PR Week (US) articles from December 2003

PR Week (US) archives from December 2003

Opponents of new Medicare bill mobilize comms effort against AARP.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... WASHINGTON: AARP, often called America's most influential advocacy group, became the victim of its own brand of political pressure last month after endorsing the Republican-crafted Medicare overhaul bill that was passed by Congress last week....

File-sharing service Kazaa launches rebranding effort.
December 1, 2003... NEW YORK: In the midst of a pitched public debate over the future of the recording industry, Magnet Communications is helping to reposition the controversial file-sharing service Kazaa as a legitimate business, despite industry attempts to...

PN gets top role as DAS claims Aventis oncology account.(Porter Novelli, Omnicom's Diversified Agency Services)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... STRASBOURG, FRANCE: Aventis has handed all marketing responsibilities for its global oncology franchise to Team Aventis Oncology, a network created by Omnicom's Diversified Agency Services (DAS) division, on which the holding company will rely...

Companies content with diversity levels.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... NEW YORK: Both PR firms and in-house PR departments said overwhelmingly that they are satisfied with the level of ethnic and racial diversity among their staffs, finds a new PRWeek/Hill & Knowlton survey. These results come despite...

PRWeek presents 2004 directory of comms contacts.
December 1, 2003... NEW YORK: The 2004 edition of PRWeek Contact is now available. This directory, which was first launched last year, is a business reference tool providing information on PR agencies, service companies, undergraduate and graduate PR programs,...

Childhood-obesity concerns prompt latest Coke initiative.( Coca-Cola Company launches public relations campaign targeted to parents and educators)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... ATLANTA: Responding to criticism that soda consumption in schools is contributing to childhood obesity, the Coca-Cola Company announced a series of initiatives designed to improve its image among parents and educators. 'We have been...

Rainbow appoints new marcomms head.(Jim Weiss named senior vice president of marketing and communications)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... LOS ANGELES: Rainbow Media Holdings, owner of AMC, Fuse, The Independent Film Channel, and WE: Women's Entertainment, has hired a new head of marketing and communications. Jim Weiss takes the title of SVP at Rainbow, where he will be in...

Brightmail taps H&K as it ups public-affairs focus.(Hill & Knowlton )(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... SAN FRANCISCO: As junk e-mail, or 'spam,' becomes more ubiquitous, not just in people's e-mail boxes, but also in the news and on legislative agendas, anti-spam technology company Brightmail wants to focus its efforts more on analyst relations...

Baker set to retire after 30-year run in automotive PR.(William Baker to retire from Land Rover North America)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... IRVINE, CA: After 30 years in auto PR, William Baker is retiring as director, special projects, at Land Rover North America, effective December 31. He is one of the eight senior execs who launched Land Rover's North America operations in 1986....

NEWS BRIEF: Innis Maggiore selected as AOR for FitWorks.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... CANTON, OH: Innis Maggiore, an advertising and PR firm, has been selected as AOR for FitWorks Fitness Centers, which provide fitness- and health-related services at 15 locations throughout the Cleveland, Akron, and Cincinnati areas.

NEWS BRIEF: Roher PR selected by Antex Electronics.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... CHAPPAQUA, NY: Roher Public Relations has been selected by Antex Electronics Corporation, a developer of professional digital audio products, satellite receiving systems, and media servers, for a launch program for the company's first consumer...

NEWS BRIEF: Neale-May & Partners adds several new clients.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... PALO ALTO, CA: Neale-May & Partners has added several new clients over the past two months, including semiconductor company Sandbridge Technologies and Responsys. Responsys develops electronic and analytic applications to help manage and...

NEWS BRIEF: Access Communications adds six new clients.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... SAN FRANCISCO: Access Communications has added six new clients in the enterprise, telecommunications, mobile, and security markets, including Amdocs, which develops billing and customer-relationship management software and services. Other new...

NEWS BRIEF: Linhart McClain Finlon PR selected by ProLogis.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... DENVER: Linhart McClain Finlon Public Relations has been selected to provide PR counsel to ProLogis, a global provider of distribution facilities and services. The firm will provide a variety of services to ProLogis, including media relations...

NEWS BRIEF: The Horn Group adds a dozen new clients.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... SAN FRANCISCO: The Horn Group has added a dozen new clients in the past few months, including Bladelogic and Telcordia Technologies. Bladelogic develops data-center automation software, while Telcordia develops telecommunications software and...

