Crisis Management

SpinMaster's Disaster Blaster

by Sheldon Rampton — November 10, 2007 - 3:42pm

"Burson-Marsteller, the PR/lobbying firm run by Hillary Clinton's chief strategist, Mark Penn, is handling crisis management for the owner of Aqua Dots, the bead toys with an adhesive coating that too easily turns into the date-rape drug, GHB," reports Marc Ambinder.

Main Source: 
The Atlantic, November 9, 2007

The How (But Not the Why) of FEMA's Fake News Conference

by Diane Farsetta — November 9, 2007 - 12:28pm

The Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA's) internal investigation into last month's fake news conference found that FEMA press secretary Aaron Walker "directed aides to pose as reporters, secretly coached them during the briefing and ended the event after a final, scripted question was asked," reports Spencer Hsu.

Main Source: 
Washington Post, November 9, 2007

Another FEMA Faker Resigns

by Diane Farsetta — November 8, 2007 - 3:09pm

The California wildfire press conference staged last month by Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) staffers, who asked questions of their boss as though they were reporters, has claimed a second job.

Main Source: 
Editor & Publisher, November 7, 2007

Coalition of the Killing

by Sheldon Rampton — November 1, 2007 - 3:51pm

Its reputation in tatters, the Blackwater private military firm has hired "a bipartisan stable of big-name Washington lawyers, lobbyists and press advisers," report John Broder and James Risen. In addition to the Burson-Marsteller PR firm, the hired guns who have worked for Blackwater include Kenneth D.

Main Source: 
New York Times, November 1, 2007

Stupidity Spreading Like Wildfire

by Diane Farsetta — October 31, 2007 - 3:27pm

The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA's) fake news conference -- where FEMA staffers played reporter, asking FEMA's deputy administrator softball questions -- has cost one person his job.

Main Source: 
New York Times, October 30, 2007

McDeaths

by Bob Burton — October 10, 2007 - 6:41am
  • Topics: Food Safety, Crisis Management, Cause-Related Marketing, Corporate Social Responsibility, Journalism, Corporations, Ethics, Health, International, Lobbying, Public Relations, Secrecy

    • An extract from Bob Burton's Inside Spin: The Dark Underbelly of the PR Industry.

    Brian Page, a 42-year-old railway worker, had been busy before Easter 1992 buying furniture for a house he had just moved into at Mt Pritchard, a south-western Sydney suburb. On their way home, his daughter Melissa wanted to stop at McDonald's in Fairfield for lunch. Shortly after returning home, Brian Page began vomiting and had diarrhoea. As Page's symptoms were initially indistinguishable from a bout of the flu, his doctor gave him a medical certificate and sent him home. Page took to bed for the next three days but on the fourth day went back to work, even though he wasn't feeling well. His boss noticed that Page was unable to write properly and seemed disoriented and confused by his work. He was so concerned about Page that he called a taxi and sent him home, but by then Page recognised something was seriously wrong and went straight to Liverpool Hospital. What was unknown to Page and his doctor was that he had been exposed to Legionella bacteria. If detected early, Legionnaires disease can be treated with antibiotics. Untreated, it can be a killer. Two days after being admitted to the intensive care unit of Liverpool Hospital, Page died. On what would have been his 43rd birthday, more than 100 family and friends attended his funeral.14

    Burson-Marsteller To Help Blackwater out of Hot Water

    by Diane Farsetta — October 8, 2007 - 11:19am

    Blackwater USA has hired the PR firm Burson-Marsteller (B-M) for crisis management, following a September 16 incident in which the company killed 17 Iraqi civilians, according to the Iraqi government's investigation.

    Main Source: 
    Associated Press, October 6, 2007

    ... And All I Got Was This Green Rubber Wristband

    by Diane Farsetta — October 3, 2007 - 2:19pm

    Livestrong wristband (Source: Wikimedia Commons)"Having suffered a barrage of negative headlines while battling to shore up its finances and shrink its work force ...

    Main Source: 
    Wall Street Journal (sub req'd), October 3, 2007

    Indonesia, Will You Be Mine?

    by Diane Farsetta — September 17, 2007 - 2:50pm

    David Case reports on Rick Ness, an employee of the Colorado-based Newmont Mining Corporation who the Indonesian government has accused of dumping dangerous waste into a shallow bay in Sulawesi.

    Main Source: 
    Mother Jones, September 10, 2007

    Whiteout for the Web

    by Sheldon Rampton — September 12, 2007 - 2:26am

    Consumers Union, the publisher of Consumer Reports magazine, recently had firsthand experience with search engine optimization (SEO) techniques that companies are using to suppress negative stories about themselves on the Internet. A company called "DONE!

    Main Source: 
    The Red Tape Chronicles, September 11, 2007
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