5 Reasons Why…

…COMM 270 is important for all communications professionals. (HINT: it’s because it introduces students to tools that are used on an everyday basis in the industry.)

1.

Facebook is allowed in class (not encouraged, but allowed). In most classes all forms of communication are prohibited. In COMM 270, the professor understands the new media age we live in and the plethora of information people are bombarded with everyday. With access to the internet being as accessible as ever, people are constantly multi-tasking, and will likely be required to do so when in the real-world. And that, at its core, is the purpose of college: to prepare young adults for the professional world.

Another reason access to social media websites is essential in a Public Relations course is because as sites like Facebook have evolved they have become heavily adopted by public relations practitioners. Follow this link to see why public relations practitioners must be social media ready.

How does social media benefit PR, you ask? With more people online than ever, public relations has shifted a large portion of its focus to an online platform to reach the public. When online, the goal is to create a community. So, that is what PR practitioners aim to do. Here is what I mean:

2. You might be skeptical to believe that typing messages in 140 characters or less can be beneficial in the classroom, but micro-blogging, as it is called, is conducive to learning (and is so in COMM 270) for several reasons.

First of all, it helps to produce succinct, to-the-point messages. In a world where more information than ever is available (and can easily distract people) it is important to understand how to get the attention of others. Second, taking notes on Twitter is beneficial because it allows information to be archived. Lastly, Twitter allows students to network with industry professionals and create connections that will help them land professional experience to supplement what they learn in the classroom.

Prof. Reinson’s class is not the only one use Twitter in the classroom. Twitter is being used in the classroom across the country. Catch a glimpse of what is being done at the University of Texas at Dallas: .

Here’s a general overview of how to use Twitter in the classroom:

Click here to see why Twitter is important in the classroom and beyond.

3.

According to QuintessentialCareers.com, the number one skill sought by potential employers is quality writing. Again, as technology continues to evolve, writing is not what it used to be. Now, additional information (in the form of hyperlinks) often accompanies a traditional document; or a video might also be included. This is the type of “writing” that is encouraged, and expected, in COMM 270. Long, drawn out 10-page papers are “old news.” Instead, short bursts of information are sought after, and WordPress is the perfect place to do so. Students are required to “blog” and make their posts as engaging and relevant as possible. WordPress, just like Twitter, can help students to build a personal brand online. And especially with the addition of the White Paper, it provides a place for students to showcase their work to potential employers.

Blogging towards personal growth? You bet.

4.

Google can do much more than search. As PR practitioners, it is important to constantly be aware of what is going on, especially in relation to ones own company or enterprise. For example, say you are interested in receiving news about the release of the new iPhone. If you set up a Google alert with the keyword “iPhone” information and news pertaining to the iPhone’s release will be sent automatically to your e-mail inbox. Or, of special importance to college students, alerts can be created for “internships” and “jobs” which will alert students of professional opportunities in fields they are interested in.

Curious how to use Google Alerts, view this quick video as a tutorial:

Use Google alerts to monitor your company’s online presence.

5 quick ways to use Google alerts

5. 

Dipity organizes articles, blog posts, pictures, videos and other content from around the web into interactive views. The widget stays up-to-date, and can be embedded in blogs, social networks, and websites to add an interactive, engaging element to any site. This site is one of the many new media sites that have emerged in year time. It is important because it focuses on Internet memes – the term used to refer to content that spreads quickly on the Internet (aka viral). Dipity is especially important for communications professionals because it helps aggregate all content that creates create marketing “buzz” for a product or service.

Click here to check out a Dipity timeline following Baskin Robbins 31 Cent Scoop night.

They take the cake.

Another semester down, another semester full of new experiences and, most importantly, of learning, both from the professor and fellow students. Below I have listed my top 3 White Papers from the semester. All students in the class produced great work. These students, however, went above and beyond what was required. Kudos to them!

COMM 270′s top White Papers:

Kelley Longyear

Kelly “takes the cake” because her blog was not only complete, but extensive. She completed every assignment, and did so in a manner that demonstrated she fully understood the material. Her writing was simple and presented information in a way that was not only easy to understand but engaging.

