Twitter Is Fastest Growing Social Media Channel Among Fortune 500 According to New Study
February 23, 2010 | 8 Comments
San Jose, Calif., – February 23, 2010 – The Fortune 500’s use of blogs, online video, and podcasts continues to increase, but Twitter was the social media channel of choice in 2009. This was among the key findings of the study, “The Fortune 500 and Social Media: A Longitudinal Study of Blogging and Twitter Usage by America’s Largest Companies,” conducted by Dr. Nora Ganim Barnes, Ph.D., Senior Fellow and Research Chair of the Society for New Communications Research and Chancellor Professor of Marketing at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and Eric Mattson, CEO of Financial Insite Inc., a Seattle-based research firm.
The new report is the outcome of a statistically sound study of the Fortune 500. The study examined the 2009 Fortune 500 in an attempt to quantify their adoption of social media tools and technologies. This is the second year that Barnes and Mattson have tracked social media adoption among the Fortune 500, and theirs is the only statistically sound longitudinal study of its kind.
The 2009 study’s key findings include:
• 22% (108) of the primary corporations listed in the 2009 Fortune 500 have a public-facing corporate blog. This represents a six percent increase over the 2008 study.
• 86% of these blogs (93) link directly to a corporate twitter account, a 300% increase over the 2008 study. (Note: More Fortune 500 corporations have Twitter accounts, but do not link directly from their blogs.)
• 35% (173) of the Fortune 500 have active Twitter accounts (a post within the past thirty days); and nearly 50% of the top 100 companies (47) have a Twitter account.
• 80% — four of the top five corporations – Wal-Mart, Chevron, ConocoPhillips and General Electric – consistently post on their Twitter accounts. The number one ranked company, Exxon Mobil, does not have a Twitter account.
• The insurance industry has the most Twitter accounts (13).
• 19% of the 2009 Fortune 500 is podcasting, a three percent increase over the 2008 study
• 31% are incorporating online video into their blog sites, a 10% increase over 2008
“The continued steady adoption of blogs and the explosive growth of Twitter among Fortune 500 companies demonstrate the growing importance of social media in the business world,” stated Barnes. “These large and leading companies drive the American economy, and to a large extent, the world economy. Surely a willingness to interact more transparently via these new technologies with their stakeholders is a positive step. Where this leads will be fascinating to watch!”
“As social media become more integrated with a variety of business functions both internally and externally at companies, we continue to see a steadily growing adoption of blogs, Twitter, online video, podcasts and other new communications channels,” added Mattson.
A full copy of the new research report can be downloaded here:
http://www.umassd.edu/cmr/studiesresearch/
Additionally, Barnes and Mattson will publish a paper based on the findings in an upcoming issue of the Society for New Communications Research’s Journal of New Communications Research and will present the findings via a web-based briefing and at the Society for New Communications Research’s annual research symposium.
About the Center for Marketing Research at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
To facilitate the economic development of the region by providing an affordable, high-quality economic alternative to meeting business needs for research, training, and consulting in any and all aspects of Marketing. The Center for Marketing Research is associated with and maintains a close relationship with the Chambers of Commerce within southeastern Massachusetts. This unique relationship provides the Center with an effective business networking capability. For more information, visit http://www.umassd.edu/cmr/.
About the Society for New Communications Research (SNCR)
The Society for New Communications Research is a global nonprofit 501(c)(3) research and education foundation and think tank focused on the advanced study of the latest developments in new media and communications, and their effect on traditional media and business models, communications, culture and society. For more information, visit http://sncr.org.
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Journalists’ Use of Social Media Is Surging, According to 2nd Annual Middleberg/SNCR Survey of Media in the Wired World
February 19, 2010 | 5 Comments
Journalists’ Use of Social Media Is Surging, According to 2nd Annual Middleberg/SNCR Survey of Media in the Wired World
Nearly 70% of Journalists Surveyed Are Using Social Networking Sites to Assist Reporting
SAN JOSE, CA – (Marketwire – February 19, 2010) – Use of social media tools by journalists is surging, growing in double-digit percentages in some cases. This is among the key findings of the 2nd Annual Middleberg/SNCR Survey of Media in the Wired World, conducted by the Society for New Communications Research team of Jen McClure, SNCR founder and president, and SNCR Senior Fellow, Don Middleberg. The study was made possible in part by Marketwire.
