Welcome to our newsletter ...
January 2007
MEETINGS
Next at IABC Fort Worth ...
Linking Cultures, Building Trust
Carlos Sanchez, author of the cultural bridge-building book "Leaders Without Borders," will explain how to positively influence Spanish-speaking employees, consumers or the community in general at the January IABC meeting. Based on more than 15 years of research and implementation, the program is designed to enhance teamwork, create synergy and maintain a long-term environment of trust, respect and awareness.
Sanchez provides corporate executives with practical ideas to eliminate language barriers and improve relationships with the growing Spanish-speaking workforce. Being fluent in English and Spanish and having traveled extensively adds a dimension to his background. His style and sense of humor are known to encourage participation.
Time & date: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 23
Place: Petroleum Club, Carter-Burgess Plaza, 777 Main St., 39th floor
Parking: $2.50 in parking garage at Seventh and Commerce streets
Cost: $20 members, $25 nonmembers (online sign-up add $1)
RSVP by noon Jan. 19: Jenny Walker, 817-332-6329, ext. 251, or j.walker@tarrantcouncil.org
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Next at Greater Fort Worth PRSA ...
Change -- the Only Constant
The ceaseless changes in digital technology and information delivery affect all communications professionals. Consider that the Star-Telegram will soon revamp its printed and online news products. This month's PRSA meeting will hear from Larry Lutz, the paper's managing editor/development and copy desk, on the reasons behind the project and insight into what management wants to accomplish. Maybe he'll bring some format examples. A Q&A session will follow the talk.
Time & date: 11:45 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 10
Place: Petroleum Club, Carter-Burgess Plaza, 777 Main St., 39th floor
Parking: free valet in parking garage at Seventh and Commerce streets
Cost: $25 members, $30 nonmembers, students $20
RSVP by noon Jan. 5: rsvp@fortworthprsa.org; members, watch your e-mail for a Cvent invitation
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Next at Fort Worth SPJ ...
Attention, Wordsmiths
What's the meaning of life? You may not learn the answer at the next SPJ meeting, but you will get some good advice on how your life is affected by the words we use and the way we use them.
Steve Stockdale, executive director of the Fort Worth-based Institute of General Semantics, will discuss his work and how understanding semantics helps people think and communicate clearly. He also is an adjunct professor at TCU.
And for prospective members, the chapter wants you to know that "the first one's on us." If this is your first meeting to attend and you're thinking about joining, then you eat for free.
Time & date: mingling 6 p.m., eats around 6:30, then the program Wednesday, Jan. 17
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, free if you've never been to an SPJ meeting before and you're considering joining
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
Deadline is 5 p.m. Jan. 13 to enter the Advanced Media Awards, the Lone Star State's version of the Emmys. Coordinator Nancy Black seeks entries that exemplify the best in editorial content and video production from anyone, anywhere in the world, but the material must be produced for distribution primarily in Texas. Awards will be given for outstanding work created primarily for nontraditional viewing platforms such as iPods, computers, mobile phones and PDAs. More at lonestaremmy.org. ...
Reminder: The Urban League of Greater Dallas seeks volunteer assistance in PR and media planning for three 40th anniversary events -- the Heritage Day Celebration, Saturday, Feb. 24; Festival in the Park, in May; and the Annual Gala, Saturday, Aug. 11. The volunteer's responsibilities will include creating press releases, media advisories and biographies. Call Sherelyn Roberts at 214-915-4607 or 214-226-8913. ...
SPJ's New America Award honors collaborative public service reporting that explores an issue of importance to immigrant or ethnic communities in the United States. The winner will be announced this spring and honored in July at the annual Sigma Delta Chi Awards banquet in Washington, D.C. The competition is open to any ethnic media organization, media outlet, journalist or advocacy group concerned with ethnic and immigrant issues. Deadline: March 1. Contact programs coordinator Heather Porter, 317-927-8000, ext. 204, or hporter@spj.org. ...
Syracuse University's S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications has established the Mirror Awards to recognize excellence in media industry reporting. Entry deadline is Feb. 16. More at the Mirror Awards web site, mirrorawards.syr.edu. ...
Deadline is Feb. 1 to apply for the Knight-Wallace Fellows program at the University of Michigan for the 2007-08 academic year. The fellowship includes a $6,875 monthly stipend plus tuition and fees. Full-time journalists in any media with five years' experience may apply. Contact Charles Eisendrath, 734-998-7666 or brieck@umich.edu. ...
The Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University is accepting submissions for the Taylor Award, which honors those who encourage fairness in news coverage. Recipients receive $10,000. Nominations deadline is Jan. 20. More at the Nieman Foundation web site, or contact Melinda Patterson Grenier, 617-495-2342 or melinda_grenier@harvard.edu.
