The Flack

The Flack highlights changes and trends in the news, examples of communications practices, and content we at BYRNE PR thought you might find useful.

We hope you enjoy, and we always welcome your feedback.

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University President Resigns After Plagiarizing Speech — May is commencement season. Unfortunately, that can also mean plagiarism season. Last week the University of South Carolina accepted the resignation of President Bob Caslen, who admitted he plagiarized part of a speech by the former head of U.S. Special Operations Command during a weekend commencement speech. In a letter Caslen said he was “truly sorry” for having shared a well-known quote by Admiral William McRaven, who oversaw the successful raid that killed Osama bin Laden. McRaven’s commencement speech has been viewed more than 13 million times on YouTube and years later is still an inspiration to viewers.

Facebook Wants to Make Sure You’ve Read The Article You’re About to Share — Have you ever shared an article via Facebook without reading it first? If so, you’re not alone, and Facebook wants to do something about it. The company announced on Twitter it will start testing a pop-up message that asks users if they’re sure they want to share an article they haven’t opened. The pop-up message will prompt users to read the article, but they can also choose to continue sharing it if they want. Facebook says the message is meant to help people stay more informed about the articles they share, likely as an attempt to combat the spread of misinformation the platform has struggled with in the past.

Follow The Rule of 3 Questions to Be More Likable — According to a 2017 Harvard study published in Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, asking a question and then asking at least two follow-up questions will dramatically increase how likable you are. The authors write: “We converse with others to learn what they know — their information, stories, preferences, ideas, thoughts, and feelings — as well as to share what we know, while managing others’ perceptions of us. When we ask more questions, we are perceived as higher in responsiveness, an interpersonal construct that captures listening, understanding, validation, and care.” This article from Inc. looks at the study and explains how asking three simple questions can vastly improve your conversations.

How ‘The Tipping Point’ Spawned a New Kind of Business Book — When The Tipping Point was published in 2000, it marked a sea change in the world of books. Selling over a million copies, Malcolm Gladwell’s “biography of an idea” convinced publishers that — told well — serious books about economics, social change, history, science and business could appeal to readers. A new genre of silo-busting, multi-disciplinary nonfiction was born. And even though it drew largely from academic research, it wasn’t stodgy, it was fun. And its central thesis: “there is a simple way to package information that — under the right circumstances — can make it irresistible,” was broad enough to talk about over a beer. Suddenly books about ideas were cool.

To Understand Amazon, We Must Understand Jeff Bezos — Brad Stone’s new book, Amazon Unbound, takes an unflinching look at the company and its founder, Jeff Bezos. On its surface it’s a business book that seeks to explain the rise of America’s most important private enterprise, a giant company also notable for its opacity. In that sense, it is a sequel of sorts to Stone’s 2013 best seller, The Everything Store, which introduced Bezos and explained his relentless and single-minded drive to take over online commerce. Amazon Unbound is particularly valuable in explaining how the company makes money, and the day-to-day decisions that end up having a big effect on consumers: Is it worth it, for example, to sell pallets of bottled water, with their low cost and expensive shipping? Dig into this review from The New York Times.

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Feed Your Head:  How to Spot a Misleading Graph

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flack

noun

: one who provides publicity

flack

verb

: to act as a press agent or promoter for something

The word flack was first used as a noun meaning “publicity agent” during the late 1930s. According to one rumor, the word was coined in tribute to a well-known movie publicist of the time, Gene Flack.

The Flack highlights changes and trends in the news, examples of communications practices, and content we at BYRNE PR thought you might find useful.

We hope you enjoy, and we always welcome your feedback.

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Why The New York Times Is Retiring the Term ‘Op-Ed’ — The first Op-Ed page in The New York Times greeted the world Sept. 21, 1970. It was so named because it appeared opposite the editorial page — not because it would offer views contrary to the paper’s. Inevitably, it would do that, too, since its founders were putting out a welcome mat for ideas and arguments to stimulate thought and provoke discussion of public problems. Today that important mission remains the same, but the editors decided it’s time to change the name. The reason is simple, there is no geographical “Op-Ed,” just as there is no geographical “Ed” for Op-Ed to be opposite to. It is a relic of an older age and an older, print-newspaper design.

