Thursday, August 30, 2007 | 6:30 AM PST
Yesterday, I arrived in San Diego at about 6:00 PM – just enough time to get my hotel reservations sorted out and to catch up with some friends and colleagues in the hotel lobby. Having moved a lot in the past couple years, I've seen a lot of friendly faces in the crowd (and everyone looked good!). It was nice because, as everyone caught up with each other, there was little pretension. This is going to be a great trip. I can tell already.
I woke up early to head to the gym. Let's see how long this pipe dream lasts! *smirks*
Thursday, August 30, 2007 | 10:15 AM PST
Breakfast was nice. I met a few other Los Angeles locals in the hall on the way down. People I met in the lobby last night came up to me and welcomed me to their table at breakfast. Over breakfast, the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Bureau invited me to a reception tonight that is open to all. Now, I'm off to a session on gay conservatism.
Thursday, August 30, 2007 | 11:30 AM PST
How does one cover gay conservatism? Given the recent scandal involving Senator Larry Craig, this session started out with a dialogue discussing the impact that this scandal will have on the current media landscape. The general consensus was that the media has gone over the top with this. It was also discussed that while the media only covers homosexuality when there is a scandal involved, it is also encouraging that the general public is starting to dissociate homosexuality from the bad acts of celebrities whoever they may be – politician, actor/actress, celebutante, etc.
There was a lot of fascinating dialogue here that was interesting and entertaining. However, one panelist continuously amazed me by making rude generalizations about the audience and encouraging them to “copy and paste” stories from bloggers. While I found his commentary tasteless, once I got past it I really enjoyed myself in this session. After this, I am torn as to which session to go to next: “Mainstream Media & the LGBT Press” or “Cross Currents? LGBT Media & LGBT PR.”
Thursday, August 30, 2007 | 1:00 PM PST
Wow! Is it time for lunch already? It's hard to believe that time went by so fast. I just left a fascinating session that discussed the role that LGBT public relations professionals have in society. The panel was an even balance of journalists, editors and public relations professionals.
LGBT media and LGBT public relations professionals have a responsibility to the community-at-large to think about how their actions will impact the greater community. While we have an obligation to help the LGBT media, we also have an obligation to the greater business world to be competent business folk. We spoke a lot about different perspectives and the various roles LGBT media took over time. However, in the end, what we learned was the same as what I was taught in my small-town college many years ago: “Strive to be nothing, save for what you are, and strive to be that well.”
In the end, competent business people will succeed in this industry no matter how they identify themselves – gay, bisexual, transgender, straight or any other term they choose to use.
After this session, I ran up to the room to brush my teeth and post my blog entries. (Besides, it is only fitting for a gentleman to freshen up before a meal.)
Thursday, August 30, 2007 | 1:35 PM PST
I arrived at lunch a little too late to get any food other than a single piece of cheese, but that's my own fault for being tardy. I hate being late for things. However, events like this are about living outside of your comfort zone and discovering new sides of your professional self. After all, how else are we to grow? Yet, that didn't help me from having flashbacks to my days as the new kid in Catholic school walking into that auditorium-style room with my laptop over my shoulder and my cheese plate in hand. Of course, all the seats were taken so I had to make my way to front so that everyone would see how late I was.
Forgive me. My neurotic side emerged for a moment.
Over lunch, the publisher of The Advocate discussed upcoming changes that we can expect to see. While a lot of information was given, here is what I took away from it:
- Their editorial is non-gender specific.
- When The Advocate calls something an exclusive, they mean exclusive to gay media only.
- A logo change and new layout will occur in coming months.
I must admit, I began to zone out a little bit when the question/answer session began, that is, until one courageous soul stood up. After admitting that he was a former Marine who used to do gay porn, he confronted the publisher and an associate editor of The Advocate about why their magazine outed him over five years ago. You can tell by the way they responded that their policies have changed. They discussed how they came to that editorial decision and publicly apologized to him. They said that they are not in the business to out someone. It was an amazing moment! Now, if only someone could talk to Perez Hilton into adopting a similar policy.
After lunch, I approached the brave Marine and told him how much I respected him for his courage. It is not every day that we encounter people who are willing to stand up to their critics and those who do engage into a dialogue with their critics should be recognized.
The last words of wisdom that I have regarding lunch are from a well-known audience member who said, “We are no longer a community. We are a population. Now, we are so much more. By calling us a community, you make us so much smaller than what we are.”
Just something to ponder.
Thursday, August 30, 2007 | 3:55 PM PST
I just left a breakout session discussing LGBT media mergers. The panelists were well informed and entertaining. Stephen Macias from here! Network and Joanne Jacobson from Logo stole the show. Although by this point in the day, I wanted nothing more than to catch a few zzz's. Instead, I got a green tea from Starbucks and wrote some more of this blog.
Thursday, August 30, 2007 | 5:30 PM PST + Beyond
After the Media Summit ended, it seemed like a journalist circuit party.
Between the reception hosted by the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Bureau, the reception hosted on the rooftop of another hotel, the folks from GM taking people for test drives in their cars en route to Hillcrest and the unofficial after-party in the hotel lounge, there was a lot going on!
This fella is more tired than my college roommate's taste in clothes. However, it really was nice to catch up with old friends whom I have not seen in a year and the late night conversation I had about the presidential primary and Hilary's chances of winning was reminiscent of the conversations I used to have with my college roommates over a late night drink in the dorms all those years ago.
While out networking and chatting to new people, I saw many familiar faces and some new ones. I also met two new people from my hometown which was nice because you don't meet many Philadelphians on the Left Coast. This has been a great day. Now, I just have to get out all the e-mails I've been neglecting!
