By Rick Griffin
Friday is the deadline for non-union San Diego Union-Tribune employees to accept the latest voluntary buyout offers from Tribune Publishing, the Chicago-based company that owns the San Diego newspaper, as well as the Los Angeles Times.
U-T colleagues are saying only a handful of employees are expected to apply for the payout.
In a recent memo to employees, Tribune CEO Jack Griffin said the “Voluntary Separation Program,” available to employees who’ve been with the company for more than a year, is needed to reduce costs. In May, Tribune purchased the Union-Tribune for $85 million. In September, Austin Beutner, former publisher of U-T and LA Times who was credited as the driving force behind the U-T deal, was fired and replaced with Tim Ryan, who had been publisher of the Baltimore Sun and Allentown, PA, Morning Call.
PRSA Prepping for Bernays Awards
The Public Relations Society of America’s San Diego and Imperial counties chapter will announce its 2015 Edward L. Bernays Awards of Excellence at a dinner on Tuesday, Oct. 20, at The Prado Restaurant in Balboa Park. More than 55 awards will be presented in 37 categories, including community relations, reputation management, events, public service, public affairs, crisis communications, internal communications, investor relations and multicultural relations.
Awards will be presented in two categories, Silver and Bronze. Silver awards will honor PR campaigns, including research, planning, execution and evaluation. Bronze awards will honor PR tactics, such as individual items or components of programs or campaigns. Special awards will include the Deborah Baker PR Professional of the Year, Eva Irving Community Service Award, New Professional of the Year Award and Diogenes Award to a local newsmaker for their honesty and candor. This year’s judges were PRSA members with the Charlotte, NC, chapter. Cost to attend is $100 for members, $120 for non-members. To RSVP, visit www.prsasdic.org.
Direct Marketers to Discuss ‘Growth Hacks’
San Diego Direct, formerly the San Diego Direct Marketing Association, will present “Growth Hacks used by Billion-Dollar Companies,” a program on marketing strategies for investor-backed tech start-ups, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 20, at UCSD Extension, Room 317, 6526 Greenwich Dr. Speakers will be Chris d’Eon and Randy Gerson of Gerson & Associates. Topics will include strategies noticed by venture capitalists, how social media can test new ideas and low-cost ways to capture leads. Cost to attend is $20 for members, $40 for guests and $12 for students. Lunch is included. To RSVP, visit www.sddma.org/events.
IABC Will Host Mixer at Societe Brewery
San Diego’s International Association of Business Communicators chapter is planning a mixer from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 21, at Societe Brewery Co., 8262 Clairemont Mesa Blvd. The mixer will include beer tastings, a tour of brewing facilities and American and Latino cuisine hors d’oeuvres from San Diego-based caterer Spanglish Eats. Cost to attend is $25 for members, $35 for non-members, which includes one drink ticket. For event information, visit http://sandiego.iabc.com.
AIGA Chapter Will Meet for Saturday reakfast
The American Institute of Graphic Arts San Diego chapter will host a breakfast meeting from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 24 at the offices of Experiences For Mankind, or EFM, a San Diego creative branding agency, 101 West Broadway, Suite 1440. Discussion topics will include “strategy to creative” and “quick-serve creative.” Speakers will include: Javier Iniguez, EFM president and COO; Christian Leon, EFM associate creative director; David Fried, EFM senior copywriter and strategist; Angela Renac, EFM senior art director. Cost to attend is $15 for members and $20 for non-members with RSVP. Add $10 at the door without RSVP. For more details, visit www.sandiego.aiga.org.
Rick Griffin is a San Diego-based public relations and marketing consultant. His MarketInk column appears weekly on Mondays in Times of San Diego.