Does Tesla Have a PR Problem? — It’s a debatable question. Tesla does not have a PR department or an outside agency. The company rarely responds to reporters, yet its founder, Elon Musk, seems to get upset about much of the media coverage the company receives. Consider the coverage of a fatal crash in Texas last month involving a Tesla that might have had the company’s driver assistance feature, dubbed Autopilot, engaged. Many auto makers offer similar features that help automatically regulate speed on highways and keep cars from drifting outside of lanes. After the accident, Musk lashed out at the media on Twitter and later during the company’s first-quarter investor call. But Musk isn’t sold on PR. He recently tweeted that Tesla should focus on the product, and that he trusts people will arrive at the right conclusions. The company’s stock is up more than 400% over the past year, so maybe Musk is right not to be concerned about PR. Barron’s looks at the issue.

Girl, Wash Your Timeline — It takes a long time to build a good reputation and just seconds to lose it. Rachel Hollis, the best-selling author and motivational speaker is finding out the words she chooses matter … a lot. In April, Ms. Hollis, the 38-year-old author of the New York Times best-selling books “Girl, Wash Your Face” and “Girl, Stop Apologizing,” posted a video to TikTok that jarred many of her devoted fans. She recounted that while speaking extemporaneously during a livestream, she mentioned her twice-weekly housekeeper who “cleans the toilets.” One commenter told Hollis she was “privileged” and “unrelatable.” That was bad. But Hollis then doubled down on her comments and compared herself to Harriet Tubman, Oprah Winfrey and others. That’s when things got worse.

How to Lead With Humanity Through Crises — It’s been more than a year since America plummeted into a web of overlapping crises — health, economic, political, caregiving, racial justice. As a result, “stay at home” categories, such as connectivity platforms, streaming sites and online retailers, have boomed financially. Yet, certain companies rose above the rest even within these industries. More surprisingly, some businesses have seen significant growth in revenue and public reputation, despite having offerings unconnected to or even disrupted by these crises. Business performance, in good times and bad, comes down to more than product offerings. It comes down to great leadership. What can we learn from looking back at leadership over the past year? Across industries, leaders at companies that have thrived actually had a lot in common. Inc. looks at the 5 key concepts these companies leveraged to be successful.

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Feed Your Head:  40 Ways to Improve Your Writin

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flack

noun

: one who provides publicity

flack

verb

: to act as a press agent or promoter for something

The word flack was first used as a noun meaning “publicity agent” during the late 1930s. According to one rumor, the word was coined in tribute to a well-known movie publicist of the time, Gene Flack.

The Flack highlights changes and trends in the news, examples of communications practices, and content we at BYRNE PR thought you might find useful.

We hope you enjoy, and we always welcome your feedback.

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Inside the Fight for the Future of The Wall Street Journal — The Wall Street Journal is a rarity in 21st-century media: a newspaper that makes money. A lot of money. But at a time when the U.S. population is growing more racially diverse, older white men still make up the largest chunk of its readership, with retirees a close second. Now, a special innovation team and a group of nearly 300 newsroom employees are pushing for drastic changes. They say the paper must move away from subjects of interest to established business leaders and widen its scope if it wants to succeed in the years to come. The Journal of the future, they say, must pay more attention to social media trends and cover racial disparities in health care as aggressively as it pursues corporate mergers. That argument has yet to convince executives in the top ranks of the company. Grab a cup of coffee for this deep dive by The New York Times.

Messaging Mistakes in the Wake of the Derek Chauvin Verdict — After jurors found Derek Chauvin guilty of all charges, some organizations and public figures jumped into the fray with ill-considered statements. While a verdict has been rendered, the issues that underpin the national conversation about the tragedy—including systemic racism and police misconduct—remain unresolved. While a guilty verdict might offer some solace to Floyd’s family, the rush by many organizations to celebrate a victory has felt inappropriate—and users on social media are voicing their displeasure. Ted Kitterman, editor of PR Daily, reviews the best and the worst statements made by politicians, corporations, celebrities, sports leagues and more.

