In this long-awaited episode of PRobecast, Tim Allik, Anne Dalrymple, and Glen Zimmerman manage to completely avoid what may be the most historic presidential election in history and talk PR, journalism and social media, pure and simple: 1. The Christian Science Monitor goes to a web-centric delivery and distribution model and we like it. Private ownership has distinct advantages in the media world.

2. WBUR, Boston's NPR news station, uses Twitter to set up live meetings in the studio with its listeners, and we like that too!

3. This tech economy isn't like the one we experienced in 2001, thank goodness. We talk about how it's different this time.

4. Social media and productivity is once again on the agenda. How we've already been faced with a "distraction challenge" with email, and what we should have learned from it.

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PRobecast’s opening music is “Junk In A” by Pat Zelenka, available on the Podsafe Music Network. Our closing music is by Boston area bandBlizzard of '78

Welcome to episode #75 of PRobecast, Topaz Partners’ occasionally weekly podcast exploring the latest developments in the world of social media and public relations! Todd Van Hoosear is joined by Wendie Larkin, Glen Zimmerman, Tim Allik, Ann Dalrymple, Joanna DiTrapano, Katelyn D'Eramo and Malinda Singh to chat about: 1. It’s the economy, stupid! The major indices were hurting this week. Will Web 2.0 save us? 2. Did you Tweet about the debate? Is mixing politics, business and technology a good idea? Do Democrats own the social media space? Are new online polls accurate because of this? 3. Does your entire online social network know your birthday? Your pets’ name? Your mother’s maiden name? They might be able to assume your identity! 4. Does citizen journalism work? It didn’t for Apple. 5. Should the About Us page be banned? 6. What's next for Todd? You can send your feedback to probecast@topazpartners.com. You can also call your feedback into 781-404-2410. Or leave a comment on our blog! PRobecast’s opening music is "Junk In A" by Pat Zelenka, available on the Podsafe Music Network. Our closing music is "Show Me" off of The Blizzard Of 78's self-titled album, available on iTunes or on CD from their site.

Welcome to episode #74 of PRobecast, Topaz Partners’ weekly podcast exploring the latest developments in the world of social media and public relations! Todd Van Hoosear is joined by Wendie Larkin, Glen Zimmerman, Tim Allik and Ann Dalrymple to chat about: 1. 6 reasons why we can't be friends 2. Executives who Tweet (and the PR people behind them) 3. How to kick your content up a notch (and how not to Tweet) 4. Monitter.com 5. Two stats you need to know 6. The election: Tweeting politics, scoring the debate, hosting your own debate party, and remixing the debate

Welcome to episode #73 of PRobecast, Topaz Partners’ weekly podcast exploring the latest developments in the world of social media and public relations! Rob Capra is joined by Todd Van Hoosear, Wendie Larkin, Tim Allik and Ann Dalrymple to chat about: 1. Current TV to broadcast `tweets' during debates 2. SoMe Election 08 3. Are bloggers "media?" 4. Is PR propoganda? 5. Why can't PR still get it right? 6. Fostering entrepreneurship and driving innovation 7. It's okay to go negative!

Welcome to episode #72 of PRobecast, Topaz Partners’ weekly podcast exploring the latest developments in the world of social media and public relations! Rob Capra is joined by Todd Van Hoosear, Wendie Larkin and Ann Dalrymple to chat about: 1. Obama needed to score big at the DNC. Biden flopped. How did Obama do? 2. Giving up: it's not just for wimps anymore. Why companies like Circuit City and AMC should just give up control, unlike Babs. 3. Disclosure: Did it help or hurt the Social Media Group and Livingston Communications? We all agree that disclosing the break-up was the right thing to do, but could they have avoided all the publicity, positive and negative, if they'd waited until they were done with the due diligence before announcing the merger?

In these dog days of August, Tim Allik and Rob Capra take a shot at being PR contrarians in this special edition of PRobecast, with the latest, greatest Top Ten PR Myths. They are: 1. Social Media is new 2. The phone is worthless 3. Email is useless 4. Print outlets are dead and insignificant 5. The press release doesn’t matter 6. Live Tweeting at conferences is worthwhile 7. Social media increases PR productivity 8. The ability to multi-task is key to any PR project 9. CEOs typically give great media interviews 10. Reporters hate PR flaks more than ever Don’t agree? Write a comment and let us know why.

