The RSA Conference Awards honor influential contributors to information security in three categories: mathematics, public policy and security practices.

Winners will be announced at RSA Conference 2009, taking place April 20-24 at The Moscone Center in San Francisco.

For more information, or to submit a nomination, click here

The deadline for nominations is Feb. 9. E-mail rsaconferenceawards@rsa.com with any questions.

Whether it is hospital and healthcare systems mergers and acquisitions, medical advances or the impact of the economy on healthcare delivery, health topics remain in the forefront of the news.

To help provide an idea of where PR can contribute to healthcare coverage, the Publicity Club of Chicago meeting on Dec. 3 featured five representatives from consumer and trade medical/health publications to help PR professionals better understand what they are covering and how to approach them.

Following are highlights of the discussion:

Emily Berry
Staff writer, American Medical News
Emily.Berry@ama-assn.org

Berry covers health plans for the business section of American Medical News, the AMA’s weekly newspaper for physicians, most of whom are in family practice. AMA News is trend-driven, so Berry urged everyone to research the publication to determine the trends.

Berry came to Chicago in 2007, from the Times Free Press of Chattanooga, Tenn., where she covered health care for two years. She has an unusual double-major in English and neuroscience from Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, which actually gave her a solid foundation for her current editorial responsibilities.

Berry predicted that 2009 will be a big year for healthcare policy changes, which will greatly shape her coverage.

“There is a groundswell that indicates that something needs to be done in healthcare and policy,” said Berry. “This is a story we see as a must-cover. Physicians and hospitals have parallel concerns, with the economy overshadowing everything. For physicians, it’s about the survival of their practices. Is there a permanent fix to the Medicare payment formula? There is also a question of the role health plans will play under Obama. Will there be new a Medicare plan or private pay policies? For the short-term, are physicians insured enough to stay in practice?” These are among the issues pressing the minds of those at American Medical News.

Companies are selling new technology solutions for physicians; however, this is happening at a time when doctors are wondering if they are going to survive. As a result, they are not about to make large investments. “A magic answer doesn’t exist,” said Berry. “Physicians are being pragmatic.”

Berry is most interested in a story if she has “not seen a lot written about it or isn’t something I’ve gotten to dig into yet.”

She added that if the pitch is disease-specific, she “needs something to hang it on — a new angle.” When talking about healthcare reform, it helps to have specific stories and people with insight into the issue available. She is looking to personalize the story, but notes that she often files these stories away as a resource if she cannot use them immediately. She wants to cultivate and identify experts, rather than receive pitches.

“I love it if I can call you on a Friday at 4:30 p.m. and not get an eye roll,” said Berry. “I expect an earnest effort, not an attitude. Do your best to be helpful, but don’t over-promise. Just let me know if you know someone for a quick quote.”

Berry understands that PR people cannot know all the deadlines of every publication, but she loves it when someone calls and asks, “Is it okay to talk now?” She added, “I don’t want to be rude, but there are good and bad times to call. All I ask if that you understand our deadlines.”

“Some PR people will conduct interviews with new physicians at their organization to determine whether or not they are media-ready,” she added. “This helps us avoid some people who should never speak to the media because they are grumpy or don’t like to be reached on their cell, for example. That is good to know in advance.”

The publication prefers to do its own graphics. Occasionally, because it will receive statistics or numbers that are not attributed, red flags are raised. Berry urges PR people to be sure to cite sources of the information they provide and make sure the source is credible.

Matthew Weinstock
Senior editor, Hospitals and Health Networks
mweinstock@healthforum.com

Hospitals & Health Networks, a 76,000-circulation monthly business magazine, is published by Health Forum, a for-profit subsidiary of the American Hospital Association, and is targeted to the “C-suite” audience. As senior editor, Weinstock is responsible for conceiving, assigning and editing features and news briefs, although he still manages to write a story from time to time, as well. With nearly 20 years of experience as a reporter and editor in the business-to-business press, he joined Hospitals & Health Networks as senior editor in 2003. Prior to that, he spent 12 years as a reporter in Washington, D.C., covering Congress and a number of federal agencies for business publications, most recently Government Executive.

Since Hospitals & Health Networks is a national publication, Weinstock finds it difficult to get to meet and know a lot of people; however, he is not adverse to meeting people who are local or visiting the area — or meeting them over the phone, just to connect. Like most editors, he values reliable sources.

Weinstock monitors the entire healthcare field; as senior editor, he does not have a specific “beat.” His interests at Hospitals & Health Networks encompasses everything about how to run hospitals, including patient safety and quality of care, as well as healthcare reform and the economic implications of the federal budget.

“Some of the stories that interest me are that Medicare is running out of money three years earlier than anyone predicted access to capital by hospitals, and the uninsured,” he said.

Hospitals & Health Networks is a monthly publication with a long lead-time. “We work at least two months ahead, so January’s issue is in production and we are working on February stories now,” said Weinstock. “These are due in by Jan. 1. We can do things on the fly, but we are not a breaking-news organization.”

Six times a year, they run specific features, such as topics on clinical management, a service line or the latest industry findings. In the back of the book are shorter pieces, such as a piece on a Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) health report, with a link back to the report. Be sure not only to check the editorial calendar, but also “know the publication and its audience. This audience includes CEOs, CFOs, CMOs, CIOs and other executives.”

Weinstock added, “We do not cover products or do reviews or company profiles. Look at the magazine’s Web site before pitching a story.”

He also encouraged the audience to make sure their Web sites are updated and clearly include the PR person’s name and contact number(s). “This information should be easily available. If I have to do more than two or three clicks to find them, I’ll stop looking.”

Although he prefers to interview executives so the discussion is virtually peer-to- peer, he explained, “a senior vice president or above should be the one telling the story. If you tell us a story and it’s something we are working on, but you only have a manager who is tuned into this and that person is a better source, we are willing to talk to them. We won’t just talk to someone with a title,” especially if someone else is more knowledgeable.

Weinstock especially likes calls where someone tells him, “This story just broke. Here is an expert and what he can talk about.”

“I love stories that no one has done,” he said, adding, “If you can supply graphics and data, that’s even better. We love that stuff!”

As for the future look of the magazine, “We are evolving,” said Weinstock. “Check back for more updates in six months.”

Jean DerGurahian
Reporter, Modern Healthcare
jdergurahian@crain.com

Having joined Modern Healthcare in 2007, DerGurahian reports on quality of care and patient safety, which she calls “the heart of health care,” as well as covering regional healthcare business news in the Southeast. Before joining Modern Healthcare, she was a business reporter for the Albany, N.Y., Times Union and served as technology reporter at the Capital District Business Review in Albany.

What DerGurahian looks for most in her stories is a business angle. For example, in 2008, hospitals showed record profits; that may not happen again. With more hospital consolidation taking place, it is likely that the use of electronic health records will increase and accessibility issues will become much more prominent.

“With more than 5,000 hospitals,” said DerGurahian, “I cannot call all of them to check on what’s new.”

She does not cover technology product stories, since physicians most likely will not be investing in them. She would love to “see more numbers, more data that will gauge the improvement against Medicare issues.”

Her special frustration is to receive a pitch asking, “What do you cover?” To avoid feeling the need to ask that of her, DerGurahian urges people to visit the Web site and go to the “About Us” tab. “All the contacts and their beats are there, along with our Code of Ethics,” she said.

As Modern Healthcare, a weekly, is actually part of a family of publications including the Daily Dose and IT Strategist, Modern Physician and six online e-mail publications, deadline pressures are felt daily. DerGurahian asks people to keep that in mind when they contact the publication.

“We don’t cover products or companies,” she said. “What we want to hear about is the experts that are around, especially those in the C-suite and physicians.”

The publication has just begun to explore using videos but has done a fair number of podcasts. DerGurahian is reluctant to take videos from outside sources. However, she does read blogs. She also gathers and files possible resources.

