The producers of Newsnight enjoyed this clip from Australian TV so much that they re-broadcast it, even though the issues and the politicians involved meant little or nothing to a UK audience. It’s a lovely example of what happens when a politician is on-message to the point of absurdity. A government minister, Bill Shorten, is
Continue reading →Pontins turns crisis into PR disaster
October 14, 2011 By
The poor woman – you could almost feel sorry for her. As a piece of crisis management, pretty well anything that could go wrong, did. Under the fierce glow of Anne Robinson’s Watchdog studio lights, live on prime time BBC1 last night, it was Eileen Downey’s job to defend the reputation of Pontins, the holiday
Continue reading →A tale of jargon and the World’s Worst Press Release
September 22, 2011 By
It’s always good to see a new front opened up in the war against jargon. This month a couple of new books have taken up the theme – each of which contains some good reminders of the types of clichés and weasel words many of us have slipped into, but should probably try hard to
Continue reading →What if you feel you have been invited on to radio or TV under false pretences?
September 5, 2011 By
If you feel you have been invited on to a TV or radio programme under false pretences, should you make this clear to viewers and listeners by throwing a strop? My usual advice is no, it will probably make you look self-important and rather pathetic – if you’re unable to cope with the hurly-burly of
Continue reading →The new rules for pre-recorded TV interviews
April 15, 2011 By
What is the ‘etiquette’ in a pre-recorded TV interview when a guest fluffs his or her lines and wants another go, or hasn’t got an answer to the question and wants time to think, or wants a question re-phrased because they feel it is predicated on a factual inaccuracy? It is common practice to take
Continue reading →Media tip: Make speedy journalist response a priority!
January 16, 2011 By
When journalists need comment from subject experts on a current topic, they often put calls out to at least a couple of rival firms – whoever responds quickest tends to get their quote used, or the slot on the air. Even if you are busy, try to prioritise returning a journalist’s call – don’t plough
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