A look at the rapidly evolving world of journalism and media relations, two fields whose fundamental truths remain unchanged.
As marketing professionals continue to adopt public relations principles to define their practice it might be time to reiterate some fundamental differences between the two crafts. At its root, marketing is based on a transaction. I provide and promote a product or service. You buy it. While marketing uses some public relations concepts to stimulate [...]
Read more →One of the most brilliant, thoughtful and personable scientists I met in my many years in the higher education public relations business was Allen Newell, one of the fathers of the field of artificial intelligence. With long-time collaborator and Nobel Laureate Herbert Simon, Newell built the foundation of modern computer science research and was at [...]
Read more →Those of you who have labored long and hard in the minefield of media relations know it is a thankless endeavor. You can never generate enough news media coverage to satisfy the leadership of your institution. And even when you score a big hit in the media the story can contain errors or misrepresent some [...]
Read more →Colleges and universities pursue national news media coverage because it: Helps to build an institution’s reputation. Helps to build national awareness. Helps to build name recognition. Lends credibility to a college or university’s claim to be a major national institution. Brings value to key institutional messages by providing third-party endorsement. Can stimulate interest and support [...]
Read more →Thanks to Steve Infanti, former PR pro at Penn State University, for shipping us “top 10 things your president thinks were said the last time you spoke with a reporter.” I don’t need to interview anyone else. When you say that’s the way it is, I believe you. Can I take you to lunch? I [...]
Read more →Classic story about the challenges and frustrations of the publicity business in the April 28, 1997, edition of The Wall Street Journal. Seems the James S. McDonnell Foundation, one of the nation’s leading philanthropic organizations, found it could not compete with M&Ms for press attention. The foundation mailed more than 500 press kits announcing a [...]
Read more →We always liked this Wall Street Journal op-ed piece by Dickinson (Pa.) College Professor Christopher Francese on the insignificance of the U.S. News & World Report rankings to students seeking the best possible educational experience. In his article, “Rancorous College Rankings,” Francese gave six reasons why students should not care about the rankings. You are [...]
Read more →Years back, we spoke at a national media conference in Bethesda, Md., and we offered up our “Top 10 Questions Most Frequently Asked of Media Relations Professionals in Higher Education.” Some people seemed to like it so we thought we’d reprise it. We have the most innovative curriculum in higher education. Why can’t we get [...]
Read more →Don Cardinal, a professor at Chapman College, drew some big-time national attention years back when his research on facilitated communication, a controversial technique used to help people with autism or mental retardation communicate more effectively, got ripped in the media. Programs such as “Frontline” on the Public Broadcasting Service and “60 Minutes” on CBS produced [...]
Read more →Faculty productivity has become a major issue these days, fueled by arch-conservative politicians such as Texas Gov. Rick Perry, but this topic has been around for a long, long time. It is extremely difficult for the public to comprehend or relate to the realities of a typical faculty member’s workday, his or her responsibilities and [...]
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