This week on PRobecast, Tim Allik, Wendie Larkin, and Glen Zimmerman discuss: How uncool is Cuil? The new search engine launched with the best buzz money could buy but landed with a thud. The PR lesson learned? Great PR just isn't enough. Corporate blog relations. Friday's New York Times covers the trials and tribulations of blogger Brandon Dilbeck, who gribes about Comcast on his blog - and then complains when the company emails him to ask if they can do anything to work things out. Earth to Brandon, you can't have it both ways. If you want to keep your thoughts to yourself keep a personal diary. Otherwise, prepare to engage. And kudos to Comcast for reaching out. Help a Reporter Out. At www.helpareporter.com, Peter Shankman's effort to distribute reporters' request for sources is taking the PR world by storm, with 20,000 subscribers to the service in just a few months. Are the folks at Profnet quaking in their boots? They probably should be, because HARO is free. D'oh! Our panelists float and consider a related idea: Could PR folks create a aggregated list of PR pitches (protecting embargoes and anonymity, of course) that could then be distributed on a regular basis to reporters? What do you think? Is the press release dead? Before you start yawning in the face of the age-old question, consider our experience at Topaz with our client Language Weaver, a leader in statistical machine translation. We distributed a press release that linked to a podcast with one of the company's founders. The release itself was interesting enough for famed inventor and futurist Ray Kurzweil to link to it from his website, www.kurzweilai.net. The one element missing from this equation? A reporter.

There are lots of good examples of B2C social media successes out there (you have to dig, but they're out there). But try looking for B2B examples. They're few and far between. We're trying to put an end to that. We're therefore launching a PRobecast series that will highlight the B2B social media examples and (hopefully) successes. Our first guest of the series is John Cass (http://pr.typepad.com/pr_communications/), SNCR founding fellow (http://sncr.org/2008/01/15/sncr-founding-fellows-advisory-board-members/) and online community manager at Forrester Research. I had a chance to meet up with John at Podcamp Boston 3 this weekend. John shared some excellent B2C examples at the June Social Media Club Boston event (http://techprgems.com/2008/06/social-media-in-the-enterprise/), but these weren't really focused on B2B. So today, John and I talked about a few B2B social media examples, including: * Scuderi Group (http://www.brightcove.tv/title.jsp?title=1352562216&channel=1156873648) * Emerson Process Management (http://www.scoutblogging.com/success_study/blogger_interviews/emerson_process_management_deb.html) * Indium Corporation (http://www.scoutblogging.com/success_study/blogger_interviews/indium_corporation_rick_short.html) Do you have examples of B2B social media success you'd like to share? Drop us a line! We'll have you on the next installment!

Todd Van Hoosear is joined by Rob Capra and Stephanie Shultis for this week's PRobecast, number 69! This week's topics: 1. THE NEW YORKER CARTOON SCANDAL http://www.bloggernews.net/116786 2. BUMPER STICKERS AND FACEBOOK GROUPS http://www.observer.com/2008/media/while-were-it-times-reporters-should-leave-out-facebook-preferences-too 3 SWEARING ON THE JOB http://techprgems.com/2008/07/dont-like-swearing-gfy/ 4 GOOGLE: LAMENTS THE DECLINE OF NEWSPAPERS WHILE IT CUTS DOWN ON ADVERTISING http://www.twistimage.com/blog/archives/google-not-optimistic-about-the-future-of-newspapers/ http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/17/google-deliberately-sells-fewer-ads-and-may-have-gone-too-far/ 5. NPR OPENS UP http://www.npr.org/api/widgets.php 6. HAVE FUN AT PODCAMP BOSTON THIS WEEKEND. WE’LL SEE YOU THERE! http://www.podcampboston.org/ PRobecast’s opening music is “Junk In A” by Pat Zelenka, available on the Podsafe Music Network. Our closing music is “Chase Me On A Bike” by our own Rob Capra. We’ll be back next week—see you then!

