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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Risa Heller is a Crisis-Communications Warrior for Bad Press – If you’re Jeff Zucker, Mario Battali, Jeffery Toobin or any celebrity or politician in the midst of a full-on PR crisis, there’s only one person to call: Risa Heller. The 43-year-old mother of three has become the go-to for cancellable elites, and her services are in high demand. New York magazine profiles this crisis-communications warrior.
Roald Dahl Publisher Edits ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ to Cut the Word ‘Fat’ for ‘Inclusion and Accessibility’ – You can’t rewrite history, but apparently you can rewrite literature, and we aren’t talking about Henry Miller. Editors at Penguin have decided to edit or remove language related to weight, mental health, gender and race from several well-renowned children’s books including “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” “Matilda,” “James and the Giant Peach” and others. We wish we were kidding. Variety takes a look at what’s being done.
Bring Back Objective Journalism – Responsible journalism must be objective. Well, not so fast. Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism recently surveyed 75 journalists, many of whom argued objectivity should no longer be the standard in news reporting. The Wall Street Journal digs into the potential future of journalism.
Do Trigger Warnings Help or Hurt Students? – College campuses are changing, and one significant change in recent years has been the emergence of trigger warnings. Trigger warnings are statements meant to prepare audiences (students) for materials they may find disturbing including sexual assault, child abuse, racism or other topics. The question is, do trigger warnings help students, hurt students or have no effect at all? And while that debate continues, one thing is certain: trigger warnings have become a flashpoint in the culture wars. The Wall Street Journal takes a look at a hot topic.
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Feed Your Head:
Youtube’s CEO Is Resigning. These 2 Things From Her Letter to Employees Stood Out Most.
How to Write a Toast or a Script: 7 Tips to Let Your Voice Shine Through
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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.