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Entries from April 2008

Next generation of journalists

April 10, 2008 · 2 Comments

This post isn’t a criticism of Kent State or its president, Dr. Lester Lefton. Rather, it is a salute to one of the student journalists at Kent State, Beth Rankin. Beth is a photojournalism major who writes a weekly column for the Daily Kent Stater.

Today Beth wrote a column — An open letter to Dr. Lefton — that among other things asked the university president why he reneged on an invitation he extended to meet with her earlier in the semester. Apparently, she wanted to ask him some questions as a student — not as a reporter or a columnist for Daily Kent Stater. And if I were a reporter I should be calling Dr. Lefton’s office and asking for a response before writing this. But since I am not — and haven’t had much success up to this point getting replies from organizations as a blogger — I’ll press on with the belief that Beth has presented the situation accurately. If not, I’ll be delighted to present the other side of the story.

But here’s the point of all this. I love journalism — and I have great respect for journalists. And it’s disappointing to me personally and professionally that the newspaper industry in particular has come on such hard times lately.

Yet I’m encouraged when I see the work of young journalists like Beth Rankin. She’s courageous and certainly appears to have a passion for reporting.

When I came to Kent in 1967 there were a lot of students like Beth Rankin. I hope for the future of our nation and democracy that there are many more.

Categories: Kent State University · newspapers
Tagged: ,

The Times, China and public relations

April 10, 2008 · No Comments

I wrote yesterday that I don’t believe that China is dealing with a public relations “problem” during the current — and most likely continuing — debacle involving the Olympic torch and the summer games. If anything, China is dealing with a reality problem — where what government officials want people to believe doesn’t match the truth.

But The New York Times in an editorial — The Torch and Freedom — printed April 9 says it a lot better than I can. And beyond the much more important issues involved in this situation, The Times editorial does provide some perspective on what public relations is — and isn’t. And what public relations can do — and can’t. Here’s the editorial.

After facing major protests in London and Paris as the Olympic torch made stops on its journey to Beijing, the Chinese government is said to be looking for a public relations firm to patch up China’s image before the 2008 Games in August. In the spirit of the Olympic ideals, we are prepared to help China — free of charge.

Here’s what you do: Stop arresting dissidents. Stop spreading lies about the Dalai Lama, and start talking to him about greater religious and cultural freedoms for Tibet. Stop being an enabler to Sudan in its genocide in Darfur. In other words, start delivering on the pledge you made to the International Olympic Committee to respect human rights — which, by the way, include the freedom of expression and the freedom of assembly.

It is sadly typical of authoritarian regimes to presume that huge protests of the sort that have accompanied the Olympic torch are provocations instigated by devious foreign foes. It was the same when the United States and several other Western countries boycotted the 1980 Moscow Games over the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Since the Kremlin suppressed all dissent, it was beyond the ken of Soviet leaders to imagine that their actions could actually infuriate people and that they would then act on their outrage.

Just so, the Communist authorities in China have been fanning nationalist resentments among their citizens with claims that protests against their repressive policies are staged by hostile foreign forces bent on ruining China’s grand Olympic party. The popular anger then makes it easier for the regime to arrest dissidents, stifle the news media and blame a “Dalai Lama clique” abroad for the troubles in Tibet.

Since the Chinese government does not hesitate to whip up “spontaneous demonstrations” in favor of its policies, it’s not a stretch for it to presume that foreign “enemies” are doing the same along the route of the torch. Thus, the pathetic presumption that a P.R. firm can make the protesters go away. It can’t and won’t.

Nobody expected China to democratize overnight, and, given the country’s mighty economic power, nobody really wants to antagonize Beijing. But a nation that applies to host the Olympic Games also must demonstrate that it is worthy of the honor. China has only itself to blame for messing up its coming-out party.

Certainly nothing more I can add at this point.

Categories: Public Relations · media relations
Tagged: , ,

China and the continuing PR problem

April 9, 2008 · 2 Comments

It was an absolutely perfect morning for a run even at 5 a.m. Temperature around 55 with a light breeze. And I wasn’t even thinking about General Petraeus and his remarks before the Senate committee.

As best I can tell, Petraeus is saying that we ain’t ever getting out of Iraq. From that standpoint, it’s becoming like one of the lines at Starbucks. So it goes.

And I really didn’t have much to blog about until I took a quick look at the online version of The New York Times. The story: Monks Disrupt Media Tour in China.

According to the article:

Buddhist monks interrupted a government-managed media tour in Western China on Wednesday, waving a Tibetan flag and protesting that the authorities were depriving them of their human rights.

But here’s the paragraph that got my attention:

The disruption, in the city of Xiahe in Gansu Province, was another unexpected public relations setback for China, and marked the second time that monks have upstaged government efforts to control foreign media tours of Tibetan areas.

Say what? Another unexpected public relations setback? Not quite. A setback to the China government’s marketing activities. Maybe. But not public relations.

Marketing by nature is manipulative. And I’m not saying there is anything wrong with that. Public relations is based on truth, honesty and openness. The government in China is trying to reshape the image of the country — even though the truth is not going to support where they want to be. Public relations techniques — like media tours — can provide a way to gain attention. But those techniques and tactics are not in the long run going to change reality.

