News,

August 10, 2011

NEWS RELEASE Attention: Assignment Desk

MEDIA CONTACT Karen Dalton, APR Executive Director 416-239-7034 kdalton@cprs.ca

 

CANADIAN PUBLIC RELATIONS SOCIETY ANNOUNCES
NEWLY ELECTED BOARD OF DIRECTORS

TORONTO – Following the Canadian Public Relations Society's (CPRS) Annual General Meeting on June 5, CPRS board members re-elected Pierrette Leonard APR, FCPRS (Ottawa) as CPRS national president and Richard Truscott, APR (Calgary) as vicepresident and treasurer for second terms. Sean Kelly APR, FCPRS (St. John's) was elected as vice-president and corporate secretary for the first time.

"To be re-elected as national president of CPRS by my fellow members of the Board, and to see their trust placed in me for a second term is a tremendous feeling," said Leonard. "With our collective effort, we will continue to strive for the long-term vision of growth, stability and prosperity for CPRS."

Angela Murray (Halifax), Rashpal Rai (Burnaby), Lawrence J. Stevenson, APR (Toronto) and Sandra Thornton APR, FCPRS (Edmonton) are the four newest members to join the CPRS Board of Directors. Fellow board members include: Martine Dorval APR, FCPRS (Montréal); Robert W. Ellis APR, FCPRS, L.M (Regina); Lucie-Anne Fabien APR, FCPRS (Montréal); Mark Giles, APR (Port Hope) and Reneé McCloskey, APR (Prince George).

The CPRS Board of Directors has decided to invest close to $80,000—or 50 per cent—of the Strategic Initiatives Fund towards an increase in member services for the 2011-12 fiscal year. CPRS continues to attract new members to the association as it maintains membership levels from last year. New members represent 20 per cent of all CPRS memberships.

"One of CPRS' major accomplishments this year was the National Council on Education's new initiative, Pathways to the Profession. This initiative will allow Canadian postsecondary PR programs to be formally recognized by the Canadian Public Relations Society if they follow the educational guidelines provided. It is our hope that this will advance both PR and Communications education and the PR and Communications Management industry in Canada," added Leonard.

To learn more about what the Canadian Public Relations Society has accomplished over the past year, please have a look at the Annual Review online: cprs.ca/governance. For full biographies and additional information about the CPRS Board of Directors, please visit: cprs.ca/board.

About CPRS
Founded in 1948, the Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) is a not-for-profit organization whose members are engaged in the practice, management or teaching of public relations. Members work to maintain the highest standards and to share a uniquely Canadian experience in public relations. CPRS is a federation of over 1,800 members across 16 Member Societies based in major cities or organized province-wide. For more information, visit our website: cprs.ca.

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June 23, 2011

CPRS Reaction to Minister Baird's "PR Stunt" Comments

Hon. John Baird
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Ottawa, Ontario

Email: bairdj@parl.gc.ca

Dear Mr. Baird:

I am writing on behalf of the Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS), the association representing professional public relations and communications management practitioners across Canada, to express our displeasure with your recent use of the term "PR stunt" which appeared in articles in the Toronto Star.

Members of CPRS adhere to a Code of Professional Standards which does not condone the use of "stunts" as a means of influencing opinion. In the early years of public relations, stunts were disingenuous tactics used to deceive the public and were commonly used in sales and marketing. Today, however, such tactics are unacceptable and are considered by CPRS as grounds for disciplinary action within the membership. Thanks to the hard work, dedication and commitment of CPRS members over the past 63 years, the practice of public relations has evolved to distance itself from language often attributed to it like "spin doctors, PR stunts" etc.

CPRS is a non-partisan organization that represents close to 2000 professional public relations practitioners and communications management across Canada. Our organization does not involve itself in partisan politics in any manner. The actions taken by former Liberal Member Marlene Jennings, which are at the heart of this matter, were taken by her presumably to raise public interest about concerns she has regarding possible inappropriate funding expenditures. Whether these actions are viewed as political, or not, is a matter for others to debate. For members of CPRS, we object strongly to having these actions described as a "PR stunt".

