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June 24, 2002 Issue of PRWeek

Microsoft to revamp image and increase focus on corporate social responsibility

REDMOND, WA - Microsoft has signaled its intent to rebuild its image from the inside, putting a much stronger focus on corporate social responsibility.

New study finds cash for coverage runs rampant around the world

McLEAN, VA: According to a new survey by the International Public Relations Association, paying for editorial coverage is a common practice in Russia, Southern Europe, Africa, ...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Appointment at GCI Group

SAN FRANCISCO: GCI Group has appointed Mary Hancock as SVP, with responsibility for leading the office's media relations practice. Most recently, Hancock was SVP of Ketchum ...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Durazo Communications

LOS ANGELES: Durazo Communications has added three new clients to its roster: American Honda, the US Department of the Treasury, and advertising start-up Drivertise. Durazo will ...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Padilla Speer Beardsley

MINNEAPOLIS: Padilla Speer Beardsley has added two clients to its tech practice, which now has 20 staffers and 25 clients. The new accounts are Network Guidance, ...

NEWS IN BRIEF: The San Diego Film Festival

SAN DIEGO: The San Diego Film Festival has chosen GCS Public Relations to handle media relations and marketing communications. The festival runs in mid-September.

NEWS IN BRIEF: Orbis Broadcast Group seek injunction

NEW YORK: A motion by Orbis Broadcast Group seeking a preliminary injunction against MultiVu - a PR Newswire company - and six of its employees, including ...

Southern Baptists taking heat for anti-Islam speech

ST. LOUIS: Southern Baptist leaders remained largely unapologetic last week after a former convention president described Muhammad as a "demon-possessed pedophile, drawing widely publicized criticism.

Text 100 to expand after staff shuffle

SAN FRANCISCO: Text 100 has expanded and reshuffled its US management team, and has changed the structure of its board to reflect its global focus. The ...

Xenophon offers custom crisis PR

WASHINGTON: The National Restaurant Association (NRA) has agreed to encourage its 250,000 member restaurants to get a crisis comms plan from Xenophon Strategies, and is offering ...

Star power fighting plan for Nevada nuclear waste site

WASHINGTON: A sudden flood of celebrities has joined the fight to keep nuclear waste out of Nevada's Yucca Mountain, but it may be too little too ...

Quayle and Lipinski among celebs in thrombosis awareness push

LOS ANGELES: Former Vice President Dan Quayle, Jethro Tull front man Ian Anderson, and Olympian Tara Lipinski have joined forces with PR firm Spotlight Health to ...

Microsoft to revamp image and increase focus on CSR

REDMOND, WA: Microsoft has signaled its intent to rebuild its image from the inside, putting a much stronger focus on corporate social responsibility.

GA awards cancer awareness job to Atlanta shop FME

ATLANTA: Fletcher Martin Ewing (FME) has won the hotly contested $3 million Georgia Cancer Awareness and Education assignment from the State Department of Human Resources. The ...

William Morris PR chief DeMesquita decides to resign

LOS ANGELES: Talent broker William Morris Agency has lost its top PR person.

2001 recorded most crisis news since tracking began

LOUISVILLE, KY: Last year saw more business crisis news than any other in the past decade, according to the latest annual report from the Institute For ...

IPG's sports and entertainment to sit under one roof

LOS ANGELES: Interpublic Group (IPG) has formed a new unit that combines some of its sports marketing and entertainment companies under one banner.

HP likely to rethink agency dealings over next 90 days

PALO ALTO, CA: The new Hewlett-Packard expects to have existing PR agency relationships fitted to its new structure in the next 90 days, following the merger ...

Edelman forms governance partnership

NEW YORK: Edelman Financial and former SEC commissioner Richard Breeden have formed a joint venture designed to provide public companies with consulting and communications services related ...

INTERNATIONAL NEWS: Typos, bad links top website problem list

NEW YORK: Something as seemingly minor as a spelling mistake on a corporation's website can damage its credibility, according to an international survey sponsored by US-based ...

INTERNATIONAL NEWS: Morrow awarded PR work for 2003 Special Olympics

BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND: Irish PR firm Morrow Communications has been named "official PR partner for the 2003 Special Olympics, the world's largest sporting event for people ...

INTERNATIONAL NEWS: Sorrell predicts a solid PR rebound, but not until 2004

LONDON: WPP boss Martin Sorrell has said the PR industry will bounce back stronger and faster than its marketing services rivals, but not until 2004.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS: NELC enlists PR support in reserve drive

LONDON: The UK government will target employers in an effort to strengthen the role of reserve forces in fighting terrorism.