As the publication covers “the whole country, if you are local and have someone who is an expert and want to have coffee with me for about five minutes in the city, I’d love to hear what they’d like to talk about,” DerGurahian said, adding, “I read and keep all my e-mails but I don’t always respond.”

Katharin Czink
Medical producer, WGN-TV
kczink@tribune.com

As producer of WGN-TV’s Medical Watch segment since 2002, Czink has focused on innovative technologies, cutting-edge therapies, the latest surgical procedures and promising medicines. Chicago-area experts are frequently spotlighted, including physicians, scientists and other healthcare professionals and patients.

Before joining WGN-TV, Czink previously worked at the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) and served as a medical writer and editorial team member at the Chicago Institute of Neurosurgery and Neuroresearch. She covers health and medicine at WGN. She fell into the position by accident, but has fallen in love with it.

For the two-minute spot on television, the station calls on local experts and researchers, whether the story is about stem-cell funding or about physician concierge services opening up. According to Czink, they “don’t cover umbrella issues, but the nuances.” She said she receives an abundance of “awareness” story pitches, but particularly likes topics that are tied to new treatments or cutting-edge developments.

“We will do a story, regardless of the awareness month,” said Czink. For example, this means that WGN-TV will not only cover breast cancer in October, when it coincides with its recognition month, but any time when a new treatment or technology becomes available. From a television point of view, I need that something extra.”

“With looming deadlines, I frequently need experts — often at the last minute,” she said. “We regularly need physicians who can comment on breaking health news. We come to them whether they are at the hospital, offices or homes. Often they think we will take up a lot of their time, but, really, that’s not the case at all.”

However, Czink warned PR professionals that experts need to be prepared — provided with the general dos and don’ts of interviewing. “And it helps if a doctor is willing to ask patients to relate their personal experiences as they pertain to the story.”

WGN’s coverage consists of digest segments that cover the health news of the day, or a single topic that can be fleshed out and made into a package for the 9 p.m. news.

Czink invited the audience to “send visuals to help us learn more about the potential story. Give me a taste. That is a nice luxury!”

Diane Dungey
Editor, Daily Herald
ddungey@dailyherald.com

Health and medicine, the Cook County criminal courts and education are among Dungey’s many previous reporting beats at The Daily Herald, a suburban daily with a circulation of more than 150,000. It was a logical extension for Dungey to create and become the editor of the paper’s weekly Health & Fitness section, which this year received the Illinois Associated Press and Chicago Headline Club awards for stories about a family’s dilemma over genetic testing in the face of a Huntington’s disease diagnosis. She now oversees the publication’s features sections. In addition, the newspaper also offers a Spanish-language publication, Reflejos, as well as an online edition.

As far as defining “what is local,” the map of the Herald’s geographic coverage is posted on their Web site, but Dungey noted, “there is a tightening circle of what is considered local. Keep in mind, we now have a 24-hour news cycle, with opportunities compressed by the time frame.”

One thing Dungey has noted is the “shakeout taking place in healthcare, with people falling through the cracks.” In this changing healthcare environment, the Daily Herald is focusing on “getting personal stories,” she said, observing that, “as people are losing their jobs, they are losing their healthcare coverage, as well. The mental healthcare avenues are especially overburdened, while we’ve received a drop in cosmetic surgery pitches.”

A problem with some of the stories is that “many people may not want their names associated with a story,” Dungey said. “If you have someone who will talk to me and put that in the subject line, that’s gold!”

Business is built on relationships, something Dungey values. “If I get a cold call at 6 p.m. and don’t recognize the number, I may not even pick up the phone.” If she’s built a relationship with the PR person, she often even provides her cell number to the person and will know they won’t abuse its use.

She also appreciates knowing which physicians are skilled at talking to the press. “Some speak a sound bite a minute, and others are not as helpful.”

The Daily Herald rarely uses videos provided, as it prefers to shoot its own footage. From her perspective, “I don’t even like [e-mail] attachments,” Dungey said. “I get about 120 e-mails an hour and try to read and get rid of them.” If someone wants to gain her attention, “Grab me with your words and your subject line.”

Following are some of their success stories, shared with the members’ permission. If you have a success story you’d like to share, please e-mail profnet@profnet.com with “ProfNet Success Story” in the subject line.

Rick Peterson
Manager of Media Relations
Lawrence University

Lawrence’s Jerry Podair responded to an early October query from the New York Post regarding the political impact of Tina Fey’s impersonations of Gov. Sarah Palin on “Saturday Night Live.”

Not only did Prof. Podair wind up being the first source quoted in the story (click here to view the story), but he was contacted the next day by a CNN producer who saw the story and sent a film crew to campus to talk to him more about this subject. He wound up in a pair of CNN newscasts on two different days discussing the role of comedy as commentary in the election season.

Also as a result of the New York Post article, Prof. Podair was interviewed by a U.S. correspondent for a newspaper in Poland and was interviewed (twice) on a news/talk radio station in Regina, Saskatchewan.

Lawrence Hahn
Junior Account Executive
Peppercom

I saw your Tweet about great hits resulting from following the ProfNet feed, and I wanted to share my story. This one actually came two days ago from the “re-tweet” of Ellen McGirt’s request for Fast Company regarding “Governing 2.0.” She was interested in hearing from a representative from PepperDigital (Peppercom’s digital team), and Sam Ford, director of customer insights at Peppercom and a research affiliate in convergence culture at MIT, provided some of his thoughts.

In the article, which ran yesterday, Ellen included Sam’s input along with a handful of other thought leaders.

Hilda S. Mitrani
Multilingual Media & Marketing

We are toward the tail end of the development of a news report that is to appear in Spry Living, a new monthly newspaper insert that will be in 9 million papers. I don’t have a print date for the story yet, but numerous interviews have been done in October. It all began with a ProfNet query. With a circulation of 9 million and a very compelling story, I think this could be big.

I also placed an item in the NY Daily News on behalf of Flor Mayoral, M.D., after a ProfNet query I received yesterday. (Click here to view the story.)

Dr. Mayoral is also profiled in your [Experts Database], and I got her into a new magazine called Radiant Life after the editor found her on your system.

Julie Baron
Communication Works

In 2008, as well as many years prior to 2008, I received many “hits” from ProfNet posting responses I submitted. These hits resulted in interviews and coverage for my clients with leading media outlets including Associated Press, Crain’s Chicago, Incentive, Smart Money and more. Some of the coverage has occurred from responding to freelancers I would have not been aware of and some of the coverage has occurred because permanent staff of major media outlets simply rely on ProfNet.

I continue to see the value in paying for the ProfNet service and continually get my clients coverage that may not have occurred without the ProfNet connection.

Adrienne Mazzone
VP, Arts & Entertainment
The TransMedia Group

ProfNet has connected me with terrific opportunities, especially for a query I responded to about George Carlin. I submitted a quote that my client, Walter T. Shaw, author of “A License To Steal,” said about Carlin and landed us over a dozen radio interviews!

Ellie Schlam
Director of External Communications
National Kidney Foundation

I responded to a query from a reporter looking for unusual athletic stories for the first edition of Open Air, USA Today’s weekend fitness insert launched last year, and ended up landing a feature story highlighting a family who donated their brother’s organs and the heart recipient who competes in the National Kidney Foundation U.S. Transplant Games.

Liz Goodgold
CEO, The Nuancing Group
Branding expert, speaker and author, “Red Fire Branding: Creating a Hot Personal Brand to Have Customers For Life” (February 2009), “DUH! Marketing: 99 Monstrous Missteps You Can Use to Learn, Laugh, and Grow Your Business” (2006)

I am a huge fan of ProfNet! With the publication of my new personal branding book looming in February 2009, I signed up with my publisher just a few short months ago. Responding to my very first query allowed me to write an article for Independent Agent Magazine. I’ve since landed quotes, articles, and stories in Smart Money magazine, blogs, and even a forthcoming book! Most importantly, however, it was another vehicle towards building a relationship — the underpinning of all business. I now know I can connect with these reporters, authors, writers and bloggers in the future; original thoughts and analysis of the news are forever in demand.

