The “Redskins,” Washington DC’s NFL team has been in existence for almost a century. And now some in the media are refusing to use the term, citing a racial slur against Native Americans. Here, the media is more than the messenger. The journalists are playing the role of conscience-minding mentor, who can make the choice of the words they use, …
Fore…
“Fore” is the warning shout golfers use when there is a chance that a wild ball may hit other players or spectators. NBC’s Golf Channel hit fans and players alike with a shout heard ’round the Twittersphere: The tweet landed them in the rough. The Golf Channel’s hasty retraction … “Our earlier tweet was inappropriate. The intent was to celebrate …
The Tweet Heard ‘Round the World
In preparation for an upcoming show on teen sex and drinking, The Dr. Phil Show posted a question on twitter, asking “If a girl is drunk, is it OK to have sex with her? Reply yes or no to @drphil #teensaccused.” The question was interpreted as a statement, and instead of answers, disapproving tweets circled the twittersphere expressing anger at …
Not READY, AIM, FIRE!
During a tense conference call meant to rally 1,000 employees, AOL Chief Tim Armstrong publically fired the Creative Director of AOL Patch.com, Abel Lenz, as he began to record the meeting, part of Mr. Lenz’s job description. It was a particularly sensitive moment, as the CEO was announcing the reduction of the number of Patch sites in its local news …
Struck Out Swinging
Baseball fans may have believed that steroid use was “a thing of the past.” But Milwaukee Brewers’ Left Fielder Ryan Braun threw them a curve ball when he accepted his 65-game suspension for violating the drug program, forfeiting “nearly half of his $8.5 million salary.” After a failed drug test in 2011, Mr. Braun was linked to an anti-aging clinic …
Going by the Book
Why would the heir to a tobacco company fortune (R.J. Reynolds Tobacco) turn his back on cigarette smoking? “Because I watched my father die from cigarettes,” comments Patrick Reynolds. But why write a book about the family history? “I didn’t know my father and I really wanted to know him. I had a lot of anger toward him because he …
Clean Up Your Act
Comparing new dads to dogs may not have been Clorox’s best idea. The published essay went on to explain that “while dads, dogs and other household pets are filled with good intentions, they lack the judgment and fine motor skills to execute well.” Lacking judgment of their own, Clorox broke the #1 Rule of Public Speaking: Know your audience. …
“Biting the Hand that Feeds You”
Every employee is an ambassador of the brand s/he works for … good, bad or ugly. A recently-fired employee of Taco Bell, perhaps believing that one photo on his mobile phone of his licking a stack of empty taco shells wasn’t attention-getting enough, decided to post the picture on his Facebook page and Reddit, leading to a viral headache for his former fast food …
When Hip Hop & History Collide, You Get a “Belieber”
After touring the Amsterdam hiding place of the young Holocaust victim and diarist, Anne Frank; hip hop sensation Justin Bieber decided to leave his mark in the museum’s guest book: “Anne was a great girl. Hopefully, she would have been a Belieber,“ (a believer in Justin Bieber.) Her chronicle, The Diary of a Young Girl is recognized as one of the most …