The 2008 Heartland Regional Emmy Award nominations are out. The complete list of nominees is here.
Month: May 2008
Local Reporters Win Gracie Allen Awards
Congratulations to former Fox31 reporter Sari Padorr and current Fox31 sports reporter Marcia Neville for picking up Gracie Allen awards. The awards, presented by The Foundation of American Women in Radio and Television, recognize and encourage “positive and realistic portrayals of women in entertainment, commercials, news, features, and other programs.”
For Some Reason, This Story isn’t on the KMGH Web Site
KMGH’s Airtracker 7 is probably on the Department of Homeland Security’s “watch” list after its attempts to get a little too close to President Bush as he delivered the Air Force Academy’s commencement address.
Molson Coors Selects Ogilvy As AOR
Molson Coors has retained Ogilvy as its corporate agency of record. Ogilvy’s office in Denver played a role in winning the account, which will focus on reputation management, social responsibility and issues management.
www.pressreleasegrader.com
Finally, an automated way to grade press releases.
9News Remains Denver’s News Leader
The May sweeps data are in, and 9News remains the 800 lb. gorilla in the Denver local news battle.
Comcast, Qwest, Dish Network Named to Hall of Shame
Comcast, Qwest and Dish Network are among the companies enshrined in this year’s Zogby-MSN Customer Service Hall of Shame.
PR Notes
- Boulder advertising and branding agency Sterling-Rice Group has selected Metzger Associates to develop a national public relations and new-media campaign.
- GroundFloor Media named Ramonna Tooley partner.
- Barnhart Communications hired Nancy Lambert as account manager. Her experience includes a decade at Rock Bottom Restaurants.
Lombardi Goes One-on-One with Obama
The most hated news anchor in town (see the comments) blogs about KCNC/Channel 4 sports anchor Vic Lombardi’s brush with greatness.
Fox31 Anchor Engaged
Fox31 anchor Libby Weaver is engaged to Denver orthopedic surgeon John Papilion.
PR Agencies Continue to Grow Despite Tight Economy
The Council of Public Relations Firms calculates that firms averaged a 7.5 percent increase in first quarter revenues over Q1 2007.
Wait, Qwest Doesn’t Own Dex? D’oh!
If you dumped your company’s products on peoples’ doorsteps without their consent, you’d probably be arrested. Not the yellow pages cartel. So how do you get even? Create a giant phone-book shaped art sculpture in front of Qwest’s headquarters. Which would be even better if Qwest hadn’t sold its Dex yellow pages division to RH Donnelley several years ago, but we’re willing to cut the performance artists some slack because they probably don’t read the business section.
Hat tip to Andy Bosselman.
How About a ’10 That Do It Okay’ Award?
Apparently Editor & Publisher had trouble coming up with 10 newspapers “That Do It Right!” The nomination window for the awards has been extended through May.
Goldman Report Predicts ‘Anemic’ Ad Revenues in 2008
A new Goldman Sachs report predicts newspaper advertising revenue will remain “anemic” though 2008.
Chipotle Cited for its Free Burrito Promotions
PR Week takes a look at restaurants that use sampling to drive awareness and new business, and cites Chipotle as one of the most visible examples.
Where’s Paula Woodward When You Really Need Her?
Grand Hyatt Denver Public Relations Director Maryann Yuthas gets her 15 minutes of fame. Ahhh, the glamorous life of a public relations executive.
Bawmann Group Announces Three Client Wins
The Bawmann Group has added three new clients: Downing Events (Cherry Creek Sneak, the upcoming Tri for the Cure), Aspire Behavioral Health (the launch of Aspire’s acute-care hospital for geriatric patients) and Quantum Integrations (the launch of collegesurvive.com and facultysource.com Web sites).
This Week’s PR Jobs
Among those hiring this week are John Hickenlooper’s Office, CH2M Hill, DISH Network Jeppesen, Lynott & Associates, Metzger, Rocky Mountain Institute, Turner PR and Xcel.
Former ABC Reporter Joins Obama; Intends Not to ‘Spin’
Retired ABC correspondent Linda Douglass has joined the Obama campaign as a senior strategist and spokeswoman, but, worry not, she’ll be keeping her journalistic integrity intact. Says Douglass, “My intention is that I won’t spin…I absolutely vow that I will tell the truth.” Of course, those of us already on the dark side know that the best spin comes from those who tell the truth … selectively.
And, really, is there anyone who can afford to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth less than a politician? Journalists can complain about big business all they want, but ExxonMobil tells fewer lies in a year than presidential candidates utter in a day. A politician who only spoke the truth couldn’t get elected to his or her HOA, much less an office of consequence. It’s the nature of politics.
Who Says Beer and Driving Don’t Go Together?
Molson Coors will provide the ethanol that will fuel a fleet of GM flex-fuel vehicles at the Democratic National Convention. While most ethanol is created from corn, Molson Coors’ ethanol is produced from “waste beer,” also known as Coors Light.
