Being a public figure has serious risks

I didn't know Anne Pressly, the young anchor from Arkansas who was beaten to death. My sincere condolences to her loved ones. I cannot imagine what she went through, or what her family and friends are enduring right now.

And until police find her killer, we won't know what happened.

But here's something I do know. I have a few female clients who have stalkers and I have heard the fear in their voices. While this is nothing new, I'm hearing this a lot more than I used to. Maybe the Internet has made people more accessible, maybe too many young people put too much personal information on blogs and things like MySpace pages. Maybe the world is getting more dangerous.

Miss Pressly's tragic death should be a wake-up call to anyone who has an on-camera job. When you're in the public eye, you're dealing with everyone. While the majority of viewers who meet you in public will be wonderful to deal with, not all will have the best intentions.

When you're single and on television, you're never quite sure if the person you're dating is interested in you or the person on camera. I always found it a bit odd... on the first date, the other person seems to know you, while you have nothing to go on but a first impression. I'm sure this is a lot scarier for women than men, though men have their stalkers as well.

While you can't go through life hiding under a rock, be careful and look for red flags. Don't respond to weird messages from strangers over the Internet. Give all unusual mail to your supervisor. Report strange phone calls to the phone company and/or police. Take a self defense class. Install a security system in your home if you don't have one. I've even known a few women who've worn fake engagement rings on camera so men will leave them alone. I once recorded an answering machine message for a female co-worker who wanted people to think she had a live-in boyfriend. And here's the final no-brainer: get an unlisted number.

And station managers need to take the lead on this as well. Lots of stations are located in dark, dangerous areas. Time to beef up security, lighting, etc.

Maybe Miss Pressly's killer will turn out to be a stalker, maybe not. In the meantime, protect your privacy. It's the most valuable asset you have.

Meanwhile, rest in peace, Anne.