Journalism — particularly newspapers — has been trying to shift to video for years, often sputtering like a ’57 Chevy with a bad carburetor. And for good reason. The inverted pyramid still figures prominently in J schools across the country. If you’re pounding out news stories for the Daily Planet, the inverted pyramid serves you …more
When months of investigative reporting by The New York Times produced the story, “How Think Tanks Amplify Corporate America’s Influence“ and the companion piece, “Think Tank Scholar or Corporate Consultant? It Depends on the Day,” I wondered how Brookings would respond. The wondering didn’t last long. The same day the stories came out, Brookings published “Brookings …more
By Melissa Lewelling, Account Executive, The Hoffman Agency . As a former journalist, I tend to find PR events featuring journalists and the ethereal question, “How can PR help you do your job better?” — frankly — comical. These types of events often feature panels of journalists who don’t want to be there, don’t really …more
Turning to the front page of The New York Times business section yesterday, I did a double take. Sitting above the fold found The New York Times taking on the story line of Amazon constructing buildings around oversized greenhouses in downtown Seattle. I wouldn’t exactly call this a puff piece, but it sure does come …more
If you missed it last week — perhaps studying the latest numbers from the Department of Labor? — BuzzFeed proved what everyone has always believed in theory. If you stretch enough rubber bands across a watermelon, it will eventually succumb to the pressure in one glorious Kodak moment. The New York Times used the BuzzFeed …more
Earlier this year, The New York Times celebrated the 20-year anniversary of its website. My Tuesday post shared a back story leading up to the site’s launch, compliments of Pete Lewis who was the paper’s foreign correspondent for cyberspace at the time. Today, we look at the actual words from Jan. 22, 1996 (my takes …more
Earlier this year The New York Times celebrated the 20-year anniversary of its website. Prior to the launch, the paper’s online reach depended on that “pioneer of online media,” AOL. Friend, colleague and periodic co-trainer for our storytelling workshops, Peter Lewis, wrote the introduction story. But before taking a look at his words from …more
The Grab Bag makes its 2016 debut. For those not familiar with these posts, I string together three quick takes. Here goes. When You Apply for a Job with the CIA, the Question Immediately Arises, “Can You Keep a Secret?” I enjoy studying communications of all types. That’s what led to me to a …more
The hoopla triggered by The New York Times on the Amazon culture has not subsided. Cruel Bruising Dickensesque (as a literary reference, my personal favorite) And these were some of the more measured descriptions of the Amazon culture that have come to light and created a PR crisis. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos was quick to …more
