21st Annual Kenneth Owler Smith Symposium

 

 

April 14, 2011

USC Annenberg School for

Communications & Journalism

East Lobby & Auditorium 

Reception 6:15 p.m., Program 7:00 p.m. 

 

USC Annenberg School and PRSA-LA will present the 21st Annual Kenneth Owler Smith Symposium on Thursday, April 14.

Steve Rubel, SVP, Global Director of Insights for Edelman Digital will deliver the keynote address. Rubel, a senior marketing strategist and one of the most influential bloggers in the world according to Technorati, is charged with helping the Edelman team win new word-of-mouth marketing business as well as developing and executing client programs. He also explores how new technologies are transforming marketing, media and public relations on his well-read Micro Persuasion weblog.

Widely viewed as an expert on conversational marketing, Rubel has been named to several prestigious lists, including: Media Magazine's Media 100, the AlwaysOn/Technorati Open Media 100 and the CNET News.com Blog 100. Prior to joining Edelman in 2006, he spent five years at CooperKatz & Company.

A panel discussion moderated by public relations professor Jerry Swerling will follow. To register for this event, please visit the USC Annenberg events page.

PRSA New Member Promotion  

Missed out on the February membership promotion, but still thinking about joining PRSA?  Well, you could still get lucky.

During March and April, you can submit your contact information to receive free resources and special offers from PRSA National.

One submission will be selected to receive a FREE PRSA National and Chapter membership for one year!

Register now and take advantage of your opportunity to win this membership, valued at more than $385.

 
What can membership in PRSA do for you?

PRSA is the world's largest community of public relations and communications professionals. With membership in PRSA, you will ...

• Stay on top of emerging trends and industry news  
• Meet colleagues, engage with experts, receive professional support and learn about new business opportunities and job leads   
• Find answers to your most pressing PR questions  
• Benefit from members-only offers, including discounts on professional development seminars, conferences and events  
• Learn about opportunities to participate in leadership and awards programs  
• Be part of a vibrant community of more than 22,000 PR professionals  
• Accelerate your career -- no matter where you are on your academic or professional path 

Attn. Health Care PR Practitioners

 

2011 PRSA Health Academy National Conference Coming This April to Washington, DC.

 

With health care reform in flux, and other major changes roiling the medical industry, PR and communications professionals in this rapidly evolving field are expected to provide advice and implement strategies on a number of complex issues.  Are you ready?

Consider joining your colleagues for the 2011 PRSA Health Academy National Conference from April 27-29 in Washington, DC.  At this premier event, you will:

• Explore topics of interest to a wide range of PR, media and communications professionals at hospitals and other health care institutions, medical insurance companies and PR firms with health care industry clients.

• Examine policy and best practices alongside industry experts, and hear how the changes spurred by the health care reform legislation will impact best practices in the short- and long-term.

• Fine-tune communications strategies and channels for effective messaging to a variety of audiences, including health care consumers and the media.

• Expand your insight and professional network by connecting with health care public relations and communications professionals in the hospital, pharmaceutical, agency, payer and association/nonprofit sectors.

This year's keynote speakers will be CNN health correspondent Elizabeth Cohen, author of "The Empowered Patient," and Roger Simon of Politico.

There will also be a pre-conference session on Capitol Hill to learn the latest status of health care reform from a variety of perspectives.

A special saver rate applies for registrations made before March 26, 2011.  For more information, please visit the event page on the PRSA National Web site.

"Trends in Television News: The Anchor's Perspective" Offers Insights into Dramatic Changes in the World of Local News

A trio of seasoned Los Angeles news anchors provided insights into the rapidly changing state of local news during PRSA-LA's "Trends in Television News: The Anchor's Perspective" event, which took place March 16 at the Sheraton Universal Hotel. The panel featured multiple-Emmy®-winners Carlos Amezcua, co-anchor, KTTV "FOX 11 News at 10," Paul Magers, co-anchor, "CBS 2 Weekday News at 5 and 11" and Colleen Williams, co-anchor, "KNBC Channel 4 News Weekdays at 5 and 11." The moderator was former KTLA news director Jeff Wald, now a partner at RealNews, LLC.

PRSA-LA member Andrew Hindes, president and founder of The In-House Writer, attended the event and offers these highlights:

The panelists agreed that a combination of digital technology and dwindling viewership, particularly among young people, have brought sweeping changes to the world of TV news. Magers observed that robotic cameras and other technical advancements have allowed managers to slash newsroom staffs. In addition, stations have increasingly resorted to sharing resources, including choppers and even camera crews. The most extreme example of this downsizing trend, noted Williams, is "NewsFix," an experimental anchorless broadcast recently launched on Tribune Co.'s KIAH 39 in Houston. She predicted this narrated, newsreel-style format would be short-lived, however. Added Amezcua: "Anchors bring a sense of comfort and community. You don't get that with a narrator, or your iPhone or iPad."

SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST

Still, the panelists believed more change was inevitable as local news shows competed for audiences with online and mobile sources. Williams said the key was for stations to go "hyper-local" in their coverage, while Amezcua suggested survival was dependent on station managers with the courage to try bold, innovative approaches to presenting news but still maintain journalistic standards. Magers complained local news shows featured "too much Charlie Sheen and Lindsay Lohan," subjects better left to entertainment shows.

During a provocative question-and-answer period, the panel fielded queries about the effectiveness of corporate spokespeople, the importance of client media training, the blurring of lines between advertising and editorial, and of course, the best way to pitch stories.

EXPERTS WANTED

In response to the latter question, the anchors suggested watching their shows carefully to learn the kinds of segments they do and when. "For instance, on a Friday night, we're more likely to go to an entertainment story," said Williams. Making available clients who are experts on hot issues of the day is another good way to get airtime, suggested Amezcua. "We're probably all going to be doing a story on radiation tonight," he said, referring to concern about fallout from Japan's damaged nuclear reactors. "If you have a client who's an expert, this would be the time to let us know." Williams also reminded the PR pros in attendance of the importance of forging relationships with reporters and keeping email pitches to just a sentence or two. "We don't have time to read a whole page."