IABC local update: Networking guru Bettye Zoller Seitz, a Simon and Schuster author/producer and veteran communications speech trainer at major universities and corporations, will reveal her best power networking secrets at the Dallas IABC luncheon Tuesday, Jan. 9. Details here.
PRSA local update: Greater Fort Worth PRSA celebrated its 20th anniversary in style Nov. 9 at Shady Oaks Country Club, honoring Bill Lawrence, APR, Fellow, with its Unsung Hero award and enjoying the Steve Wallers Cool Jazz Trio. The PRSA Masters hosted a reception for PRSA national CEO Cheryl Proctor-Rogers, APR, Fellow, and after dinner she shared her observations on why the PR professional is more important than ever to the success of business and how things can't be done the way they have always been done. She also stressed the importance of diversity, both in people and in thought. Around 100 people attended, including long-time members, past presidents and TCU students.
PRSA local update II: Nachos for newbies. NuPros, those who have up to three years' professional experience, and all new members of the chapter will have a networking luncheon at Joe T. Garcia's Mexican Restaurant, Thursday, Jan. 25, noon-1 p.m. A Cvent invitation will arrive by e-mail. ... The Healthcare SIG probed the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) in December at a luncheon hosted by JPS Health Network. Program ideas for 2007 include a session with health care reporters and a look at how nonprofits can partner with Tarrant County companies and utilize newsletters to get health care information to employees.
PRSA local update III: GolinHarris CEO Fred Cook will take a look at the next 50 years in the PR business at the Dallas PRSA monthly luncheon Thursday, Jan. 11. More here.
PRSA local update IV: The Education SIG held three meetings in 2006 addressing various facets of the changing communications landscape. Pictures from the meetings are at fortworthprsa.org/education.htm. Feb. 17: In the first meeting, on the TCU campus, Rex Seline, Star-Telegram managing editor/news, told how blogs and the way people are receiving their news (more and more electronically) are impacting newspapers. Dr. Amiso George of the TCU Schieffer School of Journalism examined how bloggers are communicating with one another and the world and how blogging can affect companies. ... Aug. 4: Twenty-one attendees on the Texas Wesleyan campus heard from Dallas Morning News reporter Jim O'Neill and Fort Worth Business Press reporter Aleshia Howe. ... Nov. 15: Back at TCU, Max Faulkner, Star-Telegram director of photography, and Mike Grimm, lead photographer on NBC 5's wireless project, explained how technology is changing the way news photographers do their job. Freelance photographer Glen Ellman discussed digital photography -- which type of equipment to buy and how to store digital photos.
PRSA local update V: It was a busy year for the PRSA Masters. June 22: Meeting for dinner at Pegasus Restaurant, Al Becker, former managing director of corporate media relations at American Airlines, spoke on the 9-11 crisis, the Wright Amendment and other aviation issues. ... Aug. 29: Dining at Reata, Pat Svacina, communications manager for Rep. Kay Granger, talked about crisis communication (the 2000 tornado and Wedgwood shootings), the Trinity River Vision and defense spending. ... Sept. 28: An information-sharing mixer with UTA and TCU PRSSA students and NuPros members was held at the Fort Worth Club. (They eat well, these PRSA Masters.) Organizers Allyson Cross and Phil Beckman received positive feedback from the students.
SPJ national update: Media-sourcing debate on deck; and Bush pushes CPB critic on to CPB board. The administration is increasingly at odds with some Republicans over press freedom. Two influential Republicans, Sen. Richard Lugar and Rep. Mike Pence, both of Indiana, plan to reintroduce legislation in 2007 limiting the government's power to force journalists to disclose confidential sources. Many Democrats, whose party now controls Congress, also support extending protection to reporters' sources and are expected to co-sponsor the legislation. "We're suggesting there's been a tear in the First Amendment right now, and it's widening," Pence said. "The only way you patch it is to do as many states have done and pass a federal statute that clarifies the boundaries." More here. ... President Bush on Dec. 20 named arch-conservative TV writer and GOP contributor Warren Bell to fill the remaining vacant seat on the Corporation for Public Broadcasting board. The recess appointment came after the Senate took no action on Bush's June nomination of Bell. The Center for Digital Democracy's Jeff Chester called the appointment a "Christmas gift to the right wing of the media establishment." But he noted that the term is only until the next Congress adjourns and that "Bell will have little room to maneuver with Ed Markey staring them down." Markey, D-Mass., the presumptive chairman of the House telecommunications subcommittee, is one of public broadcasting's strongest supporters. Bell's criticisms of public broadcasting have included reportedly wanting to dismantle it. More here and here.