Happy 4th of July, Canada Day, etc. Since there's nobody left around here but me, it's time for another musical interlude. As with the last time, all this music is available on the Podsafe Music Network (http://music.podshow.com/). Our first artist is Michael W. Burgess performing "The Broken Promise." He's followed by Lauren Zettler's "Over My Head" and Matt Stevens' "Dolls House."

Rob Capra is joined by Chia Hsuan-Wu, Wendie Larkin, Stephanie Shultis, Katelyn D’Eramo, Malinda Singh and Todd Van Hoosear. Our topics this week: 1. GLOUCESTER HIGH – The not so perfect storm http://medianation.blogspot.com/2008/06/in-gloucester-murky-clarification.html 2. COMMUNICATIONS VERSUS PR – (Rob) 3. EIGHT MOST CHALLENGING JOBS IN PR – http://www.ereleases.com/pr/pr-Eight-Worst-Jobs.html 4. PR GENDER PAY GAP – http://prstudies.typepad.com/weblog/2008/06/womens-pay-in-p.html 5. WHO’S MORE TRUSTWORTY, BLOGGERS OR TRADITIONAL MEDIA? http://blog.bitepr.com/2008/06/whos-more-trust.html 6. PR TOOL OF THE WEEK – TWINGLY http://www.twingly.com/ As always, please send your feedback to our email address: probecast@topazpartners.com. You can also call your feedback into 781-404-2409, or leave a comment on our blog at techprgems.com. PRobecast’s opening music is “Junk In A” by Pat Zelenka, available on the Podsafe Music Network. Our closing music is “Chase Me On A Bike” by our own Rob Capra. We’ll be back next week—see you then!

Hello and welcome to episode #67 of PRobecast, Topaz Partners’ weekly podcast exploring the latest developments in the world of social media and public relations! Todd Van Hoosear is joined by Amy Krigman, Stephanie Shultis, Wendie Larkin, Chia-Hsuan Wu and Rob Capra. Please send your feedback to our NEW email address: probecast@topazpartners.com. You can also call your feedback into 781-404-2409, or leave a comment on our blog at techprgems.com. 1. THE A.P. CRACKS DOWN ON BLOGGERS The A.P. “has seen the enemy, and it is blogs”. It issued takedown orders to the Drudge Retort for including quotes of AP content. Is YOUR blog next? 2. WHO OWNS SOCIAL MEDIA? Jeremiah Owyang is putting together a series of social media FAQs, and yesterday he asked “who owns social media?” It’s a VERY good question. 3. MEASUREMENT Poor K.D. It seems that ‘ad equivalency” just won’t die. Why? 4. THE CAMPAIGNS EMBRACE SOCIAL NETWORKING On Tuesday, Obama hit the 1 million supporter mark on Facebook. McCain is putting videogames and videos up on his site. People are competing to get seats on campaign buses. What’s next for the campaigns? 5. For more on the A.P. story, Twitter and Twebinars, check out this week’s Media Bullseye Radio with yours truly as a guest. PRobecast’s opening music is “Junk In A” by Pat Zelenka, available on the Podsafe Music Network. Our closing music was composed by our own Rob Capra. We’ll be back next week—see you then!

Hello and welcome to episode #66 of PRobecast, Topaz Partners' weekly podcast exploring the latest developments in the world of social media and public relations! Todd Van Hoosear is joined by a crack panel of account executives and coordinators, including Joanna DiTrapano, Malinda Singh, Katelyn D'Eramo, Chia-Hsuan Wu and Stephanie Shultis. 1. TWEEPLE RULE. What's YOUR favorite word, technological or event mashup? 2. SPAMIVERSARY. Can you believe it's been 30 years? 3. SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE ENTERPRISE. A recap of Enterprise 2.0 and the Boston Social Media Club Enterprise events. 4. MYSPACE GETS A FACEBOOKLIFT. 5. RIP TIM RUSSERT. You can send your feedback to probecast@topazpartners.com. You can also call your feedback into 781-404-2409. Or leave a comment on our blog! PRobecast's opening music is "Junk In A" by Pat Zelenka, available on the Podsafe Music Network. Our closing music was composed by our own Rob Capra.

