Media

Move Kurdistan Forward

by Diane Farsetta — July 6, 2005 - 2:27pm

"The Kurdistan Regional Government has hired Republican lobby firm Russo Marsh & Rogers to get 'free media' to promote the interests of the Kurds in the post-Saddam Hussein Iraq," reports O'Dwyer's. One goal of the Kurdish leaders is "the return of Kirkuk," an oil-rich northern Iraqi city populated by Kurdish and Turkmen people.

Main Source: 
O'Dwyer's PR Daily (sub. req'd.), July 5, 2005

Where's That Spoonful of Sugar?

by Diane Farsetta — July 5, 2005 - 5:21pm

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist called drug ads "fuel to America's skyrocketing drug costs" and asked companies to wait two years before advertising new drugs. Bristol-Myers Squibb set its own one-year moratorium on new drug ads.

Main Source: 
Wall Street Journal (sub. req'd.), July 5, 2005

When Journalists Embrace 'Reform'

by Bob Burton — July 2, 2005 - 7:05am

Reviewing the language used by journalists used to describe legislative changes designed to marginalise Australian unions, Deirdre Macken writes that stories in Rupert Murdoch's News Limited publications and by the publicly funded Australian Broadcasting Corporation often use the term "workplace reform." A dictionary definition of "reform", she notes, is making something "better by removal of faults or errors." "Governments will alway

Main Source: 
Australian Financial Review (sub. req'd.), July 2, 2005

When Is a Commercial Not a Commercial?

by Laura Miller — June 27, 2005 - 7:23pm

When is a video news release in danger of looking or sounding like a commercial?

"A VNR is aired on the news at the discretion of news personnel," Amy Goldwert Eskridge of AGE Productions told PR Week. "So it's important to produce a story that looks and sounds like it was done by the station."

The trade publication's PR Toolbox advises potential VNR sponsors, "VNR script should focus on information TV news viewers can use, with a subtle mention of your product as a solution to a problem. ...

Main Source: 
PR Week, June 27, 2005

Terry Fumbles on Pay-for-Praise TV

by Diane Farsetta — June 27, 2005 - 2:48pm

"For the bargain-basement price of $29,000, our publication could have been touted by the Hall of Fame quarterback in slots on CNBC and MSNBC," writes PR Week's Julia Hood, about Terry Bradshaw's "Winners Circle" and "Pick of the Week" TV segments.

Main Source: 
PR Week (sub. req'd.), June 24, 2005

RJR Hoped Tomlinson and Readers Digest Could Rescue Its Dying Cigarette

by Bob Burton — June 26, 2005 - 2:20am
  • Topics: Health, Media, Public Relations

    • In January 1989 the R.J.Reynolds Tobacco Company (RJR) was desperately trying to salvage its 'smokeless' Premier cigarette from marketing oblivion. On behalf of RJR Matt Swetonic, then a Senior Vice President in Hill & Knowlton's New York office, set out to court Kenneth Tomlinson, the then Executive Editor of Readers Digest, in the hope of garnering favorable media coverage. (These days Tomlinson is the controversial Chairman of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting).

    For RJR the attraction of pitching the Premier story to the Readers Digest was precisely because for decades it had relentlessly highlighted the deadly impact of smoking. Favorable media coverage of Premier could not only undermine tobacco control activists arguments against cigarettes but could help reverse the relentless march to market share dominance of Philip Morris's Marlboro brand.

    Interim Propaganda Czar Becomes CPB President

    by Laura Miller — June 24, 2005 - 4:07pm

    Over charges of partisanship, the board of directors for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting picked Patricia Harrison to become CPB's new president and CEO.

    Main Source: 
    Washington Post, June 24, 2005

    Video News Releases: The Ball's in the FCC's Court

    by Diane Farsetta — June 24, 2005 - 2:30pm
  • Topics: Media, Public Relations, U.S. Government

    • Whither the fight against fake news?

    In April, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) published a Public Notice on video news releases (VNRs), video segments designed to be indistinguishable from actual TV news reports. According to the FCC, current regulations mandate that viewers be told the source of a VNR only when stations are paid to air it, or when the VNR deals with a political matter or controversial issue. The Public Notice also asked for further information on the use of VNRs.

    In response, nine comments were filed by the FCC's June 22 deadline. Two were filed by individuals supporting additional measures to ensure disclosure. Six were filed by VNR companies and associations of broadcasters and public relations practitioners. Not surprisingly, these argued against strengthening disclosure rules.

    Deals On Wheels

    by Bob Burton — June 21, 2005 - 2:00am

    At a preview of Hyundai's new Sonata sedan last week the company's local boss, Bong Gou Lee, announced a special offer for Australian motoring journalists in attendance: "Half price for journalists, tonight only." Sydney Morning Herald reporter Tony Davis, who was not present, confirmed that "several journalists gave credit card numbers and specified models and colours on a deal that would have saved more than $A17,000 and delivered a new car at below cost." After Davis began making inquiries Lee withdrew the

    Main Source: 
    Sydney Morning Herald, June 21, 2005

    The Rise of 'Newsvertisements'

    by Laura Miller — June 17, 2005 - 8:08pm

    "Don't you love local TV news stories about critical topics like Supernanny, The Apprentice or Survivor?" Cause Communications' Jason Salzman asks in his Rocky Mountain News column. Salzman lists several examples of stories produced by Denver's local TV news programs and finds that most of the stories focused on entertainment programming run by the stations' respective networks.

    Main Source: 
    Rocky Mountain News, June 11, 2005
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