Jaime Hunt

It's #MediaLiteracyWeek! #Misinformation, #disinformation, fake news, and more can have a deep and lasting impact on society. Join us for "Unmasking Misinformation: Understanding the Impact of Fake News," a vital discussion hosted by the CSM communication faculty and sponsored by the Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. Center for Leadership. This event will take place on Oct. 23, 2024, from 10-11:15 a.m. via Zoom. 📰 The expert panel will explore the challenges of fake news in shaping public opinion and strategies for identifying misinformation and fostering critical media literacy in today’s digital landscape.  ➡️ Scan the QR code to register for the event.  After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. #communications #journalism #newsmedia #media #educators #faculty

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In the world of media and communications, the relationship between journalists and PR professionals is often misunderstood. However, the reality is far more nuanced and symbiotic. Journalists rely on PR folks to provide them with access to newsworthy stories, expert sources, and valuable insights. In turn, PR depends on journalists to amplify their messages and bring attention to their clients or organizations. A recent report by #MuckRack on the "State of Journalism," found that journalists acknowledge PR professionals 70% "as at least moderately important to their success." This mutual dependence highlights the essential role each plays in the dissemination of information to the public. Trust forms the foundation of our collaboration and ensures that the stories that reach the public are credible and impactful. Journalists rely on us to provide accurate and reliable information, while those of us in PR trust journalists to report the news fairly and accurately. Journalists are skilled storytellers who strive to craft compelling narratives that resonate with their audience. PR pros, on the other hand, are adept at identifying and shaping stories that align with our clients' goals and objectives. Together, we work to create stories that inform, engage, and inspire. I encourage you to read the attached report which provides many insights of today's newsrooms. #Journalism #PR #MediaRelations #PublicRelations #NewsMedia #MediaIndustry #JournalismEthics #Storytelling #MediaCollaboration #InformationSharing #MuckRack #StateOfJournalism #PressRelations #MediaPartnership Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Natan Edelsburg

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We are off to the races with day 2 of the #DEI Bootcamp for Communicators series. Today’s topic addresses unconscious bias and microaggressions. These silent message disruptors can cause harm as death by a thousand cuts. #diversityequityandinclusion #bias #microaggressions #prejudice #communications #publicrelations #media #training #webinar #government #nonprofit #associations #foundation #business #socialjustice

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📣 Addressing Burnout in Journalism: Starting with Our Students 👩‍🎓 As educators, we have a critical responsibility to prepare the next generation of journalists for the challenges they'll face in an increasingly demanding field. 🚨 Recent data from Muck Rack reveals a devastating fact: over half of journalists considered quitting their jobs this year due to burnout! This isn’t just a problem for today’s newsrooms—it’s a wake-up call for journalism education.🌟 I'm not a journalist, but I am the Director of a School of Communication and Multimedia Studies with a thriving journalism program. We need good journalists now more than ever! What Are We Doing at FAU? We’re taking proactive steps through our MediaLab@FAU, led by Prof. Ilene Prusher to equip student journalists with both professional skills and resilience strategies. In MediaLab, students are engaged in real-world newsroom experiences where they are producing professional content that is often reprinted by legacy media across South Florida. They learn how to build in safeguards to prevent overwork and promote healthy work habits. Our students learn about the profession in a safe, professional, and rigorous environment. They also have support from various supportive faculty like Neil Santaniello, Glenn Singer, Aurora Lydia Dominguez , Charles Suits, APR, Fellow, LTC, US Army (ret.) , Ivy Ashe, Ph.D., and Robert (Ted) Gutsche, Jr. who can share professional experiences. They have on-campus supports thorough the counseling center, and student organizations like NETwork (A networking space for women in communication and media -advisor Carolina Estrada-Gutsche). We aim to create a new generation of sustainable journalists—professionals who are not only skilled in their craft but also equipped to maintain their well-being in a demanding career. The future of journalism depends on nurturing not just skilled reporters but healthy, balanced professionals. But are we doing enough? How do we prepare students without scaring them away? How do we transform the conditions that might ultimately cause them to leave the profession when the guardrails are gone? How can we collectively better prepare student journalists for the realities of the field while prioritizing their mental health?🔄 What can we do to help keep students prepared to be great journalists, but also have good lives? We are always open to your ideas! #JournalismEducation #MediaLiteracy #StudentSuccess #MediaLab@FAU #SustainableJournalism #MentalHealthMatters

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📣 Navigating Public Statements with Diverse Member Opinions 📣 In this week's Association Insights, I tackle a complex challenge: making public statements when not all members agree. Here’s how to approach this delicate task effectively: 👉 Establish a Clear Decision-Making Framework: Set transparent rules about the levels of consensus needed for different types of public statements. 👉 Align with Predominant Member Interests: Understand and represent the majority while maintaining open dialogue to manage expectations and relationships. 👉 Find Common Ground: Emphasize shared values and goals to craft a balanced statement that respects diverse viewpoints but upholds industry priorities. 👉 Communicate Transparently: Always explain the decision-making process and reasoning behind public statements to all members to foster trust and understanding. Handling disagreement requires a strategic and inclusive approach to effectively represent your association's interests and maintain unity. 💬 How do you manage differing opinions in your organization? Share your strategies below! #PublicRelations #AssociationManagement #Leadership #CommunicationStrategy #AssociationInsights #OnWrdUpWrd

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T-minus...not very many hours until Election Day. Are you ready? ***Those in the PR/Comms industries: How are you handling Election Day for your brand/org, your employees, and most of all...yourself?*** [Me: We have the editorial calendar planned this week with flexibility for important election-related pieces if they come in. I'm working on several election-unrelated pieces. Taking time out to vote on Tuesday. Taking walk breaks/cat cuddling breaks Tuesday and Wednesday. Buying MORE candy. Already decided on ordering out for dinner Tuesday night with husband. ] Take care. Be gentle with yourself and others. Eat as much candy as you want.

