Grumpy Editor

Media not stirred by Obama’s 70,000 bridges to repair

Absent from most print/broadcast coverage of President Barack Obama’s State of the Union speech last week:  those 70,000 “structurally deficient” bridges popping up again, this time with a repair price tag of $50 billion, notes Grumpy Editor. 

Initial mentions of the 70,000 bridges started five and a half years ago. 

Repairing bridges comes as Congress debates a jobs bill. 

Media’s focus last week was on Obama’s agenda of upping the minimum wage, climate change and gun control legislation. 

 

Broadcast newsrooms need larger maps 

One of the lead items on broadcast news last week was “a moderate earthquake has struck in rural Nevada near the California state line.” 

That doesn’t quite pinpoint the shaky area. 

For eastern news writers, the Nevada-California state line runs 650 miles.  That’s the distance between New York City and Chicago. 

Actual center of the 4.9 magnitude shaker was 45 miles west of Tonopah, Nev.  Closest California city: Bishop.

 

Rubio gulps water about 155 times on MSNBC

Television media put the focus on Florida Sen. Marco Rubio’s Republican response to the State of the Union address on his water sipping rather than content. 

In the forefront was MSNBC which replayed Rubio’s swig about 155 times --- with 101 of them played on loop at the bottom left of the screen Wednesday during the Rachel Maddow Show. 

CNN replayed the water action 34 times. 

In a fair-and-balanced mode, Fox News, meanwhile, showed a clip of President Barack Obama also sipping water from a plastic bottle during an earlier speech.

In case you missed these… 

Carnival Corp. faces a mammoth PR problem in the wake of power-food-sewage problems for five days on its cruise ship Carnival Triumph that was towed to Mobile, Ala…Comcast Corp. agreed to pay NBCUniversal $16.7 billion to acquire General Electric Corp.’s remaining 49 percent of the entertainment company…Former White House press secretary Robert Gibbs joins MSNBC and NBC News as a contributor…Thomson Reuters plans to slash 2,500 jobs this year.  That’s 4 percent of its global work force…Time Warner Inc. is in talks to sell a chunk of its Time Inc. magazine division to Meredith Corp.  The plan calls for Time Warner to retain Time magazine, Fortune and Sports Illustrated.  But People and Entertainment Weekly, among 16 others, would mesh with Meredith’s 14 titles including Family Circle, Ladies Home Journal, and Better Homes and Gardens. 

Private company challenges ‘recess’ appointments, wins

In connection with Friday’s federal appeals court 46-page ruling that President Barack Obama violated the Constitution when he bypassed the Senate to appoint three members to the National Labor Relations Board, most media overlooked the source that triggered the action leading to the decision, notes Grumpy Editor.

Noel Canning, a Washington state family-owned contract canning and bottling facility (that includes Pepsi), sued the NLRB, challenging the board’s decision, citing Obama made so-called “recess” appointments without the Senate being in recess. 

It’s noteworthy because Republicans, legal scholars, Constitution experts and editorial page editors were silent in raising eyebrows on the “recess” appointments.

 

Movement with short sale ‘unending nightmare’

Although previously-owned home sales of 4.65 million in 2012 were up 9 percent from the prior year and the best in five years, sales could rise even more --- giving the economy a lift --- without the heavy red tape,  indecisions, complications and paperwork of major banks.

John Taylor in the Las Vegas Sun on Jan. 20 detailed the “unending nightmare.” 

The sale took eight months to wrap up, said Taylor, a senior editor of local news.

His assessment:  “Beware of the not-so-short short sale.”

Read the full article here.

 

Havana’s Sloppy Joe’s bar reopening grabs space

Reopening of a nearby bar may be welcome news in local newspaper sections, but an Associated Press story on the return of Sloppy Joe’s in far-off Havana grabbed up to a quarter page of space, with art, in some weekend editions. 

The bar, in its heyday, attracted Hollywood stars and other celebrities. 

Founded in 1918, it indicates the bar must have a pretty good PR person, Cuban style, to warrant that sort or coverage in the U.S. press.

 

In case you missed these...