Major objectives of the study included an examination of:
* The impact of new media and communications tools on the way journalists work
* Online resources and social media that are considered the most valuable tools and how they are being used by journalists
* The frequency of use and preferences for a variety new media and communications tools and technologies
* Attitudes of journalists toward the impact and value of these new tools and trends in journalism
Another goal of the study was to provide insights as to how public relations professionals can understand these changes in order to work more effectively with journalists, and provide more value to the journalistic community.
Three hundred forty one journalists participated in the survey. Top findings include:
* Nearly 70% of journalists surveyed are using social networking sites, a 28% increase since the results of the 2008 Survey of Media in the Wired World were released
* 48% are using Twitter or other microblogging sites and tools, a 25% increase since 2008
* 66% are reading blogs
* 48% are viewing videos online
* 25% are listening to podcasts
* Nearly 80% of journalists surveyed believe that bloggers have become important opinion-shapers in recent years
* 91% of journalists surveyed agree that new media and communications tools and technologies are enhancing journalism to some extent
When asked to share their thoughts about how social media is changing the profession of journalism, participating journalists provided a wide range of responses. One respondent answered, “Social media is changing the profession. It has enhanced the dialog between audience and writer and expanded the scope of those who can participate in disseminating news.” Another commented, “It is full of peril and promise.”
“This study indicates that there is now a large and growing percentage of journalists who view social media and the participation by the public in the journalistic process to be a necessary, and in most cases, positive step in the evolution of journalism,” said Jen McClure, founder and president, Society for New Communications Research. “They understand the future of journalism to be a highly participatory, collaborative and dynamic process.”
SNCR Senior Fellow Don Middleberg, CEO of Middleberg Communications, added, “While companies are increasingly paying more attention to social media for revenue generation, employee productivity and enhanced consumer loyalty, many do not yet understand the true scope and depth of these new communications tools for journalistic usage. As a result, some companies are losing share of voice among journalists to their competitors. Social media presents a new opportunity to communicate and develop relationships with a whole new generation of journalists through these new channels of choice.”
“The definitions and roles of journalists and public relations practitioners have changed significantly over the past few years,” commented Paolina Milana, EVP, Marketing/Editorial Operations/Media Relations at Marketwire, corporate sponsor of the study. “Social media is immediate, it is accessible, and it has irrevocably changed the relationship between makers, reporters and consumers of news. The more that all journalistic participants understand each other’s needs, how they use various media channels at their disposal, and how they want to work with PR professionals, the better the entire communication process will be.”
The research findings will be shared in a complimentary web briefing hosted by the Society for New Communications Research and Middleberg Communications, sponsored by Marketwire. The webinar will take place on Thursday, February 25, 2010 at 10:00 am PT/1:00 pm ET. For more information and to register, visit http://sncr.wufoo.com/forms/sncr-research-briefing/.
The final results will be highlighted in the SNCR’s Journal of New Communications Research and published in a full report, which will be available later this month.
About Marketwire
Marketwire is a full-service communications partner to PR, IR and MarCom professionals seeking top-tier press release distribution, media management, multimedia and monitoring solutions. Delivering news to the world’s media, financial and social communities, Marketwire offers innovative products and services that help communicators maximize their effectiveness while ensuring accuracy and best practices. More than 11,000 clients worldwide are serviced via Marketwire’s 20 offices on four continents. For more information, visit www.marketwire.com/.
About Middleberg Communications
Middleberg Communications is a full-service, independently owned public relations agency with specialized expertise in the consumer, corporate and financial services, media, and technology markets. The agency focuses on delivering tangible results that help clients grow their businesses. Hallmarks of the firm are smart, creative strategic thinking; targeted media relations; and unbridled enthusiasm for clients’ business goals, all supported by good old-fashioned hard work. For more information, visit http://www.middlebergcommunications.com.
About the Society for New Communications Research
The Society for New Communications Research is a global nonprofit 501(c)(3) research and education foundation and think tank focused on the advanced study of the latest developments in new media and communications, and their effect on traditional media and business models, communications, culture and society. For more information, call +1 408-266-9658 or visit http://sncr.org.