Colorado Private Employers Add Jobs
The conflicting economic data continues: the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ most recent information shows Colorado gained more private-sector jobs than it lost in the third quarter of last year (148,053 jobs added vs. 144,857 lost for a net 3,196 job gain).
Should Local Advertisers Think Twice Before Purchasing Ads on the Post’s and News’ Web Sites?
In the face of declining print readership, both the Denver Post and Rocky Mountain News have touted the increase in online traffic their Web sites have been receiving. But Westword has dug a little deeper and found that most of their online readers are from out of state, which is a much less appealing audience for local advertisers.
This Week’s PR Jobs
Among those hiring this week are Colorado State’s Athletic Department, Exclusive Resorts, The Gill Foundation, Nina McLemore, Quantum, Raytheon and Reproductive Medicine Center.
Women Dominate Web-based Social Media Networks
BusinessWeek takes a look at how women are the driving force behind Internet-based social media networks such as Facebook and MySpace. While twentysomething men are still well represented on social media networks, they are far less active than their female counterparts. So, what implications does that have on the brands you represent? (Here is the data behind the story.)
Public Relations and Litigation
U.S. Law Radio interviews Denver’s own Steven “Steve” Silvers of GBSM on public relations in litigation environments. The piece is about five minutes long, and definitely worth a listen.
Great Moments in Journalism … VI
GroundFloor Media Named ‘Best Boutique Agency to Work For’
GroundFloor Media has picked up the SABRE award for “Best Boutique Agency to Work For.” Grammatics aside, it is quite an honor, and follows the agency being named by the Denver Business Journal as the “Best Place to Work in Denver” in the small company category last November.
Among other things, GroundFloor was recognized for its low turnover rate of approximately 6 percent, which got us thinking about which Denver agency has the highest turnover. If you think you have a contender, email us and let us know.
Wait a Minute … is ‘Snarky’ Bad?
Rocky Mountain News media critic Dave Kopel takes Westword to task for its “snarky” articles.
Metzger Diversifies
Metzger, largely known as a tech shop, has added a public affairs practice. Stephen Ludwig, who landed at Metzger last fall after being on his own for a couple of years, will lead the practice.
In Memoriam
Legendary Hollywood publicist Warren Cowan, co-founder of Rogers & Cowan, has died at the age of 87. He was a throwback to a different era of public relations and represented the likes of Frank Sinatra, Kirk Douglas, Tony Curtis, Audrey Hepburn, Cary Grant and Steve McQueen. Noted the Los Angeles Times, “You have Cowan to thank (or blame) for helping pioneer such popular publicity tools as celebrity sporting events, top 10 lists (the “most watchable man” or “most hypnotic eyes”), and product placement.”
Post Health/Science Reporter to Join NOAA/CU in Boulder
Denver Post reporter Katy Human, who covers the health and science beat, is leaving to join NOAA/CU in Boulder as a science writer/editor for internal and external publications.
Would You Be Willing to Pay Me in Euros?
Fort Collins Now takes a shot at 5280’s internship salary of $600 per month, calling it a “paltry” sum. Of course, it is $600 per month more than some Denver PR agencies pay their interns (that means you Turner PR, among others).
CH2M HILL Unit Selects GroundFloor Media
Chalk another one up for GroundFloor Media. CH2M HILL picked the agency to handle PR duties for its Enterprise Management Solutions business unit.
Ritter Takes to the Airwaves to Support CHP+
Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter is following in the footsteps of Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper by appearing in television ads for his pet projects. Ritter is featured in a new television ad campaign from the Bawmann Group that promotes Colorado’s Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+) program.
Top 10 Angry On-Camera Meltdowns
Gawker offers its list of the Top Ten Angry On-Camera Meltdowns. (Warning: Contains foul language).
KCNC’s Arturo Santiago Lands on his Feet
KCNC/Channel 4 reporter Arturo Santiago, who was notified in March he would be let go, has landed an anchor position at KCOY covering the beautiful coastal towns of Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo, Calif.
Qwest: Get In the Loop, and This Time We Don’t Mean By Endlessly Bouncing Among Our Customer Service Reps
Qwest is launching its first new advertising campaign since it dumped Denver-based McClain Finlon for Chicago-based Draftfcb. The campaign, “Get in the Loop,” will appear in print, and on television, billboard and online properties. You can view the concepts here.
VisiTech, GroundFloor Finalists for SABRE Awards
Congratulations to VisiTech PR and GroundFloor Media, which have been named finalists for 2008 SABRE awards. VisiTech is a finalist in the Trade Show category for its work with Stockholm-based client Net Insight, and GroundFloor Media is a finalist in the Social Marketing category for its work with the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment.
Coming Soon: The Rocky Mountain Post?
