Tag: Public Relations

Substack, Media Fragmentation & PR

How the Explosion in News Creators impact Communications Pros It was inevitable. The ability to profit from a personal news brand through the creation and distribution of original content has gotten even easier. “We the media” started 15+ years ago with CGM/blogging and, to a lesser degree, podcasting and has evolved to the point where established journalists…… Continue reading Substack, Media Fragmentation & PR

Can the Dems Find Their Soul and Take Back the Senate?

Jon Ossof and Rev. Raphael Warnock The short answer is probably not. That is until the Democratic leadership recognizes a significant shortcoming in how their brand is perceived and the urgent need to mount a communications plan to fix it. Sure, “one America” resonated loudly with an electorate that was tired of four years of…… Continue reading Can the Dems Find Their Soul and Take Back the Senate?

‘I Hope All Is Well’

This is the opening line for far too many PR story “pitch” letters emailed to journalists. To call it a cliche would be to state the obvious. In fact, it’s such a hollow greeting — often sent to reporters with whom the publicist has no prior relationship — it becomes a non-starter, if not a…… Continue reading ‘I Hope All Is Well’

Facebook PR Exposed

Nick Confessore, one of The New York Times’s better-known investigative reporters, appeared on MSNBC’s “All in with Chris Hayes” within hours of The Times publishing its bombshell exposé on how Facebook dealt with the Russian crisis. The story was aptly titled “Delay, Deny and Deflect: How Facebook’s Leaders Fought Through Crisis.” Its verdict: FAIL. After six…… Continue reading Facebook PR Exposed

Pitch Imperfect: PR’s Lost Art

In previous end-of-the-year assessments of the public relations biz, I’ve tackled the following trends and developments: 2015: The need for PR pros to consider paid digital marketing schemes to advance their client’s communications objectives, i.e., “we no longer can rely solely on the benevolence of journalists to tell their stories (“New Media & The PR…… Continue reading Pitch Imperfect: PR’s Lost Art

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

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

The 2015 PR Quiz (w/ answers)

How quickly things change in the PR business. In fact, how quickly things have changed in every business function — from marketing to sales to CRM to IT! Even with all this tumult, there remains one consistent imperative for managers: to attract and retain talent who’ve kept abreast of the changes in their respective professions.…… Continue reading The 2015 PR Quiz (w/ answers)