Online Public Relations Thoughts

If there is ever doubt about the primacy of face-to-face communications, look at a party convention. There is little news coming out of the Democratic gathering in Denver. Everyone knows the candidates. Ratification could as easily be phoned in -- or e-mailed. Yet, the party faithful have gathered to listen to hours of oratory, much of it banal and some of it exciting. Conventions long ago lost their original purpose of nominee selection. They have been turned into camp meetings for the faithful to get them charged up and working to support already chosen candidates.

There is little wonder that US TV networks have abandoned full coverage of conventions. They are boring to outsiders who are not politically inclined. And, that includes most of the citizenry. Even re-runs are better than listening to an endless succession of speakers touting the virtues of a candidate.