Boston Herald and Community Newspapers Executives Featured in April 12 PRSA Program; 'Heralding a New Era in Massachusetts Journalism' Is Program Title

Business Wire, March 23, 2001

Business/Technology Editors

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 23, 2001

Boston Herald Publisher/President Patrick J. Purcell, Herald Editor Andrew Costello, and Community Newspapers Editor-in-Chief Kevin Convey will be "Heralding a New Era in Massachusetts Journalism" at a program, Thursday evening, April 12, of the Boston chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA).

The program will be held at the DoubleTree Hotel Guest Suites in Waltham, beginning with a 6 p.m. reception and buffet. The speaking portion of the event begins at about 7 p.m. Miller/Shandwick Technologies, a leading Boston-based technology PR agency, is the sponsor of the event.

The speakers will discuss the recent Herald Media purchase of the more than 100 Community Newspapers located throughout Eastern Massachusetts, as well as the later purchase by the Herald of a group of seven more weekly newspapers in Boston's affluent western suburbs. Questions to be addressed include how the new newspaper combination will compete with the Boston Globe and other media outlets in the region, how news coverage will or won't change in the newspapers owned by the new chain, and how the public and PR practitioners can access the news columns of the newspapers.

Advance reservations are required for the program by the registration deadline of Monday, April 9. Those interested should contact PRSA/Boston Administrator Paul Wetzel, APR, by calling 617-292-0470, or by e-mail at: wetzelpaul@msn.com. Admission to the program is $40 for PRSA members, $50 for non-members, and $20 for students.

The Boston Chapter is one of 112 PRSA chapters located across the country. Nationally, PRSA has more than 18,000 members. The Boston chapter, with more than 400 members, is one of the largest and oldest chapters in the country.