Day: April 13, 2004

Computerworld has an interesting feature on the tools available for measuring online reputation.

“Reputation management is one of the most important components of a successful PR department, but it is also one of our greatest challenges,” says Dan Miller, public relations manager at PacifiCare Health Systems Inc., a health care provider in Cypress, Calif. Miller says his five-person department has struggled to find the time to adequately assess what’s going on in the industry and has relied on an outside consulting firm to perform a manual analysis of what’s being said about PacifiCare in print and on the Web.

Microsoft has unveiled a new online resource for developers called Channel 9.  It combines blogs and discussion forums and aims to promote better interaction between Microsoft and third party software developers.

According to the site’s rules:

“Channel 9 is all about the conversation,” according to the posted rules. “Channel 9 should inspire Microsoft and our customers to talk in an honest and human voice. Channel 9 is not a marketing tool, not a PR tool, not a lead-generation tool.”

I wonder if that was written by a Microsoft PR person?

So Microsoft’s Channel 9 is all about conversations, all about interaction and better communication with customers, but it’s not about Public Relations.

Ahem. Indeed.

So would anyone there like to explain what PR is? In this case the author obviously views PR as a euphenism for some dark, hidden and nefarious practice. To me Channel 9 is all about Public Relations.

The news that subpoenas have been served on Fleishman-Hillard by the Los Angeles attorney’s office has been widely covered in the media.

According to one of the stories:
“a source with knowledge of them said the subpoenas are very “broad,” and give the appearance of being a “fishing expedition.”

Richard S. Kline, Fleishman-Hillard’s regional president and senior partner commented that:

“We’re cooperating fully with them,” Kline said. “From our standpoint, to the best of our knowledge, we’ve performed our business for the city of Los Angeles in a totally appropriate manner.”

There’s little actual fact in any of the stories and we should remember that one is innocent until proven guilty.