AltWeeklies Wire
As PR Grows and Journalism Shrinks, Who Will Separate Fact from Fiction?new
The H1N1 vaccine rollout in Canada has been a complete gong show, a cacophonous torrent of contradictory messages flying in all directions. The communication has gone completely haywire, and it's not just government spreading confusion.
Fast Forward Weekly |
Jeremy Klaszus |
11-17-2009 |
Media
Gov. Sanford & the Dos and Don'ts of Making Over a Ruined Reputationnew
We assembled a sort of pro bono crisis management team to determine what image is really worth and whether or not a tarnished reputation like Sanford's can be fixed.
Charleston City Paper |
Kinsey Labberton |
09-30-2009 |
Politics
How Watching the Kansas City Royals is Like Reliving the Bush Presidencynew
Rany Jazayerli is a little like Joseph Wilson. Each man hit a nerve, in part because they spoke the truth. Iraq was not on the cusp of attacking anyone with nuclear weapons. And the Royals need to do a better job of keeping their players healthy.
Don't Believe the Hype: Clean Coal Still Pollutesnew

To call today's coal "clean" requires a handful of mind-erasing psycho-somethings and a magic carpet ride to Fairyland. It's true -- the potential to burn coal far cleaner than in decades past is now here. But the best devices are expensive and only in use at a few power plants across the country.
Charleston City Paper |
Stratton Lawrence |
12-10-2008 |
Environment
While the Economy Tanks, Connecticut's Governor Cuts Ribbonsnew
On paper, Jodi Rell has what looks like the greatest job in the state. The governor, who earns $150,000 a year, packs her days full of friendly radio interviews and ceremonial events that take her all over the state to cut a ribbon here or stick a shovel in dirt there.
New Haven Advocate |
Andy Bromage |
12-09-2008 |
Politics
Waging a PR War at Guantanamonew

U.S. officials are working hard to convince journalists that the military commission trial of Canadian Omar Khadr is fair. This is quite a feat given that Khadr is heading into a courtroom without a full investigation of charges that he was interrogated without access to legal counsel and under torture.
NOW Magazine |
Debbie Melnyk and Rick Caine |
11-03-2008 |
War
L.A.'s All-About-Me Mayor: Antonio Villaraigosa's Frenetic Self-Promotionnew

Time has become the mayor's defensive tool, and the mayor continually touts his rushing, 16-to-18-hour workday in speeches and media interviews to anyone who questions his commitment. But documents reveal that hours of travel, fund-raising and PR leave little time for his job.
L.A. Weekly |
Patrick Range Mcdonald |
09-12-2008 |
Politics
Exposing the Bullshit Industrynew

Watch groups like the Center for Media and Democracy and DeSmogBlog.com shine the light on the public relations spin.
VUE Weekly |
Scott Harris |
08-29-2008 |
Media
A Not-Independent Analyst Might Have Skewed Media Coverage of Sprintnew
In June, when Sprint introduced the Instinct, its rival to the iPhone, industry analyst Jeff Kagan gave the launch a good review. The glowing review shouldn't have been much of a surprise -- that's what Sprint has paid him to do.
Too Many Journalists are Just Genetically Modified Mouthpiecesnew
In 2003, when I was working as an anchor for a San Francisco TV station, newscasters and reporters across the country were asked by the White House to refer to the Iraqi invasion as Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). We were asked to call the war in Afghanistan Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). With press releases in hand, journalists repeated genetically modified words as if their DNA depended upon it.
San Francisco Bay Guardian |
Leslie Griffith |
06-11-2008 |
Media
Tags: Iraq, War on terror, journalism, media, Afghanistan, language, war & peace, rhetoric, public relations