How to Answer the ‘Trap Question’ — Being a CEO is a never-ending challenge. No matter how successful you are, you still get asked social-justice “trap questions” like, “What are you doing about inclusion and equity?” Just by answering, you’re assumed guilty. Some of these things might be important, but are they more important than growing the company to create inclusive jobs in the first place? This year’s Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research Summit included a fireside chat with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, who was asked about the social responsibility of corporations. Take a look at how Mr. Nadella calmly answered this difficult question.

PowerPoint Can Now Help You Practice Presentations Almost Anywhere — No Humans Required — Developing great presentations is hard. Effectively presenting your ideas in front of an audience can be much more difficult. To do it well you must rehearse, get objective feedback and rehearse some more. But now PowerPoint is here to help. PowerPoint Presenter Coach (installed as part of a recent update) listens to you while you practice a presentation out loud. It analyzes what you’re saying, and can warn you if you’re talking too fast or slow, using filler words like “um” or “ahh,” or just reading the words off the slide (a personal pet peeve of ours). Trying it out on both PowerPoint for Windows and iOS, it worked shockingly well, doing pretty much everything Microsoft says it should. At the end it gives you a report, telling you what you need to practice. Give it a try—your colleagues will thank you. 

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Feed Your Head:  An Ode to the Whiteboard, Corporate America’s Least Appreciated Office Tool

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flack

noun

: one who provides publicity

flack

verb

: to act as a press agent or promoter for something

The word flack was first used as a noun meaning “publicity agent” during the late 1930s. According to one rumor, the word was coined in tribute to a well-known movie publicist of the time, Gene Flack.

The Flack highlights changes and trends in the news, examples of communications practices, and content we at BYRNE PR thought you might find useful.

We hope you enjoy, and we always welcome your feedback.

************************

New Hemingway Documentary Peeks Behind the Myth — By 30, Ernest Hemingway had done more living than most men do in a lifetime. After high school he wrote for the Kansas City Star, and the newspaper’s style guidelines — “Use short sentences. Use short first paragraphs. Use vigorous English.” — influenced his writing for the rest of his career. His sparse, tight writing style became his signature, and it allowed him to become a Pulitzer Prize winner and the most celebrated American writer of his time. The new, three-part PBS documentary, Hemingway, takes a look at the man, the myths, the life he led and the work he produced. This excellent review from The New Yorker gives a good glimpse.

We Live in a New Age of Email Anxiety — Email is more important than ever, with so many people working remotely in isolation. And it has the power to freak people out in so many ways. With life in overdrive for many of us, mustering up the emotional fortitude for the perfect response feels even more stressful. How do you convey gratitude, warmth and that “message received” sentiment without sounding long-winded or neglecting to do the initial dispatch justice? How soon do you have to respond? What’s the exact moment that shows you care, but assures you’re not stalking the sender? This brief article (or six-minute listen) from The Wall Street Journal looks at the issue and provides some quick tips to reduce stress and simplify your life.

Illinois State Senator Wants to Preserve Journalism, Eliminate ‘News Deserts’ — More than 15 years of declining advertising revenue and circulation have translated into fewer newspapers, fewer newsroom jobs and news deserts around the country. Illinois State Sen. Steve Stadelman, D-Rockford, a former local TV news anchor, wants to do something about it. He is sponsoring a bill to create a Local Journalism Task Force with the aim of providing local news to underserved communities around the state. The number of daily and weekly newspapers in Illinois fell from 573 in 2004 to 383 in 2019 —  a 33% decrease. During the same time frame, total newspaper circulation dropped from 6.4 million to 4 million. This story looks at the senator’s plan to change things.

No, Volkswagen Isn’t Rebranding Itself Voltswagen — Volkswagen’s U.S. subsidiary said last week the company would rebrand itself as Voltswagen of America to promote its electric car strategy, but a spokesman for the parent company in Germany later said the move was a joke. The name change, which immediately lit up social media and online news sites, was originally intended as an early April Fools’ Day stunt to get people talking about VW’s ambitious electric-car strategy as the company rolls out its first all-electric sport-utility vehicle in U.S. dealerships, the spokesman said. The problem for VW is that everyone took it seriously, creating confusion about the company’s intentions and putting VW’s communications team on the defensive. Was this a joke or an intentional ploy to get publicity for the company’s EV strategy? The Wall Street Journal takes a look.

