Don’t miss the greatest Saturday morning in Valley media-PR relations! The 19th annual Valley Publicity Summit Presented by SPJ (#pubsum23), the invaluable, amazing event where a roomful of locally based journalists share insights, give their story pitch preferences and industry updates with area public relations practitioners is Saturday, Oct. 21. Registration is now open here. Signups close 11:30 p.m. Oct. 20.

At the Summit, volunteer media professionals meet with public relations practitioners to discuss story pitching preferences, that is, which  stories and topics journalists are and are not interested in pursuing. Here journalists will guide PR practitioners in their interactions and respond to their story interests. Likewise, PR professionals have the opportunity to acquaint journalists with potentially newsworthy information.

PR professionals: Bring your real pitches to pitch in our famed 3-minutes-per-pitch “speed pitching” session!

Created nearly two decades ago to improve how PR and media people communicate, today the Summit is a staple of the Valley communications scene, what we in SPJ proudly term the greatest Saturday morning in Valley media-PR relations.

It continues to work well, with many repeat attendees from both professions who recognize the value of meeting in person at the half-day event, as we all know how difficult it is to meet individually.

What makes the Summit so successful is the wide variety of representatives from print, broadcast and digital news media who make a difference by volunteering at the Summit for our “speed pitching” sessions, at which media and PR pros confer one-on-one — briefly — meeting with as many people as possible. The pitching starts around 10:15 a.m. and is over before 1 p.m.

Our post-Summit surveys of PR pros who attended show very high praise, averaging 90% of respondents saying they would return.

PR pros: Register here. Signups close 11:30 p.m. Oct. 20.

Our sincere thanks to Tara Williams, Ph.D., dean and professor, Barrett, The Honors College, and the Barrett staff for their generosity and hospitality in hosting this event.

We express deepest appreciation to our event sponsors, the Phoenix chapter of the Public Relations Society of America, and Lambert, for their support of the Summit.

We expect, as usual, participation from representatives of major local print and broadcast media as well as from online journalism. As of Oct. 20, here’s a list of media professionals who have said they plan to join us at this year’s Valley Publicity Summit:

ABC15: Kianey Carter, assignment manager

ARCADIA NEWS: Mallory Gleich, editor

ARIZONA CAPITOL TIMES: Colleen Sparks, managing editor

ARIZONA’S FAMILY (3TV, CBS 5): Kelly Gannon, segment producer

ARIZONA’S FAMILY (3TV, CBS 5): Rudy Rivas, managing editor

AZ BIG MEDIA: Kyle Backer, reporter

ARIZONA REPUBLIC/azcentral: Kathy Tulumello, news director

ARIZONA REPUBLIC/azcentral: Debra Utacia Krol, reporter, Indigenous, environmental and science issues

CITY LIFESTYLE MAGAZINES: Michelle Glicksman, editor-in-chief (Scottsdale City Lifestyle, Scottsdale.com, ARRIVED Phoenix+Scottsdale, Paradise Valley City Lifestyle, Tempe City Lifestyle, Chandler City Lifestyle)

CRONKITE NEWS, ASU: Allysa Adams, managing editor

FOX 10: Christine Goodfriend, planning editor

FOX 10: George Obi, executive producer, special projects

FREELANCE: Geri Koeppel, Phoenix New Times arts & culture and cannabis; Times Publications/East Valley and Scottsdale; and others

FRONTDOORS MAGAZINE: Karen Werner, editor-in-chief

GREEN LIVING MAGAZINE: Jordan Gerard, digital editor

INDEPENDENT NEWSMEDIA: Brett Ruffner, reporter

KJZZ-FM (NPR): Lindsey Collom Riley, assistant news director

PHOENIX BUSINESS JOURNAL: Paul Thompson, managing editor

TIMES MEDIA GROUP: Summer Aguirre, managing editor, The Entertainer

TIMES MEDIA GROUP: Alex Gallagher, web editor

12NEWS: Andrew Onodera, producer

We will list more participating journalists as they are secured.

NOTE: While every effort is made to ensure the participation of journalists who have agreed to be part of this year’s Summit, circumstances beyond SPJ’s control may result in changes to the list of participating journalists. We will make sincere efforts to keep the list of participating journalists current.

Our event organizing committee consists of Valley of the Sun SPJ chapter members and several public relations practitioners in the Valley. Proceeds to benefit the Valley of the Sun SPJ chapter.

NOTICE OF FILMING AND PHOTOGRAPHY: By attending an SPJ event, you are entering an area where photography, audio, and video recording may occur. By registering for this event, you are agreeing to these terms: 1. You consent to photography, audio recording, video recording and its release, publication, exhibition or reproduction to be used for promotional purposes, advertising, inclusion on websites, social media or any other purpose by SPJ and its representatives. 2, You release SPJ, its employees and each and all persons involved from any liability connected with the taking, recording, digitizing, or publication and use of interviews, photographs, computer images, video and/or or audio recordings, and you waive all rights to any claims for payment or royalties in connection with any use of these materials. 3. You also waive any right to inspect or approve any photo, video or audio recording taken by SPJ or the person or entity designated to do so by SPJ.

HEALTH AND SAFETY STATEMENT: Masks are not required for this event. An inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public location where people are present; we cannot guarantee you will not be exposed to COVID-19 or other illness during your visit. Visit the CDC website for the latest guidance. If you have been exposed, are sick, have illness symptoms of any kind or are caring for someone with COVID-19 you should not attend the event. Additional information about symptoms is available via the CDC website. Participation is at your own discretion and risk.

Photos of 2022 Valley Publicity Summit “speed pitching” session and attendees with their programs by Bill Pedene