iReport, CNN and PR???

For those of you PR savvy folks maybe some of you have explored CNN's new iReport. "iReport For CNN" is being hyped as the first interactive, international weekly half-hour TV news program comprised of iReporters -- and the stories behind the scenes at CNN.

This is citizen journalism at its finest. Now anyone can download stories, photos and videos on anything and if it is popular enough it will show up on CNN's half-hour iReport television show hosted by award-winning anchor Michael Holmes.

At first glance it seems a lot like YouTube, but it is clear that CNN is working to stay in front of the "user-generated generation." Watch a sample of iReport here.

FAST HORSE BOLSTERS INTERACTIVE, MEDIA RELATIONS CAPABILITIES WITH TWO HIRES

Fast Horse, an integrated marketing services agency, has strengthened its interactive and media relations capabilities with the addition of two staffers. The Minneapolis-based firm named John Reinan as a senior director, and Amanda Mark as a client relationship manager.

Reinan, a longtime news reporter with several Pulitzer Prize nominations, and Mark, a non-profit communicator, began work this spring. Reinan will lead efforts to develop an agency blog and will work with clients such as Carlson Hotels and The Coca-Cola Company. Mark is focused on one of the firm’s newer clients – Nationwide Insurance.

As a reporter at the Star Tribune and six other newspapers, Reinan scooped up a closetful of awards for news coverage, business reporting, feature writing and investigative reporting. He is a leading thinker on social networking, legal and ethical issues on the Internet, and the changing media landscape. As the “Digital Drifter,” Reinan was among the first wave of bloggers nationally in the newspaper business, learning the ins and outs of Web 2.0’s signature feature.

Prior to joining Fast Horse, Mark worked at the national headquarters of the American Red Cross in Washington, D.C. leading the organization’s Web outreach efforts including the award-winning Spanish Web site Cruzrojaamericana.org, the Redcross.org Store and online marketing campaigns. During times of disaster, Mark served as a spokesperson with appearances on Good Morning America, Fox & Friends and CNN. A native of Minnesota, Mark previously worked with the City of Minneapolis on its public relations team and led communication strategy for the non-profit group representing the interests of the state’s two-year college students.

"What we sell is talent and experience," said Jörg Pierach, president and creative director, Fast Horse. "Amanda and John embrace our culture of pushing traditional marketing boundaries and continually reexamining our approach to engaging consumers."

Job - Weber Shandwick - Director, Interactive and Emerging Media

Weber Shandwick - Director, Interactive and Emerging Media

COLLE+MCVOY ADDS NEW TALENT TO INTERACTIVE DIVISION

Colle+McVoy, Inc. is pleased to announce three new hires, adding to the agency’s arsenal of interactive expertise and continuing to bring digital media to the forefront of strategic planning.

Alicia Patrick will assume the role of senior interactive strategist. Patrick has a wealth of strategic planning and interactive marketing experience, joining the agency from Target Corporation where she worked on interactive components for the 2006 holiday campaign. Patrick has also worked for Capsule, Hanley Wood, and Larsen Design + Interactive gaining brand experience with Medtronic, Ecolab, Minnesota Life, The Thymes Ltd., St. Jude Medical, NSP and Fox River Mills.

Brian Sandom also joins the agency as senior interactive strategist. Sandom brings a variety of experiences to the agency including developing strategic interactive media campaigns, and redesigning and launching various Target-owned microsites such as Archer Farms, Market Pantry, Sutton & Dodge and Wine Cube. Sandom previously worked at Medicus New York (Publicis), and at Prodigy Communications and ibooks.com, both in Austin , Texas . His brand experience includes developing and directing the marketing plan for P&G brands, Prilosec OTC and Rhinocort Aqua.

Amy Funk will be an interactive strategist at the agency. Funk has a wealth of interactive knowledge, most recently coming from MetLife, where she honed her expertise in search engine marketing, e-mail marketing, online advertising and content management. Prior to MetLife, Funk worked at both Bremer Financial and Thomson West, where she executed integrated campaigns and obtained experience in the financial, legal education and publishing industries.

"We are very excited to have a group of extremely talented interactive experts at the table when it comes to planning," said Patty Henderson, Colle+McVoy’s director of interactive. "We are not like other 'siloed' interactive groups that are brought in to execute after the project has already been defined."

"Colle+McVoy is and always has been an integrated agency," continues Henderson . "We foster an extremely integrated approach to planning and creative concepting and on any given day you'll find a cross-functional team brainstorming and collaborating on the best way to solve our client’s business challenges. It's fun, it brings out people’s best and it's how we come up with our breakthrough, buzz-worthy ideas."