 |
| Wesley
Combs told Southern Voice, "I feel the single biggest
myth about the GLBT consumer market is its perceived affluence." |
The
LGBT market:
Myths and realities
By
Joseph Bertolotti
Program Director, LBGT Sales and Talent
IBM Global Services
On
Thursday, November 21, AEN and IBM will host Wesley Combs,
the president and co-founder of Witeck-Combs Communications, as
well as a leading expert on marketing to the LBGT market.
His
talk is entitled "The LGBT Market — Myths and Realities."
How big is the LBGT market? Do LBGT people really have more buying
power? What successes can corporations like IBM, American Airlines,
Subaru and Ford Motor Company point to from the LBGT market?
These
are just some of the questions that will be answered in Mr. Combs'
multimedia presentation to AEN. Since IBM is a pioneer among IT
companies in LBGT workplace equality and dedicated marketing to
LBGT businesses, the presentation will also provide details about
IBM's unique strategy to be the leading provider of IT products
and services in the LBGT market.
Come
and learn about the latest market research about the elusive LBGT
consumer and how corporate marketing executives are using this
information to develop effective strategies. Learn about what
LBGT people buy, read, support and care about. Find out what really
influences the purchasing decisions of the LBGT person as a consumer
or businessperson. See which companies are truly making an investment
in the LBGT community and how is it paying off for them.
Doors
open at the Sheraton Colony Square Hotel at 5:45 p.m.
Web
sites:
Witeck-Combs
Communications
IBM
SoVo.com:
Speech
will explore gay marketing myths
 Holiday
Party
December
5
Red Chair
Amsterdam Outlets, Midtown
6 - 8 p.m.
No charge, all welcome
 The
Atlanta transgender community, in conjunction with the Remembering
Our Dead Project, will be holding a ceremony to remember those
transgendered persons killed in the last year. This international
event is being held in over 30 U.S. cities and 3 international
countries. The Atlanta ceremony will include local politicians,
community leaders and includes Rabbi Joshua Lesser, Georgia
Equality Executive Director Allen Thornell, Gary Cox
from the Atlanta Mayor's Office, and Atlanta Police Department
Sgt. Connie Locke as speakers.
Please
plan to attend this service in order to help us create public
awareness of the violence against the GLBT community, and to show
the solidarity of gays and lesbians with their trans brothers
and sisters.
WHEN
: 20 November 2002
WHERE : Georgia Capitol steps, Washington Street side
TIME : 7:00 p.m.
More
details »
 |
| Georgia
Secretary of State Cathy Cox |
Cathy
Cox unveils Georgia's new electronic voting at AEN
October's speaker predicted at least one event successfully for
the recent elections: the new electronic voting machines worked
well with only a few glitches statewide. As Georgia's Secretary
of State, Cathy Cox was shocked to learn after the 2000
election that Georgia had more spoiled ballots than Florida did.
Had the election been close in Georgia, it would have been her
face on the nightly news, not Katherine Harris'.
Her remedy was to revolutionize the way Georgia voted. With a
hodgepodge of systems from paper ballots to optical scanners to
the infamous chads, Georgia's voting system depended on the county
of residence. Secretary Cox convinced Governor Roy Barnes
and the General Assembly to grant her over $50 million dollars
to convert ALL of Georgia to electronic voting by the 2002 elections.
This money would eventually be repaid through an election overhaul
bill introduced after the 2000 elections and recently signed into
law by President George W. Bush. In the meanwhile, Georgia
led the nation in election reform.
There were many skeptics. Some legislators suggested that the
voters were too naive to understand how electronic voting would
work. To alleviate these fears, Cox set into motion a plan that
would work out kinks before the election rather than during it.
Last fall, several cities in Georgia served as test-pilots for
the new systems, winning rave reviews from rural Georgia to Decatur
city. She also signed a contract with the maker of the electronic
systems to provide technical support on Election Day to all 159
counties. Employees from her office traveled all over the state,
encouraging people to try out the new machines in demonstrations
from places like retirement homes to grocery stores to banks.
She also had information brochures mailed just before the election
to every registered voter explaining how the system worked. Every
poll worker received several hours of instruction from the system's
maker. Cox also had people in Florida watching how they rolled
out their electronic voting in September. She predicted that the
Georgia elections would see none of the Florida problems and that
the elections would run smoothly. Her prediction came true.
Cathy
Cox easily won re-election to her post and now finds herself one
of the leading Democrats holding a statewide elective office in
Georgia. The Secretary of State answered questions from the audience
on a variety of topics. She mentioned that she and her husband
knew and counted as friends many LGBT people. She is also supportive
of civil unions and feels that eventually Georgia will move toward
recognizing LGBT relationships. Her candor, warmth, and charm
impressed many in the crowd and even had some wondering if she
may become Georgia's first female Governor one day.
