis communications and public relations. (I've learned a lot from Jim Lukaszewski. His company's website is worth a visit: www.e911.com.)

A public crisis of this dimension demands that a company's top executive step up, communicate, and answer the hard questions. CEO Tony Hayward should be much more visible and accessible to press and to the many publics affected by this disaster. Sorry Tony, you can't have your life back, not for a while.

I believe BP would benefit from allowing TV cameras on its rigs to talk with the workers who are laboring around the clock to repair the leak, drill relief wells and perform other demanding tasks. Workers cleaning up beaches also say they can't speak with press. Now controlling the message is important to a company in a crisis, but within reason. There ought to be a way for the company to demonstrate and describe its cleanup and repair efforts at the ground level.

It would go a long way to rebuild confidence that BP is working tirelessly to try to ameliorate the damage caused by the oil rig blowout and continuing oil flow. It would humanize the company.

2. Responsiveness. Companies have a responsibility to talk about problems affecting the public and to provide important, relevant information as quickly and completely as they can -- especially when health and safety are at risk.

Only this week has BP provided the HD video footage that shows the oil gushing out of the well hole. Scientists and others have been asking for this video for weeks in order to accurately gauge the amount of leakage.

3. Ethics. If a company is at fault, it should admit its mistake, apologize, and explain as quickly as possible. With an absolute commitment to telling the truth. Granted, this was a complex operation involving multiple companies besides BP. Still, BP owes its employees, shareholders, and all affected parties a huge apology, an acknowledgment of its role in this disaster, and an assurance -- grounded in reality -- that this kind of problem will never happen again.

4. Engagement. It is important in a crisis to answer the public's questions and volunteer information that may be of interest -- to use a two-way communications model so that the company is not just talking, but it is also listening and responding.

Instead, BP is engaged in an elaborate, costly, one-way advertising campaign. It is talking at its publics through full-page color ads in the New York Times and likely other news vehicles and spending hundreds of thousands of dollars purchasing Google and Yahoo search terms. More direct engagement with the publics affected by the disaster would cost a lot less and be more effective in rebuilding trust in the company.

5. Commitment. Companies need to learn from their mistakes, talk publicly about what they learned, and commit publicly to fixing whatever needs to be fixed internally to prevent big mistakes from happening again.

BP pleaded guilty in the 2005 explosion at its Texas City refinery to violating the Clean Air Act. It pled guilty again to another federal violation for its role in causing oil spills in Alaska in 2006. One has to wonder if BP has learned from its mistakes and examined the business practices that have now led to an enormous environmental disaster. In my humble opinion, from this small agency in Fort Worth, this should be BP's first priority.

PR people can measure social media - May 2010 Professional Development Recap

2010-05-23T22:55:00.000-05:00

This is cross-posted from the Next Communications blog.
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I want to be perfectly clear about something, I don't have a complete grasp of social media measurement. But I want to learn. Thankfully, the May 2010 Fort Worth PRSA professional development program was there to help. Katie Paine was our featured speaker and billed to provide morning and lunch sessions focused on key elements of measurement: engagement, including quantitative, qualitative, and new relationship metrics.

If we are going to be any good at using measurement, we must conquer fears. PR people spend too much time being afraid metrics will reveal that their program isn't working; afraid of what they'll hear; afraid they can't justify their program (or existence); and/or are afraid to admit that they don't know how to measure.

"The main reason to measure objectives is not so much to reward or punish individual communications managers for success or failure as it is to learn from the research whether a program should be continued as is, revised, or dropped in favor of another approach."
- Dr. James Grunig of the University of Maryland

Bottom-line, PR people spend too much time trying to justify our existence instead of showing business impact.

Old School vs. New School metrics
Old School Metrics:

AVEs (Katie Paine wants to destroy Ad Value Equivalencies.)
Eyeballs
HITS (How Idiots Track Success)
Couch potatoes (I didn't quite understand this one)
# of Twitter followers (unless you're a celebrity)
# of Facebook Friends/"Likes" (unless they donate money)

New School Metrics:

Influence = The power or ability to effect someone's actions
Engagement = Some action beyond zero
Advocacy = Engagement driven by an agenda
Sentiment = contextual expression of opinion - regardless of tone
ROI = Return on Investment - no more, no less. End of discussion.

Starting to sink in
Goals drive metrics, metrics drive results:

Goal - Reputation/Relationship
Metrics - Relationship scores, recommendations, positioning, engagement

Goal - Get the word out on mission/safety/civic engagement
Metrics - % hearing, % believing, % acting

Goal - Marketing/leads/sales
Metrics - Engagement Index, cost per customer acquisition, web analytics, sales leads, marketing mix modeling

One of the great things about Katie Paine's program is that she provided attendees with other excellent resources such as Don Bartholomew (MetricsMan) and Eric Peterson (Web Analytics Demystified.) It says something positive to me when speakers point people to other resources.

The graphic below is from Bartholomew's blog on the topic of the digitization of research and measurement and it helps us visually see what we need to measure:

Here's some thoughts from our speaker on the importance for PR people to measure:

Much more to learn
Katie provided the link to her presentation slides "Are we engaged yet? How to develop your engagement metric." She has opened up a wealth of information for attendees and those who could not make the sessions or carve out some time on her blog. I hope you will take some time to mine such treasures as the 27 conversation types, the seven steps to the perfect 21st Century Measurement Program, engagement on places over which you have no control, why you need a Kick Butt Index and much more.

Finally, I'd like to personally thank Katie for her gracious attitude and thoughtful demeanor while imparting some fantastic information. My seven pages of notes requires some time for reflection and application. (Oh and thanks for explaining Maine coon cats, talking politics and of course, geeking out a bit on NCIS.)

Grow your social media measurement skills

2010-05-05T22:00:00.007-05:00

President's Column: Tom Burke, APR, Greater Fort Worth PRSA
(This post appeared in the May 2010 issue of the eChaser)

It’s continual learning for me at IBM. Every day. It’s that way when you’re on a team of 400,000 people helping to build a smarter planet and 399,999 of those people are smarter than you!

Thankfully, in today’s intensely competitive and dynamic global marketplace, IBM continues to invest in employee development. Through various avenues, the company provides resources necessary to grow your skills, gain new experiences and build a high-impact career. A career differentiated by expertise. In fact, IBM’s achievements in learning and development recently earned Fortune magazine recognition as the No. 1 company for leaders.

This focus on skills and career development is also true of the Public Relations Society of America. Professional development is one of the most cherished benefits of PRSA membership. At Greater Fort Worth PRSA we continually strive to exceed this expectation of our members through relevant monthly programs and engaging events.

One of our most exciting professional development meetings is set for Wednesday, May 19, at Colonial Country Club. Katie Delahaye Paine, CEO and founder of KDPaine & Partners and author of “Measuring Public Relationships: The Data-Driven Communicator’s Guide to Success,” will lead a three-hour morning workshop focusing on key elements of engagement, including quantitative, qualitative and new relationship metrics. Over lunch she will review measurement principles and how they apply to the new, wild world of social media. It promises to be four hours of exceptional expertise building that you won’t want to miss.

In this crazy world we live in, it is more true than ever that if you’re not learning and growing, you are slowly fading away. And that doesn’t sound like too much fun, does it?

(Photo credit: Sarah Scissors)

5 Ways to Save Money on a Viral Video Project

2010-03-11T07:55:00.000-06:00

This is cross-posted from chapter member and March luncheon speaker, Jamie Brown's PR blog:

Most public relations practitioners think of corporate video has high-dollar productions. However, the rules in today's world of social media are such that creating a video for your organization doesn't have to be expensive, and it can be just as valuable as a big budget corporate blockbuster. Click here and check out this rapping flight attendant from Southwest Airlines. Southwest put it on their blog and not long after they were fielding phone calls from CNN and The Jay Leno Show! You can't buy that kind of press.

My opportunity to create a viral video came while working at JPS. We wanted to launch a new customer service initiative and roll it out to all 4,500 employees who were geographically separated. We decided creating a series of videos that used humor and was attention grabbing would be far more effective than sending out an e-mail telling everyone to be nice and smile more often. Check out how we created elevator heroes and reminded everyone to provide better communication to patients by clicking here.

You too can create heroes or promote your company's fun atmosphere without breaking the bank by using the following guidelines:

Write it yourself
Use your own people as talent
Keep it short 1:30 - 2 min
Shoot multiple videos at one time
Use limited:

audio
graphics
1ighting

Use these tactics and you should be able to produce a series of viral videos for $6,000-$10,000.
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(Photo credit: Scott Kinmartin)
Do you have any additional ideas or tips on creating potentially viral videos on a budget? The comments are yours.

Change is Good

2010-03-09T11:00:00.003-06:00

President's Column: Tom Burke, APR, Greater Fort Worth PRSA

Never mind that historic foot of snow on the ground, I still hit the neighborhood convenience store to pay my weekly state income tax by buying a lottery ticket. The clerk was all too perky. Must have been the weather. As he handed me the potential winning numbers, he said, “Get lucky. Change our lives.”

Not sure I want to change my life. Enhance it, maybe, but changing it at this stage of the game would be a bit drastic.

PR and communications professionals deal with change daily. Often we initiate it. Other times, someone else does, and we’re the ones to make it work. Well, the winds of change are blowing at Greater Fort Worth PRSA. The recession has caused us some minor headaches, one result being that the chapter will no longer pay the parking for luncheon attendees (although we did negotiate a garage rate of $2.50). But after this month that won’t be an issue, because the Petroleum Club is renovating, and we’re shifting to Colonial Country Club. Fore!

So come enjoy our last meeting at the Petroleum Club on Wednesday, March 10, and then recalibrate for Colonial, where the parking is free. The luncheon meetings will stay the second Wednesday of the month except in April for our annual Pro-Am Day. To be more convenient for TCU, UTA and Abilene Christian University students, that meeting will be Friday, April 9.

Whew! That’s enough change for even the most seasoned public relations/communications professional. By the way, the clerk didn’t give me any winning numbers. At least that’s one change I don’t have to worry about.

(Photo credit: TW Collins)

Helping hands and thoughts on crisis response

2010-02-01T12:03:00.000-06:00

President's Column: Tom Burke, APR, Greater Fort Worth PRSA

It was morning. Early Monday morning. A pre-coffee, pre-newspaper, very early Monday morning. The boss was on the phone. She had just been told to be in an 8 a.m. meeting, and she needed a presentation. A presentation I had to put together, and fast. I thought this was a crisis. The next day I learned what a crisis really is.

An earthquake is a crisis. Especially an earthquake that pummels an already reeling country, delivering a cruel sucker punch to hundreds of thousands of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable. Was this young boy’s mother or father alive? Any of his family members? What would these people eat or drink? Who would tend to their broken bones? Where would they live? One huge crisis after another. Minute by minute. Hour by hour.

As the situation unfolded before me on CNN, I was heartened that millions of us would do what we could to assist. I also was filled with pride that many local public relations and communications professionals are associated with organizations that assist in times of need — the American Red Cross, United Way, the Salvation Army, food banks, hospitals, emergency responders, women’s shelters, shelters for the homeless. What would we do without these groups and the public relations and communications professionals who help them fulfill their mission?

Think, too, about the dedicated communications professionals who staff critical positions at local corporations and organizations, school districts and government entities. They handle the crisis message on a regular basis, to the benefit of us all. Think H1N1 or the swine flu, and recall the superb job done recently by the Fort Worth Independent School District and Tarrant County. And be thankful for the media people who partner at times with PR departments to inform, educate and protect our community. It’s a partnership that lets us know that no matter what happens, day or night, helping hands are near.

Helping hands. Comfort. Hope. These things, and so much more, are needed by the people of Haiti. For they are the ones who experienced the real crisis.

-- from the February 2010 eChaser newsletter

(Photo credit: JMaz Photo)

School PR response to the H1N1 Crisis

2010-02-01T11:10:00.000-06:00

In January, the Greater Fort Worth Chapter of PRSA kicked off 2010 with a program that featured the Fort Worth ISD's Communications Department and their presentation H1N1: Six Days in May and Beyond.

The presentation was in essence the school district's communications/PR response to the H1N1/Swine Flu outbreak that hit our area and the controversy they had to tackle. Below is the video the team presented:

What struck me about that District's response was that it had to be an integrated effort by all areas in order to be successful. This was no time for silos and worrying about stepping on toes. The administration, operations, campuses, technology, transportation, etc. in addition to the communications efforts all had to coordinate and cooperate. From a PR stand-point, they wanted to position the District as doing the right thing for kids. FWISD Senior Communications Officer, Barbara Griffith, pointed out that the actions and decisions were made in a way to show that the district was "going to protect our children."

Communications Carry-out:

Plan, plan, plan - "We thought we had a crisis plan...you can never plan enough," said Griffith.
Trust your communication channels - Think through response mechanism and all of its forms, i.e. dedicated web presence for issue, phone tree, phone hot-line for Q&A, in-house video options, press conferences and media relations, social media tools, etc.
Be flexible - They were shooting at a moving target during the crisis because of internal/external influences such as national, state, and local health agencies mandates. During their meetings, no idea was a bad idea.
Pay attention to media needs - Think of things from the media's perspective and plan (or adapt) accordingly.
A united front - This was a huge team effort and exemplified the "Ft. Worth way."

From my perspective as school PR professional, I believe the overall operationally integrated effort and approach for continued learning, and a swift return to normal through the H1N1 crisis by the Ft. Worth ISD last year was highly commendable and impressive. Were their decisions popular? Not for everyone inside and outside the organization. But then, that's the line schools districts and leaders have to walk in times of fear in order to meet the needs, trust and expectations of our communities.

If you attended this program, what were some things that applied to you and your work? The comments are yours.

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Note: This post was delayed in anticipation of the video presentation being uploaded to the FWISD YouTube channel. Special thanks to Barbara Griffith, Clint Bond, and Scott Juvette and their communications/PR team. The post is also cross-posted on the Next Communications blog.

PR pros thrive and learn @FortWorthPRSA

2010-01-24T21:42:00.000-06:00

This is cross-posted on the Next Communications blog:

I am a member of and hold a board position with the Greater Ft. Worth Chapter of PRSA. At the January Board meeting, we were given the local results from the PRSA's all-chapters survey that was launched in March of last year.