One phrase missing from coverage of the deep freeze sweeping the midwest and northeast:  Global warming (or climate change)…Country music is reappearing in New York City via Cumulus Media radio station WNSH, formerly WRXP…The New York Times is trimming its newsroom staff through buyouts and terminations, aiming for a reduction of 30…The Times also made headlines following a report in New York Magazine that real estate mogul Donald Trump has been holding meetings about possibly buying the New York Times Co…On the hiring side, Al Jazeera, which will be replacing Current TV with the launch of Al Jazeera America, has posted 105 available jobs in the United States with 98 based in New York City and seven in Washington…Strange ad in Bloomberg Businessweek and other publications from Toyota.  Under the line, Let’s Go Places, it shows a vehicle with rainbow colors fore to aft in a farm setting --- with no details on what the multi-hues are all about.

Romney’s China-made Jeep mention looms accurate

Just before the November election, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney was criticized for declaring Chrysler would be building Jeeps in China, recalls Grumpy Editor. 

Democrats grabbed space and air time citing Romney and his campaign ads on the Jeep action in China was misleading. 

Grumpy Editor last Nov. 6 pointed out the report stemmed from an Oct. 22 Bloomberg News story that mentioned Fiat (majority owner of Chrysler Group LLC) “plans to return Jeep output to China.” 

Auto writers last Wednesday reported Chrysler is in talks to build some of its Jeep vehicles in China where the auto company already sells several of the brand’s models.

 

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Nocturnal sideline raises editors' eyebrows

Not getting much national coverage: a newspaper reporter with an unusual sideline job (for a newsroom staffer). 

After being outed for her after-hours job as a stripper, reporter Sarah Tressler, who was fired by the Houston Chronicle where she was a society reporter, now works for the San Antonio Express-News. 

But her beat now is quite different. 

She covers crime. 

Her Express-News byliner on Friday dealt with the shooting of a convenience store owner. 

She was let go by the Chronicle for failing to inform supervisors of her nocturnal sideline as an exotic dancer. 

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In case you missed these… 

Wal-Mart Stores, starting Memorial Day, plans to hire 100,000 veterans during the next five years.  Some of the giant retailer’s critics called it a P.R. move.  Sure, it is.  And a fine P.R. gesture it is…On the firing side, the Star-Ledger, New Jersey’s largest newspaper, cut 34 employees, including 18 (or nearly 10 percent) of its newsroom staff.  Meanwhile, Reuters released some of the wire service’s veteran editors and reporters…On the hiring side, Fox News signed liberal former Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D., Ohio) as a paid contributor.  He joins daughter, Jackie Kucinich, in media.  She is a USA Today reporter covering politics…Nissan P.R. people should be happy with large color shots of the Nissan Resonance concept car appearing in separate sections of The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday…Public relations pioneer Daniel J. Edelman, who died Tuesday at 92, was noted for many slogans.  “Which twin has the Toni?” was long remembered.  Edelman also was behind spotlighting Morris the cat in television commercials for 9-Lives cat food.

 

Speaking of pets, Grumpy Editor likes the title of Seattle’s KIRO-FM’s weekend pet show that debuted yesterday:  “It’s Raining Cats and Dogs with Shawn Stewart.”  

Navy ‘tight’ on details involving sub-cruiser collision

Details remained scant two days after an unusual collision involving a U.S. Navy submarine and a U.S. Navy cruiser off the East Coast, notes  Grumpy Editor. 

On Saturday, a Navy news release --- the basis for a brief Associated Press story picked up in print and broadcast news --- identified the vessels as the submarine USS Montpelier and the Aegis cruiser USS San Jacinto. 

The news release mentioned the collision occurred at about 3:30 p.m. Saturday, no one was injured and the extent of damage to the vessels was not clear. 

Perhaps it was the weekend, but sparse details put the information released to media on par with limited World War II reports. 

The Montpelier was launched Nov. 14, 1986 while the San Yacinto was launched Nov. 14, 1986.  Both call Norfolk, Va. home port. 

A story on the incident in the Virginian-Pilot, which covers the vessels’ home port, followed the AP information. 

However, Luis Martinez, in an ABC News posting 5½ hours after the collision, reported three ships (including the aircraft carrier Harry S Truman) off Florida’s northeast coast were participating in an anti-submarine exercise in preparation for an upcoming deployment.