Edith Onderick-Harvey, M.A.
President, Change Dynamics Consulting

I’ve had great success with ProfNet since signing up of the service in late 2007. In 2008, I’ve been quoted in:

HR Executive. June 2008 cover story
American Executive
CNN.com — the quote was originally on a CareerBuilder column that was picked up by CNN.com. The CNN.com posting of it has resulted in it being translated into multiple languages and posted on additional sites
WorkWise syndicated column
The Boston Business Journal
The New York Times
The SHRM Consultants Forum
and several other niche publications

I also had an article published in the American Management Association’s Leader’s Edge newsletter.

My hit rate with reporters has been about 75 percent (3 out of 4 inquiry responses lead to media coverage). I couldn’t have received this kind of coverage without ProfNet.

Bage Anderson
E.H. Anderson Public Relations
www.ehandersonpr.com

There was a ProfNet query in late March 2008 from Kristin Chessman of Entrepreneur Magazine, who was asking for examples of “Perfect Office Pranks” in advance of the upcoming April Fools’ Day. I responded with a personal story of mine from 20 years ago where my colleagues and I pulled a prank on a co-worker at an Abilene, Texas, television station. Although it happened in the late ’80s, it is still funny today and it was listed #5 in the online article. (Click here to view it.)

Chessman enjoyed the story of the prank, and now for the success part: While I had Chessman’s attention, I pitched her another story of green entrepreneurial innovation for my client, Two Green Moms, in advance of Earth Day on April 22. Jill Clark and Mandi DuPuy are two moms that wanted to do their small part for the environment. The resulting story from April 18 can be seen here.

The www.twogreenmoms.com reference is the second of three businesses profiled and the online placement resulted in increased traffic to their site and a significantly higher search engine ranking.

This is an example of parlaying one opportunity into another and only one of many success stories my agency has experienced using your service.

Eva Rosenberg, MBA, EA
http://taxmama.com

As you realize, I’ve been using ProfNet for years — both as an expert (TaxMama) and as a journalist for MarketWatch.com and TaxMama.com.

Over the years, I’ve gotten excellent exposure in some of the best and most diverse publications in the U.S.: Wall Street Journal, US News and World Report, Chicago Tribune, BankRate.com, Consumer Reports, LA Times, even the National Enquirer and Glamour magazine.

The wonderful thing is, after all this exposure, many journalists I met through ProfNet are calling me directly.

Incidentally, let me add that, as a journalist, I’ve met many famous people I’d never have had access to on my own. It’s only because their PR firms used ProfNet to find interview opportunities that I’ve met folks like Robert Kiyosaki and others.

Thanks for all the support — and always being there.

Kelly Tanabe
Co-publisher, SuperCollege
www.supercollege.com

We’ve had hits in Family Circle, Real Simple, Fidelity magazine, Austin American-Statesman and more as a result of ProfNet opportunities in 2008. These publications are a perfect fit for our books on college admission and financial aid, and it’s great that we are responding to the needs of reporters. It’s been a great year with ProfNet!

Loren M. Gelberg-Goff, LCSW
Well from Within
www.wellfromwithin.com

I have been in private practice for the past 20+ years in River Edge, N.J. I do individual and marriage counseling, hypnotherapy and neurofeedback, as well as workshops and seminars on relationships, communication, anger and stress management, etc. I have written a variety of articles that have been published on a number of self-esteem sites, as well as through EzineArticles.com. I have audio CDs available to enhance self-esteem, promote inner healing, and to aid in stress management and relaxation.

I have been part of [ProfNet] since July ‘08, and have been quoted in newspapers in Oregon, Albany (that was picked up in Tacoma and online) and was quoted in AOL Health. Also, as a result of my connection with [ProfNet], I will also be quoted in two books, one for Reader’s Digest and one on procrastination. I was also quoted in Caregivers, both print and online versions, and this month will be quoted in a journal for massage therapists.

These leads have led to my increased exposure on the Internet, and increased my overall credibility.

Elizabeth Yarnell, CNHP, CNC
Author, Inventor, Natural Health Expert, Publicity Coach
“Glorious One-Pot Meals: A Revolutionary New Quick and Healthy Approach to Dutch Oven Cooking,” due out in January 2009 from Broadway Books/Random House (www.GloriousOnePotMeals.com)
Follow me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ElizabethYarnel
ElizabethYarnell.com

A query came through [ProfNet] looking for someone who had healed their health crisis by drinking green tea. Well, I thought, I did drink a lot of green tea while I went about inventing and patenting a unique cooking method for healthy one-pot meals. And, who knows, maybe it did have something to do with the subsequent turnaround in my case of multiple sclerosis.

The story ran in Woman’s World, a national magazine serving my target market of women. Beyond the initial burst of book sales when the two-page spread came out, for the next 6-8 months customers continued to tell me how they saw the article in waiting rooms, at beach houses, and in other places where such magazines have a long life. It featured food photos and recipes from my cookbook, a dramatic storyline about how my cooking method aided my return to health, and a large photo of yours truly in the kitchen. You can’t buy this kind of publicity!

It couldn’t have been a better experience, and it wouldn’t have happened without [ProfNet].

Eric Papp
Generation Y Results-Based Consulting, LLC
Developing and Retaining Gen Y employees/customers
www.ericpapp.com

[ProfNet] is awesome. I have been using it for less then a year and have been published over 15 times. It is amazing! I have a conversion rate of about 1-4. You can check out my media page for a sample of what I have been in.

I am currently being interviewed to go into a e-book. Great service; keep it up!

Melanie Rembrandt
CEO
Rembrandt Communications, LLC
www.rembrandtwrites.com

ProfNet allows you to reach the right reporters with the right pitch at the right time. But it also gives you an inside look at upcoming story trends and enables you to develop new media relationships.

Not only is ProfNet an essential source for your pitching efforts, but it also provides valuable information to help create successful, strategic-communications plans for your clients.

Julie Lenzer Kirk
Author/Speaker/Consultant
President & CEO
Path Forward International

Over the past year, I was quoted as an expert in Entrepreneur, Redbook and Good Housekeeping because of leads from ProfNet. The service rocks!

Dan Lee
Group Manager
Weber Shandwick Worldwide

People to People Ambassador Programs provides premier international educational travel opportunities for students, athletes and professionals. From hands-on experiences to community service opportunities, more than 300,000 people have traveled around the world with this organization to connect with other cultures. People to People has a solid history, but has received very little media attention around its travel programs.

When we saw a ProfNet query [on youth travel], we jumped on it quickly and secured an Associated Press story with reporter Beth Harpaz.

The AP story we landed showcased People to People’s Student Ambassador Program. Impressive national coverage included USA Today, MSNBC, CNN, ABC News, Chicago Sun-Times, Detroit Free Press, San Jose Mercury News, Seattle Times, The San Diego Union Tribune and The Tennessean.

Here is the link to the USA Today story: http://www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/2008-03-19-teen-exotic-trips_N.htm

We love ProfNet and were thrilled with how this story came together and with the outstanding results.

Cristal Perriello
Manager, Media Relations & Communications
College of the Holy Cross

I have included a link to a feature that I wrote for our Web site: “Two Holy Cross Professors Give a Behind the Scenes Look at the Making of a History Channel Show”: http://www.holycross.edu/publicaffairs/features/2008-2009/modernmarvels_08

This all happened because I pitched a producer through ProfNet!

Karen Romine
www.karenromine.com

I just wanted to say, my first month of [ProfNet] is not yet up, but already I’ve been quoted in the Globe and Mail newspaper, the New York Daily News, MSNBC.com and the Hartford Courant, and publication is pending on quotes in Glamour magazine and Parents magazine.

