It was the winter of 2009, and we were in the thick of plotting PR Daily. I had just undergone surgery to repair nerve damage in my left arm, and due to the procedure, the arm was in a cast. Due to the constant pain, I was eating painkillers, steadily.

When my arm healed and the haze lifted, we had plans for an online trade publication for PR that would be unlike anything else covering the market.

More than four years after those meetings, PR Daily has surpassed 1 million visitors, an important milestone for any website, and one for which I’m very proud. At the same time, I’m leaving PR Daily. Today (Friday, April 26) is my last day at Ragan Communications. Starting next month, I’ll be working at Advertising Age.

Thank you for your continued readership. Thank you for your op-eds, pitches, story ideas, blog posts, kind words, admonishments, and so on. With the support of readers, we’ve managed to cultivate this great site. So once again, thank you.

In the meantime, send your future inquires to the very talented PR Daily associate editor Alan Pearcy.

Although they’ve heard me say it again and again, my co-workers at Ragan Communications, which publishes PR Daily, are some of the best in the business, as are the people in charge. They gave me a shocking amount of freedom to create and build PR Daily, including allowing (and paying for) the production of the following video (as well as this video) in the site’s nascent days:

And so, on the occasion of my final minutes at the helm of PR Daily, I offer these words of wisdom: Always publish list stories.

Just kidding, sort of.

In all seriousness, I like to conclude speeches with a short excerpt from William Saroyan’s “The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze: And Other Stories.” It’s supposed to be advice for writers, but I think they’re good words to live by, regardless of occupation. He says:

“The most solid advice, though, for a writer is this, I think: Try to learn to breathe deeply, really to taste food when you eat, and when you sleep, really to sleep. Try as much as possible to be wholly alive, with all your might, and when you laugh, laugh like hell, and when you get angry, get good and angry. Try to be alive. You will be dead soon enough.”

It’s been a blast. And until we meet again, let’s be Twitter friends: @msebastian.

The post On his last day at PR Daily, the founding editor shares a secret appeared first on PR Daily.

A 1962 article in Reporting, a newsletter published by the International Council of Industrial Editors (ICIE), a trade association for corporate communicators, explains why and how editors should handle “cheesecake” in their publications.

“If a picture idea comes along that calls for a pretty girl by all means take advantage of it, but don’t push pretty girls into pictures that are obviously exaggerated or ridiculous,” the article’s two authors, both men, wrote.

“Use models with a company tie-in whenever possible,” they continued. “An alert editor should have no trouble in finding plenty of professional model material among employees, and employee’s wives and daughters. … Don’t settle for girls that are not photogenic or who would be out of place in a bathing suit.”

The authors were editors of The Forecaster, a weekly newsletter for Union Carbide’s Texas City plant. Their article in Reporting is a sort of how-to for their peers.

Here’s an example they shared from The Forecaster of an employee’s daughter taking part in the Miss Fishing Rodeo contest:

The story also features a full-page of other examples of “cheesecake”:

The authors point out that DuPont’s “fine inter-and-external magazine is a good example of the effective use of sophisticated cheesecake.”

If the corporate editors reading the article in Reporting don’t have managers as open-minded as those at Union Carbide or DuPont, the authors offer some advice:

“If you have better than average job security, we suggest you go ahead and publish [a cheesecake photo] without approval and see what happens.”

Ragan Communications, publisher of PR Daily, has an archive of decades old issues of Reporting, along with hundreds of other publications, bound in hardcover books at its headquarters in Chicago. The “cheesecake” article was found while leafing through an archive from 1962. The founder of Ragan Communications, Lawrence Ragan, was the editor of ICIE’s Reporting.

ICIE merged with the American Association of Industrial Editors to create the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) in 1970.

Perhaps more shocking than the very idea of “cheesecake” photos—and the various pictures of scantily clad “pretty ladies” they share—is their argument over whether editors might avoid such content. Objectifying women is not the problem.

“By sticking close to the above guide lines, we have avoided any large scale criticism in the past,” the authors said in the article. “Occasionally we do slip and a few angry phone calls are the result. However, the more complaints come when we photograph girls in plant areas without having them wear the proper safety equipment. But what girl looks good in a hard hat and safety glasses?”

The article acknowledges that newsletters with a predominantly male readership will most appreciate the “cheesecake” photos, but they state that “the appeal is strong even where the readers are predominantly female such as in the banking and insurance industries.”

Apart from the jaw-dropping sexism, part of this argument rings true for today’s editors, whether they work for a corporate newsletter or a consumer magazine or website.

“A veteran newspaper picture editor once told us that he rates photographs of pretty girls, cute children, baby animals and striking scenery as top attention-getters in that order,” they write. “He suggested that for a real stopper you combine all four elements in one picture. We even tried that.”

Pretty girls, cute children, and baby animals? These guys could work at many of today’s most popular websites.

The post Shocking examples of sexism in 1960s corporate newsletters appeared first on PR Daily.

For the last three years, Amazon has compiled its list of the most well-read cities, based on its sales of books, newspapers, and magazines per capita in cities of more than 100,000 people. The sales data includes materials in print and on Kindles.

Of course, this list is more PR stunt than qualitative ranking. What makes someone well read is highly subjective, not to mention the ranking is skewed because cities with more brick and mortar booksellers would likely not make the list.

Still, it’s a talker, plus the data from Amazon reveals several interesting things about readers.

For instance, the top-selling book in Alexandria—our nation’s most well-read city, according to Amazon—is “Gone Girl,” followed by the novels in the 50 Shades trilogy. In a statement, Amazon’s editorial editor of books and Kindle, Sara Nelson, acknowledged the enduring popularity of E.L. James’ steamy books.

