Tom McKee, Reporter, WCPO and President, Cincinnati SPJ
Jackie Congedo, Public Relations Manager, Jewish Federation of Cincinnati
Pepper Peale, Public Relations Counselor, Vehr Communications
Erin Rolfes from REDI Cincinnati served as the evening's moderator. We had a full house, and a capacity crowd in attendance with about 35 guests. The event sold out! The panel covered a variety of aspects - from newsroom logistics when covering a breaking news event to shedding light on how journalists and PR professionals can work together to achieve their desired outcomes. They also answered a number of questions related to the value of social media, how to consider the best interests of viewers when you make a story pitch and what makes a story newsworthy.
Examples of a few of the major news stories we've seen break over the past year in Cincinnati have included some that were lighthearted and fun, such as the All Star Game and its related festivities. Others have been more tragic, such as the Tensing/Dubose altercation in July. In the course of our discussion, there were other insightful examples, too.
Feel free to comment below, or send us an email. Share your thoughts about the panel discussion, and leave ideas for future joint programs! Thanks again to everyone. - By Ginny McCabe, Cincinnati SPJ