The L Word: That the #metoo movement continues should be of little surprise. While some argue that it’s impossible for brands to know what their employees are doing all the time, the people in the #metoo cases are not garden-variety employees, they’re superstars. Some of these superstars (see Weinstein, Harvey and O’Reilly, Bill) reportedly had contracts acknowledging and making provisions for their misdeeds. (Yes, O’Reilly’s situation came to a head well before #metoo, but the point holds.) In cases where the superstars lacked contracts that allowed them to cheat proper behavior, their misdeeds were common knowledge. Charlie Rose’s longtime executive producer Yvette Vega admits she should have done something after being told repeatedly of the southern gentleman’s un-gentlemanly behavior toward young women seeking employment at his PBS show. “I should have stood up for them. I failed. It is crushing. I deeply regret not helping them,” she told the Washington Post. As of this writing, the two latest #metoo subjects are prominent New Yorkers with surnames beginning with L: Today Show co-anchor Matt Lauer and Metropolitan Opera conductor James Levine. We won’t spill more ink recalling Lauer’s case details. By contrast Levine, a classical music giant, has received relatively little coverage. His alleged misdeeds with at least one underage boy are not news to his employer. The Met failed to investigate a formal charge against the maestro in October 2016. When #metoo reports about Levine surfaced Dec. 3, 2017, the Met acknowledged the 2016 charge, filed in suburban Chicago. At the time, the Met says, it questioned Maestro Levine about the charges; he denied them. Case closed, until now, of course. The Met began its own investigation Dec. 4, 2017. As we write, 3 more men have come forward with similar allegations. Multiple organizations, including the Met, suspended their relationships with Levine Dec. 4. Levine had a 40-year relationship with the world-famous opera house. Clearly, the Met knew of at least the one allegation against Levine. As of this writing, reports had other allegations reaching the Met prior to this year. The to-do list for organizations caught in #metoo’s wake includes telling the truth about what they knew and when; and insuring they implement policies to make sure sexual incidents are handled promptly. Get ready, communicators.
Growth: Public Relations Global Network, the international network of independent PR agencies, marked its 25th anniversary by adding to its roster. Now at 51 agencies, the additions are Another Company of Mexico; Perspective Strategies of Malysia; and SmartPR of Brazil. -- Sprout Social acquired social analytics firm Simply Measured Dec. 5. Financial terms were not disclosed nor were the futures of Simply Measured employees and managers.
People: Ketchum partner and president Barri Rafferty was named CEO, effective Jan. 1. She becomes the first woman to lead a top five PR agency. Chairman/CEO Rob Flaherty will continue as chairman. A newly minted PRN Hall of Famer, Rafferty joined Ketchum in 1994. She was named global president in 2016. – Veteran cable PR exec and PR News favorite Theano Apostolou is leaving her position as EVP, communications at Starz after 7 years. Apostolou was one of president/CEO Chris Albrecht’s early hires and part of his core executive team. Apostolou will continue to consult at Starz until her replacement is found. She joined Starz in 2011 as SVP, communications, and was promoted in 2013. Prior to Starz, she was SVP of publicity, talent relations and promotional events at AMC, where she shaped PR for series including Mad Men, Breaking Bad and The Walking Dead. The awards campaigns she led at AMC garnered 23 Emmys and four Golden Globes. – ZingPR is expanding into Hawaii and has lured Hawaii resident Shirley Gines back from Silicon Valley to head the agency’s technology marketing practice in Honolulu. – Achilleas Georgiou was named head of communications at the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA). He’ll report to IMCA chief Allen Leatt. Georgiou joins from Amec Foster Wheeler. – French/West/Vaughan (FWV) named Kristen Lueck director, influencer marketing. Lueck comes to FWV from Golin, where she helped build McDonald’s Brand Newsroom. Nothailah Meehan joined FWV as director, media. Previously she was with Ketchum South. In addition FWV promoted Abigail Quesinberry to director, social media. – Women’s athletic apparel brand GRACEDBYGRIT named Danielle York head of brand, marketing and PR activities. Most recently, York served as U.S. Western Region COO for Edelman. -- Congrats to Peter Intermaggio, SVP, brand marketing & communications, Comcast, for receiving the Grand TAM from CTAM, cable’s marketing association. Kudos also to: Catherine Frymark, SVP, corporate communications, Discovery Communications; Michael Gnojewski, senior director, marketing, Viacom; and Mary Savery, director of marketing, business services, Cable ONE, who received TAMI honors.