How to Say ‘I Don’t Know’ With Confidence … And Why You Should — It takes a lot of confidence to say, “I don’t know.” There will be times, in any job, where you are asked a question, and you simply do not know the answer. Acknowledging you do not have the answer — and saying you’ll find out and circle back, when that’s possible — is far, far better than trying to bluff your way through or risking giving inaccurate information. In fact, one of the things people who are great at their work and widely respected have in common is that they’re willing to say “I don’t know.” It actually makes them look more confident and credible, because they’re secure in their overall competence and standing, and they know they don’t need to (and can’t) have every single answer. Inc. takes a look at how to say, “I don’t know,” and boost your credibitily.

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Words Matter:  Pollster Frank Luntz Discusses Why Leaders Should Stop Saying “Vaccine Passport”

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flack

noun

: one who provides publicity

flack

verb

: to act as a press agent or promoter for something

The word flack was first used as a noun meaning “publicity agent” during the late 1930s. According to one rumor, the word was coined in tribute to a well-known movie publicist of the time, Gene Flack.

The Flack highlights changes and trends in the news, examples of communications practices, and content we at BYRNE PR thought you might find useful.

We hope you enjoy, and we always welcome your feedback.

Ellen DeGeneres Loses 1 Million Viewers After Apology for Toxic Workplace — A toxic workplace is never a good thing, but a tone-deaf apology can make things much, much worse. Ever since Ellen DeGeneres’ toxic workplace scandal last year, her show has reportedly taken a significant hit in the ratings — losing more than one million viewers since September, when Ellen opened the new season with an apology over accusations of a toxic work environment. The decline has come at a time when workplace behavior, in Hollywood and elsewhere, has come under intense scrutiny against a backdrop of protest and social change. This story from The New York Times reviews Ellen’s apology and fall from grace.

Does Your Office Have a Jargon Problem? — Jargon is everywhere. It’s in every office, every Zoom and every business conversation. And it seems to be getting worse. Workplace jargon is a staple of the modern organization. People love to complain about jargon, saying it’s unnecessary, empty, pretentious or hard to understand. Many industry and government leaders criticize it or have even tried to regulate its use. Despite these complaints, jargon continues to thrive in most professions. But, if jargon is so disliked, why is it so common? Harvard Business Review takes a deep dive and explains ways to begin eliminating jargon in your workplace.

Public Speaking Advice You’ve Never Heard Before, From The ‘Anti-Speech Writer’ — Susie Ashfield is a trained actor and one of the U.K.’s youngest speech coaches for CEOs and brands all over the world. After years of waitressing, Ashfield entered the corporate world and noticed even top executives had a difficult time with public speaking, often making things uncomfortable for both them and their audience. Because of her background in acting, Ashfield would receive requests for help from execs ahead of speeches and presentations—and soon enough, she was making a living out of bridging the gap between performance art and the corporate environment. Here are her five best (and most unconventional) pieces of advice for anyone who wants to look good, feel good and sound good the next time they find themselves in front of an audience.

50-Cent Words Are No Bargain — Like jargon, 50-cent words and unnecessarily complicated language are everywhere. Sports announcers will refer to an 89-85 score as a 4-point “differential” when “difference” or “lead” would have done just fine. Journalists will use “replicate,” when “duplicate” or “copy” would have been as effective. The same people are also likely to reach for replicate’s hazy neighbor “recalibrate,” when what they have in mind is usually nothing more than “reconsider.” Why are people, especially many who make their living through the use of language, attracted by these and so many other hollow words? This quick read (or 6-minute listen) from The Wall Street Journal digs into the consequences of this trend.

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Feed Your Head: 11 Common Grammar Mistakes That Make You Look Dumb

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flack noun
: one who provides publicity

flack verb
: to act as a press agent or promoter for something 

The word flack was first used as a noun meaning “publicity agent” during the late 1930s. According to one rumor, the word was coined in tribute to a well-known movie publicist of the time, Gene Flack. 