Hello and welcome to episode #65 of PRobecast, Topaz Partners’ weekly podcast exploring the latest developments in the world of social media and public relations! Todd Van Hoosearis joined by Tony Sapienza, Wendy Larkin, Glen Zimmerman and Ann Dalrymple. Feel free to send your feedback to our NEW email address: probecast@topazpartners.com. You can also call your feedback into 781-404-2409. Or leave a comment on our new blog! 1. SCOTTYGATE: CBS News’ Legal Analyst Andrew Cohen blasted the PR profession, but is the legal profession any better? http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/06/01/sunday/main4142947.shtml 2. POPCORN AND CELLPHONES. Scary, but is it true? And what should Orville Redenbacher and CTIA do about it? http://www.whatsnextblog.com/archives/2008/06/this_is_your_brain_on_cellphone.asp 3. PRESS RELEASE GRADER David Meerman Scott called our attention to HubSpot’s new Press Release Grader http://www.webinknow.com/2008/05/grade-your-pres.html 4. Are technology companies losing their edge? 5. SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF Lessons for PR folks from eWeek’s Joe Wilcox on why you shouldn't try to hide information. http://www.microsoft-watch.com/content/desktop_mobile/nettop_puts_xp_below.html?kc=MWRSS02129TX1K0000535 6. Have you gotten in line for your iPhone yet? Do you like Apple? Do you like how Apple markets its products? 7. SUMMER READING SUGGESTIONS Ours include: * Tom Perkins (of Kleiner Perkins), Valley Boy * K.D. Paine, “Measuring Public Relationships” * Josh Bernoff, “Groundswell” – at least for the case studies * Don Tapscott’s and Anthony D. Williams’ “Wikinomics” * A couple of USA Today reporters got together to write “Zero Day Threat”, a real-life book about cybercrime that reads like a novel. * I guess we have to add Scott McClellan’s book too… 8. WHAT TO DO NEXT WEEK Enterprise 2.0 is next week, and with it is their Enterprise 2 DOT OPEN show. Also, LP&P is hosting this month’s Social Media Club Boston event on enterprise social media case studies. http://www.enterprise2conf.com/conference/by-day.php http://socialmediaboston.org/

A musical interlude for you, courtest of PRobecast and the Podsafe Music Network (http://music.podshow.com/). We'll be back on Friday with a new edition of PRobecast!

Welcome to the PRobecast, Episode 64 of Topaz Partners' weekly PR-related podcast. Adam Zand, Tim Allik, Tony Sapienza and Ann Dalrymple 1. Study: Men Missing in PR or Women doing it for themselves? Kent State Prof in MediaBullsye 2. Did Dove's "Real Beauty" campaign really need a touch up? BusinessWeek blog and Advertising Age "weigh" in. Topaz prefers parody of Lardo makeover 3. Disasters in China, Myanmar and New Orleans. Do governments make or prevent the news? Do media consumers move on to the latest sorrow? 4. Spygate is over!!! (please). Jon Tomase tries to clarify and ESPN and Senator Specter are still a bad joke (Patriots bias at PRobecast?) 5. Where was Topaz this week? AMA Boston does "How Consumers Control the Conversation about Your Brand with Web 2.0" with Steve Mulder of Molecular. Did Chris Penn take your photo at POPSignal Boston? 6. Things to do this weekend - Bet Gayego in the Preakness since our fav horse, Tank is at Hunter Pace in Ipswich. Go to the Red Sox with Topaz softball ringer - Ben Weiss Comment: email bmoc@topazpartners.com, call 781-404-2409 Opening Music: "Junk In A" by Pat Zelenka, available on the Podsafe Music Network and closing music is by Topazer Rob Capra.

