On The Radar Screen
McCurry Still Answering Questions - Without the Spin
In his new role with PA firm Public Strategies, former White House Press Secretary Mike McCurry took the stage last week at American University in Washington, D.C.
Post-Clinton, McCurry is spending half of his time on the speakers circuit and the other half in the Washington, D.C., office of the Austin-based firm. Musing that besides the money, working in the private sector lends itself to different problems than working in government affairs.
"It's so hard for corporations that are putting forward a story to get noticed," McCurry said. "But sometimes the private sector misses the larger point of what that message should be."
Part of the reason for this difficulty, he noted, is the changes in our technology that lend to the 24-hour news cycle or what he called, "the new news," making it "more difficult to manipulate this abundance of information."
Manipulation may be part of the PR game, but McCurry stressed "truth telling" in all his public affairs practices.
Changing of the Guard
The PRSA Counselors Academy this week elected as its new chairman Shandwick veteran Dennis B. McGrath, senior partner at Carmichael Lynch Spong Public Relations, Minneapolis, Minn., and a principal of the McGrath Buckley Group. The firm was acquired by CLSPR in December.
Business Moves
- Fleishman-Hillard will gobble up into its Southwest operations Dallas-based Meltzer & Martin Public Relations in a deal reached this week. After the merger later this month, M&M principals Larry Meltzer and Robert Martin will become senior VPs at F-H and other staffers will be join the Dallas F-H office, creating the largest PR practice in the region. Combined revenues for the two agencies in 1998 were $7.3 million.
- In another move, Fleishman-Hillard acquired a 60-person San Francisco Bay Area high tech marketing and PR firm Upstart Communications based in Emeryville, Calif. Upstart, with fee billings of $8.25 million, was ranked eighth largest PR firm in the region by the San Francisco Business Times. Also acquired in the deal is Upstart's business unit, Upstream Consulting, a technology vendor analyst firm. Both Upstart and Upstream will retain their brand names and management staff, operating as F-H companies. (Fleishman-Hillard, 415/356-1070)
- Milwaukee-based Bottom Line Marketing & Public Relations, Inc., and Hughes, Ruch & Murphy, Inc., Brookfield, Wisc., have forged a strategic alliance to offer advertising, marketing and PR. (Jeffrey J. Remsik, 414/270-3000)
- Middleburg+Associates, New York, named Curtis Hougland an agency principal this week, giving him a key role in the agency's strategic growth. (M+A, 212-888-6610)
Community Relations
Kiss and Tell
Patrice Tanaka & Company set the example four years ago by closing the office on February 14 to do community service. This week, PR execs at more than 50 agencies and corporate communications offices in the New York area honor Saint Valentine by volunteering their services to the needy. Among those who stand to benefit from the "Acts of Loving Kindness" program, initiated by the PRSA New York Chapter, are Beth Israel Hospital, National Alliance of Breast Cancer Organizations and Big Brothers. (Ellen LaNicca, 212/229-0500)
Those who do volunteer their their time to the community, on Valentine's or any other Day, put themselves in the running for the William D. Littleford Awards for Corporate Community Service granted by American Business Press. Awards go to companies which contribute to community success stories or motivate other organizations to apply those solutions to their own communities. The entry deadline is July 1 and the winners will be honored in August. (Michelle Limbardo Macri, 212/661-6360)
Resources
Environics Communications Inc. of Stamford, Conn., is offering a free Y2K communications PR Tool Kit which includes an extensive diagnostic questionnaire, a communications plan outline and a list of helpful Web site addresses. To order, call 888/863-3377 or visit ww.environics.net.
A free booklet, "Communicating Worst-Case Scenarios: Guidelines for Success," is available free from communiations firm The Ammerman Experience. The piece was developed in response to EPA rules requiring chemical companies to prepare risk managment plans by this summer.
Your communications should be in sync with what plans will outline, which include specific hazardous chemicals and quantities stored at particular sites; five-year histories of accidental releases; and proposed operating procedures and emergency response plans.
Call 800/866-2026.
| Media Outlet | |||||||||
| Contact | CD | Sound | Int. | DVD | VHS | Web | Text | Graph. | |
| Boston Globe Brian O'Neill Editorial Asst. | Y | Y | S | N | N | Y | S | Y | S |
| Chicago Tribune, Jon Van Computers/Hi-tech Staff Writer | Y | N | Y | N | S | Y | N | S | N |
| Cosmopolitan Lavinel Savu Asst. Managing Editor | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Internetnews.com Cyrus Afzali Managing Editor | Y | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| New York Times Terry Schwadron Editor of Information and Technology | Y | Y | Y | N | S | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Newsweek N'Gai Croal Associate Editor | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Sports Illustrated Mark Selleck Technology Manager | Y | Y | Y | N | S | Y | Y | S | Y |
| USA Today Kevin Maney Technology Writer | Y | Y | Y | N | S | Y | N | Y | Y |
| Wall Street Journal John Caston Senior Director of Publications Mgmt. | Y | Y | Y | N | S | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| The Washington Post John Burgess Technology Editor | S | S | Y | N | Y | Y | S | Y | Y |