David Landis

The October monthly episode of our For Immediate Release podcast explores critical communication trends. Shel Holtz, SCMP, and I discuss six compelling topics, including Reddit's potential for crisis comms, the state of blogging in 2024, ethical concerns in celebrity news coverage, workplace connection challenges, and AI's impact across industries. In a blog post, I've set out some key takeaways that present opportunities for communicators, including leveraging Reddit for stakeholder engagement and preparing to guide organisations through AI adoption. Read more and listen now for valuable perspectives and insights on navigating today's complex communication landscape. https://lnkd.in/e5_CcMR2

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My early takeaway from PRSA Oregon #CommCon2024 is that the public is facing a real trust issue when it comes to innovations like AI and other emerging tech (and in general). Which raises the question: how do we address the trust crisis in a way that is both authentic and effective? #communications #publicrelations

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The Wall Street Journal editor Paul Beckett’s account in the Columbia Journalism Review of how the Journal mobilized to free Evan Gershkovich after 16th months as a prisoner in Russia is a tour de force and “a free press triumph” and well worth the read. Some excerpts: A phone call to a senior government official who knows this terrain provided the answer: “There are times to be quiet and there are times to be loud—and this is a time to be loud.” “Yet on days like August 1 (when he was freed), the values that underpin democracy and are the foundation of a free press triumph.” “Few countries that are not democracies could point to such care for their ordinary citizens abroad, let alone noncitizens imprisoned for their political beliefs.” “news organizations must continue to assess and calibrate the risks their reporters face when operating in dangerous terrain. Perhaps they need to make more hard-nosed choices on whether it is necessary to deploy in person to countries that target journalists or whether that terrain can effectively be covered from outside, given advances in technology and communications.” “And they could ensure that press freedom around the world—an issue so fundamental to their existence that it is often taken for granted—is a subject they cover as if their livelihoods and their liberty depended on it.” https://lnkd.in/etZTVCeB

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Journalism job alert and some personal news. Want to lead an excellent team doing impactful enterprise reporting in Washington state? Check out this job opening at Cascade PBS (formerly Crosscut). Isn’t that my job? Yes, it is. I’ve lead the news team at Crosscut for the past five years. I’ve enjoyed a great run and have decided to retire at the end of the year. I’m looking forward to watching the future of this great nonprofit newsroom from the sidelines. Our coverage focuses on government and politics so do not apply if you’ve been hiding in a cave this past year, hoping the election would go away. Do apply if you have a passion for giving the people the information they need to smartly engage in our democracy. A big part of this job: mentoring our journalists to do their best work. My team and our network of freelancers are among the best I’ve ever worked with. We’re going to be picky when hiring their next team leader. Editors who rewrite every story: apply somewhere else. The great journalism at Cascade PBS is the result of thoughtful collaboration, not editors who control the narrative. Ask me anything, including if I have time for some contract editing work. I’m not going to retire to the pickleball courts, but I am going to slow way down and be very picky about any work I take on. https://lnkd.in/g_bFje4z

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Elia Powers's book "Performing the News" highlights the concept of the "imagined audience" as greatly influencing how broadcast journalists look and sound. Powers' research reveals that journalists often default to envisioning a white, middle-class audience, impacting their appearance and vocal delivery. This default audience perception can shape newsroom dynamics and self-presentation norms significantly. Critical points from Powers' findings include: **Perceptions of Distracting Traits:** Journalists from marginalized backgrounds may face scrutiny over accents, hairstyles, and attire, prompting reflection on who finds these traits distracting. **Conventional Standards:** Despite diversity calls, many still adhere to limited beauty and communication norms that cater to a historically homogeneous audience. **The Power of Feedback:** Audience feedback often prioritizes appearance and vocal delivery over content, influencing change potential. It can either maintain the status quo or drive transformative shifts, making the audience pivotal in journalism's evolution. Powers advocates for exposure to diverse voices and appearances to combat bias and stigma. By normalizing varied self-presentation forms, news outlets can attract previously underserved audiences, fostering inclusivity and representation in journalism. #journalism #broadcastjournalists #broadcastnews #television #radio

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Nothing like a good press conference to start the week! ☕ The evolution of press conferences, and their role in delivering information to the masses, has always fascinated me. The local news landscape is going through profound changes as news consumers and producers adapt to a digital-first world. A 2024 Pew Research Center study showed only 32% of Americans listed TV as their preferred source of local news, down from 41% in 2018. The number of viewers tuning in to ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox affiliates for evening news has also dropped by more than a quarter since 2016. But even as Americans shift to digital platforms for news, the press conference remains a vital tool for communicating with the public. Historically, press conferences have played a key role in political communication. Over 110 years ago, President Woodrow Wilson introduced the first-ever press conferences at the White House, seeking to provide a direct line of communication with the press. "I want an opportunity to open part of my mind to you, so that you may know my point of view a little better," Wilson told the journalists. Fast forward to 1955, and President Eisenhower brought the first televised press conference to life (albeit pre-recorded), followed by President Kennedy being the first to begin addressing the American people fully live and unedited — a format that would forever shape public communication from the White House. JFK also contributed to the famous "Last Press Conference" of Richard Nixon, who after losing the Presidential election to Kennedy in 1960 and a subsequent defeat in the 1962 CA gubernatorial primary, held what he thought would be his final time addressing the media. "You won’t have Nixon to kick around anymore, because gentlemen, this is my last press conference," Nixon said. "I have always respected you. I have sometimes disagreed with you. But unlike some people, I’ve never cancelled a subscription to a paper, and also I never will." Of course, many press conferences would follow for Nixon, who eventually announced his resignation in the aftermath of Watergate — on national TV, of course. More recently, President Biden's press conferences—or lack thereof—have become a talking point in national politics. During his term, Biden has engaged in fewer press conferences and media interviews than any of the last seven presidents, causing speculation into whether his media shyness. Is it due to his age and health-related reasons? Or was it a calculated move by his #Comms team to lean into faster, more direct ways of reaching audiences through digital outreach? Or, as some journalists proclaim, is the traditional press conference becoming obsolete? When I look at the amount of interest from local journalists, and the quantity of TV coverage our press conferences typically generate, I'd say it's still an incredibly impactful #PR tool. What’s your take?

