Do Paid Media Walls Further Divide Our Nation?

Hardly a day passes without my seeing a tweet from or about Civil, a new enterprise that will use blockchain technology and the sale of tokens to revive and sustain the badly battered journalism profession. Reimagining the news with #blockchain-based architecture https://t.co/xx50xG4ntU — Civil (@Join_Civil) August 24, 2018 Today the purveyors of high quality news are not only…… Continue reading Do Paid Media Walls Further Divide Our Nation?

An End to False Equivalency?

Of the hundreds of clients and client projects on which I’ve worked over a fairly lengthy career, there are but a handful that I can say remain indelibly etched in my memory.They include the Broadway opening of David Merrick’s “42nd Street,” Michael Jackson’s TV spots for Pepsi, the privacy fight for Dale Earnhardt’s family following…… Continue reading An End to False Equivalency?

A “Newsroom” for the Future

I’ll always remember my first job move in PR — from a small NY-based shop specializing in motion pictures, theater and music to Hill and Knowlton with its blue chip clientele of Fortune 500 companies. I went from leveraging the power of celebrity to leveraging business and hard news to gain reporter favor – from…… Continue reading A “Newsroom” for the Future

Dem Talking Points

Periodically I’ll hear from a former (big agency) colleague advising me to tread lightly on the political tweets and posts. A few even share my politically progressive persuasion, but most warn that overt politicking may not be good for my firm’s sustained health. (Would they rather I sell my soul to Koch Industries or the…… Continue reading Dem Talking Points

The Social Majority

In a November 1969 speech, the much beleaguered U.S. President Richard Nixon borrowed a page from the Frank Luntz book of deceptive, but catchy phrases when he said: “And so tonight—to you, the great silent majority of my fellow Americans—I ask for your support.”The term silent majority entered the American lexicon. It was a euphemism…… Continue reading The Social Majority

PRepping the Policy Pundits

Bill O’Reilly of Fox NewsIn spite of this new era of transparency in which leakers and whistleblowers are celebrated in many quarters, I’ll never understood the compulsion of some communications counselors for self-aggrandizement, often at the expense of their clients. (Actually I do understand it, but have a hard time reconciling it with the interests…… Continue reading PRepping the Policy Pundits

Dem “Message-Crafting Functions”

Senators Schumer and ReidFollowing its drubbing in the 2010 midterm elections, Senate Democrats identified the culprit and now plan to nip the PRoblem in the bud. They have formed a new party organization focusing on…ta da…PR issues!To lead this new initiative, Skin-of-his-teeth Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid anointed New York’s senior Senator Chuck Schumer who…… Continue reading Dem “Message-Crafting Functions”

New Spin Spotter at RNC

This just in from the folks at TechCrunch: the Republican National Committee has named a “Director of New Media.” He’s former Microsoft and MSN employee Todd Herman who posted on his new role here. (RNC’s former top techie resigned earlier this month.)Well, I’m not surprised the red-staters moved quickly to fill that vacant slot. Haven’t…… Continue reading New Spin Spotter at RNC

Jack Bauer’s Return

I’ve been thinking about the return to television of “24,” the tense, terrorist-inspired weekly drama whose ticking digitized clock gave “60 Minutes” stopwatch a run for its money.The gripping Fox TV series, which fulfilled the Republicans’ playbook for inciting homeland fear, disappeared from my home screen eons ago, and will soon return to a much…… Continue reading Jack Bauer’s Return

The Sublime Simplicity of Twitter

So how did you embellish your election viewing last night? Was it with one of the electoral widgets many of the digitally minded news organizations offered up for download? Did you register for real-time results delivered via SMS to your mobile phone?Or did you simply plop yourself in front of the flat screen TV with…… Continue reading The Sublime Simplicity of Twitter