“The results of our annual Most Well-Read Cities list is proof that people across the country are reading, and also that we’re still seeing the popularity of ‘Fifty Shades of Grey,'” she said.

Meanwhile, Cambridge, Mass., No. 4 on the list, is responsible for buying the most business and investing books, along with overall nonfiction. Amazon said the most popular books purchased by Cambridge residents are “Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most” and “StrengthsFinder 2.0.”

Here are the top 20—did your city make the list?

1. Alexandria, Va.
2. Knoxville, Tenn.
3. Miami, Fla.
4. Cambridge, Mass.
5. Orlando, Fla.
6. Ann Arbor, Mich.
7. Berkeley, Calif.
8. Cincinnati, Ohio
9. Columbia, S.C.
10. Pittsburgh, Penn.
11. St. Louis, Mo.
12. Salt Lake City, Utah
13. Seattle, Wash.
14. Vancouver, Wash.
15. Gainesville, Fla.
16. Atlanta, Ga.
17. Dayton, Ohio
18. Richmond, Va.
19. Clearwater, Fla.
20. Tallahassee, Fla.

The post The 20 most ‘well-read’ cities in America appeared first on PR Daily.

President Obama and all of his living predecessors are gathering at Southern Methodist University in Dallas for the dedication of the Bush Library. That’s Presidents Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush.

One of those former presidents also made waves in the social media world. Late Wednesday night, Bill Clinton sent his first official tweet:

Sorry I couldn’t make it @stephenathome. I’ve been busy with @clintonfdn work on global heath. Thrs is #WorldMalariaDay you know #Raincheck?

— Bill Clinton (@billclinton) April 25, 2013

Comedian Stephen Colbert had taught Clinton to tweet on “The Colbert Report,” under the handle @PrezBillyJeff. But @BillClinton is the official account, which Twitter verified. Another tweet mentions Colbert, as well as Chelsea Clinton.

Excited to join @chelseaclinton and my good friend @stephenathome on Twitter!

— Bill Clinton (@billclinton) April 25, 2013

To which his daughter Chelsea replied:

.@billclinton – Welcome to Twitter, Dad!

— Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) April 25, 2013

Thus far, Clinton has more than 300,000 followers. He’s following eight feeds:

• The Clinton Foundation

• Alliance for a Healthier Generation (co-founded by the Clinton Foundation)

• Clinton Library

• Clinton Global Initiative University

• The Clinton Health Access Initiative

• The Clinton Global Initiative

• Chelsea Clinton

• Stephen Colbert

The post Bill Clinton joins Twitter—here are the 8 feeds he follows appeared first on PR Daily.

On Sunday, Clemente said “f***ing sh*t” in his first 30 seconds in the anchor chair at the NBC affiliate in Bismarck, N.D. The next day he was fired, much to the chagrin of his many new fans on social media.

In a matter of days, however, Clemente was back on NBC—only this time it was the network’s marquee show “Today.” Talking with Matt Lauer and Savannah Guthrie on Wednesday morning, Clemente stressed that his use of the language was “inexcusable.” He then explained why he used the foul language:

“I was looking down, going over my script … we actually came on 30 seconds early … the London Marathon is my second story. There is [sic] literally three names I don’t know how to pronounce at all.”

His panicked reaction to the seeing the befuddling names was broadcast live.

After visiting “Today,” Clemente hit up “Live with Kelly and Michael,” where he was asked to be the show’s celebrity correspondent. He accepted.

Clemente also appeared on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” and is slated to be on the “Late Show with David Letterman” on Wednesday night.

Hopefully, this doesn’t happen again (put on your headphones):

(Image via, via & via)

The post North Dakota F-bomb anchor hits talk-shows in NYC appeared first on PR Daily.

• Plumber
• Orthodontist
• Nuclear decontamination technician

Not that there’s anything wrong with those careers, but nuclear decontamination technician—someone who “cleanses nuclear power plant equipment and personnel of irradiated material”—tops PR executive? Ouch.

Public relations exec ranked No. 73 on CareerCast’s annual list; nuclear decontamination tech was No. 65. According to Career Cast, a PR executive “helps governmental bodies, businesses, and individuals maintain a positive image with the public.” They earn a median salary of $93,252. Not bad.

RELATED: PR manager is the 5th-most-stressful job in America

Meanwhile, newspaper reporter ranked dead last.

Every spring, jobs website CareerCast releases its list of the top 200 jobs. It bases the list on five criteria—stress, income, hiring outlook, work environment, and physical demands—which it gets from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and other government bodies.

Last year, PR executive was No. 70. In 2011, it tumbled to 113, and in 2010 the profession ranked 79th on the list. This year marks the first time newspaper reporter has fallen to last place.

A newcomer to the list—social and community manager—made a strong initial showing at No. 39.

No. 1 on this year’s list is actuary.

To see the full ranking, visit CareerCast.

(Image via)

The post PR executive is No. 73 on the list of best jobs appeared first on PR Daily.

Sunday was his first night on the anchor desk at KFYR-TV, the NBC affiliate in Bismarck, N.D., and within his first 30 seconds on the air, Clemente dropped an F-bomb and an S-bomb. Today, the station fired him.

Roll tape (careful—there’s some foul language):

Gawker Media’s Deadspin blog was the first to report on the gaffe.

After the telecast, Clemente tweeted:

That couldn’t have gone any worse!

— A.J. Clemente (@ClementeAJ) April 21, 2013

Later, he tweeted his apologies for the gaffe:

Tough day,Thanks for the support,We all make mistakes. Im truly sorry for mine. I’ll try my hardest to come back better and learn from this.

