Public Relations

PR Execs Held to Account for Overbilling City Accounts

by Diane Farsetta — May 22, 2006 - 12:39pm

Douglas Dowie, the former head of Fleishman-Hillard's Los Angeles office, was convicted "of 15 counts of conspiracy and fraud in a scheme to overbill city taxpayers for public relations consulting services." His assistant and co-defendant was convicted on 12 related

Main Source:

Los Angeles Times, May 17, 2006

HHS Moves Closer To Drowning in a Bathtub

by Diane Farsetta — May 16, 2006 - 2:18pm

One of twelve units of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is contemplating outsourcing its communications office, reports O'Dwyer's.

Main Source:

O'Dwyer's PR Daily (sub req'd), May 16, 2006

AANRs: Australian Audio News Releases

by Diane Farsetta — May 15, 2006 - 11:50am

The Australian TV show Mediawatch notes our study on video news releases and goes on to report, "We haven't found any examples as bad as that on Australian TV, but the radio equivalent -- the audio news release -- has definitely arrived." Mediawatch tracked one ANR, paid for by

Main Source:

Mediawatch, ABC Television (Australia), May 15, 2006

Alaska Spends Cool $3 Million on Arctic Oil Campaign

by Bob Burton — May 15, 2006 - 5:54am

The government of Alaska has signed a $3 million contract with the Oregon-based PR firm Pac/West Communications, for a campaign promoting oil exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR).

Main Source:

PR Week (sub req'd), May 11, 2006

Food Flack Nation Attacks Journalist Eric Schlosser

by John Stauber — May 11, 2006 - 6:49pm

Topics: Food Safety, Crisis Management, Front Groups, Public Relations

"Fast Food Nation" mega-selling author Eric Schlosser must be doing something right. He's under vicious attack from food industry lobbyists and front groups mimicking his book title in their website smearing him. Long time Fleishman-Hillard food flack Becky Johnson and her fellow spinmeisters risk publicizing Schlosser's writings in their over-the-top efforts to condemn him.

The industrial food lobby is freaking-out over "Chew On This", his new book with Charles Wilson aimed at youngsters, and the fact that his "Fast Food Nation" is being made into a major Hollywood movie with the same title. Best Food Nation is the food industry's sound-alike website funded by the American Farm Bureau Federation, American Meat Institute, National Cattlemen's Beef Association, National Council of Chain Restaurants, and 14 other food lobbies. The website highlights anti-Schlosser rants by industry-funded front groups including Heartland Institute and the American Council on Science and Health.

Spinning (and Unspinning) Nuclear Power Worldwide

by Diane Farsetta — May 11, 2006 - 12:53pm

"The nuclear industry took steps ... to head off a growing public relations -- if not health -- problem, promising to closely monitor leaks of slightly radioactive groundwater at power plants," reports AP. "Water containing tritium has been released into groundwater at half a dozen plants over the past decade," including in Illinois, Arizona and New York.

Main Source:

Associated Press, May 10, 2006

The War on Terror Meets the War on Drugs

by Diane Farsetta — May 11, 2006 - 11:58am

Hill & Knowlton will head "a complex $3.8M PR effort" for the U.S. State Department, "targeting Afghan citizens and stakeholder groups to dissuade Afghan farmers from cultivating poppies and boosting global drug trade." Poppy production has soared since the 2001 U.S. invasion.

Main Source:

O'Dwyer's PR Daily (sub req'd), May 11, 2006

Chemical Association's PR To Make You Safer

by Jonathan Rosenblum — May 10, 2006 - 10:01am

The American Chemistry Council wants you to know that you're safer than you may think when toxic chemicals end up in your local groundwater and air. ACC has announced the hire of ex-Environmental Protection Agency spokesperson Lisa Harrison as its new vice president of communications. Says Ms.

Main Source:

American Chemistry Council, April 26, 2006