January 2001
MILESTONES
The end of the millennium also marked the end of three distinguished Star-Telegram careers -- a cumulative 122 years at the paper representing two Pulitzer Prizes and close to 50 other writing awards, including three national honors for medical reporting, the National Education Writers Association's top award in 1965 for a series on academic freedom in Texas, and a Public Service Citation for the series from the Texas chapter of the American Association of University Professors; ranch and farm writing, general assignments, night cops, the courthouse and editorships at every level; establishment of two six-figure scholarship endowments; coverage of earthquakes and hurricanes and plane crashes, Fort Worth millionaire Cullen Davis' murder trial and subsequent conversion to Christianity, the Kennedy assassination in 1963 and the 1964 slayings of three civil rights workers in Philadelphia, Miss.; presidencies of the Religion Newswriters Association, Texas APME, the Press Club of Fort Worth and the Fort Worth Rotary Club; executive producer duties for SPJ's Texas Gridiron Show; directing the paper's United Way campaigns and Goodfellows Christmas charity; personal interviews with Billy Graham; two 350-mile meanders on foot through the Star-Telegram's circulation area, writing a people story every hundred yards; visits to seemingly every hamlet in Texas, writing a people story every 20 feet; coverage of the Southern Baptist holy war and of Pope John Paul II in Central America, the downfall of TV evangelists and the tragedy of Branch Davidian David Koresh; prescient "Fearless Forecasts" for the coming year; helping birth the supremely goofy Texas Strangers fictional baseball team; and a book on Bob Wills. It was a passel of keystrokes. Jack Tinsley, Jim Jones, Jon McConal -- they paid their dues. One can only hope for the movie.
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MEETINGS
Ho Ho Ho Redux: 'Tis Always the Season to Party
Blitzed in December by bad weather, the PRSA/IABC/SPJ holiday party cranks up again Jan. 17. Same location: Miller Marketplace and Brew Kettle Museum. Same great cause: providing books for the children's library at John Peter Smith Hospital. Same riotous good time.
* Time & Date: 5:30-8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 17
* Place: Miller Marketplace and Brew Kettle Museum, I-35 at Sycamore School Road exit
* Cost: $15 or the equivalent in new children's books
* Menu: Spring Creek barbecue, soft drinks, beer, wine
* RSVP by Jan. 10: (817) 336-7799 or mailto:kim@stuartbacon.com
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Next at IABC ...
Information will be sent to members when it is received.
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Next at PRSA ...
Going Solo: Are You Ready?
Are you a solo practitioner, considering going solo, or interested in learning how to set up your own shop? The January program -- at Ridglea Country Club -- will offer insights from four seasoned practitioners and former chapter presidents in various stages of solo careers -- Linda Johnson; Bill Lawrence, APR; Susan Schoolfield, APR; and Beth Park, APR.
The panel will address how long it takes to get established, what income to expect, what resources can help build a business, what networking opportunities you should seek, and the benefits of specializing in one aspect of PR. Attendees will be surveyed on their interest in a networking group for solo practitioners/freelancers. Materials on starting a solo practice will also be available.
* Time & date: noon Wednesday, Jan. 10
* Place: Ridglea Country Club, 3700 Bernie Anderson
* Cost: $20 members, $23 nonmembers, $18 students; parking free
* RSVP by noon Jan. 8: (817) 347-8649 or mailto:elizabeth@stuartbacon.com
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Next at SPJ ...
Politics at the Plant: Election Not Over
Until Presses Roll (Sometimes Not Even Then)
So you thought the nation's what-killed-vaudeville presidential election had finally ended. Not until Fort Worth SPJ finishes hashing it out. A month's worth of hindsight has given local journalistic and political minds enough digestive fortitude to revisit the calamity -- from bad calls to bad manners to bad makeup and hair.
January's meeting at the Star-Telegram south plant begins with a tour and culminates in almost-all-you-can-stomach pizza and politics with a panel emboldened by an abundance of educated views: Bob Parten, Tarrant County election administrator; John Gravois, Star-T government/political editor; and a Dallas Morning News national political player to be named later. A surprise guest has been invited, and moderating it all will be UTA political science gadfly and S-T columnist Allan Saxe.
* Date: Thursday, Jan. 11
* Time: tour at 6 p.m., pizza at 6:30, program at 7
* Place: Star-Telegram printing plant at I-35W and I-20, 685 John B. Sias Parkway (exit Hemphill Street off I-20 and go south to Sias)
* Cost: $5 students, $10 members, $15 nonmembers
* Menu: pizza, and not just any pizza -- Mama's!
* RSVP: (817) 877-1171 or mailto:doti1@aol.com; specify whether you'll go on the tour
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STRAIGHT STUFF
Media legends alert. The KFJZ and Friends Radio Reunion, Saturday, Jan. 27, at Joe T. Garcia's, has grown to 200 revelers. Originally expected to attract around 80 people, "this is turning into a real event," organizer Larry Shannon says. It's worth the $20 just to see Mark E. Baby. Details at http://kfjzreunion.com. ... Deadline is 5 p.m. Feb. 1 for entries to be received in the Texas Gavel Awards competition. The State Bar of Texas annually recognizes reporters at newspapers, magazines, radio and TV whose work fosters public understanding of the legal system. Editorials, feature stories, news stories and columns will be accepted, and there's no entry fee. Call (800) 204-2222, ext. 1414.