SPJ national update II: 32 journalists die in Iraq in 2006; and time to rev up FOI laws. With murder the leading cause, at least 32 journalists were killed in Iraq in 2006, the highest one-year toll ever in a single country, the Committee to Protect Journalists said in a report Dec. 20. Three more Iraqi media workers were shot to death last month. The Middle East nation, torn by war and sectarian violence, was the world's most dangerous for the news media for the fourth straight year, according to CPJ, a New York-based advocacy group. The committee said its latest yearly count brings to 93 the total killed in Iraq since the U.S. invasion in 2003, with 37 drivers, messengers and other press support staff also slain. More here. ... The senator who will oversee the powerful Judiciary Committee as a Democratic majority takes the chamber says strengthening open government will be its priority. In a little-noticed speech at Georgetown University Law Center, U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., lamented the congressional acquiescence to the Bush administration's secrecy, and promised to restore the constitutional balance between the executive and legislative branches of government. He said he will work to provide more congressional oversight of the White House. More here.
SPJ national update III: A tough job gets tougher; shield law sought to protect Texas journalists; and inquiry vowed into fake news. U.S. network and cable news reporters say the escalation in sectarian violence and uncertainty about the U.S. role in Iraq have caused Iraqis to be more wary of them and have made an already dangerous assignment even more perilous. Reporters say their ability to paint a full picture of Iraq is increasingly difficult because of safety restrictions that they or their news organizations have imposed. Elizabeth Palmer of CBS: "We now have the 15-minute rule: We never stay anywhere longer than 15 minutes, to reduce the chance of kidnapping or attack." More here. ... Texas needs a shield law to protect journalists and encourage whistle-blowers to come forward with material the public needs to know, media representatives told a state legislative committee. "We virtually have no protection at all right now, and the general public is being harmed," said attorney Laura Lee Prather, testifying for state newspaper and broadcast associations. Under a proposal the news groups call the "Free Flow of Information Act," government agencies generally could not force a journalist to disclose legally obtained information from a confidential or nonconfidential source. More here. ... FCC Commissioners Michael Copps and Jonathan Adelstein have promised an investigation into each of the 46 television stations revealed in the Center for Media and Democracy's report "Still Not the News" to have used undisclosed video news releases. Adelstein criticized TV stations for broadcasting "corporate propaganda" and flagged the need for tighter FCC scrutiny. "If the flock ignores the shepherd," he said, "it is time to build a fence." More here.
SPJ national update IV: Democrat intelligence chief doesn't know his Hezbollah from a hole in the ground; and college papers launch nationwide protest. Rep. Silvestre Reyes of Texas, whom incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has tapped to head the Intelligence Committee, failed a quiz of basic questions about al Qaeda and Hezbollah, two of the key terrorist organizations the intelligence community has focused on since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Asked whether al Qaeda is one or the other of the two major branches of Islam -- Sunni or Shiite -- Reyes answered, "They are probably both," then ventured, "Predominantly -- probably Shiite." Actually, al Qaeda was founded by Osama bin Laden as a Sunni organization and views Shiites as heretics. Reyes also could not answer questions about Hezbollah, a Shiite group on the U.S. list of terrorist organizations that is based in southern Lebanon. More here. ... More than a dozen college newspapers carried the same editorial Dec. 8, denouncing the denial of reappointment for the editor of the Daily Trojan, the student-run newspaper at the University of Southern California. The editorial was produced collaboratively, but through the editorial board of the Harvard Crimson. The university had vetoed the staff vote for another term for editor Zach Fox. More here.
SPJ national update V: FCC defends cussing crackdown; and a newspaper chain sees its future -- it's online and hyper-local. Saying broadcasters have "only limited First Amendment protection," that the v-chip is "ineffective" and that the industry had ample notice that the policy on swear words was changing, the FCC defended both its profanity findings against cursing in Fox's Billboard Music Awards and the underpinnings of its entire indecency enforcement regime. A filing Dec. 6 in the Second Circuit Court of Appeals responded to a broadcaster challenge of four profanity rulings issued in March. More here. ... Newspaper giant Gannett, which publishes USA Today, is directing its 90 newsrooms to focus on the web first, paper second. Papers are slashing national and foreign coverage and beefing up street-by-street news. They are creating reader-searchable databases on traffic flows and school class sizes. Reader-generated content, such as pictures of your kids with Santa, are encouraged. More here.
