Westin Tabor Center public relations director Susan Stiff is refusing to confirm or deny reports that the hotel will host Sen. Barack Obama for the DNC. Other rumors have the Clintons staying at The Brown Palace and former President Carter staying at the Hyatt Regency Denver.
Month: July 2008
Linhart Lands Ohio Biotech Client
Linhart PR has added Ohio-based Ganeden Biotech as a client.
DNC Roundtables Add Gravitas with Addition of Ben Affleck
We were reminded of the old Sesame Street song/game “One of these things is not like the others” when we read about the “Rocky Mountain Roundtable,” a series of 10 discussions of public issues coinciding with the DNC. Our favorite: a roundtable that will feature “Tom Brokaw, Ben Affleck and Madeline Albright (discussing) international relations.” Presumably it will go something like this:
Brokaw: “Sen. McCain questions why Sen. Obama would be willing to meet with Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who he says has pledged to wipe Israel off the map, denies the Holocaust, sponsors terrorists, arms America’s enemies in Iraq and pursues nuclear weapons.”
Albright: “There’s nothing controversial about meeting with leaders of rogue states, and history supports this. President Kennedy met with Nikita Khrushchev at a time when the two nations were on the brink of nuclear war, and President Nixon met with China’s Mao Zedong knowing that Mao had murdered millions of people.”
Affleck: “RED SOX RULE!!!”
Conflicting Economic Stats of the Week
The Denver Business Journal reports that Colorado added 31,500 jobs over the past year, while the number of Coloradans who are unemployed also grew.
KUSA: Buy One Ad at the Regular Price, and We’ll Throw in the News Coverage for Free
The New York Times examines how KUSA/Channel 9 was a pawn in the McCain/Obama advertising wars, and how KCNC/Channel 4 followed along.
“You girls are really lovely. You must work in PR.”
Another example of the scintillating conversations we miss by not being in San Francisco/Silicon Valley. The only question is whether it was a CEO or a VC who uttered it.
Hick: “If we’d known back then what we know now, we’d never have done it”
The Los Angeles Times offers a national perspective on Denver’s efforts to host a world-class Democratic National Convention.
Locals Named to Ad Age’s Top Media & Marketing Blogs List
Congratulations to three of our favorite local bloggers who made Ad Age’s Top Media and Marketing Blogs. The Denver Egotist is ranked 185, while Steven Silvers’ Scatterbox blog is ranked 396 and Pure Brand’s Pure Thinking is 588.
Pure Brand Adds Two to PR Practice
Kate Miller and Amanda Denning have joined Pure Brand’s public relations practice. Miller formerly was with Gibbs & Soell in Raleigh, N.C., and Denning is a recent graduate of the University of Pittsburgh.
Analysts Warn Advertising Slowdown is Spreading
The advertising slowdown seen in the newspaper and radio industries is threatening to spread to the rest of the media, “casting a shadow over a year that was supposed to benefit from the Beijing Olympics and a high-spending election season,” according to Financial Times.
Denver Magazine Names New Soon-to-Be-Former Managing Editor
Denver Magazine has named former Aspen Magazine editor Dana Butler as managing editor, replacing Dahlia Jean Weinstein (who technically was editor) after just three issues.
Chipotle Celebrates 15 Years
The Rocky Mountain News helped Chipotle celebrate its 15th anniversary this month with a lengthy feature article Saturday. Everyone outside of Denver thinks of Chipotle as an overnight success, but we know better.
Crocs Watch: How Long Until Snyder “Resigns”?
Some CEOs are great are starting companies, some are great at running established companies, and some are great at turning companies around. Few, it seems, are great at two or more of those things. On that note, it will be a tough morning for Crocs. The company’s stock dropped nearly 50 percent yesterday in after-hours trading following the company’s disclosure that it expects earnings to be below its previous forecasts. Crocs stock, which traded as high as $74.75 last Halloween, was at $4.96 last night.
Pew Newspaper Report Offers Hope
The Pew Research Center issued its report, “The Changing Newsroom: Gains and Losses in Today’s Papers,” on Monday, and it has taken us a few days to get to it. The report offers a number of interesting analyses of the often contradictory newspaper industry, including:
Despite an image of decline, more people today in more places read the content produced in the newsrooms of American daily newspapers than at any time in years. But revenues are tumbling. The editors expect the financial picture only to worsen, and they have little confidence that they know what their papers will look like in five years.