The reference to PR stunts further adds to an unfortunate misperception of public relations as being somehow prone to unethical behaviour. We respectfully ask that you take our views into consideration in the future when describing or characterizing certain actions of the public relations profession. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Karen L. Dalton, APR
Executive Director

July 5, 2011

NEWS RELEASE Attention: Assignment Desk

MEDIA CONTACT Charlene Nadalin Executive VP Sales and Marketing News Canada/MRP 416-599-9900 ext.203 cnadalin@newscanada.com

MEDIA RELATIONS RATING POINTS
REACHES FIVE-YEAR MILESTONE

TORONTO – Five years ago the public relations industry in Canada was adrift when it came to media measurement. The industry was moving away from ad values as a meaningful or even responsible metric, and was considered a poor measure of media coverage or a campaign’s success. Yet, no measurement solution existed in Canada, leaving many professionals with the work of developing their own metrics for each campaign. Clients who may have used several different public relations professionals and agencies over time would receive radically different reports, depending on who designed the metrics. The industry was in need of a standardized solution for reporting of editorial media—the development of Media Relations Rating Points™ (MRP™) was the answer.

Developed by the Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) and endorsed by the Canadian chapters of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) and the Canadian Council of Public Relations Firms (CCPRF), MRP has become the Canadian standard in media measurement. Data is gathered from the top Canadian media research companies and provides audited reach data regarding Canadian audiences and is made conveniently accessible to subscribers. In the past year MRP has responded to client feedback and has upgraded and improved its offering to provide a more complete and even easier to use service.

"During these first five years, we have continuously strived to provide our subscribers with an easy to use solution for their media evaluation," said Charlene Nadalin, executive vice-president sales and marketing, News Canada (service provider for MRP). "With the recent inclusion of charts and graphs evaluation tools and the iBinder clipping book with standard subscriptions, it's never been easier to demonstrate the return-oninvestment of your media relations."

Subscribers use the service to track tone, key messages, spokesperson quotes and dozens of other variables—giving them easy demonstration of the effectiveness of their media coverage. Free trials and more information are available at www.mrpdata.com.

About Media Relations Rating Points
MRP™ is the Canadian standard for evaluating and reporting editorial media coverage for public relations initiatives originating in Canada. MRP was developed by members of the Canadian Public Relations Society Measurement Committee after consulting with the Public Relations Industry for 3½ years. MRP is endorsed by the Canadian Public Relations Society, International Association of Business Communicators of Canada, Canadian Council of Public Relations Firms and News Canada

About MRP™ service provider News Canada
For 30 years News Canada has continued its commitment to providing a strategic and unique public relations service to our clients and feature news content to the media. Through annual surveys, relations with the media, our clients and industry partners, we have successfully been able to keep on top of changes in the industry and adapted our business practices to meet the changing needs of today’s media environment. With the advances in – and the availability of – technology, Canadians choose how and when they will consume media. News Canada gains earned editorial for clients’ content in a variety of formats. This means that throughout the day, as consumers move back and forth between media according to their needs and accessibility, our clients’ content is there.

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May 24, 2011

NEWS RELEASE Attention: Assignment Desk

MEDIA CONTACT Barbara Sheffield APR, FCPRS Executive Director Communications + Public Relations Foundation 416-242-6146 foundation@prmediaconnection.com

 

Bailey Barbary is Brock University's 2011 Lou Cahill Scholarship Winner

Toronto – Bailey Barbary, Toronto, Ontario, is the 2011 winner of the Lou Cahill Scholarship in Communications awarded by Brock University, St. Catharines. The Scholarship is awarded to a communications student in the final year of study for academic excellence, community involvement and participation in charitable activities.

The Scholarship was established by Enterprise Canada, Toronto, to honour Lou Cahill, the founder of Enterprise Canada—Canada’s longest-operating public relations firm. An icon of the Canadian public relations industry, Lou Cahill died in November 2008 at the age of 94. He held an honorary doctoral degree from Brock.

"We are delighted that Bailey Barbary has received the Lou Cahill Scholarship in Communications," said Barbara Fox, OEB Enterprise President and Chief Executive Officer. "Lou Cahill would have been proud of her community involvement and commitment to charitable service."

Sharon Broderick, lecturer in the Faculty of Business at Brock, agrees that Bailey continues the tradition of scholarship and volunteerism that is integral to the award.

"Her social awareness coupled with a desire to apply her talents in helping others is demonstrated by her involvement in Brock Radio, Brock TV and numerous charitable causes beyond the University campus," said Broderick. "She is a gracious, modest and accomplished young woman."