Welcome to the PRobecast, Episode 63 of Topaz Partners' weekly PR-related podcast. Todd Van Hoosear, Tim Allik, Wendie Larki and Glen Zimmerman discuss: 1. Sales are up at the WSJ and USA Today 2. While newsrooms are shrinking 3. What are the implications for the future of journalism? 4. Social networking: MySpace vs. Facebook vs. LinkedIn 5. Plug for Peter Shankman's Help a Reporter Out service 6. Wikipedia, user-generated content and libel: are you at risk? 7. The PR Spam Blacklist: Topaz has stayed off the list (so far), but lots of good agencies are on it: how to fix the problems 8. Things to do. Comment: email bmoc@topazpartners.com, call 781-404-2409 MP3 File You can subscribe to PRobecast via Podcast Ready -- or iTunes. Or simply use the RSS link here: Opening Music: "Junk In A" by Pat Zelenka, available on the Podsafe Music Network and closing music is by Topazer Rob Capra. Technorati Tags: PR, publicrelations, topazpartners, probecast, WSJ, USA Today, BostonGlobe, PRSpam, spam, wikipedia, blacklists, journalism, content

Welcome to the PRobecast, Episode 62 of Topaz Partners' weekly PR-related podcast. Doug Haslam, Tim Allik, Rob Capra, Adam Zand and Todd Van Hoosear discuss: 1. Controlling spokespeople: what do you do with your Rev. Wright? 2. What we did last wek: PodCamp NYC and Social Media Breakfast 7, "Hiring in a Web 2.0" (with a discussion of Adam's rockin' sports goggles) 3. Jesse Blaze Snider update: a little blatant plug for our current favorite PR project for client TalkShoe 4. Doug's kvetching about being left out of a Boston Business Journal article on Twitter is cut off by Adam's boasting about being included in an article about BlackBerries in the same publication. Then, the discussion devolves into an entertaining reprise of the mobile devices in meetings argument. 5. Things to do this weekend: Walk for Hunger in Boston, plus our annual Kentucky Derby picks. Comment: email bmoc@topazpartners.com, call 781-404-2436 Intro Music: "Junk in A" by Pat Zelenka & Mike Jackson, from the Podsafe Music Network Outro music: "Sweet July" by PodSafe artist and PodCamp mainstay Natalie Gelman

Welcome to the PRobecast, Episode 60 of Topaz Partners' weekly PR-related podcast. Doug Haslam, Tim Allik, Adam Zand and Rob Capra discuss: 1. Marshall Kirkpatrick of ReadWriteWeb offers a novel way to pitch: via RSS. 2. My Data is Your Data. Is there a way to protect your data or privacy in the Web 2.0 world? Also, Facebook Beacon lawsuit gets to court. 3. J.K. Rowling defending her brand or holding it too closely? Copyright infringement lawsuit vs. the publisher of the "Harry Potter Lexicon." 4. A discussion of the PR issues surrounding the Pope's last-minute addition of a Boston visit to his American tour. 5. A recap of the Mass Technology Leadership Council's latest event on global business 6. What to do this weekend: Follow former CSNY drummer Dallas Taylor on Twitter and get his new album; Join "Cradle of Rock" contestant Jesse Snyder on Talkshoe (a Topaz client) Comment: email bmoc@topazpartners.com, call 781-404-2419 Intro Music: "Junk in A" by Pat Zelenka & Mike Jackson, from the Podsafe Music Network Outro: "Baby It's You" by the Taylor Neely Band, available at www.dallastaylorband.com

Welcome to the PRobecast, Episode 59 of Topaz Partners' weekly PR-related podcast. Doug Haslam, Adam Zand and Todd Van Hoosear discuss: 1. Mark Penn ousted as Clinton's chief campaign strategist: PR conflict of interest involved? 2. American Airlines Pilots Union directs disgruntled passengers to www.tellyouraastory.com 3. Events recap! CTIA Wireless, MIT Communications Forum (Adam crashes the MIT Media Lab), BusinessWire breakfast on investor relations 4. Shel Holtz responds to our topic on paid seminars vs. free content 5. Flickr adds video and the members are revolting! iJustine is not revolting, however 6. New standard to beat: the two-word pitch 7. What to do this weekend: judging the Bell Ringers, Lez Zeppelin, "Rotary Club" and Beta House party Comment: email bmoc@topazpartners.com, call 781-404-2419 Intro Music: "Junk in A" by Pat Zelenka & Mike Jackson, from the Podsafe Music Network