Martinez quoted a Navy official saying the bridge watch aboard the San Jacinto saw the submarine Montpelier rise to periscope depth about 100 to 200 yards ahead and the bridge ordered an “all back,” but still collided with the sub. 

According to the official, Martinez continued, initial assessment of damage was that there was a complete depressurization of the sonar dome aboard the San Jacinto. 

After the collision the official said the submarine surfaced and communications were established between all the ships on the scene, Martinez added, and the two vessels involved were operating under their own power.

Romney aide tells shouting media: kiss my ass, shove it

A barrage of questions from U.S. reporters shouted at Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney as he was making his way to a vehicle near Warsaw’s Tomb of the Unknown Soldier triggered his traveling press secretary to break it up with such phrases as “show some respect,” then as shouting persisted --- “kiss my ass” and “shove it,” observes Grumpy Editor. 

Those words, of course, were “shocking” yesterday to the tender ears of the hardened press corps following Romney's footsteps on a week-long overseas trip. 

And they reported on it in print and on radio/TV. 

Romney was in Poland to meet its leaders, spotlight the nation’s growing economy and honor its contributions to the war in Afghanistan.  He also received the endorsement of Lech Walesa, former president. 

Some of the questions in Warsaw before Rick Gorka, Romney’s traveling press secretary, stepped in and reminded reporters, "This is a holy site for the Polish people" --- 

CNN: "Governor Romney are you concerned about some of the mishaps of your trip?"

New York Times: "Governor Romney do you have a statement for the Palestinians?"

Washington Post: "What about your gaffes?"

New York Times: "Governor Romney do you feel that your gaffes have overshadowed your foreign trip?"

This resulted in headlines, such as this one posted by CNN:

        Romney aide loses cool, curses at press in Poland

 

Spirit Airlines passengers grumble as flight takes 19 hours

Marooned passengers confined for an extraordinary time aboard a Spirit Airlines A319, after an emergency landing in Texas, should stir up the carrier’s public relations department, finds Grumpy Editor.

What was supposed to be a routine five-hour flight from Los Angeles to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, late Saturday night wound up taking a blushing 19 hours to reach its destination.

The 100 passengers at times were subject to pressure cooker conditions after the aircraft’s pilot made an emergency landing at Houston’s Bush Intercontinental Airport following actions by an unruly, disruptive and screaming 81-year-old blind passenger. 

Passengers were kept on the Tarmac for two hours without air conditioning before being allowed into the terminal, reported ABC News.

The airline, it added, then told the grumbling passengers that they would be shuttled by bus five hours north to Dallas, because Spirit does not operate a flight between Houston and Fort Lauderdale, and did not have a fresh crew to take over the controls.

Hearing that, passengers became irate, yelling and screaming at airline staff.

"We went 'No! No Way!'” a passenger recounted for ABC News, adding “it took them 25 minutes afterwards to come back and tell us that they were going to have a plane for us."

Spirit Airlines eventually flew passengers in a different aircraft with that flight arriving in South Florida about 8 p.m. Sunday.

The unidentified disruptive passenger was turned over to the Houston Police Department.

The Miami-area-based low-cost carrier said it offered the wayward passengers refunds and credits for future flights.

Spirit’s public relations department, hopefully, was busy at work this week devising a plan to soothe passengers with prompt action in similar future events.

 

Busy Huckabee does well on TV, growing radio outlets

Mike Huckabee, former Arkansas governor, is rapidly becoming a popular radio and TV personality, but publicity people are not fully promoting his fine efforts --- including solid interviews and comments on issues of the day --- in the competitive broadcasting arena, notes Grumpy Editor. 

The Mike Huckabee Show on radio airs “live” --- noon to 3p.m. Eastern --- opposite long-time top talk show host Rush Limbaugh.  

But trying to get an up-to date list of radio stations carrying Huckabee’s daily talk show is difficult. 

Cumulus Media Networks, which syndicates the radio program that debuted on April 9 on about 180 stations, doesn’t show all current outlets on its Web site.  

Noteworthy is that on June 14 Huckabee started airing on radio station KXAR in Hope, Ark. 

