The Flack

Some days I can't keep track of the notable PR-related stories that flow into my RSS reader. Other days, I struggle to find something redeeeming to write, praying that I don't sound too echo chamberish.

Today's Times had a little Metro story that I bet few, if any PR bloggers will glom on to. It told the story of how one PR pro used his PR skills -- prose and the power of persuasion -- to help a friend.

Michael Aiden McGuire is a copywriter for an advertising and PR firm in Syracuse, New York. His best friend, a life-long die-hard Yankee fan, is losing his eyesight and McGuire wanted to do something special for him. Here is the "pitch" letter he wrote:

"'I’d like to tell you about my best friend, Michael Sayre,' the letter began. 'Michael is a 25-year-old diehard Yankees fan. He was born with glaucoma. Recently, he lost all vision in his right eye. Right now he’s hanging on to what vision he has left in his left eye, and his doctors don’t know how long it will remain healthy.

'I knew I had to do something special for him. Something he’d never forget. I’d like to take him to a Yankee game and give him the chance to experience the game like never before — to walk on the field, sit in the dugout, hear the dirt crunch beneath his feet or have him meet his all-time Yankee favorite, Don Mattingly. Nothing would mean more to Michael than to get up close and personal with the team he is so passionate about.'"

The Yankees responded with two seats behind homeplate, a chance to watch batting practice and a meet-up with Don Mattingly. Separate pitch letters to Jet Blue and The Peninsula Hotel produced airline tix and a room at the swanky hotel.

Sure, the cause was a good one, but the prose nevertheless was heartfelt and relatable. Perhaps this merits a place in the "Good Pitch Blog?"

Labels: Bad Pitch Blog, Don Mattingly, Jet Blue, Peninsula, PR, public relations, Yankees

MSNBC takes two reputational hits today: the first showcased the internal disgust over the cable net's decision to lead its news report with one Paris Hilton.

The second revolved around "Hardball's" ratings-fueled ploy to invite a wacko, invective-laden right wing blonde that some have called the Britney Spears of politics onto its program, (which prompted one Presidential candidate's wife to take umbrage. Olbermann aside, I guess the network sees its future in shock culture.

Talking about shock culture, I wonder whether the retention of a more sophisticated PR handler will accrue to the fortunes of one vacuous numbnut. My blogging buddy Heather Yaxley points to a Gawker item I somehow missed earlier this week that united the Hilton "parents" with L.A. corporate crisis man Michael Sitrick:

"The hiring of Sitrick proved that the Hiltons are taking this latest crisis involving Paris very seriously indeed. It's a problem that clearly could not be managed by Paris's longtime spokesman, Elliot Mintz, who is 'more of a PR footman,' snipes one entertainment journalist."

Some have expressed surprise by Mr. Sitrick's atypical, but high-profile new charge, but I'm certainly not one of them. What PR pro wouldn't want to insert him or herself smack in the middle of today's lead story -- and get paid big bucks for the privilege?

I do kind of feel bad for the usurped Elliot Mintz. But no matter how many A-listers he's handled over his storied career (Dylan, Lennon, etc.), his PR toolbox did not seems to contain what was need to remedy that which ailed Ms. Hilton, (i.e., the Wizard of Oz's gift to the Scarecrow?)

Let's keep an eye on Paris's persona under the watchful eye of Mr. Sitick & Co. to see if better and more strategic communications for a talentless tabloid star can create some legitimacy.

Labels: Keith Olbermann, Michael Sitrick, MSNBC, Paris Hilton. Ann Coulter, PR, public relations

We all know that PR alone cannot repair the reputation of a scurrilous scallywag. Actions speak louder than words, and contrition can only take one so far. Right, Mel?

In fact, in an age when "the whole world is watching" (not to mention recording and posting), actions not only speak louder than words but they also have this indelible quality.

In a somewhat atypical column (TS required), The World is Flat author and esteemed New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman takes a look at how reputations are built or toppled in today's citizen media-fueled environment:

"When everyone has a blog, a MySpace page or Facebook entry, everyone is a publisher. When everyone has a cellphone with a camera in it, everyone is a paparazzo. When everyone can upload video on YouTube, everyone is filmmaker. When everyone is a publisher, paparazzo or filmmaker, everyone else is a public figure. We’re all public figures now. The blogosphere has made the global discussion so much richer — and each of us so much more transparent."

So what does this mean for those of us charged with (and who charge for) managing reputations? Plenty. Command of the language is fine, but actions are redeeming. Leveraging the mainstream media filter can work, but the newly empowered "media mass" dictates our fates. And, ultimately the "crowd" will determine the net effect of even the most well-intentioned actions.

Mr. Friedman's visit to this subject is pegged to a new book titled How by Dov Seidman, founder and CEO of LRN, a business ethics company:

"Because Seidman’s simple thesis is that in this transparent world 'how' you live your life and 'how' you conduct your business matters more than ever, because so many people can now see into what you do and tell so many other people about it on their own without any editor. To win now, he argues, you have to turn these new conditions to your advantage."