— A.J. Clemente (@ClementeAJ) April 22, 2013

KFYR-TV News Director Monica Hannan issued her own apology, as well as an explanation, on the station’s Facebook page:

“To all of you who are writing in … I want to apologize for an incident that occurred prior to our early newscast this evening, when one of our employees used profanity on the air.

“He did not realize his microphone was on, but still, that’s no excuse. WE train our reporters to always assume that any microphone is live at any time. Unfortunately, that was not enough in this case. WE can’t take back what was said. The person involved has been suspended until we resolve the situation. All we can do at this point is ask for your forgiveness, and I can offer my personal assurance that I will do my best to ensure that nothing like this ever happens again under my watch.”

Most of the nearly 1,000 comments to the post, as well as the many tweets and retweets today, are supportive of Clemente.

On Monday morning, however, Clemente tweeted:

Unfortunately KFYRTV has decided to let me go. Thank you to them and everyone in ND for the opportunity and everyone for the support.

— A.J. Clemente (@ClementeAJ) April 22, 2013

Rookie mistake. I’m a free agent.Cant help but laugh at myself and stay positive.Wish i didnt trip over my “Freaking Shoes” out of the gate.

— A.J. Clemente (@ClementeAJ) April 22, 2013

Among the responses to Clemente’s firing is this one from Craig Newman, managing editor at the Chicago Sun-Times:

Nooo!!! RT @matthewschwerha RT @deadspin Rookie news anchor whose 1st on-air words were “Fuckin’ shit” has been fired deadsp.in/sCAYxC5

— Craig Newman (@craignewman) April 22, 2013

Maybe the Sun-Times‘ sports desk is hiring.

The post TV anchor drops on-air F-bomb—in his first telecast appeared first on PR Daily.

The Academy Award-winning actress was arrested in Atlanta early Friday morning for disorderly conduct at the same time her husband, talent agent James Toth, was picked up for allegedly drinking and driving. Witherspoon reportedly had some words for the arresting officer, including the standard line for any celebrity facing arrest: “Do you know my name?”

Late on Sunday, she issued this statement via her publicist:

“I clearly had one drink too many and I am deeply embarrassed about the things I said. It was definitely a scary situation and I was frightened for my husband, but that is no excuse. I was disrespectful to the officer who was just doing his job. I have nothing but respect for the police and I’m very sorry for my behavior.”

Witherspoon’s publicist is Meredith O’Sullivan Wasson, who works at the PR shop 42West.

While some in the media suggested the arrest would tarnish Witherspoon’s brand, several others on Twitter praised her apology.

For instance, a corporate communicator in St. Paul, Minn., tweeted:

Kudos to Reese Witherspoon. For a change someone ACTUALLY apologized rather than a pass-the-buck PR apology movies.yahoo.com/news/witherspo…

— Joe Thornton (@joethornton) April 22, 2013

A woman who identifies herself as working in advertiser tweeted that it was a “classy statement” and a “good PR move.”

What do you think about the apology?

(Image via & via)

The post Reese Witherspoon apologizes for arrest: How do you rate the mea culpa? appeared first on PR Daily.

Last year, TechCrunch reported that the email service is used by “government agencies in 45 states and 66 of the top 100 universities in the U.S. have already gone Google.” More than five million businesses have also “gone Google.”

Chances are, many of you rely on Gmail, whether for work or play. In that case, you’ll likely find this infographic from Aleksander Tsatskin useful. Tsatskin compiled the many shortcuts Gmail users can employ on their keyboards.

They might save you a few minutes—or at least slow the onset of carpal tunnel syndrome.

(via Visual.ly)

The post Easy breezy cheat sheet for Gmail users appeared first on PR Daily.

Last week, Star magazine Editor-in-Chief James Heidenry told MediaBistro that his staffers don’t cozy up to Hollywood publicists in the same manner as competitors US Weekly and People. To wit:

“They covet these relationships with the publicists, and as a result they don’t say negative things about the celebrities, something like a famous person getting caught cheating, whereas we don’t have any such relationships. We still talk to them all the time; sometimes they call us to ask why we ran something and try to correct it. So, we have relationships but we don’t covet them.”

So, how many of these publicists called the Star editorial staff to complain about its recent list of the “Hollywood’s most hated stars.” Topping the list, which doesn’t have any hard data supporting it, is actress Gwyneth Paltrow. The magazine pulled a handful of quotes from Paltrow to suggest she’s “arrogant” and “pretentious.”

Rounding out the top five are Kristen Stewart, Jennifer Lopez, John Mayer, and Katherine Heigl. Here’s the full list. What do you think?

20. Chris Brown
19. Jesse James
18. Taylor Swift
17. Shia LaBeouf
16. Lindsay Lohan
15. Angelina Jolie
14. Jay Leno
13. Ashton Kutcher
12. LeAnn Rimes
10 and 11. Kris Jenner and Kim Kardashian
9. Anne Hathaway
8. Justin Bieber
7. Madonna
6. Matt Lauer
5. Katherine Heigl
4. John Mayer
3. Jennifer Lopez
2. Kristen Stewart
1. Gwyneth Paltrow

(Image via)

The post Tabloid names Hollywood’s 20 most hated celebrities appeared first on PR Daily.

The other suspect, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, who is the brother of Dzhokhar, was killed in a shootout overnight, as military and law enforcement officials poured into Watertown, Mass., creating a 20-block perimeter where they believed Dzhokhar was holed up.

Media reports are saying the manhunt has since expanded, and the city of Boston is effectively closed down.

News and speculation is spreading rapidly through network and cable news stations, as well as through Twitter, where a number of people in the area of Watertown, have tweeted about the presence of authorities, including pictures and updates from police scanners.

