Kara Kane

Writing with Libel in Mind – from Public Citizen

Kara Kane — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 02:25:00 +0000

Public Citizen published a guide to writing with libel in mind, and it’s fantastic. As a review for communications staff who deal with writing, publications and how they intersect with ethics on a day-to-day basis, this piece will help drive home points that can get dropped over time. As a guide for citizens new to the public sphere, this is a great overview that should be studied and internalized.

Bloggers, non-profit communications personnel, and public relations professionals may not come from backgrounds that include “professional” journalistic training. This guide is for you. I use the word “professional” in quotation marks, because the line between “real” journalists and “the rest of the world” continues to blur, and I can cite one hundred examples where non-journalists published better, stronger, faster, and more in-depth reportage than minted, accepted and traditional journalists.

If you’re a local citizen journalist – and I’m talking to you, Sardinia Standard - consider stepping up your game and playing by the rules that keep the world of ideas a little friendlier than they would be otherwise.

A Social Media Event with the Buffalo Niagara Public Relations Society of America

Kara Kane — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 11:47:43 +0000

On the morning of February 11, I’ll be presenting on social media topics with two other local social mediaologists. (I know that’s not a word. I will continue.) The event is called Facebook, Twitter, YouTube & More: A Guide to Social Media & How It Applies to PR Practitioners - a lengthy name!

Anthony Dicembre, of BuffaloMe.com, Kevin Lim, of theory.isthereason.com, and I will demonstrate how public relations professionals can use social media services like twitter and facebook for branding, communication, and continuing a discussion with their audiences.

It’s $15 for PRSA members, $20 for non-members, and students are free.

2009 Resolutions

Kara Kane — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 14:51:50 +0000

My goals for the new year are short and sweet:

Fewer empty calories: less snacking, more fruits and veggies. As a corollary to this, more local food and less processed crap.

Fewer empty hours: less TV watching and more reading, playing outside, and exercise.

Professionally: work toward APR certification in Public Relations.

Font Friday: Submerged

Kara Kane — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 17:56:57 +0000

Submerged is an appropriate name for the styling of this font. It would be great to bring this font into Photoshop and put some different colors to the reverse text.

Town of Sardinia Minutes Posted

Kara Kane — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:51:22 +0000

I’ve posted PDFs of the Town of Sardinia Board Minutes online.

More to follow!

Font Friday: Planet Benson

Kara Kane — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 13:30:55 +0000

What a fun, funky font. It’s got some graffiti flair to it, and I am in love with that lower-case t. This is a font where the miniscule and majuscule are the same.

Trade your rolodex?

Kara Kane — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 11:28:05 +0000

I don’t actually own a rolodex. I do have a unorganized drawer filled with business cards that I’ve collected, but as I eschew paper whenever I can, most of my contacts are consolidated into my LinkedIn account and my Outlook contacts.

I’d like to trade my list of Buffalo-area media contacts and online outlets with someone from outside the region, specifically someone who is not in the higher education industry (as would technically be a competitor). Knowledge is power, and you never know when you’d need media information about Buffalo.

This list is 99% publically available, so I’m not sharing anything secret. As I’ve collected this information over the past two years, and it represents dozens of hours of work.

Some specifics:

80+ print, web, and broadcast sources covering western New York and Canada

30+ bonus upstate New York sources

As an additional bonus, I’ll throw in my go-to social media outlets.

PRSA – Advocacy and Publicity

Kara Kane — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 11:29:20 +0000

Last week I talked with a local PRSA official who asked if I’d be interested in serving on the Advocacy and Publicity committee for the Public Relations Society of America Buffalo Niagara Chapter. Technically, this is a committee of one, but I’m excited to do it. My main responsibility would be to write and distribute press releases about major chapter events and accomplishments. Seeing as the writer-geek in me loves to craft good media releases, this new position sounds like a lot of fun.

Font Friday: Cutting Corners

Kara Kane — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 11:16:57 +0000

The Cutting Corners font looks like someone took scissors to make letters out of felt. I love it.

I love how the upper and lower case letters have the same relative height. This font would be one of many good for use on children’s products, signs for schools, etc.

A Twitpitch?

Kara Kane — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 20:14:55 +0000

An email newsletter that I receive suggested that organizations should develop a twitpitch, which is an inelegant word to describe the succinct text-based hook to promote something through twitter and twitter-like communication channels like text messaging. I’m very happy to see a move away from overdone, overhyped flashy flash videos and back toward what really matters: say what you want to say, and tell people why it’s important. And do it all in 140 characters or less.

I’ve got my personal one crafted:

Kara Kane writes creatively, thinks out of the box, and loves when technology and a good communication plan come together.

It helps that my name is so short.

I’d like to see what other people have as their twitpitch. Post it in the comments!