It’s going to be a long spring and summer.

Categories: Public Relations · marketing · media relations
Tagged: ,

Public relations and the Olympic torch

April 7, 2008 · 2 Comments

OK. A week or so ago I said it was going to be a long road for the Olympic torch from Greece to Beijing. Well the road passes through the United States later this week. And at some point the road is going to lead to corporate sponsors like Coke. Trust me.

So from the standpoint of crisis and reputation management, Coke and others better be thinking about their position on supporting the Olympics as corporate sponsors. The presidential candidates are doing this already as calls for a boycott continue to increase.

This ain’t going to be pretty folks.

Update: Kevin Dugan has an interesting post on this subject this morning on his Strategic Public Relations blog. And for those of you in my ethics class who read that post, check out the first few comments as well.

Categories: Public Relations · marketing
Tagged: ,

Running and my top 10

April 6, 2008 · No Comments

Well, looks like it may finally be spring here in Northeast Ohio. And I had two great runs outside over the weekend: temperatures in the low 30s and the sun just starting to rise as I finished my five miles both days. Doesn’t get much better than that.

As I was running I thought about my most memorable runs. I’ve been doing this now for more than 25 years, and I’ve had so many great runs – by myself and with friends – that it’s hard to pick a top 10. But if Letterman can do it, I’ll give it a try. Here goes.

  • Pittsburgh Marathon – 1988. At mile 25, we turned onto Forbes Avenue and there was the skyline of the Steel City straight ahead – and slightly downhill. Dorothy couldn’t have been happier when she made it to the Emerald City to see the Wizard. The women’s Olympic marathon trials were held at the same time – and I had just turned 40 the previous November.
  • Hyde Park – London – 2004. A perfect early Saturday morning. Started at one end of the park – near Kensington Gardens — and made my way to Speakers’ Corner and back.
  • Columbus Marathon – 1985. My first marathon – and it wasn’t pretty. At that time the race was held in October and it was extremely hot and humid. There is a saying that there are two parts to a marathon: the first 20 miles and the last 6.2. I was dehydrated and struggling toward the end – but I made it. Mary opined that I should probably put to rest any dreams of Olympic glory at this distance (or any other).
  • Buckeye Half-Marathon – 1987. This was just a great run on a perfect autumn day. We started at the Richfield Coliseum (not defunct) and worked our way – mostly downhill – to Weathervane Lane in Akron. Ran with Walter, Gerry and Lydia, and we talked and laughed so much that it was disappointing to see the finish line.
  • South Beach, Florida – Easter Sunday – 1992 – I usually don’t like running on the sand. But when in South Beach, well — do as the natives do. Then – and maybe still – it was OK for both men and women to be topless. So about a mile or two into the run, two young women approached from the opposite direction. And they had freed the twins. Hallelujah.
  • Manchester Field – April 1982. My son, Brian, was born earlier that morning. And after I left the hospital I went to the track where we used to live. And I ran five miles with the high school track team. Yeah. Mary said it was OK.
  • Marine Corps Marathon – November 1986. Just a great way to see the city – touring all the monuments and other venues on foot. Almost finished under four hours – but not quite. And let’s face it folks. The Marines know how to organize things.
  • Boston – April 1993. Went to Boston with associates from Wyse Advertising to conduct focus groups for a Goodrich advertising campaign. We ran for about two hours through the city and along the Charles River on what was just an absolutely perfect afternoon. And from what I can tell we went a similar route to what the women will run later this month during the Olympic marathon trials. Terrific run. Terrible ad campaign.
  • Main Street 10 – I’ve mentioned this is a previous post. My friend Walter and I were training for a marathon, and we would run a few mornings a week 10 miles on Main Street in Akron, starting at around 4 a.m. One day it was raining and a truck turned directly into us. And just missed. I’m sure the nightmares will end soon; it’s been 20 or more years.
  • And finally – my run this morning around my neighborhood. Totally quiet – clear sky – no cars. And the best thing about it – I’m still out there almost every morning.

Maybe tomorrow I’ll get back to thinking about public relations and other equally important stuff.

Categories: running

Public relations and bloggers

April 4, 2008 · 2 Comments

We’ll here we go again. A few months ago I sent a question to the public relations staff at the Public Relations Society of America. And I waited. And waited. But finally — a reply. PRSA will respond to questions from bloggers who are members — but not to nonmembers.

That strikes me as the wrong approach, given the massive changes taking place with media these days — “traditional” and “social.” But at least I received a reply. No real information. But a reply nonetheless.

No such luck with AT&T.

Here’s the story. On March 26, AT&T said, as reported by Reuters and other national news media, it was having trouble finding enough skilled jobs in this country to “fill all the 5,000 customer service jobs it promised to return to the United States from India.”

Two issues here: outsourcing jobs and having skilled workers in this country prepared to compete in a global economy. And as a nation we better take a hard look at both. And soon.

