I have a better idea on how to deal with the promotion of WBIR. Would all
the "spin doctors" who have pitched a story within the last year that was
covered by WBIR please forward the release and the date of the story to WATE
and WVLT, demonstrating that WBIR does "indeed" use the work of spin doctors
and, in addition, uses untruths to promote its station and ratings.
While I'm sure no reputable station would use the information, can you
imagine the word on the street. Just a evil thought that I couldn't help
expressing.
On a positive note, I suggest working with National, Tom Looney (current
president), Mary Beth West (national board member) and myself (district
board member) to make an appointment to sit down with WBIR promotion and
discuss this ad and why we object to its use and insinuations.
Gary McCormick, APR
Coleman Research Corporation
865-690-0383
865-690-0639 FAX
865-659-9743 CELL
[log in to unmask]
-----Original Message-----
From: Ann Hinch [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Sunday, February 24, 2002 8:16 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: WBIR promo is an insult to PR professionals
> Rant over. Would love to see others' opinions of this disgusting promo. I
am
> highly offended and wonder if any of you are, too.
Perhaps it would be far better to do something that shows the public what
positive contributions PR makes to society, rather than criticizing the
media for denouncing the profession. As you said, the public already has a
skeptical view of PR professionals and corporate America and their
relationship to each other; if you get upset with the station, I have a
feeling the station could turn that to its advantage somehow, and people
would be left thinking, "Aha! They (PR people and companies) DO have
something to hide!"
Why not denounce the term "spin doctors" and emphasize "public relations?"
Point out how PR people are valuable in getting correct information out to
the media and the public, and how a real professional concentrates not on
covering up something bad that happened, but on admitting mistakes and
reassuring the public that it's being handled well (and HOW it's being
handled) and why it won't happen again. Point out how valuable public
relations offices are to company employees, when a good PR office can handle
a situation both truthfully and professionally that saves the company and,
in turn, those workers' (the common people's) jobs. Point out how valuable
PR people help those at the top of a company understand better their
employees' and the public's needs, and how the company's policies are then
geared toward benefitting the employees and public. Point out how PR people
are responsible for getting new product and service information out to the
public in a timely and helpful manner by working with the media.
I'm not sure what form this self-promo would take, whether an ad or some
sort of public service campaign on the parts of the PRSA or maybe charitable
contributions from companies that specialize in public relations.
Now I feel like I've gone from "preaching to meddling," as a county
commissioner I once knew used to say, so I'll button up. Just my two tiny
cents, as a journalist for eight years.
Ann
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