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Regian & Wilson/Grey Changes Name, Broadens Focus
Regian & Wilson/Grey, one of the leading ad agencies in Tarrant County, has changed its name to Grey Worldwide: Dallas/Fort Worth, the latest step in a process that began two years ago when Regian & Wilson was acquired by the Grey Global Group.
As the largest ad agency in the United States and one of the 10 largest in the world, Grey Worldwide has concentrated its full-service operations in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco, noted Bob Berenson, vice chairman of Grey Global Group. "With a commitment to grow our operation in the central region of the U.S., now is the right time to align Regian & Wilson's name and operations with the rest of our system."
Julie H. Wilson, president and CEO of the Fort Worth-Dallas office, spoke of the "firepower" added by the Grey affiliation and said she's excited about the new focus on national and regional clients. "Some advertisers who previously had to look out of state ... can now be served closer to home," she said. Grey's Texas anchor provides clients with connection to more than 400 offices in 90 countries.
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TCU Master's to Prepare Working Pros for Management
Advertising and PR professionals wishing to advance into management are considered ideal candidates for TCU's new master of science degree in advertising/public relations, which begins evening-only classes this month. The program is the second master's degree offered by the TCU journalism department (http://www.jou.tcu.edu), which launched a master of science in news editorial, print and broadcast journalism in the fall.
The 36-hour ad/PR package, the only degree of its kind in the south-central United States, offers one track for working pros and another for doctoral aspirants. In addition to required courses in journalism, students may take related hours in interpersonal and organizational communication and critical studies in media.
The degree reflects suggestions of the Commission on Public Relations Education (http://prsa.org/prssa4.html). "Study at the graduate level is expected to help practitioners think carefully about not only what they are doing, but why they are doing it," said TCU journalism chairman Tommy Thomason. "This degree program marries theory and practice for working professionals."
The journalism department also will offer a certificate program for working professionals that will include some of the courses in the master's program. Faculty will conduct stand-alone seminars featuring intensive, institute-like sessions on special topics with guest speakers and breakout discussion groups.
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PEOPLE & PLACES
BSMG's Wendy Dunn married Andrew Deignam on Friday, Nov. 24. ... A New Year's wish from Jim Domke. Have any used computers or working peripherals? Know anyone who does? Give them to a school district near you. A substitute teacher in the area, Jim says so many schools are using outdated computers. "Some have upgraded their computer labs, but in the classroom there's nothing (I've read how there should be a computer for every five kids). Kennedale ISD is using computers that are 10 years old that were donated by a government agency when it shut down. Midlothian ISD has a computer lab full of 486s." A vocational program is being set up to repair computers, so there's even a need for broken PCs. Anyone with the goods, Jim will help find them a home. Call him: (817) 561-9316. ... Ray Gaulke, president and chief operating officer of the national Public Relations Society of America, has resigned to devote time to raising funds for the PRSA Foundation and Kids In a Drug-free Society, Inc., and to developing his own consulting business. Catherine A. Bolton, chief public relations officer, is acting president/COO. At nearly 20,000 members, PRSA is the world's largest organization for public relations professionals.
Kudos & Contracts ... The Mental Health Association of Tarrant County lauded the Star-Telegram for its "Treating Mental Illness in Texas" series. ... The McDonald Sanders law firm selected Stuart Bacon to create a comprehensive communications program. ... The Fort Worth-Dallas office of Grey Worldwide will handle the visibility launch this spring for Alpharetta, Ga.-based BroadRiver Communications Corp., an integrated communications provider. With venture capital exceeding $44 million and an ad budget of "several million," according to BroadRiver sales VP Ron Johnson, the campaign will feature print, broadcast and interactive media.
