Does working on your CrackBerry entitle you to overtime?

A few days ago Miami Herald reporter Cindy Goodman blogged about a trend for employers who are making policies about their employees' use of BlackBerries and other handheld devices outside of work hours. Many employees are beginning to ask for overtime now that they have an even shorter digital leash to their bosses and are expected to respond to e-mails well after they punch out at work.

I have to wonder how many PR professionals are considered for overtime for all of their time working outside of 9 to 5 (BlackBerry or not). I am not on a BlackBerry, but I can't usually stay afloat without checking and responding to e-mail from home at least once or twice between the time I make it home and arrive back at work the next day. I actually consider this part of the job of a PR professional. Our industry was deadline driven even before cell phones or beepers were ubiquitous. The key is to set boundaries and limits, and unplug from time to time.

Do any of you have BlackBerry policies at your jobs? Do you feel BlackBerries have improved the PR field by making it more on demand, or has it created an unrealistic expectation of instant (but perhaps impersonal) service?

On another note, do not forget that our early bird deadline for the Sunshine District Conference is May 9. Members who register before then pay $249 ($60 off our regular rate). Visit our conference site now to check out our speakers and register for the conference. We're now less than two months away!

Speakers, Sessions and More. . .

With only two months to go, as you work on picking out the best bathing suit and researching the best restaraunts on the Beach, the SDC Planning Committee has been busy finalizing the list of speakers, panels and sessions. Below is a list of confirmed speakers for this year’s conference. But check back regularly, beause as new speakers, sessions and changes are made we'll be sure to post them here.


Keynote Speakers
Maria Elena Salinas, Univision
Karen M. Jones, DHL

Accomplishing Excellent Client Service Through PR Awards
Christine Barney, rbb Public Relations

Crisis Management: Tactics from the Trenches
Elliot Cohen, Cohen Crisis Management

From strategic decision making intended to control messaging during a crisis to ways to maximize your influence on coverage of your organization, this session will teach damage prevention, and damage control as well as insider tips on how to use the media's own competitive nature to your advantage. There are lessons on the sophistication of the new media 24/7 news cycle and how you can use the demand for constant information on the internet to control your own message.

International PR Agency Roundtable Discussion: The Value of Resources in a Web 2.0 World
GolinHarris
Fleishman Hillard
Burson Marsteller

Powerful Presentations – Going Beyond the Norm and Onto the Web
Geri Evans, Evans PR Group

Communicators know all too well the negative impact of ill-prepared, disorganized, and boring presentations. This rapid-paced, practical and fun session will focus on 12 specific tips for creating and delivering a more powerful presentation – one that will give strength to your message and your credibility. While the tips are not shockingly new, they are worth remembering and implementing.

PR on Demand: Preparing for a Disaster in a Post 9-11 World
Andy Newman, Newman PR
Lauren Stover, Miami-Dade Aviation

Putting Social Media to Work for You
Rosanna Fiske, APR, Florida International University
Rick Hirsch, Miami Herald

Social Media Optimization: Putting the Relations Back in PR
Ed Schipul, Schipul

VisitFlorida: How to Make it Work for Your PR Needs
C.A. Clark, Miles Media Group

Conflict of interest in Clinton campaign

Everyone learns about conflicts of interest early on in their PR career, and every now and then an agency or company is exposed for a major conflict of interest.

A glaring example occurred just a few days ago with Burson-Marsteller head Mark Penn, who was also chief strategist for Hillary Clinton. Penn, whose firm represented the Columbian government, got into hot water when he met with Columbian officials despite Clinton's strong opposition to a free trade agreement with the South American nation. While Penn said his business in Columbia was fully related to his duties with the firm, he admitted the subject of the meeting was related to the trade agreement.

The outcome? Penn lost his post with the Clinton campaign (but will continue to offer strategy) and Burson-Marsteller lost its contract with the Columbian government. Time will tell if this has a major impact on the struggling Clinton campaign, or what the long-term effect for Penn or Burson-Marsteller will be.

With the world and the way we communicate changing right before our eyes, it is more important than ever to study traditional PR principles as much as the new trends that are changing the media and how we get information. We hope to give conference participants a look at both old and new strategies and techniques at our conference in Miami Beach, June 19-21. Keep your eye on the site, as we'll be posting speaker information in the coming days.

New 2008 Media Survey Released

Everyone is talking about the convergence of media; how media professionals are wearing multiple hats due to the increase in technology and demand for instant gratification news. Just released: PRWeek/PR Newswire Media Survey (download). Hear from media pros directly...and yes, the blogosphere and new technologies are B-I-G! (full disclosure: I work for PR Newswire; PRNewswire is also a conference sponsor). Of course, it isn't just journalists that have to adapt...so do PR professionals. Our media relations strategies need to evolve in order to ensure that we are "speaking" the same language with journalists.

PR Week's Frank Washkuch writes in the piece State of transition, "From increased responsibilities to growing competition, the constantly evolving media landscape has created both challenges and opportunities for today's journalists...Many journalists are having to expand their skill set and add "blogger" to their resumes. Moreover, reporters at newspapers across the country are finding that they have to fill an online news hole, as well as the traditional ink-stained pages, according to the 2008 PRWeek/PR Newswire Media Survey. "