2. Lisa Weider

Coming in a close second, Lisa’s portfolio was also extremely well done. She completed every project and embedded links and images into almost every post. I thought Lisa’s portfolio could have used a few more videos to really help make her information stand out. Overall, the site is rich with information. Great job.

3. Chelsea Salitan

Really it was a toss up – any of the three portfolios here could have been placed in any order. Chelsea definitely went above and beyond the work of others. However, for the purpose of these rankings, the one thing she was lacking was a podcast. Both Kelley and Lisa incorporated this into their blogs. Still, Chelsea must be recognized for a job very well done.

Possible Test Questions

PR TEST QUESTIONS

This person welcomed the title “Father of Public Relations”:

1. Walter Lippmann
2. Edward Bernays
3. Ivy Lee
4. Jeffrey Halik

(True/False): A pseudo-event is an event or activity that exists for the sole purpose of media publicity and also serves many other functions in real life.

According to Kelleher, the following description describes which PR practicioner typology: “… focuses on strategic targeting, timing, and distribution of information.”

1. Traffic Manager
2. Conductor
3. Town Crier
4. Steward

The commonly-recognized four step process of public relations is:

1. Research
2. Planning
3. Action and Communication
4. Evaluation

(True/False): Crowdsourcing is the outsourcing of tasks, traditionally performed by a small number of people, to a large group of people or community, through an open call.

(True/False): Stuart Ewen believed (in his book, PR! A Social History of Spin) that, more or less, every aspect of American society is touched by public relations professionals.

List the five universal values of news:

1. Timeliness
2. Impact
3. Proximity
4. Prominence
5. Human Interest

This term, coined by C. Wright Mills, that refers to a small group of people who control a disproportionate amount of wealth, privilege, and access to decision-making of global consequence.

-          Power Elite

Organizations and companies that communicate online and allow people to get in touch to ask questions and voice concerns create what is known as a …

-          Dialogic loop

Walter Lippmann uses _________________ in order to explain the difference between reality and appearance.

-          Plato’s allegory of the cave

Suggested Community Program

and Community Outreach Program for the Deaf

The Community Outreach Program for the Deaf and the National Association of Manufacturers vary quite considerably in their motives to influence the community. The NAM, on one hand, has a competitive mindset, and is looking to provide more opportunities for people, but not necessarily is there a concern for peoples’ overall well-being; which is what the Community Outreach Program for the Deaf looks to do. COPD provides services for people with hearing loss; it aims to improve the lives of people who have been affected by circumstances beyond their control.

If there is one thing the two organizations have in common it is their end goals will provide better opportunities for people.

The Community Outreach Program for the Deaf has many initiatives to get people involved from the community.

The Arizona Diamondbacks event is one where people who are deaf, along with their volunteers,
students, families and friends are invited to a a D-Backs baseball game. A portion of each ticket sold goes back to Valley Center of the Deaf.  This event might not get people directly involved with one another, but at the very least it allows community members to support people who are deaf and provide for them similar opportunities as everyone else.

If a company was to create a partnership with the Diamondbacks, and sponsor, or perhaps c0-sponsor the event, that company could, as Ewen suggests, “publicize the idea that there is a harmony of interests linking corporate America with others.” Such an initiative would certainly create positive PR for whichever company chose to do so.

By providing this event the Arizona Diamondbacks are simultaneously operating on two fronts. On one, they are creating a positive image using public relations tactics. On the other, they are filtering their campaign – in this case D-Backs baseball – into additional communities – in the case, people who are deaf.

In terms of the “Suggested Community Program” diagram, people who are deaf make up a civic club. The local committee is the Arizona chapter of the Community Outreach Program for the Deaf. There would likely be a publicity director for each the COPD and the Arizona D-Backs.

“Public sentiment is everything – with it nothing can fail; without it nothing can succeed.”

