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March 17, 2003 Issue of PRWeek

News groups unite in opposition to SEC media disclosure proposal

NEW YORK: Eleven large news organizations last week mounted a challenge to a proposed rule that would require them to disclose potential conflicts of interests ...

Congress halts HHS' $28m public affairs consolidation

WASHINGTON: The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has been rebuffed by Congress in its attempt to consolidate its various public affairs offices under ...

Muhlberg resigns top Boeing PR role

CHICAGO: Judith Muhlberg, Boeing's SVP of communications for the past four years, is stepping down to spend time with her family.

NHTSA issues RFP for crackdown effort

WASHINGTON: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is seeking an agency to wage a state-by-state, multimillion-dollar media push to remind drivers of the stiff ...

Head PA job opens up at Bristol-Myers

NEW YORK: Bristol-Myers Squibb is looking for a new VP of public affairs - the top communications post at the pharmaceutical company - to replace ...

Actors' antiwar statements expected as Oscars loom

LOS ANGELES: With the Academy Awards and a war with Iraq both looming on the horizon, Hollywood's PR machine and the entertainment media are struggling ...

Evenflo picks PR21 as agency of record

PIQUA, OH: Evenflo, a maker of baby products, has hired PR21 as its agency of record.

Magazine veteran to lead Edelman's custom publishing

ATLANTA: Edelman has launched a custom-publishing practice that will be run out of its Atlanta office, and led by magazine veteran and agency SVP Howard ...

NEWS IN BRIEF: HealthyEmail selects Ketchum

DALLAS: HealthyEmail, a nonprofit organization created to maximize e-mail use in the healthcare industry, has selected Ketchum to conduct its national launch. Designed to address ...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Atamira to promote war discussion

ATLANTA: Abu Dhabi Television tapped Atamira Communications, a firm headed by former CNN host Bobbie Battista and her husband, to promote its televised discussion on ...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Rodale names Sarlin VP

EMMAUS, PA: Rodale, publisher of such magazines as Prevention and Men's Health, has named Ruth Sarlin VP of brand marketing. A former SVP of marketing ...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Fleishman-Hillard names Arp GM

PORTLAND, OR: Fleishman-Hillard has named SVP and senior partner Ron Arp as the new GM for its Portland office, replacing Sharon VanSickle, who is on ...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Trylon AOR

VANCOUVER: NewspaperDirect has chosen Trylon Communications as its AOR. The company, which focuses on digital newspaper delivery, will use Trylon to build brand awareness and ...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Warschawski AOR

BALTIMORE: Triathlantic Association has selected Warschawski Public Relations as its AOR. Triathlantic, the largest multi-sport event management organization on the East Coast, has organized more ...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Bernhardt launches practice

PORTLAND, OR: The Bernhardt Agency has launched a new practice focusing on government-to-citizen communications. It will help government bodies educate citizens and businesses on how ...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Hispanic team up

MIAMI: Hispanic PR Wire and Business Wire have teamed with Hispanic Business magazine to launch a b-to-b circuit that enables clients to deliver news to ...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Applied appoints new executives

SAN FRANCISCO: Applied Communications has appointed three new executives to its management team. Forrest Anderson joins as VP of research and analytics; Jim Hock, Sen. ...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Schwartz signs new tech clients

BOSTON: Schwartz Communications has signed several new tech clients, including partner relationship management technology firm Allegis, electronic payment and risk management company eFunds, desktop and ...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Ginches to join Dotted Line

BOSTON: Julie Ginches will join Dotted Line Communications as a principal senior strategist. Ginches was cofounder and president of KHJPR, also in Boston.

NEWS IN BRIEF: R/West adds PR practice

PORTLAND, OR: Ad agency R/West has added a PR practice. The agency will now offer media relations, crisis management, media training, event management, and other ...

PR duel called off as Cablevision and YES settle dispute

NEW YORK: After striking out last year by failing to agree to contract terms, the New York Yankees' cable TV network YES and Cablevision, one ...

Home Depot picks both Ketchum and MS&L in AOR deals

ATLANTA: The Home Depot has consolidated its branding and marketing communications efforts for the first time in its 24-year history. David Sandor, director of PR, ...

AAHP to address lack of health insurance

WASHINGTON: The American Association of Health Plans (AAHP) has kicked off a campaign in response to the problem of uninsured Americans.

Wineries may press health claims after regulation lift

WASHINGTON: Wine makers will be talking more about the health benefits of wine consumption thanks to a recent federal regulatory ruling.

FCC seeks public opinion on changing media laws

WASHINGTON: With a series of recent public hearings, the Federal Communication Commission is attempting to gauge public sentiment on media ownership laws up for review.

Edelman trims its NY-based tech and finance practices

NEW YORK: In another sign that the weak economy continues to hamper the PR industry, Edelman laid off 11 employees from its New York office ...

Big banks score low in new RRC rankings

NEW YORK: Corporate-reputation research firm Rating Research (RRC), has released its first reputation ranking of the commercial banking sector.

Ohio group hopes Wright connection can boost Dayton

DAYTON, OH: A Dayton-area businessman is working to rally local community and business support for a monument to the Wright brothers. He contends that it ...

