$14B COKE BOTTLER TO MS&L

Coca-Cola Enterprises, Atlanta, $14.4B bottling company, named Manning, Selvage & Lee for counseling, corporate positioning, and investor and employee communications, which was handled in house.

MS&L/Atlanta will manage the account assisted by MS&L's global practice group. MS&L will work with Deeley Trimble & Co., Atlanta, which is evaluating employee communications. John H. Downs, Jr., SVP-PA for the bottler, said MS&L was picked "because of the depth of its resources, its knowledge base, and creativity." The company, with 68,000 employees, is the world's largest producer and marketer of non-alcoholic drinks.

Also naming MS&L was Philips Consumer Electronics, North America, replacing Brodeur Worldwide. The unit sells 250 products. Brodeur still has corporate PR in N.A. and medical products. Philips also uses Ketchum and Porter Novelli

WSJ AND WSJ.COM TO F-H

The Wall Street Journal and WSJ.com named Fleishman-Hillard for a $600,000 contract after final pitches by F-H and Shandwick International.

The search was handled by the corporate communications dept. of parent Dow Jones.

Vickie Adams, CC director of the WSJ, said the F-H plan of execution and counseling "reflected the goals we had in mind." She also praised Shandwick's proposal and those of the other firms that were eliminated earlier. WSJ had no previous agency but Miller Shandwick, Boston, had been handling WSJ.com.

The Cayman Islands named Spring, O'Brien, New York, for its tourism account for three years starting July 15. Consultant Thomas Harris assisted in the agency search. The firm also recently won Hong Kong and New Zealand.

Philip Sheldon, EVP/healthcare of Porter Novelli, who joined the firm in 1998 from Pharmacia & Upjohn, to Hill and Knowlton USA as GM of its New York office. H&K CEO Tom Hoog has been in the post since last October. Suzanne Gabriel becomes EVP and head of the New York healthcare practice of PN... Steve Rabin, president of Nelson PR, New York, to Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, Menlo Park, Calif., Aug. 1 as SVP, media and public education... Barry Holt, 54, SVP, AC Nielsen, Stamford, Conn., to Whirlpool, Benton Harbor, Mich., as VP/global communications.

PRSA'S "SECRET" CANDIDATES OUTED

PRSA's bid to keep its nomination process secret for at least another year has been foiled by members who believe it should be open.

Joann Killeen, treasurer, is running for chair-elect, the top available elective office open, against New York counselor Art Stevens and Louisville, Ky., counselor Deanna Pelfrey. Stevens is the national director representing New York, and Pelfrey is national secretary. Kathleen Lewton of Fleishman-Hillard is to become chair in 2001.

Michael McDermott, former New York chapter head who unsuccessfully ran for treasurer last year, is again seeking that post. He is being opposed by Reed Byrum, director from Dallas.

Counselor David Simon of Sherman Oaks, Calif., is opposing Prof. Maria Russell of Syracuse University for secretary.
Mary Cusick, 1998 PRSA president and head of the nominating committee, which meets July 22-23, has continued to support the confidential nominating process. She was asked by this NL to reveal the candidates for district directors but had not responded by press time.

Critics blasted the nominating process last year for turning up so few candidates from a membership of 20,000. The board is studying changes but has ruled it can't make any in time for the Assembly meeting Oct. 21 in Chicago. The board is meeting July 13-15 at a golf resort near Lake Tahoe.

WEINSTOCKS QUIT ZERO.NET

James "Jake" Weinstock, 28, son of Davis Weinstock, a principal of Clark & Weinstock, Omnicom-owned PR firm, has quit as CEO of Zero.Net, San Francisco, after about four months in the job. Jake Weinstock also quit as a director of Envision Development Corp., Marlboro, Mass., web company controlled by Zero.Net. That resignation was in an SEC filing in late June.

It is believed that Davis Weinstock also quit the board of Z.N. Their resignations follow the resignation of Omnicom CEO John Wren from the Z.N board. OMC had purchased an interest of less than 4% in Z.N in April and admitted Z.N to its Communicade division headed by Jerry Neumann. Neumann, the Weinstocks, Wren and investor Andrew L. Evans, who controls Z.N, have not been reachable recently.