The Flack highlights changes and trends in the news, examples of communications practices, and content we at BYRNE PR thought you might find useful.

We hope you enjoy, and we always welcome your feedback.

Meghan, Harry And Buckingham Palace Provide Key Crisis Communication Lessons — As the royal family feud continues to unfold, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Buckingham Palace are providing key crisis communication lessons for all business executives. The latest lessons from the royals played out in the U.S. Sunday night in front of a national television audience when Oprah Winfrey interviewed Harry and Meghan in a two-hour special on CBS. The interview was must-see TV for many who have a role in preventing, responding to, managing, communicating amid or trying to recover from corporate crisis situations. This article from Forbes lays out the key takeaways.

The Art (Yes, Art) of Conversation — Everyone’s familiar with the sensation of being trapped in a conversation for too long – be that over the garden fence or by the office water cooler. On the other end of the spectrum, we’ve also experienced conversations that seem to end prematurely, leaving us dissatisfied and maybe even a little hurt. A new Harvard study has found this conversational disappointment may be incredibly common. The study found that less than 2% of conversations ended when both partners wanted them to. This figure was remarkably stable, irrespective of whether people were talking to a stranger or a loved one. This quick read explains why bad conversations happen and provides simple, sharp tips to improve conversation skills.

How to Polish Your Public Speaking — We all do it, and we all could do it better. Do you unknowingly touch your hair when you speak on Zoom? Do you speak with your hands when the movements have no value? Almost everyone uses unnecessary gestures, words or sounds (think: “uh huh,” “umm…”). We often tend to stop using them when appearing in front of an audience, but if a gesture supports your message, use it. It is part of you. It’s only when a gesture is repeated too frequently that it harms you and the message you’re conveying. Watch a recording of yourself or ask friends to identify repetitive tendencies you don’t easily recognize. Awareness is the first step. Later, practice speaking before an audience without them. A disciplined approach and this checklist will help you improve.

The Brutal Truth You Must Accept to Write Well, According to Jeff Bezos — You might be a tech genius, a gifted salesperson or analytic whiz, but to be truly successful in your career, you still need to learn how to write well. That’s the word from many experts, and it’s also clearly the belief of Jeff Bezos. The Amazon founder famously banned PowerPoint in favor of narrative six-page memos. Writing well means being able not only to communicate clearly, but also to think through complex problems. Writing, in short, makes you both more persuasive and smarter. You don’t have to spend much time searching to find tips and tricks to improve your writing. But to really improve – to take things to a higher level – there are two things you must do. This story from Inc. explains.

Case Study: A Nearly Perfect CEO Interview — Sonos CEO Patrick Spence joined CNBC’s “Squawk on the Street” Wednesday to discuss the company’s stock price, which has surged 60% and the launch of Sonos’ first portable speaker. Take a look at this nearly flawless CEO interview. Some quick things to note:

• Spence is ready for the interview. He addresses each question and bridges to key messages he needs to deliver.
• He has great energy and speaks at a nice, appropriate pace.
• Spence’s enthusiasm/excitement for Sonos is palpable. He maintains steady eye contact, his facial expressions are optimistic and appropriate, and he addresses all three reporters by name.
• He is prepared for tough questions about software updates and other topics. He never repeats negative language. Rather, he welcomes each question and addresses it with confidence and empathy.
• He keeps Sonos’ story simple: The past (origin of the company and how it has changed home audio); the present (number of customers and homes they reach); and the future (where the company will go from here).
• Finally, Spence’s background is ideal. He has several Sonos products displayed subtly, and his lighting, camera and audio are perfect. 

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What Were They Thinking?: Burger King Slammed for International Women’s Day Tweet

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The Flack highlights changes and trends in the news, examples of communications practices, and content we at BYRNE PR thought you might find useful.

We hope you enjoy, and we always welcome your feedback.

