High-Profile
Duffey Communications: Flying High?
It may have appeared that former Lt. Kelly Flinn weathered the media storm on her own, but Flinn was outfitted with some behind-the-scenes PR guidance, according to Duffey Communications, the Atlanta company that had been hired by Flinn to provide PR counsel. Flinn, who faced a court martial on adultery charges and eventually resigned with a general discharge, had hired Duffey in May for an undisclosed amount of money. (The former military pilot just announced a book deal.)
The tactic? Underscoring what Duffey couched as "victimization by a system that has been called obsolete, biased and unjust." That said, it's doubtful the military will be turning to Duffey anytime soon to blow its horn. (Duffey, 404/266-2600)
Career Trends
PR Mentoring: A Thing of the Past?
According to a workplace survey of nearly 900 PR execs by Heymen Associates and Marketing Strategy & Planning, more than half of the PR specialists queried say they benefited from having mentors early in their careers - but less than 30 percent said those starting out in PR today will have the same on-the-job-training or attention.
Findings of the survey touch on everything from compensation packages and negotiations and hiring practices to workplace environments and technology. For a copy of an executive summary of the survey, call Andover Communications, 201/947-4133.
An Eye on the Media
Newspapers: Keep Courting 'Em
Okay, so it's no surprise: The Wall Street Journal remains the top newspaper in the country, with a circulation of 1.8 million, and USA Today, with 1.6 million readers, closes in at second. Yet it begs the questions: Who else in the media mass should you be courting and what's the status of the newspaper industry today?
Here's a glimpse: According to the current issue of The Luce Media Report, the total circulation of America's 1,520 daily newspapers is about 57 million, with a Sunday circulation of about 61 million - making them the "most important medium for most clients of clipping services," according to Arnold Knepper, national sales manager for Luce. Data was compiled from the Audit Bureau of Circulations' figures for the six months ending March 31, 1997.
Luce, whose top-30 Sunday newspapers list includes the five front runners (in this order): USA Today, The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post and the Chicago Tribune, is distributing its ranking for free. Call 800/528-8226.
Global Moves
Fleishamn Hillard Opens Office in Manila
Fleishman-Hillard International Companies, the PR giant Omnicom hopes to purchase, opened June 17 an office in Manila - one of three Asian Pacific markets the company has ventured into of late (last year, it opened an office in Singapore and earlier this year, opened its doors in Hong Kong). Simon Schweigert, who comes from the company's Singapore office, will manage the office. (F-H, 202/828-8877)
Alliances/Acquisitions
The agreement calls for the coupling of both staff and technologies. (Burson Direct, 202/530-4618)
Three Agencies Acquired
Exec Search Service
Tom Moore, a consultant and former editor of PR NEWS, has launched a PR agency search service.
Moore, president of Corporate Communications Studies, Rockville, Md., said the service will help organizations hire the most appropriate PR or communications support for projects or ongoing relationships. (CCS, 301/279-9455)
New Resources
What's in a name? The Lukaszewski Group Inc., a White Plains, N.Y., business specializing in crisis communications, has launched its Web site, with a name that says it all: http://www.e911.com.
The site's worth visiting for many reasons, but here is one: It offers "monographs on critical current communications issues." (The Lukaszewski Group, 914/681-0000)
Thirty new companies, including Intel, H&R Block, Chevron, SmithKline Beecham, MusicLand Stores, KeyCorp. and Atmos Energy, have joined Reuters Inc. Link, an Internet-based investor relations service, http://www.moneynet.com/inc.link, that enables public companies to distribute financial content to current or potential shareholders via their corporate Web sites. (Reality Online, a Reuters division, 212/603-3581)