This Week In PR | No. 5

Need a recap of this week's public relations happenings and current events? Well, you're in luck. Here's what happened this week in PR.

• In entertainment news, Laverne Cox became the first transgender woman nominated for an Emmy for her role in the Netflix breakout series Orange is the New Black. She has been recognized for her role as Sophia Burset, "an inmate who committed fraud in an attempt to pay for a sex change procedure." Note: Cox's identical twin brother played the role in the scenes prior to the character's surgery. That's pretty powerful. (TIME)
• There's a fine line between humor and professionalism on social media. However, the CIA seems to be dancing on the line when it comes to their Twitter account. In fact, their first tweet read, "We can neither confirm nor deny that this is our first tweet." While Twitter has become a major platform for creativity and humor, some think that certain organizations should abstain from participating in the trend and stick to more professional updates. What do you think? (PR Daily)
• The summer is a great time for vacationing and winding down, but if you're interested in still being stimulated occasionally, there are plenty of great opportunities nationwide for growth and networking. Here's a compiled list of seminars on social media, analytics, and more. (Mashable)
• Globally, issues in the Middle East continue despite President Obama's pleas for peace. The Palestinian death toll has risen to over 100 civilians today. Gaza militants have fired over 550 rockets, hit over 1,100 targets, and wounded close to 670 people. Their offensive tactic shows no sign of slowing down; unfortunately, it seems to be expanding. (Associated Press)
• ESPN Magazine's annual body issue is out and this time around, their cover athletes are of all shapes and sizes. We've become accustomed to seeing the covers of this issue graced by the most athletic and "physically fit" professionals, but this issue is more representative of all body types. I'd say that's a pretty good play on ESPN's part. (Huffington Post)

Three Top News Apps To Watch In 2014.

Keeping up with the news is important to every PR professional. With the changes in the world in regards to technology, there are different means and ways to receive data and keep up to date with what's taking place. PBS wrote a blog on the top news apps to watch in 2014 and discussed their uniqueness. Below are three of the top news apps:

AP Mobile-  This is one of the news apps that focuses on providing original news content. This app is available on both IOS and Android and is best used on smartphones. AP Mobile provides trending news, sports and popular stories.

Taptu- This social media and technology company basically created a platform for their users to choose the different types of news that interests them. They describe it as "DJ your news" where you create your own vibe and style.

Google Play Newsstand-  This app was recently launched by Google to replace their old app Currents. This app provides their users access to blogs, digital magazines, RSS feeds, news agencies and gossip sites.

Each App has its differences and unique features to keep us up to date on news. For me, reading a newspapers is not my preference therefore I utilize the aforementioned apps to stay abreast on what's taking place in the world today. Don't let information pass you by, keep reading and continue staying up to date on current events.

The Skimm: The New Newsletter

Maybe skim milk isn’t your thing and you’re a whole milk kind of person, but I can guarantee you there is a different kind of Skimm you will enjoy in life. The Skimm is an online daily newsletter that simplifies the latest current events with a twist of humor. It was originated by two women in their 20s from New York and Chicago, Danielle Weisberg and Carly Zakin. “Your new secret weapon," as Forbes magazine calls it, will soon become an essential part of your morning routine.

As public relations major it is crucial to be caught up on what is going on in the world around you in order to be successful. My Introduction to PR class professor constantly stresses the importance of staying on top of current events and has visit different news sites repeatedly. Good PR is being able to give your public what they want at the time and being up to date on the world’s views will only help you further your career.  Covering everything from the government shutdown to what actor will play Christian Grey in “50 Shades of Grey,” The Skimm is sent out every morning around 6 am for all of us that are up and ready to start the hectic day. You can read it while enjoying your coffee during five rare minutes of downtime or during your subway ride to work. It gives you everything you need to know to start your day right in an extremely snappy and sweet fashion. This newsletter seems to be a match made in heaven for any PR professional who is already familiar with not wasting any words or any time. A year since The Skimm was introduced to the world and I only was lured into it three months ago. For those of you who are reading about it for the first time now, don’t waste anymore time and hop on The Skimm!

All you have to do is log onto their website www.theskimm.com and enter your email address to subscribe. In addition to receiving their Monday through Friday email you can follow them on Twitter, Instagram or their blog as well. The Skimm will save you precious time from not having to turn to five other news outlets to receive the biggest headlines of the week.

This guest blog post was written by PRowl Staff Member Gabrielle Lacherza. 