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There are many ‘dos’ when building reputation. The ‘don’ts’ are just as important. In today's column for Reputation Today, I describe 5 to keep in mind. #publicrelations #communications https://lnkd.in/epBAUAyh

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Do. Not. Miss. the latest article from Marketing Library Services. Libraries need to build political clout and power, and expert Patrick "PC" Sweeney tells you just how to do it. #LibraryPolitics #PoliticalPower https://lnkd.in/eAfJ9GDh

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Worth reading from NiemanLab: Readers prefer to click on a clear, simple headline — like this one By David Markowitz, Hillary Shulman and Todd Rogers In an era when people trust news less than ever, how can journalists break through and attract the attention of average people to provide information about their communities, the nation and the world? By not complicating things. Our research, published in Science Advances, shows that simple headlines significantly increase article engagement and clicks compared with headlines that use complex language. In our research, typical news readers preferred simple headlines over complex ones. But importantly, we found that those who actually write headlines — journalists themselves — did not. We first used data from The Washington Post and Upworthy to see how language features, such as word length and how common a word is, changed how many people clicked on an article’s headline. These datasets included over 31,000 randomized experiments — also known as A/B tests — that compared two or more headline versions of the same underlying article to determine which one generated the most clicks. Headlines with more common words — simple words like “job” instead of “occupation” — shorter headlines, and those communicated in a narrative style, with more pronouns compared with prepositions, received more clicks. For example, The Washington Post headline, “Meghan and Harry are talking to Oprah. Here’s why they shouldn’t say too much” outperformed the alternative headline, “Are Meghan and Harry spilling royal tea to Oprah? Don’t bet on it.” This example illustrates how sometimes a more straightforward headline can generate more interest. In follow-up laboratory experiments, we found that typical news readers focused more on simple rather than complex headlines because the writing was easier to understand. When journalists participated in the same experiments, they didn’t show any preference for simple headlines over complex ones. Put differently: Those who write the news appear to be less responsive to simple writing than regular audiences. Generations of communication consultants have advised that communicators follow the rather crass acronym KISS: Keep it Simple, Stupid. We suggest a modified version applied for journalists. Since KISJ isn’t all that simple, we propose: Keep It Simple, Staffers. Simplicity increases the number of people who click on a news story headline and improves reader recall of the material in the article. Most importantly, simplicity boosts reader engagement, such as how much attention they pay to the information.

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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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Baltimore-area readers: SAVE THE DATE! July 6, 2024, from 6:30-8 pm, at Snug Books in Baltimore, author John Maly will read from his debut novel, JURIS EX MACHINA. Audience discussion about the implications of AI will follow. Register today for free tickets at www.snugbooks.com Here's a teaser: With a click, the bread fell into the toaster. One circuit fired the heating coils. Others monitored bread temperature and color. Yet another circuit was quite unlike all the rest- as exotic as it was sinister; when it activated, 368 people would die. In the 22nd century, the justice system is airtight in the domed city of Arcadia. Human error has been removed. Yet somehow, a well-intentioned young kleptomaniac named Rainville falls through the cracks and is wrongfully convicted of mass murder. He is exiled to Wychwood Prison, a crumbling necropolis beyond the dome where the dead outnumber the living, where the inmates are also the guards. News of the crime follows him, and he becomes a marked man. Rainville's only hope for survival is becoming the first inmate in history to escape Wychwood. Can he do it? The fate of Arcadia depends on it. Can't make the event? You can grab your copy today at https://lnkd.in/ewRP8SP4, which also benefits Snug Books, an independent, woman-owned bookstore. #whattoread #ai #artificialintelligence #scifinovel #cyberpunk

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The press release is not dead, it's just evolved. When I first started in #communications, nobody ever questioned the purpose of the press release. It was just assumed that every big announcement would lead with an informative press release designed to start a dialogue with journalists and control the narrative. As the world increasingly moved online over the last decade or two, folks have debated the relevance and usefulness of this steady companion. After all, it's much quicker and easier to both distribute and find information on the interwebs. As such, many #PR folks declared the press release passé. But there's so much more to the press release than simply making an announcement, and if you neglect it, you're missing out on heaps of opportunities. Like the opportunity to support your SEO efforts, generate backlinks, and drive referral traffic. Or to use it as a jumping-off point for a comprehensive content campaign that spans blogs, newsletters, social media, contributed content, email marketing, ads, events, and customer stories. Or to support your friends in sales to help them engage customers and leads. Or to drive awareness, build credibility, and support conversations with current and prospective partners and investors. Or even to support HR with their employee recruitment and retention strategy. Don't neglect the trusty press release. When designed and leveraged well, it truly is a jill of all trades.

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If at ASAE today and publish journals, the below ⬇ panel is a must see. #ASAEAnnual

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🚨 Won't want to miss this webinar on masting Tik Tok, Reels, & Shorts for higher ed marketing with my friend John Azoni at UNVEILD Learn tactical advice and how to build up video content creation systems so you're not recreating the wheel each time. Sign up up below!

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"But NPR’s troubles extend far beyond concerns about its journalism. Internal documents reviewed by The Times and interviews with more than two dozen current and former public radio executives show how profoundly the nonprofit is struggling to succeed in the fast-changing media industry. It is grappling with a declining audience and falling revenue — and internal conflict about how to fix it." This article sheds good light on the disruption facing the media industry. #Media #Communications #PR

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