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 Secret Smear Machine That’s Targeting Hollywood – A shadowy network of anonymous smear sites is targeting individuals in high-profile entertainment scandals, with critics alleging a small circle of operatives is behind them. These sites publish character-assassinating claims, often impossible to remove.The Hollywood Reporter looks at this disturbing trend.
Why Kids Are Starting To Sound Like Their Grandparents – Old words like “yap” and “skedaddle” are resurging, driven by linguistic “earworms” and social network effects. Linguists suggest this happens subconsciously, often around cultural milestones, and spreads through “cool” social groups. While most revived words remain niche, individuals can adopt and popularize terms, contributing to language evolution. This phenomenon highlights language’s dynamic nature, where old terms can gain new life. The New York Times explains.
Evie Magazine, A ‘Conservative Cosmo,’ Takes On The Cultural Moment –
As trust in news media continues to plummet, new conservative outlets focused on young audiences have flourished. Evie Magazine, a “conservative Cosmo” founded in 2019, targets young, traditional-values women in urban settings. The magazine aims to make conservatism fashionable, offering content from lifestyle tips to health discussions, often with a skeptical view of mainstream narratives. And it appears Evie has struck a cultural nerve, attracting young conservatives and critics alike, with its founders emphasizing femininity over feminism. The Wall Street Journal takes a look.
Dinner Is Being Recorded, Whether You Know It Or Not – Meta smart glasses, disguised as normal eyewear, are increasingly used to surreptitiously record individuals in public spaces like restaurants. This practice turns service workers and customers into unwitting participants, leading to discomfort and feelings of harassment. While sales of smart glasses have surged, with Meta selling millions, their use raises privacy concerns. Legal protections are unclear, and enforcement of consent laws is challenging in public settings. Wearers are urged to use the devices ethically, respecting privacy and avoiding harmful activities. Businesses can implement policies against filming, but awareness of these discreet devices remains low.
The Biggest Threat To Journalism? Journalists – Journalists, not just owners, have eroded public trust through biased and incomplete reporting. While business models have shifted, the core issue is journalists’ selective focus, often demonizing corporations and right-wing politicians while neglecting other powerful institutions. This bias, exemplified by immigration coverage that highlights migrant contributions but omits community costs and crimes, fuels public distrust and President Trump’s media attacks. Journalism’s vital role in accountability is undermined by this self-inflicted wound, leaving democracy vulnerable. Interesting editorial from The Wall Street Journal.
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Good Obit:
Jo Ann Bass, Matriarch Of Joe’s Stone Crab In Miami Beach, Dies At 94
Feed Your Head:
How Curling Became The ‘Drinking Man’s Sport’
Phonographs, Player Pianos and Betamax: The Inventions That Transformed Entertainment
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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.