SPJ national update VI: In a brave new world, citizens and cellphones. It's 2010, and an underground subway station in the center of London has been bombed. Within minutes, a British businessman leaving on a trip receives a text message alerting him to the incident. The cab driver takes an alternate route to the train station, while the businessman logs onto BBCNews.com via a computer portal that is now standard equipment in London cabs and sees the first pictures of what appears to be a major terrorist attack. After boarding his commuter train, the businessman checks his phone throughout the journey for updates. On the scene, one of the victims, a 20-year-old college student, staggers out of the station. Though dazed, she contacts the BBC and goes on the air live, reporting via a camera on her phone even before the emergency responders arrive. As the week unfolds, she will produce a video blog each day that documents her recovery, an online feature attracting many well-wishers from around the world. This is the state of information technology just three years from now, according to a video that aired Oct. 6 at the Online News Association conference in Washington, D.C. In the keynote address, Adrian Van Klaveren, deputy director for BBC News, outlined a scenario in which a mix of citizen participation and emerging technologies will increasingly shape the future of news. More here.
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PEOPLE & PLACES
The TCU Schieffer School of Journalism's Suzanne Huffman is one of nine professors selected to the 2006-07 Journalism and Mass Communication Leadership Institute for Diversity. Dr. Huffman, chair of the school's division of broadcast and news-editorial journalism, will attend administrative training sessions and discussions with other journalism administrators. Huffman has reported, anchored and produced news at TV stations in Tampa, Fla.; Santa Maria, Calif.; and Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She taught broadcast journalism at three universities before joining the TCU faculty in 1999. ...
The Network of Hispanic Communicators has elected new officers -- Stella Chavez, president; Marissa Alanis, print VP; and Katherine Leal Unmuth, secretary. ...
Stretching the envelope. New eChaser advertiser Martin & Co. in Haslet recently installed a printing press dedicated to envelopes, a printing service in high demand. About 10 percent of Martin's orders are for envelopes, a number that the company says is continuing to increase. Its new Ryobi press can produce about 12,000 envelopes per hour, with sizes ranging from 3x5 up to 12x15. ...
The Star-Telegram was one of 10 U.S. companies honored Nov. 8 in New York for supporting community arts organizations and events. The newspaper received the BCA Ten award, sponsored by the Business Committee for the Arts and Forbes magazine. And the nonprofit North Texas Business for Culture and the Arts, an 18-year-old group of corporate arts supporters, has honored the paper for its support of the Fort Worth Opera and the Fort Worth Symphony, including its recent financial backing for a new opera. In addition to $60,000 in cash, the newspaper donated $30,000 in ad space to promote the production.
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NEW MEMBERS
PRSA ... Laura Thomas, American Red Cross ... Todd Howard, Paige Hendricks Public Relations ... Jane Christie, Odin Clack, Alexia Cuellar, Becky Harper, Erayne Hill, Beatriz Mince and Sharon Parker, all Fort Worth Independent School District
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PRESIDENT'S CORNER
Marc Flake, Greater Fort Worth PRSA
2006 was a banner year for the Greater Fort Worth Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. The high quality of our monthly programs, the relevance of our two professional development programs, the activity of our special interest groups and an outstanding community service project all made an impact.
The chapter starts 2007 with about 190 members. PRSA national recognized us in 2006 for having the most people for a chapter our size participate in one of the monthly membership promotions, and for being the fastest growing medium-sized chapter in the organization.
As membership chair, I could sit back and take the accolades for these honors, but I really must give credit where credit is due -- to the board members and committee chairs. Building on the momentum generated by previous boards, these 32 individuals came together under the leadership of president Holly Ellman to provide an exciting year of events that make us the professional organization of choice among local PR practitioners.
The 2007 board and committee chairs are committed to enhancing this experience for our members. We know that you have several choices on where to spend your limited membership funds. We aim to provide the best value for your dues dollar.
First up in January will be a visit from Star-Telegram managing editor Larry Lutz, who will discuss the S-T's reasons for revamping its print and online products and provide an insider's perspective on what the newspaper hopes to achieve with the changes. I look forward to seeing you there.
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PRESIDENT'S COLUMN
Ken Roberts, IABC Fort Worth
I hope you and your family had a great holiday season and you're relaxed and ready to jump into 2007.
IABC Fort Worth does not meet in December, but several of us enjoyed the Dec. 6 party and gift drawing benefiting the JPS children's library. Renewing old friendships and making fresh contacts with colleagues was more than enough to rate the evening a success. Throw in good food and a very successful night of collecting books and raising money for the library, and the event stands as one of the best of the holiday season.
