The answer to the question posed in the headline may surprise you. First, last time I explained that just like “real” reporters we don’t “spin” like some PR flacks. In fact, we avoid editorializing in our news releases and stories all together. Honest. We know from experience that burnishing a news release won’t necessarily make it newsworthy. (In this regard, the farther newswriting
Last time, I explained what we do in University News Services (see More on who we are and what we do). Here’s the crib sheet: Media relations This time, I’ll expand on who we (collectively) are. As Silandara recently wrote, most of us previously worked in the media—and, as the adage goes, it stays in your blood. As media-obsessed news junkies, we probably read the newspaper
In follow-up to Brandon’s recent post, What do we do?, I thought it would be beneficial as a PR tip to expand on his answer by explaining more about who we are and what we do in University News Services. When new acquaintances inquire about what I do for a living, I often reply, “I work in public relations.” That’s the easy answer—although it’s
You now know the first rule of public relations. (For those needing a refresher, see The first rule of public relations.) But why does a professor need to know this? After all, don’t those of us working in media relations (public information officers, or PIOs, as we’re also commonly known) write the news releases and stories? Yes, but professors typically approve our drafts prior to
One afternoon last fall, I stood before my Public Relations Writing students a couple days after we had a guest speaker and I offered a confession that went something like this: “In case you were wondering, I inform our guest speakers beforehand of the broad topic, but I never tell them what to say. And, believe me, that has led to some anxious moments
In my previous post, I raised the issue of blog and blogger credibility. So, you decide if you feel I’m qualified to post public relations tips here. My background: I have more than 20 years of professional experience in the media and public relations. Before ‘switching sides’ for good, I worked in radio for 18 years, and I was a regional reporter for The Buffalo
This, dear faceless blog readers, is my first original (non-follow-up comment) post. My first post here—to this year-old Weblog—and my first post to any blog, anywhere. You see, I’m what you could call a blog skeptic. I hasten to add, I’m not a Luddite. I work online at a computer everyday, occasionally post to a message board and believe podcasting has promise. But, I