November 15th seems a long way off, but we all know it will be here sooner than we think. As the PRSA Salt Lake co-chair for the event, I’m gearing up for fun and exciting preparations over the next couple months. We’re changing up the event in a lot of ways ‑ the first being the event will be held in the evening this year. The change in time is something new, and we hope that this will encourage attendance and let winners show off their work to their spouses, as well as their colleagues.

I’m looking for volunteers to join the Golden Spike Committee in planning one of the best events for public relations professionals in Utah. We’ve already secured the venue – Rio Tinto Stadium – and we have the date. If you’re interested in helping, I plan on having several groups in our committee to coordinate the food, sponsorships, judging and more. Please feel free to contact me if you have questions or would like to volunteer. My e-mail address is aadams@djplaw.com and my cell phone is 801.230.6137.

Join a vibrant community of public relations practitioners who count on PRSA for their professional needs. Our members represent business and industry counseling firms, independent practitioners, military, government, associations, hospitals, schools, professional services firms and nonprofit organizations.

PRSA is the world’s leading advocate for public relations and communications professionals. As a member of our community, you will meet others, engage with experts, learn new public relations and communications strategies, shape your communications career, and have opportunities to participate in networking and leadership at the local and national levels.

Stay on Top of Emerging Trends and Industry News.

• Issues & Trends delivers daily industry trends straight to your inbox.
• Public Relations Tactics award-winning flagship newspaper.
• The Strategist magazine delivers executive-level competitive insight.
• Public Relations Journal, an online journal showcasing original research.

Extend Your Network While Increasing Your Knowledge.

• Chapters deliver your membership experience in your local community.
• Professional Interest Sections focus on issues, trends and research in specialized practice areas and industries.
• PRSA LinkedIn Group. Seek expert advice from peers and grow your network.
• RFP Exchange. Search or post your own RFPs to grow your business opportunities.
• College of Fellows, an elite group of practitioners with 20 or more years of experience.
• PRSSA. Connect with the world’s largest public relations organization for college students.
• Leadership. Build your experience and reputation through volunteer leadership.
• MyPRSA. Access and manage your members-only benefits including our directories and online discussion forums.

Keep Learning and Stay Competitive.

• Access to more than 50 free live and on-demand Professional Development webinars that are planned for 2012.
• Discounts on other virtual programs and in-person events, including the PRSA International Conference.
• Members-only database of case studies, articles and research.

Accelerate Your Career.

• Jobcenter. Make your next career move, receive job alerts and access career advice.
• Accreditation in Public Relations (APR). Distinguish yourself and gain a professional edge with the only professional public relations certification program. Members are eligible for a $110 Accreditation Examination rebate.
• Mentoring. Receive the career guidance you need from seasoned professionals.
• Awards. Be recognized for your excellence and accomplishments through the profession’s most prestigious awards programs, including the Silver Anvil Award.

Expand Your Options With Members-Only Offers.
Log in to MyPRSA to participate in these programs.

• Insurance for members and Chapters. Receive preferred rates on insurance for yourself, your family and your business.
• Media monitoring services with DigiClips and Newscactus.
• Comprehensive relocation services for self, employee and corporate office relocations.
• Financial Planning Assistance for Members and Chapters. Complimentary access to financial planning assistance and personal finance articles.
• FedEx and FedEx Office. Save up to 27 percent on select FedEx® shipping and business services.
• Budget and Avis Car Rentals. Enjoy special rates with Budget and Avis…
• …and more!

The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) today issued the following statement  regarding reports of unethical communications practices by Mike Winder, mayor of West Valley City, Utah. The Deseret News (Salt Lake City) reported that Winder had been engaging in deceptive communications practices on behalf of West Valley City by creating a false identity to write news stories for Utah media outlets about the city he represents. According to published reports, Winder used the pseudonym of “Richard Burwash” and contributed more than a dozen articles to the Deseret News as part of the newspaper’s citizen journalism initiative.

Statement by Rosanna M. Fiske, APR, PRSA chair and CEO:

The basic tenets of ethical communications practices, as addressed in the PRSA Code of Ethics, require that those representing organizations or governments serve the public interest by advancing the free flow of accurate and truthful information. Open and honest communication is essential to serving the public interest and contributing to informed decision making in a democratic society. The PRSA Code of Ethics clearly states that it is unethical for those who represent a business or organization to engage in deceptive online practices or misrepresent one’s identity or professional affiliation, both of which Mr. Winder has admitted to doing.

Furthermore, the Society’s Code of Ethics calls for communicators to be “honest and accurate in all communications” and to “avoid deceptive practices.” Clearly, Mr. Winder’s actions failed in both regards, which is a disservice to both the public he serves and the media he tried to influence.

