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October 2007
MEETINGS
Next at IABC Fort Worth ...
Program to be announced.
Time & date: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 23
Place: Petroleum Club, Carter-Burgess Plaza, 777 Main St., 39th floor
Parking: $2.50 in parking garage at Seventh and Commerce streets
Cost: members $25, nonmembers $30, students $20 (online add $1)
RSVP by noon Oct. 19: Tim Tune, tim.tune@fortworthgov.org, or iabcfortworth.com/paypal.htm
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Next at Greater Fort Worth PRSA ...
Best Practices and Lessons Learned -- Hear from the PR Pros
"How'd they do that?" "Why did they do that?" "Should I be doing something similar?"
Everyone in the PR-marketing biz has experienced these moments. The answers will come tumbling forth at the October PRSA meeting from panelists who know a thing or two about managing a major crisis, planning detailed strategic communications efforts and executing events on a shoestring budget.
The program, presented by the chapter's Masters SIG, features Tom Burke, APR, with IBM; Mary Gugliuzza, Fort Worth Water Department; Andrea Helms, Tarrant Area Food Bank; Bill Lawrence, APR, Fellow PRSA, Lawrence and Associates; and Tracy Syler-Jones, TCU. E-mail questions you'd like answered to Laura Van Hoosier, lauravanhoosier@msn.com.
Time & date: 11:45 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 10
Place: Petroleum Club, Carter-Burgess Plaza, 777 Main St., 39th floor
Parking: free valet in parking garage at Seventh and Commerce streets
Cost: members $25, nonmembers $30, students $20
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Next at Fort Worth SPJ ...
Black, White and Read All Over
Here it is, the 21st century, and the news media are still asking: Where are the journalists of color? The question also is being raised where some young people take their first journalistic steps -- in j-schools and the student media.
Minorities compose 42 percent of K-12 students, and the percentage is growing. But will those students enroll in journalism or English and write for the campus paper, or will they continue to major in business, nursing, education and computer science?
And can a mostly white news staff adequately cover a diverse community? How can journalism attract more minority students? What will it take to make this happen?
Ask your own questions at the October SPJ meeting when four student media advisers -- Robert Bohler, TCU; Lloyd Goodman, UTA; Eddye Gallagher, TCC; and Tracy Everbach, UNT -- will report and maybe raise questions of their own on the status of minorities in journalism.
Time & date: mingling 6 p.m., eats around 6:30, then the program Wednesday, Oct. 10
Place: Shady Oak Barbeque & Grill, 1600 E. Copeland Road, Arlington (south side of I-30 at the Nolan Ryan Expressway exit)
Cost: $15 members, $20 nonmembers, $5 students
Menu: brisket, sausage, chicken, plenty of sides, iced tea and corporate parent Spring Creek Barbeque's signature bread; cash bar
RSVP: Kay Pirtle at mkpirtle@yahoo.com
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STRAIGHT STUFF
A month out. Writing coach and author Paul LaRocque will hold court on headline writing at the American Society of Business Publication Editors meeting Wednesday, Nov. 14, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at Southern Recipes Grill, 2715 N. Collins St. in Arlington. Cost: $20 for ASBPE members, $25 nonmembers (cash preferred). RSVP to Tonie Auer, 817-925-2013 or tonieauer@gmail.com. ...
Read, write and be persistent, Britta Coleman says when asked her advice for writers. She will go beyond that at the next meeting of the Writers' Guild of Texas -- 7-8:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 15, Richardson Public Library, 900 Civic Center Drive -- and open the door to the art of rewriting. Coleman is an award-winning author, essayist and inspirational speaker whose debut novel, "Potter Springs," won the Lone Star Scribe Award from Barnes & Noble Booksellers. Her essays have appeared in anthologies from Guideposts Books and Simon & Schuster, and she has written for FYI Television Features, Heroes for Humanity and Authorlink. This meeting and the Nov. 19 session with nonfiction author Frank Rush -- all Writers' Guild of Texas meetings -- are open to the public. ...
Ever dreamed of giving up your day job and becoming a novelist? Roxanne Conrad, writing as Rachel Caine, will tell how she's doing just that at the Freelance Alliance meeting at noon Tuesday, Oct. 16, at the North Dallas Chamber of Commerce, 10707 Preston Road. An IABC member and the soon-to-be-former communications manager for LSG Sky Chefs, Conrad has published more than 20 paranormal romantic action/adventure novels since 1990 while working full time. She recently sold film and television option rights for "The Morganville Vampires," a young adult series. Registration begins at 11:30. ...