Paging Mr. Robert McChesney

Dear Mr. Robert McChesney,

Welcome to the beginning of the second decade of the ‘00s – 2010. As I understand, you have just returned from a five-year absence from planet Earth. In that time a lot has changed, especially within the media (as you might imagine). Social media is hip, it’s cool, its now, it’s “it”; it has taken over. I can continue on what social media is, but I suggest you use this video to begin to understand the vast and ever-expanding topic:

The Basics:

The Revolution That Has Ensued:

Before you continue, be warned: this topic is not small…and, in my opinion, there are no “experts,” because it continues to evolve. With that, blogs – heard of them? I suggest you check this one out. It is a great landing place for all things “social” (media):

As we continue to delve further into social media, one of the effects is the transformation to more and more digital media:

Newspapers are struggling:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2009-05-06-senate-newspapers_N.htm

Electronic books and e-readers are soaring:
http://caribbeanbookblog.wordpress.com/2010/03/29/soaring-e-book-sales-amaze-book-traders-and-publishers/

And the newest craze in this all-things-digital, increasingly-portable world – the iPad!

Another of the trends that has been brought about by social media is the power it has given the public. Because of this new-found power, many believe customer service is the new marketing. Sites like Facebook and Twitter allow consumers to instantly provide feedback about products and services, which can seen by millions of people (and unlike “testimonials,” it is believed to be honest and sincere).

With this ease of access social media has the potential to be harmful as well, and it has. Consider this:

dominos

The most recent benefactor of social media (in a positive way): pop-singing sensation, Justin Beiber. Beiber placed performances of himself at a young age on YouTube – the popular video sharing website, and second largest search engine in the world – and was “found” by record execs. Follow this link to see what I mean.

 

Kelleher MegaQuiz – Where Are They Now?

Kirk Hallahan

After graduating from UCLA in 1971, and spending 19 years in public relations working at Harshe-Rotman & Druck Inc., California Federal Bank, the California League of Savings Institutions, and Coast Federal Bank, Los Angeles, for past 19 years Kirk Hallahan has been a professor in the Department of Journalism and Technical Communication at Colorado State University, Fort Collins.

Hallahan’s latest work is being accepted in Political public relations, and his piece is called “Strategic message framing.”

In the past year, Hallahan has taught these courses: Media in Society; Public Relations (online); and Digital Promotion Management.

His most recent published work: “Filmmakers as social advocates. A new challenge for
issue managers: Claims-Making and Framing in Four Social Issue Documentaries.”

Like many others, Kirk Hallahan is using both social media and a traditional website to connect with others. To view his website, click the “Hallahan” image below – here you will find his resume, curriculum vita, full contact information, and links to other information that interests him.

Dan Gillmor

Currently, Dan Gillmor is director of thenew Knight Center for Digital Media Entrepreneurship at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

In 2004 Gillmor published a book, We The Media, chronicling how the Internet is helping independent journalists combat the consolidation of traditional media.

Gillmor is also the co-founder of Dopplr, a service for sharing personal and business travel plans privatelywith the people you trust. To learn more, about Dopplr, click this image:

On the social media front, Gillmor is present on several platforms. Of the three pictured here (below), his blog is the least updated – the last post was May 12, 2009. It seems Gillmor has adopted the newest trend technology, Twitter, and is using that to “tweet” and share interesting/relevant thoughts and information on a more regular basis. And, as most professionals are continuing to do so, Gillmor has a LinkedIn account. Each of these different accounts allow Gillmor to do is connect with new, different people.

——————————————————–

The LG U.S. National Texting Championship Texter Survey is similar to the design of surveys that Kelleher talks about in Chapter 10 in many ways:

1. Simple/understandable – the Texter Survey contains only six questions, and each of them requires a single-word answer. The conciseness of the survey should increase the likelihood that more people understand and complete it.

2. Incentive – those who complete the survey are entered into the chance to win an LG enV3. As the number of surveys online increase, incentives are almost a must-have to encourage people to complete them.

3. Individual Expression – one question (out of just six) – “What was your favorite challenge?” – gives those who complete the survey the option to add their opinion. This is important because people are likely to get bored just clicking buttons, so when their thoughts are wanted it is likely to make them feel the survey is actually important.

PollDaddy is a popular online survey-generator

Kelleher MegaQuiz Part #3

Systems theory, two-way communication, and relational approaches to public relations “give us relatively stable lenses through which to view online public relations and they stay grounded as the media landscape changes; and for these reasons they are considered lasting concepts by Kelleher.

