November 2014
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Social Media Listening | Real-Time Intelligence | Compelling Content
Trends researcher Kevin Walker will update on tech trends and developments in social listening, plus provide
insight on how Gen Z and millennials are impacting the communications world.
Organizers vow that he brings passionate thought leadership from both
client/corporate and agency perspectives to the understanding of technological
disruption.
Walker founded a boutique research/communications agency, CultureLab, in 2006.
It was among the first agencies in the Southwest to recognize the emerging
notion of a “new” more diverse general market and to promote how technology and research can aid
in understanding youth lifestyle and media habits. His CultureLab 10 Trends to
Watch in 2014 has gotten more than 13,000 views on Slide Share.
Time & date: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 18
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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Diversity Month: How Brands Are Creating LGBT Communication Strategies
L. Michelle Smith leads diversity corporate communications for AT&T, including eight multicultural and emerging segments, which puts her in prime
position to discuss how brands are developing next-step LGBT marketing
strategies.
As support for the LGBT community continues to grow, brands more and more
reflect this in mainstream marketing. Smith will share how AT&T turned around its net promoter score with the LGBT community and offer a case
study on AT&T’s launching a social media campaign to celebrate LGBT History Month.
A former television news writer/producer, Smith has more than 20 years in
advertising/marketing and has led teams of PR professionals for some of the
world’s largest public relations agencies, as well as her own agency, to award-winning
results.
Time & date: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 12
Cost: chapter members $25, national members $30, nonmembers $35, students $20;
walk-ups add $5
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This month’s program will be announced soon, but in the meantime, note the splashy graphic
above heralding the JPS Book Benefit and Splendiferous Gift Drawing, Wednesday,
Dec. 3, in a new home in the heart of the Cultural District. Info and RSVP.
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STRAIGHT STUFF
Whether you write novels, screenplays or nonfiction, it’s not enough to just have a great story. You also have to tell the story in a
way that jumps off the page. That means learning techniques for writing
visually, grabbing the reader in the first few pages, revealing character
through action instead of dialogue, creating scene structure, engaging all of
the reader’s senses, and finishing up with a bang. In his presentation at the next Writers’ Guild of Texas meeting (7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 17, Richardson Public Library),
Michael Farris will offer eight steps to better storytelling. Farris is an attorney and
literary agent, website http://farrisliterary.com/. More on the Writers’ Guild of Texas at writersguildoftexas.org. ...
Application deadline is Nov. 10 for the Maine Center for Public Interest
Reporting’s 2015 Reporting Fellowship. The center trains beginning journalists in the
methods and disciplines of evidence-based investigative reporting.
Qualifications: degree in journalism or related subject; one to two years
professional experience; demonstrated skills in data reporting, document
research and freedom of information filings; ability to translate complex
material for a general readership; and multimedia skills. The fellowship runs
January through October 2015 (flexible) and pays $25,000. Send brief cover
letter, résumé, clips and references to editor-in-chief
John Christie at mainecenter@gmail.com.
IABC local update: Identifying a charitable cause that aligns with your company’s mission and also engages employees requires thoughtful research and solid
communications strategy. Communities Foundation of Texas philanthropy director Monica Egert Smith will share her strategies and insights for this highly relevant aspect of
communications at the IABC Dallas meeting Tuesday, Nov. 11, at Maggiano’s NorthPark. Info.
PRSA local update: Hail to the chiefs, the 2015 officers, as voted in by the members present at
the annual business meeting last month: president, Michelle Clark, APR; VP membership/president-elect, Liz Heck; VP programs, Claire Bloxom Armstrong; treasurer, Lisa Albert; treasurer-elect, Beth Lamb; secretary, Lesley Dupre; director, Julie O’Neil, Jahnae Stout and Kay Barkin, APR; Assembly delegate, Carol Murray, APR, and Gigi Westerman, APR, Fellow PRSA. Past president Chris Smith chaired the nominations committee.