Got a great idea for how to use technology to transform news in the community? The Knight Foundation is accepting applications until Oct. 15 for the second annual Knight News Challenge.
IABC local update: IABC Fort Worth is taking a peer group approach to earning the Accredited Business Communicator certification. Lori De La Cruz, ABC, will lead a series of brown-bag informational meetings ("IABC Accreditation 101") that will move candidates through the process. Applications are due by Tuesday, Nov. 6; five candidates are necessary for reduced rates from national, so contact De La Cruz as soon as possible. The journey to accreditation requires a comprehensive, two-piece portfolio and an examination with both written and oral sections. Meetings will be 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of the month, at various locations. ABC candidates must meet minimum requirements. Check here for qualifications and here for the application. Get those questions answered from lori@bluemarblemedia.net.
IABC local update II: Dallas IABC promises entertainment, games and prizes as it recruits like mad -- it's membership month -- at a free happy hour from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 25, at the Parlour wine bar in Richardson. Info here.
PRSA local update: Reasons abound to make the annual meeting Wednesday, Nov. 14, at the Petroleum Club. Fan favorite Joe Trahan, APR, Fellow PRSA, will lead a 9-11:30 a.m. workshop on "Media Measurement and Tracking" and then speak at lunch. Members present also will vote on the 2008 Board of Directors. The slate: president, Laura Van Hoosier, APR; president-elect, Andra Bennett, APR; programs VP, Tom Burke, APR; treasurer, Nancy Farrar; treasurer-elect, Allyson Cross; secretary, Linda Jacobson; and at-large board members, Richie Escovedo (term to expire 2010), Lisa Gail Barnes (2009) and Carol Murray, APR (2008). Assembly delegates to be considered are Dan Keeney, APR (term to expire 2009), and Heather Senter, APR (2008).
PRSA local update II: If Shakespeare were to describe what 14 PRSA members learned at a teleseminar Sept. 20 on crafting press releases, it might go something like this (from Nu Pros ringleader Linda Jacobson):
What's in a lead? That which we call story speed.
By any other name would still precede
The body main. And when thou art done with this,
Package it well for a journalist's eye; for if you miss
You'll find your news at the bottom of a black abyss.
Media trainer Ann Wylie also shared what journalists don't like to see in their e-mails: a PR person's entire address book when pitching! The Nu Pros SIG hosted the meeting at Immotion Studios in Fort Worth.
PRSA update III: NBC 5 assignment manager Stephen Wright will go "Behind the Scenes at the Assignment Desk" for the Independent Practitioners PR SIG at the group's monthly meeting Wednesday, Oct. 17, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at Four Star Coffee Bar, 3324 W. 7th St. Grab a bite, network and get smarter.
PRSA update IV: Think career growth. Fort Worth chapter membership comes free for a year for anyone who joins PRSA this month. The national member rate is $290 ($225 national dues, $65 initiation fee). Visit prsa.org and enter promotion code AUTUMN2007.
PRSA local update V: Heather Senter, APR, and Andra Bennett, APR, are headed to the PRSA International Conference on Oct. 19, representing the Greater Fort Worth chapter as assembly delegates. E-mail them at heathersenter@charter.net or abennett@fortworthchamber.com with any concerns or suggestions to be conveyed to the PRSA Assembly and leadership.
PRSA local update VI: Dallas Morning News managing editor George Rodrigue; Tara Green, CSEE, sports marketing VP at the Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau; and Dallas Cowboys PR director Brett Daniels will keynote the Dallas PRSA Communications Summit (formerly PRSA Media Day) Friday, Oct. 12, at Las Colinas Country Club, 4400 N. O'Connor Blvd., Irving. More here.
SPJ national update: Students keep California free-speech victory; and Cal State, Long Beach considers scrapping paper's print version. The California Supreme Court has upheld a lower court's decision in favor of a high school student's free speech. The case involved the publication of racially charged editorials written by high school student Andrew Smith in 2001 and 2002. Smith was a senior at Novato High School, a public school 30 miles north of San Francisco, when the case began. His opinion piece in November 2001 argued against illegal immigration, calling on government agents to detain people who could not speak English: "If a person looks suspicious then just stop them and ask a few questions, and if they answer 'que?' detain them and see if they are legal." More here. ... The liberal arts dean's proposal to scrap the print edition of the California State University, Long Beach campus paper might have led to the removal of the chairman of the journalism department. Dean Gerry Riposa will evaluate four alternative production models, including an online-only publication, to help the struggling paper save money through reduced printing costs. Riposa discontinued subsidies to the paper ($30,000-$50,000 a year) last month. The paper, funded almost solely through ad revenue, hasn't covered expenses since it went independent in 2003. More here.