Kelleher’s lasting concepts matter because, as the public relations profession, especially with the rapid advancement of social media, continues to quickly change, there needs to be a foundation of core values and practices by which to operate – and three aforementioned concepts provide as much.

Social media is providing a new outlet for modern PR practitioners

The concept of relational approaches, whereby companies build relationships with publics, is important to my white paper. In my paper, I discussed how richer media (YouTube) can be used to build stronger relationships and help to cultivate trust.

Leading up to the “Modern Pipelines of Persuasion”

At the turn of the 20th century, Gabriel Tarde held several theoretical insights that were helping to establish a strategy for public relations practitioners. Tarde’s theory was the Social Learning Theory. To help better understand this idea, check out this video (but try to ignore the music – sorry):

Also in the beginning of the century, radio was born. Started originally as a merchandising experiment to boost the sale of Westinghouse radio receivers, it began to deliver information directly to peoples’ homes.

Market research began to emerge in the mid-to-late 1900s. But it was before then that the topic was discovered. Between 1908 and 1919, a man by the name of Paul Cherington taught at the Harvard School of Business was considered, perhaps, the United States’ first university professor of marketing.

Much of the focus of market research was a response to seismic shifts in society caused by the Great Depression.

Polling samples were gathered and the population was often analyzed according to economic status. There was five groups: A, B, C, D, and sometimes N. The “N” referred to Negroes; and the reason they were their own group was because society was torn with racism – and only worsened with slavery.

Here is a brief history of slavery in America, through video:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Tweeting in class…

Tweeting about a movie…while watching it.

Interesting? Fun? I’m going to have to go with different.

Being that I am relatively new to Twitter, completing a Twitter multi-task was an experience for me. Here is what I took away from it:

First of all, I liked the social media exposure. Being that Twitter is as popular as it is, it is important to understand how to use the program and how to interact with others on it.

Another benefit of this exercise was that our notes from the movie are now archived. Not only that, but they are enhanced and deepened by the addition of hyperlinks. I like that!

Thus far I haven’t received any followers outside of Comm 270 from my #war tweets. And I am kind of disappointed (and surprised) that #war was not a trending topic.

Overall, though, I would enjoy doing this again. It was a new experience and improved my multi-tasking abilities – no complaints there.

—-

Twitter in the classroom seem unique to you? We are not the only ones who are doing it.

And the uses of Twitter in the classroom don’t stop there. Check this out

By the way, here is trailer of the movie that I tweeted about:

Lastly, if you like Norman Soloman’s work in the film I encourage you to visit him here, or on his Facebook, or via Twitter.

I think I have officially joined the Twitterverse.

RC.

Mega Quiz #1 Questions

Q & A Questions:

Questions Asked
1. On pg. 8 in the Lippmann reading, Lippmann refers to the downsizing of world leaders in timers of war from symbols of peace and justice back to their status as mere administrators in a disillusioned world, why do you think this transition occurs?

2. Do you think social media is bringing society back closer to a classical democracy or are we continuing to be manipulated by what Walter Lippmann calls the social elite?

3. Explain why you think democracy in the United States has gone from what Mills calls a public to a mass?

_______________

Questions to Be Answered
1. Lipmann stated on page. 10 of Public Opinion, that “men… in many casses help to create the very fictions to which they respond. ” Please give an example how this theory has been proven true in recent history.

2. Can you name and briefly explain one media issue that can be associated with Twitter and is referenced in the article, “Conference Humiliation: They’re Tweeting behind Your Back?”

3. Lipmann stated on pg. 11 that public opinion analysts must recognize the triangular relationship between the scene of action, the human picture of that scene, and the response to that picture working itself out. Please give an example of how modern-day PR practitioners have demonstrated this.

Mega Quiz #1 Answers

1.  Believe it or not, the government lies to us. In fact, if you watch War Made Easy you will see that the government lies A LOT…especially when talking about war.

