PR/Marketing behemoth WPP posted a 10 percent increase in global PR revenues. Our advice for Denver agencies: hire 2,000 employees and locate them in key cities around the world to better diversify. Or not.
Author: Jeremy Story
Vote Ralph Nader/David Duke 2008
Today was a good politics day for the Rocky Mountain News, as third-party presidential candidate Ralph Nader chooses an interview with the paper to unleash his accusations that Barack Obama is “talking white” on the campaign trail.
Stop the Presses … RMN Makes a Hire
How sad that it is news when one of the local newspapers hires someone. Westword has the details. Now the big question: What the hell was Wes Pope thinking?
Analysts: Newspapers Will Hit Bottom in 3-4 Years
It’s time again to buy your favorite reporter a drink. As bad as the news has been for the newspaper industry the last two years, analysts predict it will be even worse for the next three to four years before it hits rock bottom and things start to stabilize.
Except for the Money and Hours, Journalism is Great
Former Denver Post business reporter and current Linhart AE Will Shanley is part of a PR Week story on journalists turning flacks.
Colorado Layoffs Grow
The Denver Business Journal reports that “the number of Coloradans who lost their jobs through mass layoffs more than doubled” from April to May.
PR Stat of the Week
Denver Post/Dow Jones columnist Al Lewis has 302 “friends” on LinkedIn, and he even know who a couple dozen of them are.
Schenkein Adds Client
Schenkein has added Project Angel Heart as a client. The non-profit prepares and delivers meals to people with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.
Metzger Unveils DNC-themed Blog
Metzger Associates has launched DNC After Dark, a blog intended to help “visitors maneuver and take full advantage of Denver – whether it’s dinner reservations, recommendations for the coolest music venues or event planning for intimate groups – during the DNC weekend (Aug. 25-28).” The blog coincides with the launch of Metzger’s new strategic events planning practice.
Al Lewis Leaves Denver Post for Dow Jones Position
Denver Post business columnist Al Lewis resigned his position with the Post yesterday to accept a job as a national business columnist for Dow Jones Newswires. The Post reportedly is negotiating with Dow Jones for exclusive rights to carry Lewis’ column in Denver.
Where Are They Now? …
If you have wondered what former KCNC/Channel 4 sports anchor Les Shapiro has been up to lately, Penny Parker at the Rocky has the details.
One of the Perks of Owning a Newspaper
Apparently Bloomberg’s report yesterday that Denver Post publisher MediaNews Group would be in default of its debt on June 30 got William Dean Singleton’s attention. He made Post business reporter Aldo Svaldi write a 14-paragraph article rebutting the claims.
Bloomberg: Denver Post Publisher May Default
Bloomberg has identified Denver-based MediaNews Group as one of the newspaper companies at risk of going into default due to the continued advertising slump. MediaNews owns the Denver Post and approximately 60 other newspapers. According to the article:
Newspapers are selling today for about six times earnings, said Sammy Papert, chairman of Belden Associates, a newspaper consulting firm in Dallas. This is below the 11.5 times earnings that MediaNews and Hearst Corp. paid in a $1 billion deal for the Mercury News and three other newspapers in 2006.
Since then, Denver-based MediaNews, the second-largest closely held U.S. newspaper company by circulation, had its credit rating slashed four levels by S&P to B-, or six levels above default. Debt rated B is likely to become impaired in adverse business, financial or economic conditions, S&P notes.
Singleton expects the company, with average weekday circulation of 2.6 million in fiscal 2007, to remain in compliance with debt covenants, the chief executive officer said in a June 12 telephone interview.
On June 30, if MediaNews has the debt-to-cash flow ratio of 6.53 times it reported on Dec. 31, 2007, it would be in violation of its loans, according to S&P.
