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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After Uproar Over Ethics, New ‘Washington Post’ Editor Won’t Take The Job – The Washington Post continues to make headlines – in all the wrong ways. After Post Publisher Will Lewis announced he hired his longtime friend and colleague Robert Winnett as lead editor, Winnett has now declined the job. News continues to surface about the two using practices that violate journalistic ethics, including those of the Post. NPR explores this chapter in the ongoing saga.
First Came ‘Spam.’ Now, With A.I., We’ve Got ‘Slop’ – At this point, it’s safe to say we’ve all come across suspicious or illogical search items generated by A.I. The technology is new, imperfect, and often annoying, causing users to sort through nonsense for accurate info. Those unwanted results are called “slop” in tech circles. Unfortunately, like its cousin spam, slop is probably here to stay. The New York Times explores the emergence of this new term.
The Purpose Of Journalism Is To Get The Story – News outlets of all sizes are facing volatility in the business of journalism. As a result, many newsrooms seem to have shifted focus away from “getting the story” – even though the human need for news continues. The Wall Street Journal breaks down the problem in this opinion piece.
The History Of Hating How People Get The News – We all have opinions about the best and worst places to get news, but has it always been this way? The simple answer is yes. As technology evolves and consumer habits change, people tend to be nostalgic for familiar ways to get the news, as imperfect as they may be. The Saturday Evening Post’s media historian chronicles how Americans have responded to new media platforms, and what he wants us, as news consumers, to do about it.
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Obits Worth Reading:
Kinky Friedman, Texas Songwriter, Satirist and Folk Hero, Dies at 79
Jamie Kellner, Architect Of Fox And WB Networks, Dies At 77
Beach Reads:
Why Did Everyone Suddenly Stop Using Headphones In Public?
5 Ways To Master Tactfulness: A Quick Guide To Highly Effective Communication
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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.