According to William Murray, the President and COO of PRSA, the purpose of the survey was "to identify, in a methodical, statistically sound way, which Chapters represent best practices in the area of service delivery, and who can serve as models for other Chapters to learn from and emulate."

The Results
Here are some of the interesting and in some cases, surprising, data points from the Ft. Worth chapter report:

Chapter Satisfaction was listed at 82% compared to a 53% all chapter average and 58% peer chapter by size.

Quotes from the open-ended questions included Positives

“Good for networking.”
“Necessary.”
“Can't think of anything that it is not doing. Very busy bunch.”

...and Negatives

“We need more of the higher level training experiences like they provide at PRSA New York.”
“Sometimes not substantive.”
“The same basic formula for monthly meetings gets boring after awhile.”

The respondents wanted to see our chapter Do More

Programs delivered by thought-leaders
Ethics programs
Newsletter

...Do Less

Award programs
Mentoring programs (This was actually surprising since mentoring should be a fundamental aspect in my opinion.)
e-Group or listserv

...and Maintain

Website (This pleased me because I manage much of the online content for the chapter.)
Social media (such as chapter blog, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook group)
Volunteer opportunities

Chapter events were rated very well including highest remarks in the categories of Professional, Beneficial, Relevant, a Learning Experience, and Welcoming. (I attribute the last one as being in part because we are in Ft. Worth.)

There are some great take-aways for the chapter leadership and members to assess moving forward. I really appreciate PRSA National taking this on for the chapters as a way to help us grow as an organization and on our local levels. As a PR professional, I think it is a great investment of my time to be a member of PRSA and look forward to another enlightening and challenging year.

If you have attended any of the Ft. Worth PRSA chapter events/meetings (or other PRSA chapter meetings) I would appreciate any feedback on your experiences. As always, the comments are yours.

Make every second count this year

2010-01-12T07:58:00.003-06:00

Image via Wikipedia

President's Column: Tom Burke, APR, Greater Fort Worth PRSA

As hard as it is to believe, a decade has come and gone. As they say, time really does fly. Then again, even a second can seem like an eternity and be life-changing. Just ask the Nebraska Cornhuskers. And the Texas Longhorns. And the TCU Horned Frogs. In the Big 12 Championship game last month, one second was the difference between Nebraska losing, Texas winning and TCU being in the Fiesta Bowl on January 4 instead of playing for the national championship January 7 in Pasadena. In other words, every second counts.

I hope to make every second count this year for the magnificent public relations professionals in Greater Fort Worth PRSA. It is humbling to lead such a dynamic crowd in my hometown, and an honor as president to follow in the footsteps of some of the titans of our industry — Andra Bennett, APR; Laura Van Hoosier, APR; Marc Flake; Holly Ellman; Heather Senter, APR. I am surrounded by an amazing group of accomplished and dedicated people, including the chapter’s 2010 officers and committee chairs. Thanks to all of them for agreeing to lead with me in the New Year.

The year begins with uncertainty swirling about, but I am encouraged by the continued vitality of the Fort Worth-Dallas Metroplex and the resiliency of not only our local public relations professionals but the entire workforce. Hopefully we will not see worse economic times or more unsettling changes than what we just survived and that better days are ahead as we build on the personal and professional relationships that sustain us.

I wish you unbridled success and happiness in 2010. And let’s all resolve to make every second count.

Tom C. Burke, APR
IBM
(TCU '76)

PR Dreams for 2010

2010-01-07T10:24:00.002-06:00

This is cross-posted from Linda Jacobson's blog, The Saltlick.

Googling 2010 predictions shows that it’s the 36th-most searched subject on the final day of the decade. I’ve read some predictions, like these, with an enthusiastic nod. Still, I think there’s some of the “daring to dream” aspect that’s missing. That’s what I crave most, the idea that as a PR professional, I can do something in a new and unique way. So, without any prediction whatsoever, here’s my wish list for PR in 2010:

I want to see my elected PRSA leadership affirm accreditation with one voice and promote it. The APR conversation will continue to be circular without a strong, united voice coming from the association’s elected leadership. My wish would result in more knowledgeable PR professionals coming up through the profession and agreement on best PR practices permeating down from the top. I’m tired of hearing the same old arguments about why senior PR pros who don’t possess APR think it’s a bad idea. Get over yourselves already, and together, let’s build up the profession with professional standards and expectations.

I’m wishing for technology that allows PR to deliver green. Instead of just talking about how green an industry is, I’d like to practice green and add in the WOW factor. I can’t wait to deliver a PR communiqué using holographic displays from smart phones and e-mails. Or how about replacing Powerpoint with this type of presentation? Steve Jobs, can you hear me?

Quality content. Repeat that three times please. And then do it. Don’t put something out there that isn’t relevant, fresh and timely. That means PR professionals will need to hone their strategic skills and nurture their journalistic relationships. Spend time doing this instead of putting out a news release every single day. We’ll all reap the benefit of that practice.

Play nice with others. Marketers, advertisers and PR professionals need to be on the same team. Playing to each strength usually gets targeted results. When one of the three legs decides not to do this, the result skews and doesn’t deliver full strength.

I’m sure you have dreams for the PR profession, too. Please share those, so we can all toast them together, and here’s hoping your PR dreams come true in 2010.

Truth and Consequences

2009-10-29T14:46:00.004-05:00

President's Column: Andra Bennett House, APR

Remember the long-running game show Truth or Consequences? Sometimes in the world of PR, it’s a game known as Truth AND Consequences.

Everyone agrees if we lie about, hide or omit critical facts, we will eventually pay the consequences. But truth – or personal opinion – has consequences as well.

Some months ago, this debate hit the blogs regarding Whole Foods CEO John Mackey, who penned an Aug. 11 opinion piece for the Wall Street Journal regarding health care reform. It prompted thousands of comments on Whole Food’s Internet forum, and protesters called for a boycott of the store.

Mackey certainly has freedom of speech, freedom to his opinions. But were the public relations implications – and the financial ripple effects – worth sharing those opinions in such a public forum? Health care as a philosophy is certainly tied into Whole Foods’ mission, but taking a political stance may have unnecessarily alienated too much of the customer base. The jury is still out.

Another example that comes to my mind recently is Rush Limbaugh’s bid to become co-owner of the St. Louis Rams. Some high-profile NFL players said they would not play for Limbaugh, based on racial comments he has made in the past, so he was dropped from the bid. Others, like Time magazine’s Bill Saporito, think that the NFL “is just another big business — why should it be anything less — only with a huge amount of ego attached to it. Rush should fit in quite well.”

Rush, as a nationally-known public figure and entertainer who often says polarizing things on the airwaves, is either worshiped or vilified. Anyone entering into a business relationship would certainly be within their rights to weigh the benefits vs. the risks of teaming up with a person whose larger-than-life reputation could impact the value or operation of a franchise.

It shouldn’t come as any surprise when a public figure cannot separate unrelated business dealings from his or her reputation. We cannot separate a pastor’s / CEO’s / radio host’s personal opinions or private behavior from their public responsibility to their trustholders. They can’t live their lives in compartments. Is that fair? Not always. But it’s the way it is.

Public figures have always been scrutinized and held to higher standards. With today’s 24/7 media, now more than ever, freedom of speech does not guarantee freedom from the consequences of your speech.

Why earn your APR? #accredchat testimonial

2009-10-17T20:48:00.005-05:00

Diane Rhodes Bergman, APR

Attaining the APR turned out to be one of the most rewarding endeavors I have undertaken. I have been practicing PR professionally for over 15 years and have always strived to stay informed and updated. As a result, I was astonished at how much I learned going through this process and the impact it has had on my daily practice of public relations.

It is true that much of the information you review in preparation for the APR covers topics you have “learned” before. The difference is that this process forces you to actively apply the details of this knowledge to your real life practice of the profession, which takes your learning to a whole new level.

Now that I’ve completed the process, I fully realize that the APR designation is much more than three letters after your name; it symbolizes a deeper level of commitment to the profession, the public and to your employers/clients.

Fort Worth PRSA Dues Increase Vote Revisited

2009-10-17T20:23:00.003-05:00

From the Chapter President, Andra Bennett, APR

Several weeks ago, I e-mailed chapter members and posted a blog item informing you of the Board’s proposal to increase our chapter dues from $45 to $55 annually.

As I outlined in the previous post, our dues have not been increased since the mid-1990s, yet our chapter has grown and with that growth comes increased activities, obligations and associated expenses.

We knew our bylaws called for a vote by the membership at the annual meeting to be able to increase dues for the next fiscal year. However, after looking at the language a little closer, and consulting with a National PRSA, it appears that our bylaws mandate a majority vote of the entire membership, not just those who are present at the annual meeting.

Article IV, Section 1 states: “The amount of Chapter dues for the next fiscal year shall be fixed every year by the Board of Directors. If increased, the increase will be approved at the annual meeting by a majority vote of the Chapter membership.”

In the absence of any other language, such as “a majority of members present and voting,” (which we do have for officer elections), a majority vote means a simple majority, which is 50 percent plus one.

As of Oct. 14, this chapter has 157 members, which means that 79 members would need to be present at our annual meeting luncheon to have a quorum – also defined in the bylaws as a “majority of the membership” – to even take a vote on this issue.

Knowing that we rarely have that many members at a luncheon, and not having time to conduct the vote using proxies, the Board withdrew the proposal for a dues increase at its October board meeting.

However, this issue will likely come back. Our chapter’s budget is around $30,000 annually, and the cost to operate – including luncheons, committees, SIG programs, scholarships, bank and credit card charges, web hosting, tax preparation and filing, etc. – is about $190 per member annually.

We do have a few other revenue streams, but our dues are not keeping up with the cost of doing business. If we want to continue having a vibrant chapter that delivers quality programs in a professional setting, uses up-to-date technology, and encourages professional development of our members and our college students, we will need to revisit that .83 cents per month increase in the next year or two.

Wouldn’t you like to see the GFW Chapter hit the 200-member mark in 2010? Thank you for being a part of it.

Three Signs You're a PR Pro

2009-10-01T10:01:00.000-05:00

Public Relations is ever changing - and as it becomes more integrated with marketing and advertising, we are starting to see many new facets of PR professionals. So what constitutes as a PR professional? We've discussed the definition, but what about types of people? Types of personalities? We will never all be the same, but we might have some of the same traits.

1. 'Dude I can't put down my BlackBerry/iPhone/snazzy smartphone': Admit it. You check it incessantly. You have to be on all the time. You're checking social media channels, Google Alerts and national media coverage. If something negative hits, you need to be ready. If a client pings you at 2 a.m., you might be expected to answer. It might vary depending on your industry, but clients come first. In associations, members come first.

2. 'Proud, Honored and Words Like it Make Us Cringe': It's hard to look at those words in a press release and not take out the red pen and cross it out. Innovative and Synergy are starting to become over-used words as well. As PR professionals, we don't want to have the same type of press release as another, especially a competitor. It's hard to believe something is 'incredible' if everyone else is shouting the same thing. Make your client unique.

3. 'Grammar Pet Peeves': Mine is 'your' v. 'you're.' Yours might be 'loose' v. lose. Many of us are writers at heart, and a large portion of our job revolves around it. I've noticed many have quirks and like things done a certain way - and grammar is always one of them.

So what would you add? What are your signs of a PR professional?

Being green is good for the environment, but is it good your bottom-line?

2009-09-28T21:44:00.005-05:00

Image by K. W. Sanders via Flickr

President's Column: Andra Bennett, APR

Green's my favorite color. Huge green elephant ears gently sway in the breeze outside my home office window as I write this, bringing peace to my work.

My affection toward green extends to the ink on U.S. currency. Having that kind of green brings peace of mind, too.

Can those two greens live in harmony? As environmentally-friendly “green” initiatives have come upon the PR scene, how do we implement programs and campaigns that are relevant to our customer and measure the return to our company / client?

Find out at our next PRSA luncheon Oct. 14 as our panel shares how the public and private sectors are working to steward our precious environment, communicate these efforts to the public, and bring a positive return to a company. Panel members are:

Brian Boerner, director of environmental management, City of Fort Worth

Tom Burke, APR, manager of public relations and communications, IBM

Chris Smith, Texas media director, Environmental Defense Fund

Giving away some green...
We’ll also be handing out some green. The Greater Fort Worth Chapter has established scholarship funds for outstanding PRSSA students at ACU, TCU and UTA. A student from each university is selected to receive $500 each and will receive their check at the October luncheon. The students are:

ACU - Will Moore

TCU - Katie Pool
UTA - Kathelin Buxton

Finally, congratulations to Diane Rhodes Bergman, APR, for achieving her accreditation status from National PRSA. Diane will receive her APR pin and $100 from the Chapter’s Jim Blackmore APR Memorial Scholarship Fund. The fund was established last year in memory of Blackmore’s PRSA legacy in Dallas-Fort Worth, and is awarded to GFW members who achieve accreditation.

Chapter members, your annual dues fund these important local awards that elevate the status of our profession and help support fellow members and students. Please join us in October at our annual meeting for the luncheon program, presentations and elections. Your participation is appreciated.

Ft. Worth PRSA considering chapter dues increase

2009-09-20T21:58:00.000-05:00

A message from the President of the Greater Ft. Worth Chapter PRSA, Andra Bennett, APR:

I'm asking Chapter members to consider something that's sort of like a running joke about members of Congress. Vote yourselves a dues increase.

Our chapter dues are $45 annually. They have not been increased since the mid-to-late '90s, according to chapter records. The Board has proposed increasing the dues to $55 annually, effective January 2010. Bylaws require a majority vote of the membership at the annual meeting at noon on October 14th, at the Petroleum Club, to raise dues. (Register for this meeting here.)

Over the past 11-15 years (when dues were last raised), the chapter has doubled in size, requiring us to send an additional assembly delegate to the national assembly. The chapter has created eight new Special Interest Groups, several new committees such as Diversity and Ethics, committed to annual student scholarships for three universities (UTA, TCU and ACU), and a scholarship fund for members who attain their APR.

Every new activity has associated expense line items - small expenses but necessary for the committees to function. Operation expenses have increased, such as credit card and bank fees for online registrations. Because of our increase in size and budget ($30,000), we now retain an accountant for tax preparation, because even as a non-profit, we are required to file a tax return and associated state tax paperwork. As a 501 (c) 6, we are required to pay sales tax, which has increased as prices have increased.