SPJ national update II: University paper loses advertisers over Bush editorial; journal rejects controversial anti-climate change consensus paper; and NYT pay wall comes down. Colorado State University's student newspaper lost $30,000 in advertising and had to cut pay and other budgets by 10 percent because of fallout from the use of a four-letter word in an editorial about President Bush. More here. ... A paper claiming to show that the scientific consensus on climate change is not, in fact, a consensus has been rejected by the journal Energy & Environment. More here. ... The New York Times ended the paid section of its web site, giving users access to thousands of articles. The move to deep-six Times Select had been anticipated for weeks, after it was reported in early August by the rival New York Post. More here.
SPJ national update III: Indianapolis school paper to rely on submissions from English classes (because the j-class was disbanded); and welcome to the Chinese internet. English class assignments, not journalistic pieces, will fill the pages of the Woodlan Junior-Senior High School newspaper this year, the latest twist in a scrap that started over an editorial advocating tolerance for gay people. The yearbook will operate as an extracurricular activity meeting before or after school. Both publications had been advised by Amy Sorrell, who left to teach journalism at a private school. English teachers will have students respond to a given topic using various styles of writing, including persuasion, opinion and perspective pieces. Cortney Carpenter, The Tomahawk's editor last year, said she does not want anything she writes for English class printed in the newspaper. "It really wouldn't be a paper anymore," she said. The changes to the newspaper were necessary because only four students signed up for the journalism class. More here. ... The ban began sometime after Aug. 22, when retired Maj. Gen. John Batiste was guest blogger on ThinkProgress. He posted an op-ed that strongly criticized the president's policies and advocated a "responsible and deliberate redeployment from Iraq." Both the National Review and Fox News are still accessible. More here.
SPJ national update IV: The teleprompter pixie comes clean. CBS News anchor Katie Couric, reporting in early September from Iraq, told Bob Schieffer on CBS's "Face the Nation" that in the Allawi market, which is near Haifa, the scene of a bloody gun battle back in January, "You do see signs of life that seem to be normal. Of course, that's what the U.S. military wants me to see, so you have to keep that in mind as well." Rep. Ellen Tauscher, D-Cal., who recently returned from Iraq, told the web site ThinkProgress that it's "very, very easy to be influenced, from their [the military's] point of view, that things are better. ... I will tell you that when you get in the Green Zone, there is a physiological phenomenon I think called Green Zone fog. It's death by Powerpoint. It's always that their argument is winning." More here.
SPJ national update V: Web-first story posting said to boost print sales; patting down the Pat Act; and Illinois governor approves college press protections. New evidence from regional and national newspapers suggests that a "web-first" strategy may boost print circulation. Newsquest group editorial manager Margaret Strayton said putting stories online before they appear in the newspaper has created new readers. More here. ... A federal judge Sept. 7 struck down parts of the revised USA Patriot Act as unconstitutional, saying courts must be allowed to supervise cases where the government orders internet providers to turn over records without telling customers. U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero said the government orders must be subject to meaningful judicial review and that the recently rewritten Patriot Act "offends the fundamental constitutional principles of checks and balances and separation of powers." The American Civil Liberties Union complained that the revised law allowed the FBI to demand records without the kind of court order required for other government searches. More here. ... A fresh set of protections for student media at Illinois state colleges will take effect in January after gaining final approval from Gov. Rod Blagojevich. The College Campus Press Act declares any student media outlet at a public college to be "a public forum for expression by the student journalists and editors." The law also prohibits school officials from exercising prior review, regardless of whether the publication is sponsored by the school. More here.
SPJ national update VI: Spies prep reporters on protecting secrets; and so what if circulation's down? Frustrated by press leaks about its most sensitive electronic surveillance work, the secretive National Security Agency convened an unprecedented series of off-the-record "seminars" in recent years for reporters on the damage it says such leaks cause and to discourage reporting that could interfere with the agency's mission to spy on those it considers America's enemies. More here. ... As the newspaper industry bemoans falling circulation, some major papers around the country have a surprising attitude toward a lot of potential readers: Don't bother. The big American newspapers sell about 10 percent fewer copies than they did in 2000, and while the migration of readers to the web is usually blamed for that decline, much of it has been intentional. Driven by marketing and delivery costs and pressure from advertisers, many papers have decided certain readers are not worth the expense involved in finding, serving and keeping them. More here.
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He'll Tell You What He Thinks, This Clayton Williams
Former House Speaker Jim Wright speculated in print recently that the world would be a better place if Clayton Williams had won the Texas governor's race in 1990 -- because George W. Bush wouldn't be president.