Here's a video clip with Mr. Seidman from BusinessWeek.

"How" is not a new concept. Harold Burson has been in the C-suite for years preaching behaviorial modification as the road to restitution. You simply can't cure a company's ills with a press release.

Jet Blue's David Neeleman learned this the hard way. His mainstream media ubiquity in a time of crisis may have been comforting, but without tangible changes to his company's policies, it amounted to a hill of beans. The "media mass," this one included, let him know it in no uncertain terms. From today's column:

"Ditto in business. Companies that get their hows wrong won’t be able to just hire a P.R. firm to clean up the mess by a taking a couple of reporters to lunch — not when everyone is a reporter and can talk back and be heard globally."

Lunch. What a concept.

Labels: citizen journalism, Dov Seidman, How, New York Times, PR, public relations, reputation, Thomas Friedman

Dave Henderson of the Making News blog has a pretty good summation of the brouhaha over a Harper's magazine reporter's deception-turned-expose .

The reporter, posing as a client prospect, succeeded in luring some high-powered Beltway PR firms to take the new business bait for a most disreputable eastern European "Stalinist dictatorship."

The Washington Post's Howard Kurtz weighed in yesterday on the Abscam-like entrapment - from a journalistic perspective:

"NBC's "Dateline" joins in stings against child predators, but by tagging along with law enforcement officials. The reason is that, no matter how good the story, lying to get it raises as many questions about journalists as their subjects."

From the agency perspective, most will defend their decisions to represent controversial, even ethically challenged people, enterprises and institutions on the basis of the client's legal right to have its voice heard: from the Saudi Government to ExxonMobil to Joey Buttafuoco.

Nevertheless, a firm's client roster says something about the ethical underpinnings of the firm itself. Sure, the potential fees for deep-pocketed evil-doers can be most enticing. I just wonder about the moral (and morale) issues that accompany the selling of a firm's soul. It matters little whether you give workers the option to opt out of servicing a controversial account. Again, a firm's client roster defines the firm.

To make that point, take a look at the the WashPost profile of lefty PR man David Fenton whose firm only accepts clients in whose causes he firmly believes. He's doing well by doing good. (And I bet he sleeps well at night.)

Labels: agencies, clients, David Fenton, Harper's Magazine, Howard Kurtz, PR, public relations

Both Hollywood publicists and New York State lobbyists find themselves grappling with the issue of diminished influence. In Hollywood, outlets like "ET" and "Access" have built dominant media franchises by pandering to the celebrity set (and their handlers).

Relative newcomer, TMZ, however, sidesteps publicists with an investigative reporting flair that's mostly indifferent to Tinseltown's command and control crowd. According to today's Times:

"In the past, media coverage of celebrities often hinged on the promotional agenda of studios, publicists and other handlers. ...TMZ.com has quickly gained an audience by posting news articles garnered from documents, unofficial videotapes, exclusive paparazzi shots and other sources like law enforcement officials and courthouse clerks...As a result, TMZ.com has become the celebrity handler’s worst nightmare."

In Albany, (New York State's capital), Governor Elliot Spitzer (pictured) has made his distaste for the lobbying industry well known:

"City Hall and Albany have put the squeeze on lobbyists in the last few years. The gifts, dinners and endless bar tabs that made lobbyists popular with lawmakers have been curtailed, and Mr. Spitzer has created a panel to look at further changes.

As if their craft had not been tarnished enough by the likes of Jack Abramoff and movies like 'Thank You for Smoking' and Michael Moore’s new 'Sicko,' lobbyists say that now they have to contend with a City Council proposal that suggests the work they do is underhanded. The Council will soon vote on legislation that would reduce the amount lobbyists can donate to political campaigns by 90 percent."

As frustrated as New York State lobbyists and Hollywood publicists may be by the dual affronts to their respective callings, neither group sits idly by. The Albany crowd is organizing a trade association to, in effect, lobby for the lobbyists:

"Mr. Davidoff said a formal association would make it easier for the industry to react to attacks. It could also help shape reforms, he said. Interest seems to be catching on. About a dozen industry professionals attended a meeting six weeks ago at the Regency Hotel on Park Avenue when the topic was introduced, a meeting first reported by Crain’s Insider. The number nearly doubled when the group met again three weeks ago at Mr. Davidoff’s offices."

Conversely, the Hollywood publicist recognizes the increasing influence of TMZ, but treats the new age outlet with a kit-gloved, retro approach:

"That influence has also made him [Harvey Levin] a feared figure in Hollywood. One publicist who declined to speak on the record because of fear of retaliation against his clients likened Mr. Levin’s power to that of the 1940s and 1950s gossip columnists like Walter Winchell.

'If you have something you know they will like, you tip them to it,' the publicist said. 'It’s kind of the old way you dealt with the old-time gossip columnists. You have to occasionally feed them an item. You have to be in the game with them. If you’re a publicist and the only time you call up is to complain about an item, they’ll laugh at you.'"