PRSA local update II: Standing reminders. A job listing can be created, edited and removed directly on the DFW Communicators Job Bank site, and page view counts show the level of interest. And job seekers can push
alerts for specific keywords to their personal e-mails. The job bank lists
full-time, part-time and internship positions in PR, media affairs,
advertising/sales, event planning, graphic design, marketing, and corporate and
employee communications throughout North Texas. Employers who are members of
the participating organizations may post a job for $75; the cost for nonmembers
is $100, for nonprofits $50. Each posting runs a month. Greater Fort Worth PRSA
receives a portion of the proceeds when a member marks his or her membership
status on the submission form. More from
Jerrod Resweber, GFW PRSA job bank chair, at jresweber@webershandwick.com or 469-375-0216.
PRSA local update III: PRSA Dallas’ annual Communications Summit, themed “Elevate! Engage! Evolve!,” will be Friday, Nov. 7, at the Irving Convention Center. Details.
THIS MONTH IN PR/MARKETING HISTORY BY JEFF RODRIGUEZ
An irreverent look at the people and events that keep us up at night
Pardon Me
When Sarah Palin Visited a Turkey Farm, It Set Feathers Flying
Politicians know that pardoning someone can be controversial. What they don't
typically consider is that it can be just as problematic to pardon a bird.
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin discovered this Nov. 20, 2008, when she went home to Wasilla to pardon a turkey
before Thanksgiving and ended up walking into a buzz saw of media criticism.
Palin first went to a hatchery, where, surrounded by heedless gobblers, she read
her pardon. She said Alaska did not have a death penalty, the bird had not
received a fair trial, and “turkey” was now considered a term of endearment.
Then she described herself as a "friend to all creatures great and small,” a line that would hurt her worse than bad giblets later.
After pardoning a bird, Palin stepped outside the hatchery to take questions
from reporters, on camera. In the background, a farmer toiled away at the
seasonal slaughter, placing turkeys one by one in a "killing cone," which
decapitates the bird, filling a trough with blood. It was not the best
juxtaposition (especially for the turkeys).
The media flocked to the story, highlighting it as further proof that the former
vice presidential candidate lacked astuteness. The Washington Post incorrectly
reported that the birds were being put into a grinder, and The New York Times
posted on a blog, “A Sarah Palin Thanksgiving”: “You don’t have to be a huge animal lover to question why Governor Palin chose to be
interviewed — while issuing a traditional seasonal pardon of a turkey — while turkeys were being executed in the background.” (You don't have to be a huge vegetarian to wonder why the Times used the word
executed.)
It also was reported that Palin had been asked about being interviewed in front
of the proceedings, and had agreed to it. Indeed, while the camera was rolling,
it appears that she does glance back at the farmer, but perhaps she just wanted
to place her order.
While liberal media basted — rather, lambasted — Palin, conservative writers came to her defense. Columnist Michelle Malkin wrote, “You’d think Palin was standing in front of the camera soaked in blood like Sissy Spacek in ‘Carrie.’ ” Another positive for Palin was that the background activity drew attention from
what she was actually saying. Asked for her plans now that the presidential
campaign was over, she responded:
“Plans just include getting through the budget process that we’re going through right now, building the state’s budget based on the price of oil that has plummeted so greatly, and reigning
in the growth of government, and plans like that, that have to do with helping
to govern this state, and building this team that is continually being built to
provide good service to Alaskans. So in my role as a governor, that’s what my plans are all around.”
Even easier to miss is what happened next, when the reporter, asking a follow-up
question about potential budget cuts, innocently used the term “chopping block.” Who says subliminal advertising doesn't work?
So was Palin being a birdbrain, or did the media lose their heads over nothing?
How someone answers that question will probably reflect on his politics. But
regardless of which wing you associate with, one thing is certain: In public
relations, it’s all too easy to fowl up.
