A Harvard University analysis of The New York Times and other so-called paradigms of journalism showed some serious dereliction of duty during the 2016 Presidential campaign. The Washington Post’s astute media chronicler and former New York Times public editor Margaret Sullivan observed: During the 2016 presidential campaign, the national news media’s misguided sense of…… Continue reading A Glimmer of Hope for Journalism?
Category: The Flack
Cool Tools for the Curious PR Pro
One of the daily email newsletters to which I subscribe is Product Hunt, founder by Ryan Hoover. This carefully distilled selection of serendipitous new gadgets, apps, podcasts, and productivity tools rarely ceases to surprise me. Invariably, they make my professional life easier and home life more enjoyable. Product Hunt eliminates the frustration we all have felt…… Continue reading Cool Tools for the Curious PR Pro
2016: When PR Turned to the Dark Side
2016 was the year when the currents that have slowly eroded the tenuous relationship between journalists and PR pros coalesced to create an existential crisis that may not be easily remedied. Yesterday’s Trump presser was the first salvo in what will surely be a contentious period for news organizations hoping to ferret out the truth.…… Continue reading 2016: When PR Turned to the Dark Side
Fake News and Its Threat to Democracy
My first social media post of the day happened on Facebook and involved Twitter. It cited USA Today’s story on Twitter’s audacious decision to ban from its platform hundreds of offensive “alt right” accounts. My morning gripe had less to do with Twitter’s sudden cleanse of hate-spreaders on its platform and more about the absence…… Continue reading Fake News and Its Threat to Democracy
Periscope Is (A)Live
Just as it appeared that Facebook Live would do to Periscope what Periscope did to Meerkat, the Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives breathed new life into the fledgling, real-time video-streaming app owned by Twitter (Nasdaq: TWTR). Here’s the lede from ABC News: The Democratic sit-in over gun control last night almost fell into…… Continue reading Periscope Is (A)Live
Trump: The Art of the Lie
It’s hard to imagine how Mr. Trump can survive the incessant onslaught of negative media coverage until the GOP Convention in July, let alone the general election. (I imagine GOP kingmakers are currently conspiring on how to blackmail their controversial candidate to bow out of the race and begrudgingly endorse a Ryan or Romney in…… Continue reading Trump: The Art of the Lie
StubHub Throws Away Its Shot
It’s no secret that consumer-facing, social-savvy brands treat “influencers,” i.e., those with sizable followings on Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and elsewhere with greater respect than other, more casual users of these channels. Even minor influencers, e.g., like me, obtain special treatment when publicly grousing about a disappointing experience. Case in point: last week, I ordered an…… Continue reading StubHub Throws Away Its Shot
When Journalism Fails to Deliver
Today one of the most astute chroniclers of all things technology tossed his former fellow tech scribes under the bus for their inability to separate fact from fiction when it came to the scientific claims of one prickly healthcare startup CEO. I’m talking about Theranos of…… Continue reading When Journalism Fails to Deliver
Schumer’s No Trainwreck
My wife and I finally had a chance to catch up on some flicks during last weekend’s rain-fest in New York. (There’s only so much bingeing one can do on “House of Cards,” “Billions” and “Vice.”) We decided to test our tolerance for the tasteless “Trainwreck,” the tortured NYC love story written by and starring…… Continue reading Schumer’s No Trainwreck
Keep Politics Out Of Your Business
As an agency owner and keen observer of the circus that doubles as the American political process this election year, I’m finding it difficult to hold my tongue. I was reminded of this recently when tech influencer and newly minted VR executive Robert Scoble laid down the rules for continued inclusion in his Facebook-capped group…… Continue reading Keep Politics Out Of Your Business