Newspaper Publisher McClatchy to Lay Off 1,400 Employees
McClatchy, publisher of 28 daily newspapers across the country including the Miami Herald and Sacramento Bee, announced that it will lay off 1,400 employees, or about 10 percent of its workforce. The cuts aren’t uniform across its property, however, and it is estimated the Miami Herald will see cuts as deep as 17 percent of employees.
PrimaDonna PR Adds Several Clients
PrimaDonna PR announced it has hired Genesis Kobos, formerly of LeGrand Hart, and added author Caryn West, SEE Eyewear, Delish Demure and The Gerald P. Murphy Cancer Foundation as clients.
Husted: There’s a 40 Percent Chance Rick Reilly Will be Dead in Two Years
If the Denver Press Club offers to make you its Damon Runyon Award winner, you might want to think twice. Of the 15 past winners, six have since died – Tim Russert, Mike Royko, Herb Caen, Molly Ivins, David Halberstam and Ed Bradley.
Denver Advertising Firm McClain Finlon Sold
McClain Finlon founder Cathey Finlon is selling her firm, which was devastated earlier this year when it lost the Qwest account to Chicago-based draftfcb. The firm’s president, Paul Leroue, will acquire a majority stake and the CEO title, and Finlon will remain as chairwoman of the board with a minority stake. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed.
At Least There Was Still Room for Two Adult-themed Ads
Monday business sections have always been a bit light, but the Denver Post is taking this tradition to absurd proportions. Today’s business “section” is two pages that contain a grand total of four articles. And of the four articles, only one is written by a Post reporter (two are from the AP and one from the Washington Post).
Craigslist: “Arena 4 Rent. Aug. 25-28. Previous Renter’s Deposit Check Bounced. Call Stan @ 303-KRO-ENKE”
The DNC abruptly cancelled a media tour of the Pepsi Center scheduled for next week, citing undisclosed “outstanding issues.” The cancellation is fueling suspicions that the DNC’s inability to meet its fundraising goals is complicating logistics.
In Memoriam
The New York Post is reporting that NBC’s Tim Russert has died from a heart attack. MSNBC confirms.
Quote of the Day
“There’s no difference. They’re all, for the most part, the same.”
– KMGH/Channel 7 anchor and reporter Jim Hooley, in a moment of candor, responding to a question about how broadcast channels 4, 7, 9 and 31 cover news. Hooley’s remark was made at a BusinessWire media breakfast this week.
Newspaper Roundup, Sponsored by Zoloft
A Wachovia analyst cut his rating on the newspaper sector today, forecasting a steeper decline in advertising revenue over the next two years. Meanwhile, Gannett employees are, not surprisingly, unhappy with the company’s decision to freeze its pension program in light of significant revenue declines.
GBSM Client Wins
GBSM has been awarded management consulting and strategic communications assignments from new and existing clients, including AARP, the National Endowment for Financial Education, Colorado Council of the Arts, the Colorado chapter of the National Association for Industrial and Office Properties, Regional Transportation District, Boulder Scientific and New Mexico State University.
Colorado Ski Country USA Cuts One-Third of its Staff
Colorado Ski Country USA is reeling from Vail Resorts’ decision last week to withdraw from the trade association because it didn’t focus enough on public policy issues and lobbying efforts. The move by Vail Resorts effectively cut CSCUSA’s annual budget from $3.5 million to $1.7 million, and the trade organization has responded by eliminating a third of its staff and dropping almost all of its domestic marketing efforts.
Bawmann Group Adds Two Clients
The Bawmann Group added Quality Is Learned and Rocky Mountain Learning Center as clients.
Another HQ Loss for Denver
Corporate Express, whose U.S. headquarters are in Broomfield, has accepted a buyout offer from Framingham, Mass.-based Staples.
Husted, We Have a Problem II
Well, now Bill Husted is just mocking us. You know our thoughts about ESPN Zone “sightings.“
Make Love Like a Newspaper Reporter
No one exudes sensuality more than a newspaper reporter, so it makes sense that Denver Post feature writer Doug Brown and his wife Annie would appear on the Today Show to discuss his book, Just Do It: How One Couple Turned Off the TV and Turned On Their Sex Lives for 101 Days (NO EXCUSES!).
