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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‘Joy’ Is A Euphemism For A Word No One Wants To Say Out Loud – A few weeks ago at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, there was one word woven throughout dozens of speeches during the convention: joy. The word was mentioned many times in nearly every speech. That said, New York Times contributor and linguist, John McWhorter, says “joy” may have been a euphemism for something else.
Google Agrees To First-In-The-Nation Deal To Fund California Newsrooms – We hear it every day … journalism is dying. But, lucky for us, those smart, altruistic people at Google are coming to the rescue with a plan to fund California newsrooms! What could go wrong? Actually, quite a bit. CNN has the story.
An Infantilizing Double Standard For American College Students – Ever since The Coddling Of The American Mind debuted in 2018 people have been asking the question: Are universities, particularly elite universities, coddling students? In a guest essay to The New York Times, Dr. Rita Koganzon, an associate professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, takes a look at the current state of college campuses and the implications for society.
Podcasts Used To Be Ad-Light Oases. Not Anymore. – Remember when your favorite podcasts had almost no ads? Neither do we. However, the proliferation of ads on podcasts is staggering, and, some say, things may be hitting a tipping point. The Wall Street Journal looks at how podcasts have become big business and may be in jeopardy of becoming what they were once an alternative to.
Hotel Key Cards Are Being Replaced By Digital Options Like Apple, Google Wallets – Your prayers have been answered! Hotel room keys may soon be a thing of the past. CNBC explains.
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Beach Reads:
Can You Guess Which Brands Republicans And Democrats Love?
Live Free Or Dial: New Hampshire Fights To Keep Its Lone Area Code
Is It Better To Be Over- Or Underdressed?
An Obit Worth Reading:
Landon Y. Jones, Who Made People A Star Among Magazines, Dies At 80
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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.