While I don't believe either practice is faced with imminent extinction -- Albany's lobbyists had a record year last year -- the times sure are a changin'. Stay tuned for TMZ's TV debut this fall.

Labels: Albany, Gov. Spitzer, lobbying, PR, public relations, publicists, TMZ

When the NY Post yesterday reported that NBC Universal chief (and former "Today" EP prodigy) Jeff Zucker made a personal plea to Paris Hilton's father to trump Barbara Walters for the privilege of Ms. Hilton's first post-jail interview, the network went on full damage control:

"NBC News has not and will not pay for interviews," spokeswoman Allison Gollust said. NBC News also denied that NBC Universal CEO Jeff Zucker had called Hilton's father, Rick, to lobby for "Today."

The Post reported that NBC News was prepared to pony up a million bucks. Here's what its checkbook journalism might have bought:

Meredith: So, Paris, how does it feel to be free?

Paris: I'm so excited. Being in jail was worse than being holed up in the VIP room at Teddys.

Meredith: What was your bleakest moment?

Paris: Ummm. Let me think. What does the word bleak mean? Oh I know. The second I realized the bed linens had a thread count of less than 1200.

Meredith: What are your plans now?

Paris: Well, let me see, first I want to get my Bentley repaired. And then, I'll go back to work collecting fees to appear on ET, Access and Extra.

Meredith: How did you feel when the judge ordered you to return to prison?

Paris: It wasn't right! Mom?

Meredith: Has the time you spent in jail taught you anything?

Paris: Yes, duh. I saw how the other half lives and I still don't like it.

Meredith: Thank you for your time.

Paris: You're welcome. It was worth it.

Labels: "Today", Barbara Walters, celebrity, Jeff Zucker, journalism, Meredith Vieira, NBC News, Paris Hilton, PR, public relations

Earlier this week, this blog echoed the report on the Pentagon's intended hiring of an ABC-TV newsman to "show progress in Iraq" through "better press relations."

Yesterday, in a not-unrelated post, Kevin Grandia, writing on desmogblog, astutely pointed out how ExxonMobil's words don't gibe with its actions when it comes to the issue of global warming.

In the post, Grandia contrasts the oil company's public posturing on global climate change:

[Exxon chief spokesperson] Kenneth Cohen stated that Exxon was not a "climate change denier" and "wanted to play a constructive role in countering global warming."

...with its (under-the-radar) funding of think tanks and associations that would be considered "climate change deniers."

"Last week Cohen was in London playing a bit of PR offense for the oil giant. He went after Greenpeace for their recent report outlining the funding in 2006 that Exxon provided to 41 think tanks and associations."

Granted, ExxonMobil is a big company -- the biggest, in fact -- but when its policies contradict its desired public positioning, even the most savvy PR person will fail to prevail in the court of public opinion.

Labels: global climate change, global warming, PR, public relations, xxonMobil

With a lot of huff and puff, the folks at the Huffington Post this week revealed the name of the Jay Rosen-inspired political journalism initiative that aims to give voice to a quasi-cohesive group of citizen reporters on the Presidential campaign trail (of which you can be part). From Arianna:

"We're calling it Off The Bus (OffTheBus.Net), a name that captures the essence of what we're looking to accomplish. Our disparate mix of citizen reporters won't be part of the mainstream pack covering the campaigns -- and will come at it from a wide range of different angles and perspectives, adding a new dimension to campaign journalism. Click here to sign up to become one of them."

Separately, but definitely related, a Greenville, SC TV news cameraman named JL Watkins, who blogs under the name of LL Robot (as in Little Lost Robot) reports on the citizen journalist phenom surrounding Barak Obama's recent visit to his state. In it, he makes these observations:

"My Friday assignment was to photograph all the political action as Barak Obama talked before a reported crowd of 3500 (they expected 1500). The event went rather smoothly, despite the really late start. But the actual reason I was posting this was to point out all the non-traditional media on the platform. And at one point, I was outnumbered by people shooting for websites."

CJR posted a thoughtful piece yesterday pegged to the CNN-YouTube citizen-infused debates. Hmmm, this sounds very familiar.

Personally, I'm enthralled by the prospect of a presumably richer portrait of those who aspire to lead this nation. At least we'll get past the recycled sound bites that appear in the finite news holes of the mainstream media (but not necessarily their sister websites.)

From a PR perspective, however, I wonder about the scalability of the credentialing process, and more specifically, who gets them and who doesn't. By laying down the gauntlet early, do Jay and Arianna hope their now-branded band of bloggers will be given access to the hallowed halls traversed by campaign insiders? (The bet is they don't need it.)

If not, will the audience for these citizen reports be captured via MOS's and local sidebars? What about the Little Lost Robot? If you were a campaign PR director, where would you draw the line when staring at a press riser that measures a meager 20' x 8'?