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COMINGS & GOINGS
Additions ... Glenda Thompson, new marketing director for the National Association of Women in Construction ... at the S-T: former Las Vegas Sun Sunday/projects editor Steve Campbell, a Southwest Texas State student in the '70s who matriculated to the Ogden (Utah) Standard-Examiner (city editor), The Houston Post (assistant news editor) and the Denver Rocky Mountain News, where he supervised and edited the 1995 Pulitzer Prize-finalist spot news coverage of the Colorado wildfire that killed 14 firefighters; state editor ... '95 Northeastern U. grad Patrick McGee, for the past two years a Peace Corps rural health worker in El Salvador and one-time stringer for the Belfast (Northern Ireland) Telegraph; night GA
Promotions ... at the S-T: SMU grad and Association for Women Journalists ex-president Kristin N. Sullivan, 10 years with the paper, the last 5 1/2 covering Fort Worth city government, to assistant city editor in Arlington
Exits ... at the S-T: Darrin Schlegel, formerly senior deputy sports editor, to the Dallas Business Journal as managing editor ... Northeast religion reporter Tara Dooley, whose first religion story and last religion story for the paper were both about sex (and you thought the church beat was boring), to the Houston Chronicle, covering, yes, religion ... baseball writer Simon Gonzalez, 15 years in Star-T sports, to an international Christian relief organization in Boone, N.C., where he'll write for its bimonthly magazine ... sports writer J. Doug Foster, now in media relations with the Dallas Stars
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A NOTE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Mary Dulle, GFW PRSA
I certainly hope the rest of my year as president goes smoother than the first event. We had to reschedule our holiday party to Jan. 17 due to weather, and please don't call me the Ice Queen! Meanwhile, my initial presidential thank you graces Kim Speairs for her selfless leadership in 2000. Kim helped us meet major goals, especially establishing the TCU scholarship, and the organization is stronger for her efforts. Kim and all the past presidents will be honored at a celebration in May marking the chapter's 15th anniversary.
A major change is coming -- a new meetings location. TCU has run out of room to host outside activities in the Kelly center and to park all the cars affiliated with such meetings. We've researched a number of spots, all with an eye to holding expenses down. We'll be at Ridglea Country Club for the first few months of 2001 and may try other venues later in the year. Think of it as our own "Space Odyssey." We'll do our best to remind you of the new location, but old habits die hard.
Please welcome our new leaders -- Kristie Aylett, APR, president-elect/membership; Laura Squires, APR, vice president/programs; Julie Neal, secretary; Jade Hoffman, treasurer; Pamela Smith, treasurer-elect; assembly delegates Beth Park, APR, and Paul Sturiale, APR; directors Carolyn Hodge, APR (term expires 2001), Carolyn Bobo, APR (term expires 2002), and Roger Partridge (term expires 2003); and committee chairs Carolyn Bobo, APR, accreditation; Paul Sturiale, awards; Carolyn Hodge, bylaws; LaTonyie Jarrett-Taylor, community service; Beth Solomon, healthcare SIG; Elizabeth Eslick, hospitality; Ann Genett-Schrader, APR, job bank; Joan Scott, newsletter; Kim Speairs, APR, nominating; Jerrod Resweber, online; Beth Park, APR, president's council; Holly Ellman, professional development; Heather Senter, public relations; and Laura Squires, APR, and Carroll Cole, student liaison. These are dynamic people, and all they need now is you. Attend the meetings. Learn from the workshops. Then watch us grow.
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PRESIDENT'S COLUMN
Arden Dufilho, IABC/Fort Worth
Well, the holidays are over, except that our holiday party has been reset to Jan. 17. We are also, officially, in the new millennium, 2001. Sounds like a space odyssey.
By now our members should have received their 2000 Communicator of the Year nomination form. Please take the time to submit the name of an area communicator you think deserves to be recognized. Nomination deadline is Jan. 19. Feel free to copy the form and pass it along. The award is not limited to IABC members, and one needn't be a member to nominate someone. Let's make the fifth annual Communicator of the Year Award luncheon in March the biggest and best attended yet.
If you're going to the IABC International Conference in New York City on June 24-28, registration online is $595 before Jan. 15 (http://iabc.com/events/conf2001). It's otherwise $695 ($795 after May 15). If you've never attended one of these conferences (or even if you have), I urge you to take advantage of this fabulous opportunity.
Now for the pièce de résistance. IABC international chair Charles Pizzo will be in the area Friday, Jan. 26, for a breakfast meeting with board members of the Fort Worth and Dallas IABC chapters -- 7:30-10 a.m. at La Cima Club in Las Colinas' Williams Square, 5215 N. O'Connor Road in Irving -- followed by a session with senior communicators. This is a terrific opportunity to meet Charles one-on-one. Please RSVP to me at (817) 336-2491, ext. 259, by Monday, Jan. 23.
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OVER & OUT
John Dycus, Fort Worth SPJ
Celebrated retirees Jack Tinsley, Bunky McConal and Jim Jones all have served as president of this chapter, and all took their turn in the Gridiron barrel, notably Jack as executive producer. Fort Worth newspaper readers and SPJ are richer, stronger and certainly better informed because these men came our way. May the fish be biting, the adventures just beginning and the book chapters write themselves. ...
Put spring in your syntactical step with The Vocabula Review (http://vocabula.com/vocabulareview.htm), an online journal about the state of the English language. The titles of recently published articles tell you all you need to know: "Bottle That Punaphor" by Joseph Epstein; "Stamp Out Fadspeak!" by Richard Lederer; "The Wrong-Headedness of Linguistic Self-Righteousness" by Alan Pagliere; "What's a 'Meta' For?" by Pamela Black. For those more attuned to processing information visually there's the Visual Language Project (http://www.stanford.edu/~rhorn), an examination of research and applications of visual language and information design. A recent position paper explored the "Great Clip Art Debate."