Tuesday, March 07, 2006
Articles on PR and Blogging
In light of the CENTCOM decision to contact bloggers that was referred to here yesterday, here is a reaction of a blogger to being contacted by PR people. Another one is here. Both concern Wal-Mart's outreach to bloggers. It strikes me that Wal-Mart is handling the situation well. It offers information to those who want it, and it doesn't press if a blogger doesn't use it. Hat tip to Instapundit for seeing these first.
UPDATE: Here is The New York Times article that appeared this morning on the subject. From what I read, it appears the person from Edelman PR who is contacting people on behalf of Wal-Mart has handled the issue sensitively and done nothing unethical. Frankly, I think the article is a bit specious and "the pot calling the kettle black." If every newspaper were forced to disclose the material it received from PR people, news columns would be filled with attributions. PR is a resource to reporters. The key is that PR information should be accurate and without "spin." I see no obligation on the part of bloggers to inform readers in every instance where they source information.
UPDATE: Here is The New York Times article that appeared this morning on the subject. From what I read, it appears the person from Edelman PR who is contacting people on behalf of Wal-Mart has handled the issue sensitively and done nothing unethical. Frankly, I think the article is a bit specious and "the pot calling the kettle black." If every newspaper were forced to disclose the material it received from PR people, news columns would be filled with attributions. PR is a resource to reporters. The key is that PR information should be accurate and without "spin." I see no obligation on the part of bloggers to inform readers in every instance where they source information.
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