Media Contact:
Angi Roberts
Executive Director
Society for New Communications Research
(408) 266-9658
sncroffice@gmail.com
Society for New Communications Research Announces 2010 Fellows
February 4, 2010 | Leave a Comment
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Society for New Communications Research Announces 2010 Fellows
San Jose, Calif. – February 3, 2010 – The Society for New Communications Research, a global, nonprofit research and education foundation and think tank focused on the latest developments in media and communications, today announced its 2010 Fellows. These new Fellows join the Society’s existing group of Founding Fellows and Senior Fellows who are business leaders, scholars, professional communicators, members of the media, futurists and technologists from around the globe. The SNCR Fellows collaborate on research initiatives, educational offerings, and the establishment of standards and best practices focused on the advanced study of emerging trends and developments in media and communications, and their effect on business, professional communications, media, culture and society.
The 2010 SNCR Fellows include: Chris Boudreaux, creator of SocialMediaGovernance.com; Douglas Haslam, supervisor, Voce Communications; John Havens, senior vice president, social media, Porter Novelli; Chuck Hemann, manager of research and online reputation management, Dix & Eaton; Kami Huyse and Beth Kanter of Zoetica; Francesca Karpel, senior manager of internal communications, NetApp; Crystal Kigoni, director, Voices of Africa for Sustainable Development; Dr. Yuping Liu-Thompkins, associate professor of marketing and E. V. Williams Faculty Fellow, Old Dominion University; Kate McCallum, founder, c3: Center for Conscious Creativity; Jacob Morgan, principal, Chess Media Group; Michael Netzley, assistant professor, Singapore Management University; Michelle Venorsky, APR, management supervisor, Marcus Thomas LLC; Revi Sterling, Faculty Director, ICTD Graduate Studies, ATLAS Institute, University of Colorado at Boulder.
In addition, the Society named five new Senior Fellows: Peter Auditore, head of SAP’s Business Influencer Group; Jamie Beckett, managing editor of News@Cisco, New Media Group, Cisco; Barb Chamberlain, director of communications and public affairs, Washington State University Spokane; Michael Kelly, CEO, Techtel Corporation; and Don Stacks, professor, University of Miami.
During 2010, the SNCR Fellows will focus on numerous research and education projects, including exploring the link between social media and innovation, social CRM and social ecommerce, interactive TV (ITV), augmented reality (AR), mobile trends and developments, social data, online video and corporate storytelling, social media in relation to corporate social responsibility, best practices for social media policy development by industry and organizational type, social media governance, and internal uses of social media.
“We are very pleased and honored to welcome our fifth group of Fellows,” said Jen McClure, founder and president, SNCR. “They come from both top universities from around the globe, as well as some of the world’s leading companies, nonprofits, and communications organizations. They bring an incredible depth and breadth of knowledge and experience to our organization. We are looking forward to working with this group of Fellows to continue to produce valuable new research and educational offerings exploring the latest developments in media and communications and their impact on business, media and communications models, culture and society.”
About the Society for New Communications Research
The Society for New Communications Research is a global nonprofit 501(c)(3) research and education foundation and think tank focused on the advanced study of the latest developments in new media and communications. SNCR is dedicated to creating a bridge between the academic and theoretical pursuit of these topics and the pragmatic implementation of new media and communications tools and methodologies. For more information, visit http://sncr.org or call (408) 266-9658.
