Media Measurement from Perspective of Four Generations Is Focus of BurrellesLuce Executive at Communicator's Conference

PORTLAND (May 6, 2008) — When the 13th annual Communicator's Conference convenes in Portland on May 7, discussion of the critical subject of media measurement will be led by an executive of BurrellesLuce, the largest provider of measurement services in the United States.

Johna Burke, West Coast vice president of BurrellesLuce, has titled her remarks "Four Generations of Audience, Four Generations of Media-One Approach to Media Measurement."

The title mirrors the theme of this year's gathering, "From Typewriter to iPhone: Being Heard by Multiple Generations," which will offer insights into communicating and working with people of various age groups. In her presentation on the morning of May 8, Burke will identify the distinctive cultural traits of the following age groups, and how those characteristics define both the audiences and the communicators who fall within each category:

• Traditionalists: People born before 1946, of which there are approximately 59 million in the United States

• Baby boomers: Born 1946 through 1964 (76 million)

• Generation Xers: Born 1965 through 1976 (46 million)

• Millennials: Born 1977 through 1989 (78 million)

Although there are marked differences among the four age groups and in the combination of media employed from campaign to campaign, Burke will emphasize that the benchmarks used to measure the impact of media coverage should be uniform regardless of demographic or media mix.

Prior to joining BurrellesLuce, Burke was director of public relations and investor relations for U-Haul International. She is a member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), and serves as Southern Region vice chair of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC).

"More than ever, communications professionals are playing a major role in the attainment of an organization's overall objectives," said Steve Shannon, executive vice president of BurrellesLuce. "This development has resulted in a growing need to demonstrate the impact of coverage received through every channel: print, televisions, radio, and online, including the social media. Johna Burke brings a wealth of knowledge to the conversation on the importance of measurement, and her presentation in Portland promises to be thought-provoking." The 2008 Communicator's Conference is being run by the PRSA's Portland Chapter and North Pacific District, and the Oregon Capital Chapter of the IABC.

About BurrellesLuce
BurrellesLuce provides comprehensive planning, monitoring, and measurement services help communications professionals improve their media relations results. The company is one of more than a dozen sponsors of the Portland conference, a roster that also includes the University of Oregon's School of Journalism and Communication, and Weber Shandwick.

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