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Oct. 20, 2003 By George S. Mc Quade III, EPPS & PRSA-LA Board Member West Coast Correspondent Odwyer Publications, NY SECRETS AND SUCCESS OF ENTERTAINMENT PUBLICITY UNVEILED AT FIRST EPPS/ACADEMY OF TELEVISION ARTS & SCIENCES/UCLA EXTENSION EVENT Keynote speakers included Daily Variety Publisher; FINE LIVING Network President; Chairman of The Academy of Television Arts & Science and Top Entertainment Journalists and Lawyers

Sponsors included: Daily Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, PR Newswire, P3, BAJA FRESH, UNIVERSAL, Loeb&Loeb LLP, Bacardi COCO, C&S SALES, BMI, TPEC, EIC, DKG MUSIC, WAXMARKETINGINC. and the Anaheim Angeles.

Scott Pansky, EPPS President	Martin R. Pollner Loeb&Loeb LLP, NY says "Always tell the truth," because a coverup is the worst thing that could happen since the Nixon days.

We focus on education, and that's what differentiates us from other organizations," said EPPS President Scott Pansky in opening remarks of 1st Annual EPPS Conference "We focus on education, and that's what differentiates us from other organizations," President Scott Pansky of the Entertainment Publicists Professional Society (EPPS) told more than 400 at a one-day industry conference for professionals and students at the Television Academy's Leonard H. Goldenson Theater in North Hollywood, CA., over the weekend (Saturday, Oct. 18, 2003). When I first took on my job I did what all the market research people tell us to do and looked at what we presently have and what we need to have in the future," said Dr. Barry Bortnick, UCLA Extension Journalism, Public Relations and Fundraising programs.

Dick Askin, chairman, Acdemy of Television Arts & Sciences "Whether you agree or disagree with the outcome, Governor Gray Davis was really a victim of bad PR and Arnold Schwartzenneger was a benefactor and relied on very good PR," said Chairman Dick Askin, Academy of Television Arts and Science. "You can see how important image and branding are to the entire process."

Dr. Barry Bortnick, UCLA Extension Journalism, Public Relations and Fundraising programs.   "I look at all the public relations programs such as corporate, agency, nonprofit and PR in general. It was clear that there wasn't one course that attracted great enrollment and great evaluations from our students. It was clear that a whole track in entertainment publicity was needed. This whole series of courses in film, television, music, video and the field in general taught by Henri Bollinger and Julian Myers, which has become widely acclaimed and the granddaddy of them all."

Koones offers four ways to becoming a great publicist: Provide honest and clear communication Pick your shot when you have a lot of information - keep your powder dry Go beyond today's message and provide understanding, context and strategy Take a deep breathe. Lighten up and have fun. We're not curing cancer here Executive Vice President and Publisher Charles C. Koones of Variety, Inc.

Era of the publicists says Variety's Koons "In many ways we are living in the era of the publicists and adaptability is key characteristics to a great publicist," said Executive Vice President and Publisher Charles C. Koones of Variety, Inc. Koones is responsible for global business operations of the Variety franchise: Variety, Daily Variety, Daily Variety Gotham, V Life and Variety.com. Variety, which started as a weekly, is in 83 countries and turns 100 years old in two years. "This is a time of instaneous information," said Koones. "There's no denying that. The person who sits and manages that information and the manages message in many ways sits on center stage. It's not just an era of instaneous information, but an era of entertainment obsession. You marriage those two and what you have is free youth that is more complex, higher pressure, higher risk, and arguably for more important than it has ever been. It's because you can draw a clear line between the message and the money today more than in the past. A studio publicist's message to America has everything to do with tens of millions of dollars sales on the weekend and the way it positions an individual descends or ascends their career."

FINE LIVING Network is "living Proof of publicity"

Ken Solomon, president/CEO, FINE LIVING Network "I am living proof of the importance of these people (publicists) in this room," said Ken Solomon, president/CEO, FINE LIVING Network. "We wouldn't be here without you, and yet I think your profession is probably, by the majority of the outside world, the least understood by just about everyone as to what you do. Everyone thinks they know and they really don't know."

Ken Solomon, president/CEO, FINE LIVING Network talks to EPPS members Solomon is a good example of what publicity can do. He has chief management responsibility for the new and fast growing television and online brand from Scripps Network. Under Solomon's direction FINE LIVING developed from concept to launch in little more than a year, beginning its national rollout in March 2002. Its all original TV programming lineup now reaches nearly 19 million households - a highly impressive track record recognized by the television industry and the general businesscommunity.