Here is the trailer of War Made Easy:

As Walter Lippmann stated on page 10 of  “Public Opinion,” “men…in many cases help to create the very fictions to which they respond.” There have been many cases throughout history where this is true, but none comes quicker to mind than the recent “weapons of mass destruction” propaganda George Bush used to justify the United State’s invasion of Iraq.

Here is a clip from Michael Moore‘s documentary, Fahrenheit 9/11, of George Bush’s speech where he addresses the nation saying that Iraq is a threat because it has weapons of mass destruction.

As many may or may not know, George Bush’s accusation was lie.

Here is proof:

Iraq did not have weapons of mass destruction. Rather, George Bush constructed the rumor as a source of propaganda to unite the country and gain support for an invasion of Iraq. So, to relate this to Walter Lippmann, George Bush created the fiction that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction to which he could respond with the action of invading Iraq.

Of course, although George Bush did not deliver a truthful reason to the nation as to why he invaded Iraq there was a reason. To learn what that was go here. In short, Bush wanted to gain a larger control of oil production and, consequently, increase the United State’s world dominance.

Podcast version:

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2. Networking. Interacting with friends. Building an online brand. These are all benefits of the ultra-popular micro-blogging website known as Twitter. There are approximately 75 million users on the site, but not all of them use it for good.

In terms of media issues, as it is referenced in the article “Conference Humiliation: They’re Tweeting behind Your Back?,” Twitter can be associated with online hate. Online hate is the encouragement of and support for any wrongdoing by one group of people unto another.

As the aforementioned article points out, “Twitter can be a powerful tool to quickly knit a gathering of strangers into an online community.” And it is not only Twitter. Many other social media sites are emerging as prime tools for online hate.

One of the biggest problems with hate speech via the Internet, also known as cyber-bullying, aside from the massive numbers of people who can form a group, is that it is hard to police…and define. YouTube, however, doing its best to prevent such hate speech from being delivered through its site, has created an online safety center in conjunction with the Anti-Defamation League; it explains the effect of hate speech and let’s people flag offending sites and videos.

Here is a clip from an episode of the Tyra Banks Show talking about cyber-bullying

Mentioned both in the clip above and in the “Conference Humiliation” article, one of the difficulties in controlling cyber-bullying is the ability for “haters” to hide behind their computer screen. Because those people who disseminate hate across the internet are not seen, and only heard, they are not likely to censor themselves in anything they say.

So, while Twitter, along with many other social media sites, is extremely beneficial for exchanging information, the sites can just as easily be abused and, as a result, can ruin people’s lives.

Here are some tips from the National Crime Prevention Council on how to prevent cyber-bullying.

Podcast version:

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3. The triangular relationship that Walter Lippmann discussed on pg. 11 of “Public Opinion” can be applied today to the situation in Haiti.

As Lippmann stated, the first component of the triangular relationship is the scene of the action. In this case, that would be the 7.0 earthquake that slammed Haiti in mid-January 2010. The natural disaster has left millions of people without food, clothing, and shelter, and has taken away the lives of many others.

Due to the extensive media coverage of the earthquake, both via traditional and new media, many people understand and, to follow Lippmann, have a “picture” of what the scene is like. To many, it is likely to look something like this:

Photos courtesy of The New York Times

Hunger. Uncleanliness. Pain. Sorrow. These are some of the feelings that Haitians currently suffer from.

The response to destruction in Haiti (the picture) has included many large donations and calls to action from many of the nation’s wealthiest people. Along with George Clooney and Wyclef Jean, just to name a few, the National Basketball Association has done it’s part as well to, as Lippmann stated, respond to the picture and work itself out. Specifically, the NBA has partnered with the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund to help victims of the disaster by enlisting several players to donate $1,000 for every point they scored on January 22.

Here is an article about their partnership on ESPN.com

Here is a link to the NBA’s website for relief efforts in Haiti.

Podcast version:

Follow me on Twitter! @rcarzo

Psuedo events of today…

“Balloon boy” was a pseudo event because it took place solely to attract media publicity and attention. To put it briefly, the parents of six-year-old Colorado boy claimed he had flown away in a homemade balloon.

To learn more about the story follow this link.

