Stories by SARAH SEGAL, DIRECTOR, MEDIA RELATIONS, CORPORATE MARKETING, THE BLUESHIRT GROUP

The news last week that Facebook is working on a dislike button means PR professionals should be thinking about how they will guide brands through this new wrinkle and protect against misuse of such a device.

Reporting metrics to senior-level management is a highly sensitive topic in PR circles. With budget season upon us, the topic gains in importance. But how should it best be done?

The updated Principles are both similar and different from the original. The seven concepts in the seven Principles remain the same. What changed is a focus on best practices.

The fundamentals of communications are timeless. The art of telling a great story, the science of selecting the right channels to share our story in and the nuances of language always have been and will continue to be critical to success.

We hear it repeatedly—brands should avoid entering the social media arena if they have no intention of joining the conversation with consumers and other influencers.

No Coal in Edelman’s Stocking: There are plenty of PR lessons in the news surrounding Edelman’s decision to end ties with coal producers and climate change deniers.

Back to Barcelona: With it being Measurement Week in North America (please see page 9), it’s important to note the International Association for Measurement and Evaluation of Communication (AMEC) launched an updated Barcelona Principles, which it’s calling Barcelona Principles 2.0.

A brand’s reputation can be dented faster than at any time in history, in large part due to social media. That’s why the 75 Fortune 500 CCOs who responded to the study said their top priorities included protecting the brand against fallout from social media attacks.

We asked Margot Sinclair Savell, the North America co-chair of AMEC, to present a case study showing the value of measurement in practical terms.

In an annual tradition, PR News has announced the finalists in its 2015 Platinum PR Awards program. The awards celebrate the best PR creativity, technological savvy, storytelling expertise and business acumen found in communications campaigns from brands, nonprofit organizations and agencies.