Newspapers are still drawing plenty of readers (in part by shifting their focus to local news that readers can’t get from national publications/Web sites), but until they devise a method to monetize their Web traffic, expect the consolidation and layoffs to continue.
Pressure Mounts on Post, News. Acquisition Likely?
The Denver Post’s and Rocky Mountain News’ latest earnings report isn’t going to quell rumors that one of them will acquire the other and convert it to an online-only offering soon. The papers saw their Q2 earnings drop 78 percent –- from $6 million to $1.3 million — in Q2 2008 compared to the same period in 2007. A “slumping advertising market” is to blame, according to the Denver Business Journal, which also calculated that the two papers lost money during the quarter.
Creative Alliance Lands New Client
The Creative Alliance has landed PhoCusWright as a client, and will brand, promote and publicize the company’s annual conference. Let’s hope the relationship gives TCA a chance to rebrand the company as well.
Former Post Columnist Longs for the Good Old Days of Journalism
We posted earlier this year when former Denver Post columnist Jim Spencer left his gig in online journalism for the world of public relations. Now, word is that Jim still hasn’t come to grips with the career change.
Great Moments in Journalism VIII
A Vermont/New Hampshire newspaper misspelled its own name on its flag.
Product Placement Hits the Morning News Shows
The local Fox affiliate in Las Vegas has signed a product placement deal with McDonald’s that puts two cups of the fast-food chain’s iced coffee on the desk in front of the anchors. But fear not. The Fox news director assures viewers that the “nontraditional revenue source” won’t impact his station’s reporting. How long until Ron and Libby are sipping after-dinner cappuccinos provided by Starbucks between stories?
“… And here we see how the cow is stunned with a bolt to its head.”
In a move that only PETA could think is a good idea, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association has retained GolinHarris to “launch a video-based campaign to show U.S. consumers how their beef is produced.”
Denver Post to Partner with Politico to Cover the DNC
The Denver Post will partner with the political Web site Politico to cover the Democratic National Convention. The terms of the agreement allow the Post to “publish at least several pages each day of Politico content in print during the convention weeks. Politico, meanwhile, will be able to sell ad space in the newspapers.” The St. Paul Pioneer Press, which like the Post is owned by MediaNews, has a similar agreement with Politico for the Republican National Convention in the Twin Cities.
Crocs to Add Escalator Warning
Crocs now plans to add an escalator warning to its shoes. No word yet on whether it will be a picture of Tia Mattson or Shelley Forslund with a cartoon bubble that says, “Inattentive parents: Give us a @#&! break and don’t let your kids shove their feet into the teeth of a moving escalator.”
Denver Press Club Rises from the Ashes
After years of operating in the red, the Denver Press Club appears to have turned the corner and is financially self-sufficient.
Be Glad You Weren’t On TV in 1977
Those of you who have been in Denver long enough to remember Bob Palmer and Larry Green will enjoy this KMGH/Channel 7 clip from 1977. “Disco Larry” makes his appearance at the 3:15 mark. (Hat tip to Westword.)
Another Denver Newspaper Downsizes
The Denver Catholic Register announced it will reduce its annual number of issues from 50 to 44.
‘Denver’s Road Home’ Responds
In the spirit of equal time, Denver’s Road Home has responded to our recent post on allegations that Denver is attempting to hide its homeless during the DNC:
We would like to clarify some information related to your recent post about Denver’s homeless and the Democratic National Convention. A statement from the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless that clarifies the situation here in Denver is available at http://www.coloradocoalition.org/Road_Home_Q_and_A
But our concern for and commitment to the homeless is not limited to the time that the DNC is in Denver. Denver’s Road Home is a comprehensive, long-term plan designed to put people into housing while addressing the underlying causes of homelessness. It has been in place for almost three years – long before Denver was chosen to host the DNC – and will be in place for many years to come.
Denver’s Road Home was here before DNC and will be here long after the convention is gone.
We are, and have always been, committed to ensuring everyone has a safe place to be. During the DNC, DRH will expand outreach services to get the homeless connected with services/shelter. DRH is also working with providers to expand facility hours, both day and evening, and to provide special programs for homeless youth. DRH is also working closely with the Denver Police to ensure the safety and wellbeing of people on the streets.
