SPJ Sounds Off: The Media's Take on Themselves
The professional defense offered by four Washington, D.C. journalists at last week's National Press Club Society of Professional Journalist's forum, "Can We Be Trusted? Journalists Under Fire," sounded an awful lot more like spin than self-examination.
Washington Times editorial writer Eric Felten said the attention given the CNN-Sarin gas debacle, the case of a Boston Globe columnist accused of plagiarism and the coverage of the Monica Lewinsky case doesn't demonstrate a rash of media excess - rather how well the checks and balances are working when journalists step over the line.
Perhaps the media rates at the bottom of public opinion polls, said Jim Lemay, VP of news at WJLA-TV, because they deliver the bad news, not because they have lost public respect.
Conversely, Walter Gold of the Washington News Network wasn't even aware of the summer Gallup poll that ranked the media as one of the least trusted professions in recent years.
A national media conspiracy? American Journalism Review Editor Rem Reimer dismissed any organized plan to cover up some stories and attack others. "The more you know about news rooms, you know they couldn't run a conspiracy if they wanted to."
ACQUISITIONS
MS&L Acquires Capital Relations; Snyder Buys Response
PR monolith Manning, Selvage & Lee, New York, joins the ranks of other agencies acquiring PR firms to better position themselves for the millennium. The company, in an undisclosed agreement, bought Capital Relations, Inc., Westlake Village, Calif., forming MS&L Global Technology. The new practice group will cater to multi-nationals in consumer and high-tech corridors.
Its 23-person staff was folded into MS&L's operations. Capital Relations President Denise Burrows remains on board as a senior executive..
In other acquisition news, Snyder Communications, Bethesda, Md., acquires Response Marketing Group, Richmond, Va. The company devises integrated, interactive and marketing plans for the technology, financial, healthcare and automotive industries. (Snyder, 212/688-6840)
PEOPLE NEWS
- Thomas Hardy, press secretary for Illinois Gov. Jim Edgar, joins Burson-Marsteller, Chicago, as director in the media practice. (BM, 212/614-4082)
- Eva Quinn is promoted to director of corporate relations at The Principal Financial Group, Des Moines. She was assistant director of corporate relations. (PFG, 515/248-3587)
- PR veteran Grant N. Horne of San Francisco was inducted into the Arthur W. Page Society's Hall of Fame at the organization's recent annual conference in Naples, Fla. Horne served for 16 years as VP of PR for Pacific Gas & Electric Co. and is the 14th member of the Hall of Fame. (Arthur Page Society, 212/387-4259)
Congressional Yellow: In Time for November Elections
Call it good timing, but Leadership Directories, Inc., just added to its posse of directories a new-and-improved "Congressional Yellow Book." For the first time, the Fall volume shows all the candidates for the House and Senate races next month. Those of in government relations and public affairs should consider retrieving the company credit card and racking up the $260-plus charge to get your 1,400-page-plus bible of contacts. (LDI, 212/627-4140)
The Latest Item From IABC
The International Association of Business Communicators has allocated $40,000 for a research project that will compare communication in 10 successful companies and another 10 that just don't make the cut. The two-year study is being done by U.K.-based strategic communication company ITEM Group, Ltd. IABC reviewed 11 initial proposals before choosing ITEM.
IABC is still looking for sponsors for this other upcoming projects. (IABC, 800/776-4222)