FPRA - Florida Public Relations Association Blog

You're probably going to get more meaningful input if it is obtained anonymously. Most researchers feel comments are far more reliable when obtained in that manner.

The conference blog coverage is outstanding and the photos are great fun. However, the primary objective is professional education. No one disputes the value of networking time and special functions like the Scholarship Fundraiser, but some might find comments about a trip to the pool and forgetting sunscreen more appropriate to MySpace.

In the end, each post has a "Comments" link. Accept them constructively or ignore them. Afterall, they're only "Comments."

I have already posted on another topic, but I wanted to be sure you all know that many of of us truly value your coverage of the conference.

Thank you to all the bloggers (Josh, Bob, Chris, Jenn)! I feel like I am "virtually" attending. I had the pleasure of working (briefly) with Shirley Powell early in our careers back at C & P and I would have loved to have seen her and enjoyed her presentation.

I enjoy the social side as well as the professional coverage you all are providing.
Thanks for allowing those of us who can't be there to share in the knowledge being imparted.

See you there next year!
Barbara Carbaugh

Anonymous commenter -

I agree. However, this isn't scientific research. And blogs are about conversation. It's hard to communicate with someone who is anonymous other than their IP address and location.

Yes, many people come for the professional development. But many others come for the networking first and the professional development second.

The purpose of this blog was to make those who can't attend feel as if they are here. Leaving the fun things out such as the Dillin Dessert, networking time or commentary on sessions doesn't offer the true experience of being here. But by adding those, it maintains an informal conversational tone which is what blogs are meant to be...real.

Barbara -

We missed seeing you this year. Hope you can make it next year.

Like anything else, you get out of a conference what you put into it. Certainly there's value in the formal sessions (I think Shirley Powell's presentation was teriffic), but there's also value in improving the bond between your peers in the local chapter and becoming more familiar with the work the people do outside of our region. A few of us woke up early to take a 2-mile walk along the beach at dawn (TREO in hand -- we're always on call) and had insightful discussions about our professon as we powerwalked. (No Chariots of Fire theme song, though.) This conference is a great opportunity to refocus on what we do, how we do it, and how we can become tomorrow's leaders in the profession. Sounds like a great conversation to continue in my favorite restaurant that serves delicious barbeque and other American favorites in a rustic mountain lodge atmosphere. I love what I do! (And I'm passionate about it, too.) Have a great day everyone! Joe

I commented before on another topic area, but I wanted to add to this topic. This has certainly taken the conference to another level. I have enjoyed every second of the blog! Again the hallway interviews where super!It has given me the total feeling of attending from my office. Kudos to those that have made it possible.

I think Jen is right in that the entire experience must be covered. Like any other communication source, I (or any viewer) can pick and choose what I want to read about, listen to those interviews that I want to hear, and view photos that are of interest to me. While the blog provided commentary on sessions it was also great to see photos of folks I haven't seen in a few years. Thanks everyone for your work and sharing the conference with me!

I think the blog is TERRIFIC! Please don't omit anything, and don't worry about one naysayer. This is the first conference I have missed in several years, and I loved reading about the Dillin Dessert and listening to Del Galloway's hallway interview. I was feeling "homesick" and you made me feel like I was there -- at least for a few minutes. The great thing about being able to READ a blog is that we can SKIP the parts in which we aren't interested, right, people?

I have loved checking in on the conference activities over the past two days. I too could not make it to conference for the first time in several years and have felt very connected because of the blog. Congratulations to all the winners (Go Gainesville) and to all of those who have the good sense to invest in FPRA's annual conferences.