The Spitzer Files - Case Study

Gawker.com: How the New York Times and the Press Serviced Client No. 9 - Eliot Spitzer and his hooker habit launching a PR storm of epic proportions.

The evolution of free press travel and how to do it right

Desk reporting should be disclosed and Boots on the ground that allow to experience and provide on-the-ground observations about an hotel, city, restaurant, bar, museum and flight still make a big difference. So don't just use other people's insights on what it's like to visit a particular destination.

The Spooky Truth About Travel Writing

According to an article published at Takeoffeh.com "most of the destination travel stories you read are based on hosted’ press trips. Very few publishers actually pay all the costs for a travel writer’s travels."

Terms that have outlived their PR usefulness

As old media yield to new media, many once-relevant terms such as Press tours,press briefings, Hits & clips, Press kits, brochures & collateral, Press Kits, Pitch, Publicity, and lead time are now ready for the scrapheap.

The re:invention of Magazines by using e-reader application

A WSJ article talks how Condé Nast is already building a digital version of Wired Magazine (and other magazines such as Vanity Fair, New Yorker, and Vogue) for electronic reading devices that will be available by the middle of 2010. I think this is just the start of something bigger and more will follow.

The Future of the Media

According to a recent article by Caroline Hagood, with the rise of social media, citizen journalism and user-generated content, everyone today can be a part of the conversation and print will take on a role akin to radio in the time of the televisual—functioning as a supplemental tool in the the annals of knowledge.

Coca-Cola's 206 Country Blogger Tour

Three bloggers, who will be chosen by online voting to begin Wednesday, will embark on a 206 country world tour to uncover "what makes people happy." The program is part of Coca Cola's "Open Happiness" campaign. Forbes Magazine states that the effort, dubbed "Expedition 206," marks another venture by a big-name brand to delve deep into social media. Such efforts, which include blogging, posting updates on Twitter and adding videos to YouTube, can generate talk by consumers and sales, companies hope. According to Adam Brown, director of Coca-Cola's Office of Digital Communications and Social Media. "It's not about having the Coca-Cola brand first and foremost, center of the screen ... It's about telling the story that involves Coca-Cola, that involves the attributes of what Coca-Cola is about, optimism and joy."

Condé Nast hires crisis expert

After a rough fall (shuttering six magazines, at least 460 employees fired, reported sharp decline in ad revenues and morale hitting an all-time low) Condé Nast is getting PR help by hiring crisis manager and media coach Michael Sheehan. At the same time Conde Nast Digital is finally in the works to revamp its digital presence by organizes its magazines' Web sites into a cohesive structure.

Survey: United States World's Top Country Brand

According to FutureBrand and Weber Shandwick's Global Travel & Lifestyle Practice's 5th annual Country Brand Index (CBI-2009) the top ten countries are: the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, Italy, Japan, Great Britain, Germany and Spain.

Gelato University in Bologna

Students at Carpigiani Gelato University, which offers weeklong sessions on how to learn to do ice cream - Time Magazine.

How firms are conducting long-distance interviews via webcam

Time magazine run one article about how Skype Is Changing the Job Interview and how companies are turning to video-chat and webcam interviews to vet job candidates.

Survey shows social networking sites are costing U.K. firms $2.3B a year, but they shouldn't be banned.

According to a Forbes Magazine's article, Social media costs U.K. companies $2.3 billion annually in employee time and work resources. Quite a lot, according to a new survey by TNS. From the 1,460 office workers surveyed by TNS, 57% said that they used social networking sites during the working day for personal use, and were on average spending 40 minutes on these sites each week, according to the survey. That equates to just under a full working week being spent or "waste" each year on social networking sites during working hours.

U.S. newspaper circulation falls again

According to the Audit Bureau of Circulation, the average weekday circulation of nearly 400 dailies slid 10.6% from April to September 2009, compared with a 7.1% decline during the previous six-month period. The Los Angeles Times indicates that newspapers have seen their circulation decline sharply in recent years as readers increasingly have turned to online sources for news.

How a Beverly Hills bakery is keeping up with customers on Facebook

Sprinkles Cupcakes in Los Angeles is building buzz for its sweet treats by posting a secret word -- such as "ganache" or "love" -- on Facebook that fans can whisper in a store for a free cupcake. The company uses its fan base of 70,000 to decide its next location, as well as address customer feedback. "Requests. Complaints. We're watching. It's not just me, it's our entire team," said bakery President Charles Nelson.

Make-A-Wish Foundation is using social media sites

A Miami Herald's article mentions how Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southern Florida is taping into social media sites by using YouTube and Twitter to share the wishes of children with terminal illnesses and encourage people to donate to their cause. "We're looking to share our stories and our mission -- and if fundraising comes with it, that's great," said Richard Kelly, the foundation's chief operating officer.

Thrillist's Jamaica Trip

Mike Albo, The New York Times Freelancer Loses Gig Over Thrillist/JetBlue's Jamaica Trip. He was among the 150 journalists and guests who enjoyed a free round-trip from JFK International to Montego Bay (in Jamaica) last weekend for free with complimentary food, drink, 2 nights lodging at the Iberostar Rose Hall resort, where they had beachfront balcony rooms and personal butlers, courtesy of the consumer e-newsletter Thrillist and JetBlue (JBLU), among a host of other sponsors. All they had to do was to repay with tons of tweets and Internet hype. Apparently Kurt Soller, a Newsweek's staff writer who took up the invitation had been given permission by his editor and the publication is still planning to reimburse Thrillist for the trip, since the invitation stated that "Media rates are available for reporters who feel obligated to pay for the trip. Tell us if you're interested and we'll let you know what they are." Fox joined CNN in saying the trip violated standards and that they would also pay for the travel costs.

2009 - Time for Cuts

According to WWD, Time Inc. is gearing up for what has been a recurring autumn event at the publishing company — a round of layoffs across multiple magazines and divisions. But when are the cuts coming? According to several sources, the company is expected to make a 6% staff reduction across the board next week. It will follow Condé Nast. The New York Times. Forbes. By the end of the year, all of these media organizations will have cut their staffs to meet the challenging economic times facing the entire industry. These are just the realities of the fourth quarter, readers of the bottom line tell us.