This story about racial tensions in Jena, Louisiana, as told by National Public Radio, illustrates three critical public relations points when tensions are high. Saying “no comment,” apparently en masse, is a choice way to ensure others will frame the story in place of your silence. Chances are also high their version of events will be [...]
July 22, 2007
Consider the beautiful bell curve, a graphic representation that tells much about the world. Most of us are weighted closest to the center of the curve in most matters—athletic ability, intelligence, attractiveness and so on. When it comes to issues relating the treatment of animals, most people likely fall into the middle of the bell of [...]
July 6, 2007
At some point, you have to chuckle. Here are two examples of business practices, intended or otherwise, that bite back. Both are sad and funny at the same time (if true): XBOX 360 failure rate as high as 33% (Consumerist) Consumerist ensnares Geek Squad (Best Buy) tech stealing porn from a Consumerist computer (Consumerist) For [...]
June 7, 2007
It’s an elixir of journalism that is being used more and more to sell newspapers and newspaper ads online. The Fourth Estate’s First Amendment rights in practice guarantee that essentially anything can be said about anybody if attached to one magic word: allege. He said, she said. Truth and facts be damned. Public pissing matches [...]
March 10, 2007
Listen to “The Art of the Apology” at NPR. Syndicated columnist Amy Dickinson talks with Neal Conan about what makes an apology–and what does not.
July 31, 2007