Don't misunderstand me. The democratization of campaign media coverage is a most worthwhile, if not extraordinary development -- especially for people who like restaurant menus with five pages of entree choices (and have the patience to peruse).

I usually opt for the highly-rated (and credible) restaurant offering a hand-picked selection of just a few (mouth-watering) specials. Think NPR, "Jim Lehrer NewsHour," or The Week magazine. But then again, those grassroots reports from the campaign trail might just end up on five-star restaurant's menu, e.g., the roast Macaca special.

Labels: citizen journalism, Huffington Post, journalism, newassignment.net, off the bus, politics, PR, public relations

Politico's Mike Allen reported yesterday that the Pentagon will hire ABC-TV News reporter Geoff Morrell, 38, in a public relations capacity.

"The official said that a working journalist was chosen by Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates in an effort to improve press relations at a time when the administration is under pressure to show progress in Iraq."

Now the migration from news reporter to newsmaker is nothing new. In fact, there's considerable precedent in both directions. Think Snow and Stephanopolous.

I just wonder whether the Pentagon really believe it can solve its problems, i.e., "Show progress in Iraq," through better PR. Isn't better policy really mandated here? Also, do all journalists come equipped with the PR acumen required to make a difference?

There's this assumption that if one has worked as a journalist, PR's a no-brainer. Think again.

Others jumping on the story:

• MediaBistro
• Daily Kos
• Main and Central
• Think Progress
• Newsbusters

Labels: ABC News, Iraq, journalism, news, Pentagon, politico, politics, PR, public relations, Robert Gates, spokesperson

Can the blogosphere crack Apple PR's "Blue Wall of Silence" enveloping the iPhone?

That's the question the Scobleizer (Robert Scoble) raises today after getting the brush off by an Adobe tech he probed on the status of Flash for the iPhone.

WebProNews picked up the post in which Scoble relates:

"'How’s the work on the iPhone version of Flash going?' He instantly answered 'I can’t talk about that.'

This answer is so fast, and so consistent, that it just drives me nuts (it’s the fourth Adobe employee I’ve asked about this and got the exact same answer).

Anyway, why is this Adobe PR’s greatest nightmare? Well, it’s every PR team’s nightmare to have an engineer meet a journalist, or worse yet a blogger, without a PR person around. Who knows what might get said?

In this case, though, they have this team locked down. It’s almost like they got PR training from Steve Jobs’ PR team. Oh, wait, that’s actually the case! (One of the head PR guys at Adobe used to work at Apple)."

With the noise surrounding the iPhone building to a fevered pitch before the product's June 29 launch, journalists of all stripes are stumbling over themselves in a cat & mouse game with the fabled command & control crowd at Apple Inc. (Did Mossberg agree to hold his review in exchange for some tech time with the versatile $500-$600 product?)

It's clear that Apple's PR grand strategy of secrecy and selective seeding surrounding the second coming is having the desired effect. AAPL is up another 3 points today.

Hey look. If Angelina's lawyer can dictate the terms of media access to his A-list client, why can't Apple manage the message for its veritable (movie, music, photo, and telephone) "star?"

Scoble's right to use the term "nightmare" to describe the challenge of placing a gag order on everyone having anything to do with this product. On the other hand, judging from the media and investor frenzy it has created, the folks in Cupertino are no doubt thinking it's been a nightmare worth dreaming.

Labels: Adobe, Angelina Jolie, Apple, blogging, Flash, iPhone, Mossberg, PR, public relations, Robert Scoble

If you find yourself in New York City this Thursday (6/21), you may want to check out The Publicity Club of New York's next luncheon for PR pros titled "The Media World is Flat."

On the panel are senior U.S. editorial decisionmakers for a handful of foreign news organizations including the BBC, Japan's NIKKEI, Italy's Milano Finanza, Canada's Globe & Mail, and Germany's Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ).

Once again, this blogger* will be handling moderating duties. (Gee, I wonder how the race to the web affects the fortunes and foibles of these news orgs?) More details and reservations can be found here.

Hope you can make it.


*Serves as president of PCNY.

Labels: journalism, media, PCNY, PR, public relations, Publicity Club of New York

Having judged and submitted a fair share of industry awards over the years, e.g., PR Week Awards, Sabre, PRSA/NY Big Apple, PRSA Silver Anvil, PR News Platinum Awards, etc., I am always amazed at the number and diversity of programs in the mix seeking peer approval.

A quick scan of the number of PR News Platinum or PR Week Award categories also give an indication of how profitable (for its purveyors) these awards have become. As for the recipients, the ROI is less tangible, but highly coveted nonetheless.

As a judge, I tried to single out programs that succeeded in attaining their pre-stated measure of success, which invariably included generating ink & airtime. Only those programs that exceeded their goals through creative execution made the cut. Many judges made their selections through a quantitative assessment of the results, i.e., # of impressions, prominence of the coverage, etc.

Others, myself included, preferred to use a more innate measure of success. Had we heard about the program? Did it make a tangible impact? And most importantly, did it overcome some odds in breaking through the clutter?