To me, [ProfNet] has been an astounding and exciting success. Thank you so much!

[Coming soon: Tips and tricks on how you can score your own ink through ProfNet...]

Bad things sometimes happen to good companies, so it is up to public relations professionals to communicate bad news in such a way as to minimize the long-term damage to the reputation of the organization.

A panel of experts addressed this topic during the November meeting of the Publicity Club of Chicago, entitled, “Communicating Bad News: Planning and Executing a Solid Message.”

The panel featured:

· Brett Chase, deputy managing editor, Crain’s Chicago Business
· Luis Diaz-Perez, communications manager, ComEd
· McKinley “Mack” Reynolds III, founder and president, Reynolds Communications Group

Dan Miller, executive vice president and publisher, The Heartland Institute, moderated the session.

Following are highlights:

Luis Diaz-Perez

As part of a team responsible for the communications strategy and corporate reputation of ComEd, the largest electric utility in Illinois, serving more than 3.8 million customers, Diaz-Perez manages both internal and external communications with a focus on media relations, crisis communications, issues management, executive speechwriting and positioning. He serves as ComEd’s principal spokesperson for both English and Spanish-language media.

“Don’t wait for a crisis to become a crisis of character for your company,” said Diaz-Perez. “Waiting to institute damage control carries with it high stakes — stakes that are often under-estimated.” He strongly advocated that a crisis plan is not just written and forgotten, but regularly maintained. “Don’t let it collect dust on the shelf.”

To ensure that ComEd is prepared for almost any emergency, the utility holds regular crisis drills throughout the year. In fact, all 5,600 employees participate in seasonal drills. The communications group and executives hold four drills a year, fine-tuning messages and response strategies. But Diaz-Perez warns that holding drills is an effective teaching exercise as long as it’s not overused; otherwise, people may get tired of it and lose their edge.

Critical to the planning strategy is maintaining an internal contact list of numbers of key personnel. “Own your organization’s messaging, noted Diaz-Perez. “It should be part of you, so you can react properly in the event of a crisis.”

He also recommended that PR professionals establish relationships with key reporters well before a crisis, so that a dialogue built on trust can ensue. This kind of outreach builds goodwill not only for media, but also for consumers and customers.

Once a crisis occurs, regular updates should be available. “In the absence of news, reporters will go with what they know about the situation,” said Diaz-Perez. “Silence is associated with guilt. The news hole is always gaping and reporters are reporting 24 hours a day. You need to be available to fill that information gap.”

Once a crisis subsides, Diaz-Perez and his team evaluate every aspect of the crisis. “We hold a lessons-learned session. It improves our future performance.”

Brett Chase

Chase joined Crain’s Chicago Business in 2005 as a reporter, and was named an assistant managing editor in September 2005. He became deputy managing editor in February 2007. Before joining Crain’s, he served as deputy business editor of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

“I had a boss who told me that if you can’t get a hold of a key contact on Christmas Eve, you’re not much of reporter,” said Chase. That also sums up the approach of Crain’s when it comes to having PR professionals give their beat reporters access to top company executives.

Chase suggested that reporters “earn their way to the CEO office.” He advised PR professionals to reach out to reporters to allow them access to a CEO before a crisis occurs. A reporter should not meet a CEO for the first time in the midst of a crisis. Chase suggested that a “get acquainted” meeting occur during a relaxed breakfast or lunch so that the reporter can get to know the CEO.

“In the event of a crisis, come clean. Get everything out at once. We want to talk to the top people involved in the crisis. The story is better if we can balance it with CEO comments or a company response. If we have to go to a third party to comment, it doesn’t usually help the company’s story,” explained Chase.

Chase reminded PR people that Crain’s tells its stories “through people,” so access to people is important.

Even though Crain’s is a weekly, with today’s 24-hour news cycle reporters are essentially becoming wire service reporters.

“We live and die on exclusives,” said Chase. He couldn’t remember when Crain’s was given bad news as an exclusive. However, he cautioned that “if a reporter is working on a story, and you give it to someone else, that’s the worst thing. It creates ill will.”

Mack Reynolds

Reynolds is a 20-year veteran of agency public relations, and began his public relations career with Burson-Marsteller in Chicago. He later served as a vice president with Porter Novelli and as vice president/associate director of Ketchum.

Reynolds said reporters gravitate to three types of stories: innovation. “news you can use,” and conflict or controversy. In the event of the last category, he encouraged attendees to establish relationships with beat reporters before any bad news can impact an organization.

“In the event of a crisis, the company needs to tell the story first, relaying everything we know at the time. This helps us shape the story. People want to know that, in a crisis, you’re doing everything you can to make it right,” said Reynolds.

During a crisis, Reynolds said he prefers to go to the best reporter who knows his client best and give them an exclusive. “This helps us get the best shake, even if other reporters are unhappy,” he explained.

When a crisis winds down, Reynolds’ policy is to evaluate the news story — good or bad — to see if the story was told fairly and accurately. He wants to ensure that the whole story was told.

“Our job is to shape the story on behalf of our client. If the story appears without our slant on it, we didn’t do a very good job.”

Nominations are open to anyone, are free, and there is no limit to the number an individual can submit. Nominations must be received by March 20, 2009, to be considered.

For more information, and to submit a nomination, visit www.voiceawards.samhsa.gov

Following are highlights of the discussion, courtesy of the PCC’s Sue Masaracchia-Roberts:

Tracye Campbell, segment producer
WTTW-TV

A television producer for 16 years and the recipient of several journalism awards, Campbell has been at WTTW working on “ArtBeat Chicago” and “Chicago Tonight,” interviewing guests, doing research and developing topics connected to the multicultural arts community. Prior to working at WTTW, she worked as a segment producer/reporter for another television station and as a corporate media producer for McDonald’s Corporation.

Campbell does extensive pre-interviewing, so she needs 15 to 30 minutes to determine if the potential guest is media-ready and can discuss the topics slated for the show. In addition to pre-interviews, Campbell’s day is typically spent scripting shows and setting up the next interviews and segments for that day’s broadcast. “When I’m looking for stories, it helps to have all the facts within the first paragraph,” she said, explaining, “I need you to give me the story, the key players, and the information about where and when right upfront.”

Although the election and financial crisis has recently pushed out community affairs programming, Campbell normally plans shows at least a week in advance. Breaking news, like recent world events and economic chaos, pushes those plans aside.

The areas she covers encompass art, human interest and commentaries. She especially likes “packages” from the field (i.e., a complete segment concept with visuals and good spokespeople). Each day has its own programs and debriefing news analysis segments. “If Reverend Meeks leads a boycott in the suburbs, that story will be part of the debrief,” said Campbell. “He is the newsmaker.”

News analysis segments run 12 to 14 minutes. Needed for these are experts with backgrounds in politics, finance and the environment. Short résumés are required for all guests being considered; these should include their name, availability and specialty. She shares this information with the news producer.

Campbell welcomes pitches about authors with mass appeal; however, she prefers having information at least two weeks in advance. She warns PR people that, when pitching an author, make sure there is a Chicago connection.

“Don’t just tell me an author will be in town. Send me a press release on their book and when it will be out. Give me details. Make your pitch in 20 seconds and you might win me over. If nothing else, I may pitch it to someone else at the station who can use the story,” said Campbell.

Know the station and their programs before pitching Campbell. “Most of the time,” she said, “producers are shooting a show or preparing a show. The producers come in around 9 a.m. Our show is on at 7 p.m. The executive producer is reading all e-mails and watching the program from 9 to 10 a.m. and *then* they think about who to call.”

The topic of the show does not have to be the arts or community affairs if you can be of assistance to this producer or another, but “don’t tie my ears down. Two minutes is too long,” said Campbell. “Time is critical. Pique my interest.”

To get a guest on Campbell’s show, send a brief résumé about the guest being pitched and topics he/she can cover, especially if the person would be good on the news analysis segment. She urged the audience to remember that her segments are issue-driven. She also suggests name dropping if the guest being suggested is newsworthy or in the news.