Media Contact:
Angi Roberts
Society for New Communications Research
+1 408-266-9658 -
sncroffice@gmail.com
SNCR Emeritus Fellows
February 3, 2010 | Leave a Comment
Paul Benjou is a Senior Fellow and Advisory Board member of the Society for New Communications Research. Spanning a 28+ year career in media and agency management, Paul moved through the ranks of major agencies to include McCaffrey & McCall, Grey, Y&R, Ketchum MacLeod & Grove, FCB/Leber Katz Partners and IPG’s DraftWorldwide. At Leber Katz Partners, as SVP/Director of Media, Paul established and built a national broadcast network group while maintaining vigil over all media operations. His move to Doyle Graf Mabley expanded his responsibilities to EVP/Director of Media, Marketing and Administration. Blue chip clients at DGM included JP Morgan (Worldwide), Haagen Dazs, Swissair and Hilton International. In 1988 Paul founded Group One Communications, a media counseling group dedicated to an exclusive client base. Services included both traditional media reviews as well as migration planning into the interactive and digital arenas. The firm also conducted agency reviews and Change Management planning for direct media clients and the restructure of media operations. Paul managed Group One through 1998 when he joined DraftWorldwide. As SVP/Group Media Director and a member of the agency’s Executive Committee, Paul was the architect for the structure and launch of the direct agency’s Internet operations, and was focused on Business Process initiatives. As liaison with Interpublic Group’s (IPG) Corporate offices, Paul drove the agency’s digital interface with all IPG holdings. Paul has senior involvement with Process Management change across a wide spectrum of agency and marketing groups. At Mediaplex (2001), Paul’s responsibilities, as Director of Client Services, focused on management of the New York office and building the ValueClick (NASDAQ:VCLK) digital brands across direct clients, agencies and publishers. In 2006, Paul joined Universal McCann’s Digital Communications Practice as SVP/Global Digital Director, overseeing 70 + Johnson & Johnson agency brands. Paul has been on the Board of Global Networks, Inc. and remains as an advisor, is a member of numerous media groups including 212/NYC, Business Process Trends and has been a speaker at Myers Interactive Forums, the MPA, Media Marketing Week, The Financial Communications Society, an editorial advisor to MediaLife Magazine, and a visiting professor for Magazine Publishing and Strategic Alliances at New York University. Paul is a founding member of the One Hundred Club (OHC). He is frequently published and sought after by the trade press for commentary.
Colin Crawford is a Senior Fellow and Advisory Board member of the Society for New Communications Research. Mr. Crawford is a seasoned executive leader and accomplished entrepreneur with a track record of management success over 20 years in diverse international media businesses, including print, online and mobile properties. His responsibilities have included corporate strategy, developing, launching and running high growth, profitable media properties. He has transformed legacy print focused businesses into successful and profitable digital centric organizations by developing new digital revenue opportunities around advertising and performance-related revenue streams, including lead generation. He held a series of senior executive leadership roles at IDG from 1993 to 2008, and served on the IDG senior management team and the operations review boards of all the IDG brands. Mr. Crawford has extensive International experience, working with IDG business units in Europe and Asia. He was responsible for the development of several internal business development projects in addition to overseeing corporate M&A. These initiatives led to the launch of IDG Connect and a major shift in overall corporate strategy to focus the company away from print toward a more profitable digital centric future. Mr. Crawford has spoken at various industry events, and his achievements have been recognized with a number of industry awards including Folio 40 2007 – Director Level Doer and Folio 40 2006 – People to watch 2007. In his role as IDG’s digital strategist, he served on various industry committees including the Google Publisher Advisory Council.
Franz Dill is a Senior Fellow and Advisory Board member of the Society for New Communications Research. He has been an employee of Procter & Gamble for more than 26 years. He has a background in mathematics, working on a wide variety of modeling, supply chain, analysis, expertise and and social media applications. He blogs at The Eponymous Pickle.
Joseph Jaffe is a Senior Fellow and Advisory Board member of the Society for New Communications Research. One of the most sought-after consultants, speakers and thought leaders on new marketing, Mr. Jaffe is President and Chief Interuptor of crayon, a new marketing company. crayon is a mash-up of 5 key areas: strategic and creative agency services, consulting, M&A Advisory, thought leadership/custom publishing and training/education. He is the author of two books, “Life After The 30-Second Spot: Energize Your Brand With A Bold Mix Of Alternatives To Traditional Advertising” and “Join the Conversation.” Mr. Jaffe is also a Senior Fellow at the Center for the Digital Future at the USC Annenberg School and has lectured part-time at NYU’s Stern School of Business, Cornell’s Johnson School of Business and Syracuse University. Hailing from South Africa, Joseph lives with his wife and children in Westport, Connecticut. He blogs and podcasts at Jaffe Juice.
