Fame and Shame: The Lighter Side of News

We all love to poke fun at gaffes in the media. Come hear two of the Brazos Valley’s broadcast gurus take the lead in a professional development event at IABC/Brazos Valley.

Mike Wright, general manager of KBTX Media, and Ben Downs, vice president and general manager of Bryan Broadcasting Corporation, will take us behind-the scenes and talk about lessons learned. But don’t think it’s going to be all serious — be prepared to laugh at the fame and shame.

Download the PDF flyer to learn more or to share with others.

Admission at the door is $15 for IABC members and $20 for nonmembers. You can also pay in advance with a credit card by using the Google Checkout link found on the RSVP page, but please note that there is an additional $1/person surcharge. Also, please take a few moments to familiarize yourself with the cancellation and refund policy.

RSVP today.

Photos from Viva! Brazos Bravo

Remember when we said what happens at Brazos Bravo stays in Brazos Bravo?

We lied.

Enjoy this photo gallery from Brazos Bravo 2008. If you where there, we hope it brings back fun memories. If you missed it, we hope you feel insanely jealous and try extra hard to attend next year.

Bribes to have your photo removed will be donated to the IABC Research Foundation.

2008 Southern Region Conference

It’s not too early to start making your professional development plans for the Fall. This year the IABC Southern Region Conference is being held in beautiful Colorado. Want to know more? Watch the video below!

Hook the Media

As a communicator, the task of getting your organization’s news to key media outlets is a very important task. But it’s only half the battle.

What do reporters and journalists at local and national print and broadcast outlets look for when making decisions on what to report on? What catches their eye, and what materials or methods are more likely to help land your news in a print publication or newscast?

Join Anne Deuermeyer, account executive with Business Wire, at our meeting on May 15 as she shares helpful hints that both local and national news reporters have passed on to her. She will discuss:

• Tips for writing a press release that will stand out to both traditional and new media (print/broadcast v. online search engines)
• Best practices for getting your news to the media (wire services - the big bang)
• Best methods for following up with individual reporters

Anne Deuermeyer joined Business Wire’s Houston office as an account executive in December 2005. She consults daily with public relations, investor relations, marketing and communications professionals to assist them in getting their organization’s news to the media and the financial and investment communities. Deuermeyer graduated magna cum laude with a B.S. in psychology and a minor in business from Texas A&M University in 2005.

Don’t forget: after you RSVP, come back and pay in advance using your credit card!

Last Chance for Brazos Bravo

Don’t forget that Viva! Brazos Bravo is this week. We’ve extended registration until Tuesday, just for you procrastinators. Sign up now for an evening showcasing the best communications in the Brazos Valley… and Elvis! You can even save time at check-in by paying in advance by credit card. At the door we’ll be taking cash or checks only, so take advantage of the convenience while you can.

Press Release 2.0 follow-up

Matt Herzberger gave a great talk today about press releases in the context of online social media. If you missed it, or if what you heard has you interested in learning more, he kindly posted his slides and a ton of links. Just visit Matt Herzberger’s blog.

Viva, Brazos Bravo!

RSVP now for the Viva, Brazos Bravo! celebration, from 6 to 9 p.m. April 17 at the University Club on the 11th floor of Rudder Tower on the Texas A&M University campus.

Gather with colleagues and friends to enjoy the lights of College Station and meet special guest Elvis Presley. Don’t worry, we don’t think Elvis lives round here… but we do love his communication style and his white jumpsuits. And he’ll be there to serenade our supper, just like his famous Vegas dinner shows.

Viva is IABC/Brazos Valley’s 22nd annual Brazos Bravo awards. Judges from across the nation have examined local work in everything from podcasts and Web sites to magazines, brochures and communication campaigns. Come celebrate the first-class communications work of Brazos Valley writers, editors, designers, marketers, photographers, Web gurus and business communicators.

Please take a moment to RSVP. Note that this year you can visit the same page to pay online by credit card! However, please be aware that paying and RSVPing are two completely separate processes. Please RSVP so that we have an accurate head count.

Professional Development for Senior Communicators: Analyzing Communication Trends

Are you a communicator with ten or more years of experience, or do you hold a title of manager, director, or a comparable position? Then join us on March 25 for a special brown bag lunch with Pam McConathy of the Foresight Communications Group. Pam will apply her 25 years in public relations consulting to discuss analyzing communication trends.

This event is free to IABC/Brazos Valley members and $90 for non-members, but everyone must register. You are welcome to bring your own brown bag lunch, or you may join us in ordering an assorted sandwich tray with chips and iced tea from Jason’s Deli for $8.

Vist the registration page for more information.

Press Release 2.0: News Releases in the Social Media Era

We have all done the same old press releases:

Insert headline, byline, body

Join Matt Herzberger, Web designer for Texas A&M Engineering Communications and a social media evangelist, as we explore how to, as Emeril would say, "Kick it up a notch." We will talk about how to create a press release that will draw in users and address the changing needs of the end consumer and increasing ease of use for the media. It’s important for us to adjust our message format and delivery to respond to the needs of today’s web-savvy audience. 

Sign up today for this session March 20 at 11:30 a.m. at the Briarcrest Country Club. Sign up today!

For more information about Matt, visit his personal blog or BlogHighEd, which he co-founded.

Writing for the Ear

Podcasters and speech writers know that writing for the ear is different than writing for a publication like a magazine or website. Come listen to radio reporter and executive Paul Ladd at the Feb. 21 IABC meeting on "Writing for the Ear." He will discuss the difference between writing for publication and for a broadcast audience - including radio, podcasting and television.

Paul is planning an interactive presentation with hand-outs, activities and time for questions.

Paul is director of listener follow-up for World Christian Broadcasting in Nashville and is a reporter for its English Language Service. He has interviewed countless newsmakers and celebrities and has delivered traffic reports from a hot-air balloon and the Oscar Mayer Weinermobile. In addition to his radio and television work, he also has written for numerous magazines and was a columnist for several years for In Review, a weekly newspaper in Nashville.

He is past president and senior delegate of IABC Nashville and served as chapter president from 2005 to 2007. He also is a member of the Atlanta Press Club.

Join us on February 21 for this enlightening look at reaching your audience’s hearts by way of their ears. If your organization is considering a podcast, don’t miss it.