Amid these tweets, Boston Police issued this message:

#MediaAlert: WARNING: Do Not Compromise Officer Safety by Broadcasting Tactical Positions of Homes Being Searched.

— Boston Police Dept. (@Boston_Police) April 19, 2013

The Massachusetts State Police account addressed the trend of people trying to interpret police scanners through a retweet:

Stopped tweeting from the Police Scanner a few hours ago. It’s not helping and only confusing people. Let the authorities do their job.

— Peter Stringer (@peterstringer) April 19, 2013

That account focused mainly on residents’ safety Thursday night and Friday morning, reminding people to stay in their homes and to call 911 if they had worries about someone at their door.

Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick also issued a number of reminders for residents to stay indoors, and he tweeted a picture of himself with Boston Mayor Tom Menino practicing what they preached:

.@massgovernor and @mayortommenino at State Police barracks. twitter.com/MassGovernor/s…

— Deval Patrick (@MassGovernor) April 19, 2013

Several terms related to the manhunt were trending on Twitter.

Overnight, a police officer at MIT was reportedly shot and killed by the suspects, who car-jacked a vehicle, prompting a chase with police, in which the brothers tossed homemade bombs at authorities. A shootout then ensued, at which time “Suspect No. 1” was killed.

RELATED: Advice for publicists during a breaking news event

Matt Wilson contributed to this report.

(Image via)

The post Boston authorities to public: Don’t broadcast ‘tactical positions’ appeared first on PR Daily.

During a press conference held around midnight, Department of Public Safety (DPS) officials said more than 100 people were injured and possibly five to 15 people were killed. A DPS spokesperson called it an “unbelievable tragedy.”

West, Texas is located just north of Waco.

Dramatic images and videos of the mushroom cloud created by the blast were shared on Twitter. For instance:

La columna de humo tras explosión en planta de fertilizantes en Texas bit.ly/14xGaRS #WestTX twitter.com/diarioelherald…

— Diario El Heraldo (@diarioelheraldo) April 18, 2013

The hashtag #WestTX became the No. 1 trending topic overnight, as tweets poured in with reports from the scene, as well as calls for prayers, blood donations, and shelter for those in harm’s way. A number of websites were also created for people to find loved ones and lost pets.

The explosion occurred after a fire broke out in the West Fertilizer plant, according to The Dallas Morning News. Several firefighters battling the blaze were unaccounted for after the blast. The cause of the fire is unknown.

A man captured video of the explosion and posted it to YouTube. Beware, the video is disturbing:

The post Images, videos of Texas fertilizer plant explosion shared on Twitter appeared first on PR Daily.

As the airline suffered a nationwide computer outage on Tuesday, social media became the go-to source for information on the carrier’s progress. The company tweeted updates about the outage, and responded to voluminous tweets from customers, resolving issues and wishing passengers safe travels.

It also posted frequent updates on its Facebook page during the ordeal, including an apology once the matter was resolved later in the afternoon.

“We apologize to our customers and our people for this inconvenience,” the company said.

According to The New York Times, more than 400 flights were canceled and “scores more” delayed due to a glitch with the airline’s computers.

The efforts on social media and on the ground won praise from a number of passengers posting to social media. One Facebook commenter wrote:

“Our Captain has been great. Walking the aisle apologizing. Giving us updates often. Just said the system was back up. Now will just have to get in line with all the other flights leaving at the same time.”

Far from perfect

Everything was far from perfect, though. Several Facebook commenters, as well as The New York Times, pointed out that gate agents and employees on the ground weren’t aware of the company’s social media updates.

“The agents at ORD [O’Hare International Airport] are saying the social media is wrong,” said a commenter on American’s Facebook page. “They have not heard any updates. Come on AA, be consistent. Communicate with your agents.”

The system returned around 4:30 p.m. E.T., about three and a half hours after American announced that employees were unable to access the company’s reservation system. Initially, it blamed the outage on Sabre, a reservations and booking tool common among airlines, but that was later proved false. On its Facebook page, American apologized to Sabre for making the claim.

The airline said that Tuesday’s technical outage was unrelated to the tragic events in Boston. American waived fees for reservations changes, agreed to honor fare differences if passengers booked through another carrier, and offered full refunds.

Social media commenters noted that they were having trouble rebooking or canceling their flights, resulting in hundreds of dollars of additional fees.

People still angry

Despite the effort on social media, untold numbers of passengers remained upset with the airline. Not only did the computer glitch ground 670 flights nationwide, but also stranded hundreds of passengers on tarmacs. With nothing to do but wait, those passengers started griping on social media.

There was the angry business traveler:

“More words. No action. It is always something with American. This is why you will likely go our of business soon. As a frequent Biz traveler who works for a Fortune 10 company I can safely say I will NEVER book American again. So sick of being treated this way.”

The very angry traveler:

“Shame on you AA. This was monumental failure on every category.”

The disappointed bride-to-be:

“Sat on the runway for 2+ hours and have now been told we have to return to the gate. This is the start of my wedding week! Not happy!”

The thirsty man:

“Could use some water in dfw.”

And the man with real problems:

“Help. Need to use restroom.”

A number of commenters also came to the company’s defense, praising the patient employees at airports. For instance:

“I just spent the last several hours at DFW watching crazy inconsiderate passengers berate AA employees for this delay. My hat is off to the employees. They handled the negativity with utmost professionalism. To the inconsiderate jerks you are all VIPs in my book. Very Immature People.”

Meanwhile, another commenter offered some perspective:

“I agree that, if you are alive and well, you need to count your blessings!”

American, which is still in bankruptcy, did not respond to PR Daily‘s request for comment.

(Image via)

The post American Airlines relied on social media during outage appeared first on PR Daily.

