Sir, your reputation precedes you

First, if you're an up-and-coming communications pro (or even a weathered old geezer), you'd do well to subscribe to Rafe Needleman's "Pro PR Tips." The C|NET vet has posted more than 100 rules from inside the head of one of the tech industry's most-read journalists.

Take, for example, this one from the other day:

Tip #103: Agency, Shmagency: "I don’t care that much what agency you work for. What I care about is the company you represent."

Now, you can argue that the calling cards of a small number of agencies will open otherwise hard-to-crack editorial doors (a reflection on consistently great hiring and training than on size and perceived power). However, even though the card might be able to open the door, it's the story and personal relationship that gets your foot inside.

I've heard a lot lately about the power of personal brands. It's a discussion good PR pros should heed. It doesn't matter whether you work for IBM or Joe's PR Shop, it's your personal brand that makes you stand out.

Separated at Birth: US Airways and Dominican Republic Tourism

Jenn and I left last Saturday for the Dominican Republic to celebrate her 40th birthday with close friends. Friday marked the end of our vacation and, unfortunately, the beginning of a 36-hour ordeal at the hands of two organizations which, despite their chosen industries, have yet to grasp even the most rudimentary aspects of customer relations.

I was going to blog more on the incomprehensible public relations incompetence of both US Airways and those responsible for managing the Dominican Republic's tourism image, but think the story (and comment thread) running on Consumerist and the accompanying video from CBS's Philadelphia affiliate KYW-TV (which lead Friday's 11 o'clock newscast and re-ran on Saturday) speak volumes:

U.S. Airways Boots 274 Stranded Passengers From Caribbean Airport, Refuses To Pay For Hotels

US Airways continues to set a shining example of why the airline industry is in complete shambles. Its quickening demise isn't the result of economics, it's the result of complete disregard for its customers. If US Airways was a yellow labrador retriever, Pa would've had us put it out of its misery behind the shed a long time ago.

And despite the best efforts by travel agents, incidents like this -- along with a very public and apparently very real theft problem -- will make the Dominican Republic a less-than-desirable vacation destination for many travelers.

Both US Airways and the Dominican Republic lost customers this weekend. Customers they will not get back.

Newsreaders vs Journalists

The BBC gets it right when it describes its television anchors as newsreaders rather than journalists.

Pole Vaulter's Dad Gets the Shaft

Scrolling through my RSS feeds this morning, I notice there's considerable buzz in the ether about 18 year old high school pole vaulter Alison Stokke. In a nutshell: she's shattering state records, happens to be photogenic, and is now plastered all over the 'net, i.e., American Idol hottie Antonella Barbra.

In one heavily-linked article, her father, defense attorney Allan Stokke, talks about how he surfs the web to protect her from potential stalkers. Well, that's all fine and good...and what most of us would do to protect our children from society's detritus if it were our daughters. However, maybe Allan Stokke should seriously reconsider resigning from his current profession (excerpted from feministing.com):

...Stokke's father is the same guy who earlier this year defended a cop who jerked off on a stripper during a routine traffic stop. “She got what she wanted,” Al Stokke said, of the stripper. “She’s an overtly sexual person.”

I can imagine the dinner conversation at the Stokke table: "Yes, honey, I realize you feel this is an invasion of your privacy and you are hurt and offended, but, you know, it's not really their fault. You are pretty and you did show the bare skin of your belly when you were breaking the records...and, I mean, c'mon, a "pole" vaulter? You pretty much deserve the attention."

As the father of two daughters, it disgust me that I'm partly defined in the same demographic as Stokke.

A Tribute to George Carlin

Somebody get Reuters and its reporter, Martha Graybow, a Pulitzer. Heck, pull an old Nobel out of the closet and give it to them. They deserve it.

This morning, I was reading a story written by Graybow about the U.S. courts rejecting the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) broadcast decency limits. Basically, they said the FCC was "arbitrary and capricious" in defining (for all of us) what it thought was indecent. Well, no kidding.