Newspaper Publisher Acknowledges Decline in Business Value
Continued bad news for the newspaper industry – Gannett Co., publisher of USA Today and 80 other daily newspapers, will write down the value of its assets by $2.5 billion to $3 billion, an indication that the company doesn’t expect to recover fully from a steep decline in the value of its business.
GroundFloor Media Wins SmartyPig
GroundFloor Media has picked up SmartyPig as a client.
Vladimir Jones Continues its Shake-up
Fresh off its name change from PRACO to Vladimir Jones, the agency has named former EVP Meredith Hall Vaughan president.
Linhart Wins UNC
Linhart PR has added the University of Northern Colorado as a client.
Denver PR Jobs
Even the anecdotal economic data is rough: There are just three new PR jobs this week on Andrew Hudson’s Jobs List, and one of them is in New Mexico: Los Alamos National Laboratory, Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association and Quantum.
Milwaukee + Golden = Dallas?
When Molson and Coors joined to form Molson Coors, you knew they had put the lawyers in charge of the names. And when Molson Coors created a joint venture with Miller and named it MillerCoors, well, you knew the lawyers were still in charge of the names, but that some clerical hiccup along the way made them realize having no space between the names was better. Probably some 8-K filing issue.
Anyway, Leo Kiely finally tossed his last dart at the board to pick the joint venture’s leadership staff. Expect the joint venture to be based in Dallas or Chicago, the two cities that always end up with companies that Denver wants desperately to land (see United, Boeing, etc.).
Worst Pitch Ever
With a breakdown of why.
Let’s Hope the Magazine’s Title was Intended to be Retro
It looks like Halo and Skittles will have competition for the attention of Colorado IT workers. Former Denver Newspaper Agency VP of IT Eric Wolferman is launching Rocky Mountain TechLine, a magazine that will “cover news from local and regional technology companies, profile tech experts, feature columns from local technology experts, and more.”
Ballmer Forecasts Death of Newspapers; Industry Relieved
The best news the newspaper industry has had in a while: Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer thinks the print industry will be dead in 10 years. Ballmer hasn’t been right about anything since Vista Zune MSN WebTV WGA Xbox.
Crocs: Our Financial Statements Are as Flexible as Our Shoes
It has been a bad year for Crocs. If you believe the company’s naysayers, the company’s shoes are a fad that has passed and are inherently unsafe. And Crocs’ share price has plummeted from more than $74 to less than $10 over the past eight months. And now the company is having to spend time assuring Wall Street that just because it makes a few mistakes in its quarterly filings, it really isn’t a big deal.
Vladimir Jones = Pedophilia, Impaling?
What does advertising and PR firm PRACO/Vladimir Jones have to do with pedophilia and impaling? Denver Post business columnist Al Lewis makes the connection. And we’re sure this is just the kind of “conversation” PRACO had in mind when it changed its name.
Economy Forces Some Denver Agencies to Slim Down
The general economic malaise that has affected other cities’ PR agencies is beginning to affect some of Denver’s consumer-focused agencies. Several agencies have seen their staffs dwindle by as much as 50 percent, and word today is that Schenkein let six staffers go this week, which represents approximately 30 percent of its employee base.
Said Schenkein’s Leanna Clark, “We had some client losses late last year, and while we’ve brought in several new pieces of business in 08, they’ve not offset those losses. This, combined with the current economic outlook, has led us to reduce staff accordingly in order to realign our expectations and goals for the year.”
We expect that you will see a number of other Denver agencies shrink over the coming months, whether through formal layoffs or simply attrition. We give credit to Schenkein for being generous with its severance packages, though. Clark noted that “our top priority in this was to ensure we were treating all our staff, both those we’ve had to let go as well those who continue with us, with the utmost honesty, respect and dignity.”