(continued on page7)

CORDIANT TO BUY LGN; SHARES FALL

Cordiant Communications is buying Lighthouse Global Network for stock it initially valued at $421 million. Its shares fell nine percent on the news, cutting the deal's value to $383M.

Lighthouse, which acquired Morgen-Walke Assocs. earlier this year, has annual fees in the $150M range.
M-W principal, Lynn Morgen, confirmed the deal, but would not provide any details.

Michael Bungey, Cordiant CEO, said the deal may make his firm a more attractive acquisition target. "We don't have our heads in the sand," said Bungey. "We want to play a part in the consolidating environment."

The group said it would lift high-growth marketing services to 47% of combined revenues from 32% and North America's revenue contribution to 35% from 27%. Lighthouse, with 36 offices in six countries and about 1,100 employees, includes on its client list mobile phone giant Vodafone AirTouch Plc, Kraft Foods, and computer groups IBM and Microsoft.
Interpublic Group and True North Communications have held informal takeover talks with Cordiant, according to the Financial Times.

GTCR Golder Rauner and Frontenac Co., two-Chicago-based investment groups, owned Lighthouse.

They will control a 21 percent stake in Cordiant following the transaction.

BREAKSTONE OPENS IR FIRM WITH RUTH

Kay Breakstone has formed a new investor relations firm in New York with Carol Ruth, who opened her own firm a year ago.

Breakstone had been president/CEO of Ludgate Communications. She resigned after Ludgate's N.Y. office was merged into Golin/Harris International.

Breakstone, who is president/CEO of Breakstone & Ruth International, said the firm will specialize in corporate positioning, pre-IPO public and IR, investor and analyst program implementation, crisis communications, media relations and venture capital relations.

The Ruth Group specializes in IR for telecom and technology companies. Together, the firms have 16 IR and media professionals.

B&R is at 1230 Avenue of the Americas.

PFIZER RATED MOST ESTEEMED COMPANY.

Healthcare professionals rated Pfizer as the "most esteemed" company for the second consecutive year in Scott-Levin's fifth biennial "Pharmaceutical Company Image" survey, which includes the views of 6,851 physicians representing 27 specialties.

Merck, which was No. 1 in previous studies, and Glaxo Wellcome remained second and third, respectively.
The other top 10 rated firms were: (4) Bristol-Myers Squibb; (5) Eli Lilly; (6) Johnson & Johnson; (7) SmithKline Beecham; (8) American Home Products; (9) Abbott Labs, and (10) Schering-Plough.

Beyond the top 10, AstraZeneca placed 12th in its first "ACompany Image" showing, while Adventis, the new company formed by the merger of Rhone-Poulenc Rorer and Hoechst Marion Roussel, placed 15th in its first mention by respondents, and Allergan finished 20th after being ranked 26th in 1998.

The study comes in the wake of mergers, acquisitions and alliances; an increase in direct-to-consumer advertising, and the emergence of prescription drugs costs as a presidential campaign issue.

Scott-Levin said these developments give the study results a new urgency, because many pharmaceutical executives believe a company's image can have a major impact on its bottom line.

Pfizer also ranked number one in the area of credibility, followed by Merck, Glaxo Wellcome, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Johnson & Johnson, replacing Eli Lilly, which dropped from fifth to sixth place in 2000.

Scott-Levin, which is based in Newtown, Pa., provides consulting services to more than 80 U.S. and international pharmaceutical clients. The company's website address is www.scottlevin.com.

AGENCY GM IS TEMPORARY ASSN. HEAD

Mitch Head, general manager of the Atlanta office of Golin/Harris International, is also temporary general manager of the National Peanut Board, which is conducting a review of ad agencies for a planned $10 million account.

Head, a member of the national board of PR Society of America, was only identified as the NPB GM in a story in the May 8 Advertising Age on the account review.

This led some ad agencies to question the objectivity of Head since Golin/Harris is part of the Interpublic Group, which has many ad agencies as subsidiaries.