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Seeing great posts from friends, colleagues and media safety & freedom orgs today marking #WorldPressFreedomDay. Important time to appreciate the critical work and severe challenges - often risking life and freedom - that journalists face today. There is no more important part of my team's mission than enabling the exceptional work of all the Dow Jones-publications across conflict areas, covering crucial economic and business stories securely, telling the stories of climate and disaster, and working within increasingly hostile autocracies. Risky work that gives us all purpose - at the The New York Times, The Washington Post and beyond. "In a world increasingly characterized by geopolitical tensions and sweeping government restrictions, the role of journalists has never been more crucial—or more challenging. As they navigate the complexities of reporting from countries with significant security concerns, they face a myriad of risks that threaten both their safety and the integrity of the press. From the criminalization of independent journalism in Russia, to the surveillance-heavy landscape of China, and even the operational difficulties in Africa, our journalists encounter daily challenges just to bring us honest, reliable news." - Dow Jones

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I admit to being guilty of this. But reporters, editors, and producers don't believe us when we say "thrilled" or "excited" in a press release. Let's find different words that properly relay client achievements without diminishing the prospect of getting them mentions in the news. Now *that* would be thrilling... #PR #publicrelations #publicaffairs #clients #goals #corporatecommunications via ADWEEK/Axios

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I hear from many founders and executives about their insecurities about speaking at events and talking to the media so I wrote a Forbes article to help! https://lnkd.in/dxJJb9Hi #PR #thoughtleadership #executivecomms

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AI Killed Writing Tests So How Can You Evaluate Editorial Talent?

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How should the media respond to any falsehoods without amplifying them? What’s the best way to report on anti-democratic rhetoric while maintaining impartiality? And how can newsrooms build trust with an audience that’s increasingly fractured along ideological lines?

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In this week’s Borkowski Media Trends we apply Meltwater data to Justin Timberlake’s DWI crisis to demonstrate two home truths about the new conditions. Negative publicity unfolds at mind-boggling speed and in uncontrollable volumes. BUT.. #PR Crises flare out quickly in the modern news cycle Meme culture can accelerate this process by diluting negative publicity “In the past week, 81% of non-neutral mentions of Timberlake in the media have been negative – that’s over 100,000 stories and significant social media posts. But it’s not all bad; crises these days don’t last long – overall mentions of Timberlake spiked at 132,000 on Wednesday but, as of Friday, have already dropped 93% to below 10,000. And the comedy is undoubtedly distracting from the negativity; nine of the top 10 most shared links about Timberlake in the last week have been memes – with only the first significant share of his mugshot treating his arrest as anything more than a joke. If that doesn’t illustrate the trivial nature of the crisis, there’s also the small matter that the ‘ROFL’ emoji has been used in conjunction with Timberlake’s name over 2,000 more times than ‘DWI’ since the arrest. While instructive, it’s important to note that it would have been very hard, if not impossible, for Timberlake to engineer a situation where a meme distracts the general public from his reputation crisis. Possibly the only major public figures who have done that successfully in recent times have been Donald Trump and Boris Johnson – and neither of them was able to swim against the serious undercurrent of their reputational issues forever. But it does show any errant celebrity worried about a career-ending scandal that the modern news cycle is short-lasting and easily distracted by frivolity...there's hope for us all.” For weekly insights into the PR, Communications and Reputation lessons behind the week’s top stories, delivered every Friday, subscribe to our Substack: https://lnkd.in/eB9ME6VJ #PR, #CrisisCommunications #Reputation #celebrity #reputation #riskmanagement #crisismanagement 

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Richard Curtis, honored at the Governors Awards: “I think sometimes, too often, that we stop just before the final lap of the race. Powerful films and TV shows are made, and everyone just sort of hopes they’ll help change things. And they don’t take the final step to create a mechanism in the actual production that helps to change things. That’s why so many of us mourned the demise of Participant, because it was an impact-based film company. And I would just plead with everyone here, when you make a film or a show with a powerful social message, an empowering positive message like Barbie or Inside Out, to put aside a small fraction of your budget in advance to pay for an impact producer. Because when films have a dedicated person or team to take the film and use it for campaigning, for targeted education, for changing laws, when films get shown to the right people in power at the right time, when films are linked to the right charities, amazing things can happen. And for the same amount of cash that you’d spend on a few more ads, an impact producer can help your film do more than move people, it can actually save and change real lives.” #socialimpact #heartsandminds

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