NEWS BRIEF: Ruder Finn's tech practice adds several new clients.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... NEW YORK: Ruder Finn's tech practice has added several new clients, including website performance-measurement company Gomez, network-infrastructure services firm AboveNet, and digital phone service Voiceglo.

NEWS BRIEF: SkyStream Networks taps A&R Partners.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... SUNNYVALE, CA: SkyStream Networks has tapped A&R Partners to provide corporate and product PR. SkyStream develops video-networking technology for delivering advanced video and IP services. A&R will focus on media and analyst relations, and will...

NEWS BRIEF: AMI Semiconductor selects Shelton.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... POCATELLO, ID: AMI Semiconductor has selected Shelton to provide PR, IR, and marketing services. AMI develops advanced semiconductor technology, such as mixed-signal and structured digital products. Shelton will serve at AMI's US agency of...

NEWS BRIEF: Margo Kraus joins Fleishman-Hillard.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... PORTLAND, OR: Margo Kraus, a registered dietitian and nutrition communications specialist, has joined Fleishman-Hillard's Northwest office to help support the agency's growing list of food and agro-business clients served by the Portland, OR...

NEWS BRIEF: Agencies associated with incorrect clients.(Correction Notice)
December 1, 2003... CLARIFICATION: In 'Merging companies give media fair crack at story' (PRWeek, November 24, 2003), the two agencies involved in the merger were associated with incorrect clients. Abernathy MacGregor Group represented Moore Wallace, while...

UK agency The Red Consultancy sets up New York office.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... NEW YORK: UK-based The Red Consultancy opened a US office this week, as it attempts to build on its growth in Europe. The firm is owned by PR-services holding company Incepta Group. Mirella Cameran will lead the office as MD. 'Red New York...

Golin lends advice to EU on struggling antitobacco effort.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... WASHINGTON: The European Union is seeking some private-sector US advice before relaunching its international antitobacco push. Executives from the DC office of Golin/Harris International were invited to a meeting in Rome last month with...

Pentagon takes bids for Iraqi news media.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... WASHINGTON: The Pentagon is searching for an entity to take over its massive media operation in Iraq, transforming what is now perceived largely as US propaganda into the country's premiere source of, in the words of the RFP, 'accurate, fair,...

Groups prepare attack on low-carb diet health claims.
December 1, 2003... BOSTON: The low-carb diet movement may be about to have a PR battle on its plate. Oldways Preservation & Exchange Trust, a food think tank that promotes the Mediterranean diet, is planning a major international conference next year to...

Jackson launches news website in wake of arrest.(Michael Jackson)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... NEW YORK: Pop star Michael Jackson is the latest public figure in a highly publicized legal tussle to launch a website devoted to providing information to supporters and media during an ongoing criminal investigation. In recent months,...

BusinessWire inks deal for expanded offerings in China.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... NEW YORK: Business Wire (BW) has forged an agreement with a Chinese government agency to offer news distribution to businesses, media outlets, government and educational institutions, and consumers in Hong Kong and mainland China. BW's new...

Burson chosen to direct strategy for Pfizer's Pregabalin.(Burson-Marsteller)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... NEW YORK: Pfizer has appointed Burson-Marsteller to handle US and international strategy for Pregabalin, a treatment for neuropathic pain and adjunctive therapy in epilepsy, which is currently pending review in the US and in Europe. ...

Dittus opens new practice dedicated to counseling energy clients.(Dittus Communications )(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... WASHINGTON: Dittus Communications is launching a practice with a focus on providing high-level counsel to the energy industry, one of the most contentious sectors in DC today. Leading the practice is Buddy Eller, who recently joined the...

Access, Noblemen gain US PR task for Silicon Graphics.(Access Communications; Noblemen Communications )(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA: Silicon Graphics has split its US PR account between two midsize agencies, after two years with Fleishman-Hillard. Access Communications will handle corporate communications and storage PR. Noblemen Communications will...

Disney makes top-level promotions in film-publicity unit.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... LOS ANGELES: Disney has made two high-level changes to its communications team, hiring a leader for its Buena Vista division and promoting a long-time veteran to a top role at Disney Studios. Heidi Trotta has been appointed SVP of...

