This is the second part of our subjective review of the PR year. The third and final part will be published on Friday, January 2, 2004.
In the meantime:
Happy New Year!
June
The British Medical Journal (in what is the first of a number of such criticisms) raises a question mark over the role of PR firms in the healthcare industry
A US court finds that PR professionals have an inherent attorney-client privilege that protects their clients
Mediamap adds bloggers to it’s database of journalists and analysts.
Embattled Martha Stewart hits back with a new website, ads in USA today and her attorney handling her PR – didn’t they do a good job… natch. Kevin Dugan’s blog has been covering Martha’s fight in some detail.
Research suggests that trade magazines are faring poorly in the current economic slump.
PR Opinions provides a primer on Blog Relations.
One of the year’s most entertaining corporate battles, between Oracle and Peoplesoft moves into full swing in June providing an interesting PR case study.
As the number of blogs increase, the issues surrounding how you manage an employee’s blog become more defined. Corporate blogging policies may provide an answer.
And in the fight against buzz words, a new Microsoft Word utility, Bullfighter aims to help cut through the hype.
PR’s role in managing corporate reputation online comes under the microscope.
In some good news, research finds that PR is the most effective means of driving potential customers to your website.
Poor Lizzie Grubman, the erstwhile PR jailbird agrees to give a course on PR for $49. Reports on her course are mixed.
And in June we found out that Comical Ali is alive and well and planning a book… democracy has clearly come to Iraq.
July
Some more advice on the mystery of Blog Relations.
David Strom of VAR Business takes some time to share some common sense advice on media relations. Meanwhile we’ve some other sensible media interview tips.
A new XML Standard for the Public Relations sector has been created.
The management team at Financial Dynamics execute an MBO for �26 million
Microsoft PowerPoint gets another kicking, this time from the New Yorker.
AMD commits a PR faux pas by accidentally sending the entire press release plan for the rest of the year to selected reporters. It’ll certainly make any exclusives a little harder to set up.
Mike Vizard over at CRN explains how he sees RSS taking off.
Some more tips on dealing with those pesky bloggers:
“Preparation and thought are two much ignored parts of PR. Think about what you are doing. If you think you’ll help your client by whacking out a press release to a few bloggers along with your usual suspects. Think again.”
More on blog relations.
Jim Horton published an excellent article on Objectivity in PR
Finally, the Oracle-Peoplesoft Quote War:
“It’s like me asking if I could buy your dog so I can go out back and shoot it.” – Craig Conway, CEO, Peoplesoft
In response Oracle CEO, Larry Ellison quipped:
“I think at one point, `Craigey’ thought I was going to shoot his dog,” Ellison said. “If Craigey and Bear were standing next to each other and I had one bullet, trust me, it wouldn’t be for the dog.”
August
Has spam killed E-mail? Lockergnome’s Chris Pirillo thinks so. We’re not so sure.
Google launches news alerts.. a poor man’s clipping service.. maybe not.
Interested in best practice blog relations? We have some pointers here and here.
PR Week published its 2003 Global Technology PR Report. It’s all about globalization seemingly. I don’t think so…
The BBC released their excellent style guide.
PR Opinions publishes its beginner’s guide to RSS.
Meanwhile MarketingWonk unleased their spleen on the shortcomings of PR. We fought back weakly and then lost the will to live.
According to the Media Reputation Index the top three organizations in the US are:
1. The Walt Disney Company
2. Microsoft
3. Intel
Mitch Wagner wasn’t very happy with PR people in August and he made his feelings very clear. It’s recommended reading and provides useful feedback.
Murphy's Law 