Reaffirm, Regain, Renew: Public Affairs’ Role in Remaking America, a discussion forum presented by the PRSA, explores how new communications technologies and techniques are creating unique opportunities to remake America’s image at home and abroad. A panel of public affairs experts from public relations firms, the government and media reflect on lessons learned in the last presidential election cycle and lead a thought-provoking discussion on how new communications channels can be used to support the achievement of President Obama’s policy aims.

International Section Global Issues Forum presents an exclusive luncheon discussion with international pollster John Zogby and Egypt's foremost PR agency head Loula Zaklama. Jim Holtje is the moderator. It's a part of the world where opinion of the United States has been at record lows. President Obama, however, has sent strong signals he wants that to change. In his inaugural address, he told the Muslim world that the United States seeks “A new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect.” Days later, he gave his first foreign media interview with Al Arabiya, saying: “My job to the Muslim world is to communicate that the Americans are not your enemy.” Is Obama's message getting through? Are people in the Middle East receptive to Washington's change in tone? Join internationally renowned pollster John Zogby and Loula Zaklama, Egypt's foremost public relations practitioner and 2006 IPRA world president, for an interactive discussion on whether the tide of public opinion is starting to turn. Presentations include exclusive, never-before-released polling and focus group data. Public relations professionals and their organizations have a stake in how the United States is perceived overseas, and can play a role in helping build communications bridges.

Korn/Ferry International Executive Vice-President of Corporate Affairs Don Spetner talks about today’s job market for public relations and corporate communications professionals, the new media communication skills you need to compete in today’s job market, and strategies for job-seekers to cope with the current down economy. Spetner is among the prestigious presenters at the upcoming PRSA Digital Impact Conference April 30-May 2009 in NYC.

Benefits of social media, the benefits of social networking and the benefits of blogging explained by Strategies and Tools for Corporate Blogging author John Cass, who talks about building profitable online communities, the differences between Linkedin and Facebook for business to business marketing, mapping objectives to social media channels and more.

Social media marketing expert Tom Smith on global social media penetrations rates, what types of products and services are most talked about online and why we trust the opinions of total strangers more than the mainstream news media on the Net. Trend Stream CEO Tom Smith is author of “When We Start Trusting Strangers [PDF],” a global social media study quantifying adoption and trust level by channel, country and product category. Tom will present new social media research at The Digital Impact Conference in NYC April 30 – May 1.

Christopher Penn, Eric Schwartzman and John Wall present a special mash-up episode of Marketing Over Coffee and On the Record…Online about online PR, social media communications and the upcoming Digital Impact Conference in NYC April 30 – May 1 organized by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). Show Notes: 1:07 – Digital Impact Conference co-chair Eric Schwartzman on how this year’s event is designed to equip public relations professionals with the knowledge and tools to advocate for PR-led social media communications. 2:56 – John Wall on Korn Ferry CMO Don Spetner’s upcoming presentation on the skills public relations professionals need in the current job market, and Christopher Penn asks about the state of PR job market. 3:44 – Eric Schwartzman shares where the job opportunities are for PR people and what types of jobs recruiters are still trying to fill, according to Don Spetner. 4:23 – John Wall asks what percentage of a public relations program should be digital, and what part should be old guard. 4:43 – Eric Schwartzman on the downside of being an early adopter, and his view on where PR practitioners who can’t communicate autonomously online and who don’t develop new media communication skills may be headed.

Online Newsroom specialist Eric Schwartzman presents a special episode of On the Record…Online: Client’s Guide to Hiring a PR Firm with Jon Greer of Catching Flack, interviewed at the PRSA International Convention 2008 in Detroit. Jon Greer is a senior communications strategist with more than 20 years in media and communications, including over 12 years in public relations, who has been an independent consultant since 1997. Before that, he served as a vice president of Edelman Public Relations Worldwide. He began his career as a business news reporter and columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle and the San Jose Mercury News.