At a time of severely low public trust in government, it is imperative that politicians and public relations professionals represent themselves and those they serve in an ethical and transparent manner.

Rosanna M. Fiske, APR
Chair and CEO
Public Relations Society of America

Greater Salt Lake Chapter Response

Last week Mike Winder, Mayor of West Valley City, Utah, admitted to creating a false identity as a freelance writer “to try to restore balance” by increasing the number of positive news stories about his city over a two-year period. The deception included a fake Facebook page, the stolen image of a former professional tennis player, and representing himself to multiple local publications via email and phone conversations as the made-up freelance writer “Richard Burwash”.

According to Winder, everything he wrote as Burwash was “100 percent truthful, accurate, and verifiable”. He has stated publicly that he is not a member of The Public Relations Society of America and not a public relations professional, although he does serve as a director of public affairs for a local communications firm. However, at issue is how this incident reflects on professional communicators, West Valley City, and Utah.

PRSA members commit to a code of ethics designed to protect our profession and each other.  More importantly, the code is designed to promote the public good. PR professionals “serve the public interest by acting as responsible advocates for those we represent. We provide a voice in the marketplace of ideas, facts, and viewpoints to aid informed public debate” (PRSA Code of Ethics, Advocacy). Further, we “adhere to the highest standards of accuracy and truth in advancing the interests of those we represent and in communicating with the public” (PRSA Code of Ethics, Honesty).

Yes, PR professionals advocate – often vigorously – on behalf of those we represent. Our job is to promote a particular position or organization, but we also have an obligation to provide objective counsel to those we serve and to serve the public good by increasing awareness of an issue. Many PR professionals are familiar with the Mayor’s complaint – that the organization we serve is over-represented by news stories with a negative slant, or not represented at all. His goal, he has said, was to increase positive stories about his city. His repeated defense for his actions has, in effect, been that the ends justified the means. We disagree wholeheartedly.

Increasing the positive coverage of West Valley City is exactly the kind of work a qualified PR professional would have undertaken. The methods, however, would have been quite different. Instead of setting out to deceive or mislead the public, a professional would have identified the many good things taking place in West Valley City, established relationships with media outlets and reporters, and worked to promote the city honestly and openly, keeping the city’s (and the Mayor’s) reputation above reproach. By choosing to take a shortcut via deception, Mayor Winder not only damaged his own reputation, but that of West Valley City, the city’s elected representatives, and communications professionals.

Mayor Winder chose to come clean, which was the right thing to do. He has apologized to some of those he harmed, which is the correct course of action. We hope that Mayor Winder has learned from his experience that honest and transparent promotion of his city is far more effective than other means in the long run. Certainly that is what the citizens of West Valley City and the rest of Utah deserve.

Dennis Jolley
President-elect
Greater Salt Lake Chapter
Public Relations Society of America

The last few years of economic turmoil have been difficult for nearly everyone, and PR has hardly been left untouched. As the economy (hopefully) begins to turn for the better, PRSA is taking the opportunity to look for ways to expand our influence, increase our membership, and assist our members in gaining skills, finding new opportunities, and making friends in the profession.

A major goal in 2012 will be the implementation of a new strategic plan, but in order to be successful we need the broad and diverse range of experiences, viewpoints, and skills that come from involving as many of our members as possible. That means we need YOU.

Why should YOU volunteer with PRSA?

We’ve all seen the lists of reasons why you should volunteer in a professional organization, and they generally look something like this:
On an individual level, you will

• Develop and practice important business and leadership skills
• Broaden your professional network
• Gain visibility in your field

Your organization will also enjoy benefits from your volunteer work, such as

• The application of your new management and
• Leadership abilities on the job
• Access to what works in other organizations
• The opportunity to test new ideas with other professionals before implementation.

Those are pretty good lists, and I would say that my experience in PRSA has brought me all of that. But it’s brought me more. Realistically, would I become friends with Scott Trotter, Senior Media Relations Manager for the LDS Church without PRSA? It’s highly unlikely – if only because we have “different interests”. I’m never going to run into him at church on Sunday (unless he hits me with his car while I’m out on my usual Sunday morning bike ride), and I think it’s safe to say I’m not going to bump into him at the State Wine Store very soon (although with his job, I wouldn’t blame him!). Because of my opportunity to work with him in PRSA, however, Scott is now a friend and colleague I can call on.
Volunteering with PRSA will give you the opportunity to lead, showcasing your potential. It will give you the chance to learn from others as role models, learn by doing and improve with practice. You will meet others in the profession and larger community who you may otherwise never get to know.

