On The Radar Screen: Brill to Take on Media
We wonder if PR pros, who have a love-hate relationship with the press, will be among the subscribers to Steven Brill's new brainchild: Content. Brill, who founded The American Lawyer magazine and launched "Court TV," takes on the press with his new publishing love. The magazine's due to hit the stands in the next few months.
Cyber PR: eWatch Helps Edelman Track 50,000 Online Bulletin Boards
Edelman Public Relations recently said it would use eWatch online monitoring technology from eWorks! Inc. to power its two-year-old Internet monitoring service, I-Wire. The service was launched to update Edelman clients about public online discussions, improve customer service, and provide early warning when false, misleading, or just plain negative information begins appearing in cyberspace. Monitoring is crucial, because damaging information can spread like wildfire in the quick-draw world of the Internet.
The eWatch-powered I-Wire keeps tabs on more than 50,000 public electronic bulletin boards in usenet groups, listservs, America Online [AOL], and other systems. Collectively, eWatch reportedly scans 250,000 new messages daily, very few of which are supervised by editors and fact-checking departments. (Nancy Ruscheinski, Edelman, 312/240-3000)
Investor Relations
In an effort to improve communications with investors and customers, First Call next month plans to begin offering its equity and fixed income services over their branded Internet Financial Network next month. Users will be able to access research, earnings estimates, buy and sell recommendations. (Faye Fardshisheh, First Call, 617/856-1158)
Acquisition
Reese, Thomases & Ellick, of Wilmington Del., is acquiring The Penney Company and creating a new public relations subsidiary, RT&E PR Inc.
Penney Company clients in electronics, manufacturing and trade show management. Other clients will include those from the materials, textile, chemical and leisure sectors. (Eugene Ellick, RTE, 302/652-3211, http://www.rte-mkt.com)
Awards: <netty.awards> Select The Best Of 1997
Our sister publication, Interactive PR & Marketing News, recently announced winners of its 1997 <netty.awards>. The program recognizes the best in interactive marketing and public relations campaigns that use the Internet to meet, and in some cases exceed, goals. This year's <netty.awards> were presented during the Direct Marketing Association conference in Miami and were sponsored by MCI and USADATA.com.
Cisco Systems, Inc. received the award for the best public relations program online for its online press kit. URL: http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/750/presskit.html. An honorable mention was awarded to Bayfront Medical Center's Campaign, Bayfront's Health Adventure at: http://www.bayfront.org.
The consumer marketing <netty.award> went to Yoyodyne Entertainment for its creation of an online promotion with American Express. InterActive 8, Inc. and MultiMedia Resources were both regognized with honorable mentions for their online consumer marketing campaigns.
Binary Compass Enterprises was name the top business-to-business online marketing campaign for its development of a online shopping rating system for Web merchants. Contact: Karen Stairs, Interactive PR & Marketing News, 301/340-7788, ext. 2143; email: [email protected]