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Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas update: A Temple resident who witnessed an accident Oct. 9 in which two men died said a
Temple police officer threatened to take his cellphone away because he was
taking photographs and video. Sean Ramirez said he stopped and started recording instead but the officer kept yelling at
him. Ramirez said he was afraid when the officer threatened a second time to
take his phone. According to federal rulings, people have the right to record
officers in public places as they do their duties. Details. ... In an effort to protect the safety of officers and their families, Lubbock
Police Department officials are moving away from a blanket policy of
identifying officers involved in a shooting. Greg Stevens, Lubbock police assistant chief, said the decision was made after asking police
officials from other Texas cities about their policies regarding identifying
officers.“The leading answer was: We don’t identify the officer unless there is wrongdoing on the officer’s part, and of course then they do,” he said. Open government advocates believe the move goes against the principles
of government transparency. Details.
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PEOPLE & PLACES
The College Media Association presented Eddye Gallagher, Tarrant County College’s longtime director of student publications, with its Distinguished Two-Year
Newspaper Adviser of the Year award Oct. 30 at the national convention in
Philadelphia. Her predecessor, Joe Norton, won the award in 1975. Gallagher has taught at TCC since 1970 and has directed
the college’s student publications unit since 1999. Her staffs have won numerous national,
regional and state awards. More importantly, she has seen a number of students
go on to become successes in various media. ...
UT Arlington’s theshorthorn.com was named the top student news website in the country Nov. 2 at the College
Media Association/Associated Collegiate Press Association's national convention
in Philadelphia. The Best of Show honor was announced during the closing
ceremony of the five-day conference, which drew about 2,500 student journalists
from around the country. It is one of 13 national awards, including two other
first places (best online ad, best social media presence) that The Shorthorn
and UTA Student Publications received.
Skye Leung took second place in rate card from the Associated Collegiate Press. News
editor Rafael Sears, associate news editor Kenney Kost, sports editor Grant McKinley, design editor Laura Woodside and sports reporter Kevin Cushingberry Jr. represented the university at the convention. Cushingberry’s two-year newspaper, The Et Cetera at Eastfield College, received a Pacemaker,
considered the highest award in student journalism, for publications produced
under his leadership in 2013-14. Kost's two-year newspaper, The Collegian at
Tarrant County College, was a Pacemaker finalist. In addition, Kost earned
second place for two-year Reporter of the Year and fifth place in best
diversity story for his work at The Collegian. ...
Fort Worth SPJ scholarships VP Gayle Reaves, editor of the Fort Worth Weekly, will take part in the 2014 Symposium on
Emerging Issues, an outreach of the Women's Policy Forum of Tarrant County and
the Women's Policy Forum Foundation, Nov. 14 at the City Club in downtown Fort
Worth. Ann Beeson, executive director for the Center for Public Policy Priorities, will deliver
the keynote address on "The Future of Texas and the Path to Opportunity." Three
one-hour, repeating panel discussions will follow on technology, healthy
communities and open government. Cost is $35 per person. Register here.
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GET A JOB
The Winchester Star, a 20,000-circulation daily in Winchester, Va., seeks a
reporter to cover police and courts — breaking news, enterprise stories, web updates. Send cover letter, résumé and clips to managing editor Maria Montgomery at mmontgomery@winchesterstar.com. ... The Palestine Herald-Press needs a layout/news editor (mostly layout,
strong in Quark and/or InDesign). Contact editor Nate Smith, 903-729-0281, @NateSmithPHP. ... Cover crime and courts in a hotbed of malfeasance, Muskogee, Okla. The
Muskogee Phoenix wants 10 stories a week, video or photos, and social media
skills. E- six clips (news, features), résumé and cover letter to echoate@muskogeephoenix.com. Recent graduates preferred. ... The Trentonian seeks a reporter to help cover
greater Mercer County, New Jersey. Digital reporting deadlines and social media
savvy required. E- résumé and samples of writing, photos and video to John Berry, jberry@trentonian.com.