The annual Taste of Vail taps CTA for 2004 media push.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... VAIL, CO: The Taste of Vail, an annual food festival that draws 5,000 visitors from 40 states and 10 foreign countries, has hired CTA Public Relations to handle marketing and PR for the 2004 event, to be held next April 7-10. The agency...

EDITORIAL: Pfizer pitch will offer telltale sign of PR's place in the marketing hierarchy at holding companies.
December 1, 2003... Pfizer's decision to solicit pitches from WPP, Interpublic, and Omnicom, inviting each holding company to offer its 'best of breed' to work on its cardiovascular drugs category, demands that agencies within these holding companies put their...

OP-ED: Legal considerations enter the client-firm relationship.(public relations )
December 1, 2003... Leading insurance brokers and lawyers across the country report that lawsuits against ad and PR agencies have soared by 30% over the past few years, and show no sign of letting up. These suits generally involve allegations involving the...

ANALYSIS: Consumer Electronics - Brand building key as tech market gets more crowded.
December 1, 2003... As Christmas nears, companies introducing consumer electronics will focus on developing trust for their brands and the experience they provide. Santa will need a bigger bag. This holiday season, and beyond, consumers face a daunting...

PAUL HOLMES: Consumer interests stand to lose the most in Supreme Court non-ruling on Suzuki-CU case.
December 1, 2003... More than a decade ago, Suzuki earned itself a place in the crisis-management textbooks thanks to its response to a negative review by Consumer Reports. After the magazine claimed the Suzuki Samurai was prone to rollovers, the company fought...

CORPORATE CASE STUDY - Boston Scientific links consistent branding to growth.
December 1, 2003... Boston Scientific has maintained the momentum of its early success through a slew of acquisitions and successful products, and is now unifying them in a focused branding effort. Boston Scientific is a medical-device company dedicated to...

THE AGENCY BUSINESS: Is there another wave of agency acquisitions on the horizon?(public relations industry)
December 1, 2003... PR firm consolidation tends to occur in cycles. And while the next round of M&As may be more circumscribed and less lucrative than past ones, it appears a new wave is likely soon. Is the third wave on its way? There are signs it might be...

MEDIA ROUNDUP: Media giving more attention to pets.
December 1, 2003... Though mainstream outlets don't typically have dedicated reporters on pets, it's a hot topic since there are always offbeat hooks or trends to be found. David Ward reports. A few years ago, it was enough for pet owners to throw a bag of dry...

MEDIA: Journalist Q&A - Tony Silber, M10 Communications.(Interview)
December 1, 2003... Name: Tony Silber Publication: M10 Communications Title: Managing partner Preferred contact method: tsilber@m10report.com Website: www.m10report.com The magazine industry often appears as a minor league of celebrities,...

MEDIA WATCH: Viagra faces slew of healthy competitors.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... It has been a busy year for Pfizer, the maker of the ubiquitous erectile-dysfunction treatment, Viagra. The company spent the fifth birthday of its banner pill combating the first rivals to its worldwide monopoly. Bayer...

MEDIA BRANDS: Hiring Blodget to cover Stewart's trial fits the trend, but also threatens journalistic trust.(Slate hires Henry Blodget to cover trial of Martha Stewart)
December 1, 2003... As if we needed more evidence that F. Scott Fitzgerald's line about there being no second acts in American life is dead wrong, out of the ashes of the dot-com bust comes Henry Blodget. Blodget, you'll recall, was a fixture on financial TV news...

PROFILE: Shutterbug Esparza helps develop the CBS brand.(CBS photographer Tony Esparza)(Interview)
December 1, 2003... While Tony Esparza has spent 45 years behind CBS' camera, Anita Chabria finds that his professionalism, demeanor and, of course, his photographs have come to epitomize how the network PR arm is seen. CBS photographer Tony Esparza stood in...

REGIONAL FOCUS: ATLANTA - State of independents.
December 1, 2003... Atlanta's recovery has been buoyed by a strong backbone of freelancers and independent counselors. What a difference a year makes. While reconfiguration in the face of a devastating recession characterized the Atlanta PR market last year,...