Who Can Say What Online: An Existential Question for Tech — Facebook, Twitter,  YouTube and others are wrestling with the same two questions: How do we make sure we’re not facilitating misinformation, violence, fraud or hate speech? At the same time, how do we ensure we’re not censoring users? The more platforms moderate content, the more criticism they experience from those who think they’re over-moderating. However, any statement surrounding moderation provokes some to point out objectionable content that remains. Like any question of editorial judgment, the results are guaranteed to displease someone — including Congress, which this week called the CEOs of Facebook, Google and Twitter to a hearing March 25 to discuss misinformation on their platforms. This deep dive from The Wall Street Journal explains the conundrum.

People Are More Likely to Trust—and Buy—Purpose-Driven Brands — When someone sees a logo of a brand they know is purpose-driven, they automatically associate it with words like “responsible,” “compassionate,” and “ethical.” And when someone considers a brand purpose-driven, they’re also more likely to remember it, buy it, and want to work for the company that makes it. These findings are part of a new Porter Novelli analysis that used implicit association — a type of testing often used to uncover unconscious bias — to evaluate how 1,200 consumers reacted to different brands. This two-minute read from Fast Company explains.

An Unchecked CEO Can Lead to a Public Relations Catastrophe — Many CEOs believe they are great communicators. The truth is: in the same way it is ill-advised to be your own lawyer, being your own communications person is just as bad. It can take many years to build a good reputation and just minutes to ruin it. Not accounting for the audience you’re addressing or getting into fights on Twitter can cause problems for you and your business. And in a crisis situation, poor communications from the CEO can make a bad situation significantly worse. Forbes takes a look at three of the biggest CEO PR disasters in recent history. You will likely remember them all, and they’re great case studies in what not to do.

The Most Persuasive People Use These 3 Timing Methods to Get What They Want — In our quest to become better persuaders, we often focus on what we need to do and how we need to do it. But, after decades of studying the science of persuasion, author Daniel Pink discovered something new: we also need to focus on the when of these decisions. Here are three key timing methods persuasive people use to boost their chances of getting what they want.

Zoom Burnout Is Real. Here Are 4 Practical Ways to Cope — We hate to be bearers of bad news, but Zoom meetings are here to stay, even if we wind up using them less frequently than we do now. So, if you haven’t made peace with the reality of video calls in your work life, it’s time. Need some help? Inc. has rounded up some of the best advice about making Zoom calls less stressful, more effective, and — crucially — a little less omnipresent in remote work. This quick read is full of solid tips you can apply today.

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What we’re watching: 60 Minutes — Bill Gates: How the World Can Avoid a Climate Disaster

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flack

noun

: one who provides publicity

flack

verb

: to act as a press agent or promoter for something

The word flack was first used as a noun meaning “publicity agent” during the late 1930s. According to one rumor, the word was coined in tribute to a well-known movie publicist of the time, Gene Flack.

The Flack highlights changes and trends in the news, examples of communications practices, and content we at BYRNE PR thought you might find useful.

We hope you enjoy, and we always welcome your feedback.

What Not to Say After Trading Your Franchise Star — Being the general manager of a professional baseball team can be a stressful job, and it’s particularly tough when you trade your franchise player. You have to explain your rationale to the media and fans, and you don’t need to make it any harder than it has to be. Here’s a framework for how not to go about it—brought to you by Colorado Rockies owner Dick Monfort and GM Jeff Bridich on the recent trade of All-Star third-baseman Nolan Arenado.

The Case for Semicolons — The semicolon is the unsung hero of punctuation; it’s a period on top of a comma, and it works like both a period and a comma. You can use it to separate two independent clauses — two sentences that work on their own — or to separate items in a series that would be particularly unwieldy with only commas, often because the items contain commas. This article from The New York Times Magazine reminds us of the power and beauty of the semicolon.

New Amazon CEO’s Scary Meetings Make Sense — Andy Jassy, Amazon’s incoming CEO, has a conference room named “The Chop.” It’s where ideas, and sometimes employees, go to get chopped down to size. Despite the name, Jassy’s meeting management style isn’t anything to be feared. In fact, leaders could learn from it. Here’s the gist: if you’re going to meet with the boss, come prepared. Presenters draft an extensive memo in advance, and a lot of preparation goes into it. Attendees review the memo in the room, together, in real time. After reading and taking notes, attendees pepper the presenters with questions about their plan. The goal is to pressure-test the assumptions and data in the memo. This story from Bloomberg explains the benefits.

