Comments on: Paper review: PR in control; Twitter’s big after all; scepticism about digital TV

By: mumbrella

mumbrella — Mon, 04 May 2009 09:10:11 +0000

The thing about the list of things that are annoying is, I’m not sure it automatically makes them ineffective.

I probably get up to 200 emails a day (I’m scared to actually count as it would be too depressing). So on occasion I do get a call from a PR flagging up a release that I missed/ failed to spot the angle in, and it becomes a story where otherwise it wouldn’t have.

19 times out of 20, they are wasting their time, but on that one occasion in 20, they get a result for their client. That means they’re doing their job, annoying as it may seem to the journalist.

Cheers,

Tim – Mumbrella

By: R

Mon, 04 May 2009 08:39:10 +0000

I’ve worked on both sides of the fence – including for Neil. What annoys me is clients/orgs that insist their PR/Comms staff do things like follow up PRs with a phone call, pitch to outlets, when you know they are inappropriate… You make your opposition known, get overruled, have to make the phone call/pitch any way. In the process, the young PRer loses any cred you had with the journo and gets thought of as difficult by management.
Bloody annoying.

By: K

Mon, 04 May 2009 04:34:16 +0000

Why can’t the two professions just get along? PR and Journalism both have a place in each other’s working lives. Obviously Shoebridge has had a bad experience that has been deeply ingrained into his self esteem and feels the need to devote significant page space to his personal rant. With an attitude like that, it’s no wonder he’s only ever had bad experiences with PR people.

By: Matt

Matt — Mon, 04 May 2009 04:10:51 +0000

Before Neil Shoebridge gives PRs a lesson or two about communication, I think he should look at his own profession. Although he’s one of Australia’s highest-paid print journalists his content is so predictable – Steve Allen from Fusion Strategy is undeniably his MR rent-a-quote, while Henry Tager and Barry O’Brien are not too far behind. I would love to see him ask some of the younger industry players for their opinion – as fresh views would definately add some spark into his dull writing style.

By: John Grono

John Grono — Mon, 04 May 2009 03:50:24 +0000

Gees, no wonder Buffett is so rich – because he’s such a tight arse. He’s worth around $40billion and won’t even shell out a lousy buck to buy a newspaper. He probably picks them up off seats when he’s riding the subway home.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 04 May 2009 03:33:41 +0000

Well Neil trots out that story, or a similar attack on the PR industry, about once every year or two. He also blocks PRs from calling him when he goes on holiday – but its open door for anyone else. No doubt this ensures that he believes his content is free from spin … but it also means he may miss an opportunity or two.

This is anon because, like most in the PR world, it’s not worth getting Neil offside since he basically writes half the AFR.