Melbourne Meeting: April 2009
Venue: Innovation @ 257 Level One, Emirates House, 257 Collins Street, Melbourne CBD
Time: Arrive from 7pm for a 7:15pm start Presentation
Topic: "Open Source PR" by Sarah Stokely
PRs, flacks, spin doctors. That may be what you think of when you think of PR - whether it's press relations or public relations. Let's turn that notion on its head, shake it vigorously, and see if anything useful falls out of its pockets! What if you could take the good things about PR and apply some open source principles and tactics?
For example - how can PR help you get your point across to the media or to the public, in a language that makes sense to them? What if you knew just how to get a journalist's attention to focus on an issue you think
is important? What should you do if your business (or a project you care about) is getting shredded in the media?
What if your open source business or community project had a PR toolkit that could be used by any member of group to help them be an effective public spokesperson for the project?
My vision of open sourcing PR is about empowering open source businesses, community groups, or projects to develop, share and improve the PR tools at their disposal. Creating an open source community which
learns, grows, shares tools and empowers its users to use those tools to spread their messages. That's the kind of PR worth getting passionate about!
Sarah Stokely works for Keep Left PR and teaches web editing and publishing at the University of Melbourne. Until recently, she was a longtime tech journalist with a special interest in open source. Sarah co-organised the Linux Chix miniconf at LCA 2009, and organises Girl Geek Dinners in Melbourne. She is a proud volunteer PR adviser for LCA 2010, and for eDemocracy website, OpenAustralia.org.
Join us afterwards for Noodles and Sushi at Shuji Sushi 250 Flinders Lane, followed by a beverage at the Charles Dickens Tavern downstairs at 290 Collins Street.
RSVP - donna [at] cc.com.au
Transport and Parking
Public Transport - The venue is in the heart of Melbourne's Central Business District and is easily reached by public transport. See http://www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/ for detailed information.
Car Parking - The following car parks are in easy walking distance of Innovation@257
City Square - Premier Parking
202-208 Flinders Lane,
Open 24 hrs
$6.60 Evening Rate after 6pm
Flinders Gate - Kings Parking
172-192 Flinders Street (Alternate access via 195 Flinders Lane)
Closes Midnight
$10 Evening Rate after 4pm
Council House Car Park - Premier Parking
200 Little Collins St
Closes Midnight
$6.60 Evening Rate after 5pm
AXA House - Wilson Parking
416 Flinders Lane
Open 24 hrs
$6 per hour, $18 max after 4pm.