Initially, she will ask for an e-mail pitch (tcampbell@wttw.com), then she will listen to a phone follow up. “I won’t give out my cell phone number unless we accept the pitch and start working on a story. Make pitches short and to the point, naming the guest being pitched, however, don’t pester us too much,” Campbell added.

Part of that show involves three or four guests at a roundtable. All guests “are instructed not to provide information on their organizations during the interview. That information will be provided so we can link it to our Web site. That way the guest can take time to discuss the topic they were invited to come on for. Some miss that point and even provide the information at the close of a segment.”

In the news analysis segments, Campbell wants guests to take sides. “We need a broad perspective, not just information about the organization they represent,” she explained. “We stream one segment per night on the Web and provide transcripts of our show, including archiving them. Someone tracks the Web hits, which are tremendous.”

She has had guests who have shown up with a list of demands. Not liking surprises before a show, Campbell urges those attending to “be upfront on client constraints before you come to us with those dos and don’ts.”

Since the show is live, decisions are often made on the fly. “The host might get a message in his ear from the producer. If we are bored, the host will wrap up the segment in about four minutes. Again, our show is live.” Therefore, she added, “the talk portions of the show are spread out so we don’t run out of time or have too much time at the end of the show.”

Jaime Elich, political and public affairs producer
Fox Chicago and MY 50 Chicago

In addition to contributing to Fox Chicago’s daily political coverage, Elich also produces a weekly, hour-long political program called “Fox Chicago Sunday” and produces a community affairs program called “Perspective at Fox.” She joined the station after spending seven years at CLTV News as an editor and producer.

The Sunday morning program is very guest-driven, featuring four or five guests per show. This one-hour, unedited political show offers each guest six to nine minutes to discuss the issues. The questions are often tough, which makes for a better show.

On “Good Day, Chicago,” Elich has five hours to fill. “Perspectives” is a new show that was created with the African-American community in mind. “It is a grassroots show,” said Elich. “This is where PR people help me. Our license extends to Gary, Ind., which allows us to widen the range of interest and put more on television that might not otherwise be covered.”

Elich said, “There is nothing worse than not understanding deadlines.” She explained that two shows are taped twice a month on Tuesdays after 3 p.m. As soon as she is done with those shows, she is booking a show for the next taping. “I like them to be as topical as possible. I spend Thursdays scripting and finalizing our guests and then tape at 3 p.m. on Friday.”

“Good Day, Chicago” is being worked on from 4 a.m. until 1 p.m. “If you call the producers or those on the show at 2 p.m., they are at home sleeping,” she said. If a show being pitched is topical, it could be considered for a future segment. She advised calling with ideas for “Good Day” between 10 and 10:30 a.m., adding, “We love people who have guests who will appear on the 6 a.m. segment!” Conversely, she dislikes those who “want to be on only at 9 a.m.; by then we have been on for four hours. And the audience at 6 a.m. is much larger. It’s a great placement!”

When it comes to pitching stories, Elich said there is a hierarchy at television stations. “Start at the bottom of the pyramid. You don’t have to start with the news director,” she said. “Writers have a lot authority and have more time to listen to you. With the economy, we are working with a skeleton staff. I am the only political producer anywhere in Fox. We are all cross-trained. You can start with me, but I want the respect from you to show me that you know our show, that you can help me find out who to talk to. It is imperative to have a relationship with at least one person at every station. That person usually no longer holds the title of ‘assignment editor.’ E-mail, today, is the number one point of contact.”

She added, “If you pitch a weak guest, we won’t ever call you again. In my world, there is no time for [cutting a guest]. We do not have the luxury of a pre-interview when it comes to booking experts. People get in front of the camera; if they are awful, we can give more time to better speakers and go on to the next topic.”

Not all the topics she covers are serious. However, she is amazed at people who show up disheveled when they come to the station to appear on video. “It helps us when you coach clients on what to wear, like not to wear white, and to talk to the host instead of looking into the camera.” She uses social media all the time. “Television producers are obsessed with the Internet,” said Elich. “In fact, previews of our shows are posted online on Friday nights. We put the extra information online and mention their organization five times to drive viewers during the show to the Web. The numbers are huge!”

To pitch guests for “Perspectives,” Elich will accept online links to demo tapes but not attachments. She prefers guests who can “sell it. Sometimes, that means hosting both the CEO and the program manager,” she said, especially if the PR person can offer an African-American for the show that appeals to a core demographic.

The best pitches she receives are short, addressed to her (Jaime.Elich@FOXTV.com) and to the point. The headline is big and the topic stands out. Elich urged PR professionals to supply contact information for non-business hours, in addition to work numbers. “Don’t be annoyed if we call you to add contact numbers where we can reach you at 3 a.m.,” she said. “You would be amazed at how many people give us great pitches but forget to identify themselves and give us contact information. It wouldn’t hurt to introduce yourself to us. Give me a chance to know if you are a credible resource.”

However, she is turned off by pitches that are blatant ads. “We cannot have you be a blatant commercial. I cannot just have your company on the air unless you can spin what you offer into news.”

Coinciding with ABC-TV’s “190 North” celebrating its 10th anniversary as Chicago’s most watched television entertainment and lifestyle program, a panel — consisting of program host and executive producer Janet Davies, producer Rubye Wilson, and senior program producer Holly Grisham — shared tips on pitching the Chicago Emmy-winning show. The show airs Sundays at 10:35 p.m. on Chicago’s ABC affiliate.

Following are highlights of the panel’s discussion at the September Publicity Club of Chicago meeting:

Holly Grisham

Starting as a news producer at the University of Illinois, Grisham joined ABC-TV Chicago 10 years ago, working her way from producing news to producing specials, before helping to launch “190 North.” Grisham is the recipient of several awards and “can’t think of a show that could be more fun to produce. One day we are taking a ride with Mario Andretti at the racetrack and the next we’re learning how to decorate cakes — all while meeting some amazing people and learning things about Chicago that we never knew.”

As part of the original group, Grisham entertains suggestions revolving around lifestyles and entertainment, dining, shopping, interesting people and fun items — the entire focus of “190 North.”

“We love to cover wacky things like playing hockey with the self-proclaimed ‘Mother Puckers’ and rehearsing with the group that calls itself the ‘Percussion Marching Dads.’”

The show also likes to cover fun destinations, museums and out-of-the way locations. The primary audience is females between 25 and 54, but they are working on attracting more males and a younger audience.

At their monthly meetings, every member of the team pitches ideas to the group and “sells away.” The shoot calendar fills up immediately after these meetings.

“We’ve heard dozens of ideas between the six of us,” said Grisham. “We may determine themes or just determine what we will use. Then we’ll plot each show for a month, make assignments, match the producer with the talent and [tell the source] it’s a go. We’ll normally shoot the segment a week or two later.”

“As a publicist,” she added, “you should ask us what we will need and make sure we have it. You are the go-between for both us and your client or organization. You need to let people know — before we show up — what we will require and what to expect while we are there.”

Grisham explained that, on at least one occasion, they’ve arrived and have been turned away. The locations need to know that cameras will be in people’s faces and crews with bright lights will be on location. PR people need to set realistic expectations so their clients are not surprised and there are no unforeseen incidents. With a high-end dining establishment, for example, the crew will be “in the way” for at least three hours.

“Make sure that diners who don’t want to be filmed are not in the path of the camera lens. We don’t want to be thrown out,” she added.

When sending materials, attachments could shut down their system, as they have a mail system that allows a very limited capacity to each person. Grisham explained that “It is better to wait and ask if we want photos, or confine yourself to one attachment.”

