Everyone at the FIR Podcast Network wishes listeners a happy holiday and a prosperous 2018! The “For Immediate Release” podcast — which is taking a break for the holidays — returns on January 8 with a new format. The show will be shorter and instead of guest co-hosts, host Shel Holtz will share brief conversations… Continue Reading →

In the age of social media and the 24-hour news cycle, company reputations are constantly at risk. On episode 28 of “Circle of Fellows,” four IABC Fellows will explore the challenges of managing reputation in social media, the crucial role employees play as reputation ambassadors and the financial value of proactive reputation and risk management…. Continue Reading →

On Thursday, November 16 at noon ET, IABC Fellow Brad Whitworth will moderate a panel with four of his Fellows colleagues — Priya Bates, Kellie Garrett, Tamara Gillis, and Jim Shaffer — to discuss the movement toward converged communication functions (with marketing the dominant practice) and what it means for the practices of public relations, corporate communications, and employee communications.
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You have probably heard the statistic before: Research from McKinsey & Company found that only 30% of executives agreed that their change programs were completely or mostly successful. Corporate culture expert John Kotter estimates “more than 70% of needed change eithr fails to be launched, even though some people clearly see the need, fails to… Continue Reading →

A panel of four IABC Fellows will address multigenerational career development for communicators on the next live Circle of Fellows broadcast, scheduled for noon EDT on Thursday, September 21. You’ll be able to ask questions in real time via Twitter by using the hashtag #COF25.
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The International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) has set “Fostering a Socially Responsible Organization” as its editorial theme for August. It’s the topic four IABC Fellows will discuss on the August episode of Circle of Fellows, set for Thursday, August 17, at noon ET. The panel will explore the importance of embedded social responsibility in building organizational reputation and discuss trends like social entrepreneurship, impact reporting, and advocacy (leaders or companies taking positions on social issues).
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Most communicators begin their professional lives in tactical roles, writing articles and producing other content. At some point, however, some communicators want to elevate their roles and take on more consultative responsibility. What does it mean to be a strategic communication adviser? What are the skills required and what are the goals of the role? Is it possible to adopt this role without understanding the broader work of a management consultant? Should communicators at that level even confine themselves by retaining the “communicator” label? These issues and others will be on the table during a live hour-long discussion with four IABC Fellows (the highest honor IABC confers upon members). Join us on Thursday, July 20 at noon EDT, and bring questions via Twitter using the hashtag #COF23.
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The FIR Network is pleased to announce the release of a new podcast, Passport, focusing on both PR & Marketing in the travel space. Chris Christensen and Leif Petterson co-host the show, which features news, commentary, and interviews.
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Communicators face of their diciest challenges when communicating to audiences from multiple cultures. Whether trying to convey a common message to employees in different countries who each speak their local language or addressing a product issue to customers from the varied regions of the U.S., communicators face local interpretations of words and phrases, sensitivity among… Continue Reading →