However, Head said he is only temporarily GM of the NPB and that he will have nothing to do with the selection of an ad agency. He said he has sent the 100 responses by ad agencies to the board of the NPB. It is a new group supported by the U.S. Government and will have 15 states as members as opposed to about nine states in the still-existing Peanut Advisory Board. Head was with the PAB several years before joining G/HI earlier this year.

Both peanut groups are accounts of G/HI.

Head said the Ad Age story should also have given his post as GM of G/HI.

CHRYSLER MAY MOVE IR/PR OFFICE IN N.Y

DaimlerChrysler A.G. wants to move its PR/IR staffs to the Chrysler Building in New York from Auburn Hills, Mich.

The office, which will be used by about 100 employees, also will be used as a meeting place for its 13-member board of managers, which meets twice a month in the Seagram Building, on Park ave.

The move would put the automaker's key image makers squarely in the media and the financial capital of the world at a time when the company's stock has been doing poorly.

EX-CON OFFERED COLUMNIST JOB

Brill's Content's publisher Steven Brill has offered Kevin Mitnick, who spent four years in prison for stealing computer secrets from top companies, a job as monthly columnist for Contentville, a new website that is scheduled to launch next month.

Mitnick's probation officer said that is not the right job for Mitnick, who was released from prison earlier this year. U.S. District Judge Mariana R. Pfaelzer, who sentenced Mitnick to 54 months in prison, is scheduled to hear Brill's challenge to the ruling.

Mitnick, who was also offered a job as a radio talk show host, was barred him from using computers and other high tech devices or from working as a consultant or advisor to any computer-related business for three years.

The former hacker would review computer magazines for the site. Mitnick, who is one of about 90 contributors that Brill has lined up for the site, would be given a $5,000 down payment, plus $750 per column as well as 50% of the profits from a planned e-book that would include some of Mitnick's articles.

WORKPLACE IS TOP BUSINESS STORY

The information economy has moved workplace issues to the forefront of business news, according to two The Wall Street Journal reporters who cover the beat--Melinda Beck, who is deputy "Marketplace"page editor, and Shelly Branch. Beck and Branch spoke about the newsworthiness of workplace stories at a recent forum held in New York by The Freedom Forum.

Just as readers of personal finance news over the last decade have searched for lists of top performing funds and other indicators to ascertain how they can evaluate and improve their financial stability, both employers and employees are looking for some perspective about how they are faring in the workplace, said Branch who noted Fortune's cover story two years ago on the "Best Companies to Work For" was among the magazine's top selling issues on newsstands that year.

As the U.S. economy shifts from a manufacturing base to the information industries, "stories about the workplace are becoming more fascinating than ever," said Beck. One part business news, one part labor reporting, coverage of the workplace is a growth beat because Americans are continually redefining work itself and where and how it happens, said Beck. From telecommuting to onsite child care, many workplace stories are about "adventures in capitalism," she said.

Beck added the definition of the workplace beat itself is undergoing expansion. "Years ago, this beat was called labor,-- which people associated mostly with trade unions. Beck credits the women's movement with forcing onto the corporate agenda such issues as balancing work and family, fairness on the job, and working from home.

The Journal's weekly feature called "Your Career Matters," profiles people with unusual career paths or industries that suddenly are booming. "Compensation issues have become red hot now, given the options phenomenon and the instant forturnes being made on the Internet. In very short order, we've gone from thinking about assembly lines to thinking about whole life patterns and who gets ahead, and how," said Beck.

SPIN MAG SHUFFLES BEATS

Spin announced these new beat assignments: Dana Shapiro is now senior editor, covering non-music features (film, TV, pop culture, personalities); Maureen Callahan to associate editor, overseeing "Exposure" section, which includes portions on film, print (books, magazines), digital (gaming, personal technology), style and TV; Joe Dolan to associate editor and editor of the record review section, and Greg Milner to assistant editor, covering music, technology, the Internet, the music business, and anything related to investigative reporting.
Shapiro prefers to be contacted via E-mail at [email protected]; Callahan prefers pitches via fax (212/231-7300) or mail (205 Lexington ave., N.Y., N.Y. 10016) if it's not time sensitive; Dolan prefers to be contacted via mail, and Milner prefers E-mail, [email protected].