Denver’s Road Home is working to ensure that people are safe and treated well during the DNC.
If you would like further information, please let us know.
Respectfully,
Denver’s Road Home
http://www.denversroadhome.org
Video Professor Stalls in Semifinals for ‘Golden Poo’ Award
Denver’s own Video Professor has been eliminated in its chase for the coveted “Golden Poo” award from Consumerist. The final, which pits Comcast against Countrywide Home Loans, will be decided today.
Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation Names Board Members
Qwest’s Kate Varden Oravez, GBSM’s Steven “Steve” Silvers, and Forest City Stapleton’s Landri Taylor were among those named to the board of the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation.
Metzger’s ‘DNC After Dark’ Blog Gets Attention
The Boulder Daily Camera looks at local businesses trying to “cash in” on the DNC, and mentions Metzger’s DNC After Dark blog (which inexplicably still doesn’t have a section on Denver hookers).
2008 Regional Emmy Award Winners
KUSA/Channel 9 was the big winner at the 2008 Regional Emmy Award ceremony this weekend. Among the individual awards:
- KUSA/Channel 9’s Nelson Garcia, winner of the journalistic enterprise trophy
- KUSA/Channel 9, winner of the overall station excellence and interactivity award
- KUSA/Channel 9’s Adam Schrager, winner of the award for general assignment reporting
- KMGH/Channel 7’s Anne Trujillo, winner for best news anchor
- KMGH/Channel 7’s Mike Landess, winner for his report on prostate cancer
- KMGH/Channel 7’s Tony Kovaleski, winner for his investigative report on the Denver Jail
- KCNC/Channel 4’s Brian Maas, winner for his investigative report on airplane de-icing
- KCNC/Channel 4’s Vic Lombardi, named as best sports anchor
- KDVR/Channel 31’s Sari Padorr, winner for her serious news features
And congratulations to the four inductees of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences’ Silver Circle for 25 years of service: KWGN/Channel 2 anchor Ernie Bjorkman, KCNC/Channel 4 reporter Suzanne McCarroll, KUSA/Channel 9 anchor Ward Lucas and KRMA/Channel 6 PBS president and GM James Morgese.
Turner PR Adds Three Staff Members
Turner PR continues to grow. The agency has added Kristin Rust and Audrey Strong as senior account managers, and David Rubin as account coordinator. Rust formerly worked at Aspen Skiing Company and Colorado Ski Country USA, while Strong’s background includes positions with The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company and JohnstonWells.
Newspaper Update, Sponsored by Zoloft
Let’s see:
- USA Today saw ad sales decline 27 percent in June, and its (and 9News’) parent company Gannett Co. said second-quarter profit declined 36 percent.
- The Wall Street Journal announced today that it will eliminate 50 editorial positions.
- The Atlanta Journal-Constitution disclosed it will cut its staff by nearly 200 jobs, or about 8 percent of its work force.
- Newsweek’s president and worldwide publisher is jumping ship this fall.
- The Santa Rosa (Calif.) Press Democrat announced today it will lay off 5 percent of its work force, or 17 full-time positions, “to reduce costs in response to sharp declines in advertising revenue.”
DNC Homeless Scavenger Hunt
To fight Denver’s plan to hide its homeless in movie theaters and museums during the DNC, we are starting a collection to purchase and hide bottles of Boone’s Farm throughout Downtown Denver and the Pepsi Center during the convention. To contribute, send a check or money order to:
DNC Homeless Scavenger Hunt
c/o Sharon Linhart
1514 Curtis Street, Suite 200
Denver, CO 80202
NFL’s Packers Hire Sankey
Former Qwest EVP of Marketing and Communications Laura Sankey has been named Senior VP of Marketing and Sales for the NFL’s Green Bay Packers.