"They said we were crazy, and they were probably right," explain Solomon. "This 125 year old newspaper company said we're going to launch a fourth brand following the success of HGTV and do ourselves at a time when the advertising market was crashing and people were saying 'even if you start a new television network how will I find it?' We would not exist today if it weren't for the role of public relations branding and marketing. Personalization of media means you have more constituencies to talk to. The challenge will be to find those individual constituencies and make sure the message is heard." Ken Solomon, president/CEO, FINE LIVING Network

Setting Publicity Trends with DVD

"We came up with a campaign that was not dependent upon talent participation and to capitalize on talent when they were available," said Amy Gorton, director, publicity, New Line Home Entertainment, Inc., who along with Jennifer Sandler, manager, PR, broke new records and set new trends in the launch of the movie "Lord Of The Rings Two Towers" on DVD. Amy Gorton, director, publicity, New Line Home Entertainment, Inc. "Be very upfront in your pitches. We let the retailer, the media and consumer know that there was no second release. We earned almost every DVD award including the 'Best DVD Release of the Year.' We also launched the day after the Oscars, because we knew all the stars were in town. We also involved the fan clubs, which adds to the story and attraction." Pollner offered two tips to remember during crisis communications. 1) Always be truthful. "The worst thing you can do is to lie to the media" 2) A cover-up is the worst thing that could happen, especially since the Nixon days. Martin R. Pollner Loeb&Loeb LLP, NY Membership in EPPS is open to all individuals currently working in marketing, publicity and promotion in the entertainment industry. The business arenas of EPPS members include broadcast and cable television, home entertainment, motion pictures, music, performing arts, theme parks, new media, sports and others. Our members hold positions ranging from senior marketing executives and agency owners to junior publicists. For more information visit www.eppsonline.org. Eye on PR articles below Working in the White House With Peter Roussel Is Never A Dull Moment Entertainment Publicists Comment on Controversial Music Downloading Top Tier Business and Entertainment Reporters Unveil Publicity Tips TV Talk Show Mag Producers share pitch secrets Los Angeles Times Announces Overhaul 2003 State of the PR Industry WE NEED MORE ‘CHUTZPAH' PR PR Pros Comment on the challenge of war strategy Tips for pitching Wire Service Editors and Reporters Winning Ink With Los Angeles Times Magazine Pitching Entertainment Reporters Political Reporters Pitching to Broadcast Media The Untapped Latino Media Market Pitching Online Media Winning In With LA Times War on Terrorism California Editors Share PR Tips Top Tier Business Publication Editors With So Many “dotgones,” What’s Next For L.A.’s Technology Sector? Reporters love exclusives.  Except ... Getting on the Radar of Newswire Editors Skip Those News Releases, what? "CBS 60 Minutes Arrives, now what?" If it bleeds, it leads..the truth about broadcast news Biotechnology Revolution..Hope or Hype? Maximize your business media coverage Taken for a ride: 35 years in Auto Communications Strategic Navigation tools: Surviving in the Ocean Getting your news release approved on time! Increasing media exposure Old Dogs & New Tricks: Steaming Media, what works CNN Financial News and KABC-TV offer PR Tips Move NY Times Los Angeles Times Is Expanding Pump UP The Frequency With Radio: It's Red Hot "Business As Usual" Say Enter

PR pros learned effective publicity techniques, strategies and took advantage of networking opportunities at the daylong conference, which featured everything from working with celebrity clients to case studies on cause related marketing to prime time TV shows like Survivor and the trendsetting DVD campaign launching of Lord of the Rings. Crisis Communications "The world has changed from the 'no comment syndrome' to trying to get our message across," said Martin R. Pollner, partner, Loeb & Loeb LLP, New York. "The world is so attuned by cable and so on. The information is incredibly fast, but could be very daunting and dangerous to the careers of people, who live and hopefully do not die by the media or press." Martin R. Pollner Loeb&Loeb LLP, NY says "Always tell the truth," because" a coverup is the worst thing that could happen since the Nixon days." Pollner has built a reputation for resolving highly sensitive cases throughout the country. He has represented celebrities and other prominent people such as Steven Seagal, Naomi Campbell and Joey Heatherton, not to mention Denis Rich in the highly publicized probe of former President Clinton's pardon of Marc Rich; and Monroe Trout, the prominent owner of a multi-billion dollar hedge fund, concerning a complex extortion scheme in various states and foreign countries. About EPPS The Entertainment Publicists Professional Society was founded in 1991 by a group of top entertainment marketing and public relations professionals. They recognized the need for an organization that would bring together people from all areas and levels of entertainment publicity to share their expertise and ideas, and exchange information.

               
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