A weekly roundup of media news and talking points, sans effort
Thought for the Week
“Who gave Mr Cameron permission to look round these premises? Being prime minister doesn’t give you the right to enter private property willy-nilly… …Are we going to see politicians electioneering by taking part in immigration searches?” Shami Chakrabarti, director of the human rights charity Liberty, commenting on David Cameron posing for pictures in the home of people suspected of breaking immigration laws in what’s being hailed as a major PR fail for the PM.
Weekly High
In an unprecedented move, the usually objective Channel 4 news anchor John Snow appeared in a video, posted to YouTube on Saturday and the TV network’s website 24 hours later, appealing for viewers to take action to stop the current conflict in Gaza, prompting an eight-year-old child to write a letter to the Foreign Secretary, and re-emphasising the influential power of journalism.
Weekly Low
We appreciate companies need to have robust policies in order to stay afloat (pun intended). Nevertheless, it’s baffling nobody working PR for Norwegian Cruise Line thought it would be a good idea to allow a family whose five-year-old son has just been diagnosed with cancer to re-book their $4,000 trip to fit in with the necessary treatment. The company has subsequently backtracked, offering another voyage, but the family has declined. Cue a huge public relations fallout for a firm in an industry already struggling with bad press.
Stories to keep an eye on
The Daily Telegraph has seen a 20% increase in web traffic according to its June figures, and bosses have attributed this to the newspaper focusing on Facebook over Twitter for content sharing.
Facebook has launched (another) new app, Facebook Mentions, aimed at celebrities, with the aim of allowing public figures to see what fans are saying about them and better engage in conversations.
Ofcom has ruled that Jeremy Clarkson used ‘pejorative racial term’ during an episode of Top Gear last year, deeming the comment offensive and in breach of broadcasting rules.
Just in case you missed it…