PR TECHNIQUE: ORGANIZED LABOR - Using PR to strike before the union does.
December 1, 2003... Any labor action could potentially damage a company's image. John N. Frank finds how to use PR to minimize problems while staying sympathetic to the employees. Tim O'Brien, principal with O'Brien Communications in Pittsburgh, has worked on...

CAMPAIGN: Cold Stone allows media to get true sense of its flavor.
December 1, 2003... Team: Cold Stone Creamery (Scottsdale, AZ) and Golin/Harris (Los Angeles) Campaign: Cold Stone Creamery's Times Square opening Time Frame: March-June 2003 Budget: dollars 75,000 Golin/Harris, which has been Cold Stone's agency of...

CAMPAIGN: New appearance helps reenergize Sears customers.
December 1, 2003... PR Team: Sears Roebuck and Co. (Hoffman Estates, IL) and Dome Communications (Chicago) Campaign: 'Sears Appliance Re-Charge' Time Frame: May - August 2003 Budget: Under dollars 215,000 Sears research found that shoppers knew about...

CAMPAIGN: Ice-Tek reaches for stars to build buzz for watches.(Ice-Tek Watch Company, SW Public Relations)
December 1, 2003... PR Team: Ice-Tek Watch Company (New York) and 5W Public Relations (New York) Campaign: Creating Brand Awareness for Ice-Tek Watches Time Frame: April 2003-ongoing Budget: Under dollars 100,000 annually Such were the prospects for...

THE PUBLICIST: Even if all the stars come out, Britney's shines the brightest.(Britney Spears tops heap of public relations stories)(Column)
December 1, 2003... Monday, November 17th was one of the biggest days in California history. Journalists had gathered from around the world. Thousands of spectators had been lining up since early morning, hoping for a glimpse of the momentous occasion. A changing...

PR PLAY OF THE WEEK: Honesty proves the best policy for Kerry.(democratic presidential candidate John Kerry)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... CONCORD, NH: In what seems like a first for a flagging Presidential run, Democratic contender John Kerry recently admitted the obvious, and publicly stated that his campaign wasn't up to snuff. After blowing an early lead in NH in the race for...

TOY BOX: Sanyo 8100 is a picture of consistency.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
December 1, 2003... I've tried several camera phones, and none have worked as consistently well as the Sanyo 8100, part of Sprint's Picture Mail line. Not for this price, at least. In appearance, it's your standard flip phone. There's nothing particularly...

BOOK REVIEW: 'Secret' reveals US' PR prowess in WWII.(Book Review)
December 1, 2003... The current administration loves to boast about the unconventional means employed in its war on terror. But cash payoffs to warlords and super-sized bombs can't compare in creativity to the theatrical misdirection pulled off by this band of ad...

P&G convenes its PR and ad teams in consumer-marketing rethink.(Procter & Gamble Co.)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... CINCINNATI: Procter & Gamble has asked its PR and ad agencies to take a closer look at how the consumer-goods company can use key influencers in its marketing efforts. P&G, one of the world's largest consumer marketers, also wants firms to...

Cisco ends six-month AOR hunt with Weber Shandwick.(Cisco Systems selected Interpublic Group's Weber Shandwick as its agency of record in the US)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... SAN JOSE, CA: After spending six months on a highly competitive RFP that many PR firms viewed as 2003's ultimate technology account, Cisco Systems has selected Interpublic Group's Weber Shandwick (WS) as its agency of record in the US. Hill &...

Bacon's purchases MediaMap in latest data-service union.(Bacon's Information; )(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... CHICAGO: Bacon's Information last week purchased competitor MediaMap in a dollars 23 million transaction that seems to underscore the trend of further consolidation in the communication management-services market. Following the deal,...

DKC to help Progress push radio network.(Dan Klores Communications )(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... NEW YORK: Dan Klores Communications (DKC) is helping to introduce Progress Media's plans for a liberal radio network to an intensely interested, but highly skeptical press. The agency has been assisting Progress Media with media relations...

Stephens quits HP after four months as VP of global PR.(CA: Suzette Stephens has resigned as vice president of global communications at Hewlett-Packard)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... PALO ALTO, CA: Suzette Stephens has quit Hewlett-Packard, just four months after being named VP of global communications. HP declined to comment on Stephens' departure, only to say in a statement that Stephens' 'resignation was mutually...