We have diversified our income streams to include fees for award judging, portions of revenues from the Job Bank and TPRA awards contest, and sponsorships, in order to keep luncheon fees down and not raise dues.

This year, the Board reduced the budget and renegotiated contracts. We are exploring a new venue for luncheons that retains quality and professionalism but would contain costs better.

However, to sustain the many activities and operations of our chapter, we should consider increasing our dues to help cover and defray rising expenses and maintain a balanced budget. In addition, this would add room for further chapter expansion OR protect us from economic downturns like the one we saw this year.

Fyi, a $10 annual increase amounts to 83 cents per month per member.

If you have questions, please feel free to contact me (abennett [at] fortworthchamber.com) or our Treasurer Allyson Cross (cross [at] gcgadvertising.com).

Andra Bennett, APR
President, Greater Fort Worth PRSA

Making the News: The Rise of the Crowd

2009-09-15T22:26:00.002-05:00

On Tuesday, September 15, GFW PRSA members Tracy Syler-Jones and Richie Escovedo provided a session for the chapter's Education Special Interest Group.

Making the News: The Rise of the Crowd

Tracy Syler-Jones (@TracySJ) - Vice Chancellor of Marketing and Communication at TCU
Richie Escovedo (@vedo) - Media and Communication Development at Mansfield ISD

Today's supercharged communication world presents numerous challenges for communicators. In the recent past, one could rely on traditional media to pass along news and information that could reach, and hopefully, influence the masses.

However, a shrinking number of reporters means communicators must learn how to effectively utilize, integrate and manage social networking and new media tools to remain visible and connected with key audiences. Learn more about the role the crowd plays in pushing your message along and how to tap into that energy.

Additional links promised to attendees:

Understanding organizational ethics: How PR professionals can steer a safe course

2009-09-14T13:01:00.001-05:00

Image by clspeace via Flickr

From PRSA’s Public Relations Tactics, Vol. 19, Issue 9/September 2009

By Linda Ld Jacobson, APR

Ponzi schemes, bank failures and million-dollar bonuses. The public barometer of trust in U.S. corporations measured a frail 38 percent for informed publics, aged 35 to 64, according to a StrategyOne survey in December 2008. Public backlash ballooned, erupting against those companies guided by a moral compass different from that of Main Street.
Under this public scrutiny, how can PR professionals assess whether an organization is steering an ethical course? And what strategies can PR pros implement if they find an enemy from within?

The Looking Glass

As a first step to understanding an organization’s ethics, PR professionals can perform a “looking glass” exercise that allows them to view an organization’s actions from two different moral perspectives, utilitarianism and communitarianism. In a utilitarian model, an organization stresses positive outcomes that produce the greatest good for the largest number of stakeholders, placing a priority on consequences. A communitarian ethic balances individual freedoms and social responsibility so that an organization’s decisions result from values expressed by its stakeholders.
To perform the exercise, focus both utilitarian and communitarian lenses on a particular corporate action, using PRSA member values: advocacy, honesty, expertise, independence, loyalty and fairness. Prioritize these values first within one model, then the other.
Jacque Lambiase, associate professor of strategic communications at Texas Christian University, uses this exercise to illustrate how the same values can produce very different outcomes. She says that objectively gauging corporate ethics is helpful for pros in the middle of a crisis or for those who experience a disconnect between corporate policy and corporate actions.

Red Flags

Unfortunately, when organizations begin to stray from an ethical course, PR pros aren’t always able to pinpoint the departure. But certain red flags can signal shifts in a company’s moral compass:
1. The organization’s decisions reflect an absence or low priority on ethics. Many organizations say that integrity is a core value, but the real test is whether the C-level emphasizes that value and demonstrates that behavior.
At American Airlines, Charley Wilson, managing director, external communications and international advertising, says that during a recent crisis, the airline’s CEO requested that a customer’s family receive the first communication, one of sympathy, before making any statement. That type of ethical leadership powerfully impresses employees. Indeed, a 2007 Deloitte & Touche Ethics and Workplace Survey revealed that 42 percent of employees believe that management’s behavior positively impacts organizational ethics. “We require our team to adhere to the airline’s standards of conduct, but nothing beats a leader who walks the talk,” says Wilson.
2. The organization does not show an overt commitment to ethics. Just because an organization says it is ethical does not mean it acts ethically. Ask these questions: Does the company corporately abide by a code of ethics? Are its values taken seriously internally? Is there infrastructure to support ethics or ethics compliance? Internally, does the company encourage open communications?
Reace Alvarenga Smith, APR, PR manager for Texas Health Resources, says that her organization places special emphasis on the company’s code of conduct, known as their company’s promise. “We provide monthly training sessions on what our promise means and behaviors we expect from employees,” Smith says. “Our promise gives us a filter by which we make all our corporate decisions and foster open discussions.”
Recent research undertaken by Jinae Kang, a doctoral student at The University of Alabama, reinforces PR perceptions of ethical practice in an open communications structure.
3. The organization lacks a robust fact-checking and approval process. PR professionals most often work collaboratively or cross-functionally when crafting communications. This means that attorneys, executives or coworkers review documents for factual errors or suggestions. If this process is absent, that indicates lax oversight. Wilson says that the airline’s Corporate Communications team complies with both the letter and the spirit of the law. If an issue arises, leaders at the company guide discussions, but decisions are rarely made in a vacuum.
4. The organization shifts responsibility. Lambiase points to an example in 2007 when a tiger at the San Francisco Zoo killed a visitor. “In addition to releasing incorrect information, the zoo director maligned the victim rather than focusing on the zoo’s responsibility to keep the public safe.” When things go wrong, ask yourself and your team whether the organization looks at its own role or assigns blame to others.

Ethics Strategies

PR pros who find themselves working with or for an unethical organization can employ a number of strategies, according to Dr. Karla Gower, director of the Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations:

Arm yourself with knowledge. Know the laws and regulations that concern the organization’s industry, especially laws dealing with communications. Be able to discern if something is seriously amiss with a company’s financial statements.
Prepare for a variety of crisis situations now. Once a crisis occurs, there is more potential for the legal response to take over at the expense of public relations. Gain buy-in now on the priorities for making appropriate and sensitive messages.
Trust your instincts. Don’t blindly accept assignments. Ask questions!
Begin a campaign for ethics. Occupy the role of ethics counselor, and campaign for the organization to adopt ethical practices.

What if the PR professional continues to grapple with conflicts or meets extreme resistance? Gower says it may be time to end the relationship. “It’s never easy to walk away from a job, especially in this economy, but at the end of the day all you have is your integrity,” she says. “You won’t get any thanks for staying loyal to an unethical company, not even when you end up taking the fall for others.”

Linda Ld Jacobson, APR, is the principal of Que Public Relations and an instructor of PR ethics at The University of North Texas. She can be reached at ljacobson@quepr.com or via Twitter @LindaJacobson.

Wrestling with Ethical Dilemmas

2009-09-04T10:29:00.003-05:00

Image via Wikipedia

by Margaret Ritsch

I'm chair of the ethics committee for the Greater Fort Worth Chapter PRSA (Public Relations Society of America). My big responsibility, and really my only responsibility in this volunteer position, is to put together a program focused on ethics in the fall.

All along I have wanted this program to be highly interactive -- to really challenge us to carefully think through situations we face everyday in our profession that call into question our values and ethics. Now it's just around the corner and I'm very excited!

On Wednesday, Sept. 9, we will run a full morning and lunch program with guest speaker Alan Hilburg called “Building a Recession-Proof Brand Communications Strategy Through Ethical Decision-Making.”

We're asking everyone who plans to attend to be prepared to think through -- and share -- real situations and challenging questions.

We will work in small groups of four, following a conversational process that Hilburg helped develop called "World Cafe." Sounds cool, huh? Brings to mind a little cafe on the River Gauche, smoke wafting from your Gauloises as you rereading your Camus and gaze at the stylish passers-by .... Back to Fort Worth. The program will be held at the Petroleum Club in our usual 39th floor setting overlooking the city.

Here's Hilburg's description of World Café:

"a conversational process based on a set of integrated design principles that reveal a deeper living network pattern through which we co-evolve our collective future. As a conversational process, the World Café is an innovative yet simple methodology for hosting conversations about questions that matter. These conversations link and build on each other as people move between groups, cross-pollinate ideas, and discover new insights into the questions or issues that are most important in their life, work, or community. As a process, the World Café can evoke and make visible the collective intelligence of any group, thus increasing people’s capacity for effective action in pursuit of common aims.

❧ Seat four or five people at small Café-style tables or in conversation clusters.
❧ Set up progressive (usually two) rounds of conversation of approximately 20 minutes each.
❧ Questions or issues will focus on ethics, ethical judgment and ethical decisions in life, work or community
❧ Each table has a host. Both table hosts and members to write, doodle and draw key ideas on their tablecloths or to note key ideas on large index cards or placemats in the center of the group.
❧ Upon completing the initial round of conversation, one person remains at the table as the “host” while the others serve as travelers or “ambassadors of meaning.” The travelers carry key ideas, themes and questions into their new conversations.
❧ Ask the table host to welcome the new guests and briefly share the main ideas, themes and questions of the initial conversation. Encourage guests to link and connect ideas coming from their previous table conversations—listening carefully and building on each other's contributions.
❧ By providing opportunities for people to move in several rounds of conversation, ideas, questions, and themes begin to link and connect. At the end of the second round, all of the tables or conversation clusters in the room will be cross-pollinated with insights from prior conversations.
❧ In the third round of conversation, a new question is posed to deepen the exploration of the focus and again participants switch tables to synthesize their discoveries .

Round One Questions:
1. Write a definition of what constitutes unethical communications?
2. What is poor ethical judgment?

Round Two Questions:
1. What are examples of unethical language?
2. What contributes to unethical behavior?

Round Three Questions:
1. Describe the most unethical business situation you are aware of?
2. What are your most significant barriers to maintaining your own values when confronting unethical business situations?

Round Four Questions:
1. If you were going to create a PRSA Code of Ethical Communications, what would be the three most important elements of that work?
2. What are the greatest challenges in getting this Code adopted?

Please join us for this important, engaging learning opportunity at the Petroleum Club! The program begins at 9 a.m.; breakfast and networking at 8:30 a.m. Find out more and register at www.fortworthprsa.org.

More about the speaker:

Alan Hilburg, president and CEO of Hilburg Associates, is an award winning author, filmmaker, teacher and senior advisor in organizational transition communications and marketing. Now based in Northern Virginia, Hilburg lived in the DFW for many years when he served as president of the former Bloom Co. Hilberg is perhaps best known for his leadership, for over 30 years, as one of the world's leading strategic institutional branding counselors assisting senior executive teams and boards of directors survive organizational transitions (crisis, litigation and the introduction and socialization of principles of values-based decision-making) while maintaining the continuity of their institutional brand objectives.

President's Column from the September eChaser

2009-08-27T08:10:00.005-05:00

Image via Wikipedia

By Andra Bennett, APR

E-chatting the other day with my old friend and fellow Beatlemaniac from junior high, we mulled whether we had the time, energy and dinero to go to the Paul McCartney concert last week at Cowboys Stadium. (We’d seen Ringo together back in ’88 in Dallas.)

After we had about decided it was all too much, she playfully suggested we do what her teenage son often advises: “Let’s don’t go, but say we did.”

In our social lives, we may be able to get away with that one a time or two. But what about when it spills over into our professional lives? How many times have you heard these:

“Oh yes, those figures are 6 months old, but use them in the release anyway. No one will ever check that.”

“How do we make these customer survey results say what WE want them to say?”

“Just tell the reporter I’m out of town.”

“This grassroots campaign is funded by an industry special-interest group, but we’re going to roll it out under the auspices of the foundation.”

These words are not coming out of a teenager’s mouth. They are uttered by employers, clients and colleagues. Where’s the line for you?

Join us at the next PRSA professional development workshop Sept. 9: Building a Recession-Proof Brand Communications Strategy Through Ethical Decision-Making, http://www.fortworthprsa.org/events.htm presented by Alan Hilburg, president and CEO of Hilburg Associates, a Virginia-based firm. Formerly president of DFW’s Bloom Co., Alan is an award-winning author, filmmaker, teacher and senior advisor in organizational transition communications and marketing.

The half-day workshop with interactive small groups and illustrative examples is presented in conjunction with National PRSA’s Ethics month. Kudos to Lauren Kwedar, professional development chair, and Margaret Ritsch, ethics chair, for putting together this excellent opportunity to revisit the PRSA Code of Ethics with challenging activities and meaningful take-aways.

Don’t just say you came. Get a ticket to ride. Register today.

Ft. Worth PRSA member receives promotion at TCU

2009-08-03T22:55:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to Tracy Syler-Jones has been promoted to Vice Chancellor for Marketing Communication at TCU, Chancellor Victor Boschini announced in an internal e-mail to faculty and staff July 27th. Tracy succeeds Mr. Larry Lauer who is now the Vice Chancellor for Governmental Affairs for TCU. Mr. Lauer will be based in Washington, D.C.

Until her assumption of this new position, Tracy was the Associate Vice Chancellor for Marketing Communication and Executive Director of Operations in the Office of Communication. She is the first African-American to be named to the post.

Three reasons why PR is no longer the whipping boy

2009-07-27T15:25:00.001-05:00

This is cross-posted from The Saltlick blog.

From marketers to journalists to mom bloggers, PR has traditionally been the favorite scapegoat of those in other areas of the communication field. Commonly referred to as purveyors of the “dark side” of communications, public relations professionals have dealt with a tainted label far too long. But that label is a non sequitur now, and here’s why:

1. The economy is a great leveler. Hoards of journalists have exited their profession – and at least some of them have entered public relations, a field they once castigated. I’ve watched this trend with interest and predict that more seasoned journalists will come to view public relations professionals with a lot more respect.

2. Digital deadlines and a “news now” mindset necessitate an alliance. News journalists simply have more to do with fewer resources. Today’s journalist must view PR professionals as a service-oriented commodity, necessary due to digital news timeframes. Newer journalists will welcome strong PR relationships.