COVID-19 Has Caused a Spike in Book Sales, But Not All of These Books are Being Read — The pandemic has caused people around the world to spend more time at home, and that has caused increased demand for streaming services, board games, puzzles, books and more. That said, not all of these books have been purchased to read. Check out this quick story from BBC NEWS about why some people have decided to purchase books they will never read.

How Our Brains Process Speech — The average 20-year-old knows between 27,000 and 52,000 words. Spoken out loud, most of these words last less than a second. With every word, the brain has a quick decision to make: which of those thousands of options matches the signal? And about 98% of the time, the brain chooses the correct word. How is this possible? Gareth Gaskell digs into the complexities of speech comprehension. This four-minute lesson from TED explains how it works.

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How to Write an Obituary

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flack

noun

: one who provides publicity

flack

verb

: to act as a press agent or promoter for something

The word flack was first used as a noun meaning “publicity agent” during the late 1930s. According to one rumor, the word was coined in tribute to a well-known movie publicist of the time, Gene Flack.

The Flack highlights changes and trends in the news, examples of communications practices, and content we at BYRNE PR thought you might find useful.

We hope you enjoy, and we always welcome your feedback.

The Photographer Behind Image of Bernie Sanders Reflects on The Moment and Its Virality — We’ve all seen it. It’s the viral picture that has entertained a nation. The sight of bundled, mitten-clad, mask-wearing Senator Bernie Sanders sitting on a folding chair was just one of many snapped by veteran photographer Brendan Smialowski at the inauguration. Little did he know the seemingly innocent view of the proceedings would go on to break the internet wide open, becoming an iconic peek into an event like no other and sparking a tidal wave of creative memes the world over. This is the story behind the famous photo that almost didn’t happen.

More Americans Are Getting Their News From Social Media — As social media companies struggle to deal with misleading information on their platforms about the election, the COVID-19 pandemic and more, Americans continue to rely on these sites for news. About half of U.S. adults (53%) say they get news from social media “often” or “sometimes,” and this use is spread out across a number of sites, according to a recent and insightful Pew Research Center survey. 

Is America Divided? Perhaps, but TV News May Be Contributing to This Perception — Major network and cable TV news outlets have given the most airtime to members of Congress with the most extreme views, creating a perception there is greater division among elected leaders than actually exists, researchers have found. Their analysis indicates broadcast news outlets — Americans’ primary source for political news — are partly to blame for growing political polarization in the U.S. and for voters’ heightened dislike for members of the opposing political party.

Boston Globe Starting “Fresh Start” Initiative as Part of Rethinking Criminal Justice — It’s been said, “you can’t rewrite history.” Or can you? Last week, the Boston Globe introduced its new “Fresh Start” initiative. The purpose of the program is to allow people to ask the newspaper to update or anonymize past coverage of them online. The newspaper said this program is part of a “broader effort to rethink the Globe’s criminal justice coverage and how it affects communities of color, amid a national reckoning over racial inequity.” This feature from Forbes explores the new program and the challenges it presents. 

Why Swearing is a Sign of Intelligence, Helps Manage Pain and More — Polite society considers swearing to be a vulgar sign of low intelligence and education, for why would one rely on rude language when blessed with a rich vocabulary? That perception, as it turns out, is full of, uh … baloney. In fact, swearing may be a sign of verbal superiority, studies have shown, and may provide other possible rewards as well. “The advantages of swearing are many,” said Timothy Jay, professor emeritus of psychology at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, who has studied swearing for more than 40 years. CNN gives five reasons to consider swearing.

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Super Bowl 2021: Watch All The Commercials Released So Far

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flack noun : one who provides publicity flack verb : to act as a press agent or promoter for something The word flack was first used as a noun meaning “publicity agent” during the late 1930s. According to one rumor, the word was coined in tribute to a well-known movie publicist of the time, Gene Flack.