Richard Nacht is a Senior Fellow and Chair of the Education committee of the Society for New Communications Research. He is the founder and CEO of Blogging Systems Group. Richard has more than 20 years experience in the real estate, finance and technology development industries. Richard has focused his talents on creating e-commerce strategies aimed at producing technologies that benefit the consumer and businesses. Richard was a principal officer of a regional master franchise for a national real estate company in the mid 1980s which was sold to Commercial Credit. He founded one of the first online lending platforms in the late 1990s and took the operation from its original online birth to successful acquisition by a national lender in 2003. Richard then leveraged his online consumer and business to business marketing experience by founding Blogging Systems Group. Richard has led Blogging Systems as the leader in the rapidly growing area of corporate blogging by delivering a blogging platform that produces a low-cost, high results tool for effective communication and collaboration, competitive marketing, sales, and customer relations. He has been honored as a New Jersey Governor’s Cup for Entrepreneurial Excellence finalist and he was a member of the Inc. 500 list of America’s Fastest Growing Private Companies in 2003. Richard is the co-author of Realty Blogging: Build your Brand and Outsmart Your Competition. Richard also writes a monthly column on blogging for RISMedia. He is also a member of the National Association of Real Estate Editors (NAREE). Richard’s educational achievements include a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from New York Law School and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from New York University. He is a current doctoral candidate at the International School for Management in Paris, France.
Paavo Vasala is a Senior Fellow of the Society for New Communications Research and a communications professional with more than 25 years of experience. He has worked as a public relations executive in corporation, journalist in radio and newspaper and as a manager of publishing house. He has founded his private public relations agency in Finland in 1984 being several years a partner in the WORLDCOM Public Relations Group, a global network of independent PR agencies. He founded in 1997 an Internet-based news release distribution company Pressi.com, which he sold to the Finnish News Agency in 2004. Since that Mr. Vasala is a founder and chairman of half a dozen new communications spin-off companies, which focus on news monitoring, news release disseminations, web media and software design for new communications. He also consults a few listed companies and cities in strategical development of new communications. He has been nominated as of PR executive of the year by The Finnish Association of Professional Communicators in 2000. Mr. Vasala is a Master of Science (Mass Communications) from the University of Tampere, Finland. He is currently doing research at the University of Oulu, Finland, for his Ph.D. His topic is “The Role of the World Wide Web in Corporate Communications. Experiences of Communications Managers.”
2010 SNCR Fellows
February 3, 2010 | 7 Comments
Chris Boudreaux, creator of SocialMediaGovernance.com
Douglas Haslam, supervisor, Voce Communications
Chuck Hemann Chuck Hemann is a 2010 Fellow of the Society for New Communications Research and currently the manager of Research & Online Reputation for Dix & Eaton. Chuck spearheads the firm’s efforts in the areas of monitoring, measurement, market research, and provides critical inputs into the strategic development and execution of marketing communications, crisis communications and investor relations programs. Chuck co-chairs Dix & Eaton’s digital communications practice, and is a frequent speaker on a variety of social media topics, including how to get started, monitoring and measurement. In February 2010, Chuck will start a new role as a social media associate with WCG, a global media services company focused on the corporate and product marketing and communications needs of leading healthcare companies, where he will be responsible for creating and maintaining state-of-the-art analytics and monitoring programs for the its clients. A graduate of Baldwin-Wallace College with a bachelor’s degree in political science, and a master’s degree in applied politics from the Ray C. Bliss Institute at the University of Akron, Chuck received many academic awards, including membership into the Social Science Honorary Society, Political Science Honorary Society and the International Studies Honorary Society.
John C. Havens John C. Havens is SVP, Social Media at Porter Novelli and the author of the book, Tactical Transparency: How Leaders Can Leverage Social Media To Maximize Value and Build Their Brand (Wiley 2008). At Porter, John provides senior Social Media counsel for the New York office while managing all New York Digital Account activity. He is part of Porter Novelli’s Global Digital Counsel that provides senior strategy for all Digital and Emerging Media for the entire Agency. He is a recognized expert in the fields of Transparency and Augmented Reality for Social Media/Public Relations.
Before working at Porter, John was VP of Business Development at BlogTalkRadio where he was responsible for bringing in over 70% of the company’s revenue by bringing in clients like Walmart, Ford, PepsiCo, Century 21, IBM, Allstate, State Farm, The Pentagon, Harper Collins, Hachette Book Group, Frommers, Wiley Publishing, Woman’s Day, and the USPS among others. John was also responsible for coordinating BTR’s campaign with Walmart which led to a 253% increase of traffic to their website featuring their Twilight DVD release, their largest DVD pre-release to date. John has been blogging about social media since 2005 when he was the first Guide to Podcasting at About.com. A frequent speaker on transparency and augmented reality, John’s has been quoted in Fast Company, INC, iMedia, and ADOTAS amongst other sites.