3. The mommy blogger PR Blackout yielded backlash. Even Trisha, owner of MomDot.com, admits that she ill chose the name of a one-week campaign whose intent she *claims* was to encourage mom bloggers to get back to the basics of parent blogging. The ensuing conversation split the parent blogging community, yielded poor participation (latest estimates were 20 committed to participating) and had journalists like Cnet’s Caroline McCarthy declaring that “Working with the public relations industry is core to any journalist's (and now blogger's) job, as is the use of press releases and in some cases review products.” It’s a sure sign that whipping up on PR is passé and not to be done.

I also think that PR is naturally embracing strategic relationship management and expectations from an increasingly complex array of stakeholders and publics in a way that marketers and advertisers cannot in Web 2.0. Stakeholder demand for authenticity is placing PR professionals in the leadership role to define corporate values and to sustain interactive relationship building. The result is that the PR profession is building trust with more constituencies than ever before.

Taken together, these markers signal – to me, at least – a new era in PR, one that shows the value of the profession.

The How (Not) Guide to PR

2009-07-14T08:57:00.001-05:00

This post is cross-posted on the LAF Blog here.

I blog a lot about PR tools, how social media affects PR and what we can do to be better PR professionals. However, what about those that are entering the PR field and wondering what tools they do need?

What about the tools they DON'T need? Let's face it, not everyone is a rockstar PR professional, nor are they ever going to be. Many times, hard work and dedication will get you far in this field. If you don't have the foundation, however, you won't make it. Below are three points that won't add to the next great PR pro:

1. I want to dress up, meet celebrities and like, host parties

The public relations field is viewed as a glamorous all night party on many TV programs. With how my TV kids watch nowadays, it's no wonder that many enter their college public relations programs thinking that's what it is. Wrong. Public Relations does not equal solely publicity. Yes, you might plan events. You will be the one running around, making sure all of the details are seen to, dealing with any crisis and making sure that everyone is happy.

2. I have to write and research?

Yes. Two strengths I always tell PR students is that they must be able to write and research well. Most of my days are spent writing, researching and executing media relations. PR is all about getting the word out - and you have to know the market and your audience before proceeding.

3. "I'm a people person."

Good for you - so is everyone else. Your personality can get you far in this field - but it's through pitching, promoting a brand and landing media hits that will get you even farther. Many times, being extremely personable can come off as flirty and non-professional. There is a line - and you have to work for a brand that fits your personality.

So, what would you add?

*Photo copyright of HBO and Sex and the City.

Bylaws Rewrite to be a Focus of PRSA’s 2009 Assembly

2009-07-01T11:03:00.003-05:00

By Dan Keeney, APR
PRSA Assembly Delegate for Greater Fort Worth Chapter of PRSA

One of the most important organizational initiatives that PRSA is undertaking in 2009 is updating the national organization's bylaws. The initiative is intended to keep up with modern governance theories and current best practices in association management.

Amazingly, PRSA’s bylaws have not been thoroughly revised since they were first ratified more than 60 years ago. Broad and meaningful bylaws changes will help the Society continue to grow, prosper, and serve as a leading voice in the public relations industry.

PRSA established a Bylaws Task Force in 2007 to determine the changes needed. The task force felt that governance changes in three main areas of the bylaws — membership, governance, and leadership — could further strengthen the Society for the future.

MEMBERSHIP: The task force recommended that the bylaws be updated to extend membership opportunities to professionals with a broader range of knowledge, experiences and job responsibilities. This reflects the changes in what many communications professionals do. The change will increase the diversity of thought across the organization.

GOVERNANCE: The task force recommended that we open the election of the national board to all members. The National Assembly would become the “Leadership Assembly,” a body of leaders advising the PRSA Board of Directors on issues pertaining to the profession. The task force envisions a group that communicates regularly, votes electronically and helps shape PRSA’s advocacy agenda. Under the task force’s recommendations, the composition of the Leadership Assembly would remain the same as the present Assembly, with the addition of Delegates representing National committees and task forces.

LEADERSHIP: The PRSA Bylaws Task Force has recommended expanding the requirements for, and eliminating certain barriers to, board service to open board service to a broader range of individuals with diverse backgrounds. Under the new requirements, any PRSA member in good standing who is Accredited in Public Relations (APR) and/or a Chapter, District, Section or Committee leader, and/or has more than 20 years of public relations experience with increasing levels of responsibility, would be eligible to run for the board. Additionally, all board members would be elected at-large meaning that directors would no longer be elected from the specific area of the country in which they live and work. Directors would be allowed to serve up to two, two-year elected terms, which may be served consecutively or non-consecutively. Directors would still be entitled to seek additional terms as an officer.

Subject to input from PRSA members, the plans is to incorporate changes in these areas into a new bylaws document to be voted on by the Assembly at PRSA’s International Conference in San Diego in November 2009.

Member questions may be sent at any time to governance@prsa.org.

Hack and Flack: Still Adversarial

2009-06-18T14:31:00.011-05:00

Image via Wikipedia

From Andra Bennett, APR - Chapter President

My journalist husband and I have considered starting a blog called Hack and Flack, taking off on NPR’s Click and Clack but more like Mary Matalin and James Carville. Remember TV’s “Odd Couple” intro: “Can two divorced men {hack and flack} share an apartment without driving each other crazy?” Neil Hefti music up now.

Those sentiments were all in play at last week’s GFW PRSA luncheon when four publishers/editors of local weeklies [Lucie Allen, publisher/editor of the Spanish-language Panorama News; Lee Newquist, publisher of the Fort Worth Weekly; Blake Ovard, managing editor of The Star Group Newspapers, and Kay Pirtle, editor of the Wedgwood News] and an ex-ombuddy were corralled in a room of PR practitioners.

The weeklies were invited because Greater Fort Worth PRSA members wanted to hear how they were doing financially and how we could work together on news stories.

Oscar, meet Felix.

During the Q&A, Lee Newquist, publisher of Fort Worth Weekly, was asked how PR practitioners could be of the most value to the weeklies. As part of a longer response, Newquist answered, “PR companies, at least on the journalism side of what we do, are problematic because they’re in between (us and) the person with the real answer. I don’t want to talk to a PR person whose sole role in their career is to spin it and make it sound good." There was nervous laughter from the audience, and several Tweets.

Blake Ovard, managing editor of The Star Group weeklies, echoed: “All of the cities have a PIO, and their job is to keep you from getting the story, so they don’t understand why I don’t want to talk to them. They say, ‘Well, I have all your information.’”

At this point, neck hairs began to bristle. Marc Flake, Tarrant County PIO, took umbrage with those statements and stepped forward. He related how he had facilitated the Weekly’s requests for a recent cover story by Peter Gorman that examined issues related to the medical examiner’s office.

“I was very helpful with Mr. Gorman,” Flake said, “and told him who he needed to talk to, gave him background, gave him all the documents (and) contract information he needed. I don’t stay between you guys (and county sources). I help you get the information you need.”

Spontaneous applause erupted from PR crowd.

I found the exchange refreshingly candid -- and disturbingly enlightening. It brought home to me that the adversarial relationship between hacks and flacks is still alive and well.

Some may dismiss weeklies (and indeed all newspapers now) as non-influencers or think their constituents don’t read those papers, so who cares what they think? But with the market share of dailies falling and weeklies currently increasing, we need to have this honest dialogue to bridge the gap of misperceptions.

Maybe the panelists didn’t realize they were in a room with cream of the crop PRSA practitioners, who hold to a PRSA Code of Ethics,which state in part:

HONESTY - We adhere to the highest standards of accuracy and truth in advancing the interests ofthose we represent and in communicating with the public.

LOYALTY- We are faithful to those we represent, while honoring our obligation to serve the public interest.

FAIRNESS- We deal fairly with clients, employers, competitors, peers, vendors, the media, and thegeneral public. We respect all opinions and support the right of free expression.

PR practitioners are obligated to our organizations / clients and their stakeholders as well as to the public interest. Journalists are obligated to the public’s right to know, their readers and advertisers. (Yes, advertisers were mentioned several times by the panelists as being quite an important audience.)

Here’s the rub: being honest and ethical doesn’t always translate (in the private sector, anyway) to being as “open” as some of us would like. This is due to a number of reasons, including proprietary information, SEC regs, security concerns and political sensitivities.

As PR practitioners, we have to weigh the benefit vs. risk of responding to certain media inquiries. Brave responders will answer even a hostile reporter in order to provide balance. But cautious ones will favor silence if media objectivity is questionable and they are mischaracterized or taken out of context repeatedly.

In our changing media landscape and diminishing dailies’ prowess, it would behoove PR practitioners to eschew derogatory terms for alternative or community weeklies (punk rags, podunk papers) and appreciate their financial strength and scope of influence among many constituencies.

By the same token, journalists should re-examine their broad-brush generalizations about PR practitioners as spinners and blockers. In light of shrinking news staff and resources, ethical PR pros provide information, assistance and access to high-level sources that will only become more critical for journalists who want to report the truth.

Read about the financial status of the dailies and the hack’s take on it here.

INVITATION ~ June 24th Celebration Honoring Dr. Doug Newsom

2009-06-09T16:29:00.006-05:00

You're Invited!

Let's mix and mingle, celebrate the arrival of summer and toast one of the profession's finest individuals!

Please make plans to join GFW PRSA members and others for a Retirement Celebration Honoring
Doug Newsom, Ph.D, APR, Fellow PRSA.

WHEN: Wednesday, June 24, 2009
5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

WHERE: Joe T. Garcia's
Fort Worth, Texas

PRICING:*
$10 reception only
$18 enchilada dinner (includes reception)
$22 fajita dinner (includes reception)
*each price above includes a complimentary beer, wine or margarita and/or tea or soft drink, and chips and salsa.

When you RSVP, please specify your choice.

Event hosted by: GFW PRSA President's Council and Board of Directors

JUNE 24th SCHEDULE:

Event Celebration
5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Reception and "mixing and mingling"
5:30 to 6:15 p.m.

During the reception, several of the Chapter's Past Presidents will toast Dr. Newsom.

Dinner ~ We'll be seated for dinner around 6:20 p.m.

* When you arrive to Joe T's, please ask for "PRSA" and you'll be directed back to our private area. You can pay as you enter the PRSA event. (Cash or check payable to "Joe T. Garcia's." There is typically a working ATM in the restaurant. FYI)

RSVP & questions:
lauravanhoosier@msn.com
817-703-8432

Thank you!

The last PR stand

2009-05-26T11:38:00.000-05:00

This post by Linda Jacobson, APR is cross-posted from her blog, The Saltlick.

I’ve long been a proponent for ensuring that those who practice public relations need a sound ethical basis. Sooner or later, you’re going to have to make a decision that only you can make, whether it’s for a client or for a company and its employees. And it will involve this basic question: What do we owe strangers by virtue of our shared humanity? That’s the question Kwame Anthony Appiah asked in Cosmopolitanism: Ethics in a world of strangers.

My premise is this: Whether you’re an adherent of a communitarian or utilitarian perspective, as a PR practitioner, be smart enough to know the values you follow before the proverbial s*** hits the fan.

Recently, I accepted a position with a company to direct its communications. It’s an exciting time for this firm internally, as the company is undergoing major restructuring. Change always brings possibilities – both good and bad. Almost immediately, however, I understood a culture that was devoid of fact checking and one that assumed “fudging” – a term, when I hear it, that always gives me pause and tells me a whole heckuva lot about the person who used it. Now “fudging” can possess varying degrees of meaning – but it always involves untruth.

In addition to hearing this term, I heard other statements from employees that were worrisome to me. Here’s a list that should raise red flags for any PR practitioner:
• This is the way we do it here—we’re [insert name of department].
• If we write it that way, then that’s the way it is.
• You’re new to this industry; we don’t ever tell our true [insert noun—numbers, facts, situation].
• I don’t care if you think this is wrong. Do what I told you to do.
• You have been told to get this done and to get it done by this date. Do you have a problem with that?
• Are you refusing to do the job for which we hired you?

Even before it happened, I knew that my time with this company would be short. Sure enough, within a few weeks, I was asked to publish a press release that had material errors in it. I knew the information to be incorrect. And, in my judgment, the errors were not of the “fudging” kind. They were substantial. And in that moment, the moment that I call the “last PR stand,” I had a decision to make.

In military terms, a “last stand,” occurs in one of two ways. One situation calls for the defending force to retreat, which leads to immediate defeat, usually due to the surrounding geography or shortage of supplies or support. The other situation arises when the defending force are ordered to defend their positions. Thus, retreat is not possible without being considered a deserter.

In my case, I knew I had no support for refusing to include incorrect statements. In fact, I was told to issue the release with the incorrect statements. I opted to retreat – resign – thus deserting. I turned in my security badge and my electronic gadgetry without the slightest thought of surrendering to the edict.

I’m now happily unemployed. I say this not because I am pleased about being unemployed – I’m not, and Lord knows in this economy, I could use the income – but because I know the worth that integrity brings to a PR professional and, by extension, to a client or a company that demands it.

If you’re in the PR or communications field, take the time to understand or to review your ethics perspective. In today’s troubling environment, you’re better served to be prepared.

Recommended resources:

Cosmopolitanism: Ethics in a world of stranger :: Kwame Anthony Appiah
Contemporary Media Ethics :: A practical guide for students, scholars and professionals :: Bill Hornaday and Mitchell Land (editors)
Public Relations Society of America :: Ethics resources

@The Forefront: Successfully Navigating Social Media - Slideshows

2009-05-15T15:27:00.007-05:00

Thank you to all of the attendees of the chapter's May 13, 2009 Professional Development Workshop -@ TheForefront: Successfully Navigating Social Media

As PR professionals, strategy underscores all our methodologies, so why would social media be any different? If you’ve been waiting to take the social media plunge, now’s the perfect opportunity to learn the nuts and bolts, best practices, strategy, planning and measurement.

Below are the presentation slideshows from the day:

@TheForefront: Successfully Navigating Social Media

View more presentations from Beth Harte.

The Nuts and Bolts of Twitter (updated)

View more presentations from Richie Escovedo.

The GFW PRSA professional development workshop was led by Beth Harte (@bethharte), Twitter maven and marketing and communications professional, with help from our own Richie Escovedo (@vedo) and Terry Morawski (@morate).

