English has 1.1 million words, more words than any other language, according to the Global Language Monitor and other sources. That’s double the next most prolific language. And English adds about 15 words per day,… Continued
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Do You Have What It Takes to Be a Journalist Whisperer?
January 3rd, 2014 by Steve GoldsteinAt PR News’ recent Media Relations Conference at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., Amy Eisman of American University’s School of Communication and a founding editor of USA Today brought up the concept of the… Continued
New Year’s Resolutions for the PR-Minded
December 31st, 2013 by Diane SchwartzThe good thing about New Year’s resolutions is that no one is really listening closely to what you are resolving to do. But resolutions do crystallize our goals and make the month of January, at… Continued
Non-Verbal Communications: The Underutilized Skill
December 19th, 2013 by Tony SilberThere are certain people who even when they’re smiling warmly have a certain gravitas. They have a certain air that suggests intelligence, calculation, control, even as they engage the people around them. Bill Clinton has… Continued

The Hunger Games at Work: How to Sound Very Fantastic This Week
December 2nd, 2013 by Diane SchwartzIt’s said that we speak an average of 16,000 words each day. That’s a lot of talking. As communicators, we appreciate fine words and clever turns of phrases. But on this day after a long… Continued
The Give and Take of Media Relations
November 25th, 2013 by Diane SchwartzIt’s not everyday that PR is taken to task for sending unsolicited emails to reporters. Oh, wait – it is every day that this happens. And sometimes the magnifying glass is placed directly over the… Continued
Perception Versus Reality in PR
November 19th, 2013 by Tony SilberEarlier in my career I worked with an editor for a media magazine who moved into PR after the magazine went defunct. We’ve kept in touch, him pitching stories to me for media-company clients, and… Continued
When to Apologize
November 11th, 2013 by Tony SilberAs I write this I’m watching a report on MSNBC criticizing the apology issued by 60 Minutes for a report last month about the attack on the embassy in Benghazi. The apology, by correspondent Lara… Continued
What’s First, Technology or Content?
November 7th, 2013 by Tony SilberI’ve been thinking lately about how media is moving increasingly toward a greater technology dependence. I’ve read about how investment dollars, especially in Silicon Valley, where so much media-related innovation is occurring, steer towards technology… Continued
The 10 Tough Questions to Ask Yourself Now
November 4th, 2013 by Diane Schwartz“Anything bothering you?” That was the question posed by my physician during a recent annual check-up. As he peered at my chart which was looking pretty boring in a good way, I wondered whether I… Continued
Be Aware: The Percentage of Funds Actually Going to a Cause Will Become Part of Your CSR Story
October 28th, 2013 by Tony SilberAmid all the noise surrounding Barneys New York and its alleged racial profiling, and whether the rap mogul Jay-Z should back out of his partnership with the luxury retailer, came this little noticed fact: Only… Continued
9 Tips for Public Speakers Who Hate Public Speaking
October 21st, 2013 by Diane SchwartzButterflies in your stomach. Dry mouth. Fantasy of escaping through the back door. It’s inevitable: at some point in your career, you’ll need to speak in front of an audience. Whether at a small meeting,… Continued
Why is There a “Free Fall” in Media Advertising, and What Does it Mean for PR?
October 7th, 2013 by Tony SilberLast week, I read a well-done blog from a writer and social-media consultant named Paul Gillin lamenting the death of BtoB Magazine, which Crain Communications said it is folding into Ad Age as of the… Continued
Yucky Comments Can Sometimes Be a Beautiful Thing
October 1st, 2013 by Matthew SchwartzPR execs are not supposed to parrot the boss. At least on paper. Despite the tremendous changes throughout the PR field, one thing remains a constant: The ability of PR managers to take an alternative… Continued
CEO PR Gaffe of the Week, Barilla Edition
September 27th, 2013 by Tony SilberWhat is it about CEOs? How can so many of them be so smart and so accomplished, and yet still say so many bad or dumb things? It’s enough to keep a communications team up… Continued
On the Art of Critical Listening
September 25th, 2013 by Tony SilberI was quoted in the newspaper the other day. The quote was technically inaccurate—I didn’t say what the reporter wrote that I said. But it was correct in the substance. In effect, the reporter understood… Continued
Where You Sit is What You See
September 24th, 2013 by Diane SchwartzI picked up a sound piece of advice the other night, during a college admissions event my daughter and I attended. Among the questions the prospective students asked of the alumni panel was whether the… Continued
What Content Marketing Means to PR and Traditional Media (and Traditional Journalists, Too)
September 16th, 2013 by Tony SilberWhen I started out in journalism—in daily newspapers—every so often you’d have a colleague opt out of the reporter’s life and move into PR instead. It always seemed like a loss, because some of those… Continued
9 Tips To Master Before Your Next Media Interview
September 13th, 2013 by Diane SchwartzWhen UPS wanted to make the public aware of its sustainability and energy-saving practices, the PR team knew it needed to tell an interesting story to showcase its efforts. It has always stuck with me… Continued
Privacy is an Anachronism in PR and Elsewhere: Act Accordingly
September 11th, 2013 by Matthew SchwartzIn an episode of “Family Guy,” Stewie is hobnobbing at a party when he announces that “you’re going to love this” as a prelude to a politically incorrect joke. But before he says anything, he… Continued
BuzzFeed CEO’s Vision of Media’s Future (and Great PR)
September 9th, 2013 by Tony SilberLast week, Buzzfeed founder and CEO Jonah Peretti published a long memo on LinkedIn. It was titled a memo to the staff, but really was only partly directed to the staff. It was also a… Continued
Look Up. It Can Be Addictive.