Barbary has been a Breast Cancer Awareness Event organizer and a participant fundraiser for the Weekend to End Women’s Cancer as well as an event liaison with the Terry O'Malley Lecture series at the University. Through these commitments she has acquired valuable insight into the importance of volunteer activity and has applied the skills she has learned in her studies: social media, direct mail, event organization, promotion, marketing and public education, as well as design.

Her marketing work for BrockTV.ca included creation of promotion strategies to generate interest and sustain awareness as well as promoting online content and viewer involvement using a variety of promotion tools including social networking.

In 2010, she was Public Outreach and Information Assistant at the Regional Municipality of Niagara in Thorold. There she built and managed relationships with organizations, event sponsors and the public to achieve stated goals in addition to handling media, special event and promotional assignments. She became involved in developing policies and procedures manuals to assist incoming staff and co-ordinated a summer issue of the Region’s newsletter.

According to Deanna Barrow, her supervisor at the Region, "Bailey consistently went above and beyond her duties as a co-op student, taking a leadership role in various projects. Her attention to detail and creative vision in numerous communications initiatives proved invaluable to our team, and her passion for success was a huge value-added to our division."

The Lou Cahill Scholarship monies are managed by the Communications + Public Relations Foundation. The Foundation promotes the advancement of communications and public relations as vital functions in society, is dedicated to the public interest, and is committed to increasing public knowledge and awareness of the role of communications and public relations in daily life. The Foundation accepts individual and corporate contributions towards research and educational initiatives nationwide.

Applications for the annual Lou Cahill Scholarship in Communications, valued at $1,250 for eligible graduating students from the Department of Communications, Popular Culture and Film at Brock University are available from the University's Student Awards and Financial Aid Office. Scholarship winners have an opportunity to participate in a four-month internship with Enterprise Canada following graduation.

For more information about the Foundation and its public relations educational initiatives, contact Barbara Sheffield, Executive Director, Communications + Public Relations Foundation, foundation@prmediaconnection.com.

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May 11, 2011

Leicester (Lee) Glenn Sage, APR
1930-2011

The Canadian Public Relations Society mourns the death of one of its own. Leicester (Lee) Sage passed away on March 20, 2011 of complications stemming from leukemia. Sage was born in Regina, Saskatchewan on December 16, 1930. He started his career in radio after winning a contest at a local radio station. After holding a number of positions at radio stations across the Prairies, Sage settled down with his family in Winnipeg, Manitoba as news director for CKRC. He went on to work as a radio coordinator for the Information Services branch of the Manitoba Government.

Sage made the transition to the communications industry and worked for the Manitoba Teachers’ Society as a communications officer. He joined the Canadian Public Relations Society in the late 1970s and was a member for more than 15 years. Sage was heavily involved in CPRS, acting as CPRS Manitoba’s President in 1980-81. In 1990, he received CPRS National’s Award of Attainment for his contribution to public relations over the years.

After his retirement, Sage remained active in the PR profession by becoming an instructor in the PR program at the University of Winnipeg. He also did consulting work and media training workshops.

Sage was known for his volunteer work in various fields. He was a Sunday school superintendent, scout master, United Way volunteer, President of the Canadian Red Cross (Manitoba) and board member for the Independent Living Resource Centre, Villa Rosa and Eric Wells Foundation. Sage received the Canada Volunteer Award for his contributions.

On behalf of all its members, the Canadian Public Relations Society would like to extend its condolences to the friends and family of Lee Sage.

May 10, 2011

STRONG CPRS SHOWING AT CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS CASE STUDY COMPETITION

The Arthur W. Page Society recently announced the winners of its ninth-annual case study competition. Among this year’s recipients were two past presidents of the Canadian Public Relations Society.

Past CPRS National President, Colleen Killingsworth APR, FCPRS, was awarded with First Prize – Business School category for her submitted case study on the Calgary Stampede and Animal-Welfare Activists.

McMaster University’s DeGroote School of Business was represented well with first, second and third place winnings. Former CPRS National President, Dr. Terry Flynn APR, FCPRS, was a faculty advisor for all three winning submissions.

The corporate communications case study competition is sponsored by the Arthur W. Page Society and the Institute for Public Relations. The competition is designed to illustrate and promote the practical applications of corporate communications as a critical management function.

For more information on the case study competition, please click here.

April 11, 2011

Media Release

Global Alliance to hold 2011 AGM, regional conference in Lisbon
May 24 conference to focus on ‘Communicating in times of crisis and change’

11 April 2011, Lugano, Switzerland -- The Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management, the confederation of the world’s major public relations associations, today announced that it will hold its 2011 annual general meeting and a regional conference on crisis and change communications in Lisbon, Portugal, on May 23th and 24th, respectively.