Plus, a post-workshop interview with Beth Harte:

Fort Worth PRSA and Social Media Club DFW welcome Beth Harte

2009-05-05T15:44:00.006-05:00

It is with great pleasure that we welcome friend and social media maven, Beth Harte, to Dallas/Fort Worth. Beth will be in the metro as a guest of Greater Fort Worth chapter PRSA and will be speaking at the May professional development workshop and luncheon, Wednesday, May 13.

Graciously, Beth is game for a tweet-up on May 12! Come join us!

Where: Sherlock's Pub in Arlington; 254 Lincoln Square Center

When: 6:30-8:30pm

Please RSVP for the tweet-up via Facebook or in the comments on Lauren Vargas' event post.
(Note: a tweet-up is just another name for meet-up for those non-Twitter types.)

Don't forget to also RSVP for Greater Fort Worth Professional Development Day and Luncheon.

Everyone’s doing it: Facebook and Twitter, that is. Does that mean it’s right for you? As PR professionals, strategy underscores all our methodologies, so why would social media be any different? If you’ve been waiting to take the social media plunge, now’s the perfect opportunity to learn the nuts and bolts, best practices, strategy, how to get started and how to do it well. And, if you’re already involved, we’ll help you learn how to do it better, more effectively and efficiently.

These topics and more will be center stage at the May 13th GFW PRSA professional development workshop to be led by Beth Harte (@bethharte), Twitter maven and marketing and communications professional, with help from our own Richie Escovedo (@vedo) and Terry Morawski (@morate).

Following the morning workshop, after we’ve learned who, what, where, when and why of social media, we’ll learn how to measure our efforts during a social media ROI seminar.

About Harte Marketing & Communications | Harte Marketing & Communications, located in the Philadelphia suburbs, specializes in marketing, communications and social media programs–from strategic planning to execution of branding, public relations, analyst relations, product marketing, international marketing, lead generation (direct mail, e-mail marketing), Web site management and SEO/SEM.
www.theharteofmarketing.com

About Beth Harte | As principal of Harte Marketing & Communications, Beth offers nearly 15 years of experience in strategic planning, branding, public relations, analyst relations, product marketing, international marketing, business development, lead generation (direct mail, e-mail marketing), Web site management, SEO/SEM-in short, all things marketing and communications. And she’s applied that experience for a range of companies-from startups and SMBs to mid-market and Fortune 500 companies. When Beth began her marketing and communications career, companies barely had e-mail. Having experienced Web 1.0 first hand, she also enjoyed the mad dash toward integrated marketing communications and SEO/SEM. Today, she enjoys the challenge of helping clients use marketing, communications and social media to take their marketing–and their businesses–to the next level of customer engagement.

In addition to running Harte Marketing & Communications, Beth speaks at industry conferences and event and serves as adjunct professor at Immaculata University where she’s taught Marketing in a Global Economy, Marketing Principles and Practices, Introduction to Public Relations, Writing for Public Relations & Social Media and Issues in E-Commerce. Beth will also be teaching Community, Government and Global Relations and Writing for PR & Social Media in the new Master’s in Applied Communication program.

A firm believer in “walking the walk to talk the talk,” Beth shares tips, opinions and observations on her blog, The Harte of Marketing. She also writes for Marketing Profs’ Daily Fix Blog and Search Engine Guide. Beth holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Chestnut Hill College and a Master of Science in International Marketing from Saint Joseph’s University.

Social Media ~ Green means go and now is the time to make plans for May 13

2009-04-24T11:02:00.009-05:00

MY THOUGHTS ON WHY PR PROS MUST ENGAGE IN SOCIAL MEDIA.

As PR practitioners and communicators, we must engage in social media.

It is a key component of our field of specialty, it is what we do and it will be a part of our future.

For those PR professionals who are still considering venturing out into it, a special workshop awaits you and it will provide you with the tools and the knowledge you need to jump start your efforts.

It is critical that PR pros be interested and willing to be immersed in social media and see the value in it. Sure there were people who shook their heads in 1803, when Thomas Jefferson first combined the words "public" and "relations" into "public relations," or those who thought Lee or Pultizer didn't know what they were talking about in the early 1900s when they introduced the concepts of press agentry, publicity, "muckracking" and PR campaigns, but that didn't stop them from doing it or others from learning from them. (SOURCE OF HISTORICAL NOTES: This is PR, Newsom, Turk, Kruckeberg.)

We are in the midst of the evolution of our field so if we don't own it and master the new technologies and tactics then there will be another professional field that will. (For additional reading on why "Social Media is the Responsibility of PR" follow Jason Falls on Twitter http://twitter.com/jasonfalls or read http://bit.ly/brAZG).

If you are uncertain of how to begin a social media effort, I'd suggest you just get your feet wet and start small. You'll be glad you did.

How easy is it? Sign up for a Twitter, Facebook or Blogger account. Start listening, reading and monitoring what is happening in your fields of interest, then perhaps consider jotting down your thoughts in a blog.

What I so appreciate about social media is the sharing of knowledge and resources.

Pioneers in social media are more than happy to make available their best practices, missteps, and recommendations. Being involved with social media is like being in front of PR thought leaders all day and being in a super interesting grad school class with an engaging speaker each week. (I loved grad school at TCU http://twitter.com/tcu so this is a real treat for me!)

Social media is also a chance to hear what your customers and community members think and believe about certain issues and where they are focusing their energies and resources all on a real-time basis.

By listening and engaging in social media, one has a golden opportunity to soak up knowledge and become a more skilled practitioner and strategic communications professional.

Want and need the how-to? Need the basics, only a refresher or just want to hear from the pros? Then please consider joining Greater Fort Worth PRSA on May 13, for our Professional Development Workshop with http://twitter.com/vedo http:/ /twitter.com/morate and http://twitter.com/BethHarte

Details here: http://fortworthprsa.org/events.htm

Don't wait, register today!

Then while you are at it, start listening and reading blogs, Wikipedia, or get a Twitter or Facebook account and get engaged. As our friend Geoff Livingston http://twitter.com/GeoffLiving has said more than once "Now is Gone" and very simply the future is NOW! (NOTE: There is a book on genetics titled "The Future is now" by William, Kristol and Cohen but I'm just writing those words in general terms.)

Let me know what you think. Thanks for reading!

Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/vanhoosier

RESOURCES MENTIONED ABOVE:

http://twitter.com/

http://www.facebook.com/

http://www.wikipedia.org/

http://www.problogger.net/ (Now offering a free 31-day effort on building a better blog.)

P.S. If you are unable to attend May 13, several GFW PRSA members will be blogging or Twittering live from the workshop.

Words Every PR Pro Should Know

2009-04-23T09:45:00.000-05:00

This post is cross-posted from FW PRSA member, Lauren Fernandez's blog.

There are many words that every public relations professional should know. Below are four that I think you should never leave home without - preferably in a cool Johnny Bravo lunch pail.

Preparation

I've heard many say that a PR pro is only as good as their next pitch. But how do you get there? How do you make sure that your message is being heard; that the right outlets and correct beat reporters are receiving your pitch? You prepare and plan. Media plans are an effective tool when outlining your course of action. My media plans to detail this way.

Date
What type of outlets I'm pitching (National Radio, Local TV, blogs, etc)
How I'm doing it (Pitch, Media Alert, etc.)
Angle I'm taking
3 points I can touch on if I connect with a reporter

Media plans should also include your follow-up time, and if applicable, what you plan to do after the event occurs. Being prepared to pitch a press release is important as well. You will, at best, have 30 seconds to hook a reporter. If it is filled with 'uhms' and stammers, the likelyhood that a reporter will continue to listen to you is pretty non-existent. You don't sound prepared or knowledgeable, and a reporter views you as their first source and connection to a possible story. If they have a hard time with you, that will cast the first impression on your client. Even if it's a great story, if you can't get it out, it means nothing.

Evaluation

The best laid out plans need to be consistently evaluated throughout the process. You need to be able to demonstrate value by setting benchmarks and continuously measuring the impact. If it's not working, change it. A media plan is not set in stone. A reporter hates the idea? Maybe you are pitching the wrong beat. You aren't gaining any traction? It could be because you're not hitting the target audience appropriately. If you continiously evaluate your success and learn from the failures, your plan will go consistently smoother and shows that you can project manage efficiently.

Concise

The two most important skills (in my opinion) for a PR pro to have are writing and research. Writing should be concise and tight, and get straight to the point. Remember the 30 second rule? You need to be able to grab a reporter's attention in the first two sentences. I joke that PR pros have to be ADD because they are constantly switching projects or getting new ideas, and reporters are no different - I had a reporter friend that said unless they can see me sitting in front of them in a cute dress and smiling, they probably will have an image of me in their head as a robot talking/writing to them. If your writing doesn't follow the basic principles (yes, including AP Style) you will be viewed as incompetent by the reporter. It doesn't matter if you have the best hook in the world - if it isn't written well and tight, you might as well forget getting a placement.

Confidence

It seems to be a no brainer, but you have to exude confidence in your professional role. You are the expert. You know the client well and should be passionate about the topic. If you are nervous, a reporter will pick up on that. They will probably ask you harder questions and try to find the "juicy juice" because they think you might slip. Before you pitch a reporter, practice. Write down a few sentences, or opening lines, on your computer to refer to when you're on the phone. Bullet some key points to hit on. Practice in front of the mirror. Pull a co-worker aside and have them fire questions at you. Send a news release to someone who has no link to the company and ask them if they would be interested in reading a story on it. This will give you the confidence that you can pitch a release and have a great story for a reporter to pick up on.

So, what words do you never leave home without?

Public Relations Roles explained through Baseball Positions

2009-04-13T16:06:00.000-05:00

This post is cross-posted on the Next Communications blog.

In honor of the start of the 2009 Major League Baseball season, I thought it might be fun to create a listing of the roles and functions for public relations by baseball positions.

Pitcher (P) - In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter who attempts to either make contact with it or draw a walk. In PR, the pitching role is one where the professional attempts to garner publicity or attention through effective media relations.
Catcher (C) - Positioned behind home plate, the catcher can see the whole field; therefore, he is in the best position to direct and lead the other players in a defensive play. In PR, this is role of strategy. Like a catcher, the PR professional sees the big picture where they understand that actions will lead to specific reactions.
First baseman (1B) - A first baseman is the player on the team playing defense who fields the area nearest first base. In PR, this is the role of first response. The initial response to problems and/or crisis will make or break the situation.
Second baseman (2B) - The second baseman often possesses quick hands and feet, the ability to get rid of the ball quickly, and must be able to make the pivot on a double play. In PR, this role is of measured quickness. A public relations professional helps to protect reputation and vital relationships when an organization is under attack.
Third baseman (3B) - Third base is known as the "hot corner", because the third baseman is relatively close to the batter and most right-handed hitters tend to hit the ball hard in this direction. In PR, this is the role of coordination and quick reactions that comes with experience from having to catch hard line drives or difficult internal communication challenges.
Shortstop (SS) - Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball so naturally the PR role is one of adaptability. The one constant is that things change, it is up to the public relations professional to be aware and keep up with the changing landscape of the profession, media, and organizational industry.
Left fielder (LF) - Outfielders must cover large distances, so speed, instincts, and quickness in reacting to the ball are key. They must be able to learn to judge whether to attempt a difficult catch and risk letting the ball get past them, or to instead allow the ball to fall in order to guarantee a swift play and prevent the advance of runners. In PR, this role can be equated to good judgment. Professionals need to understand when not doing or saying something will provide the best benefit to the organization.
Center fielder (CF) - The center fielder has the greatest responsibility among the three outfielders for coordinating their play to prevent collisions when converging on a fly ball, and on plays where he does not make the catch, he must position himself behind the corner outfielder in case the ball gets past him. In PR, this role is made up of the credibility a professional must possess in order to be an effective communicator to both internal and external audiences. Just like a center fielder, the PR professional needs excellent vision and depth perception.
Right fielder (RF) - Of all outfield positions, the right fielder often has the strongest arm, because they are the farthest from third base. However, oftentimes, as in lower-levels of baseball, right field is the least likely to see much action because most hitters are right-handed and tend to pull the ball to the left field and center. In PR, this is the role of monitoring and measurement. Unfortunately, many professionals are not as up to speed in this area (me included) as we should do whatever it takes to learn how to measure. It requires additional work and research, but it is one of reward and justification for jobs well done.

Additional Positions

Designated Hitter (DH) - The designated hitter is the official position in the American League to bat in place of the pitcher. In PR, this is the role the understands the usefulness of social media for listening and engaging an organization's community. The professional needs to fully grasp various aspects of the social web to reach audiences including, at times, as a way to by-pass the mainstream media.
Manager - A manager controls matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. In Pr, it's the same thing; coordination of play and tactical movements are integral for successful public relations.

Play Ball!

President's Column from the March eChaser

2009-03-14T16:23:00.004-05:00

Image by hyku via Flickr

From GFW PRSA President, Andra Bennett, APR:

Do you think President Obama is saying, “Only 3 years, 11 months to go”? Well, it’s one heck of a first quarter, that’s all I know.

As every level of government, every business and every organization is reviewing its business model and budget right now, so is your GFW-PRSA. Your volunteer elected Board has been diligently reviewing every aspect of the Greater Fort Worth Chapter, from our programs, special interest groups, and service projects to our registration software and luncheon expenses.

Bottom line: we want to provide the best value and benefits to YOU, the member. And we want to be good stewards of the chapter’s funds and come out in the black!

A survey from National PRSA is on its way, to determine your priorities. The GFW Chapter may also be conducting our own survey with “all things Fort Worth” included as well. We will respect your time and make it short, but please be on the lookout for these survey e-mails in the coming months.

Of course, feel free to let the Board or the committee chairs know your opinions / suggestions at any time. All of our e-mails are at http://www.fortworthprsa.org/about/board.htm.

Our April 8 program will feature Brian Pierce, ad copywriter and creative guru, speaking on “How to make your PR writing stand out.” That’s also our Pro-Am Day with ACU, TCU and UTA. Please sign up when you get the e-mail from Jahnae Stout or Mary Dulle, APR, Fellow PRSA for a student shadow that morning. More details will be in the next E-Chaser or online at www.fortworthprsa.org.

Also in April, mark your calendars for Saturday, April 11 for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, the non-competitive 5K run/walk. We need 10 members to field a team!! Please contact Cindy Vasquez, cindy@cancercareservices.org , community service chair, ASAP if you’d like to join us in a fun walk for an important cause!