Look, I understand that we are all busy. Professional, personal and family obligations can more than fill your average week. But making time to participate in PRSA will payoff for you and your career. That’s something I can pretty much guarantee.

So give some thought to joining your friends, co-workers, some strangers and, yes, competitors, who have come together to volunteer in PRSA. You’ll be glad you did.

Take a few moments to fill out the attached form, and please – call me to discuss your interests and needs. I look forward to it.

PRSA 2012 Board Nomination Form

Freitas will discuss new technologies to reach consumers and measure effectiveness, such as the new EYES ON audience measurement system, as well as advancements in digital formats and how the industry is addressing environmental stewardship.

For details, read the AAF-Utah event press release.

Sadly, Josh Hamilton is Cooper’s favorite player. He even had his jersey on during the game. I wish I had space to share more details about this story. But my purpose here is to highlight the way Hall of Fame pitcher and Texas Rangers president Nolan Ryan handled himself in the two press conferences following this incident.

Communicating in the immediate aftermath of a crisis is not easy. Yet, Ryan provided an excellent example for PR practitioners on how to say the right things in the right way.

He made it about the family.
” As an organization and as team members and as a staff, we are very heavy-hearted about this and our thoughts and prayers go out to the family. That’s where we are tonight, our thoughts are with them and in respect to the family we won’t have any other statement tonight.”

Nolan mentioned that he called Shannon’s wife, Jenny, personally and asked how he could help her and her family.

He made it about the fans.
“As an organization we are going to be looking into this because our number one concern is the safety of our fans. We’ll do whatever we have to do to make this stadium as safe as we possibly can for our fans.”

The team has since announced it will raise the height of the railings and add signage reading: “Do not lean, sit on, or stand against rail.” And a pregame announcement will be read reminding fans of that information over the Public Address system and the scoreboards as well.

He made it personal to him.
“We’re about making memories, family entertainment,” he said. “I certainly understand – and I’m no different than our fan base – when I was younger and I went to the ballpark my hope was to get a foul ball. . . As a father and a grandfather, my heart goes out to that family and to Jenny Stone and for her son Cooper.”

Nolan Ryan also got the tone right by delivering his words in a heartfelt manner that showed genuine concern and compassion. It helped that his demeanor was calm, steady, and reserved.

In a crisis, the public wants to believe the spokesperson is competent and compassionate enough to fix the problem. In these areas, Nolan hit a PR home run. He diffused any possible controversy and made the story, not about him or the Texas Rangers, but about Shannon Stone.

1 South Main Street

Map and Directions | Register

Description:

SLC PRSA Luncheon: April 4

Steve Cohen, a producer with CBS in New York, will speak about trends in the national media and how to maximize exposure. He will provide insights regarding how to cultivate relationships with journalists and how to more effectively pitch stories and represent clients while meeting the growing demands of producers and reporters. Steve will provide several ‘war stories’ as well as touch on how the national perspective on Utah is evolving.

Steve is a television producer with nearly two decades of broadcasting experience that encompasses positions with “The Early Show,” CBS News, ABC Radio, CBS Sports and WCBS-TV. Since 2001 Steve has worked for CBS’ “Early Show,” where he has earned an Emmy nomination and a Dupont Award. Steve has produced segments composed of a variety of guests, ranging from entertainers like Ben Stiller, Mark Wahlberg, and Robert Downey Jr. to athletes like Derek Jeter and Tiger Woods to world leaders like Mexican President Felipe Calderon, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and United States Presidents Carter, Bush (41), Clinton and Bush (43).

Steve helped transform “The Plaza” into a vibrant venue for interesting public segments, including collaborating with the Guinness Book of World Records to create the celebrated “Guinness Week” and with the National Football League to produce the annual NFL Draft special.

Steve’s experience also includes being ambushed by “The Howard Stern Show” (in regard to the relationship between CBS President Les Moonves and his now wife Julie Chen) and helping Rachel McAdams prepare for her role in the movie “Morning Glory.”

Before working for the “Early Show,” Steve was the manager of news planning for ABC News Radio, a network serving 4,500 affiliates across the United States. Steve’s responsibilities included producing the feature “Road to the White House” and helping to program the network’s millennium, election, and Olympic coverage.

Steve started his broadcasting career at WCBS Newsradio88 as a desk assistant and advanced to writer, producer and managing editor before leaving in 1999. Steve earned an AIR award for his work related to the impeachment of President Clinton.

Steve attended the University of Michigan where he was an editor for the school newspaper the “Michigan Daily” and wrote for the “Ann Arbor News,” “Detroit News,” and “Detroit Free Press,” In addition, Steve earned a master’s degree in English from the State University of New York at Stony Brook.

