Reputations: The AP & The Boy Scouts

Two venerable institutions were in the news this past week for ethical transgressions from individuals within their respective organizations.  At first blush, the incidents didn’t appear to be all that serious, yet both resulted in the organizations taking swift and decisive action. The transgressors were summarily fired.I’m talking of course about the Boys Scouts of…… Continue reading Reputations: The AP & The Boy Scouts

That AP Memo

Having served as outside PR rep for The Associated Press on two separate occasions — the organization’s 150th anniversary and the book and exhibition of World War II photos — I intrinsically understood that too much “spin” would make many in this vaunted news organization bristle.In fact, of all the mainstream journalistic enterprises, it is…… Continue reading That AP Memo

The Decisive Dozen

Maybe I was brainwashed as outside PR counsel for the organization’s 150th anniversary, or simply smitten with the special World War II photo book it created to mark the opening of the national World War II Memorial, but it’s certainly worth noting that the “world’s largest and oldest news organization” today announced that it has…… Continue reading The Decisive Dozen

ET’s Non-Delivery

I’m sure the folks at “Access Hollywood” were crowing when their arch rival “Entertainment Tonight” appeared to have prematurely delivered Brangelina’s twins on Friday. The AP, on the other hand, was less buoyant after learning that the ET-sourced story it moved may be dubious. It’s not nice to misinform the world’s largest news organization. Or…… Continue reading ET’s Non-Delivery

The Beet on AP’s Video Dreams

Did anyone notice the video post on Beet.TV yesterday? If you didn’t, take a look. My buddy Andy Plesser, whose Walter Mittyesque existence waivers between PR man and vlogging crusader, caught up with The AP’s head of global broadcast strategy Jim Kathman.Kathman (exclusively) outlined the partnership between the world’s largest news organization and Microsoft in…… Continue reading The Beet on AP’s Video Dreams