Global recession, vanishing corporate giants, shrinking newspapers, ailing network news, partisan cable news, decentralized and proliferating digital media, specialization, traditional business ethics and models under siege, demanding clients increasingly run by financial “quants,” ethnic/national/social/cultural challenges worldwide … These and many other disruptive “dangerous ideas” took center stage during the Sixth Annual Critical Issues Forum (CIF) sponsored by the Council of Public Relations Firms. Attended by more than 150 prominent PR leaders, this year’s Forum was an especially vigorous dialog on critical PR issues that included:

• A stimulating keynote address by David D’Alessandro, former CEO of John Hancock Financial Services, onetime PR pro, and author of the new business bestseller, Executive Warfare.

• An energetic, sometimes contentious “Socratic Debate” led by Babson College President Leonard A. Schlesinger and featuring a panel of four PR experts with a wide range of experience and background.

• Lively table discussions and audience Q&A sessions.

• A spirited “live” interview of Jeff Hayzlett, chief business development officer, Eastman Kodak, by the Wall Street Journal’s Suzanne Vranica.

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