Following is a roundup of 10 interesting PR- and media-related stories found online last week:
Journalistic Objectivity Is a Trap: Ben Huh, CEO of Cheezburger (a network that includes sites like I Can Has Cheezburger and FAIL Blog), might not be the first person you'd turn to when looking for a serious take on journalism. But with a degree in that field and a covert startup aiming to solve some of the problems in journalism, his perspective might warrant some consideration. His take is that journalistic objectivity is outdated. "Creating a singular measure of credibility is a slippery slope to censorship," Huh said in a recent interview. He also said journalism has become sterile and is in need of more emotion. (GigaOM)
A Plea for Aggregation Standards: Twitter feeds, blogs and newsletters that aggregate important links and add valuable commentary to them are appreciated. "But sometimes a writer (or website) goes too far, hiving off huge chunks of someone else’s work and presenting them with minimal added insight, most egregiously without a nod to the original source." There are efforts being taken to respond to these forms of over-aggregation. The Council on Ethical Blogging and aggregation has been formed, and the use of "Curator's Code" symbols in the text of aggregation-based posts taking readers back to original sources has been proposed. (Columbia Journalism Review)
A PR Professional's Confession: Here's the confession of a PR pro: "I've pitched utter, complete crap that no one with a news hole the size of the front page would cover." She goes on to discuss possible reasons why PR practitioners pitch low-quality stuff, and sums up the PR pro's dilemma: Where do you draw the line when your responsibility is to pitch a client as the "greatest in the world" even when it's not? (Ragan.com)
How Reporters Drive Communicators Crazy: A lot has been written about things communicators do that annoy the media, but what about the other side? Here are 16 things reporters do that drive communicators nuts. Included in the list are blowing off scheduled interviews, failing to acknowledge pitches and leaving out the name of the client from whom a story idea is received. (PR Daily)
Why Pessimism Is an Asset in Public Relations: Pessimism isn't always a bad thing, and in the world of public relations, it can be an "undervalued asset and a valuable tool." It can help develop: pragmatism when executives dream big, strong defenses in case of a crisis and balance in the midst of optimistic excitement. (PRBreakfastClub)
Beyonce Wins a Journalism Award, Criticism Ensues: Beyonce can add a writing award to her rack of Grammys. The New York Association of Black Journalists is set to honor Beyonce with an award for her cover story titled "Eat, Play, Love" for Essence magazine. This is drawing criticism from various angles, including from some who wonder whether Beyonce actually wrote the piece herself. (NYTimes.com, Chicago Now)
Ten Traditional Media Outlets Using Social Media in Innovative Ways: Traditional media outlets are criticized for not embracing social media other organizations have, but there are a few shining examples that stand out from the crowd. Among the 10 highlighted in this post are: The Wall Street Journal asking its Instagram followers to share photos of how they start their mornings; The New York Times taking advantage of Facebook Timeline with big photos; and USA Today's Pinterest page for fashion, style and trend news. (AdamVincenzini.com)
How Journalists and Newsrooms Can Use Pinterest: Pinterest's value to journalists and news organizations is growing. Here are some ways they can utilize the blossoming social network: contests, community information, weddings and engagements, and fun local pinboards. "Some of your efforts will generate strong engagement and some will fall flat. But when people are spending as much time with a social tool as they do with Pinterest, you should seek to have them spend some of that time with you." (The Buttry Diary)
How PR Can Use Pinterest: Pinterest isn't a strategy -- it should be part of a larger marketing or communication strategy. This post includes a list of 16 ways PR can use Pinterest. Among the tips are: provide visual customer stories, pin interesting things happening in your industry, pin stories from journalists in your industry and measure Pinterest efforts. (Spin Sucks)
What Does a PR Professional Do?: If you're interested in breaking into the PR/communications industry but aren't sure what a job in the field entails, here's a rundown of nine things a PR pro does: 1) tell the story of a brand/company; 2) shape the debate and manage crisis situations; 3) know the target market and do research; 4) write; 5) plan events; 6) talk to the media; 7) find advocates; 8) tell the truth; and 9) educate themselves. (Firebrand Ideas Ignition)
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