In light of the destruction caused by hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Daniel Keeney is informing people of the precautions and preventive measures companies can take through the use of crisis communication. Keeney will present, "How to Manage Crises Smarter," which Heather Senter, president of the Fort Worth chapter of the PRSA, said could not come at a better time.
Ed Cafasso''s article in the current issue of PR Tactics explores the lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina. In it, DPK Public Relations President Dan Keeney, APR says he hopes the Katrina tragedy will inspire businesses to make their crisis plans living documents rather than window dressing.
The International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Research Foundation''s report, "Best Practices in Employee Communication: A Study of Global Challenges and Approaches," points to severe gaps in employee communications. But you can make a difference.
A battle has been brewing over the University of Oregon''s decision to launch a graduate public relations program as part of its Journalism School. The question is whether public relations and journalism have anything to do with each other. Should PR be taught in Business School?
A recent survey found that recent graduates lack the ability to write effectively. Today''s undergrads have a tainted view of the role of public relations, influenced by Lizzie Grubman and her ilk and programs such as "Power Girls," which suggest that PR consists primarily of late night entertaining and shoving clients in front of waiting paparazzi.
The Rocky Mountain News reports that Ray Gomez, part of the University of Colorado''s crisis communications response team is blabbing about what went on behind the scenes. Instead of using the opportunity to communate their key messages, Gomez''s quotes suggest that the organization remains in a state of turmoil. It''s the cardinal sin of crisis response.
If you are familiar with Wikipedia, you are familiar with the concept of enabling Web site users to contribute to the information and knowledge disseminated through the site. Here, DPK Public Relations and users of this Web site define a crisis. Everyone is invited to participate.
As Karl Rove is learning, never go off-the-record unless you can live with the possibility that you won’t remain anonymous. While the Rove story is likely to shed new light on the dangers of providing background information to journalists, this article reflects on the revelation of the identity of Watergate''s Deep Throat and its implications for all media sources.
Washington Post staff writer Howard Kurtz has suggested that the journalism profession has been demoralized by developments surrounding anonymous sources, accusations of plagiarism and other high profile misdeeds. For organizations and their public relations counselors interested in communicating powerful messages through the media, it is important to understand the dynamics that are evolving in newsrooms.
Newspaper columnists from across the country decended upon the D-FW area this week, providing important lessons for public relations pros who bothered to listen. Tony Messenger of the Columbia Daily Tribune reported on how his trip to the Sixth Floor Museum brought into focus how the tools and behavior of journalists have changed dramatically in the past half century.