Bloggers indicate desire for PR pitches over advertising.(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... NEW YORK: Almost three-quarters of bloggers would be open to PR pitches if contacted, according to a recent survey of more than 600 people who maintain weblogs. The survey, answered by those who have submitted their sites to the Blog...

F-H taps Kundred as head of West Coast.(Fleishman-Hillard appointed Curt Kundred as West Coast president)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... SAN FRANCISCO: Fleishman-Hillard has named Curt Kundred as West Coast president. He will oversee the San Francisco, LA, Portland, San Diego, and Sacramento offices. Kundred, who is a senior partner and GM of the San Francisco office, fills...

Edelman brings in Merrill to take over for Rafkin-Sax.(Andrew Merrill; Hollis Rafkin-Sax)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... NEW YORK: Edelman has named Andrew Merrill, a former managing director at Abernathy MacGregor Group, as global MD of its financial practice. He fills the role vacated in November by Hollis Rafkin-Sax, who is now vice chairman at Financial...

Expedia conducts review for agency as sector crowds.(public relations)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... BELLEVUE, WA: Travel website Expedia.com is in the midst of a search for a PR agency, and is hoping to make a selection by the end of the year. PR director Andrea Riggs confirmed the company was conducting a search, which began in early...

NEWS BRIEF: Appointment at Michelin North America.(Lynn Mann has become public relations director)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... GREENVILLE, SC: Lynn Mann has become PR director for Michelin North America. Mann joined Michelin in 2000 and had been senior PR manager. She'll report to Michael Fanning, VP of corporate affairs.

NEWS BRIEF: Plesser Associates opens office in Washington, DC.(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... WASHINGTON: Plesser Associates, the Manhattan-based PR firm, has opened an office in Washington, DC. It will be headed by Kent Holland, EVP.

NEWS BRIEF: Mediawise Communications works with US manufacturers.(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, FL: Mediawise Communications, a marketing and PR company, will be working with many US manufacturers as part of a new consultancy agreement, including Inventory Solutions Network, a Charlotte, NC-based specialist software...

NEWS BRIEF: Brod Group changes its name.(to Brod & Schaffer, LLC)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... NEW YORK: Brod Group, a boutique IR firm, has changed its name to 'Brod & Schaffer, LLC' for legal and business purposes. The firm has also relocated to new offices at the Helmsley Building in midtown Manhattan.

NEWS BRIEF: CASE forges partnership with US Newswire.(Council for Advancement and Support of Education )(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... WASHINGTON: The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), a nonprofit education association, has forged a partnership with US Newswire that will provide news release and multimedia news distribution services to individual and...

NEWS BRIEF: Sequiam Corporation appoints YPB&R.(appointed Yesawich, Pepperdine, Brown & Russell as its public relations agency)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... ORLANDO, FL: Sequiam Corporation, an information management and software technology company, has appointed Yesawich, Pepperdine, Brown & Russell (YPB&R) as its PR agency. YPB&R will be responsible for developing and implementing a national...

NEWS BRIEF: Pro Sports & Entertainment selects Edelman.(Edelman Sports & Entertainment Marketing )(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... NEW YORK: Pro Sports & Entertainment has selected Edelman Sports & Entertainment Marketing as its AOR for the 2004 Verizon Millrose Games. Edelman will provide strategic counsel; manage media relations outreach to the sports, entertainment, and...

NEWS BRIEF: Bost PR veterans launch Tier One Partners.(Boston)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... BOSTON: Six veterans of the Boston PR and marketing communications field have launched Tier One Partners, a full-service PR firm. Clients already on the firm's roster include LoJack, ArcStream Solutions, Artel Video Systems, RemoteReality, and...

NEWS BRIEF: Next Fifteen Communications appoints non-executive chairman.(Will Whitehorn)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... LONDON: Next Fifteen Communications has appointed Will Whitehorn as non-executive chairman, effective January 1. Whitehorn replaces Tom Lewis, who has stepped down as chairman, but will become a non-executive director. Whitehorn is currently...

NEWS BRIEF: Barnhart/CMI named PR agency of record.(for the Rocky Mountain region of Starbucks Coffee Company)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... DENVER: Barnhart/CMI has again been named PR agency of record for the Rocky Mountain region of Starbucks Coffee Company. The advertising and PR agency has worked with Starbucks in the area since 1998. It oversees PR for Starbucks across a...