Kami Huyse, Zoetica
Beth Kanter, Zoetica
![](:"http://sncr.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Francesca-Head-Shot.gif")
Francesca Karpel Senior Manager, Internal Communications, NetApp.
Francesca Karpel is a communications expert with over 20 years of experience in various industries including technology, education and financial services. Her expertise includes identifying and executing strategies and technologies which facilitate corporate growth. She has grown NetApp’s internal communications infrastructure as the company has grown from 1000 to over 8000 employees and become recognized as a great place to work in locations around the world. Francesca led the cross functional team that selected the software platform for both internal and external communities at NetApp as part of the NetApp brand launch.
Francesca has spoken at communications conferences as well as providing best practice examples and being quoted in professional texts on internal communications and branding.
Francesca earned a BA from Smith College and an. MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University She also studied at Ecole Supérieure des Sciences Economiques et Commerciales, Cergy-Pontoise, France, one of the premier management schools in Europe.
Crystal Kigoni, director, Voices of Africa for Sustainable Development
Jacob Morgan Jacob is the Principal of Chess Media Group, a social business consultancy with offices in San Francisco, California and Calgary, Alberta. Chess Media Group focuses on two practice areas:
1) Social-Collaborative Workplaces – Helping companies understand how they can use social tools and strategies to collaborate internally to meet business objectives (enterprise 2.0)
2) Social Business – Helping companies understand how they can use social tools and strategies externally to meet business objectives through relationships with customers.
Previously Jacob ran his own startup in the social media space, a marketing/SEO consultancy, and worked for a marketing agency. Jacob has worked on or with brands such as Adobe, Conde Nast, Salesforce, Sprint, and Sandisk.
In 2009, Jacob released his first book Twittfaced, which he co-authored with Josh Peters and wrote entirely through online collaboration. Chris Brogan, Brian Solis, and Olivier Blanchard were amongst the contributors to the book. Jacob also blogs about Enterprise 2.0 and Social Business. His blog is ranked in AdAge’s POWER150, the most influential marketing blogs in the world. He is a contributor to Marketing Profs and has been quoted in the Wall Street Journal and featured by Media Post and ZdNet.
Jacob is passionate about chess, people, and traveling. When not at home in San Francisco, Jacob is traveling the world, exploring new people, places and cultures.
Kate McCallum Entertainment and arts professional, Kate McCallum, founded Bridge Arts Media, LLC, a transmedia development and production company based in Los Angeles which specializes in both traditional and new media. She also co-founded the c3: Center for Conscious Creativity, a non-profit organization, creative collective and think-tank of artists, media-makers, futurists and consciousness experts who examine and explore the impact of art, story and media on culture and society, as well c3 produces and presents artists, concerts, screenings and educational forums relevant to the mission of transformation and the evolution of human potential. Kate is a member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, the Association for the Scientific Study of Consciousness, the World Future Studies Foundation and is a frequent speaker on the transformational power of the arts and media.
Kate’s 30 year professional background ranges from positions in arts administration, production and writing, to development and programming. She holds a BA in Communications and Music from Western Michigan University, and an MA in Consciousness Studies. Kate spent 20 years at Universal Studios and Paramount Studios on prime time commercial series such as; THE EQUALIZER, CRIME STORY, MIAMI VICE, THE HUMAN FACTOR, and LAW AND ORDER. She produced and sold long form content to Showtime, UPN, and NBC (Producer on NBC MOW, “What Kind of Mother Are You”) and served as VP of Creative with Western Sandblast at Paramount TV. Kate joined the Harmony Channel executive team to launch an innovative visual music VoD cable channel on COMCAST to over 11 million homes, then from 2006-2009 she was employed by the Los Angeles Opera in the position of Board Liaison and Executive Administrator to General Manager, Plácido Domingo.