Or, for a quick understanding, check out this video:

Mega Quiz #2

Author of “All Consuming Images” to Speak at St. John Fisher College

ROCHESTER, NY – On Friday, April 9, St. John Fisher College will present Stuart Ewen, a New York-based author, historian and lecturer on media and consumer culture, to present “Actions Speak Louder Than Words: Learn How to Get What You Want.”

Ewen’s lecture, based off an event he describes in his popular book, PR: A Social History of Spin, will focus on how not only media professionals can get the public’s attention but how people in all professions can shape public opinion for their benefit.

As a student in Madison, Wisconsin, Ewen was one of the founding editors of an early underground newspaper, Connections. Ewen has since become an outstanding spokesman against violations of academic freedom in the period since 9/11. He is also the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Frederic Ewen Academic Freedom Center at NYU

Stuart Ewen is currently a Professor and Chair of the Department of Film & Media Studies at Hunter College. He is also a filmmaker and an author.

The event is part of the Measuring Media series presented by St. John Fisher College, and is free and open to the public. “Actions Speak Louder Than Words: Learn How to Get What You Want” will be presented on Friday, April 9, 2010 at 12:30 p.m. in Basil 135, located on the Fisher campus.

Refreshments will be served prior to the event. A brief Q&A session will follow the lecture.

The presentation is sponsored by PRIMA Connections, St. John Fisher College’s student-run integrated marketing firm.

For more information, please contact professor Kyle Reinson (585) 899-3836, or visit the Communication/Journalism department website at http://home.sjfc.edu/communicationjournalism/index.asp.

###

PR: A Social History of Spin – Chapter 9: Modern Pipelines of Persuasion

The information below is an interactive guide that outlines and helps explain the information that Stuart Ewen presents in Chapter 9 – Modern Pipelines of Persuasion, of his “PR: A Social History of Spin”:

After the period of the 1920′s to the 1930′s, a time when planned propaganda campaigns grew significantly, due to the economic upswing, and subsequent downturn, Harold Laswell emerged as one of the foremost observers of the foundational changes that were taking place within the American social fabric.

According to Lasswell, the development of a greater means to control public opinion had profound implications: the infatuation with democracy was collapsing, while this new found interest of controlling opinion through conscious manipulation was giving rise to a dictatorial habit of mind.

Lasswell dealt quite extensively with the word, and idea of, propaganda. To learn more about what exactly is considered propaganda, check this out.

At this same time, John Dewey, a progressive educator, agreed with Lasswell. In his book, Individualism Old and New, Dewey described society around him as engulfed by mass persuasion. This he said, what is today known as advertising. Dewey saw the emergence of this persuasion as the end of democracy.

The modern publicity culture that was beginning to emerge was due, along with the role that high-ranking intellectuals played, to the shifts that were taking place in the American media industry. Most notably, the momentous expansion and consolidation going on. Popular newspapers chain had taken a stranglehold on newspaper published, fueled largely by advertising. A society that was once defined by a variety of cultural backgrounds was being shaped into a robotic, “do as you are told” mass.

Ivy Lee saw the consolidation of newspapers as a good thing. It allowed PR practitioners, with having only to send their message to one person, to have their message distrubuted to many people. This phenomenon was the central theme of Lee’s 1929 publication, The Press Today: How the News Reaches the Public.

[Those against consolidation at the time, argued that local editors of chain newspapers were no longer serving his/her community, but instead the head of his/her organizaton.]

With the growth of newspapers the public relations industry grew as well. But newspapers weren’t the only form of media coming about. Beginning in Pittsburgh in 1921 commercially based broadcast radio emerged; and by the mid-1920′s broadcast radio had become a national medium, dominated by two RCA-owned, sponsor supported commercial networks. This form of media, too, much like newspapers, was subsidized by national commercial advertising.

As each of these mediums continued to grow homogenization occurred – local influences were beat out by commercial, national stereotypes. Also, as each of these mediums continued to grow, the public was becoming property of corporate gatekeepers.

Radio became an important outlet at this time for political propaganda. Calvin Coolidge’s 1923 State of the Union address to Congress was the first ever to be broadcast via radio. He would continue to use the medium effectively, giving at least one radio address per month.