Denver PR Moves
- GroundFloor Media has named Ramonna Tooley partner.
- Boulder-based SNAP! PR hired Sylvia Henry as account coordinator.
Colorado Economic Growth Continues to Slow
The macro-level economic data continues to trickle in, and the numbers aren’t comforting. Colorado’s rate of economic growth slowed to 2 percent in 2007, down from 3 percent in 2006 and 4.5 percent in 2005, according to estimates released today by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Colorado’s 2007 growth rate was near the median, ranking 22nd in the nation.
Schenkein Hosts Intern Reunion
Schenkein is hosting an Intern Reunion on Tuesday, June 24, at 5:30 p.m. at the Wynkoop Brewery.
We Didn’t Factor This Into Our ‘Wendy Aiello Mentions’ Contest
If you have a few spare antidepressants sitting around (and if you are in PR you probably do), you may want to offer them to Penny Parker, Bill Husted and Wendy Aiello. The number of official DNC soirees has been cut 96 percent.
United Airlines to Lay Off 1,500
United Airlines will lay off 1,500 employees, mothball 100 planes and kill its Ted brand in response to high fuel costs.
Coloradoan Selects Ad Director as New Publisher/President
Kim Roegner has been named president and publisher of the Fort Collins Coloradoan. She joins the paper from The Courier-Journal in Louisville, Ky., where she was the display advertising director.
Al Lewis and the Art of Re-gifting
Sharon Linhart ponied up $75 to purchase Denver Post business columnist Al Lewis’ slightly used mask as part of the 2008 Mask Project.
Denver Post … Meet The Bobs
MediaNews Group CEO and Denver Post publisher William Dean Singleton has hired management consulting firm Bain & Co. to reshape MediaNews, and told an audience at the World Newspaper Congress in Sweden that the resulting changes mean, “We expect our business to look a lot different next year.”
VisiTech Lands New Account
VisiTech PR has picked up Seattle-based Hubspan as a client.
You’d Think PRSA Would be Better at PR
Catfight alert: Denver’s own Andrew Cohen vs. PRSA. And it is hard to figure out who to root for. Cohen loses points for saying on the CBS Morning Show, “Show me a PR person who is ‘accurate’ and ‘truthful,’ and I’ll show you a PR person who is unemployed” and for making us wait an extra 10 minutes to watch the segment about the Filipino guy Journey hired to replace Steve Perry after the band saw him on YouTube.
But PRSA started it all by linking Scott McClellan to public relations in the first place. McClellan was an administration spokesman, and nobody outside the industry even thought of him as a PR guy until PRSA injected itself into the debate.
As for the fallout, we think everybody should lighten up. Cohen’s a lawyer, for God’s sake. After all the lawyer jokes he’s endured, of course he’s going to take a shot when he gets the chance. And given that politicians, used car salesmen, journalists and pedophiles are about the only groups that people trust less than lawyers, we think everyone can cut him a little slack.
Salazar’s Communications Director Joins GBSM
GBSM has hired U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar’s communications director Cody Wertz as a senior associate. Wertz will lead the firm’s public involvement and outreach efforts related to water and transportation issues. The firm also added Christine Alducin as an associate. She formerly was director of Marketing and Film for Sonora Entertainment Group.
What, the Lawyers Wouldn’t Approve Crispin Praco + Bogusky?
Sure, the name ‘Praco’ sucked. But ‘Vladimir Jones?’ So far, the Denver advertising community is not impressed.
Ding …
Denver Post business columnist Al Lewis takes Southwest Airlines to task for its shoddy maintenance practices that are undermining public confidence in the company and reinforcing the notion that airlines have become the Greyhound of the skies.
Regional Emmy Nominees Announced
The 2008 Heartland Regional Emmy Award nominations are out. The complete list of nominees is here.
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).