PEOPLE ________________________________

J.J. Goldberg, 50, was named editor of The Forward, the national Jewish newsweekly, based in New York. Goldberg will replace Seth Lipsky, who resigned May 25. Lipsky founded the weekly's English-language version in 1990. The Jewish Daily Forward, which has been operating for more than a 100 years, is still published in Yiddish.

Richard C. Gross, who was previously at Bridge News, has joined The Baltimore Sun as op-ed editor.

Michael Kane has joined WCBS-TV as producer of the 6 p.m. news.

Janet Siroto, 37, previously executive editor of Cosmopolitan, was appointed editor-in-chief of Family Life magazine, which is published by Time Inc.

Nancy P. Graham, 44, formerly senior editor of People magazine, was named executive editor of Family Money, and Karen Hube, 34, previously a personal finance reporter for The Wall Street Journal, was named a senior editor.

PITCH IMMORTALITY TO HEALTH EDITORS

A panel of web-based health editors offered a broad array of pitching and story idea tips at a workshop sponsored by Allhealth PR at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.

Panel members were Jeff Levine, Washington bureau chief of Web MD; Jenny Cook, editor of American Health Line; John Riley, health editor of USAToday.com; Clare Oh, health editor, WashingtonPost.com; Barry Hoffman, executive editor, Healthscout, and Glynna Prentice, managing editor, CBSHealthWatch.

Brian Ruberry, a spokesman for Allhealth, which is located in North Potomac, Md., compiled this list of 15 tips:

1. Since most health sites are consumer driven, be sure your pitch answers the question, "How will my product or issue affect consumers?"

2. Your pitch should clearly explain the benefits for consumers.

3. Pitch tailored, well-targeted story ideas, not canned story ideas.

4. Story ideas that lend themselves to reader polls or message board discussions are highly favored.

5. Offer graphics to accompany your story idea, but never send graphics unless requested.

6. Health editors are hungry for stories involving minority populations.

7. They will hone embargoes and they are open to exclusives.

8. They like "immortality" products, i.e., consumer goods that help people stay younger, feel stronger, look better, etc.

9. Stories on alternative medicine are welcome.

10. Many sites have opportunities for your expert to do online chats.

11. Send background materials for seasonal stories.

12. Much of their content is taken from news-wires, so get your story on AP or another wire.

13. Keep in mind that health editors have deadlines throughout the day.

14. Never send attachments unless requested.

15. E-mail pitches are preferred. Allhealth offers a complete listing of E-mail addresses for healthcare media in D.C. on its website at [email protected], or call 301/948-1709. N.Y.

TIMES TO MOVE TO EIGHTH AVE. SITE

The New York Times Co. wants to move its headquarters into a new 40-story building that will be built on 8th ave., between 40th and 41st streets.

The Times, from which Times Square took its name, has been headquartered at 229 W. 43rd at. since 1913. The Times plans to sell that building.

The new site, which is part of the Times Square redevelopment project and within the boundaries of the Times Square Business Improvement District, would have to be condemned and acquired by the state.

The new building will have 1,370,000 square feet of office and retail space. The Times plans to own about 700,000 square feet with an option to buy an additional 200,000 square feet. The balance of the space will be owned by Forest City Ratner Co., which plans to start construction in 2001, with an expected date of occupancy in 2004.

NEW COLUMN IS TARGETED AT TECH PROS

The San Francisco Chronicle began a column for high technology professionals, called "Tech21," in mid-April.

The paper has also expanded technology coverage in its daily business section. The new column by tech reporter Henry Norr, which runs every Monday in the "Technology" section, is written for technology professionals, but in a language that computer novices can understand.

The purpose is to have a place to talk about some technologies and issues that are of interest to people who are active users and interested in communications technology and what the industry is doing, said Norr, who continues to write his "Mac Q&A" column the first Thursday of the month, and to write separate product reviews.

The "21" in the title refers to the column's focus on developments in computing and communications, including everything from gadgets and gizmos to tips and tricks, as well as fundamental innovations.

When possible, Norr will go for stories with a S.F. Bay Area/Northern California slant, and he prefers to talk to engineers rather than the company's top execs.