Market research was started to gain importance at this time. Paul Cherington was the originator and teacher of one of the United States’ first university courses in marketing, at the Harvard Business School. The J. Walter Thompson advertising agency, Daniel Starch, Elmo Roper all adopted the use of survey research. AT&T was one of the first major American corporations to recognize the need for research as an integral component of public relations work.

The rise of survey research and the continued growth and focus on big business collided in 1923 when Henry C. Link, a Yale-trained psychologist, directed the Psychological Corporation. Undergraduate and graduate students affiliated with this corporation created the first ongoing examination of consumer attitudes and behavior. Not long after, the Opinion Research, Inc. was created, along with a poll that was launched by Forbes magazine. An Age of Polling had begun.

A two-part system was being created. The mass media provided channels through which corporate points of view were disseminated to the public. Public relations practitioners constructed and delivered these messages. Polling services provided the channels for the public to make itself known. Pollsters were the messengers through whom the public interest was given a voice.

There was a debate, though, of how statistical surveys were used and the benefit they had. Cherington believed they gave rise to the reestablishment of democracy. Dewey and Roper felt that samples were gathered in such a way that reproduced nondemocratic tendencies.

Problems did exist with public-opinion polls. In fact, there was quite a few of them. They analyzed the population according to economic status (A, B, C, D, N); they were unable to gather data without, at the same time, influencing ways the data would turn out; and they were becoming a source of newsworthiness. to quote Stuart Ewen, “rather than serving to communicate and empower public opinion, public opinion polls were being used to manufacture and package public opinion.”

Malcom M. Willey, in the Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, agreed that polls were used as a form of propaganda: people are to be more certain of themselves when they realize that many others think and feel the same way. Polls provided a “numerical herd” and “mental magnet” to dictate how people act.

Modern Pipelines of Persuasion…in 2010.

Follow this great resource to learn more about what advertising is. Advertising today? Here it is:

In the middle part of 2009, advertising in newspapers was down as much as 30 percent for some paper, by far the sharpest drop in generations. Newspapers count on advertising for the bulk of their revenue, and for a decade they have been losing ads to the Internet, where advertising is much cheaper and there is far more competition for it. But until 2006, papers held their own (via the NYTimes).

Many papers have changed their business model, reduced the size of their print edition, and have transferred much of their content online. Others have shut down altogether.Check out these links to learn more:

Newspaper Ad Revenue Can Fall as Much as 30%
The Wounded U.S. Newspaper Industry Lost $7.5 Billion in Advertising Revenues Last Year

(click the picture to learn more)

Newspaper Syndication

&

Newspaper Conglomerates

&   

How the News Reaches the Public Today

 

During the 1920s, the public was rapidly becoming the property of corporate gatekeepers. Today, it is a much different story. Follow this link to learn more about the job of market researching and the employment outlook for the upcoming years.

Social Media News Release

(Click the image to see the full size view)

Kelleher Hands-Online Activity

For the Friendly’s iScream campaign, Friendly’s created an interactive game at iscreamfriendlys.com (the site is no longer available) which allowed people to “scream” their love for the brand. The game was timed to generate awareness for two new summer beverages – Iced Latte and Friendly’s Chiller. Users submitted videos and photos that they thought represented passion for Friendly’s, voted on by others on the web.

Watch this video and then visit the iScreamFriendly’s YouTube channel to learn more:

Overall Communication Strategy Was…

Very:  two-way; asymmetrical; facilitative; dialogic; and markets-as-conversations.

The LEGO Builders of Tomorrow online campaign created several platforms through which to deliver it’s message (that was to encourage children that web and interactive technologies are not the only outlet for enjoy and that, rather, creative “toys” like LEGOs are very much a useful application). For the campaign, a website was created, LEGOBuildersofTomorrow.com. The site contained practical play tips and inspirational stories, among other information. Also, a podcast series, “LEGO Playtime Podcasts” was started. And as a result of the campaign a blog, DadInProgress.blogspot.com, was started.

Overall Communication Strategy Was…

Very: one-way; symmetrical; denotative; monologic; markets-as-targets.

