Wondering if all of this "new media" will help you in an emergency? Or just wondering what is so "new" about it? Come to a free workshop hosted April 5, 2010 by the Portage County Local Emergency Planning Committee at Kent State University Student Center.

Entitled "New Media, Old Media: Integrating the Best of Both Worlds Into Your Emergency Communication Plan," the workshop will assist your business, agency, government office or community in sorting through the technology choices in new media and deciding what will be the most practical and effective uses of new and old media.

You'll hear communication professionals discuss:
Twitter, Facebook, texting, cell phones, blogs and Youtube: Are these new media sources working for you or against you in your communication plan?
Do old media of newspapers, radio and television stations still have a place in your communication plan?
Are citizen journalists equipped with the new media technology of cell phone, cameras and video, along with instant Internet access, complicating your communication plan?
As a business, are you able to access recent communication technology to file required reports with the Ohio EPA?

There will be a keynote opening panel whose members represent new and traditional media. They will share experiences of how today's news deadlines are measured in minutes on a 24/7 basis instead of news cycles measured in hours or a day.

The day begins at 8:30 a.m. with registration and a light continental breakfast. Complimentary buffet lunch will be served. There will be breakout sessions in the morning and after lunch on topics such as forming a communication plan that is practical in use of media resources; the latest gadgets to keep your website current; and what the Portage County Local Emergency Planning Committee is to you and your community. The sessions finish up at 3 pm.

To register, call Kellie Kepple, CAP, LEPC Information Coordinator at (330) 297-4571 or email her at kkepple@portageco.com. Additional information will be sent after registration.
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