Last night, the film documentary that put our would-be President squarely back into the public eye garnered a PRSA Silver Anvil award. At first blush, one might argue that it's a no-brainer to publicize the re-emergence of a disenfranchised U.S. President. But on further scrutiny, the global environmental movement was dead in the water until Mr. Gore bowed his inconvenient truth.

Granted, the film spawned a billion+ media impressions globally. But hey, that could have been predicted. What wasn't expected was how Mr. Gore's PPT preso-turned-captivating film documentary singlehandedly jump-started a mission critical movement that many left for dead. For this reason, the Silver Anvil rightfully belongs to the PR team for "An Inconvenient Truth"...and to Mr. Gore.

Labels: Al Gore, An Inconvenient Truth, PR, PRSA SIlver Anvil, public relations

I may have shared this story on these pages previously, but it's worth a second life. Anyone who's been toiling in the tech space for any length of time won't forget the launch of Microsoft's first big-branded OS -- Windows 95.

The over-the-top launch was capped with the mother of all "fam trips" that saw hundreds of journalists descend upon Redmond, Washington for the first-class fete.

We convinced our then client Ziff-Davis Publishing to "ambush" the captive affair with its own breakfast ahead of the formal doings out at the MS campus. Media were enticed to Z-D's presser less by the eggs & bacon, and more by the chance to hear the industry's top tech editors (e.g., Michael Miller, Jim Louderback, Bill Machrone, and others) "separate the fact from the fiction" over the much-hyped, but nonetheless pathbreaking operating system.

The strategy of ambushing high-profile media or marketing events is nothing new. How many companies look to CES or E-cubed as opportunities to commandeer registered media for their own news announcements? It's the events to which one's not invited or haven't formally signed on that make the tactic ten times trickier.

We once worked with a giant toy company that somehow managed to bypass the $40 million entry fee to put its product in the hands of every Olympic athlete...during the Games. The boffo publicity that was generated made many of the top-tier sponsors green with envy.

Flash forward to today. Google, which may be wise to the PR doings of Silicon Valley, and even Wall Street, took a powder this week when it tried to exploit the captive audience at eBay's annual member confab in Boston. In an effort to gain attention for Google Checkout -- a competitor to eBay's PayPal -- the Mountain View company invited eBay sellers to its own event:

"Let Freedom Ring," read the invitation on an official Google blog. And in classic Google style, it promised "free food, free drinks, free live music — even free massages."

One small detail was overlooked as Miguel Heft reported in today's Times:

"That did not sit well with eBay, and early Wednesday the IDG News Service reported that eBay had decided to drop all the ads it places on Google’s search engine. eBay is the largest buyer of Google search ads, according to Nielsen/NetRatings."

Oops! eBay's non-denial denial spoke for itself:

"'I won’t comment whether that was directly tied to Google’s plans to have that party,'" said Hani Durzy, an eBay spokesman. He said that eBay was simply running a test — something it does frequently — by shifting marketing dollars to determine the best way to attract users."

Not so sure about the latter part of that quote, but Google got the message, and wisely pulled the plug. To its credit, the big G did link to many less-than-flattering blogs that followed the "catfight." Here are a few:

• Matthewingram.com/Work


• TopWebNews.com


• The Biz of Coding


• Red Herring


• Search Engine Land


• It Week


• Technically Speaking


• Business Week's Tech Beat


• IDG's InfoWorld


• Skype Journal


• Blendah Blog


• JiDigital (Korean langauage)


• ...


• SEO Revolution

Labels: ambush marketing, Boston, eBay, Google, Google Checkout, PayPal, PR, public relations

Renaissance gadget guy David Pogue is one very bright and entertaining fellow. In fact, he can be downright hilarious, plus he has a real New York sensibility.

Yesterday he delivered a rousing PPT (is this an oxymoron?), infused with video, that kept hundreds of PR types wired to their seats at the Bulldog Conference in DC. While some of his digs at the profession flew over the heads of the audience, others aimed at one Redmond, WA company squarely hit their mark.

The prolific Mr. Pogue, consumer electronics columnist, blogger and vlogger for The New York Times and elsewhere, prognosticates on PR 2.0, social media and Web 2.0. The quality of the audio is OK, though I missed the first 20 seconds.

Nonetheless, what Pogue pragmatically professes and portends makes it a worthwhile listen -- if you happen to have an hour (TRT: 61.42). (It may take a few seconds to load.)

Labels: blogging, Bulldog Reporter, David Pogue, New York Times, PR, public relations, social media

I forgot how much I love Washington DC, especially on a spectacularly sunny day (with low humidity). Bill, Vickie and the gang at the Washington D.C. Convention & Tourism Corp. have so much with which to work. If you make one trip this summer, Washington should be at or near the top of your list.