Although the InkHouse office was closed because of its proximity to the marathon route, the firm’s owner Beth Monaghan reached out to her staff to ensure everyone was safe.

“For now, I am telling everyone to get home and be with their families,” she told PR Daily via email in the hours after the blast. “That is all that matters until we know that everyone is safe.”

At the time, Monaghan hadn’t accounted for all of her employees, some of whom were at the finish line. Thankfully, by the end of the day, she had received word that her entire staff was safe.

The two explosions that erupted near the race’s finish line killed three people and injured more than 100 people, according to published reports. The bombs detonated roughly four hours after the men’s race had begun.

“Today is a sad day for the City of Boston, for the running community, and for all those who were here to enjoy the 117th running of the Boston Marathon,” the Boston Athletic Association, which organized the marathon, said in a statement posted to its Facebook page. “What was intended to be a day of joy and celebration quickly became a day in which running a marathon was of little importance.”

The association extended its deepest sympathies to those affected by the tragedy.

“It’s so upsetting,” a race contestant from Chicago told PR Daily. She finished the marathon 50 minutes before the blasts, and she was able to find her parents, who had also flown to Boston for the event.

A number of marathoners and their families were stranded in Boston, but residents opened their homes to those stranded visitors.

PR entrepreneur Peter Shankman, a New York resident who founded the Web service Help A Reporter Out, tweeted the names of two PR agency owners in Boston who could help the stranded. Amanda Griffith, the owner of Bumble PR in Norton, Mass., near Boston, was among them.

Brands advised to halt social media updates

When a major crisis strikes, whether it’s a hurricane or a school shooting, brands often display a tin ear by tweeting promotional or off-topic messages as the rest of the Twitter world fixates on the matter at hand.

With that mind mind, a number of people on Twitter reminded social media managers to halt their automated tweets. For instance, Scott Monty, the social media chief at Ford, tweeted:

If you manage social media for a brand, this would be a good time to suspend any additional posts for the day.

— Scott Monty (@ScottMonty) April 15, 2013

A number of PR firms and consultants instructed their clients to stop sending automated tweets.

“We recommended that all clients stop scheduled tweets to show respect for the tragedy that was unfolding,” Monaghan at InkHouse said.

Despite the warnings, Adweek found a number of tweets that brands sent on Monday that were insensitive, as well as several on topic.

Press conferences from Boston police department, White House

Hours after the attack, Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis held a press conference in which he warned people to stay home and avoid congregating in large crowds.

“People should be calm, but they should understand that this is an ongoing event,” he said.

At 6:10 p.m. E.T., President Obama delivered a televised address, telling residents of Boston that the “American people will be with them every step of the way.”

“We still do not know who did this or why; people should not jump to conclusions,” he said. “We’ll find out who did this and why they did it.”

Obama promised that those responsible will “feel the full weight of justice.”

Attack aftermath plays out in real time on social media

As television networks started their reporting on the bomb explosions, details from the scene were pouring in on Twitter, as people tweeted pictures and updates from the race site. A surge of tweets offered prayers and well wishes for the race contestants and spectators as well as residents of Boston. The hashtag #PrayforBoston became the No. 1 trending topic on Monday.

Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone at the #BostonMarathon right now. #PrayForBoston

— Men’s Health Mag (@MensHealthMag) April 15, 2013

As the afternoon wore on, the topics of discussion on Twitter swung wildly from reports of additional bombings—a third incident at the JFK Library was not related as was originally reported—to media gadflies wagging their fingers at news outlets that filed incomplete or incorrect reports about the tragedy.

At one point, “Muslims” became a trending topic, as vitriolic tweets blaming the incident on Islamic extremists burbled to the surface, followed by even more tweets denouncing the speculation.

Officials also used social media to spread pertinent information regarding people’s safety. Google, for instance, launched a people finder site for those in search of someone at the marathon and for the people at the event to check in.

The Boston Police Department’s official Twitter account became a reliable source for information during the incident. Police have also used the account to appeal to the public for video from the finish line.

Anyone with information about the bombings to call is asked to call 1-800-494-TIPS.

RELATED: 8 communications guidelines for a crisis

Ragan.com staff reporter Matt Wilson contributed to this report.

The post PR firms in Boston and nationwide react to marathon bombing appeared first on PR Daily.

The AP reported that cellphone service in Boston has been shut down “to prevent any potential remote detonations of explosives.”

The Boston Police Department’s official Twiiter account is keeping the public informed of press conferences, casualty counts and more.

People who ran the race have taken to social media to share that they’re all right. Twitter has also became a place for people to post their prayers and well wishes, as well as dramatic pictures from the scene.

#Fotos: bit.ly/12g3XSA Momento exacto de una de las explosiones en el Martón de Boston. twitpic.com/cjmj4x

— Terra México (@TerraMexico) April 15, 2013

Several phrase related to the Boston Marathon also emerged as trending topics on Twitter. By 4 p.m. ET, #prayforBoston, two explosions, #explosion, and #thoughtsandprayers were trending on Twitter.

Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone at the #BostonMarathon right now. #PrayForBoston

— Men’s Health Mag (@MensHealthMag) April 15, 2013

At a Monday afternoon press conference, Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis warned people to stay home and avoid congregating in large crowds.

“People should be calm, but they should understand that this is an ongoing event,” he said.

Davis said people running from the explosions along the marathon route dropped a number of parcels and bags, all of which were “being treated as a suspicious device.” He also confirmed that a third explosion at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum happened shortly after 3 p.m. Eastern time.

“We’re investigating all leads right now,” he said.

The police had not found any more devices along the marathon route, even though they performed a controlled explosion of a bag. Authorities were also not looking for a specific type of truck, he said. Davis asked anyone with information about the bombings to call 1-800-494-TIPS.

