AT&T PR Sees No Role on PRSA Abuses

AT&T PR, shown that it has 101 members of PRSA and told of the group’s history of selling author’s works without their permission, says it sees “no issue” for the company.

As one of the victimized authors, we think AT&T does have an “issue” since it has by far the most PRSA members of any organization or company.

New home of PRSA at 120 Wall St.

The copying scandal is but one of many abusive policies and practices and they will continue unless major bankrollers of the Society speak up. Employers normally pay professional and trade memberships of employers.

The latest caper that avoids member knowledge or opinion is the shift of h.q. to another downtown location without Assembly approval or having any web or print notification.

Weeks after the Dec. 23 move, there are no details such as size, price and duration. New York chapter leaders are in the dark. There was nothing on the chapter website. A similar stealth move was made in 2004 to 33 Maiden lane without any advance word to the Assembly or membership.

What are some other abuses? The list of Assembly delegates, once public, disappeared many years ago even for members. So did the list of 50 staffers except for about eight. Gone is the audio recording and transcript of the Assembly. Reporters were barred from the Assembly from 2012-2014. The single list of 110 chapter presidents was pulled requiring members to make their own lists in order to reach all the chapters. Public and press availability of member contacts ceased after 2005. Efforts since 1999 to end control by the 18% of Accredited members have failed.

We’re Not Giving Up

Since AT&T has the loftiest of ideals, such as a commitment to “protecting the company’s reputation, including its public policy positions, social responsibility efforts,” we are taking this issue to Laura Tyson, Ph.D., professor of business administration and economics, University of California/Berkeley, chair of the AT&T Public Policy and Corporate Reputation Committee. It has the “authority to conduct investigations.”

Laura Tyson

Emails and regular mails are also being sent to CEO and chair Randall Stephenson in San Antonio.

Randall Stephenson

The contention that AT&T “is not involved in this ongoing issue” came from Emily Edmonds, director of global media relations. She said take it up with the Society. We replied that officers and staffers have ducked us for about 20 years.

The boycott of O’Dwyer products at the national conference not only hurts the O’Dwyer Co. financially but deprives attendees including students of valuable information.

What is the O’Dwyer Co. seeking? The Society should admit the authors were treated unfairly. They should be given free ads for their books. Reporters should be able to join the Society and again have access to the membership list. Use of proxy votes in the Assembly, a practice barred by Robert’s Rules, should be ended; domination by Accredited members, as evidenced by 16 of the 17 2017 board members being APR, although APRs are only 18% of the members, should end.

Key Blogs and Reports on PRSA

--The Society in 1994 refused to deal with a dozen authors who organized and hired a law firm. It first claimed that the copying was “fair use” and then that libraries had a right to charge “loan fees.” Few libraries have such charges and they are certainly not $55 or $18.

--National Press Club asks PRSA to halt the O’Dwyer boycott.

--NY State Senator Liz Krueger "wholeheartely" agrees with NPC for an end to O'Dwyer boycott.

--PR professors plead for PDF of members’ directory.

 --Bylaws re-write by 2009 Assembly was a costly travesty because 56 proxy votes were used and only a few of the articles were presented for vote.

--2010 chair Gary McCormick and COO Bill Murray spend one hour in Jack O’Dwyer’s office March 19, 2010 telling him PRSA has “chosen” not to deal with him.

--Four PRSA Fellows put 15 questions to PRSA leaders in 2010 (such as where is the list of Assembly delegates?) but get no answers.

--PRSA VP-PR posts on newsroomink.com that the Society is “a private organization” and can bar “any and all reporters from attending.” Entry is one of 40 in a 10,637-word discussion.

Dissidents Barred from Member List

--PRSA blocks Committee for a Democratic PRSA from using member e-mail list. Sandra Fathi, president of the New York chapter, is told this on a teleconference.

--Publishes 23 pages of charges against O’Dwyer. One O’Dwyer rebuttal is allowed.

--Blocks MyMediaInfo from O’Dwyer coverage at 2011   conference.

--Society delegate in 2010 threatens to beat O’Dwyer “to a pulp.”

--20 delegates interrupt O'Dwyer conducting interview in 2010

--Assembly delegate steals O’Dwyer notes in 2003 as O’Dwyer talks with Gerry Corbett. Society then refused to supply a tape of Assembly.

--Ignores Condorcet and other free secure e-mail election services that would let members elect officers based on stands on various issues such as APR.

--Seventeen of 20 nominating committee members are APR when only four should be because only 18% of members are APR.

--PRSA short-changes New York members in numerous ways. There has been one national conference in New York since 1992, a period of 24 years. None are currently planned for the city.

--Other PR, advertising and marketing groups are in midtown including NY Women in PR, Assn. of National Advertisers, 4As and New York Marketing Assn.

--PRSA Foundation has no press tickets to annual $400 "Paladin" banquet.