The Good, The Bad, The Spin

I don’t follow sports, so I apologize for being behind the curve on Mike Grundy, football coach for Oklahoma State, who thew a temper tartrum at a press conference about a column written about one of his players. Here’s the original tirade:

Here’s the response by the columnist and her editor:
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• The American Association of University Professors has learned what it’s like when professors are nagging shits–on the AAUP’s dime. The AAUP shut down its listserve after questionable posts and negative reactions therein. Says the AAUP:  “In recent weeks, many subscribers have withdrawn from the list, complaining of the nature and tone of some of the postings. More recently, anonymous messages containing allegations against other members have been posted, raising possible legal concerns. In light of these occurrences, it has been determined that AAUP-General be closed.” Were this a university listserve, imagine (potential) uproar. 
• The Pew Research Center discovered what news would look like if content was driven by users, not journalists. From a mere one-week study, the Pew Center concludes: “In short, the user-news agenda, at least in this one-week snapshot, was more diverse, yet also more fragmented and transitory than that of the mainstream news media. This does not mean necessarily that users disapprove or reject the mainstream news agenda. These user sites may be supplemental for audiences. They may gravitate to them in addition to, rather than instead of, traditional venues. But the agenda they set is nonetheless quite different.”

I previously posted about the racial crisis in Jena, La. There is a fourth lesson to learn from this situation: No human or human system–in this case, an entire community–is immune from the general rules of public relations. When a crisis hits, things seemingly small and insignificant can quickly escalate to immense degrees. This happened in Jena and the town appears ill equipped to handle it from a public relations perspective.

The irony is that public relations budgets, and personnel, are usually the first to go when finances are tight. This happened with a local government near me: PR took a hike, and when a crisis hit, all that was left to handle media relations were the chief offenders in the crisis. When public relations is not being addressed, the effect is resounding.