Bush wouldn't have run against a sitting Republican governor in 1994 and thus could not have used the office as a springboard to the White House.
It makes a good story, and good stories cling to Williams like that sulphur smell around an oil well. He and his trusty scribe, Mike Cochran, spun a few tales at the September SPJ meeting and then autographed copies of Cochran's book on the Aggie wildcatter, "Claytie."
Williams, a straight-talker with a disarming smile, and Cochran, the longtime Associated Press and Star-Telegram writer, served up conversation spicier than the food at the packed Joe T Garcia's, including stories about everything Texas: big-business oil deals, hell-raising, Aggie jokes and, of course, politics.
"I have proved I don't know anything about politics," Williams said, referring to the 1990 governor's race against Ann Richards. "I'm not running for anything," he added, "so if I want to tell a joke, I'm damn well gonna do it."
Williams has been outrageously rich and dead broke. Cochran spent hours getting to know the Midland boom-or-bust oilman while writing his fourth book. Of the veteran reporter, Williams said: "He gets you to tell things you wouldn't tell your best friend, and then it's splattered on the first page."
Things sometimes got heated between the two, but a disagreement was never so big that a couple of shots of tequila couldn't fix it.
Williams said he and Richards were friendly if not exactly friends after the election, and he sent her a note when he heard that she was ill. He reminisced about the fateful non-handshake that some say cost him the race (or was it the rape joke?).
"My campaign decided I should not shake Richards' hand, but I said, 'I just don't feel good about that.' Somewhere between me saying that and seeing her, I lost my temper and decided not to shake her hand."
He admits it was a mistake. He said he learned that in politics the real threat may not be the opponent so much as oneself. "I look in the mirror; that's where the mistakes are."
Getting up at 5:30, traveling all day and requesting campaign contributions was one of the most difficult jobs he ever worked. "It was hard to beg for money until I put in $3 million of my own," he said with a laugh.
Another bad thing about politics is the negativism. People tend to believe the worst in each other, he told the audience. "And once it's in print, it becomes real." Unless the media adopt a different approach to covering campaigns -- more issues emphasis, less mudslinging -- he said he doesn't think an amateur can win a big-league office.
As for the infamous rape joke, he said the word rape was never spoken. Reporters were at his ranch when bad weather blew in. Everyone gathered around the campfire. "I said, 'Relax and enjoy the fire.' "
When he was misquoted the next day, he said, he saw no reason to fight it. Besides, maybe a greater plan was in play. Here comes that big grin.
"If God had wanted me to be governor," Williams said, "He wouldn't have sent that storm."
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PEOPLE & PLACES
Donna Darovich has been named acting director of the Tarrant County College District's PR and marketing department. Director Chris Smith left Aug. 24 to join the staff of Environmental Defense in Austin. ...
UTA Shorthorn writer Alexa Garcia-Ditta is a finalist in the Associated Collegiate Press' Story of the Year contest for her feature on a professor battling Lou Gehrig's disease. She was one of five finalists; the contest is open to all college newspapers in America. The winner will be named at the ACP convention in Washington, D.C., this month.
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GET A JOB
The Boy Scouts of America is seeking a freelance graphic production specialist strong in Photoshop and InDesign on a Macintosh to work at the BSA national office in Irving. "An ability to multitask and think on your feet is going to help a lot," says the BSA's Melinda VanLone. "This is not a design position, this is a 'make it work' position." More from mvanlone@netbsa.org. ...
UT Dallas seeks a director of student media and marketing to oversee, among other things, the student newspaper, the student radio station and the Student Life Marketing plan. Requirements include a B.A. in mass communication or marketing; 3-5 years in media/marketing; and computer literacy, including experience with desktop publishing and digital imaging. Preferred: a master's degree or higher and a minimum of one year as a writer, editor or teacher of journalism; experience with student publications in a university setting; and knowledge of journalism ethics, print, broadcast media, and electronic media. More here. ...
A 100-year old Dallas nonprofit seeks to add a communications pro in its marketing department. Should have a B.A. in marketing, communications or related field, at least two years of marketing experience, project management abilities and HTML skills. Traffic coordination and a PR background are a plus, as is experience with Macromedia Dreamweaver and knowledge of the print process. E-mail cover letter, résumé and two writing samples to nonprofitmktg@hotmail.com.
