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WMPRSA
February 2005
E-Newsletter
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Welcome to the
WMPRSA February Newsletter.
Read and enjoy.
In this issue you'll find:
*Details about our February 22 meeting on Building a Must-See Online Media Room.
*Information about entering our annual PRoof Awards. Entries are due 5:00 pm
on
March 3.
*Volunteer information and recognition.
*January "Meet the Media" very informative.
*Job listings and jobs wanted.
So read on, and plan to join us on February 22 for a great session.
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Build a Must-See Online Media Room
Want to create an online press room for the 21st century that grabs the attention of journalists, elected officials, and your many key stakeholders? Learn how to engage your online audience during the next WMPRSA event, "Online Media Rooms." Join Stuart Marcoon, account executive of VOCUS, as he shares thought provoking information from his report "Bridging the Great Divide Online," which is based on a survey of journalists and PR professionals.
Stuart Marcoon is an account executive for VOCUS, the global leader in on-demand public relations and government relations. VOCUS offers Web-based software that helps companies meet local and global communications challenges, including relationships with reporters, analysts, and elected officials. FedEx, Gap, Inc., Southwest Airlines, American Medical Association, Library of Congress, World Bank, and Edelman Public Relations Worldwide are some of the businesses that rely on VOCUS software to build relationships with key stakeholders.
WHEN: Tuesday, February 22, 2005.
Registration, networking and breakfast start at 7:30 a.m.
The speaker presentation begins at 8 a.m.
WHERE: Prince Conference Center, Calvin College,
1800 East Beltline,
Grand Rapids, MI
For directions: log on to http: www.calvin.edu/map/.
There's free parking in the lot outside the
Prince Conference Center
COST: $25 for PRSA Members, $35 for Non-Members
$20 for Full-time Students
The cost includes a light breakfast.
RSVP deadline: Thursday, February 17, 2005.
To register, call the WMPRSA hotline at 616-336-0678
or fax to 616-451-3108
or send an e-mail to Sue Ann Clark at admin@wmprsa.org.
All program reservations MUST be guaranteed with cr. cd.. You have the option to pay the day of the event with cash or a check.
When you make a reservation please provide:
Name, Company Name, Phone Number, Cr. Card Number with Expiration Date, and Zipcode where you receive your Cr. Card Statement
"No shows" will be billed.
24-hour notice required for full refund
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Calling all Entries for the 20th Annual PRoof Awards!
Plan now to attend WMPRSA's annual PRoof Awards, to be held on Wednesday, April 13, 2005 at The B.O.B. in downtown Grand Rapids.
A copy of the Call to Entries form is available on the WMPRSA web site, http://www.wmprsa.org/Chapter_Info/awards.htm.
We're looking for entries from all types of organizations: businesses, government, trade associations, educational institutions and non-profits. You can enter projects in 10 categories or campaigns in 11 different categories!
New this year are reduced rates for solo practitioners and small companies with five or fewer employees. So if you or your company fit into this category, be sure to take a look at the Call to Entries. We've tried to make entering more affordable this year.
Each year we honor the contributions of individuals to the public relations profession. These include:
•Communicator of the Year for a non public relations professional,
•Journalist of the Year to an outstanding West Michigan print or broadcast journalist,
•Distinguished PR Practitioner to an outstanding WMPRSA member, and
•Newcomer of the Year to an up-and-coming professional who has worked in the field for
three years or less.
Capping the evening is the presentation of the Hal Walton Scholarship to a PRSSA member. The scholarship recognizes the late WMPRSA founder, Hal Walton.
If you would like to nominate an individual in one of thes mentioned categories, please submit the nomination using the Awards Entry Form found in the Call to Entries.
Entries must be submitted by 5 p.m. on March 3, 2005. If you have any questions, please contact Melissa Charles: Melissa_Charles@alticor.com or 616-787-4635.
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Volunteers Make WMPRSA a Success
WMPRSA couldn't be a success without all its volunteers. Here are some of the volunteers who help make WMPRSA work.
Jill Ward - A big thanks goes to Jill Ward who's redone our Web site and keeps it up to date. Jill routinely has new postings up within hours, sometimes within minutes.
Anne Veltema - As a membership committee co-chair, Anne works with co-chair and board member Amy Miller to help retain and obtain new members. She's given lots of hours to WMPRSA and there doesn't seem to be any job she can't turn out quickly and successfully.
Thanks to both Anne and Jill. If you know a WMPRSA volunteer who should be recognized, contact Ruth Steele Walker at ruth.walker@foremost.com.
Volunteer needed
I know there's lots of writers out there. Which of you can step up and assist with the WMPRSA newsletter? Please contact Ruth Steele Walker at ruth.walker@foremost.com. Even if you can't take on the whole newsletter, consider writing an article or two.
Ruth also takes comments and complaints - but remember - if you complain she may ask you to do the work the next time ;-) |
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January Meeting Highlights:
Editorial Page Editors Share ‘Opinions' With WMPRSA
Editorial page editors from the Detroit News, Grand Rapids Press, and Traverse City Record Eagle shed some light on how they decide on editorial topics at WMPRSA's annual "Meet the Media" event January 27.