How to Become a News Junkie

We are supposed to live, breathe, eat, and sleep the news.  This can be tricky when you have a 9-5 workday, classes, or internships to balance and during your free time you probably don't want to crack open a newspaper or flip away from the Food Network.

The top reasons I've heard that people don't read the news are widespread:
"It's depressing."
"I don't have time."
"I don't see the point."

The fact is, as public relations professionals, we have to stay on top of the news.  We need to know what's going on in the world and how it could potentially affect our clients and ourselves.  That's the point.  We have to make time for the news, depressing or not.

They say it takes 21 days to form a habit.  So challenge yourself to read the newspaper each day for 21 days.  If you don't want to pay for a subscription you can always go online and browse around the hundreds of free articles on sites like www.philly.com.  Instead of spending endless minutes browsing Facebook and Twitter, spend it reading up on what's going on around you.

Being a news junkie certainly has its benefits:

• You'll have tons of current event conversation starters
• You'll gain knowledge and inspiration from stories you read
• You'll impress your coworkers, bosses, and clients with your news knowledge

How often do you read the news? Is it as crucial as everyone says? Tell us your thoughts!

Twitter Action News

With national and local news outlets posting up-to-the-minute updates on breaking stories using Twitter, it's no secret that many people rely on the website as a source for their news updates. While getting information through tweets can be quick and convenient, it can also be inaccurate. Unlike television news coverage where reporters can take the time to get more information as it comes, Twitter is instantaneous. Being able to provide accurate information immediately can become tricky.

On Monday, when the tragic shooting occurred at the Washington, DC Navy Yard, I happened to be in classes all day. Being a DC native, I was extremely concerned for my family back home. Seeing that there is no way to watch the news during class, I turned to Twitter for updates on the progression of the shooting and the investigation. While initially I found the constant feed updates helpful for keeping me informed, I realized that most of the information I was receiving (and admittedly sharing) became more inaccurate as the story developed. I relied primarily on @nbcwashington, @washingtonpost, and surprisingly, @nbcphiladelphia. Both the number of victims and shooters fluctuated between every station and with every tweet they sent out.

All of the news feeds served their purpose of keeping me in the loop when I couldn't get to a television for live coverage, but I've learned that Twitter still is not a reliable source for news, even if it's coming from a reputable news station. Twitter should be used for quick updates only, hence the 140 character limit. However, every tweet should be taken with a grain of salt and fact checked before you believe it or share it.

Do you utilize Twitter to receive information? Let us know about your experiences!

An Afternoon With NBC-10

As I previously mentioned, I attended PPRA's Careers 101 event a few weeks back. During a raffle, my name was called for a "Networking Session with Adam Dvorin." I expected to grab a cup of coffee and have a chat with Adam, but instead he set up a tour with Denise Nakano of NBC-10 for today and KYW next month!

I have never been in a TV studio, much less met an anchor/reporter. Denise was gracious enough to take us through every aspect of a news production, from the news room to the actual studio (see photo below). Along with Denise's co-anchor Chris Cato, I learned a few tips about broadcast news and pitching reporters.

• When you're working with a reporter or cameraman, don't order them around and tell them what to do. No one likes to be told what to do, but especially reporters. 
• When pitching a story, find some kind of local tie or tie-in with a current event.
• It is invaluable to have connections to reporters, because they will be more inclined to cover your stories in the future, and put a face to the name.
• However, if a reporter covers your story once, don't expect them to cover your client every single time. There is always breaking news or other stories to cover, choose which stories to pitch to your personal contacts wisely.

A special thanks to Denise Nakano and Chris Cato for inviting me to come tour NBC-10!

"Habemus Papam"

Less than a month ago, Pope Benedict XVI announced that he was resigning his papacy. He is the first pope to do so in over 600 years. On Wednesday, Cardinal Bergoglio was selected to become Pope Francis, the first Latin American pope in history. Pope Francis' selection is exciting on a variety of levels. On a fundamental level, he is the first pope to come from the Jesuit order. Pope Francis is coming into papacy in a very sensitive time; he is responsible for transitioning the church into modern times, where technology rules.

Pope Francis must also juggle a variety of modern issues plaguing the Roman Catholic Church. There have been divisions over women's role in the church, the church's role in politics and the still fresh child sexual abuse scandals.

So far, it seems that Pope Francis will be a revolutionary figure in the church, already calling for change and positioning himself in positive media spotlight.

What do you think about Pope Francis' new challenges? Let us know!