NEWS BRIEF: International Food Products Group hires BlabberMouth.(to handle a public relations/investor relations campaign)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... NEWPORT BEACH, CA: International Food Products Group has hired BlabberMouth, an Austin, TX-based PR shop, to handle a PR/IR campaign for a new line of products. International started as a snack-food company, but has been rounding out its...

NEWS BRIEF: Jonathan Stern has been promoted to SVP at CKPR.(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... MILWAUKEE: Jonathan Stern has been promoted to SVP at CKPR. He joined the firm in October 2002 as a VP and public affairs director. Stern had been director of marketing communications for NYC2012, a grouping trying to secure the 2012 Olympic...

NEWS BRIEF: Clarification.(Correction Notice)
December 8, 2003... In the Agency Business column 'A strong internship program can foster agency development' (November 24), Paul Bergevin was incorrectly identified. He is president of Citigate Cunningham, not MD of business development.

Ketchum chooses Higgins to head up Europe operation.(Jon Higgins )(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... LONDON: Ketchum has promoted partner Jon Higgins from CEO of the agency's London office to CEO of Ketchum's European operations. Higgins will report to Ketchum CEO Ray Kotcher. To replace Higgins, Ketchum has also promoted partner David...

DOC readies dollars 50m RFP in plan to lure tourists to US soil.(Department of Commerce; request for proposal)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... WASHINGTON: The Department of Commerce (DOC) is preparing to issue an RFP for a dollars 50 million integrated campaign aimed at raising America's profile as a destination for foreign tourists. A pre-solicitation notice released in November...

Sitrick involved in Disney media tug-of-war.(Michael Sitrick)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... LOS ANGELES: Roy Disney and Stanley Gold - the two directors who resigned from Disney's board last week while vocally expressing their desire for the resignation of longtime CEO Michael Eisner - have been working with their longtime PR counsel...

CEO departure kicks Boeing comms unit into high gear.(communications)
December 8, 2003... CHICAGO: Boeing's PR department sprang into action last week in the wake of CEO Phil Condit's sudden resignation December 1 and the subsequent naming of board member and former McDonnell Douglas CEO Harry Stonecipher to succeed him. Stonecipher...

Hollinger hires UK firm as Telegraph's future unsure.(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... LONDON: Hollinger International has hired Bell Pottinger Communications, a London-based crisis and public affairs firm, in an attempt to calm fevered media speculation over the future of London's Telegraph Group. Hollinger, which is being...

Telemarketers tap The MWW Group as member list grows.(American Teleservices Association)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... WASHINGTON: The American Teleservices Association, a telemarketers' organization that represents about 650 companies, has enlisted The MWW Group for public affairs and PR work. Dan Klores Communications had worked on media relations for the ATA...

Wilkinson returns to White House in new job under Rice.(Jim Wilkinson)(Brief Article)
December 8, 2003... WASHINGTON: Jim Wilkinson, the well-traveled utility man for the Bush administration's PR team, is returning to the White House. Wilkinson will craft long-term messaging strategy for the National Security Council in the role of deputy...

EDITORIAL: Boeing can keep its 7E7 plans on track if it truly communicates as Downey described in PRWeek.(Tom Downey)
December 8, 2003... A few weeks ago, we published a Corporate Case Study on Boeing's commercial-aircraft unit, only days before the dismissal of CFO Michael Sears and another executive for 'unethical conduct,' and a week or so prior to the resignation of CEO Phil...

OP-ED: Opportunities for firms and clients abound if we stick to our principles.
December 8, 2003... In remarks I delivered at last month's PRSA international conference, I had occasion to remind listeners of something I told them at the 2001 gathering: Our profession has entered a Golden Age. I firmly believed those words then, despite...

OP-ED: Localization strategies are key in good times and bad.(Middle East marketing)
December 8, 2003... Operating in the Middle East poses many challenges and opportunities in how we communicate. PR in a post-September-11 environment and the strategies we implement have changed dramatically. Global brands are under threat now more than ever...

ANALYSIS: The Job Market - Rising economy could be sign of hiring in year ahead.(public relations firms)
December 8, 2003... Signs of economic improvement abound, and hiring new people in PR jobs has now become more a question of when rather than if. Sherri Deatherage Green reports. Prognosticators see good news and bad news for the PR job market in the coming...