Electors The X Factor In Presidential Elections Franklin D. Roosevelt once said that presidents in the United States are not elected—they are selected. Since he was selected four times, he would know better than anyone else. The selection process begins at the primary level. The two major political parties have tilted the tables toward candidates…
Read moreCrisis Communications Vital To Public Safety
Public Health Critical Part Of Communications Crisis situations affect businesses of all sizes and industries every day. The following best practices, however, will help outline and deploy an effective plan to avoid/minimize harm to people, property and reputations. It will even help organizations prepare for, and prevent, the spread of the coronavirus: Crisis Aversion Being…
Read morePublic Relations Pioneer Leaves Legacy
Burson The Father Of Public Relations Harold Burson, often heralded as the “Father of Public Relations,” has died at the age of 98. A Memphis native, Burson has been described by PRWeek as the 20th century’s “most influential PR figure.” He founded the public relations firm Burson-Marsteller with Bill Marsteller in 1953. The firm, which employs about 4,000, created the…
Read moreCrisis Communications Best Practices
Crisis Aversion First In the digital age, public relations disasters can strike at any time. No brand is immune from a negative social media post that is gaining traction or an unfavorable news story, and when an incident like this occurs, it’s imperative to act quickly and decisively to address it. When a PR crisis…
Read morePublic Lands Under Assault
Watershed Protection vs. Profits The United States has about 640 million acres of public lands—an area more than seven times larger than Germany. If America needs a wall for defense, we need it around our public lands—which are critical to our heritage and homeland security. “There is nothing more practical in the end than the preservation of…
Read morePropaganda Part Of Public Affairs
The Art Of Information, Influence Propaganda and censorship are nothing new, but the art, science and motives have evolved tremendously in the past decade. Freedom of speech isn’t what it used to be. Propaganda is a form of communication aimed towards influencing the attitude of a population toward some cause, position or movement. It’s a common…
Read moreGovernment Shutdown Values Idealism Over Patriotism
Nation’s Bankruptcy Threatens Constitution Since we now fund our government and our record debt three months at a time, the showdown over funding was predictable. President Trump signaled his approval of a government shutdown last May, when he endorsed the possibility publicly. He made it clear that he was willing to hold a nation and…
Read morePrion Disease A Symptom Of Bigger Problem
Prion Disease Never Isolated Mad cow disease has again raised its ugly head in the United States. Thanks to misinformation and mismanagement by government, the problem will persist. Government and industry representatives announced yesterday that an 11-year-old beef cow in Alabama tested positive for prion disease. Also known as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), the disease…
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Food, Water Supplies Threatened If you consider yourself a homeland defender, then demand that the Department of Homeland Security enforce the Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002 to defend us from 700 million tons of infectious waste that’s dumped into our food and water supplies every year. This law is supposed to protect our air, food and…
Read moreBest Practices In Public Affairs
Digital Trends Shaping Best Practices Public affairs and public relations are not synonymous or mutually exclusive terms, but the line is getting blurred as the art and science of influence evolves. I see public affairs as an organization’s efforts to manage relationships with stakeholders in the public policy arena at any level. These are individuals…
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