Most things are cyclical, and media coverage is no exception. Following months of damaging stories about Enron, Worldcom and other scandal-scarred companies, the media is
starting to focus on more positive corporate news, according to the latest Media Reputation Index (MRI) survey conducted by Norwalk, Ct.-based Delahaye. MRI's latest results show
that although the volume of news stories has dipped since last year, the majority of coverage has been favorable. "Media coverage is not only cyclical but also temporal," says
Mark Weiner, CEO of Delahaye Medialink, which provides media research.
Weiner points to the favorable reviews of two current Disney films - "Finding Nemo" and "The Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" - that have offset negative
coverage of Disney's theme parks, which have taken a hit in attendance in light of the war on the terrorism, SARS, etc. "There are a lot more outlets for entertainment coverage
than business stories." Another instance: stories about Coca-Cola's stock drop in the second quarter have been neutralized by positive coverage of Coke's new ad campaign and the
company's new chief marketing officer. "My bet is each of these companies had negative news, but also had something positive happening simultaneously," Weiner says.
The MRI second quarter results are based on an analysis of more than 60,000 news items. Delahaye breaks down coverage into six categories tied to the Reputation Quotient:
products and services, emotional appeal, financial performances, social responsibility, vision and leadership and workplace environment. "PR directors need to manage their
companies holistically so there are a variety of stories that can succeed and minimize any single story that may be a negative," Weiner says. "Companies with strong spokespeople
with access to the media have the advantage over companies that don't in terms of getting a fair shake from reporters."
Second Quarter 2003 MRI Winners:
- The Walt Disney Company
- Microsoft
- Intel
- Wal-Mart
- General Motors
- IBM
- Home Depot
- Coca-Cola
- Bank of America
- AOL Time Warner
Source: Delahaye Medialink