Stories by Seth Arenstein

We often hear about the adversarial relationship of PR and legal departments. Replacing that traditional viewpoint is one that advocates for a collaboration between communicators and lawyers, particularly as PR becomes a strategic advisor in the C-suite and boardroom. Exploring that collaboration in the regulatory space finds the lines are blurring between PR and legal.

In this update to our first story about coronavirus and PR, we focus on the fallout over communications, or the lack thereof. Our first story included comments from PR pros insisting that transparency and fact-based communications are critical during a health crisis. At the start of the virus, China went in the opposite direction, clamping down on communication about the virus, giving the killer several weeks head start.

Most indications are that data and analytics are rising in importance in the world of PR and communications. Still there are some communicators who refuse to measure. If you find yourself trapped in a non-measurement culture, how can you change things? Measurement guru Katie Paine argues that testing assumptions via audience surveys is a simple route to take. But first, buy Starbucks, cookies and alcohol.

When it comes to crisis, there’s good and bad news, according to a survey from PRNEWS and CS&A International, a risk, crisis and business continuity management consultancy. More than half the executives surveyed said their firms have crisis plans. Far fewer knew whether or not those plans are updated regularly. In addition, few companies are practicing crisis scenarios regularly.

To get prepared for PRNEWS’ Crisis and Measurement Summit in Miami later this month, we asked several of the scheduled speakers to provide crisis and measurement tips. Planning was one of the themes their answers had in common.

In a far-ranging interview, new PRSA chair T. Garland Stansell discusses the need for PR pros to be courageous enough to accept and shape change, his goals for the 30,000-member organization and the challenges of communications measurement.

In this 4th installment of a series on measurement from Intrado Digital Media, we examine why communicators measure and how to discover the best metrics to find ROI at your company.

No longer confined to China, coronavirus is beginning to move from a foreign story to a domestic one. More than that, it’s become a communications and reputation story. When iconic brands get involved, we tend to listen more closely.

Technology has made the world much smaller. Still, in many ways, humans remain very insular. What’s in front of us often receives most of our attention. As a result, where a news story occurs can… Continued

You’re not a real company unless you have an active CSR & sustainability campaign. At least that seems to be the new normal. The recent World Economic Forum pushed the green effort, though there were some cracks. To get set for PRNEWS’ CSR & Nonprofit awards in late March, we look at the ups and downs of CSR and why corporate social activism needs communicators who do it well.