He said there were no prior warnings of the attack, and when asked whether the bombings were an act of terrorism, Davis said, “You can reach your own conclusions.”

Matt Wilson contributed to this story.

The post After Boston Marathon explosions, pictures and prayers spread on Twitter appeared first on PR Daily.

On Thursday night, a brawl interrupted a game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres. It was a nasty affair that started when Dodgers pitcher Zack Greinke hit San Diego Padres slugger Carlos Quentin with a pitch. Both teams’ benches cleared, and Greinke, who signed a contract in the offseason worth $147 million, broke his collarbone in the melee. The pair have a history of bad blood, and they reportedly exchanged heated words in the parking lot after the game.

In the wake of the brawl, the L.A. Dodgers Twitter feed issued this tweet:

See you on Monday in Los Angeles: twitter.com/Dodgers/status…

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) April 12, 2013

The message has more than 2,400 retweets and has been favorited more than 6,000 times.

Last year, Dodgers stadium saw several violent incidents in which fans were beaten up. After one incident, the team issued a statement saying the Dodgers are “fully committed to providing a safe, family-friendly environment.”

Several commenters on social media mentioned that history of violence in questioning the tweet, particularly because it came from the Dodgers organization.

However, the overwhelming response was one of support for the tweet, with many people heaping accolades upon it, including “best tweet ever from an MLB team.”

What do you think?

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According to a survey from InsightsOne, 83 percent of Americans say irrelevant ads—such as pop-ups, male and female enhancement ads, and lottery scams—”get in the way of their activities.” Among them, 19 percent claim these off-topic ads get in the way of sex.

Can this really be true?

“A little sensationalism there,” Bob Dutcher, vice president of marketing at marketing intelligence firm InsightsOne, acknowledged with a laugh. “I’m not exactly sure how that works.”

What he does know is that the irrelevant ads are turning some consumers away from brands.

Of the 91 percent of Americans who say they’ve been flooded with online ad spam, 14 percent stop using the product, 13 percent boycott it, 60 unsubscribe from future emails, and 4 percent “hit their computer or mobile device in frustration.”

Probably best to stay away from the latter group.

The fact that people get so annoyed they’ll avoid or boycott a product surprised Drucker and the team at InsightsOne.

“Most of us in the Internet age are used to being flooded with information,” he said. “I think what this really starts to show is that the consumer is getting much more sophisticated and discerning.”

According to Drucker, Brands should embrace multiple channels to reach consumers and remember that advertising is about quality, not quantity.

The survey, conducted by Harris Interactive from Feb. 27 to Mar. 1, included more than 2,100 American adults.

This infographic offers a closer look at the findings:

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The Hungarian-born Pulitzer immigrated to America 1864; he was penniless, spoke very little English, and knew no one. After several poverty-stricken years—he slept on park benches and took the most menial jobs—Pulitzer landed a job at a German-language newspaper in St. Louis, and within a year rose from reporter to managing editor.

In 1878, he launched the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and five years later, the New York World, transforming both papers into examples of exceptional journalism. He was also an elected member of the New York delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives.

By the time of his death in 1911, Pulitzer had one of the richest households in America, according to his New York Times obituary. He gave $1 million of his fortune to Columbia University for its journalism school, and in 1917, the university began awarding Pulitzer Prizes.

Publishing titan William Randolph Hearst described Pulitzer as “the founder and foremost exemplar of modern journalism—the great originator and exponent of the journalism of action and achievement.”

As you might imagine, Pulitzer said a number of insightful and useful things about journalism (and, believe it or not, PR). Here are seven examples:

“Publicity, publicity, publicity is the greatest moral factor and force in our public life.”

“Put it before them briefly so they will read it, clearly so they will appreciate it, picturesquely so they will remember it, and, above all, accurately so they will be guided by its light.”

“A cynical, mercenary, demagogic press will in time produce a people as base as itself.”

“Our Republic and its press will rise or fall together.”

“I am deeply interested in the progress and elevation of journalism, having spent my life in that profession, regarding it as a noble profession and one of unequaled importance for its influence upon the minds and morals of the people.”

“The Post and Dispatch will serve no party but the people; will be no organ of Republicanism, but the organ of truth, will follow no caucuses but its own convictions; will not support the Administration, but criticize it; will oppose all frauds and shams wherever and whatever they are; will advocate principles and ideas rather than prejudices and partisanship.”

“My especial object is to help the poor; the rich can help themselves. I believe in self-made men.”

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It’s likely the smell of pot wafting through The New York Times newsroom in any era would catch the editors off guard, but in the 1960s, the sound of money changing hands was a different story.

According to an obituary for former Times reporter McCandlish Phillips, a highly skilled journalist and famous teetotaler who died on Tuesday, gambling was a lucrative side business for a couple of newsmen in the ’60s.

“He did not smoke, drink, curse or gamble, each of which had been refined to a high, exuberant art in the Times newsroom—the last of these to such a degree that at midcentury the newspaper employed two bookmakers-in-residence, nominally on the payroll as news clerks.”

Remind anyone else of this famous scene from “Casablanca”?

(Image via)

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The outspoken Thatcher has a fair share of fans and detractors. Here’s how Reuters described her in a story today:

“A grocer’s daughter with a steely resolve, she was loved and loathed in equal measure as she crushed the unions, privatized vast swathes of British industry, clashed with the European Union and fought a war to recover the Falkland Islands from Argentine invaders.”

They didn’t call her the Iron Lady for nothing.

On Monday, President Obama said of Thatcher, “She stands as an example to our daughters that there is no glass ceiling that can’t be shattered.”