Rubye Wilson

With a career that began by producing the “Jenny Jones Show,” “Judge Mathis” and some reality shows in California, Wilson received an Emmy for her work on the Chicago-based daytime reality drama “Starting Over” (Season 1). Prior to joining ABC-TV in Chicago, Wilson produced a variety of national shows, and has produced community affairs specials for People, Places & Things, profiling the culture of African-Americans, as well as producing an hour-long town hall meeting addressing violence against women. She currently serves as a programming producer for “190 North” and other ABC7 shows.

Wilson suggested that, when pitching an idea, the PR person must be enthusiastic. “It should be something you enjoy, think the audience would like and would be something we’d like to do,” she explained. Ideas can include a store with fabulous designs, great discounts or a place everyone just needs to know about. The visuals, a Web site and details of the event (or particulars of the location — if it’s an establishment) should all be information provided in the pitch.”

She also urges those making pitches to “give us as much information as possible — like that the lighting isn’t great or parking is really hard to find, plus any other instructions that might be helpful.”

“We are on a time limit,” she continued. “With only 4-8 hours in our schedule and four people on our crew, our time is tight.”

The more information you can provide upfront, the better. If the pitch better fits into a news story, Wilson promised that the idea would be passed on to the news department.

Producers have the responsibility for pitching the idea, researching, writing and putting the segment together. “We also coordinate with the contributors,” said Wilson. “If the talent has any ideas, they help them bring those ideas to life. We want them to bring their personalities forth to make the program unique.”

She added, “Every person on the team has ideas and opinions. Our mutual goal is always to offer the best possible ‘190 North.’”

Janet Davies

With nominations for more than 51 regional Emmys, and the recipient of 11 of those, Davies is best known for hosting, producing, writing and reporting. A graduate of Miami University in Ohio, she began her broadcasting career as a noon anchor and general assignment reporter for a Cincinnati TV station. She served as the co-host for “AM Philadelphia” before coming to Chicago 25 years ago to join ABC-TV/Channel 7. As the station’s feature and entertainment reporter, she has hosted a vast array of events, but has hosted and served as executive producer of “190 North” since 1984.

According to Davies, the show actually began 12 years ago in a magazine show format. A producer came up with the idea to use the station’s address, 190 North (State), as the address for the program.

She proudly announced, “We shot our 311th show this week! We normally do 32 to 35 shows a year, getting ideas from various contributors. We have done shows around the world, around the country and around Chicago. However, we realize we have not covered even one hundredth of what is out there,” said Davies. “We like having people say, ‘I’ve lived here all my life and have never been there’ or ‘I never knew that.’ It’s joyful to take them along with us.”

Davies described the number of pitches received daily as “mind-numbing.”

“Pitches,” Davies explained, “should be short and sweet. When pitching, put the key points in the title line. Short is wonderful.”

The show receives three or four story ideas a day. Most, however, are not local. “The show really focuses on the Chicago area. Ideas that focus on the surrounding counties and the Midwest also attract our attention,” said Davies. She explained that, although the station’s area of dominant influence (ADI) covers a four-state area, they like to cover destinations within a tank-full of gas.

The shows that do best are weddings and food, along with shows featuring suburbs and neighborhoods. Travel shows don’t always do well, but a Chicago connection is key to locations being considered.

If stories cannot be used right away, ideas are kept in the “evergreen” file. This file remains active, and Davies has done stories pitched two years prior. Shooting is normally done about a month in advance of the air date.

Aside from Davies, the other show hosts, all freelance talent, include Michelle Alegria and Doug Banks, both of whom have been with the show for seven years, and newcomer Tim Hogo, who promises to bring his youthful background to the mix. Alegria covers shopping, eating and spas, among other unique places. Banks adds versatility and humor to the mix and loves to cover eating establishments. Hogo will cover the “Club Kit” persona and wacky things as he establishes a fit for himself.

“We can do anything,” said Davies, “as long as it fits our format. We don’t have the resources or manpower to do shows every week. We use freelance crews,” making it necessary to optimize their time on location. Also, they do not cover restaurants they have visited before unless there is a major change in the venue.

Nonprofits often approach the show for coverage; however they need to understand that “190 North” does not cover benefits or one-time events. This is especially true since shows are re-aired five or six months later, making time-sensitive events problematic. A caveat is events where celebrities are present, so the show can mention the charity, but keep the primary focus on the celebrity.

Davies urges people to check the “190 North” Web site to see what has been covered. When pitching, “Any of us are fair game and it is okay to blanket all of us,” she added. “However, it is better to establish a relationship with a producer or reporter.”

“We want to save trees, and e-mails are easier to file,” she continued. “Snail mail is okay. If you decide to fax, though, know you have a 50/50 chance that someone will receive it,” adds Davies.

To e-mail the show, address pitches to producers@190North.com. “Some of the best, really cool ideas come through that address,” said Davies, adding that e-mail is the best way to contact anyone, although voice is okay. (To get a specific person’s e-mail address, you need to find out the middle name. PCC members can also check for it in the club’s directory.)

An author I was coaching by phone this week mentioned that she was frustrated. She responds to queries from journalists looking for her particular expertise, but never hears back from the reporters — not even a “Thanks, but no thanks,” e-mail. “Is it always like this?” she asked.

I noted that responding to these queries is an art form. It’s not enough to be an appropriate resource for a story or segment — you have to demonstrate your expertise in a pithy response that makes the journalist think, “She’s exactly the person I’m looking for.” Your answer has to show you understand what the reporter needs but you have to do it in a way that makes a tired, dull-witted, or overworked reporter see this quickly and easily, without doing any more work than is absolutely necessary.

The reality is that the typical query posted on a service like ProfNet generates more than enough responses from qualified sources.

So how can you make certain you respond in a way that gives you a fair shot at being quoted? I’m going to use the responses to my recent ProfNet query to help me illustrate what works and what doesn’t. Out of respect for the publication I’m writing for, I’m not going to share my query, but I will say that in my request, I stated what the article is about, the industry I’m writing for, and that I was looking for experts to comment on that topic in that industry.

Here’s how people actually responded, and how I reacted to each response. I hope this helps you understand the level of detail many of us do — and don’t — need to help us select the best sources for our articles.

SOURCE 1: “I know some people that will be able to help you with this story. You can give me a ring to discuss this further.”

ME: Tell me more. Who are these people? What are their credentials? I don’t have time to fish for information on the telephone when I’ve got several more responses from people who look like good sources.

SOURCE 2: Writes a hasty response full of typos, missing words and marketing jargon on behalf of her client, someone who doesn’t appear to have specific industry experience. Doesn’t tell me who her client is, but says, “Let me know if I can connect you.” Signs only her first name. No last name. No company name. No phone number.

ME: Eye roll.

SOURCE 3: “I have a great client that I am not certain is a perfect fit. We represent XXXX — they provide XXX customer service. (XXX’s URL) (Descriptive info here that would reveal too much about the company and I don’t want to embarrass anybody…) They have a great story that I would love to share with you if it is a fit.

ME: I like her honest approach, but if you’re not certain it’s a perfect fit, then it most likely isn’t. Try to respond only to those where you are positive you can make a valuable contribution. This is the kind of response I’ll send a “thanks, but no thanks” e-mail to because while she was off-target, she was at least articulate and honest.

SOURCE 4: “I must speak with you about your article. I have a lot to say on this. (Includes URL)”

ME: I’m not comfortable with the intensity of this response.

SOURCE 5: “We represent a company that’s does XXX that has been interviewed before and would be happy to work with you for the article. The company is called XXX (URL here). If you are interested please let me know.”

ME: At least we’ve got the right industry. That’s a good start. But why is this company qualified to address the problem posed in my query? Show me that they can give me good information in an interview. I don’t have time to interview somebody who knows the industry, but has nothing to say about my topic.

SOURCE 6: “Check out this article I authored for http://www.biznik.com, which offers (title somewhat related to my query topic). You can find it at this link: [URL] If this serves the article you are writing for your magazine, please feel free to use it for that purpose.

