"Transparency" and Public Relations

A new article by Eric Webber in Advertising Age got me thinking about the trend toward "transparency" in organizations, using tools like blogs, etc. I tend to champion new media and technologies and couple that with the belief that organizations and persons shouldn't try to hide information - or themselves - from the public.

And I'm a strong advocate of Public Relations as a two-way function/channel to facilitate open communication between an organization and the public.

Openness doesn't seem to be a characteristic of most organizations and managers I've seen, and that's disappointing - and potentially detrimental for the organization in the long run. Sure, there are times when strategic information needs to be confidential. But most of the time open and proactive communication will benefit organizations and individuals, helping build public trust and support.

Bad news will get out one way or another, and with today's bloggers, podcasters and video bloggers, the public's voice is stronger than ever.

Jim

Franciscan University Students' Impact at the United Nations

In March, 2005, 25 students and 3 faculty members from Franciscan University of Steubenville spent Spring Break attending the Commission on the Status of Women - "Beijing + 10" - at the United Nations in New York City. During that week, we met and talked with delegates from countries around the world, leaders of many different human rights groups and movements, and created a new web-based channel to share news and concerns about human rights through Podcasts and a new website, Catholic NGO Voice.

Our students very effectively shared Catholic teaching about authentic human rights with the participants of this major global event. Shortly after our return to Steubenville, the group reported on this United Nations mission to the University president, Fr. Terence Henry, TOR, other administrators, faculty members and students. Our March 2005 presentation and report to the University community concluded with this reflection on the students' experiences and impact:

Along with Franciscan University faculty and several leaders of the International Solidarity and Human Rights Institute (ISHRI), Franciscan University students have participated in a dozen United Nations conferences and commissions since 2005 and are continuing this outreach to world decision makers.

Jim Coyle

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita - As They Happened

Here's a short clip I created for a panel discussion with members of the Catholic Press Association from the areas hit by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The audio is from broadcast news reports and the photos were taken by Catholic Press members. The panel discussion took place at the national Catholic Media Convocation in Nashville, May, 2006.



We'll keep working on the video to smooth it out.

Jim Coyle

From Hollywood Fantasy to Reality

This isn't another Holywood special effect like we saw in the film "Minority Report" a couple of years ago. It's a prototype of a computer interface being developed today!

Imagine how you could use this! (We certainly could have used it at a planning meeting a few evenings ago where we were "moving" a future building around to different locations on a site plan.)

Video: A Girl Like Me

Al Tompkins of the Poynter Institute, an amazing center for journalists, shared about this video in today's "Morning Meeting" - his daily online newsletter for journalists. In his introduction he wrote:

I think we get so hung up on high production that we forget how powerful "talking heads" can be, if they are saying something compelling.

Look at this riveting example passed along to me my by my colleague Meg Martin.

It was produced in 2005 for Reel Works Teen Filmmaking by a high school student named Kiri Davis. It is seven and a half minutes of young African-American girls talking very frankly about their own impressions of race and beauty. It's called "A Girl Like Me."

Look and listen...

Direct From My Cellphone

Students in my Public Relations class.

I took this photo with my cell phone and then e-mailed it to this blog during class using the phone.

With my phone, the photo quality isn't great, but I usually have my phone with me and could take picture if I saw something unusual and send it directly to the Web. Some things could be fun, some embarassing, and some photos could bring serious consequences for people or companies.

In terms of Public Relations, how can an organization effectively control communication about it when so many of us have access to open communication channels that circle the globe?

Be open, be honest. It's out of your control.

It's a Wiki World

The Wikis are coming!