The Good, The Bad, The Spin

Gotta love Consumerist. This time Dell responds to the site with an apology after initially threatening Consumerist by asking the blog to remove a post about “confessions” from a former Dell employee.

First, it should be acknowledged that there’s good reason sites like Consumerist exist—a general lack of faith in corporate American and customer service in general, as well as the fact that traditional media have simply ignored the trends Consumerist points out all to well. Thanks to sites like Consumerist, companies are forced to improve their transparency and operations; if not, Consumerist will be there to tell the world about it. (more…)

Never mind the Transportation Security Administration’s stellar reputation. And the free love its agents get from every other passenger traveling through its security checkpoints. Today the TSA posted on its Web site two videos and an incident report to refute allegations that it was harassing a passenger at Reagan National Airport.

The video shows an altercation with a passenger who supposedly refused to empty her toddler’s water bottle. She responds to the TSA agent by dumping the water on the ground, and, according to the incident report, asking, “Do you know who I am?” (more…)

It is generally a poor media relations strategy to criticize the news media. In this case, England’s Prime Minister Tony Blair doesn’t have much to lose. On one hand, he’s on his way out. On the other hand, his criticism raises valid points.

Some choice nuggets that bear repeating:

• “I am going to say something that few people in public life will say, but most know is absolutely true: a vast aspect of our jobs today—outside of the really major decisions, as big as anything else—is coping with the media, its sheer scale, weight and constant hyperactivity.
• “At points, it literally overwhelms. Talk to senior people in virtually any walk of life today—business, military, public services, sport, even charities and voluntary organisations and they will tell you the same. People don’t speak about it because, in the main, they are afraid to.

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