ME: I’m not sure what to do with this. Do you want me to read an article you wrote that might contain information that might be appropriate for the article I’m writing, and quote you from your article in my article? Or are you using this to show me you’d be a good resource? If you really wanted to be quoted in my article, you’d summarize your thinking in your response.

SOURCE 7: “I received your query request. Attached is an article I wrote about XXX and it applies to all industries. I thought it might help you with your needs — even though it isn’t specific to XXX.”

ME: She attached a Word file. See response to Source 6.

SOURCE 8: “We have an expert here, XXX, who blogs and speaks about how to XX, XXX and XXXX effectively in the XXX industry, starting with market research and insight. (More text here that shows she understands what I’m looking for, followed by her client’s advice:)
(1) Find out where the opportunities are that align with your products/services
(2) Focus attention on winning the right ones.
(3) Do your homework to position yourself correctly

Here’s XX helping a small XX company via Fortune Small Business (link to an article showing her client in action). Let me know if you want to set something up. We can also look for client who’s in your industry to speak to this.”

ME: Bingo! Great response — especially when compared to the others.

Here’s my formula for responding to queries that works for me as a journalist looking for sources, but also generates interviews for me as a responder to queries when I’m publicizing my books.

The following format certainly isn’t the only way to respond to queries, but it’s one that helps me decide if a responder is an appropriate source for my needs. It’s also one that I use when responding to queries as an author — one that often generates interviews about my book topics, so I know it has value. It’s not the only way to respond, of course, but it can be a good starting point for you.

· Copy and paste the query title into your e-mail subject line. That’s especially helpful for the journalist with more than one query.
· Start with your credentials. What makes you qualified to contribute to this article or segment?
· Take one or two sentences to offer your perspective. Maybe it’s your opinion, something counter-intuitive or information that validates the article premise.
· If I’m looking for an expert, offer advice in three or four bullet points. This will help me see your perspective and determine if you’ll be telling me something I haven’t gotten from anyone else yet. Note that while I don’t quote from these bullet points, many other writers do, so be aware that what you write might appear later in print. I personally prefer to do telephone interviews, but I realize that many just pull comments from the responses of experts without a direct conversation or even acknowledgement that the information will be used.
· If I’m looking for an anecdote to illustrate a point rather than an expert, and you represent that anecdote, offer it in just a few sentences.
· If you’re an expert, provide a link to an online bio or copy and paste it into the response. If you have a Web site, include the URL.
· Include contact information I can use to schedule an interview.

Try not to ramble and avoid attachments. If you think in terms of what you’d want to know about an expert source for that article, I’m sure you’ll respond appropriately.

Former award-winning publicist Sandra Beckwith (www.sandrabeckwith.com) is a writer and speaker who uses workshops (www.buildbookbuzz.com) and other tools to teach authors, nonprofit organizations and small businesses how to generate publicity. She has written two publicity books (”Publicity for Nonprofits: Generating Media Exposure that Leads to Awareness, Growth, and Contributions” and “Streetwise Complete Publicity Plans: How to Create Publicity that Will Spark Media Exposure and Excitement”), and a workbook for authors, “Build Book Buzz Publicity Forms & Templates.”

Booster: A booster is an Opportunity that is being re-sent, usually because the reporter needs additional sources.

Cloaked Query: When reporters submit an Opportunity, they have the option of “cloaking” it — meaning, they may leave off any identifying information, because they are concerned that other reporters will see their requests. If an Opportunity is cloaked, we’ll include a generic description of the news outlet (e.g., top U.S. daily, national women’s magazine, news and opinion magazine, etc.).

Expert & Topic Alerts: Expert Alerts are like a “reverse Opportunity” — instead of responding to a reporter’s request for an expert, you provide a brief on the expert (his/her name, expertise, opinion) and we distribute it to reporters who cover the industry. Topic Alerts are “roundups” of experts who can all discuss the same topic, e.g., “China Earthquake,” “Presidential Election,” “Myanmar Cyclone.” For more detailed information on Expert & Topic Alerts, click here.

Experts Database: The Experts Database is a searchable database of expert and information officer profiles. Reporters can search the database by keyword(s) and send a “targeted query” to any of the experts that come up in the search results. (The information officer has the option of having the targeted query go to them or to the expert directly.)

Feed: A feed is the list of Opportunities you get throughout the day. You can choose how often you want to receive the feeds: every half hour, once an hour, every two hours, every six hours, twice a day or once a day. To edit the frequency of feed delivery, log on to the site and click on My Feeds, then on E-mail Options.

Heading: The heading is the part of the query that summarizes what the reporter’s looking for, e.g., “POLITICS: Obama vs. Clinton.” Headings are broken up into two parts: the “subject tag” (POLITICS) and the headline (Obama vs. Clinton). The headings allow you to quickly scan the queries to prioritize your feeds more easily.

Interest Category/Subcategory: An interest category is just that — the category (or categories) in which you an interested in receiving Opportunities. We currently have 13 categories (Arts & Entertainment, Education, Health & Medicine, etc.), which you can filter by over 300 subcategories. To view and edit your list of interest categories and subcategories, log on to the site and click on My Feeds, then on Interest Categories.

IO/SIO: An “information officer” (IO) is a PR person who receives the Opportunity feeds. A “super information officer” (SIO), in addition to receiving Opportunities, is also the person in charge of administering the organization’s subscription. Both IOs and SIOs can submit expert profiles for the Experts Database.

Member Inquiry: A member inquiry is similar to a reporter request, in that it asks for experts or other sources for a media opportunity. Examples: a PR agency seeks experts to round out a client’s press release; a company’s public relations representative is in talks with a reporter and seeks “real people” to personalize the pitch. Member inquiries may be submitted online by logging on to the site and clicking on the Create Member Inquiry tab.

Non-Expert: A non-expert request is submitted by reporters in search of “real people,” and will have a NON-EXPERT subject tag. If a request is for non-experts, please adhere to the reporter’s needs and only provide anecdotes.

Opportunities: Formerly called “queries,” Opportunities are requests from originators, primarily reporters, who are looking for expert sources.

Originator: An originator is anyone — a reporter, author, member — who submits an Opportunity.

ProfNet Links: ProfNet Links is a service by which companies submitting press releases via PR Newswire may embed a URL link in the release that links to the expert’s profile in the Experts Database.

ProfNet Post: ProfNet Post (http://profnetpost.prnewswire.com) is a Web site containing news of interest to the PR community. Sections include a calendar of PR events, job postings in the PR field, Q&As with reporters, and Promotional Opportunities (see below). The site does not require registration, and access is free.

Promotional Opportunity: ProfNet members are sometimes in need of finding information that is not related to their media relations duties, such as finding testimonials for a company’s product or securing gift-bag items for event participants. In those cases, they may submit a Promotional Opportunity. These are different from member inquiries in that there is not a media angle — that is, the organization is not working with a news outlet on a story and the request is not part of a media campaign. There is no charge to submit Promotional Opportunities, which are posted on the ProfNet Post on Wednesday afternoons and are included in an advisory alerting members to the new promo opps available. Submit via e-mail to profnet@profnet.com with “Promo Opp” in the subject line.

SIO: (see IO/SIO)

Speaker Service: Via Speaker Service, conference organizers can submit a request for speakers/panelists. Requests are sent to members via the Opportunities feed, with the SPEAKER SERVICE subject tag.

Subcategory: (see Interest Category)

Targeted Query: Targeted queries are Opportunities sent directly from reporters to specific experts profiled in the Experts Database (see Experts Database for more info).

Turnoff: When reporters have gotten the responses they need, they will send a “turnoff” message, indicating they no longer need responses. This is usually done if the reporter has finished gathering sources before the initial Opportunity deadline.