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NEW AND RETURNING MEMBERS
SPJ ... Chelsea Henderson, The Port Arthur News
PRSA ... Decima Cooper, Arlington Convention and Visitors Bureau
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PRESIDENT’S COLUMN
Richie Escovedo, Greater Fort Worth PRSA
When communication missteps occur, it's common to sit back, ridicule and say
we're learning from the actions of others (read: case studies). But do you ever
consider the individuals actually dealing with these challenges? Do you ever
think about the professionals responsible for cleaning up PR messes? Real
people constantly monitor public speech for misguided, incorrect or
inflammatory statements. One always hopes for the best but must prepare senior
leadership for the worst.
Among the reasons I remain a PRSA member is the opportunity to foster
professional relationships. Some call this networking, but it goes deeper.
Being connected to other professionals who have gone through similar
communication challenges creates shared experience, understanding and
encouragement. Can this be done outside of PRSA or any other professional
organization? Of course it can. But in my experience, working alongside
dedicated volunteers is the perfect way to ripen relationships.
People matter. Their stories matter. Yes, you can learn from the mistakes of
others, but you can also learn from teaching and encouraging. My hope this year
in PRSA is that not only have we provided quality programming to help with
members' professional development and award-worthy work, but also moments for
relationships.
And we're not finished. Just like people, Greater Fort Worth PRSA is a work in
progress. I encourage each member to look for ways to plug in through
volunteerism and to lean in, talk and listen to one another.
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STAYING CONNECTED
Tim Tune, IABC Fort Worth
What a fine session Robin McCasland, past chair of IABC international, did for us in October on global
communication trends. Couldn’t have done it without Studios 121, which provided the venue and technical
support for the presentation, which was webcast live. Student groups from Texas
Wesleyan University and UT Arlington, as well as IABC chapter members in
Orlando, Nashville, Minnesota and Los Angeles, participated online.
McCasland compiled key developments of interest to marketing, public relations
and corporate communication professionals. She also offered numerous tips and
tactics for taking advantage of trends.
To view the recorded webcast on demand, go here. Snazzy, huh? Share the link with others who might be interested and could
benefit from this relevant communication insight and tips for action.
IABC Fort Worth thanks Studios 121, our host and production partner, for its
support of the live webcast and video-on-demand service. We especially
appreciate the hard work and creative energies of Will Raymond, Studio 121's vice president-technical services.
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OVER & OUT
John Dycus, Fort Worth SPJ
Congratulations to SPJ Region 8 director and Tarrant County College student
publications leader Eddye Gallagher on being recognized for all-purpose wonderfulness by the College Media
Association. She’s GREAT, the CMA said. We knew that. ...
We keep losing our breweries, but the Christmas party, a.k.a. JPS Book Benefit
and Splendiferous Gift Drawing, shall proceed with all due vigor unabated and
top rated. First, Miller changed hands, and there went that delightful little
museum/party room. Then Coors sold, and the party setting there likely is a
warehouse now. It’s trying times like these that you need a Kay Pirtle. With a little help from Danny Jensen, she secured a handsome space in the “Glass Front” Building at UNT Health Science Center on Camp Bowie Boulevard. Slight increase
in admission (to cover additional expenses), but otherwise it’s still everything you’ve come to know and love. Here’s the evite and RSVP. See you Wednesday, Dec. 3, at the party with the best cost-to-fun ratio in
town!
Caught my eye. ‘We are running out of time’: New reports on greenhouse gas emissions. ... Kenya opens world’s largest single-turbine geothermal plant. ... Forget LEDs, this might be the future of lighting. ... World's first plane made from hemp flies high next year. ... Bee colony adapts to environmental impact by using plastic to build nests. ... Could humidity power join the list of renewable energy sources? ... Ocean acidification is kryptonite to all coral reefs — except one in the Western Pacific.
Closing words: "Clutter is the disease of American writing. We are a society
strangling in unnecessary words, circular constructions, pompous frills and
meaningless jargon." — author William Zinsser