 

Kelleher Mega Quiz

A dialogic loop is vital to the success of Zappos, in large part because the company has no “brick and mortar” presence – all business is conducted via the Internet. So, because face to face communication is not an option, Zappos must provide easy, instant feedback to customers.

Their Strategy

- 24/7 Customer Service telephone number (both in English and Spanish)
- In-depth “Frequently Asked Questions” section
- “Live” chat

The Good

- FAQ section is very detailed and offers multiple links and sources of information
- Customer service hot-line that is available 24/7

The Bad

- Live chat feature is not an instantaneous as other customer service “chat” offerings are
- Dialogue lacks interactivity

Recommended Fixes

- Create, for example, a Facebook page where customers can ask questions, talk with others about products, and interact with the company via the “chat” feature
- Keep the 24/7 phone line for people to either don’t have access to the internet, prefer to use telephones, or do not understand how to use computers

Before the advent of social media, most food companies didn’t likely do much more, in terms of “connecting” with customers, than a customer service phone number or hotline. That, however, has since changed…and Wonderful Pistachios has embraced the social (media) revolution.

Their strategy

- Traditional contacts: e-mail; postage address; telephone hot-line
- Multiple social media outlets: Facebook; Twitter; Flickr; YouTube

The Good

- They have built quite a community on Facebook – attracting others to post, and answering peoples’ questions. This is important because, as Kelleher states, “dialogic communication means…keeping [people] engaged.”
- Their YouTube channel contains some very clever commercial ideas, further engaging consumers

To see what I mean, watch this:

Recomended Fixes

- In my opinion, they are doing many great things that are innovative and different.

The North Face is an outdoor product company specializing in outerwear, footwear, and equipment geared towards runners, bikers, hikers, etc. The North Face is yet another example of a company not geared towards the web but that has used the Internet to leverage its business.

Their strategy

- Traditional email, telephone, chat, and postage mail options

The good

- Multiple outlets for communication
- Direct chat is very simple to use and answers to your questions are delivered in a timely fashion

The bad

- Lack of Q&A section

Recommended Fixes

- Utilize a Q&A page – seems people have to come to expect these sections on websites
- Provide a section for customer reviews – this can be done through Facebook

PNY is a manufacturer of flash memory cards, USB flash drives, solid state drives, memory upgrade modules, as well as consumer and professional graphics cards.

Their Strategy

- Very basic; phone and postage mail options to “contact” them
- In my opinion, considering it is a tech-based company, I am not surprised the site is minimal and less interactive. However,

The Good

- There are sub categories of inquiry topics that you allow to email issues related the that topic

The Bad

- The options to contact are minimal
- No 1-800 number
- No Q&A section
- No email option
- No live chat
- No social media presence - They do have a Facebook page, but it is not mentioned on the website, and it, too, is very minimal

Recommeded Fixes

- Implement the use of social media – YouTube, for example, may help attract more people to product offerings if they knew more about them / understood them better

Fossil is a manufacturer and designer of watches, clothing, and fashion accessories.

Their strategy

- Fossil has a presence on social media – Facebook and Twitter – but they don’t link to these sites from their main website

The Good

- Presence on social media
- *Personal shopper
- *Idea submission

 

 

Lance V. Porter and Lynne M. Sallot created a national e-mail survery in 2003, aimed at PR practitioners, to figure out how these professionals utilized the Internet in their jobs. Called “The Internet and Public Relations: Investigating practitioners’ roles and World Wide Web use,” some of the findings of the study were:

- Public relations practitioners are becoming quite adept at using new technologies.
- Each technology plays an important, different role
- Women have now caught up with their male colleagues in their use of the Web.
- Also, many practitioners use the Web as a personal as well as a strategic tool (Ex. Janet Aronica)

The Porter and Sallot article came from Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly. 80, no. 3, (2003). This is a peer-reviewed journal. The reason it is peer-reviewed is because information was obtained from real experts; in this case, PR practitioners. Peer-reviewed journals allow specialists to publish their research or ideas.

If the same study was to be conducted in 2010 I am almost certain the main focus would be on social media. Social media has begun to be used extensively by PR practitioners because it makes it easy to “connect” and “interact” with key publics. So, Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube would essential topics to cover.