INVITATION: Honoring Dr. Doug Newsom at TCU on April 4th

2009-03-13T13:21:00.006-05:00

~INVITATION ~

Anyone who knows PRSA legend, Douglas Ann Newsom, PhD, APR,
Fellow PRSA, who is retiring this year from the Schieffer School of
Journalism at TCU, is invited to attend her retirement celebration this spring.

DETAILS:
April 4, 2009
6 p.m.
Brown Lupton Student Center, TCU campus

Cost is $8 per person.

RSVP to Doris Wallace in the TCU journalism office:
817-257-7425
d.j.wallace@tcu.edu
(You can pay by credit card by calling the number above or mail a check payable to "TCU" to the attention of: Doris Wallace, Schieffer School of Journalism, TCU Box 298060, Fort Worth, TX 76129.)

Dr. Newsom has been a public relations educator for more
than 40 years, and has a long list of firsts, outstandings, bests and
mosts on her resume.

Among other things, she was a co-founder of the PRSA Educators Section, and its first female Educator of
the Year.

To send a congratulatory message to Dr. Newsom, please write her here:

Dr. Douglas Ann Newsom, APR, Fellow PRSA
Professor, Schieffer School of Journalism
TCU Box 298060
Fort Worth, Texas 76129
d.newsom@tcu.edu

FULL BIO

Douglas Ann Newsom, Professor
Schieffer School of Journalism
Texas Christian University
Fort Worth, Texas

Douglas Ann Newsom, PhD, APR, Fellow, PRSA, is professor of journalism at the Schieffer School of Journalism at Texas Christian University. She is director of the school's advertising and public relations graduate programs.

Professional and academic activities
• Chair, PRSA College of Fellows, 1992
• Co-founder, Educators' Section, PRSA
• Educator of the Year Award, first female recipient, PRSA, 1982
• President, Dallas chapter, PRSA
• President, Greater Fort Worth chapter, PRSA
• President, Texas Public Relations Association
• Golden Spur Award for contributions to the profession, Texas Public Relations Association, 1996
• Charter and life member, Public Relations Foundation of Texas
• Educator of the Year, inaugural award, Public Relations Foundation of Texas, 2008
• Outstanding Public Relations Alumnus of the Year, the University of Texas at Austin, 1982
• President, Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (second woman and first public relations educator)
• President, Fort Worth Professional Chapter of Women in Communications, Inc.
• Headliner of the Year, Women Communications, Inc., 1996
• President, Southwest Education Council for Journalism/Mass Communication
• Chair, public relations division, AEJMC
• Co-founder, minorities division, AEJMC
• Vice-president, ASJMC, the organization of mass communication administrators
• Chair, accrediting committee, Accrediting Council on Education for Journalism and Mass Communication, 1981-1983; member, 1979-1983

International public relations
• Fulbright lecturer, India, 1988; Singapore, 1998-1999
• Workshops, South Africa, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Poland and Vanuatu, sponsored by the Cox International Center for Education and Training in Journalism and Mass Communication and the International Center for Economic Growth
• Workshop, Latvia, sponsored by the George Soros Foundation and the United States Information Agency
• Faculty, TCU London Centre
• Chair, Fulbright discipline committee
• Selection committee, International Research and Exchanges Board
• Elected member, Council of the International Public Relations Association
• Board member, International Public Relations Research Conference

PRSSA
• Founder, J. Willard Ridings Chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America.
• Scholarships established in her honor, 1993, 2001
• Jon Riffel/PRSSA Championship Award, 1968-1992
• National PRSSA coordinator, 1979-80
• Friends of PRSSA

Books, publications
• This Is PR: The Realities of Public Relations (with Judy VanSlyke Turk. PhD, APR, Fellow PRSA and Dean Kruckeberg, PhD, APR, Fellow PRSA) in its 9th edition in 2006
• Public Relations Writing (with the late Bob Carrell) now with Jim Haynes, APR, Fellow PRSA (9th edition 2008)
• Media Writing, 2nd ed. (with the late Jim Wollert)
• Numerous articles, book chapters, collections, including The New Decade for Women, a collection of papers presented an international colloquium coordinated by Dr. Newsom, and a book about media and government relations published in Hungarian by the government of Hungary.

The two writing books were the first in the field.

Honorary organizations
• Kappa Tau Alpha
• Phi Kappa Phi
• Phi Beta Delta
• Mortar Board

Academic degrees
• Bachelor of Journalism, cum laude, University of Texas at Austin
• Bachelor of Fine Arts, summa cum laude University of Texas at Austin
• Master of Journalism, University of Texas at Austin
• Doctor of Philosophy, University of Texas at Austin

Other activities
• Board of directors, ONEOK diversified energy company.
• Former member, advisory council, GRI (now GTI)
• Member, Graduate Scholarship Committee, Delta Delta Delta Foundation
• President, Episcopal Women's Caucus, 2002
• President Tarrant Area Community of Churches, 1996
• Board member, Catholic Charities
• Stephen Minister, Trinity Episcopal Church

Mailing address:
Schieffer School of Journalism
TCU Box 298060
Fort Worth, TX 76129

Main Phone:
(817) 257-7425

Public relations being hurt by public's cynicism about business

2009-03-06T13:55:00.001-06:00

There were more than a few cringe-inducing moments in last night's diatribe against public relations on the Rachel Maddow show on MSNBC. It is illustrative of the populist sentiments of the moment fueled by the tsunami of bad economic news and unfortunate business practices.

I hear and understand what Ms. Maddow and others who are raising their voices in criticism of investing in PR are saying. She is not alone by any stretch. Chicago Mayor Richard Daily thisweek took steps to cancel 11 PR contracts with the city. His administration had come under criticism for wasteful spending and PR was the poster child.

It is important that we as a profession listen to these scathing critiques. It is clear that there is a difference between what we believe we do and what the public believes we do. That is a fact.

So what did Rachel say? Take a look:

Rachel Maddow does her best impression
of Keith Olberman

Well, at least I'm not part of Burson-Marsteller! I'm sure they didn't like to see their brand linked to virtually every bad thing that's happened in this decade.

Michael Cherenson, who heads the national board of the Public Relations Society of America has written on this subject as well in his post, "An Ill-Considered View of AIG and Public Relations," on the PRSAY blog.

"I...doubt very seriously that AIG is engaging public relations firms to soothe the taxpayers’ souls, or portray the company as just another innocent victim in the current economic meltdown. My guess, as it would be in any crisis, is that the reputable and highly qualified public relations firms working on AIG’s behalf are tasked with explaining what happened, what AIG is doing to fix it, why such steps will be effective, and why those steps will prevent future such occurrences. Only then can the process of rebuilding AIG shattered image begin."

Even with the laundry list of "evil" that Maddow read, public relations can play an important role -- not in seeking to manipulate or distract attention -- but in helping an organization understand how it needs to change in order to rebuild trust. We help organizations align what they do with what they say they do. And we provide a clear understanding of what the public wants and needs from them so they can make the necessary adjustments in their attitudes and behaviors.

In times of trouble, organizations have a tendency to turn inward, which is almost never in the best interests of their communities. Public relations can be a catalyst for positive change and greater openness. How do we get that point across in an era of growing cynicism and distrust?

Using Wikis In Marketing And Media Relations

2009-03-06T13:43:00.003-06:00

This is cross-posted from PRSA member Kay Colley's Community blog. It is her presentation from the Best of the Southwest Communicators Conference last weekend. The conference was put on by the Texas Public Relations Association and PRSA Southwest District.

Wikis are really good tools to create community. Far better than blogs because they offer a more open environment and an egalitarian approach to participation. Check out this SlideShare presentation and let me know if you agree.

Using Wikis In Marketing And Media Relations

View more presentations from Kay Colley.

Go to Kay Colley's presentation wiki.

The Nuts and Bolts of Twitter Presentation

2009-03-02T22:54:00.000-06:00

This is cross-posted from the Next Communications blog:

Here is the Twitter presentation for the Best of the Southwest Communicators Conference. The conference was put on by the Texas Public Relations Association and PRSA Southwest District.

As promised to the attendees, here is the presentation:The Nuts and Bolts of Twitter

View more presentations from Richie Escovedo. (tags: twitter social)

The session went well. Unfortunately, we got a little side tracked a few times and the timing was a little off. I hope the attendees take a moment or two and check out the final few slides. Thanks go to my partner in crime and co-presenter, Terry Morawski. I would also like to extend a special thanks to our volunteer from the session (@mayday08) who set up her profile live for the group to see.

Let me know what you think especially if you were able to attend the session.

USA Today book review slams public relations ethics

2009-02-10T20:48:00.004-06:00

This post re-printed with permission via Dan Keeney, APR:

I have not seen the book, "PR: A Persuasive Industry: Spin, Public Relations and the Shaping of the Modern Media," but I already hate it. So did USA Today, which featured a review of the book today.

I'm not one to normally judge a book without reading it, but I'll make an exception in this case. Any book about public relations that includes the word "spin" in the title has a huge strike against it. You see, "spin" is a derogatory word that suggests that we twist the truth or distract people in the practice of public relations. It's not a good thing. And it is not reflective of what public relations practitioners do.

So I agree with USA Today's ultimate assessment of the book today:

"If you are looking for a book to conclusively answer your PR questions, keep looking."

Now for Seth Brown, who writes The Rising Pun and penned the USA Today review of the book. I have sent Seth an e-mail requesting that he cite the source of the very damaging claim he makes in his review.

"A poll of industry insiders revealed that most professionals don't feel telling the truth is a duty of PR."

Umm. Say again? I am knee deep in public relations issues and research every day and I've never heard of such findings. I hope Seth responds, because that is interesting information.

The Public Relations Society of America requires every member to abide by the PRSA Member Code of Ethics, which was most recently revised in 2000. The preamble to the Code notes the primary purpose of such rules:

"The level of public trust PRSA members seek, as we serve the public good, means we have taken on a special obligation to operate ethically."

The Code clearly lays out the common values that guide a public relations counselor, the second of which is HONESTY.

"We adhere to the highest standards of accuracy and truth in advancing the interests of those we represent and in communicating with the public."

The first of the Core Principle described in the PRSA Member Code of Ethics is "Free Flow of Information," which states:

"Protecting and advancing the free flow of accurate and truthful information is essential to serving the public interest and contributing to informed decision making in a democratic society."

So Seth's suggestion that public relations counselors are propogandists is troubling to say the least.

One more thing: the USA Today piece suggested that there is no universally accepted test for public relations counselors. That is incorrect. The test for accreditation in public relations that is managed by the Universal Accreditation Board is exactly that -- a test of a public relations counselor's experience, knowledge, proficiency and professionalism.

Of course, that does not mean we can have some kind of certification of PR pros. There is a little thing called the First Amendment that prohibits limitations on free speech (except in cases of public safety or hate speech). So, no, we can't limit a person's ability to hang a shingle and call herself a public relations counselor. But you can ask if she is accredited if you want assurance of her credentials and capabilities.

Also, check out yesterday's post, Ethics: Doing the right thing shouldn't be so uncommon.

Tweet. Meet. Give. Twestival Time

2009-02-09T08:20:00.008-06:00

This post is brought to the GFW PRSA by Lauren Vargas:

On Thursday, February 12, users of the micro-blogging service Twitter will gather in over one hundred cities around the world to share the love and raise money for charity:water, a not-for-profit bringing clean, safe drinking water to people in developing nations. The event is 100% volunteer-run.

The Dallas Twestival at Mockingbird Station will feature live music by local bands, food and drink, a raffle, WiFi, feeds from other global events, a free film at the Angelica Theater, a show at Hyena's Comedy Club, and friendly, engaged Fort Worth and Dallasites united to "Tweet. Meet. Give." 100% of proceeds go to charity:water. Purchase your tickets now for only $10!

The Dallas/Fort Worth Twestival goal is to raise $4000, which is the cost of one well. Dallas/Fort Worth Twestival volunteers are looking for sponsors at the $500 or $1000 levels, or who can offer goods or services for donation - these will be part of a raffle or silent auction. Sponsors' logos will be displayed at the event, on the Dallas Twestival website, and included in the live streaming web broadcast; they may also provide materials to be distributed at the event. The sponsorship package information is available online at http://dallas.twestival.com/dallas-twestival-sponsorship/.

Additional information may be found at http://dallas.twestival.com and http://twestival.com.

Discussion: Press Credentials for Non-Press Professionals

2009-01-29T22:15:00.092-06:00

Image via Wikipedia

We are going to try something a little different in this space. Occassionally, chapter members will start an e-mail discussion over a topic where a group is CC'd in and then the "Reply to all" game is played. I will say often these discussions are interesting and lead to offline dialogue or other networking opportunities.

One such discussion recently developed:

GFW Chapter President, Andra Bennett, APR, sent out an e-mail concerning a PR ethics question raised by Fot Worth Star-Telegram columnist Bud Kennedy. Kennedy wrote:

"So when a PR person is gathering newsfilm -- Do they get a press credential?"

He was referencing this post in the Texas Politics Blog related Chuck McDonald, a Lobbyist/PR guy, having press credentials and being on the Texas House floor for Gov. Perry State of the State address.

The Discussion Begins
The ensuing e-mails were pretty thoughtful and interesting. At one point in the discussion I ask the group if anyone minded me putting some of this down for a blog post since others might benefit from the discussion.

I was given the green light, so here's what's been said on the issue:

Video news releases have been around for 20+ years. VNR-1 -- I never heard of them asking for "press credentials." They knew they were on the PR side. That is all changing now...

I personally do not think they should have press credentials if they are being paid by clients to support a lobbying function, whether they are "registered" as a lobbyist or not.

McDonald's website is a fine idea, but his mistake was that he didn't play by the rules, and that came back to bite him and cast (once again!) all PR people in a poor ethical light.

-=-=-=-=-

McDonald's tactics disgust me. If we don't respect the news media as being a different animal from us, meriting the privilege of "press credentials," then we ultimately weaken the public's confidence in the news media. Which in turn weakens the impact we can have for our clients.

-=-=-=-=-

In this age of citizen media, any organization that seeks to restrict access to information on the base of credentialing is risking its reputation. It just doesn't make sense anymore. My 11 year old niece could shoot video from her phone that could be played on CNN -- so why shouldn't she and everyone like her have access to the same information at the same time?