Save $5 when you register before April 1! Discount will automatically be applied at check out.

PRSA Members: $25
Non-PRSA Members: $35
Undergraduate and PRSSA Students: $10

Register

When I attended a U2 concert in May, I learned three important lessons from Bono about engaging with patients on my hospital’s Facebook page.

Traditionally, communicating messages was simply grabbing a megaphone and shouting as loud as you can, hoping your audience captures your message and takes action. But social media operates in a different manner—it’s shared interactions between friends.

Bono can show you how to do this.

Pay attention to your audience

Last month, more than 40,000 U2 fans packed the stadium in Salt Lake City, but each fan had a different level of interest in the concert. Some were there because someone had invited them. Others camped out the night before to be as close to Bono and The Edge as possible. During the concert, some fans swayed to the music, danced to the beat, or shouted “I love you, Bono!” Some fans just stood there and clapped on cue.

Do you have fans that fit into any one of those categories? Maybe they are only fans because a friend or family member invited them to join. After all, who can say no to “liking” a children’s hospital? Every Facebook page is going to have varying demographics and interest levels, so the more variety you have in your posts, the better chances you have of engaging more fans in your efforts.

Invite your fans to sing

Hearing U2 perform their music live is a great experience. But U2 did more than just play its hits. Between numbers, Bono took the opportunity to speak with his fans. This concert was actually scheduled in May 2010, but less than one week before the tour started, Bono injured his back and found himself in a German hospital, causing the concert to be postponed roughly 365 days.

Bono took a few moments to acknowledge the disappointment this caused his fans. He also expressed his appreciation to each person in the stadium for standing by him and providing such a warm welcome on a chilly May night. He also spoke about his work with Amnesty International. While Bono had messages he wanted to convey to the crowd, he also made the audience part of the concert.

On numerous occasions, Bono held his microphone out to the audience and encouraged them to sing the line, “It’s a beautiful day,” or “Uno. Dos. Tres. Catorce.” How often do you turn the microphone over to your fans and encourage them to share his or her voice? It can be as simple as asking your fans a question in a post, inviting them to share something on your wall, or encouraging them to repost some information to their family and friends.

Get creative with engagement

U2 fans fought to get as close to the stage as possible. Luckily for the fans, U2 provided many chances for fans to engage as they performed. Thirty minutes into the concert, Bono invited three sisters onto the stage, and together, they read a poem about Utah. Once the poem read, Bono laid across the lap of the three sisters and began singing, “It’s a Beautiful Day.” The sisters loved it. And the audience lept to their feet, applauding what they saw on stage.

On another occasion, Bono motioned for some of the fans to toss up white flags with the word “LOVE” written on them. Once he had one, he stuffed it in his back pocket, showed it off to the crowd (courtesy of a little hip shaking) and then tossed it back into the field of wooing fans.

Facebook offers numerous tools that allow organizations to engage with its audience—posts, questions, notes, photos, links, and customized tabs. But have you taken advantage of these features? If you have, what other ways can you use these same features to engage with your fans?

Follow Bono’s lead and take every opportunity to engage with your fans. Social media is moving forward, with or without you.

Jason M. Carlton is a communication specialist at Primary Children’s Medical Center in Salt Lake City. Including the U2 360 Tour concert in May, Jason has attended a grand total of two rock concerts (U2 and Bon Jovi), both of them this year. Don’t hold that against him.

This blog posting originally appeared on Ragan’s Health Care Communication News Website on June 3, 2011, and can be accessed at http://www.healthcarecommunication.com/Main/Articles/6900.aspx

Getting to a free webinar is easy – click a hotlinked title below, which will take you to the PRSA page for that topic. Scroll to the bottom of the topic page for the “archive” version of the webinar. Click the archive URL, fill out a simple form and yo
u’re on your way. Be aware of any pop-up or other controls that may interfere with your connection.
How to Break Down Walls and Strike a Balance Between All of Your Online Lives

Finding the Perfect Social Media and Communication Blend
PRSA Free Webinar Sponsored by Cision. Playback available until January 14, 2011

You’re connected on LinkedIn, have built a community around your blog and tweet from your iPhone. Still, it can be difficult to strike a balance between your personal and professional involvement with social media; your traditional media relations and social networking; and your actions as a public relations pro, marketer and customer service rep when engaging online. In this advanced webinar, Heidi Sullivan and Jay Krall will show you how to harmonize your personal and professional lives online; how different types of social media are looking more and more alike; the best practices for sharing content; how public relations, marketing and customer service can operate symbiotically on the social Web; and how to identify future trends.
How Generation Y and Seasoned Pros Can Navigate the Social Media Highway Together