The one-day conference, which is open to all public relations and communication management professionals, will be organized by the Portuguese Association for Corporate Communication (APCE). The event will include speakers from various Global Alliance member countries.

"Europe – and the world – have been through a time of great turbulence, which creates both challenge and opportunity for public relations professionals, and that makes this conference very timely," said John Paluszek, Chair of the Global Alliance.

"We are excited to hold this important conference in Portugal, in collaboration with APCE, one of the Global Alliance’s most active members," said Daniel Tisch, Chair-elect of the Global Alliance. "It’s part of the Global Alliance’s commitment to hold regional events on key issues of concern to communicators - and to society."

The Global Alliance annual meeting and election of officers will take place in Lisbon on Monday May 23rd at 2:00 pm, with a roundtable dialogue on international public relations issues to follow at 4:00 pm. The APCE conference will take place from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm on Tuesday May 24th at the Lusitania Auditorium in central Lisbon. Registration is only EUR 100 for Global Alliance members, and EUR 200 for guests. For more information, please contact apce@apce.pt.

The Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management (www.globalalliancepr.org), established in 2000, is the confederation of the world’s major public relations and communication management associations and institutions, representing 160,000 practitioners and educators around the world. The Global Alliance’s mission is to unify the public relations profession, raise professional standards all over the world, share knowledge for the benefit of its members and be the global voice for public relations in the public interest.

The Portuguese Association for Corporate Communication (APCE) represents corporate communication and PR officers and managers in Portugal and abroad. It is a discussion and reflection forum, open to all those involved in communication sciences, whether in the corporate or academic domains. APCE’s associates include corporate communicators, teachers and researchers.

Contacts:

Daniel Tisch, APR, FCPRS
Global Alliance Chair-elect
+01.416.968.7311, extension 223
dtisch@argylecommunications.com

Nina Volles
General Secretary, Global Alliance Center, c/o USI Università della Svizzera italiana
+41 (0) 58 666 46 02
nina.volles@lu.unisi.ch

February 18, 2011

NEWS RELEASE

Contact Information: Saundra Miles News Canada | Media Relations Rating Points 920 Yonge St., Suite 509 Toronto, ON M4W 3C7 T. 416-599-9900 Ext. 215 W. www.pr.newscanada.com E. smiles@newscanada.com

News Canada Celebrates 30th Anniversary
News Canada is pleased to celebrate 30 years of providing media services to the public relations industry.

Toronto, ON, February 18, 2011—News Canada marks a major milestone this year as we celebrate 30 years of providing the public relations industry with content distribution and earned editorial solutions. News Canada started out with one service - article distribution. The company has since grown to a full media production and distribution company delivering content across the country and guaranteed results to clients.

It was in 2000, that News Canada took flight with the launch of the Television Broadcast service, followed by Radio service in 2001 and Online Video service in 2005. News Canada became a leader in providing turnkey media services designed to complement and deliver public relations strategies.

With the addition of Media Relations Ratings Points™ (MRP™) to News Canada's line of services in 2006, News Canada has helped lead the way to a standardized method for media evaluation. MRP™ is now the Canadian standard for evaluating and reporting editorial media coverage. MRP™ was developed by members of the Canadian Public Relations Society Measurement Committee (CPRSMC) after intensive consulting with the Public Relations Industry. MRP™ is endorsed by the Canadian Public Relations Society, International Association of Business Communicators of Canada, and Canadian Council of Public Relations Firms.

"Our success is due, in great part, to our clients. It is their willingness to share their challenges and collaborate on strategies that make us a better service provider." says Ruth Douglas, president and CEO of News Canada. "The other factor in our 30 year achievement is our team of dedicated staff. It is their attention to the needs of clients and their focus on finding solutions for today's public relations challenges that drive the company forward."

About News Canada

or 30 years News Canada has continued its commitment to providing a strategic and unique public relations service to our clients and feature news content to the media. Through annual surveys, relations with the media, our clients and industry partners, we have successfully been able to keep on top of changes in the industry and adapted our business practices to fit changing needs, particularly in today's media environment. With the advances in - and the availability of - technology, Canadians choose how and when they will consume media. News Canada makes our clients' content available in a variety of formats. This means that throughout the day, as consumers move back and forth between media according to their needs and accessibility, our clients' content is there.