USFI Marketing Communications in Dallas seeks a full-time copywriter to generate strong concepts, big ideas and compelling short and long copy for traditional and new media. The client base includes companies in the hospitality, financial and telecom industries. Requirements include at least three years experience as a copywriter, a bachelor's degree in advertising, marketing, journalism, English or related area of focus, and an ability to meet tight deadlines and juggle multiple projects. USFI offers a fast-paced, friendly and team-oriented work environment. Send cover letter, résumé and writing samples/portfolio pieces to Steve Ealy, sealy@usfi.com. The company also is looking for a full-time proofreader. Again, e-mail Ealy.
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NEW MEMBERS
SPJ ... Tammy Jones, Kennedale News
PRSA ... Kyndall Cunningham, Fort Worth Country Day School ... Jennifer Green, the Law Offices of John David Hart
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PRESIDENT'S CORNER
Marc Flake, Greater Fort Worth PRSA
This is an important time of year for Greater Fort Worth PRSA, a time when we fill our elected board of directors and form the committees that bring value to your organization.
By the time you read this, nominating committee chair Holly Ellman will have received confirmations from board nominees. Let me add my sincere thanks to those who agreed to serve. I know how busy you are, and your commitment to the chapter is exemplary. I have found my time on the board to offer not only the satisfaction of serving my colleagues, but the joy of some very special friendships with people I might not have met if I only attended the monthly meetings. If you're ever asked to fill a position on the board, I hope you give it serious thought.
President-elect Laura Van Hoosier is looking for people to chair committees covering a variety of interests. To really get the most from your membership, consider serving as either a chair or committee member. The most challenging positions can help prepare you for a place on the board, which is a good way to increase your visibility in our profession.
It would take another 1,000 words to describe each of the positions Laura wants to fill. Many of you may still have the e-mail I sent out last October when I was recruiting for these committees. It still applies. If Laura calls, tell her yes.
I'm going to close with a not-too-original phrase that I used when I was membership chair: What you get out of your membership in the chapter has a lot to do with the effort you put into the chapter.
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PRESIDENT'S COLUMN
Betsy Boyett, IABC Fort Worth
IABC Fort Worth is movin' and shakin' during this busy time of year, with accreditation chair Lori De La Cruz, ABC, mentoring us with her IABC Accreditation 101 course. This is the first time the chapter has offered a series of brown-bag lunches to help members and nonmembers alike work toward this designation. A small group of guinea pigs has signed up, and there's room for more. Misery loves company, right?
The ABC designation says that you have met a global standard in organizational communication. You have a specific level of education and experience as a communicator or PR practitioner. Your work demonstrates that you can think strategically and can measure your success, establish meaningful goals, and have a well-rounded, problem-solving approach.
Most ABCs accumulate their professional knowledge through a combination of education and experience. Because of this, there are no required study materials. Accreditation covers a variety of skills.
We owe Lori a special thanks for volunteering to help IABC Fort Worth members work toward their Accredited Business Communicator designation. We'll let you know how the guinea pigs turn out!
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OVER & OUT
John Dycus, Fort Worth SPJ
SPJ.org launched two more blogs in September. In the first installment of Journo.edu, Dale Denwalt II tells fellow j-students that those who embrace a converged curriculum will be able to bank on it later. In technolo-j, fellow journalists teach how to get in touch with our techy side. ...
Meet former President George H.W. Bush's pool boy. ...
Visitors to Bill Clinton's presidential library probably wouldn't guess that they're treading on rubber-tire floors and looking up at soda-can ceilings. Before architects started designing, they knew Clinton wanted his library on the banks of the Arkansas River to be energy efficient. The final product is the only presidential library to earn an award from the U.S. Green Building Council for environmental design. Even the location relates to the theme. "This land was a contaminated brownfield," says David Williams, a volunteer who gives "green" tours of the library. "We've gone from a contaminated piece of property (to one) that now is a city park." ...
Closing words: "To achieve great things, two things are needed: a plan and not quite enough time." -- Leonard Bernstein ... "I don't try to describe the future. I try to prevent it." -- Ray Bradbury ... "One ought, every day at least, to hear a little song, read a good poem, see a fine picture, and if it were possible, to speak a few reasonable words." -- Germany's great man of letters, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Closing words II, mad lurch to the middle division: "None of you should believe we are winning this war. There is no evidence that we are winning this war. ... We were in charge for six years. I don't think you can look and say that was a great success." -- former House Speaker Newt Gingrich to 300 students attending a conference for college conservatives
Closing words III, if a Democrat said this, we'd call him a fool: "I heard somebody say, 'Where's Mandela?' Well, Mandela's dead because Saddam Hussein killed all the Mandelas." -- President Bush, in a press conference Sept. 20 in Washington, referring to Nelson Mandela, South Africa's first black president, who is 89 and not dead