Since he gets more new product releases than he can handle, he wants PR pros to write him a note explaining why they think an item might make a good column, instead of sending him a press release.
E-mail him at [email protected], or [email protected].

SCRIPPS TO START 4TH CABLE NETWORK

E.W. Scripps will start a cable TV network, called "Fine Living," targeting 20 million U.S. households that have a combined family income of at least $75K.

The network, which will cover home entertaining, personal technology, luxury cars, interior design and travel, will make its debut next year.

It is the first in a series of new networks planned by the Cincinnati-based company, which also publishes newspapers and owns TV stations.

Fine Living joins Scripp's Home & Garden TV, the Food Network and the Do-It-Yourself network.

Luce Press Clippings found some daily newspapers have higher circulation on Saturdays, usually because they publish combined morning and evening editions, include special weekend sections, or are in markets with mostly home delivery.

Examples are The Birmingham News, Arizona Republic, Atlanta Constitution, Kansas City Star, Raleigh News & Observer , and Greenville News.

Project Censored recently presented its top 10 awards to journalists for the following articles:

1. Multinational Corporations Profit from Brutality--Arvind Ganesan

2. Pharmaceutical Companies Put Profits Before Need--Ken Silverstein

3. American Cancer Society: The World's Wealthiest `Non-profit' Institution--Samuel S. Epstein

4. American Sweatshops Sew U.S. Military Uniforms--Mark Boal

5. Turkey Destroys Kurdish Villages with U.S. Weapons--Keven McKeirnan

6. NATO Defends Western Economic Interests in the Balkans--Diana Johnstone, Sara Flounders and Pratap Chatterjee

7. U.S. Media Reduces Foreign Coverage--Peter Arnett

8. U.S. Violates World Law to Militarize Space--Karl Grossman and Bruce K. Gagnon

9. Louisiana Promotes Toxic Racism--Ron Nixon

10. U.S. and NATO Deliberately Started the War with Yugoslavia--Jason Vest, Seth Acherman, Diana Johnstone, Maria Carion, Amy Goodman and Jeremy Scahill.

The Project Censored contest, which is conducted annually by Sonoma State University, evaluates stories clipped from small-circulation periodicals or from the back pages of regional newspapers.

A censored story is one which contains information that the general U.S. population has a right and need to know, but to which it has had limited access. The story must contain verifiable documentation.

TALK AMERICA LAUNCHES TWO SHOWS

Talk America Radio Networks, which has some 465 station affiliates in North America, has launched two new programs. Mark Mincolla's new program, "The Maximum Health & Healing Show" airs Sundays from 8-9 a.m. (ET) on the Talk America Radio Network.

Mincolla, a recognized alternative medicine practitioner, has integrated ancient Chinese techniques with nutritional science, to treat a range of conditions including heart disease and cancer.

Steve Rossi, comedian, singer and actor, has launched a new program on Talk American Radio Networks. "The Steve Rossi Show," which will originate from Las Vegas, will air Sunday nights from 9-11 p.m. (ET). Each week, Rossi will do phone interviews with celebrity residents of Las Vegas and those passing through, as well as personal friends. Tom Star or Stan Hurwitz can provide more information about both programs at 781/828-4546.

WEINSTOCKS QUIT ZERO.NET (cont'd)

Z.N had become a member of the Communicade group, according to a release April 26 put out for Z.N by Rebecca Weiss of Fleishman-Hillard, New York. Weiss referred questions to her superior, VP Al Bellenchia, who said the release was put out on behalf of Omnicom, not Z.N

The bottom of the release, which said Omnicom had made a "significant" investment in Z.N, had said: AContact:....Rebecca Weiss of Fleishman-Hillard...for Zero.Net.@ Wren had said the main reason Omnicom invested in Z.N was that Jake Weinstock was its CEO.

Jake Weinstock Was in Limelight

Jake Weinstock was the subject of much publicity, including articles in the Wall Street Journal and Business Week, in 1996-99 when he was promoting Gold's Gym in Moscow, which he helped found.

A BW article Dec. 16, 1996, with two pictures >of Weinstock, had the subhead: "It took raw nerve-and youthful brio-to bring a Gold's Gym to Russia."