But here’s one thing I didn’t see in the Reuters story or hear mentioned even on CNN. How much do these jobs pay? Big difference, I would think, in finding skilled employees at $7 an hour versus $27 (just to make up some numbers).

So since the reporter with Reuters didn’t ask the question — or did but didn’t receive an answer — I thought I would. I sent an e-mail to AT&T’s media contact Michael Coe – not just once but twice. I told him I teach journalism at Kent State University and I write a blog, and I wanted to include some additional information from AT&T about how much these jobs paid and where they are located. How tough could that question be?

Well, I guess Mr. Coe had bigger fish to fry. No e-mail reply. Nothing. Not even one of those annoying phone calls at dinner time.

But admittedly, I’m a small fish. And I’m sure that AT&T gets plenty of inquires from “traditional” media. So does that mean no replies to bloggers? Or only to the ones on the A-list?

I would like to see a discussion about this because it is going to be an issue facing all of us in public relations. Maybe it is already. When I was at Goodrich, we tried to respond to every question and request for information — except those that clearly involved customer service issues. Someone in customer service tackled those. But that was long ago in a galaxy far away. For all I know AT&T gets thousands of requests for information from bloggers and just doesn’t have the staff to reply to them all. Fair enough. But how would I know? No one will reply to me if I ask that question.

In the meantime, in the absence of additional information from AT&T, I don’t believe they can’t fill 5,000 customer service jobs in this country — if they pay a decent wage.

And what happened to the so-called watchdog press in this country? Since it appears that at least some organizations will still reply to their questions — don’t they have an obligation to ask some tough ones? And challenge some of the crap that organizations put out these days?

See how much better things would have been if Mr. Coe would have just told me XX dollars an hour.

Categories: Public Relations · media relations

Teaching and superstars

April 3, 2008 · 5 Comments

Hope my mom and dad don’t read the story in the Akron Beacon Journal this morning about the “superstar” faculty members who are being hired at Kent State. I guess we can paraphrase Garrison Keillor: Kent State — where all the faculty are “superstars.” Uh, not quite. Here’s the story.

It seems that the university administration has hired and awarded tenure to a new professor in the School of Fashion Design and Merchandising: Vince Quevedo. That prompted an unfair labor practice charge from the faculty union at Kent. It’s a long story. Trust me. But here’s what’s interesting to me from the standpoint of communications.

The Beacon Journal story reports that Steve Michael, the university’s associate provost for diversity, said that Kent State makes extra money available to hire “rising stars” or “superstars” who can help to elevate programs nationally. I don’t know anything about Professor Quevedo. Maybe he merits the “superstar” title and the big money and instant tenure that goes with it.

But apparently the rest of the faculty in the fashion school are not quite as enthusiastic about Quevedo, and the article indicates that the fashion advisory committee passed on hiring him two times previously.  Carol Biliczky is an excellent reporter. I’ll proceed on the belief that all this is fair and accurate. And the point of this is not to look at the qualifications of Professor Quevedo for this position.

The point is I believe there is a lesson or two here from the standpoint of communications.

First, I give Michael credit for stepping up and commenting on the story. But there are a lot of different audiences involved here. And if Quevedo rates “superstar” status — what’s that say about the rest of us who apparently didn’t? Or don’t? And what’s it say to others who are applying for faculty positions at Kent? Words matter folks. And you really do need to know in advance of an interview what you want to say — and why.

And one more thing. I understand that it is important to attract the best faculty possible. And I imagine that involves offering some more than others. Here’s another paragraph from the Beacon Journal article:

He [Michael] said the extra funding helps to expand the diversity of candidates, which in addition to women and African-Americans, can include white men in nontraditional fields like nursing.

Fair enough.

Yet to paraphrase the great American philosopher Willie Nelson: Momma, don’t let your babies grow up to be … PR teachers like Rob Jewell — nonsuperstar.

Categories: Akron Beacon Journal · Kent State University · Public Relations · media relations

Hide the children. Wal-Mart is coming.

April 2, 2008 · 4 Comments

Oh, mama. Can it get any worse than this? The buzz in the community where I live is that a Super Wal-Mart is coming. Super.

The Akron Beacon Journal mentioned this last week — although admitting it is still in the rumor stage. But it is likely. I live in a suburb of Akron, Copley. And Copley is adjacent to Montrose — which is basically these days a parking lot of cars inching toward either Akron or Medina. When we moved here 15 some years ago, this was a scenic rural community. So it goes. Long gone are the small businesses that add character to a community.

But the public relations point is this. Why does Wal-Mart have such a bad reputation? Very few of us really embrace change. Yet in my ethics class at Kent State, I ask students early in the semester what company they consider to be unethical. Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart. Not even a close second. And this “reputation” makes it very difficult for the locals to get enthusiastic about a Super Wal-Mart down the street, in what was previously a pristine environment. Better we would get a Super Starbucks. Just kidding.

So who knows what will happen. A Wal-Mart spokesman says the company has not bought any property as yet. But the Beacon Journal indicated that property could be acquired by third parties.

Alert the poets.

Categories: Kent State University · Public Relations · ethics

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