Top 30 News Web Sites for June 2008
From Nielsen Online by way of Editor & Publisher:
Brand or Channel — June ’08 Unique Audience (000) — June ’07 Unique Audience
1. MSNBC Digital Network — 37,644 — 27,434
2. Yahoo! News — 34,992 — 32,293
3. CNN Digital Network — 33,417 — 28,321
4. AOL News — 22,081 — 21,938
5. NYTimes.com — 17,650 — 12,535
6. Tribune Newspapers — 15,059 — 12,038
7. Gannett Newspapers and Newspaper Division — 12,405 — 12,279
8. ABCNEWS Digital Network — 11,556 — 10,852
9. Google News — 10,543 — 9,195
10. Fox News Digital Network — 10,471 — 8,192
11. McClatchy Newspaper Network — 9,849 — 7,708
12. USATODAY.com — 9,626 — 8,592
13. washingtonpost.com — 9,062 — 8,181
14. CBS News Digital Network — 8,561 — 8,682
15. WorldNow — 7,957 — 6,963
16. MediaNews Group Newspapers — 7,442 — 7,384
17. Hearst Newspapers Digital — 7,372 — 8,624
18. Advance Internet — 7,107 — 5,761
19. Slate — 6,751 — 3,302
20. IB Websites — 6,079 — 5,351
21. BBC News — 5,944 — 5,733
22. Topix — 5,914 — 5,765
23. Boston.com — 5,226 — 4,254
24. Cox Newspapers — 5,122 — 4,835
25. Gannett Broadcasting — 4,806 — 4,241
26. New York Post Holdings — 4,617 — 3,057
27. Guardian.co.uk — 4,405 — 2,455
28. NPR — 4,300 — 3,121
29. TheHuffingtonPost.com — 4,042 — 1,267
30. Daily News Online Edition — 3,803 — 1,821
Golden to Lose 150+ Jobs as MillerCoors Picks Chicago for HQ
MillerCoors announced this afternoon that it has selected Chicago as the home of its new headquarters, and that 150-175 (presumably high-paying) jobs will be leaving Golden for the Windy City.
Pro Bono Opportunity: Colorado Federal Savings Bank
Here’s hoping you don’t have more than $100,000 in Greenwood Village-based Colorado Federal Savings Bank, because lists like this are what cause runs on banks.
Turmoil at Denver Magazine?
There’s intrigue at Denver Magazine after it replaced its editor today after just its third issue (halfway to our over/under of six issues before folding). It is not clear whether editor Dahlia Jean Weinstein jumped or was pushed, but it is clear that the magazine’s founder and publisher, Michael Ledwitz, will assume editor duties and plans to hire a managing editor.
Update: Bill Husted has some additional details. Weinstein says she was fired, and that she will be talking with an attorney.
Great Moments in Journalism VII
The truly great moments in journalism are the ones that come packaged with an apology from the reporter.
Denver PR Jobs
Among those hiring this week are: Turner PR, CH2M Hill, Corporate Allocation Services, Denver Options, Denver Water (and how could an agency that has that many communications people be so bad at PR?), Financial Planning Standards Board, IBM, The Nature Conservancy and Quantum.
Additional Schenkein Promotions
The fallout from Schenkein’s recent layoff continues. In addition to promoting Barb Jones to SVP, Schenkein has promoted Brandy Radey to VP, Meredith Stevens to SAE, and Zack Littlefield to AE.
In Memoriam
Tony Snow, former press secretary to President George W. Bush, has died following his lengthy fight against colon cancer.
Schenkein Promotes Jones
Schenkein has promoted VP Barb Jones to SVP. She will be responsible for business development as well as client account teams.
Scripps Credit Rating Cut
Rocky Mountain News owner E.W. Scripps Co. had its credit rating slashed from A to BB+ following its decision to spin out its cable and interactive properties.
What’s Joey Bunch Worth? Like $0.03 a Day?
This development could be trouble for the Rocky Mountain News and the Denver Post.
KMGH/Channel 7 Names New Station Manager
KMGH/Channel 7 promoted news director Byron Grandy to station manager, replacing Darrell Brown who was named president of the station’s parent company, McGraw-Hill Broadcasting.
Iran: If Photoshop Works for Fox, It Should Work for Us
Iran has found a way to jumpstart its missile program: Photoshop.
Tech Guru Mossberg Inks Deal with Fox Business Channel
Fox Business Network has added Wall Street Journal personal technology columnist Walt Mossberg as a contributor. The arrangement is described as “limited” –- and will limit Mossberg largely to being an interviewee — because of the WSJ’s existing relationship with CNBC.
Sean Hannity’s Unibrow
Following Fox & Friend’s recent photoshop efforts on journalists they don’t particularly care for, Vanity Fair turns the tables.