WorldCom CEO tells shareholders a major PR plan is in the works

CLINTON, MS: WorldCom CEO John Sidgmore signaled a new commitment to PR in his first speech to shareholders.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS: Experts say Stewart must design new crisis strategy

NEW YORK: Crisis PR and brand consultants have given the doyenne of domesticity Martha Stewart low grades for her handling of the media controversy swirling around ...

INTERNATIONAL NEWS: MessageWave to be offered online

CAMBRIDGE, MA: MessageWave, a software company dedicated to improving corporate communications, has launched a new product - also called MessageWave.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS: Publicis wins AOR status on Curves

WACO, TX: Publicis Dialog has picked up a major new client as a result of an integrated pitch that will see Publicis companies handling all aspects ...

INTERNATIONAL NEWS: MWW creates nutrition and supplements practice

CHICAGO: The MWW Group is starting a nutritionals and functional foods practice to go after business in the areas of nutritional supplements, functional foods, and natural ...

INTERNATIONAL NEWS: Confirming PR's value to clients' bottom line

Measurement is a concept that the public relations industry has wrestled with since the days of Edward Bernays and his Engineering of Consent. Purists contend that ...

INTERNATIONAL NEWS: CC&H forms new transit PR power with B&A buyout

WASHINGTON: The public affairs firm founded by National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) chairwoman Marion Blakey has been bought by lobbying shop Chamber, Colon %26 Hartwell (CC%26H), ...

INTERNATIONAL NEWS: Nickelodeon speaks out to defend controversial show

NEW YORK: Nickelodeon ended a three-month PR strategy last week by at last publicly defending its controversial news show that angered some parents with the subject ...

INTERNATIONAL NEWS: Survey reports PR budget cuts harm brand awareness

BOSTON: A fair number of marketing executives in the IT industry who have been forced to make large budget cuts in PR believe that the awareness ...

EDITORIAL: With trust vanishing, PR pros must rise up

To paraphrase the old song, where has all the trust gone? Today's headlines are a litany of the betrayal of trust, whether it be in business, ...

COMMENT: Thought Leader - Broad support is needed to end pay-for-placement practices the world over

A reporter calls with an entrenched point of view - negative, of course. The fact-finding is sloppy, the writing inaccurate. And your CEO wants to know ...

Internet Wire falls victim to PR prank

LOS ANGELES: Internet Wire (IW) experienced deja vu on June 10 when it unwittingly issued a phony press release about Cel-Sci, a Virginia-based drug company.

ANALYSIS: Consumer Marketing in China - PR challenges abound as US brands move into China - China may have finally opened its doors to world trade, but those hoping to reap PR benefits will find many hurdles getting in their way

Two stories came out of China last month that should have grabbed the attention of anyone looking to do business there.

ANALYSIS: The PR industry must explain that its work is not only vital, but comparatively inexpensive

"Crafting a savvy public message is so important to Columbus officials that they employ 28 public information officers to do the job, reports The Columbus Dispatch. ...

ANALYSIS: Corporate Case Study - Fresh look at PR installs PeopleSoft's chance at revival

In 1999, the Y2K scare and the loss of key staff left PeopleSoft in utter disarray. The company is still recovering, and getting its PR affairs ...

ANALYSIS: Media Watch - Baseball's steroid scandal has media crying foul on players

Recently, the sports world has been rocked by allegations of widespread steroid use by Major League Baseball players. Two former MVPs, Jose Canseco and Ken Caminiti, ...

MEDIA HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS: Media Roundup - Managed care presents healthy challenge for media

Though their reputation remains intact and coverage of their industry continues to increase, medical pros still struggle to find a place in a media obsessed with ...

MEDIA HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS: Media Profile - You must bring your 'A' game to win Sports Illustrated's interest

An elite title covering elite athletes makes Sports Illustrated an elite pitch challenge. However, you can earn space on its pages with homework, hard work, and ...

PROFILE: From copy to crisis, Schwartz has his PR act together

Structure is a mainstay of Gil Schwartz's life. Good thing it is. If it weren't, he could never handle the chaos that comes with being ...

HEALTHCARE AGENCY RANKINGS 2002: The hands that feed - Healthcare PR - and in particular pharmaceuticals- was the driver that kept agency heads above water in 2001

Healthcare was by far the number-one PR growth sector in 2001, reporting a growth rate of 7%, according to the Council of PR Firms. And 19% ...

MARKET FOCUS AUTOMOTIVE: Driving luxury sales - John N. Frank finds that automakers are shifting to mainstream PR efforts to sell high-end models

When US auto sales for May were announced, the industry let out a collective groan: Sales fell 5%.

PR TECHNIQUE SMTs: Channel vision: what TV stations want - To maximize chances of getting airtime for your SMT, you need to know what the broadcasters want, and how they want it. Sara Calabro asks TV stations for some pointers

Television producers are very, very busy people. One instance of not complying with their needs is enough to ruin your chances of ever getting a satellite ...