Anyway, as mentioned in a couple of previous posts, I'm down here in the nation's capital at Bulldog's annual Media Relations Summit where hundreds of PR pros are gathered for two full days of seminars, keynotes and the usual conference fare. I'm looking forward to today's luncheon keynote featuring New York Times consumer electronics scribe, podcaster, blogger, etc. David Pogue (an occasional subject of this blog).

Talking about blogs, in the four media panels over which I presided yesterday, I raised the issue of blogger influence with top news decisionmakers from NPR, US News & World Report, "Nightline," Reuters, Dow Jones, USA Weekend, AARP Magazine, "Jim Lehrer NewsHour," National Journal, and too many others to mention.

All recognized the urgency in migrating their respective content online -- not just text, but multi-media as well. (AARP Magazine included.) U.S. News even deployed Alex Kingsbury on a reporting mission to Iraq with a hand-held digital video camera. The video was used on the magazine's website.

However, few of the editors saw blogs as an important source for story generation. One TV producer sanguinely put PR pros in their place when it comes to pitching stories. The "NewsHour" producer stated that "less than a half percent" of that program's segments originate with the help of a PR person. (Gee as both a blogger and PR practitioner, I guess that's two strikes.)

I remain undaunted especially after attending the Geek blogger dinner last night. These meet-ups have become kind of a tradition at conferences like these. We had lots of PR blogging authority on hand last night.

Pictured above, clockwise from lower left, are: Converseon's Paull Young (YoungPR), Ashley Imsand, student of Robert French at Auburn U (Forward Blog), Converseon's Constantin Basturea (PR Meets the WWW), yours truly (The Flack), Top Rank's Lee Odden (Online Marketing Blog), Edelman's Phil Gomes (Phil's Blogservations), and Ogilvy PR's Rohit Bhargava (Influential Marketing Blog). The image was captured by Josh Hallett (hyku/blog) with his seriously awesome-looking Nikon D80. He posted more pics here.

Hopefully, I'll find time to chime in later with another report.

Labels: blogging, Bulldog Reporter, citizen journalism, journalism, media, PR, PR bloggers, public relations, washington d.c., WCTC

I'm pulling together my notes in preparation for the Bulldog Media Relations Conference starting today (Monday) in D.C. As mentioned, I'll be presiding over the journalist panels during the two-day event, which draws hundreds of public relations professionals.

Many of the questions supplied to me by the event organizers relate to how PR pros can enhance their media relationships, and by extension, their placement efficacy with the DC-based editors, reporters and producers on hand from several dozen top-tier news organizations.

However, as I think about what interests me most (professionally), I can't help but consider the white elephant in the room: how media consumption habits are changing and what news organizations are doing to meet the challenge, let alone what PR people are doing to adjust their media engagement strategies.

Last week in South Africa, at the annual Congress of the World Association of Newspapers, the folks at Harris Interactive (a former client) "surveyed 8,749 adults from The United States, Great Britain, France, Italy, Spain, Germany and Australia. Respondents were asked about their current sources of news and information, and what changes they see five years into the future. They were also asked to assess the credibility of newspapers today, and their role, and that of their online sites, today and in the future. The topline findings:

"Online news and information will supplant television network news as the leading news source over the next five years, but newspapers will remain a vital source on their own, and can become dominant if they successfully integrate online delivery as a part of what they offer the public."

"Despite the likely decline in print circulation, newspaper publishers should see a challenge and an opportunity in extending their brands online," explained the Harris Interactive consultant who presented the results.

So, as I assume my moderator role, invariably I'll be tempted to augment the mainstream questions with several that portend the perilous future of many on the panel -- with the PR pro's interests firmly in mind naturally. A sampling is as follows:

-- What roles do blogs play in story idea generation, validation?
-- Do you use an RSS reader to keep track of your coverage areas?
-- Is the traditional press release a help or a nuisance?
-- Is a story pitch more appeaing if it comes with a digital video component?
-- What do you think of Flickr, YouTube, del.icio.us, digg...
-- Under what circumstances would you consider conducting an interview via e-mail?

Hope to see you at the conference. Remember the PR blogger meet-up in the lobby of the hotel 7pm Monday.

Labels: Bulldog Reporter, digital media, journalism, newspapers, online media, PR, public relations

• NWS-DJ: DJ Board Approves Sweeter Severance; 160 Senior Managers Now Covered
• TW's Parsons: Successful Digital Transition Would Make Time Inc. 'Growth Business For A Long Time'
• @ FOOA: Cost Per Action Ads Help Marketers Win Consumers' Hearts, Minds And Wallets
• @ FOOA: How Not To Waste Billions Of Advertising Dollars
• Industry Moves: Revver Shuffles Execs; Star Moved to Chairman, Wells Upped To CEO
• Industry Moves: CBS Adds Two To Audience Network

These are some of today's headlines in Paid Content's electronic newsletter. When the online publication got started by Rafat Ali some five years ago, he didn't expect it to attain the devotion and authority it commands today. Just drill down on the website and you'll get a sense of just how firmly Rafat, Staci Kramer, David Kaplan, etc. have their fingers on the fortunes, foibles and forging of the old media and the new.