Said the article by Vijai Maheshwari: "When he stabs at his unruly locks and gushes about hitchhiking in Zimbabwe, he (Weinstock) projects the boyish charm of Tom Hanks in the (movie) Big." Weinstock was said to have "fallen in love with Russia" while traveling around the world in a year off from the University of Pennsylvania, where he majored in diplomatic history.

Mentioned in the article were his father Davis (who "runs his own small consulting firm"), his mother (a freelance editor who worked for The New Yorker), and his brothers (who are writers).

Critics said Gold's Gym "lacks the clincher-a swimming pool." The membership cost of $2,500 a year was said to be high in relation to competitors.

Wild Ride Ends, Said Brother

An article by Nicholas Weinstock, brother of Jake, in the Feb. 20, 1999 Moscow Times (archived by Worldsource and distributed via Northern Light) was entitled: "End of the Wild Ride."

It said that what was once a "gold rush" had become "something of a ghost town" and that the city's Americans were "simply vanishing in a torrent of good-bye parties."

Weinstock, who was announced as CEO and one of four new members of the Z.N executive team in a release dated April 3, 2000, was described as co-chairman and co-founder of Skydriver; and a director of Minority Interest.com and Gamebay.com.

Z.N, a privately held company, has investments in four publicly held companies including Envision Development (EDV), which lost $6.4M in the quarter ended April 29. There were no reported revenues.

SmartServ Online, Stamford, Conn., in which Z.N has an investment, lost $35.1M on sales of $2.7M for the nine months to March 31. It is working on wireless delivery of financial news. Z.N also has investments in 20+ other e-businesses.

EDV, whose stock has gone from a high of $74 to a<%-2> low of $5 3/4 in the past year, was in the $30's this week. Ben Holmes, new issues editor of The-Street.com, said on June 15 that EDV is "thin, weak, and ripe to get crushed." On June 21, he said, "BAM! Squish...Short opportunities like this make me wish I could trade again."

PHILLY AD/PR ASSNS. JOIN FORCES

Nine associations representing 1,500 ad/PR professionals in Southeastern Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey have formed the Delaware Valley Communications Leadership Council.

Rick Alcantara, president of the PRSA/Philadelphia, who helped form the group, said the members of the council are working to help each other "benchmark their respective association's programs."

The group will hold meetings about once every two months.

"When the Council evolves to the point where we're ready to move beyond issues such as member recruitment and retention, our goal is to become the voice for communication and PR practitioners in the Delaware Valley," said Alcantara, who is president of Tara Communications, Turnersville, N.J.
Phyllis Polk, who works for Philadelphia's Office of City Representative, is the president of the consortium, which is comprised of the following groups:

PRSA/Philadelphia; Women in Communications; Philadelphia PR Assn.; IABC/Philadelphia; Professional Communicators of South Jersey; NIRI/Philadelphia; Business Marketing Assn.; Philadelphia Advertising Club, and the National Alliance of Market Developers.

The council is sponsoring a political convention.

P&G TO BASE AGENCY PAY ON RESULTS

Procter & Gamble, which wants to rely less on TV commercials to sell products, will change the way it pays ad agencies.

Starting this month, an agency's compensation will be based on the performance of the brands they sell, measured by sales growth, instead of a 15% commission for every dollar spent.

The new plan could result in a greater use of PR for product launches and campaigns for established brands.

Gretchen Briscoe, a spokesperson for the Cincinnati-based company, said there are no plans to change compensation structure for PR firms.

Under P&G's system, the company's lead agency, which is currently up for review, Aworks with different agencies, including PR firms, to develop holistic marketing plans. "She said this is not expected to change."

As an example of the new approach, P&G recently introduced Physique, a new shampoo for women in >their late teens to early 30s, using direct mail, theNet and PR to reach the targeted group of consumers.

While most P&G brands spend 60% to 80% of their ad budget on TV and the rest on other promotions, Physique reversed that formula.

The "secret" candidates for PRSA's top offices have been "outed." Also outed is the inadequacy of PRSA's election process.