Following is a recap of the luncheon, courtesy of Sue Masaracchia-Roberts:

John Vita
Grant Thorton, LLP

With more than 25 years of experience, including work for Fortune 500 firms and a presidential campaign, Vita is the national director of communications at Grant Thornton LLP, one of the six global accounting organizations. Prior to assuming his current position, Vita worked at Arthur Andersen and as an investigative news producer for WBBM-TV in Chicago. Vita asked the panel whether the changes in the business press will promote even greater competition.

Joe Barrett, The Wall Street Journal
Deputy Bureau Chief
Joseph.barrett@wsj.com

Deputy Chicago bureau chief for The Wall Street Journal, Barrett helps oversee a staff of reporters who cover agriculture, restaurants, packaged foods, brewers, airlines, medicine, heavy machinery, and the Midwest economy and politics. Prior to joining the WSJ, Barrett spent 20 years at Dow Jones, was a Page One editor in New York and Brussels, a copy editor and the writer of the Page One “What’s News” column.

With the news world becoming quicker and quicker, the Web has become a commodity. The Wall Street Journal has an agreement through 2011 with CNBC and is actually hiring rather than laying off staff, while targeting mid-level managers who aspire to join the boardroom as CEOs and CFOs.

Barrett advises PR people to become familiar with the WSJ sections and what they cover. “Pitch the right story to the right person,” he advised, adding that he likes conventions and events in Chicago, even though he may not have the staff to send someone to cover what is happening. “Know what is going on.”

He is also interested in studies. “If you can offer me an exclusive on an academic study of homeless people with HIV/AIDS, we would probably cover that. Any studies or news that we are offered exclusively” is a good bet for WSJ coverage. He further advises PR people to “shop the story around, but wait for an answer. The next time I see an e-mail from you, I may be more likely to respond.”

With about 1 million online subscribers, Barrett predicts that, in the next five to 10 years, “the Internet will be the story. Currently, there are about 2 million regular readers, and we are the only publication that currently charges for access to its Web site. Everyone is wrestling with the business model, knowing we have two masters. Journalists are also morphing, becoming multipurpose.”

In the past, the WSJ had given priority to the print edition and even embargoed news until it could appear in print. But after getting beaten by the New York Times online, their current goal is to put the most current news on the Web first before putting it in their print edition.

Also, the WSJ was once more focused on Chicago stories. It wanted industry stories about beer, packaged food, restaurants, technology, etc. In the past 18 months, this has changed and a story’s “Chicago-ness” does not matter as much. A new dimension to reporting is the use of video, which is being shot by reporters with handheld cameras.

Joseph Weber, BusinessWeek
Chief of Correspondents
Joe_weber@businessweek.com

Weber serves both as the domestic chief of correspondents and as bureau manager for BusinessWeek. In addition to managing the Chicago reporting staff, which covers business, economic and political news across the Midwest, Weber also oversees the editorial operations of BusinessWeek Chicago, a monthly edition of the magazine focused on the Chicago metropolitan area. His focus is on finance, healthcare, media, and assorted corporate, regional and national issues. Prior to becoming bureau manager in Chicago, he served BusinessWeek in Dallas, Philadelphia and Toronto.

According to Weber, the business press must provide not only substance and depth, but an explanation, “the why.” BusinessWeek and other publications have been “redefining themselves over the past two years. Forbes and Fortune are bi-weeklies while BusinessWeek is a weekly,” he said.

His publication brings people stories that explain information more substantially than the Web typically supplies with its speed. It also includes three or more major in-depth thought pieces that have not appeared elsewhere. BusinessWeek Chicago was created and now exists to relate only to Chicago businesses.

“The journalism is incredibly fervent,” Weber explained. “All of these have to differentiate themselves as products cogently as mainstream media shrinks. We now have BusinessWeek TV, which has no formal alliance and on which appears breaking news on the market with one of our folks getting electing to be a talking head.”

He added that most stories of any significance that come to fruition in BusinessWeek have involved PR people.

“What works best for me is access to top executives,” he said. “This is essential, along with having an executive who takes hard questions and provides answers. Also helpful is fact checking.”

It is not helpful when PR people do not understand the publication and send inappropriate pitches or call. “If the story has legs, e-mail is the best way to contact me,” Weber added.

He predicts the Internet will continue to grow, especially as print costs increase. The big test, he said, is whether people want to read or just see images. Promisingly, there has been a growth on the local level for publications like his and Crain’s. A need appears to exist for business news in the market; however, a big debate exists regarding whether or not to charge for access to the publication’s Web site.

Stressing the immediacy of the Web, he said, “If you are a trader, two minutes can be an eternity. That small amount of time can make or break [you].”

The question publications must ask is, “Will the reader keep reading a story? At that point, the brand name of a product becomes ever more important,” said Weber.

Can you rely on the publication to let you know “if the company is part of a division of a company in Dubai? The scorecard is murky. The appeal of the Internet is to look rough and unpolished and put it in front of a New York market guy and let him look more genuine.”

In that way, all the pieces — print and Internet editions must work together.

Jeff Flock - FOX Business Network
Reporter
Jeff.flock@foxbusiness.com

Flock began his career helping to launch CNN, and served as Chicago bureau chief and correspondent, managing Midwest coverage and reporting on and winning Peabody and Emmy awards for his coverage of some of this nation’s most compelling stories, like the Gulf War and Oklahoma City bombing. He left CNN in 2004, becoming the managing editor and anchor for Hurricane Now, LLC, a Web site specializing in hurricane coverage in the United States. He joined FOX Business Network (FBN) in 2007.

The Web now offers a wealth of information to anyone who looks for it. In the past, “the stuff we had as business journalists, everyone has now. Hard charts, which are valuable tools, are now just a click away on the Internet. Reporters need to be smarter now than ever. We need to identify the most important thing and know what to do with it,” said Flock, who spent 25 years working with the Ted Turner-owned CNN.

“I wish someone had turned me on to business reporting earlier in my career,” he said, jokingly adding, “Business news does not happen in the middle of the night, on Christmas or on weekends.”

With 106 stations on Comcast in Chicago and 40 million cable-viewing homes, the FOX vision in broadcast these days is to target the audience.

“We conducted focus groups with Fortune 500 and Fortune 100 CEOs and noted how much blows by them. We need to explain this information so people can understand it and make it more accessible, educating the public rather than dumbing it down,” he said.

Typically, when people watch television, everyone watches the same thing at the same time; however, the Internet tends to fragment people. he goal in business news is to bring more people in to watch.

Rupert Murdoch “looked at aggressively breaking business news,” he said. “If the Fox Business Network takes off, CNBC may die a natural death. There is a lot of good news out there and the pace has ramped up.”

He noted that, rather than receiving mail, he gets around 600 e-mails a day, including a lot of material and story pitches via BlackBerry. Those that interest him get forwarded to his home account and he looks at them when he has the time, unless he responds immediately to those that are either particularly interesting or time-sensitive. When he is interested, responses may include, “Can you send me more? Tell me more?” and “Can I send a crew tomorrow?”

His Chicago team shoots all its video and shows it live 10 times a day. He particularly wants to see two- to three-minute “pops with texture” that make good television and includes people in them.

“I am live most of the day from 9 a.m. to 3 or 4 p.m.,” he explained. “The best way to contact me is e-mail. Even my producers e-mail me to tell me I’m on the air in 5 seconds.”

“I am in charge of seeing real people and making stories come alive, showing how things work,” he added. “Not everyone understands bond markets and butterfly spreads. I hope and want to offer real, solid valuable information.”

There is no longer a need to put stock and financial information in the print newspaper, due to the availability of the Internet and other resources. Despite the competitive pressures to focus on “breaking” stories, this trend is beginning to wane, due to an erosion in mainstream media in being able to vet out when something is erroneous.

Increasingly, “news teams” now consist of only one person reporting and showing a story. As a result, Flock generally is not taken in by stunts and does not take B-roll from outside sources. However, he does enjoy being able to show serious news in an entertaining way. “The grittiness of the real stuff has an allure and genuineness that is hard to match,” he said.