All posts by James Donnelly

opinion and insights, planning and prevention

Lady Gaga journalism and the reputation economy

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Two very interesting articles crossed my desktop this week.  Reading them within hours of each other left me head-scratching.

The first was from the Fall 2010 Preview issue of American Journalism Review, titled “Traffic Problems.”  The article summarizes how the ability to track the popularity of specific online articles affects a newsroom’s future focus.  Key callouts:

 High-minded headlines and stories about foreign wars, the federal deficit or environmental despoilage might have paid the bills in the age of Murrow and Cronkite, but they only go so far these days.  Shark videos and “naked Lady Gaga” headlines get major play on “serious” news sites for an obvious and no longer terribly shocking reason: They draw traffic….

“Journalism always put a premium on speed and scoops, but up until recently we never had to make the decision that speed trumps vetting or verification,” observes my colleague Roxanne Roberts. “That dynamic is shifting because of the need for hits. It’s a very slippery slope from an ethical standpoint….”

While there are consequences for being slow, there aren’t many consequences for being wrong, Roberts says: “The feeling nowadays is, ‘we don’t make mistakes, we just make updates.'” By trying to grab traffic at all costs, “We’ve placed the premium not on being correct or thoughtful, but on being first. When you do that, everything is Balloon Boy….”

Continue reading Lady Gaga journalism and the reputation economy →

crisis response

Poll: Is it really Legal vs. PR in a crisis?

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Great timing!  I scored my first-ever quote in The New York Times this morning, in the middle of my mother’s visit to Charlotte.  (She wanted to post it to the fridge.  Old habits die hard.)

The full article is linked here and, in my opinion, journalist Peter S. Goodman strikes a nice balance in the article.  Here’s the rip-quote with my thoughts:

“Companies that typically handle crises well, you never hear about them,” says James Donnelly, senior vice president for crisis management at the public relations colossus Ketchum, who — like many practitioners contacted for this article — required elaborate promises that he would not be portrayed as speaking about any particular company. “There’s not a lot of news when the company takes responsibility and moves on. The good crisis-management examples rarely end waving the flag of victory. They end with a whisper, and it’s over in a day or two.”

Not bad.  The first quote could have been tighter (“…you never hear much about crises that are well managed…”), but I think readers will get the gist.

***  Poll featured below the jump…   ***

Continue reading Poll: Is it really Legal vs. PR in a crisis? →

crisis response

Looking Backward, Moving Forward

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Consider these events:

  • Reports begin to surface of “sudden acceleration” from one auto manufacturer, including heartbreaking video/audio of fatal incidents
  • Media coverage of the situation is sometimes sensational, adding to public concerns about “runaway cars”
  • Plaintiffs’ lawyers swarm and advertise to collect testimony of anyone involved in an accident in these cars
  • “Experts” like the Center for Auto Safety weigh in on the situation, confirming the public’s fears about the safety of those cars
  • Government officials get involved, publicly skewer the auto maker, and then order studies to determine the sources of the problem
  • Months later, after reputational damage is done, fines are issued and legal verdicts and settlements are paid – studies begin to show that “driver error” is likely in most of the car accidents
  • As the legal basis for “sudden acceleration” weakens, other owners and plaintiffs lawyers seek compensation for lost resale value

If you’re older than age 40, this all might sound doubly familiar.  Each of the events above apply to both the Audi 5000 situation back in 1986, and the Toyota recall of 2009-2010. 

This is not to suggest the automobiles were perfect. 

Continue reading Looking Backward, Moving Forward →

crisis response, planning and prevention

Tips to Mitigate and Respond to Workplace Violence

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E. DeGasero/AP Photo

When workplace violence hits your company or community, statistics do not matter.  The community of Manchester, Connecticut and employees of Hartford Distributors probably know that all too well after yesterday’s tragedy. 

For the rest of us who follow these situations and wonder if lessons are evident, the statistics provide some context.  According to the U.S. Department of Labor, workplace homicides have fallen 52 percent between 1994 – 2008.  Yet, nearly 2 million U.S. workers still fall victim to workplace assaults.  And 70 percent of U.S. workplaces do not have a formal program or policy in place to address the problem.  (See page 14:  http://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osch0033.pdf)   Thus, while most experts concede that workplace violence cannot always be prevented, there is clear room for improvement from the private sector. 

Eventually, the media cycle in Manchester will lead to questions on Hartford Distributors’ values, corporate environment (indeed, early reports suggest some racial intolerance directed at the suspect) and its overall focus on workplace safety.    Time will tell if the company had adequate measures to protect their employees.  Companies that do have best-practices to help minimize these situations typically: Continue reading Tips to Mitigate and Respond to Workplace Violence →

planning and prevention

Where were the paid pessimists?

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About a decade ago, I stopped getting invites to brand marketing and promotions brainstorms.  I suppose there’s concern that I’ll dump a bucket of cold water over any creative idea before it’s fully blossomed when that germ of an idea could lead to reputation damage for a client.  

“There’s no such thing as a bad idea in a branstorm,” the old saw goes.  Okay.  But what of the bad ideas that come out of a brainstorm?  A recent example:  

Source: AFP

Parachuting donkey advertisers face jail 

   Continue reading Where were the paid pessimists? →