This annual benefit is jointly sponsored by IABC, SPJ and PRSA. A huge thank you to Amy Yancey, who represented IABC on the planning team. I heard from other members of the team how much they appreciated Amy's and IABC's involvement this year.
As we begin 2007 we look forward to providing you outstanding professional development, networking opportunities and a measure of fun. Betsy Boyett, our president-elect and programming chair, is finalizing a stellar lineup of programs and speakers.
Member or guest, you're always welcome at IABC Fort Worth. I look forward to seeing you at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 23, at the Petroleum Club.
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OVER & OUT
John Dycus, Fort Worth SPJ
Never been to an SPJ meeting? Come to the one this month, and if you're thinking about joining, we'll buy the barbecue. "The first one's on us," we call it. Such a deal. ...
The fun matched the haul at the December book benefit jolly-up at Coors, with 60 revelers in attendance, increased participation from IABC and PRSA, emcee Bob Ray Sanders energizing the crowd, and 859 books being donated to JPS, which valued them at a whopping $4,295. Good job, Kay Pirtle (the very best at organizing this sort of gig); Leroy Wilson and Wilson's Barbecue; Janet Neff, Martha Earngey and the JPS Health Network/Partners Together for Health crew; Donna Darovich and Johnell Kelley for taking pictures; gift-drawing raffle grabbers Rebecca Bosquez, Mary Dulle, Amanda Kowalski, Carol Murray, Angie Summers, Amy Yancey, Kay Pirtle, Gayle Reaves-King, Linda P. Campbell, Eddye Gallagher, Kristin Sullivan, Carolyn Poirot and Kelly Drawdy; and contributors/merchants Jeff Prince, Julian Haber, Paul and Paula LaRocque, Alcon Labs, Amon Carter Museum of Western Art, Avon, Bass Performance Hall, Ben & Jerry's, Billy Bob's Texas, Blue Mesa, Build-a-Bear Workshop, Cafe Express, CBS 11/KTXA, Circle Theatre, Dallas Stars, Fort Worth Cats, Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, Fort Worth Sister Cities International, Fort Worth Weekly, Fort Worth Zoo, Four Star Coffee Bar, J.J.'s House, JoS. A. Bank, Jubilee Theatre, Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame, NRH2O Family Water Park, Panache Day Spa & Salon, Pompeii Salon & Day Spa, Put a Cork In It, Mrs. Renfro's Foods, Six Flags Over Texas, Star-Telegram, Tarrant County College, D'Vine Wine, TCU men's basketball, Texas Star Golf Course and Vending Nut Co. of Fort Worth. Now that's a party! ...
Democrats and Republicans reportedly are planning closed-door "bipartisan caucuses" aimed at breaking Senate gridlock and speeding up business. These caucuses would expand the reasons lawmakers could give to call executive sessions (i.e., secret meetings). SPJ national president Christine Tatum criticized the idea in a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. Secret meetings, she wrote, only "fuel suspicion that lawmakers consider themselves above public accountability -- and that special interests, not the will of the people, dictate law and public policy." Thought this is why the people elected enough Democrats to retake control of Congress. The people wanted more accountability. Maybe I misunderstood.
Closing words: "It is so easy to [write] about the beautiful, but it takes more genius to say, in proper style, 'Close the door.' " -- Gustave Flaubert ... "Who kills a man kills a reasonable creature, God's image; but he who destroys a good book kills reason itself." -- John Milton ... "Never lend books, for no one ever returns them; the only books I have in my library are those which people have lent me." -- Anatole France ... "It is possible to believe that all the human mind has ever accomplished is but the dream before the awakening." -- H.G. Wells ... "If you want to make enemies, try to change something." -- Woodrow Wilson ... "This is the way it works. The drummer should watch my hips and the bass player should watch my shoulders." -- Bo Diddley, to the pick-up musicians he played with in the 1970s, when he was so down and out that he was doing one-night jobs for $200 and the cost of a hotel room
Closing words II, GOP worst-fears division: "I say to my conservative friends, someday there will be a liberal Democrat president and a liberal Democrat Congress. Why? Because history shows it goes back and forth. I don't know if it's a hundred years from now, but it will happen. And do we want a bunch of liberal judges approved by the Senate of the United States with 51 votes if the Democrats are in the majority?" -- Sen. John McCain on "Hardball," April 19, 2005
Closing words III, special too-late-now entry: "I feel like we should let Saddam out of jail and say, 'Sorry, we didn't realize you were so brutal because you had to be.' It's going to take someone either exceptionally cruel or exceptionally intelligent to rule this country." -- a member of a U.S. Special Operations unit to Newsweek after a hard day's fighting in Fallujah in 2004