Over the years, Thatcher said a number of inspiring things, many of them about the strength and power of women in politics. You’ll likely find that they translate to any field—including PR and marketing.

Here are 10 inspiring quotes from Thatcher (via GoodReads.com):

“Being powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren’t.”

“In politics, if you want anything said, ask a man. If you want anything done, ask a woman.”

“Look at a day when you are supremely satisfied at the end. It’s not a day when you lounge around doing nothing; it’s a day you’ve had everything to do and you’ve done it.”

“You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it.”

“If you just set out to be liked, you will be prepared to compromise on anything at anytime, and would achieve nothing. ”

“Don’t follow the crowd, let the crowd follow you.”

“I do not know anyone who has gotten to the top without hard work. That is the recipe. It will not always get you to the top, but it will get you pretty near.”

“I usually make up my mind about a man in 10 seconds, and I very rarely change it.”

“To wear your heart on your sleeve isn’t a very good plan; you should wear it inside, where it functions best.”

“Plan your work for today and every day, then work your plan”

(Image via)

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A new report from the Economic Policy Institute found that college graduates between the ages of 21 to 24 are earning less money than they did in 2000. When adjusted for inflation, full-time workers made $3,200 less in 2012 compared with 2000. The report looked at college grads who don’t have an advanced degree.

Another sobering figures, courtesy of The Huffington Post: The unemployment for those with bachelor’s degrees is 13.5 percent (based on 2011 figures).

Not having a bachelor’s degree is far worse when it comes to overall employment and earning power, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). In fact, the more education a person has, the greater a chance he or she has of holding a job and earning a good wage, as this chart from BLS shows:

Of course, education often goes hand-in-hand with student debt. A report from the Institute for College Access and Success said the average college student who graduated in 2011 holds $26,600 in student debt. A full two-thirds have some student debt.

Most entry-level PR people earn less than $35,000 a year, according to PR Daily’s salary survey.

(Image via)

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Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg unveiled Home during a press event on Thursday afternoon. The event focused on the consumer’s experience with Home, but the software could affect the way brands approach Facebook.

Here are three things PR and marketing professionals should know:

1. It makes your mobile device all Facebook all the time.

What, exactly, is Facebook Home?

First of all, it’s not a phone, as some people had thought the social network would roll out on Thursday. It’s also not a simple app, but a suite of them that take over your phone. (Don’t worry; other apps can exist on your phone along with Facebook Home.) And it’s only available for Android-powered devices.

Your phone’s home screen, for example, becomes your Facebook news feed. Facebook is calling this your cover screen. Here’s how The New York Times describes it:

“Pictures take up most of the real estate, with each news feed entry scrolling by like a slide show. Messages and notifications pop up over the home page. To ‘like’ something on the news feed requires no more than a double-tap. Facebook apps are in easy reach.”

Other features of Home include Chat Heads. This enables you to chat with your Facebook friends as you use other apps, whether that’s email, the Web, Words with Friends, you name it. When you get a message from a friend, one of these chat heads—that is, a picture of your friend’s face—appears on your screen. Chat Heads will appear when you’re communicating via Facebook and regular old text message.

This minute-long video from Facebook offers a glimpse at the mobile software:

2. Organic brand posts will (likely) appear via Home.

If Home is successful, mobile engagement on Facebook will increase. If it’s wildly successful, engagement on mobile devices will spike.

RELATED: Eye-opening stats reveal the extent of our smartphone dependency

Now imagine your brand’s status update appearing on the cover screen of someone who has “liked” your page. Depending on your goals, this might be the holy grail of social media marketing.

According to a Facebook spokesperson, several, though not all, organic posts from brand pages will be included in Home’s news feed when it launches.

“The types of organic content initially supported will be text Page posts, photo Page posts, and link Page posts,” the spokesperson explained. “Video Page posts will not be supported at launch but we expect to include them soon.”

Social media managers should prepare to create status updates tailored for mobile devices. Here’s a guide to doing that.

3. Advertisements will not appear via Facebook Home—yet.

From a shareholder’s perspective, Home was big because it gives Facebook another venue on which to sell ads—which, let’s not forget, is the way Facebook makes money. And Wall Street responded favorably to the announcement: Facebook’s stock price was up more than 3 percent at the close of trading on Thursday.

Currently, ads will not appear on cover screens, but they will down the road.

“We’re designing and working on a lot of really high-quality ad units in [news feed] already,” Facebook’s Adam Mosseri said at the launch event on Thursday. “We will bring those to cover feed and make sure they are aligned with the aesthetic and quality bar of everything else in cover feed.”

Mosseri’s remarks appeared on Wired.

Typically, Facebook rolls out new features to be very consumer friendly. Once users get accustomed to the format, Facebook introduces advertising components to be as non-intrusive as possible—though it’s not always the case.

Therein lies Facebook Home’s greatest challenges, according to Jan Dawson, chief telecommunications analyst at Ovum.

“The biggest obstacle to success for this experiment: Facebook’s objectives and users’ are once again in conflict,” she said in an email. “Users don’t want more advertising or tracking, and Facebook wants to do more of both.”

The software for mobile phones will be available starting April 12, via the Google Play online store. A phone with the Home software built in will also be available. That mobile device is from HTC.

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For the second time in six months, the U.S. Embassy in Cairo created diplomatic waves with its Twitter account, and at least one PR professional thinks it’s time for the State Department to review its social media policy.

The most recent incident occurred on Tuesday when Embassy Cairo, as it’s called in diplomatic circles, tweeted a link to a “Daily Show” segment about an Egyptian TV personality—billed as that nation’s Jon Stewart—who had been arrested for criticizing President Mohamed Morsi.