September 3rd, 2013 by Diane SchwartzWomen are being told to “lean in” to advance their careers; others are encouraged to lean out. I’ve got some advice that’s gender-neutral and is in response to a troublesome trend permeating society, from business… Continued
When the Picture Doesn’t Match the Story
August 28th, 2013 by Tony SilberIn the tech world, one of the iconic moments of the 1990s was when Steve Jobs returned to Apple in 1997. He went to Macworld and gave one of his best speeches, during which he… Continued
9 Words to Avoid Saying Today
August 21st, 2013 by Diane SchwartzWhen I was a child, my mother always corrected me when I used the word “uh” and “like,” as in the sentence, “Uh, I am not sure, like I really want to do this but… Continued
LeanIn.org’s Promise
August 19th, 2013 by Tony SilberLate last week, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg’s foundation, LeanIn.org, got some negative media coverage. An editor from the organization posted a call on her Facebook page for unpaid interns. The criticism was immediate and furious.… Continued
Avoid the ‘Snapchat’ Press Release
August 18th, 2013 by Tony SilberI was at a PR News Conference a couple of weeks ago, and during a Q&A with a panel critiquing press inquiries, the question came up of when and how to follow-up with a non-responsive… Continued
In a Media Age Where Most Everything Is a Gamble, CSR Remains a Safe Bet
August 14th, 2013 by Matthew SchwartzAmidst the turbulence in marketing communications, one area seems a fairly safe harbor for PR professionals: corporate social responsibility (CSR).
7 Seconds to a Better Press Release
August 5th, 2013 by Diane SchwartzLet’s assume that your press release landed in the right in-box, meaning the reporter is the right target for your message. For anyone in public relations, just getting to this point is a major achievement.… Continued
Chuck E. Cheese Needs to Take Fisticuffs Off The Menu
July 31st, 2013 by Matthew SchwartzA 20-person brawl at a Chuck E. Cheese outlet in Wisconsin is just the latest episode of violence at the fast-food chain that caters to kids. Earlier this week a dad and his young son… Continued
Anthony Weiner Doesn’t Have a PR Problem
July 25th, 2013 by Diane SchwartzNew York mayoral candidate Anthony Weiner, also known as Carlos Danger in the sexting world, issued an apology this week after more salacious text messages surfaced between him and a twenty-something Indiana woman. The messages… Continued
Native Advertising: Sticky or Icky?
July 19th, 2013 by Tony SilberThe second story on BuzzFeed’s website this morning was…wait for it…“12 Comebacks We Can All Agree With.” (I say ‘wait for it’ because anyone who knows BuzzFeed’s editorial approach knows its love for lists.) It… Continued
J.K. Rowling: Publicity Wizard or Mere Muggle?
July 15th, 2013 by Diane SchwartzWhether you’re a Harry Potter fan or not, you know who J.K. Rowling is. I bet you never heard of Robert Galbraith or “The Cuckoo’s Calling” until it was revealed on Monday that Robert is… Continued
Fixing the Major Image Problems of Big-Time Sports
July 12th, 2013 by Tony SilberThe ugly story of Aaron Hernandez raises again the issue of perception challenges in big-time sports, both on the professional and collegiate levels, and it’s worth some time thinking about how we got here. We’re… Continued
Click on This Headline
July 3rd, 2013 by Steve GoldsteinOK, I stole the idea for this headline from Abbie Hoffman, author of “Steal This Book.” But let’s call it an homage instead of outright theft. My headline was inspired by WFMU radio host Tom Scharpling,… Continued
Paula Deen, J.Lo, Next Crisis: What is PR’s Role in a Hot Mess?
July 1st, 2013 by Diane SchwartzThere are countless communications takeaways from the recent celebrity gaffes. Whether it’s Paula Deen dealing with allegations of being a racist and then dropped like a buttered sweet potato by every brand partner, or Jennifer… Continued
Firing of Zimmer Doesn’t Exactly Suit a Social Media Age
June 25th, 2013 by Matthew SchwartzIn abruptly firing Men’s Wearhouse founder and executive chairman George Zimmer, the men’s clothing company has sent a few messages to the marketplace, none of which are likely to help the brand’s reputation or its PR efforts.
How to Avoid the Stink in Your Storytelling
June 20th, 2013 by Diane SchwartzMy son Max tells very long stories that veer in curious directions. By the time he’s nearing the point, he forgets the ending. It’s rather cute and endearing – he is, after all, only 12… Continued
Are You a PR Pro From Krypton?
June 14th, 2013 by Steve GoldsteinIf you’re an immigrant from Krypton living in the U.S.—or in any spot on Earth—then flying without the benefit of a wingspan or jet propulsion and hearing the flutter of a butterfly in Ensenada while… Continued
Lessons From The Dunkin’ Donuts Customer’s Racist Rant
June 13th, 2013 by Tony SilberOne of the bigger viral stories of the last two days was the foul-mouthed racist rant by a Dunkin’ Donuts customer in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, who filmed herself abusing the store’s employees and posted the… Continued

PR Takeaways to Die For from ‘Game of Thrones’
June 4th, 2013 by Diane SchwartzThe beloved Starks could really benefit from communications counsel.