I had a chance to chat with Rafat last evening at the Paid Content NYC mixer where some 550 established and aspiring digerati convened in the New York Hilton's Grand Ballroom to bask in the glow of this definitive digital chronicler. In addition to mentioning Paid Content's next confab -- on the topic of "business media" (in NYC this October) -- here's what he had to say (TRT: 3:42). Also, see my buddy Andy's video take with Rafat here.

Talking about media, this blogger will be in Washington DC on Monday and Tuesday at Bulldog Reporter's annual Media Relations Conference where he'll serve as moderator for the eight journalist panels. I think Paull Young is organizing a blogger meet-up Monday night, but if you're at the event, please take a moment to say hello.

Labels: Bulldog Reporter, digital media, marketing, media, New York City, PaidContent, PR, public relations, Rafat Ali

Good for Paris. Bad for Paris. TMZ breathlessly reports this morning that the faux celeb has managed to extricate herself from the discomforts of prison life, making a mockery of the 45-day sentence she earned.

This unforeseen (and boffo) piece of news may be good for Ms. Hilton's beauty sleep, but the expected public backlash over a two-tiered system of justice will make the travails of her brief prison stay pale in comparison. (What happened? Did her Hilton Honors awards expire?)

Had Ms.Hilton accepted her fate and served out her sentence, the princess's PR prospects would be much prettier. Now I'm not so sure. Elliot, you told her this, right?

Labels: celebrity, justice, Paris Hilton, PR, prison, public relations, TMZ

Last week, this blog touched on the recent conversation surrounding "the media interview" in which many of the self-anointed new media pundits portrayed the live media interview as outmoded, if not antithetical to the reporting process.

Their vitriol was in part inspired by the popular Fred Vogelstein of Wired who attempted to interview Jason Calacanis and Dave Winer for a profile of TechCrunch's founder Mike Arrington.

Both Winer and Calacanis agreed to the interview, but with the condition that Vogelstein submit his questions via e-mail. The Wired reporter declined, and the two gleefully blogged about it.

In Winer and Calacanis's world, and echoed by Jay Rosen, Dan Gillmor and Jeff Jarvis, the live interview gives the journalist the upper hand and can result in a one-sided, incomplete, or distorted editorial product. Jarvis even inferred that journalists deploying this long-standing mode of interviewing are really seeking that "gotcha moment." (See more in comments below.)

Newsweek's Steve Levy just weighed in on the brouhahah by sensibly defending journalists' integrity, e.g., their sincere desire to serve us -- their readers, viewers and listeners -- not themselves.

"We in the journalism tribe operate under the belief that when we ask people to talk to us we are not acting out of self-interest but a sense of duty to inform the population. It's an article of our faith that when subjects speak to us, they are engaging in a grand participatory act where everyone benefits. But these lofty views don't impress bloggers like Rosen."

I know I probably should endorse the Winer/Calacanis approach given our profession's natural desire to exert more control over a story's tenor. But I'm not holding my breath waiting for the fourth estate to embrace this Utopian world of new media wherein prepared, (e.g., canned) answers are preferred over spontaneity. (Frankly, I would have liked my college professors to offer take-home tests exclusively, as well.)

Moreover, let's not forget that this brave new demand works best with A-list newsmakers who are given the latitude to dictate the terms of the interview. The greater the demand for the newsmaker, the more territory the journalist will cede to land an interview. Did you hear that Paris and Barbara Walters struck a post jailhouse deal?

The call for all interviews to be conducted via email is short-sighted, if not naive, from a PR perspective. Most of us don't represent those A-listers. Our clients simply are delighted to have the chance to lend their pearls of wisdom to a story. As their counselors, we're not about to tell the reporter how to do his or her job, and thus risk losing the opportunity altogether.

PR pros earn their keep through the management of both ends of the interview equation so that each side emerges with what they sought. Can we obtain interview questions in advance? No. Can we ask for the general subject the reporter wishes to cover? Sure thing. We can also obtain information on who else the journalist has interviewed, when the piece might run, etc.

Yes, new media pundits, it all sounds so insidious. It isn't. Managing the message continues to thrive even in an age where any hint of deception can have virally negative consequences. But I truly believe that newsmakers can retain control and be transparent at the same time. Is there such a thing as "managed transparency?"

Labels: citizen journalism, Fred Vogelstein, interviews, journalism, media, Mike Arrington, Paris Hilton, PR, public relations

This blog has reported on the realignment of media (and media relations) in an age where so many blogs have a greater capacity to give a story legs than their mainstream counterparts.

Sure, Mossberg and Pogue in The Journal and Times (and on their own blogs) continue to exert considerable influence over the fate (and commercial prospects) of new gadgets. But consumer electronics PR pros would be foolish, if not derelict, to ignore TechCrunch, engadget and Gizmodo, plus a handful of others, when publicizing their wares.