-=-=-=-=-

I think there are three issues, or questions here:

1) Was what Chuck McDonald did okay, or was it wrong? Wrong. But, in my opinion, only because he was a registered lobbyist, and rules prohibit registered lobbyists from being on the floor of the Texas House when the chamber is in session.

2) Should PR people be able to obtain press credentials? Certainly. We're in the news business, one way or another. If press credentials are required for obtaining access to the gathering of information a public relations professional needs to perform his or her job, and the public relations professional obtains the credentials in an above-board, legal manner, what's the problem? For instance, yesterday IBM's CEO, Sam Palmisano, was at the podium with President Obama, talking about the economic stimulus plan and the support it was receiving from IBM and other corporations. To have full access to that historic moment, should an IBM public relations staff person, or a person from a public relations firm representing IBM, been able to request and receive through the White House press credentials to be a part of and capture in photographs, film and/or audio that moment for archives and IBM "promotional" purposes, without having to rely on getting material from the news media? Absolutely. Should a public relations person working with a press credential purport to be a part of the "news media?" Absolutely not. We should always be above board about who we are, what we are doing and what are our interest level and intent. As a matter of information, the material from Washington yesterday that is being posted internally within IBM is from the White House and media sources, such as CNN, the Wall Street Journal, etc., and is appropriately labeled as being from those sources. And with my PR hat on, you can check out some video here.

3) How should material be handled by a public relations person who has gotten the material via a press credential? Straight forward and in an honest manner. If the presentation of the material has been altered in any way, it should be designated as not being an actual representation of what took place. In other words, that it's not a news production, but rather a public relations production, on behalf of a "client." Thus, it's not only the manner in which the material is obtained, but also the manner in which the material is presented. With full disclosure in obtaining and using information, it then is up to the audiences to determine the validity and value of the information that is being communicated to them. In that regard, I had no problem with Shale.TV, since it was fully disclosed it was going to be a Chesapeake production and not a "news production," but as most of you know, I had some serious issues with the manner in which Shale.TV was introduced and communications that were associated with the launch, which ultimately turned into a no-go.

-=-=-=-=-

Very interesting issue. Great discussion. A few thoughts:

There needs to be a stand on defining journalism and/or degrees of journalism. Without licensing (God forbid), journalism is not as distinct a craft as it once was. As we see on the Web, anyone can practice journalism and claim to be a journalist. I'd guess that public perception of who/what journalists are still distinguishes professional journalists from amateurs and professional practitioners of communications for private- and public-sector entities.

Create a different credential for those who are not professional journalists but need access to an event, justifiably. I would not support "press" credentials for non-press folks. "Press" carries a distinct definition, legal boundaries and ethics. One needs to consider how this issue would play out in court. "Are you a member of the press, Ms. X?" No. "Then why were you claiming to be? Doesn't this credential you were wearing say 'Press'?"

Labeling a credential as "Press" instantly projects motivations, objectives and expectations that are distinct and not shared by other forms of communication.

Journalists' constituents are the public. Their motivation is, at least it should be, to present factual reporting, from spot to investigative, free of a private- or public-sector entity's aims. Enron comes to mind. Should Enron communicators have been issued "press" credentials as all of that coverage unfolded? I think not. Did those communicators deserve the same access to unfolding news events as the "press"? Absolutely. Was FEMA wrong to fake a "news" conference? Of course. Still, this is America after all and all things public are just that -- public. Last I heard, public relations practitioners are as "public" as any other person, journalist or not.

I recall a "Far Side" cartoon in which vultures were gathered around the corpse of a ranch hand. One vulture had put the decedent's hat on his head and was saying: "Hey, everybody, look at me! I'm a cowboy!" Right. Not that PR folks are vultures and journalists are dead meat. I'm just saying that "press" credentials should be issued only to practicing professional journalists. To be honest and ethical, let credentials label the press as such and come up with some other label for non-press.

-=-=-=-=-
What do you think? Please weigh in via comments. The floor is yours.

Feb. 11th Monthly Meeting

2009-01-21T16:53:00.001-06:00

It’s February. It’s cold. You’ve already blown your New Year’s resolutions. You’re unmotivated at work. And the daily headlines sure aren’t helping your already-dour demeanor. Is it really all that bad? No! At least not according to Bryan Dodge, our featured presenter at the February meeting of the Greater Fort Worth Chapter of PRSA.

If you’re in dire need of motivation both in your professional life and personal life – and who among us isn’t? – this meeting is for you! Bryan is a nationally known author, speaker, and host of WBAP’s weekly “Build a Better You” radio show. His main message – that life is good and growth is essential – will give you the boost you need to get out of the doldrums, kick 2009 into gear, and be the best you can be. Bryan’s presentation on professional grown and personal development focuses on three key areas. First, he’ll show you how to have your best year ever. Second, he’ll coach you on how to create consistent upward growth in your life. Third, he’ll train you on how to harness the power of personal energy and tap its unlimited supply. Best of all, he’ll do it in a way that is fun and memorable!
About Bryan Dodge

Professional speaker, radio personality and author Bryan Dodge probably holds the record of being the busiest communicator in America. For over 20 years, he has been a popular choice for corporate events, conferences, and conventions. Last year alone he made well over 250 speaking appearances all across the United States and Canada. His inspirational keynotes are on the subjects of personal and professional development, success habits of the wealthy, and leadership principles. The underlying thesis of all of Bryan Dodge’s teachings is that “Life is too short not to be happy, and life is too long not to do well.” His programs are designed to accelerate your personal and professional growth and produce the favorable results you’re looking for in life.

The Good Life Rules: Eight Keys to Being Your Best at Work and at Play is his latest book, and is published by McGraw-Hill. He is also the author of three professional development audio programs, How to Build a Better You, How to Build a Complete Sales Person, and How to Build a Purpose Guided Life as well as being the co-author of the book Becoming the Obvious Choice which has sold over 200,000 copies. Bryan is also the host of the “Build a Better You” Radio Show on Dallas/Fort Worth’s premier Radio Station, WBAP 820 AM.

At all of his events, he continually stresses the importance of keeping your professional life and personal life in balance. Bryan practices what he teaches when he says that he goes home to his most important job: being an involved and dedicated husband and father. Bryan and his wife Margaret have three children: Nicole, Johnathan, and Zachary.

Presenter: Bryan Dodge

When: Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Where: Petroleum Club | Carter-Burgess Plaza | 777 Main St., 40th floor | Fort Worth, Texas

Times: Registration at 11:30 AM; program begins at noon.

Cost: Members $25.00 | Non Members $30.00 | Students $20.00

REGISTER HERE:

http://guest.cvent.com/EVENTS/Info/Invitation.aspx?e=665ced51-cc4b-4b73-8b03-e02f82202994

Jan. 14, 2009 ~ Monthly Luncheon to feature Mitchell Schnurman from the FWST

2008-12-20T03:03:00.003-06:00

TOPIC: Gazing into the Crystal Ball: The Outlook for Local Business and Media in 2009

The stock market is down. Unemployment is up. Retailers are slashing prices right and left or, worse yet, closing their doors. It seems as if everyone, from automakers to major cities, is looking to Washington for a bailout.

But what is the economic outlook closer to home? And will the dire predictions for the future of mainstream media come true? More importantly, how will the economic climate in North Texas and changes in the media world affect public relations practitioners? Find out when Mitchell Schnurman, Business columnist for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, looks into his crystal ball and shares his predictions for local business, from both a media and PR viewpoint. Start the New Year off right and join us for a look into the future at the Greater Fort Worth Chapter of PRSA monthly luncheon Wednesday, Jan. 14, at the Petroleum Club.

When: Wednesday, January 14, 2009, 11:45 AM - 1:00 PM

Where: Petroleum Club | Carter-Burgess Plaza | 777 Main St., 40th floor | Fort Worth, Texas

Times: Registration at 11:30 AM; program begins at noon.

Cost: Members $25.00 | Non Members $30.00 | Students $20.00

Where in the world are Tom and Richie?

2008-12-20T02:52:00.002-06:00

Here they are at Mi Cocina in Fort Worth off of I-30 and Hulen at the board holiday social and December board meeting!

Congratulations to Lauren Burkett, GFW PRSA Board Member, who earned her MBA from UTA this month

2008-12-20T02:51:00.001-06:00

Online registration now open for 2009 Conference

2008-12-20T02:48:00.002-06:00

www.tpra.com

BEST OF THE SOUTHWEST Communicators Conference

The joint conference, combining the annual TPRA Convention and PRSA Southwest District Conference, will feature two days of speakers, workshops, professional development and networking opportunities as well as the "A League of Our Own" Silver Spur / Best of Texas awards banquet on Feb. 28.

GFW PRSA Chapter Diversity Award from PRSA National

2008-12-20T02:46:00.001-06:00

Left to right: Andra Bennett House, APR, 2009 GFW PRSA President; Glenda Thompson, 2008-2009 Diversity Chair; and Laura Van Hoosier, APR, 2008 GFW PRSA President, celebrate receiving the Chapter Diversity Award, Award of Honor, from PRSA National.

Richie Escovedo, GFW PRSA Board Director, receives the 2008 Unsung Hero Award from GFW PRSA

2008-12-20T02:45:00.002-06:00

John Dycus receives 2008 Team Spirit Award from GFW PRSA

2008-12-20T02:44:00.005-06:00

John Dycus, who produces the monthly eChaser newsletter for SPJ, IABC and PRSA, is pictured here with Laura Van Hoosier, APR, 2008 GFW PRSA President.

Dr. Doug Newsom receives Lifetime Achievement Award from GFW PRSA Chapter

2008-12-20T02:43:00.000-06:00

Online Registration Now Open for 2009 Conference

2008-12-20T02:39:00.001-06:00

http://www.tpra.com/

Latest news on the 2009 Conference

2008-12-16T06:17:00.002-06:00

TPRA and PRSA Southwest District Teaming to Present
BEST OF THE SOUTHWEST Communicators Conference

Social media guru Peter Shankman and branding expert Laurence Vincent headline speakers

DALLAS, December 15, 2008 – Texas Public Relations Association and Public Relations Society of America Southwest District are joining forces to present the 2009 BEST OF THE SOUTHWEST Communicators Conference in Frisco, Texas, Feb. 27 – March 1, at the John Q. Hammons Embassy Suites – Dallas/Frisco Hotel, Convention Center & Spa.

The joint conference, combining the annual TPRA Convention and PRSA Southwest District Conference, will feature two days of speakers, workshops, professional development and networking opportunities as well as the "A League of Our Own" Silver Spur / Best of Texas awards banquet on Feb. 28.

Among the speakers will be Peter Shankman, founder of the wildly successful Help A Reporter Out (HARO) and CEO of The Geek Factory Inc., a boutique marketing and pr strategy firm located in New York City, and Laurence Vincent, author of Legendary Brands: Unleashing the Power of Storytelling to Create a Winning Marketing Strategy and leader of the Siegel+Gale strategy practice in Los Angeles.

Located in one of the nation’s fastest growing cities, the AAA Four Diamond John Q. Hammons Embassy Suites – Dallas/Frisco Hotel, Convention Center & Spa provides a dramatic setting for the conference.

For more information and sponsorship opportunities or to register for the BEST OF THE SOUTHWEST Communicators Conference visit www.tpra.org.

###

Contact: Scott White, BIzCom Associates, 972-490-0903, scottwhite@bizcompr.com

GFW PRSA Chapter bestows three special awards to very deserving professionals

2008-12-12T08:40:00.005-06:00

The awards were presented at the Chapter's Dec. 10th holiday luncheon and networking event.

Doug Newsom, Ph.D., APR, Fellow PRSA
Lifetime Achievement Award

John Dycus
Team Spirit Award

Richie Escovedo
2008 Unsung Hero Award

2009 Convention blog is up and running

2008-12-12T08:39:00.002-06:00

Check it out here!

http://tprablog.wordpress.com/

A thank you letter from Linda Jacobson, APR

2008-12-05T09:03:00.003-06:00

Dear friends,

Words cannot express how much I appreciate the honor of being one of the first recipients of the Jim Blackmore, APR Memorial Scholarship Award. I am truly humbled. I understand that Mr. Blackmore was a pioneer leader in the Greater Fort Worth chapter with a special affinity for furthering the professionalism of public relations. I will certainly do everything I can to uphold that legacy.

Achieving accreditation status has been a long-term goal of mine. I hope this encourages others to engage in the process.

Thank you again.

Best regards,

Linda Ld Jacobson, APR

Peter Shankman to talk social media at 2009 BEST OF SOUTHWEST Communicators Conference

2008-12-03T09:58:00.002-06:00

Do You REALLY Know How To Use Social Media?

Founder of HARO and The Geek Factory to Discuss Social Networking at the 2009 BEST OF THE SOUTHWEST Communicators Conference Presented by TPRA and PRSA Southwest District

You know Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, but do you REALLY KNOW how to use them?

Peter Shankman, founder of the wildly successful Help A Reporter Out (HARO) and CEO of The Geek Factory Inc., a boutique marketing and pr strategy firm located in New York City, will discuss the technology that is changing the PR and marketing communications industries as we know them during his Friday keynote address, Feb. 27, at the 2009 BEST OF THE SOUTHWEST Communicators Conference Presented by TPRA and PRSA Southwest District

PR Week Magazine says Shankman is “redefining the art of networking,” and Investor’s Business Daily has called him “crazy, but effective.”

Here is your chance to find out how one of the leaders in social media is continually pushing the boundaries of technology personally and professionally, and how you and your business can do it, too.

The joint conference of the TPRA and PRSA Southwest District will feature two days of speakers, workshops, professional development and networking opportunities as well as the "A League of Our Own" Silver Spur / Best of Texas awards banquet. The event is Feb. 28-March 1 at the John Q. Hammons Embassy Suites – Dallas/Frisco Hotel, Convention Center & Spa (www.embassysuitesfrisco.com).

More details and registration information on the Southwest's biggest PR and Marketing event of 2009 is available at http://tpra.org/.

December newsletter from PRSA, SPJ and IABC

2008-12-02T06:06:00.001-06:00

http://www.spjfw.org/ec0809/p1dec08.html

GFW PRSA Member Lisa Albert from TCU gets published in PR Tactics

2008-12-02T05:50:00.012-06:00

Lisa's article, "A brand new U: Effective sub-branding at a university," was published in the November, 2008 issue of PR Tactics, a publication of PRSA. Congratulations, Lisa! We are so proud of you.