Michael Netzley, PhD Michael serves on the faculty of Singapore Management University where he specializes in managing corporate reputation, digital media, and leadership. He has spent the last twenty years in higher education and worked internationally in Argentina, Finland, Germany, Slovenia, and Japan. Asia is now his home and the focal point of his research.
Michael earned his PhD in communication from the University of Minnesota and taught in the MBA program at the university’s Carlson School of Management. Here he began researching corporate communication and since has either authored or served as academic editor of more than fifty case studies. He has also co-authored three books on workplace communication. Outside the academy Michael actively consults and leads executive development programs around the globe. He is a weekly correspondent to the For Immediate Release podcast and maintains the Digital Media Across Asia wiki. Most importantly, Michael is a proud father who enjoys scuba diving the warm waters of Asia.
Revi Sterling, Ph.D. Revi Sterling, Ph.D., is the Faculty Director for Graduate Studies in Information and Communication Technology for Development (ICTD) at the ATLAS Institute, University of Colorado – Boulder. Her main academic and research concentration is analyzing the underside of ICTD, studying why the billions spent annually on closing “digital divides” has not moved the overall development needle – and developing strategies and students to address this. Passionate about the transformative potential of technology, Sterling focuses on translating community communication needs into technical requirements, working primarily with community radio stations and media centers, as well as other ICTD efforts globally. Her work in adding interactivity to traditionally unidirectional communication technologies has garnered significant attention and use in Africa, India, and Latin America. Sterling is a member of the UN-GAID High Level Panel of Experts, and serves on several gender, technology and development advisory boards. She has a Ph.D. from the University of Colorado in Technology, Media and Society. Prior to academia, Sterling spent a decade at Microsoft in both technology and research teams, leading Microsoft’s gender equity in computer science efforts, working with universities and governments, including providing Congressional testimony on strategies to enhance the domestic IT pipeline.
Dr. Yuping Liu-Thompkins Dr. Yuping Liu-Thompkins is 2010 Fellow of the Society for New Communications Research, and Associate Professor of Marketing and E. V. Williams Faculty Fellow at Old Dominion University. With a personal passion for technology, Dr. Liu-Thompkins’ research has focused on the intersection among marketing, technology, and consumer psychology. Her main research areas include Internet marketing, loyalty programs, and customer relationship management. Starting with her doctoral dissertation research on the interactive nature of the Internet, Dr. Liu-Thompkins has led various research projects to study the effective and ethical use of the Internet for business purposes. Currently, she is studying the diffusion of viral content and the impact of corporate social participation on business and consumer outcomes. Dr. Liu-Thompkins’ research has been published in Journal of Marketing, Journal of Advertising, Journal of Advertising Research, and Business Horizons, among others. She is also an editorial review board member for Journal of Marketing Communications. At Old Dominion University, Dr. Liu-Thompkins teaches Internet Marketing and Advertising classes to both undergraduate and MBA students. Through course projects, her classes have helped many local businesses improve their online marketing performance. More information about Dr. Liu-Thompkins’ research and teaching can be found on her website at http://www.yupingliu.com.
Michelle Venorsky, APR | Management Supervisor
Michelle joined Marcus Thomas in 2002, bringing with her considerable experience in media relations and marketing communications and a talent for event planning. While at Marcus Thomas, Michelle has fostered a deep understanding and passion for all things social media. She has implemented public relations and social marketing programs for a diverse mix of accounts, including MTD (Troy-Bilt and Yard-Man brands), Nestlé (Nesquik and Nescafé ® Dolce Gusto™ by Krups®), Libbey Inc., Pfaltzgraff, Legacy Village, Jo-Ann Stores, Akron Children’s Hospital, Leifheit and Second Chance Trust Fund. Prior to joining Marcus Thomas, she worked at a boutique public relations firm and a national job board. Over the course of Michelle’s career, she has secured coverage for her clients in such distinguished publications as The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Fast Company, BusinessWeek, the “Today” show, Associated Press, People, Food & Wine, Metropolitan Home, HGTV and The Food Network. Michelle is an accredited member of the Public Relations Society of America and a 2010 fellow for the Society for New Communications Research. She serves on a number of volunteer committees and is a board member for Most Valuable Kids, Cleveland chapter. Michelle also authors the popular food blog, Cleveland Foodie, and is a freelance writer for Metromix.com. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Bowling Green State University.
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