For better or worse, the PR person has primary control over which journalists merit credentials and access to cover a product, service, personality or event. From my earliest days doing motion picture PR, we found ourselves fending off paparazzi who didn't have specific mainstream media authorization to attend a client's premiere, luncheon or photo-op.

It was always a struggle over whether to grant access to a small-circ hometown weekly or influential vertical trade whose presence we knew would irk the more established big city dailies or national newsweeklies. Yet, we were careful not to disrespect those perfectly legitimate outlets. Today, that selection process is much more nuanced with the proliferation of media for every interest imaginable.

Again, it's the PR person's prerogative over which news organizations get the nod. Take the NHL PR department, which is smack in the middle of managing media for the Stanley Cup finals. Guess which outlet requested...and was denied media credentials? Wrong, wrong, wrong.

Al Jazeera, which so wishes to gain media legitimacy in this part of the world, was denied press credentials. It wasn't that the TV network didn't have a sizeable audience, nor was it that its brand of news appealed mainly to the modern jihadist. According to AOL Sports' Fanhouse blog, the answer is pretty simple:

"Despite its best efforts at breaking into the American cable and satellite marketplace, Al Jazeera has found no takers for its product here in the U.S. So when it applies for credentials to cover the Stanley Cup Finals, what it's really doing is trying its level best to prove to American audiences that it's more than the official satellite network of global jihad -- an impression that's going to be tough to shake no matter what others might think about its role in the world."

Labels: Al Jazeera, journalism, media credentials, NHL, PR, public relations, Stanley Cup

I guess the context of a Second Life event can still drive media interest. Neville Hobson reports on the virtual world appearance of Bruce Willis as avatar to hype his new/old starrer "Die Hard 4.0 (overseas) and "Live Free or Die" (here). Some 60 attended the presser, which:

"...featured a moderator who fielded text questions from the assembled journalists, bloggers and contest winners..."

But the question lingers in my mind: will the Second Life-driven publicity gimmick actually put fannies in seats when the film bows June 27? I mean all those avatars seemed to be less interested in the action film, and more smitten with the celluloid venue and its late-arriving hero. Even Mr. Willis got the bug:

Bruce: "This is a very cool way to interact with my fans.” 01:58 AM June 02, 2007 from web.

Bruce: “Everything has become entertainment including the news.” 02:00 AM June 02, 2007 from web

(Hey Neville, were those your local times?) Judging from Mr. Hobson's obligatory twittering, the banter was pretty banal, thought the digital graphics were way cool. The purveyors of this online affair, which included a podcast and YouTube presence, will deem it a success -- not based on the qualitative aspects of the exchange, but more for its deviation from the staid press junket as a means to break through the clutter. Here's Neville's take:

"I have seen few media reports or blog posts so far about Friday’s event, which surprises me a bit. But in any event, I think it was a great way to connect Bruce Willis and the new Die Hard movie with fans as well as mainstream media and interested social media types."

Couldn't a webcast with real-time Q&A achieved the same kind of result, (e.g. digital footprint), for the film? Nah. That's so outré!

Labels: Bruce Willis, Die Hard 4.0, Live Free or Die, PR, public relations, Second Life, virtual worlds

I've known Hollywood publicist and media strategist Howard Bragman for far too many years either of us would care to admit. We share Burson-Marsteller in our backgrounds, but then again, how many thousands of others have B-M in their past?

Howard went on to form Bragman Nyman Cafarelli, which was sold to Interpublic for more than a few dollars. He ultimately left BNC, sat on the sidelines for a bit, but never lost his PR moxy. He finally started a PR firm called fifteen minutes, which is presumably less time than his clients have in the media spotlight.

For those of you who follow the machinations of Perez, TMZ and the Hollywood glitz and glam crowd, Howard is currently embroiled in a Tinseltown tussle with a short-lived, and likely short-lived, high (profile) client who alleges professional mistreatment. Apparently, a whiny audiotape of said (former) Bragman client made its way into the public domain.

To put this matter in perspective, I'm told that the erratically enigmatic Paula Abdul has employed more than a dozen publicists over the last three years, and three in the last three weeks alone. I am therefore skeptical of Ms. Abdul's allegations of mistreatment at the hands of Howard, especially since he is not in the mold of your typical Hollywood publicist.

The time he spent in his early career plying the trade in a more strategic, and, God forbid, corporate realm taught him a few things, e.g., like lying to the media to save a troubled celebrity ain't worth burning one's media credibility.

I caught up with Howard late today who told me that he has no interest in "trashing" Ms. Abdul. He simply wishes to defend his integrity in light of this unseemly attack by someone who can capture the media's attention by simply tripping over a chihuahua. (Would any of this be news if Ms. Abdul wasn't a fixture on America's #1-rated show?)

Then again, this overblown kerfuffle could all be a ruse by Ms. Abdul and her manager to garner attention for her soon-to-bow reality show, let alone perfume, clothes, and booze (just kidding) lines.

Labels: celebrity, Howard Bragman, Paula Abdul, PR, public relations