Richard Burr, Associate Editorial Page Editor of the Detroit News, is in charge of the op-ed articles opposite the editorial page as well as the Sunday perspective section. He said the paper, which reaches 230,000 readers daily and 600,000 on weekends (through the JOA with the Detroit Free Press), is right of center in politics.
He said the role of an op-ed page is to lead community discussion.
"We view our role as being a leader in the community for ideas of how to improve community/state, " Burr explained. "We used to concentrate more on national and international topics but we are becoming more local in emphasis because that's what people are more concerned with."
The other two editors agreed that their op-ed pages are predominantly focused on local and state issues, largely because most people get national and international news and opinion from TV and the Internet
Joe Crawford is
Editorial Page Editor of the Grand Rapids Press, which reaches 140,000 daily and 192,000 Sunday throughout western Michigan, from north of Kalamazoo to the straits, and as far east as Portland. Crawford said the four writers on the editorial staff at the Press appreciate PR people and find them useful, but he offered pointers for working successfully with the editorial board.
"We don't really want to hear from PR people; we want to hear from your client," he stressed. "PR people can help by providing information, coordinating the meeting, and helping clients focus their point of view simply and clearly, argued and backed up with facts. Our job
is like a judge-look at facts and logic in arguments on all sides of an issue and then form our opinion."
Dave Miller, Editorial Page Editor of the Traverse City Record Eagle, is the entire editorial department and writes the majority of the editorials for the paper, which reaches 13 counties including 31,000 readers daily and 41,000 Sunday. They also accept contributions from writers in the community, more so than the larger papers.
"We want the editorial page to be the public forum through letters and longer forum articles," Miller said. "We try to be the watchdog for public good." Miller added
that when people come in to present a topic for an editorial idea they should come with just a few people and ensure that the presentation is brief and focused.
The three editors offered some additional pointers during a Q&A session:
• Your publicity is in the bionote at the end-don't try to promote yourself, discuss issue of public issue.
• Tie idea to current news issue
• Subject line in emails should be specific
• Lead time on editorial depends; news commentary next day but social issues could be planned week in advance.
Job Listings and Jobs Wanted
Grand Rapids/Kent County Convention and Visitors Bureau Seeks Communications Specialist
To support and assist the marketing and sales functions of the bureau with its internal and external communications they attract and generate room nights for Grand Rapids and Kent County. This position will lend assistance to the CVB President with his communication to board members, community leaders and elected officials. This will include scheduling and confirmation of meetings and related materials.
Responsibilities:
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Assist with distribution and preparation of press releases and media packets
•Coordinate and create electronic newsletters
•Enhance, coordinate and maintain CVB databases of local,
regional media
contacts and community leaders and elected officials
•Prepare CVB President's PowerPoint presentations
•Coordinate and schedule President's meetings and related materials
•Develop and prepare partner and board communication for the Web site
•Assist with marketing functions as directed
•Perform other projects or tasks as assigned
Related activities:
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Assist President with maximizing bureau opportunities to communicate to the
community
•Assist communication director with CVB press tours and media relations as
needed
•Generate new ideas to aid CVB effectiveness
Minimum Qualifications:
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4 year college degree with emphasis on English or communications
•2 - 4 years of marketing or communications experience
Qualifications:
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Proficient in all aspects of Microsoft Office
•Proficient in database management
•Experience with HTML programming
•Self directed team player
•Above average written and verbal skills
•Experience communicating with board members and elected officials
•Ability to learn CVB specific software programs
•Bring a strong work ethic to the position and the CVB
•Willingness to learn new information and share that knowledge to benefit the
CVB
•Willingness to participate in the integration of the sales and marketing function
areas
For more information contact: Grand Rapids/Kent County Convention & Visitors Bureau, 171 Monroe Ave., NW, Suite 700, Grand Rapids, MI 49506. Phone is 616-459-8287 or toll-free at 800-678-9859. Fax to 616-459-7291 or visit www.VisitGrandRapids.org.
Ohio Agency Seeks Assistance in Southwest Michigan
Fekete+Company is interested in locating a public relations professional in southwestern Michigan, specifically the St. Joe/Benton Harbor area. They are interested in working with a smaller agency or a freelance writer.
Interested? Contact Michelle Woods, Fekete+Company, 1161 Bethel Road, Suite 301, Columbus, Ohio 43220. Call her at 614.459.4440 or 740.225.4721 (cell) or fax information to 614.459-4447.
Student Seeks Internship
Trisha Klingenberg, a student at Central Michigan University is seeking a Public Relations Internship for the summer of 2005. To get credit she needs 300 hours of work in a public relations related field. Trisha can be reached by phone at 616.836.5239 or by email, kling1tb@cmich.edu. |
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Subscriptions and 2005 Newsletter Editor Contact
This monthly electronic newsletter comes from the West Michigan Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. Sponsorship of the newsletter is provided by http://www.pathwaynet.com, which also hosts the WMPRSA website.
WMPRSA
PO Box 68124
Grand Rapids, MI 49516
Phone: 616-336-0678
Fax: 616-451-3108
http://www.wmprsa.org
Send newsletter feedback, ideas and accompanying color or b&w photos in jpeg format to: Ruth Steele Walker at ruth.walker@foremost.com
Deadline for newsletter content is the 1st of each month.
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