Welcome to the PRobecast, Episode 58 of Topaz Partners' weekly PR-related podcast. Doug Haslam, Adam Zand and Rob Capra discuss: 1. Forrester on how to do a first-time analyst briefing 2. PR Week and PR Newswire survey on state of the media and PR 3. Shel we apologize? 4. April Fool's Roundup: and should you put out a real press release on April 1? 5. Second Life: Avatars invade Congress 6. Meetings without laptops 7. Red Hawk attacks A-Rod at Fenway 8. What to do this weekend: rickroll the Mets, Charity soccer, and Curious Rob goes to the Symphony Comment: email bmoc@topazpartners.com, call 781-404-2419 Intro Music: "Junk in A" by Pat Zelenka & Mike Jackson, from the Podsafe Music Network

Welcome to the PRobecast, Episode 57 of Topaz Partners' weekly PR-related podcast. Doug Haslam, Adam Zand and Tim Allik discuss: 1. CNET lays off 10% of workforce... 2. ...leading into a discussion of the state of the newspaper business 3. The New York Times' David Pogue talks social media 4. "Tips of the Trade" - what, and how much, of our expertise should we give for free? Included, discussions of SEO at Social Media Club and Shel Hotz and Ragan Communications 5. What to do this weekend: more NCAA hoops, baseball opens, and CTIA next week! Comment: email bmoc@topazpartners.com, call 781-404-2419 Intro Music: "Junk in A" by Pat Zelenka & Mike Jackson, from the Podsafe Music Network

Welcome to the PRobecast, Episode 56 of Topaz Partners' weekly PR-related podcast. Doug Haslam, Sandy Kalik, Rob Capra and Todd Van Hoosear (on sports) discuss: 1. Trust your fish? Gorton deals with a tampering crisis 2. Five years in Iraq: a discussion of the PR issues 3. Adam recounts a Mass TLC session on presence and presentations 4. We actually say something nice about the Yankees, as they visit Virginia Tech, and the Red Sox stand up for their coaches 5. Starbucks gets into online communities, amid their stock woes 6. Coming on the blog: Susan Koutalakis' interview with Adweek's Brian Morrissey about his use of Facebook and Twitter 7. What to do this weekend: Purim, Easter, and next Thursday, PRSA Boston's event on War Zone PR. Comment: email bmoc@topazpartners.com, call 781-404-2419 Intro Music: "Junk in A" by Pat Zelenka & Mike Jackson, from the Podsafe Music Network

Welcome to the PRobecast, Episode 55 of Topaz Partners' weekly PR-related podcast. Doug Haslam, Rob Capra, Sandy Kalik and Tim Allik discuss: 1. A Recap of the recent Social Media Club Boston meeting on SEO. 2. The SXSW Interactive Sarah Lacy/Mark Zuckerberg flapdoodle, lading to a renewal of the live-blogging/twittering debate 3. Why stalking might be a bad theme for a branding or PR campaign 4. "Off the Record." Does it exist? 5. Gov. Spitzer's PR woes 6. A discussion on profanity in the workplace 7. What to do this weekend Comment: email bmoc@topazpartners.com, call 781-404-2419 Intro Music: "Junk in A" by Pat Zelenka & Mike Jackson, from the Podsafe Music Network Outro music bt Rob Capra

Welcome to the PRobecast, Episode 54 of Topaz Partners' weekly PR-related podcast. Doug Haslam, Adam Zand, Rob Capra and Todd Van Hoosear discuss: 1. A Twitter press conference? 2. Should a PR agency blog about its clients? 3. The Social Media Release gets IABC backing, and comes under fire 4. A few words about Edelman's "Authentic" announcement 5. Oprah's webcast event 6. Baseball goes Social? The St. Louis Cardinals let their fans in on the scouting program. Plus a program that uses fantasy baseball to teach elementary school math. 7. Brian Morrissey of AdWeek-- another journalist on Twitter and Facebook 8. what to do this weekend. Judging children; comedy and hip-hop in Boston; next week, the next Social Media club Boston event, "The Search for Social Media Success," March 13. 9. A nerd's eulogy for Gary Gygax, creator of Dungeons and Dragons Comment: email bmoc@topazpartners.com, call 781-404-2419 Intro Music: "Junk in A" by Pat Zelenka & Mike Jackson, from the Podsafe Music Network Outro music: "Thank you Gary Gygax" by Uncle Monster Face