 Vermont
Gov. Howard Dean
January 16
Doors open at 5:45 p.m.
Sheraton Colony Square Hotel
 Atlanta
Police Chief Richard Pennington
February 20
Doors open at 5:45 p.m.
Sheraton Colony Square Hotel
 I
want my gay TV
Part 1
By
Roland Hausmann
A
few years back, one of the chief ways new television networks
became carried on cable systems was to advertise on already established
channels or in other media and encourage potential viewers to
call their cable operators and demand they carry Channel "X."
The most famous of these campaigns was MTV's "I Want My MTV."
It certainly worked — today MTV is one of the best-known brands
on the planet.
For
too long we've needed a similar push if we ever hope to see a
LBGT channel on our cable or satellite systems. There are rumblings
about such a channel being created by a Showtime/MTV partnership,
but nothing has yet surfaced. Canada's PrideVision is allegedly
attempting to make inroads into the U.S. but hasn't yet gained
access. Perhaps we need to yell just a bit louder.
In
the meantime, we can highlight at least two smaller, yet vital,
achievements that should bring us closer to the reality of Gay
TV. The first is the launch of "The Agenda", a new program
on one of Atlanta's public access channels that provides the city's
LBGT community the first of its kind television-based forum for
the sharing of news and information about the community. The second
is the growing impact of a Web-based network that seeks to provide
positive, life-affirming programming to the LBGT community nationwide,
which will be explored in next month's newsletter.
|
"This
program isn't just for the LBGT community, although that
is its prime focus, but for Joe and Shirley Commonfolk,
too."
—
Producer Noel Hansen
|
"The
Agenda" is the brainchild of local partners Noel Hansen
and Brad Ecton and can be viewed each Friday at midnight
on People TV Channel 24. Hansen is the show's producer and Ecton
its host and, for the moment, sole talent. Both seek greater involvement
from the LGBT community. This involvement could come in the form
of proposing a story or segment idea, serving as a guest to speak
about your organization, activity or charity, or volunteering
to help put the show together.
The
program is a weekly 30-minute LBGT lifestyle magazine series designed
to highlight and showcase individuals, activities and organizations
in the Georgia and Atlanta LBGT communities. Launched September
13, 2002, the program has included interviews with community leaders,
overviewed major local events such as National Coming Out Day
and Atlanta Pride, highlighted organizations such as PFLAG and
HRC and included entertainment segments, such as an ode to Martha
Stewart. Future episodes will provide more of the same, in
addition to new segments based on community needs and viewer feedback.
Asked
why they named the program "The Agenda", Hansen replies,
"For years the religious right has been preaching about the homosexual
agenda. But what is the homosexual agenda? I feel the true
agenda is — and has been — about enhancing understanding
through information and education. My vision is that programs
like "The Agenda" will bring about tolerance, acceptance
and finally co-existence. In many ways, this program isn't just
for the LBGT community, although that is its prime focus, but
for Joe and Shirley Commonfolk, too."
For
more information about "The Agenda", visit the show's
Web site at www.herounit.com.
Announcements
|
>
In This Issue
•
The LGBT market: Myths and realities
• Cathy Cox unveils Georgia's new electronic voting at AEN
•I want my gay TV
>
Next Meeting
Thursday,
Nov. 21
Wesley Combs
The
LGBT Market:
Myths and Realities
Sheraton Colony Square
5:45 p.m.
>
Holiday Party
Thursday,
Dec. 5
Red Chair
Amsterdam Outlets, Midtown
6 - 8 p.m.
All Welcome
>
Luncheons
Reservations
»
>
Friday, Nov. 22
Drew Barton
Blue Trout
11:45 a.m.
>
Saturday, Nov. 23
Patrick Greco
Front Page News, Little 5
1 p.m.
>
Tuesday, Nov. 26
Allen Jones
Houlihan's
11:55 a.m.
>
Thursday, Dec. 5
Jamie Ensley, Sandy Hoke
American Roadhouse
7:45 a.m.
>
Tuesday, Dec. 10
Ann McAllister
Milan
11:45 a.m.
>
Wednesday, Dec. 11
Allen Jones
Houlihan's
11:55 a.m.
>
Wednesday, Dec. 11
David Payne, Ronald Moore
Mi Spia
11:45 a.m.
Founded
in 1992, AEN's mission is to:
•
Enhance business contacts and friendships through networking
•
Eliminate discrimination and promote diversity in the workplace
•
And foster leadership in business, government and the arts.
Board
Members
Steve
Koval, President
David Payne, Vice President
Joe Guthridge, Treasurer
Ann McAllister, Secretary
Margie Archer
Bonnie Barton
Drew Barton
Jamie Ensley
Don George
Patrick Greco
Sandy Hoke
Carl Lange
Ronald Moore
Gregory Nance
Newsletter
Editor
Jason Cecil
|