Read the article here:

A message from Andra Bennett House, APR

2008-11-19T12:12:00.002-06:00

Hello, fellow PRSA members!

The 2009 Board and chairs are busy making plans and ready to serve you and the Greater Fort Worth Chapter next year.

Would you like to serve on the board with us? I am in need of a dependable PR chair. That’s right! Need a PR person for PRSA. How much better exposure can you get!?

Nutshell Job Description:

1. Send chapter news to newsletter editor, website editors and local print media (about 5 e-mails).

2. Do this once a month.

Skills required:

1. Sending e-mails.

2. Attending a 1-hr. monthly board meeting as often as you can.

My most valuable relationships with PR peers are those I have made in my years on the GFW chapter board. If you’re interested in serving in this position, please contact me.

Andra Bennett, APR

President-Elect / VP Membership Chair

Greater Fort Worth PRSA

abennett@fortworthchamber.com

It is time to start putting together your entries for the TPRA Silver Spurs Awards

2008-11-18T16:38:00.002-06:00

Find out all the details by clicking below:
http://www.tpra.com/awards/

2009 Newsletter/PR Chair position available with GFW PRSA board

2008-11-18T16:29:00.002-06:00

Are you a great writer? Enjoy working with the media? Please contact GFW PRSA President-Elect Andra Bennett House, APR if you are interested in this volunteer chair position for 2009, and she can give you all the details. abennett@fortworthchamber.com or 817-336-2491, x 265

Thank you!

Putting Ethics into PR Practice

2008-11-17T09:35:00.003-06:00

This post first appeared in The Saltlick blog by Linda Jacobson, APR

After listening to Doug Newsom, grande dame of public relations, speak about the ethical situations in which a public relations professional can become mired, I was surprised to hear her tell of how she resigned a position because she was asked to do something unethical. And in her words, she had four children to support at the time. The show-and-tell of that kind of moxie is really needed so that those of us in the public relations profession understand that, where the stakes are high, resigning just might be the appropriate action.

Newsom delivered several powerful lessons from her 40 years' experience at the Nov. 13 Greater Fort Worth/Dallas PRSA meeting. Chief among them:

1. Stand your ground. When dealing with senior execs, more than likely you're dealing with strong opinions and strong personalities. You have expertise in your field - expertise that the CEO counts on hearing.

2. Understand the culture of the corporation. As Newsom pointed out, when it comes to communication, companies range from closed to open. Know where the company/client falls on that continuum, and decide if your personal values fit that culture. If not, you'll likely encounter some conflicts when sensitive issues arise.

3. Adhere to an ethics model. She specifically discussed a utilitarian model, which supports decision-making of doing the greatest good for the greatest number, or a communitarian ethics model, which stresses morality in the community and being a good "corporate citizen." She mentioned Mitch Land's book, Contemporary Media Ethics, which I highly recommend. Land and co-editor Hornaday present multiple case studies of PR ethics problems, considering them from both perspectives, so the reader can see the difference in the two models.

Newsom also discussed two likely ethics dilemmas with the audience and then stuck around to answer questions.

Her message, so needed in today's transparent world, was timeless and a good reminder to anyone in the communications business.

When is the 2009 PRSA Southwest District Conference?

2008-11-17T03:07:00.005-06:00

February 27 - March 1, 2009

Best of the Southwest
Communicators Conference
Presented by Texas Public Relations Association and PRSA Southwest District

MORE INFORMATION IS HERE:
http://www.tpra.org/2009convention/

WHERE: Embassy Suites-Dallas/Frisco Hotel, Convention Center & Spa - Frisco, TX

SAVE THE DATES!

2008-11-17T03:06:00.000-06:00

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

Best of the Southwest
Communicators Conference
Presented by Texas Public Relations Association and PRSA Southwest District
February 27 - March 1, 2009
Embassy Suites-Dallas/Frisco Hotel, Convention Center & Spa - Frisco, TX

There's a job opening in the FWISD Communications Office, the marketing arm for the district

2008-11-11T13:17:00.008-06:00

Per Barbara Griffith: They are looking for a bilingual person who will do administrative work as well as have the opportunity to do media relations outreach and coordination. Media coaching/training available to this person.

Interested? Apply online:

http://www.fwisd.org/Pages/Default.aspx

GFW PRSA Holiday Luncheon, Dec. 10

2008-11-11T11:06:00.003-06:00

GFW PRSA December Holiday Luncheon

SAVE THE DATE!
December 10
11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m
The Petroleum Club

This has been a fantastic and very busy year for the Greater Fort Worth PRSA Chapter, so as the year winds down, please plan to celebrate this success and the holiday season on December 10 at a special chapter luncheon and networking event.

You'll have an opportunity to mix and mingle, discuss your ideas for the chapter with next year's officers and enjoy a fantastic lunch and delectable desserts. We'll also be honoring the accomplishments and contributions of several of our members and others with special awards.

Throughout our time together, we'll be treated to musical entertainment from Gonzolo, an accomplished harpist.

Join us for this festive event, and please feel free to invite a colleague to join you.

Watch for your Cvent invite, or email lauravanhoosier@msn.com to have the link sent your way.

Book Benefit that GFW PRSA supports!

2008-11-11T11:01:00.003-06:00

WHAT: JPS Book Benefit & Splendiferous Gift Drawing!

WHEN:
Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2008
6-8:30 p.m.

WHERE: Hospitality Room, Coors Distributing Co.
2550 McMillan Parkway, on the east side of
I-35W just south of Meacham Boulevard

Invitees*: area journalists, writers, PR types

Cost: $15 or the equivalent (or more) in new
or good-condition-used children’s books
for the JPS Health Network children’s
library; and magazines, they need
magazines (all kinds, not just
for kids) — clean out your closet!
Food: world-class barbecue, beans,
potato salad, dessert; tea, beer

*SPJ,
PRSA,
IABC,
ASBPE,
AWJ,
NAHC,
AAJA,
NAJA,
NLGJA,
AYJ,
WGT

Not part of any acronym group? Or you used
to be, but it folded? You’re welcome, too!

Brought to you by the IABC Fort Worth raffle grab team and SPJ.

RSVP to mkpirtle@yahoo.com

(The room only holds about 100, and last year it was full.)

Susan Schoolfield, APR, accepting the Chapter Diversity Award from PRSA National President Jeffrey Julin

2008-11-10T22:44:00.000-06:00

A special message from Carolyn Bobo, APR, Fellow PRSA

2008-11-10T21:28:00.005-06:00

Hello, GFW PRSA Members:

There are two excellent reports from your Assembly Delegates on this site. Please peruse those reports, which will bring you up to date with national PRSA activities.

I'm pleased to begin my second year as one of two Assembly Delegates
At Large who represent members who do not live in areas served by
chapters. This includes about 125 people who live in Mississippi,
North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Guam, Puerto Rico and military
locations.

If any of you are interested in getting involved in PRSA at the
national and regional level, please do so! PRSA is always in search
of volunteers who can serve on committees and task forces and can
provide valuable ideas to the national organization. You also may
want to join a section or become involved in the leadership of
sections. There are many opportunities to serve PRSA and the
profession, all of which will provide important networking and
professional development activities. Thanks to today's electronic
communications, most of this involvement is online or by conference
call at convenient times for participants.

GFW PRSA is an excellent chapter with great people and
professionals. Thank you for your membership and involvement.

Happy holidays to all. CB

Carolyn Bobo
cgbobo@mindspring.com

FWST and DMN to share some resources

2008-11-10T09:54:00.002-06:00

From FWST:

http://www.star-telegram.com/business/columnists/mitchell_schnurman/

Press Release from National on Chapter Diversity Award

2008-11-06T10:07:00.001-06:00

PRSA Recognizes Chapters for Exceptional Efforts in
Advancing National Diversity Initiative
Greater Fort Worth, Miami, Orange County and Wichita Chapters Demonstrate
Key Values in Diversity

NEW YORK (Oct. 30, 2008) — The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) honored four of its Chapters with the 2008 PRSA Chapter Diversity Awards for outstanding efforts to promote the organization’s national diversity initiative. Ivonne Couret, co-chair of the PRSA National Diversity Committee, and PRSA Chair & CEO Jeff Julin, APR, presented the awards to representatives from the Greater Fort Worth, Miami, Orange County and Wichita Chapters at the PRSA Assembly Luncheon on Oct. 25.

The Chapter Diversity Award, sponsored by the PRSA Diversity Advisory Board, is given to PRSA Chapters that embody and demonstrate key values in diversity by having initiated and maintained a successful diversity program in 2007; recruited or mentored members with interests and expertise in diversity; demonstrated a significant contribution toward diversity; and showcased diversity as one of the top three strategic goals for the Chapter.

“It is important to recognize those Chapters that are embracing diversity and inclusion through the public relations profession,” said Couret. “These Chapters add value to our society and raise the bar of excellence for other PRSA Chapters.”

Each winning Chapter received a certificate of achievement. The Greater Forth Worth, Miami, and Orange County Chapters were awarded $250 to be used toward furthering their diversity initiatives.

The Greater Fort Worth Chapter recognized that understanding the distinction between embracing and accepting differences is key to an authentic approach to diversity. This insight led to the creation of the Chapter’s “Diversity of Thought” program, which helped promote diverse group participation in a citywide AIDS and HIV awareness program. The Chapter increased commitment to diversity from its members by building a committee of diverse persons representing the corporate, nonprofit, medical, and arts communities. Additionally, the Chapter sponsored diversity-themed luncheons, as well as held a series of meetings and phone conferences with area companies to gauge the effectiveness of its diversity initiatives.

The Miami Chapter continues to recognize their impact on the public relations industry as a highly diverse city. The Chapter’s priorities have intrinsically centered on diversity, which is illustrated by its leadership composition, professional development opportunities, and community service. This year’s PRSA Miami Sunshine District Conference allowed the Chapter to expand its key programming to include diversity topics that allowed panelists to discuss marketing strategies to reach diverse segments of the population in today’s changing times. The programming also included an agency roundtable with key executives from three of Miami’s top international agencies.

The Orange County Chapter continues to build upon its strategic partnerships with regional Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) and YoPro Chapters for new leader development, diversity, inclusion training, and mentorship. It secured high-profile guest speakers, which drove attendance to diversity events and broadened the Chapter’s diversity message, as well as maintains timely content and resources on its Web site. This year, the Chapter rebranded diversity with a new logo and leveraged social networking opportunities on such sites as Facebook and LinkedIn.

The Wichita Chapter is a recipient of the Award of Honor certificate for its energy as a small Chapter making great strides to advance diversity and inclusion by producing diversity-themed workshops for its community.

“Diversity is what makes our society strong, and engaging in initiatives that advance inclusion are key to the success of PRSA and our profession,” said Julin. “In addition to achievements of local Chapters, Districts, and Sections, the national Diversity Advisor Board accomplished a great deal in 2008, with multicultural programming both onsite and through teleseminars, media articles, the launch of “PRSA Diversity Today,” a podcast that discusses hot topics with named professionals, and providing diversity education for our PRSSA students.”

About the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)
The Public Relations Society of America (www.prsa.org), headquartered in New York City, is the world’s largest organization for public relations professionals with nearly 32,000 professional and student members. PRSA is organized into 109 Chapters and 10 Districts nationwide, and 20 Professional Interest Sections and Affinity Groups, which represent business and industry, counseling firms, independent practitioners, military, government, associations, hospitals, schools, professional services firms and nonprofit organizations. The Public Relations Student Society of America (www.prssa.org) has 296 Chapters at colleges and universities throughout the United States, and one Chapter in Argentina.

# # #

Nov. 12 TELESEMINAR ~ Hosted by the Education SIG

2008-10-30T08:35:00.002-05:00

~ INVITATION ~
Presented by the GFW PRSA Education SIG

TELESEMINAR

What the CEO May Not Know About the Media (And What You Can Do About It)
Learn to Incorporate the CEO in Corporate Communications Strategy

WHEN: Wednesday, Nov. 12
TIME: 2-3 p.m.

DESCRIPTION:

Chief executive officers are losing the battle for how the public perceives them and the companies they lead. Beyond lost revenue, the failure to communicate and create a positive perception about a company’s mission and values can hurt its share price and create a welcome environment for activist shareholder groups, hedge funds and private equity firms to attempt to force out CEOs and shake up boards. Veteran business journalist and editor William J. Holstein draws on decades of working with chief executives and large corporations to explain how public relations counselors and their CEOs can enhance companies’ communications skills, strengthen ties to the press and manage those relationships effectively over the long term.

You will learn to:

* Use the CEO to capture relationships with journalists you might not otherwise be able to meet.
* Incorporate communications into corporate strategy from board members and the CEO on down
* Get on the offensive and shape the message to prevent the emergence of broad coalitions
* Embrace the explosion of blogs, search engines and social Web sites

INSTRUCTOR

William J. Holstein is an award-winning editor, author and journalist on subjects affecting CEOs and boards of directors, particularly innovation, competitiveness, governance and global business issues. He is the former editor-in-chief of Chief Executive and Directorship magazines, and is currently a columnist for The New York Times Sunday business section. He also writes for Barron's, Corporate Board Member, Dealmaker, and Strategy+Business. His “Armchair MBA” column appears biweekly on BusinessWeek.com.

WHERE: Fort Worth ISD Professional Development Center (PDC)

3150 McCart Avenue - ROOM 141

Fort Worth, Texas 76110

The PDC is located near the intersection of Berry and McCart about two blocks from TCU.

FOR WHOM: GFW PRSA Members and non-members are welcomed to attend.

PRICE: $5 members, $10 for non-members. Pay at the door. (Cash or check payable to "GFW PRSA.")

Complimentary soft drinks and cookies will be provided.

PLEASE RSVP to lauravanhoosier@gmail.com

A special night with international journalist Evita Neefs ~ Here are some photos from the PRSA Master's SIG event from Oct. 29 at The Vault

2008-10-30T07:26:00.002-05:00

November Monthly Program on Ethics with Dr. Doug Newsom, APR, Fellow PRSA - REGISTER NOW AT THE LINK BELOW

2008-10-27T20:48:00.001-05:00

https://www.prsadallas.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=92:novemberluncheon&catid=38:groups

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