It has been a busy week for Scripps, parent company of the Rocky Mountain News. Last Friday, the company announced that its board of directors had approved a plan to spin off its newspaper properties into a separate company. Now, rumors are swirling around town that Scripps has made an offer to purchase MediaNews Group, publisher of the Denver Post and 56 other newspapers across the country.
GroundFloor Media Banned
Congratulations to GroundFloor Media, which was the only Denver-based agency to make the cut in Lifehacker editor Gina Trapani’s PR Spammers Wiki, a cut and paste Gmail filter that will instantly block hundreds of PR addresses based on their domain name. Trapani is following in the footsteps of Wired’s Chris Anderson in publicly outing those they believe to be spamming. As card-carrying flacks, however, we know what a bunch of complaining know-it-alls reporters can be, so we applaud GroundFloor Media for pushing pitching to the limits on behalf of its clients.
‘… And, Finally, Traffic is Really Bad Around the Courthouse’
The Rocky Mountain News isn’t the only media outlet in town using reporters outside the realm of their experience. KCNC/CBS4 is getting into the act as well with murder trial news brought to you by the traffic reporter. Westword has the details.
Rocky Accidently Writes PR Article
The Rocky Mountain News finally covers some public relations industry news. Unfortunately, it’s about a Baltimore agency.
Carmelo Anthony Foundation Selects Baltimore PR Agency
Denver Nugget Carmelo Anthony has retained Baltimore-based Maroon PR to handle public relations for his charitable foundation. Theresa Tran at Tease Marketing will continue to represent Anthony’s non-philanthropic issues such as DUIs, speeding tickets, bar fights, stop-snitchin’ DVDs, etc.
Catapult Client Win
Boulder-based Catapult PR-IR has added Aztek Networks as a client.
Business Pitch? Try Krieger in Sports
Having trouble figuring out who to pitch at the Rocky Mountain News? You are not alone. Religion reporters covering Rocky Flats. Entertainment reporters covering politics. Sadly, staff cuts have turned specialists into generalists.
‘Guerrilla Public Relations’ Event in Boulder
Event alert: The Guerrilla Public Relations: Connecting Business to Media panel is this Thursday morning in Boulder and features a number of local media folks.
Boulder Daily Camera Lays Off Nine Employees
The cutbacks at Denver area dailies continue. This time, it is the Boulder Daily Camera making the layoffs. The newspaper announced today that it has let nine of its 155 (six percent) employees go, including one unnamed “newsroom employee.” Alicia Wallace has the details (well, a couple of them anyway).
Marketing vs. Public Relations vs. Advertising vs. Branding
If you, like me, spend an inordinate amount of time trying to explain to family and friends that public relations is not the same thing as advertising, maybe this will help (courtesy Neutron LLC via Media Bistro):
MediaNews to Outsource Customer Service
Denver-based MediaNews Group, owner of the Denver Post and approximately 60 other newspapers nationwide, will outsource customer service calls to the Philippines for three of its California papers. Denver Post customer care services currently are provided by Denver employees of the Denver Newspaper Agency (DNA), the joint venture between MediaNews and Rocky owner Scripps. But if the trial is successful, expect MediaNews to put pressure on the DNA to outsource its customer service.
This Week’s PR Jobs
Among those hiring this week are Arrow Electronics, Colorado State University, DIA, Financial Planning Association, MorEvents, Special Olympics Colorado and Red Robin.
And thanks to Andrew Hudson for the shout-out today.
Upcoming PR Events in Denver
- The Denver Press Club is holding an open house this Friday, May 9.
- PRSA Colorado is sponsoring PR Boost: Giving Nonprofit PR a Leg Up this Saturday, May 10. Volunteers are still needed.
- The New Denver Ad Club is sponsoring The 3,000 Faces of Eve: Recognizing the Dynamic Realities of the Female Market on May 13. Women executives from CBS, First Data, CP+B and Thomas Taber & Drazen will “discuss, deliberate, explore and dispute how, why, when and where women are marketed to.”
- The Jewish Family Service of Colorado is hosting a luncheon May 13 featuring Frank Deford, who graces the pages of Sports Illustrated and is a contributor to HBO’s Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel and National Public Radio’s Morning Edition.
With (Fox &) Friends Like These, Who Needs Enemies?
The good news? Fox & Friends mentioned you. The bad news? Well, uhh, just view the clip.
What does Tom Tancredo Think About These Illegal Aliens?
If you are looking for a pro-bono opportunity, Jeff Peckman needs your help.
Fishbein Family Retains Malpractice Attorney
5280 has the latest on the news that the husband of the late Kacey Fine Furniture CEO Leslie Fishbein has retained a Denver medical malpractice attorney to investigate whether negligence on the part of the doctor that administered a pain shot contributed to her death. The Denver Post also has the story, while the Rocky will have to play catch-up tomorrow.
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