Linhart’s DNC Efforts Result in ‘Volunteer of the Year’ Award
Congratulations to Sharon Linhart for being named one of the Downtown Denver Partnership’s Volunteers of the Year.
The New York Times Takes on Fox News’ PR Machine
… and comes to the conclusion that, “At Fox News, media relations is a kind of rolling opposition research operation intended to keep reporters in line by feeding and sometimes maiming them. Shooting the occasional messenger is baked right into the process.”
Bush’s Karen Hughes Joins Hillary’s Mark Penn
And you thought the tension in your office was running high …
Together We Can … Default?
We reported a couple of weeks ago that MediaNews Group chief and Denver Post publisher William Dean Singleton wasn’t happy with the media reports about his empire inching toward default, and now he has taken the message directly to his employees. Michael Roberts at Westword has the details.
Frontier, United Cut Colorado Jobs
Frontier is cutting 456 Colorado jobs and United another 150 in response to high fuel costs.
Metzger Adds Social Media Specialist
Elaine Ellis has joined Metzger PR’s social media practice. Ellis formerly was with Schenkein.
Channel 7’s Saunders Weds
We wrote about KMGH/Channel 7’s Steve Saunders’ engagement a few months ago, and he tied the knot this weekend.
It Was the Easiest Way to Make the People in Accounting Go Away
Roger Fillion at the Rocky reports that Flying Dog Brewery officially will relocate its headquarters to Maryland (where it opened a state-of-the-art brewery in 2006), but that its CEO, CFO and marketing department will remain in Denver.
Denver PR Jobs
A couple of agencies are hiring this week (Xstatic and Communications Strategy Group), as well as one of the 3-4 companies that routinely tops the unofficial list of worst places in Denver for a PR person to work.
One Trip to the Trail Dust Steak House and They’ll be Begging for a Morton’s
How do you make a Dallas or Chicago MillerCoors headquarters look better to all those Miller employees who have grown so fond of Milwaukee? Make them spend six months in the Westminster Tech Center first.
PR Firm Hires 11-Year-Old to Promote Vail
Want to influence kids? Hire a kid to do it.
KWGN/News2 Plans 5:30 PM Newscast
The late-afternoon Denver news battle will get a little bit tougher starting next week when KWGN/News2 launches a 5:30 p.m. newscast featuring its regular 9 p.m. team (Ernie Bjorkman, Kellie MacMullan, Dave Fraser and Marc Soicher).
Rocky Business Columnist Calls Denver a One-Newspaper Town
David Milstead, the smartest financial beat writer in town and someone who has skin in the game, acknowledges that Denver can’t support two newspapers and that Scripps and MediaNews Group need to start deciding what the staff of a combined, single newspaper/online property will look like.
Denver PR Jobs
We have been reporting how weakened the economy has been getting for months now, but you wouldn’t know it from the jobs available this week on Andrew Hudson’s PR Jobs List: 9Health Fair, Action Marketing Group, Agilent, American Water Works Association, APRIA Health Care, Cohn Marketing, Denver Art Museum, Denver Water ($60K for a “junior writer” position?), Durango Public Schools, Envision, Lawscomm, Rotary International, CU-Boulder and University of Colorado Hospital.
Also, GBSM is conducting informational interviews for an accomplished, mid-level strategic communications professionals with experience in consulting, public outreach, issues management, media relations and corporate affairs. Contact HR manager Raleigh Decker at (303) 825-6100. GBSM assures that all communications will be held strictly confidential.
Rocky To Go Web-Only Following DNC? Unlikely.
Rocky Mountain News parent company E.W. Scripps Co. officially separated into two companies: a “struggling” one holding its newspaper properties and a “more successful” one for its cable TV and online holdings. The rumor going around town all spring and summer has been that the Rocky will drop the printing presses and transition to a Web-only product following the DNC in August, but we bet that instead it will do what the Denver Post is doing –– slowly eliminating pages until the print product essentially serves only as an advertising vehicle to get people to the Web site.
Wendy Aiello, Redux
“PR princess” Wendy Aiello is back in Penny Parker’s column this morning, and our world makes sense again. But Wendy can’t be happy that Penny outed her as a woman “of a certain age.”
Denver Public Relations Blog 