MEETINGS
How to Get Reporters to Eat Out of Your Hand, Not Bite It
Lorri Allen, the Soundbite Coach, knows all kinds of media-savvy techniques you need to
confidently represent your organization on camera. She will offer tips at the
Sept. 23 IABC meeting — at the city of Grand Prairie’s TV studio — on how to guide external communications and promote a positive public image for
your company’s brand.
A former broadcast journalist, she will present case studies, engage in
role-plays and provide video examples. Expect as takeaways:
• Two phrases that rile journalists
• Two things that every reporter wants from you
• Soundbites that sizzle
• How to intrigue the news media
Allen has spent considerable time in front of the camera and is known for an
engaging, energetic, entertaining and content-driven presentation. Organizers
say she definitely has a take on how to tame the media.
Time & date: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 23
Place: GPTV Studios at the Public Safety Training Complex, 310 College St., Grand
Prairie 75050 (map)
Cost: members $25, nonmembers $30, students $20; online add $1,
walk-ins without a reservation add $5; lunch included
walk-ins without a reservation add $5; lunch included
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PR Ethics: More than 50 Shades of Grey
Your CEO is receiving an award from a nonprofit. She gives you her bio for a
release, and it says she is "the first woman to receive the award" and includes
her background. You check the background material and find a few errors. You
make a note of the items, including the source for your information. What to
you do?
Your client is a local candy maker who claims that the chocolate his company
uses is not harvested by children in the country of import. You check this and
find that the country is notorious for using child labor to harvest the cocoa
beans. Now what?
Public relations professionals encounter ethical dilemmas daily. Dr. Doug Newsom, APR, Fellow PRSA, will facilitate a discussion at the Sept. 10 luncheon on
ways to resolve sticky PR issues, adding personal insights from her perspective
as a nationally renowned author and TCU educator.
Attendees are encouraged to download the PRSA ethics app for a head start on the
discussion and to take the ethics quiz at prsa.org.
Time & date: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 10
Place: Colonial Country Club, 3735 Country Club Circle, Fort Worth
Cost: chapter members $25, national members $30, nonmembers $35, students $20;
walk-ups add $5
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Meet new SPJ president Dana Howard Neuts at a reception in her honor Saturday, Sept. 27, at Paul and Paula LaRocque’s home in Arlington. More here.
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STRAIGHT STUFF
The co-founder/CEO of Dark Red Press, an independent press for authors of dark
speculative fiction, has a question for you: “Are You Ready for Your Close-Up?” C.L Stegall, who’s also the company’s senior editor, will provide tips on preparing a manuscript and query for
submission to editors, agents and publishers at the next Writers’ Guild of Texas meeting, 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 15, at the Richardson Public
Library. Stegall writes the Progeny series of novels and shorts, the first of
which, “The Weight of Night,” was published in January 2011. The second in the series, “The Light of Chaos,” is scheduled for 2014. More on Stegall
here.
IABC local update: IABC Dallas will explore “Tactics, Strategy, Technology, Talent” at its Fall Communications Conference, Tuesday, Sept. 9, at Maggiano’s NorthPark. Info here.
PRSA local update: Don’t be trashy. GFW PRSA members will help clean up the river at the Trinity River Trash Bash, 8:30-11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 20. Visit the site to sign up. Under “Section you want to clean,” PRSAers are selecting Crystelle Waggoner Trailhead. Participants who register
by Sept. 7 get a T-shirt. An after-party is scheduled for 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at
Panther Island Pavilion, with free food and door prizes. Questions? Contact
PRSA member Jeff Rodriquez at jeffreyrodriquez@texashealth.org.
PRSA local update II: J.O. is providing lunch and will share how it can help the independent PR pro — design services, marketing strategy, even PR backup — at the Independent Practitioners SIG quarterly meeting Tuesday, Sept. 9, from
11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the J.O. offices, 440 S. Main St., Fort Worth. More
info on Facebook or contact Brian Murnahan, brian@murnahan.me.
PRSA local update III: Cyndee Woolley, APR, owner of C2 Communications in Naples, Fla., will conduct a chapter-only
webinar on self-branding Tuesday, Sept. 16, from noon to 1 p.m. at the Fort
Worth office of Global Prairie, 2836 Bledsoe St. RSVP to michelle.clark@global-prairie.com.
PRSA local update IV: The trail into the depths of the Grand Canyon is a steep, winding path with
soul-touching views of Mom Nature’s best work. The route I’ve chosen descends at a sharp angle, so by the time I reach the Colorado River
campground four hours later, I’m in a crab-like position and every muscle in my legs is trembling.
A glowing dawn greets me the next morning. It is inspirational, and that’s good, because I have 10.5 miles ahead of me. I meet hikers from around the
world, all of us marveling at the canyon’s grandeur as we follow the ceaselessly uphill trail. Along the way, I regularly
wish for the ability to levitate. For an elevator. For an angel’s hand to scoop me up and take me to the rim. But at mile 9, I know I’m almost there, and I have an epiphany: I am now certain that I can do almost
anything, any time, anywhere.
I often think about that hike and the sense of achievement that came with it. So
what motivates us to hit the trail, run a marathon, take a class or learn a new
skill? Why do we pursue personal and professional milestones?
Probably because we are a society of strivers, because we live in a country that
was founded on the belief that we can move ahead, improve, succeed. We set
goals in business, in sports, in school and in our personal lives, and we work
hard to attain them.
Which brings me, less philosophically, to accreditation in public relations, an
achievement offered to members of PRSA and seven affiliated organizations.
Perhaps the APR designation is another example of our collective drive to
excel.
APR was established 50 years ago to demonstrate knowledge of public relations
theory and practice, ethics, strategic thinking and tactical skills. Celebrate
this milestone anniversary with a personal accomplishment.
Join other chapter members in APR Boot Camp, a series of free study sessions that lead to completion of the exam. Many of
our chapter APRs already have volunteered to lead these sessions and help
candidates prepare.
If you have questions, ask the chapter accreditation co-chairs (Linda Jacobson, APR, or me) or any APR. We look forward to seeing you at our first study session, 6:30
p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 10, in the Schieffer Seminar Room in the J.M. Moudy
Building on the TCU campus (West Cantey and South University).
Earn that APR! No hiking required.
— Carolyn Bobo, APR, Fellow PRSA