But, unlike every other mainstream media outlet, Reuters had the cajones to include the verbatim words in dispute. In print. In a major media outlet. Against the wind of the puritan way most would've handled it.

And it's a good thing, too. Because you only have to read the Republican FCC Chairman's reaction to see the Crisco-lined slope this is headed:

Republican FCC Chairman Kevin Martin angrily retorted that he found it "hard to believe that the New York court would tell American families that 'shit' and 'fuck' are fine to say on broadcast television during the hours when children are most likely to be in the audience."

"If we can't restrict the use (of the two obscenities) during prime time, Hollywood will be able to say anything they want, whenever they want," Martin said in a statement.

Kudos to Reuters and Graybow.

Old Media vs New Media: A kick in the derriere

I'll admit I'm no Einstein when it comes to math. Heck, I work with words for a living. Give me letters over numbers any day.

Which means there's a better-than-good chance that what I'm about to say has no basis in reality: Richard Parsons, the head of old media establishment Time Warner, is quoted this morning saying "The notion that the new kids on the block have taken over is a false notion." He's, of course, referring to Google and YouTube.

I can't decide whether this is a quote of desperation or one of denial. Heck, it's probably a bit of both.

The reality is that, for the most part, old media really is on life support. By old media, I mean those that haven't adapted to the evolution their customers have made toward interactivity, openness and community. The old media need only look so far as Redmond and the losing battle Microsoft is waging against open source software to see how this plays out.

Which brings me back to my remedial math skills. Could Google/YouTube just make this whole old media vs new media issue a moot point by going all Gordon Gecko on Parsons's derrière?

Old media turns combative against new media | Technology | Internet | Reuters

Must-See Photography: James Nachtwey

I love photography. I've had a couple of images published (many, many years ago). I've had some that were good enough to frame and display on the walls of my home. And, despite being an eternal optimist, I know I will never be able to be the photographer James Nachtwey is. His images are haunting and powerful. So powerful is his work, that he was recently awarded a prestigious TED Prize. Well-deserved...and well worth taking time to soak in his photography.

The British Are Coming! The British Are Coming! (Let's Hope!)

Yesterday I posted about the decline of American broadcast journalism, singling out Katie Couric's journalistic skill in reading words on a screen. Today, Jeff Jarvis over at BuzzMachine has an interesting post highlighting comments from the director general of the BBC on the death of the news presenter (i.e., celebrities like Couric).

Over the past year or so, I've started to rely on the BBC -- on the web and on XM Radio -- as the reasoned journalistic voice on global and political topics. Now, I'm sure they aren't perfect, but its reporting, its tone, its balance and its objectivity give it credibility that the once-watched network news shows no longer deliver (I chose "shows" because the 5, 10 and 11pm newscasts have long since crossed the line from journalism to entertainment and advertising vehicles).

America: Hooked on Newsphonics

I am a news junkie. It's a mandatory trait for anyone in my profession. That said, I have stopped watching the 5pm, 10pm and 11pm "news." With all respects to Murrow and his generation, broadcast news should have its journalistic credentials yanked. It no longer meets the criteria of serious journalism (with few exceptions).

Think I'm nuts? Take a look at this quote from a column Gail Shister just posted over at Philly.com:

"On a 30-minute evening newscast, however, what's required is the ability to read the TelePrompTer and not display too much emotion."

Want to know who she's talking about? Katie Couric. Considered by too many people across America to be one of our top journalists. What's the criteria for being a reporter with a $15 million salary? To ask tough, probing questions? Nope. The criteria America holds up for its top journalists is the simple ability to read and act. I know many people whose only concept of what's happening in the world comes from 20-second segments of news read off a teleprompter.

Despite the fact that most people think of what I do as spin and anti-media, I hold journalists as having one of the most critical roles in a free, working society. They are the first and last stop in the checks-and-balances needed to keep people honest. They -- again, minus a few exceptions -- operate with a level of integrity that most of us would be challenged to equal.

Reading words from a screen while worrying about your Q score is not reporting, it's acting.