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 People Who Listen To Podcasts Are Suddenly Feeling Left Out – Video once killed the radio star, and it might be happening again as podcasts are increasingly embracing video, with platforms like YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts integrating visual content. This shift is leaving some audio-only fans feeling excluded, as shows now often assume visual context, making them confusing for listeners who can’t watch. While some find video enhances discoverability and appeal, others lament the potential loss of intimacy and the original purpose of podcasts as a passive listening medium. The Wall Street Journal looks at how podcasts are changing.
A Must For The Next Food Craze? Be ‘Social Media Gorgeous.’ – Big food companies, restaurant chains and even local coffee shops are battling one another for every dollar. To do that, they need to convince consumers that their sodas, cakes and entrees are unique or more interesting than competitors’. As a result, a sort of flavor arms race has emerged, with teams of consultants and advisers scouring the globe — or, more aptly, social media posts — for unusual ingredients or combinations. Who’s got the most Instagrammable stuff? The New York Times digs in.
Kids Are Discovering The Joys–And Pains–Of The Landline – Families are reintroducing landlines to combat excessive screen time for children, citing concerns about teen anxiety fueled by smartphones. While this “blast from the past” offers a safer, analog social experience with “training wheels,” it presents learning curves for kids unfamiliar with basic phone etiquette and functionality. The Wall Street Journal explains.
Surprising Hidden Pattern Connecting Over 1,500 Languages Found – Scientists found universal grammatical rules in more than 1,700 languages, suggesting shared cognitive pressures shape human communication. Languages evolve predictably, not randomly, with common patterns in word order and sentence structure. This points to underlying cognitive forces guiding language emergence, though precise mechanisms require further study. Mind-blowing stuff from The Independent.
Hershey’s Promises To Use Only Real Chocolate After Backlash – Hershey’s will use only real chocolate in all products by 2027, reversing a trend of using substitutes amid rising cocoa prices. This change follows consumer backlash, led by Brad Reese, grandson of the Reese’s inventor, who criticized ingredient alterations. While Hershey claims the shift aligns with evolving consumer preferences and was planned, Reese deems it a PR stunt, demanding immediate action. The New York Times takes a look.
Want To Save Journalism? Change Who Owns It – News media is a bewildering paradox. Never have we had so much access to information and news sources, yet our trust in news media, journalism, and the authenticity of the profession itself have never been lower. In Canada, the “trust score” given to news media dropped from 55 in 2016 to 37 in 2024, according to a study by Reuters. The Tyee takes a look at why trust has eroded and potential solutions.
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Feed Your Head:
How To Make Money Running A Gas Station: Put A Speakeasy In The Back
Remembering Cars Without Seatbelts And Athletes Who Smoked
Inventors Who Didn’t Invent What They Are Famous For Inventing
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flack
: one who provides publicity
flack
: 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.