Joann Killeen, Art Stevens and Deanna Pelfrey, the three candidates for the top office in 2002 (Kathy Lewton has a lock on chair for 2001) are fine people but they are insiders who are unrepresentative of the membership of PRSA.

The three, like all of PRSA's officers, directors and Assembly delegates, are accredited. However, 16,000 of PRSA's 20,000 members are not APR.

Decades of disinterest in APR have now piled up (only 217 took the latest exam) but the leaders of PRSA ignore this. The election process is a travesty of democratic principles, which PRSA members are sworn to uphold.

There are problems with these three candidacies. Stevens has the required background but he would be the second New Yorker in a row as elected head of PRSA, which would violate the geographical balance rule. Killeen, as 2000 treasurer, inherited a financial mess from Lee Duffey but has not explained the financial developments and has been unable to force changes.

We have no knowledge of the platform of Pelfrey, who would be skipping from secretary to chair-elect. Michael McDermott, a strong candidate for treasurer because of his financial background and stated intention to get some power for the treasurer's post, also has the New York problem. The 20-member nominating committee headed by Mary Cusick has done the usual poor job in encouraging candidacies.

Although PRSA has a functioning website, no one will get to know any ideas the candidates may have about PRSA's or PR's direction or any of the problems facing PR (chiefly, we think, the smothering of PR by sales and marketing interests).

We will not hear what they think about PRSA's inability to pay its bills last December ($880K in payables); PRSA's inability to get Deloitte & Touche to sign the 1999 audit; the resignation in June of CFO Joe Cussick; whether decoupling APR from office-holding should be discussed at an Assembly; the proposed spending of a net of $475,075 on APR in 2000, and the bald censorship of a study by the Fellows of what recruiters think of APR (which is available on the O'Dwyer website).

Although PRSA was not paying its bills last December, the board went to London in April and is meeting this weekend at a golf resort near Tahoe. A record five directors skipped London (Sandra Longcrier, Thomas Bartikoski, Reed Byrum, Mitch Head and Roger Lewis) and we wonder how many will say ta-ta to Tahoe.

The above named directors and the other board members (Sam Waltz, Del Galloway, Ralph Kam, Judith Phair, Maria Russell, Steve Shivinski and David Simon) should junk PRSA's exclusionary election process and open elective office to all 20,000 members. Three months are available for discussing the issues on the web. Saying PRSA's bylaws don't allow this is a cop-out.

Current PR practices (or lack of them) are on display in the Weinstocks/Omnicom/Zero.Net fiasco. Nobody's talking but new angles are breaking like fireworks on the Fourth of July.

It is hypocritical that Jake Weinstock, who was so available to the press when publicizing Gold's Gym in Moscow, is now unavailable when a story with negative overtones breaks about himself, his father, his father's parent company (Omnicom) and Envision Development, Z.N.-controlled company on whose board Jake sat. The other principals, including Omnicom CEO John Wren and ostensible Z.N. owner Andrew L. Evans, should also be available. Not only is this NL covering the developments, but also Christopher Byron of Bloomberg (reaching 180,000 investment professionals and a potential general audience of 50M), and the Telegram & Gazetteof Marlboro, Mass., where Envision Development is located.

Our column June 7 on working PR pros losing their expense accounts and not socializing too much anymore with reporters drew some responses. One PR pro said he never had an expense account in 15 years with PR firms and was never encouraged to socialize with the press. His aim was to send out as many releases, e-mails, etc., and hope one would stick. Juniors, he says, "just become glorified telemarketers these days."

This raises the question, how do you communicate with someone you've never met? Many of the most powerful people--Bob Gray, Ben Sonnenberg and Denny Griswold--to name a few, got there through heavy socializing. Griswold, who founded PR News, was famous for her soirees at her East side townhouse and her annual awards banquets for corporate PR execs. She was the only reporter ever invited to PR Seminar.

Another respondent said the execs calling the shots today are all short-term oriented (sales department to the monthly sales goal, financial to quarterly reports, and lawyers to whatever case or deal is on the griddle at the moment).

Marketers, we find, have two modes--researching a "target" audience and attacking it. There's nothing in the marketing pantheon that allows for the "targets" to investigate the marketers, who are accustomed to one-way, mass communications.