How the industry has changed. That means more sorting and sifting for you. I’m talking about the current practice on news related shows, especially morning and afternoon drive radio, for the hosts to both deliver “news” and make their own plugs for the products they are endorsing. What, you say? Yes, that’s how much times have changed. Unless you are carefully listening, you can’t always tell when the news ends and the advertisement begins. So much for independent integrity.
Romney–Scrutiny on every word
From a media standpoint, it’s already gotten scrappy, even vicious in the GOP race, but soon you will notice more of an emphasis on virtually every word, every nuance out of a candidate’s mouth. Either they and their handlers will do it themselves, or the reporters and other media and the opposing party will magnify errors and missteps for them. Either way, words will be even overly-scrutinized and by them candidates will gain or kill a certain part of their momentum. Read more »
Unintended Republican debate consequences?
While the Republican candidates prep for Iowa and the following state’s spotlight (and votes), they are pounding away at each other, almost mercilessly. This is, of course, a short-term strategy and designed to grab front-runner status and credibility to go the distance. But what it also does is provide the Democrats with plenty of ammunition for their coming attacks. They don’t have to do much homework. It’s already been done for them. Talk about an inside job! I wonder how much Republicans have thought about that?
Another “mic still on” international blunder
You would think that there are so many examples of this staggering screw up that by now every leader would realize every word can be recorded. Not so with French President Nicolas Sarkozy. In conversing with President Obama at the G20 summit, he was assuming his microphone was off (we guess) when he turned to Obama and said Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu “is a liar,” and “I can’t stand him.” Nothing like an amateurish mistake on the World Stage!
Answering allegations–when it hits the fan, don’t just sit downwind
Herman Cain, fairly or not, is now in the spotlight for allegations of possible sexual harassment from two women during his tenure leading the National Restaurant Association. Right now the incidents remain anonymous allegations, but if the Cain campaign fails to answer them quickly and substantially, it could carve a deep wound in his efforts.
The Object Lesson
Whatever you think of Rick Perry, he did a brilliant visual to convey his idea of reforming the tax code. Whether it will work like he says will be debated for the next several months, but that’s not the point. The lesson is to learn from the visuals he used. Any time you can make mind-boggling statistics visual, you are that much closer to bringing understanding to your message that can’t be communicated otherwise.
Can “Occupy Wall Street” withstand the “logic” question?
Those of us from the 60′s remember a really good protest. However, from the looks of things from the Occupy movement, the participants seem to be struggling to know what they’re doing. Most of their message is vague and disjointed, shouts of platitudes, and more than any other factor, seems to fail the “logic”test. It seems more like a modern campout hippie party. Reports are that the backers have hired a top PR firm to help make their efforts more cohesive, but there seems to be only minor improvement in distinct clarity. Sloganeering alone is beginning to sound more tiresome and empty. Read more »
The Herman Cain-Lawrence O’Donnell Interview
MSNBC’S Lawrence O’Donnell is taking some heat after his interview with presidential hopeful Herman Cain. It revolves mostly around his question to Cain about why he didn’t choose to participate in the Civil Rights movement in the early to mid 60′s in Atlanta. The charge against O’Donnell is that the questions were unfair, and that O’Donnell would likely not ask a white man about participation (although O’Donnel says he has). From a media and PR viewpoint, Cain was visibly angered at the question. From a consultant and PR perspective (mine) he will need to learn to frame his answers better or a hostile media will chew him up.
Herman Cain–The piling-on effect
In a word, there were too many incoming. Too many missiles to dodge, whether he is totally innocent or guilty and lying. Once the piling-on begins, little else can reverse it. Reporters and commentators raise people up when they are wildly popular, and dash them against the rocks and a bloody death when they fall. It’s all history now.
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