YM hires Formula PR to help position it as a style leader

LOS ANGELES: YM has chosen Formula PR as AOR for both its editorial and publishing sides.

Both media and 60 Minutes pan debate

NEW YORK: Faint praise by most standards, The New York Times' assessment of the 60 Minutes Clinton-Dole debate was a warm breeze in the chilly ...

Hummer emphasizes PR as it looks to gain foothold in shoe market

NASHVILLE, TN: EJ Footwear has hired Thompson & Baker Public Relations to handle a campaign for a new line of Hummer-branded shoes. EJ licensed the ...

Middleberg office returns to SF after a year-plus hiatus

SAN FRANCISCO: Euro RSCG Middleberg's Bay Area office is reopening this month, more than a year after closing in late 2001.

Red Cross preaches public proactivity in new initiative

WASHINGTON: The American Red Cross is urging families and neighborhoods to prepare for "emerging threats" in its new nationwide campaign, Together We Prepare.

Edelman tapped to aid Jazz at Lincoln Center's PR efforts

NEW YORK: Jazz at Lincoln Center, the world's largest nonprofit jazz group, has chosen Edelman as AOR to promote its new facility and upcoming season.

Zildjian celebrates its 380th anniversary with help from Schwartz

NORWELL, MA: Music-industry giant the Avedis Zildjian Company, the world's best-known and largest manufacturer of cymbals and drumsticks, has selected Schwartz Communications to implement PR ...

PR21 snatches up Berard to head its Bay Area outpost

SAN FRANCISCO: John Berard will leave FitzGerald Communications later this month to run PR21's Bay Area office. Berard, who is GM of FitzGerald's West Coast ...

Rheingold Beer revives its spokesmodel competition

NEW YORK: For those who like a little cheesecake with their beer, last week Rheingold Brewing Company resurrected a tradition associated with its most successful ...

FL agency YPB&R picked as AOR for nudist association

KISSIMMEE and ORLANDO, FL: The American Association for Nude Recreation (AANR) has chosen a new agency of record, Yesawich, Pepperdine, Brown & Russell (YPB&R), after ...

EDITORIAL: Unfortunately, Sarbanes-Oxley only hinders transparency in its attempts to encourage it

Sarbanes-Oxley is suddenly more than just a piece of remote legislation. The unilateral decision of Omnicom, WPP, Interpublic, Grey, and Publicis to not release revenue ...

OP-ED: Broadcast PR helps companies reach new audiences

I remember that when I first started out in this business many years ago, broadcast PR had one purpose: to provide information to the television ...

ANALYSIS: Imminent war forces major shift in media's philosophy

From seeking war-related angles to diversions from gloom, Matthew Creamer finds the media's current wartime focus has prompted PR pros to alter their pitch tactics.

PAUL HOLMES: To overcome its identity crisis, the industry has to define and defend 'public relations'

Ever since I started writing about PR, it has been a business with an identity crisis.

CORPORATE CASE STUDY: CSR or PR? Costco insists that it's simply giving back

Corporate social responsibility is a key philosophical element at Costco, and its consistent increases in sales, members, and locations prove companies that give back get ...

MEDIA WATCH: Media deliberates the substance of evidence against Blake

Up until two years ago, actor Robert Blake was most famous for his role as 1970s TV cop Baretta. But the former Little Rascal, who ...

MEDIA ROUNDUP: Media shifts focus to report on a changing society

The public remains fascinated by society coverage, but the media's new focus has seen bluebloods and rich family parties take a backseat to career achievers ...

MEDIA PROFILE: Dwell has designs on expanding its consumer audience

Solid writing and a strong desire to work with PR pros has helped three-year-old Dwell carve its niche as the architecture and design magazine for ...

PROFILE: McCarthy is Native Americans' PR rainmaker

Since Jim McCarthy offered to help raise the reputation of the Winnebago tribe, he has become an expert on Indian affairs, building his agency on ...

Who's got the remote?

Sara Calabro looks at the PR opportunities as consumers gain control of what they see on TV.

MARKET FOCUS: Consumed by conflict

Pushing products to a preoccupied public is challenging.

PR TECHNIQUE: When should you respond to online attacks?

When your company or client is attacked online, responding can often be the worst thing to do. It is far better to monitor potential damage.

CAMPAIGNS: William Morrow launches 1421 on historic journey

Gavin Menzies' 1421 offers a new look at world history. And William Morrow was able to raise interest in the book with the knowledge that ...

THE PUBLICIST: Movie marketers can't decide how to spend $80m in Vegas

Eighty million bucks. That's how much it costs to open a big-budget movie these days. Not to make one, mind you. To open one. In ...

PR PLAY OF THE WEEK: Sponge comeback proves press worthy

NEW YORK: You know you've got a good story when your client's product is getting mentioned in practically every news outlet in the country, and ...

TOY BOX: GN Netcom is the right call for your cell

I went nuts last Christmas looking for a headset to use with my cell. It's hard to settle, I admit. Most of them are truly ...

BOOK REVIEW: Purple Cow is a standout for marketers

Viral marketing aficionado Seth Godin's The Purple Cow arrives in one's mailbox in a purple-and-white spotted milk carton. The carton was so cool, I tried ...