Posted by Will Ng Responses (5)

There is now a lynch-mob mentality, a witch hunt, as Roger Dow calls it, of business meetings and events by both the media and the public, and the mob has taken on unexpected new sources.

As we delve deeper into the latest mess surrounding Chicago-based bank Northern Trust's golf event, imagine my surprise—and distress—to find that bastion of journalism TMZ broke the story. When did celebrity gossipers become "real" reporters? Sure, it's fun to jump on the bandwagon and kick an industry while it's down!

So as major news outlets pick up on the story and are still dissecting all the little sordid details of the golf event provided by an unabashed TMZ, the good news is the Keep America Meeting petition has surpassed 10,000 signatures and grown to include new industry groups, such as the Association of Destination Management Executives, the Financial & Insurance Conference Planners, and Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International. MeetingNews, Successful Meetings, and Incentive magazine also have joined Keep America Meeting, and the petition has caught Bill Marriott's attention.

Meanwhile, members of MeetingNews' and Successful Meetings' online community, MiForum, http://groups.google.com/group/MiForum, are mounting their own letters to senator John Kerry's office in response to his plan to propose a bill to end "extravagant spending practices of U.S. banks" "relying" on TARP money. I put on quotes since the government reportedly requested Northern Trust to take bailout money. Said Kerry, after finding out about the Northern Trust golf tourney: I'm sick and tired of picking up the newspaper and reading about another idiotic abuse of taxpayer money."

So are we!

The Keep America Meeting petition now reports that it has sent the mainstream media and elected officials U.S. Travel Association coalition-backed correspondence explaining the need for meetings. It also has added downloads at its site, www.keepamericameeting.org, including print ads, e-mail buttons, logos, and other promo materials.

Keep America Meeting is also constantly updating its Facebook fan page, at www.facebook.com/pages/Keep-America-Meeting/50701582803. Please join!