The tweet drew a harsh rebuke from the Twitter account of the Muslim Brotherhood as well as from Morsi’s official Twitter account:

.@usembassycairo @thedailyshow @drbassemyoussef It’s inappropriate for a diplomatic mission to engage in such negative political propaganda

— Egyptian Presidency (@EgyPresidency) April 2, 2013

As a result of the criticism, the embassy in Cairo shut down the Twitter account briefly. That sparked a response from some who saw the move as appeasement.

Can’t believe entire @usembassycairo account was deleted. Appeasement!

— arabist (@arabist) April 3, 2013

The embassy’s account was reinstated by Thursday, but the tweet in question had been deleted. The sum reaction is that the embassy’s Twitter feed needs help.

Another undiplomatic & unwise move by @usembassycairo, taking sides in an ongoing investigation & disregarding Egyptian law & culture

— Ikhwanweb (@Ikhwanweb) April 2, 2013

A State Department spokesperson chalked up the incident to mismanagement of the account.

“We’ve had some glitches with the way the Twitter feed has been managed,” Victoria Nuland said at a press briefing.

Nuland acknowledged that Wednesday’s incident was not the first time the embassy in Cairo had blundered on social media.

“Embassy Cairo is looking at how to manage these glitches,” she said. “They came to the conclusion that the decision to tweet it in the first place didn’t accord with post management of the site.”

Her remarks from the briefing appeared on a Foreign Policy magazine blog.

Nuland’s mention of previous incidents is likely a reference to Sept. 11, 2012. When protesters amassed outside the walls of the embassy in Cairo, officials inside the compound tweeted several times to reportedly calm the protesters. Mitt Romney used the tweets, along with a press release (reportedly drafted by a PR professional at the embassy), as political fodder, suggesting the Obama administration was caving to the demands of America’s enemies.

According to Foreign Policy, “the combative character” of the embassy’s Twitter account has continued since the Sept. 11 incident. The New York Times pointed out that the account has also created a dialogue with critics of the U.S. and sought to quash rumors about America and President Obama.

Either way, Wednesday’s incident offers U.S. officials an important reminder about communicating via social media, said Gil Rudawsky, the head of crisis communications at GroundFloor Media in Denver.

“This issue should be a wake-up call for other State Department officials using Twitter to institute a social media policy about what is appropriate, and what is not,” he said. “If they have one, it’s time to review it.”

According to Rudawsky, who is a frequent contributor to PR Daily, the State Department, particularly those working in the Middle East, need to approach Twitter with the same oversight as traditional communications.

“I highly doubt that they would have sent out a release teasing to a ‘The Daily Show’ [segment] critical of the Egyptian president,” he explained. “Satire isn’t appropriate in press releases, and, likewise, it is not appropriate in official Twitter accounts.”

He recommends that the State Department keep the Twitter account open, but be smarter about it.

“Deleting items never works and just increases interest and, in this case, suspicion,” Rudawsky said.

(Image via & via)

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Facebook wants to be in your pocket, in a wholesome way.

During a live event on Thursday, the social network network unveiled Facebook Home, which is software to showcase the social network on Android phones. Basically, you’re never more than a finger tap away from your Facebook feed.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said it’s “the best version of Facebook there is.”

The software will be available to download through the Google Play store starting April 12. It will also be available on HTC phones.

However, if you’re among the growing number of people suffering from Facebook fatigue, the new software is the last thing you need.

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The crisis response came after Carnival’s Triumph—which was towed into port in Mobile, Ala., last month—broke loose from its moorings on Wednesday afternoon, damaging the ship and knocking two workers on an adjacent pier into the water. One of the workers remains unaccounted for. Six hundred crewmembers and 200 contractor workers aboard the ship were unharmed, according to a Carnival statement.

Triumph has been a problem for Carnival. In February, the cruise liner was towed into port in Mobile after several days at sea without power. Weary and frightened passengers complained of backed-up toilets.

In the most recent incident concerning Triumph, Carnival responded quickly via social media to the first reports of the ship’s unmooring. Shortly after the incident occurred, Carnival tweeted:

Due to strong winds in Mobile, Carnival Triumph, which was docked @ Mobile shipyard, broke away from its moorings. US Coast Guard is on site

— Carnival Cruise Line (@CarnivalCruise) April 3, 2013

It continued tweeting updates about the ship throughout the day and night:

Carnival Triumph is now secure & expected to soon be moved to the Mobile Cruise Terminal.

— Carnival Cruise Line (@CarnivalCruise) April 3, 2013

According to reports, 2 workers on adjacent pier fell into water. One has reportedly been recovered by U.S. Coast Guard & other is missing.

— Carnival Cruise Line (@CarnivalCruise) April 3, 2013

Lines have moored the Carnival Triumph, and, as a precaution, tugboats will remain alongside the vessel.

— Carnival Cruise Line (@CarnivalCruise) April 3, 2013

All of the approx. 600 crew & 200 contractors who were onboard are safe & accounted for. There are no reports of injuries.

— Carnival Cruise Line (@CarnivalCruise) April 3, 2013

While assessment of damage to the ship is ongoing, initial indications suggest the damage is limited.

— Carnival Cruise Line (@CarnivalCruise) April 3, 2013

The search continues for the second pier worker. Our thoughts and prayers are with the missing shipyard employee and the family.

— Carnival Cruise Line (@CarnivalCruise) April 3, 2013

The company pulled all of these tweets together for two larger statements posted to its Facebook page.

Triumph isn’t the only ship to create problems for Carnival. Last month, reports emerged of backed up toilets on another Carnival ship. The company has received mixed reviews from PR professionals for its response to the incidents.

(Image by Scott Lucht, via)

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