Why is the addition of KXAR considered nifty fodder for alert PR people? 

That’s the station where Huckabee started work at age 14. 

It led to basic training in broadcasting, including on-air chatter, which probably is why he does so well (without “errs”) now on radio and on his Fox News TV show, Huckabee, airing on Saturday and Sunday nights.

A radio listener yesterday welcomed his debut in the Hammond, Ind. area. 

So he’s building his radio coverage that includes the three-times-a-day The Huckabee Report syndicated on almost 600 stations. 

Ratings on Huckabee’s daily three-hour radio show would get a boost if some stations ran his timely remarks and interviews “live.” 

New York’s WOR, for example, delays airing his show until evenings.  Seattle’s KCIS trims his show to two hours in the late afternoon, seven hours after its live airing.

 

Psst! Wanna munch on a free doughnut today? Read on

Since it’s the first Friday in June, that means it’s National Doughnut Day, reminds Grumpy Editor. 

In observance of the event, created by the Salvation Army in 1938 to honor women (known as “lassies”) who served doughnuts to soldiers during World War I, some nationwide doughnut shops are offering free ring-shaped cakes --- the ones that are deep fried. 

Participating Krispy Kreme outlets are presenting patrons one free doughnut of any variety.  Dunkin’ Donuts also is marking the day with a free doughnut.  But it requires a beverage purchase. 

Some local doughnut shops also are getting in on the act. 

National Doughnut Day stems from the original Salvation Army doughnut that was included with home-cooked foods served in 1917 by the lassies, volunteers who visited soldiers on the front lines of Europe.

 

Taxpayers to foot $20 million ObamaCare PR push

While the U.S. government over the years has run TV/radio public service announcements (PSAs) --- at no cost to taxpayers --- to inform or educate the public about an issue, now, in promoting ObamaCare, the public relations price tag to taxpayers will be $20 million, notes Grumpy Editor. 

Surprisingly, few newspapers this week mentioned the costly promotion. 

The Health and Human Services Department handed the task to global public relations firm Porter Novelli. 

Based in New York, the PR agency, part of the Omnicom Group international marketing communications firm, maintains 90 offices (13 in the U.S.) in 60 countries. 

What’s interesting about the assignment is that Porter Novelli co-founder (in 1972 with Jack Porter) is William Novelli, who retired in April, 2009 after eight years as AARP chief executive officer. 

His departure came at a time when AARP, representing 40 million people 50 and older, was running into unexpected PR problems with some members stemming from its stance backing what was to be labeled ObamaCare. 

“Health care reform is AARP’s top priority,” declared incoming AARP CEO A. Barry Rand in the July, 2009, AARP Bulletin.  “We simply can’t fix the economy without restructuring the delivery of health care, expanding access and cutting costs."

The lucrative ObamaCare account was being kept secret on the Porter Novelli website.  As of yesterday, no mention was made. 

However, the opening page noted in bold letters that Porter Novelli is “Named Top PR Agency in Spain.” 

The site described what Porter Novelli is all about: 

“Combining the power of immersion with the rigor of data, we create a deeper human insight that transforms the opinions, beliefs and behaviors of those who matter most to our clients.” 

That’s what probably moved HHS to sign the firm.

 

Cleveland casino debut grabs coverage by barring press

Veteran PR people have learned one way to grab heavy print/broadcast coverage for a client that is unveiling a product or facility:  bar reporters from the premises, finds Grumpy Editor. 

Latest example of that maneuver was at the opening of Ohio’s first casino. 

Sure enough. 

Associated Press worked up 16 paragraphs --- one of multiple stories --- from an outside view on the unveiling of Horseshoe Casino Cleveland last week. 

The story, plus AP art, included essential details on the $350 million project, 20 percent owned by Caesars Entertainment Corp., Las Vegas. 

AP writer Thomas J. Sheeran even worked in the line, “The media was (sic) barred from inside the casino.” 

From streetside, mentions were made of a “glitzy music video instead of the traditional ribbon cutting” projected on the casino’s facade, Las Vegas-style showgirls on scene, and, of course, about 2,100 slot machines and 63 table games awaiting gamblers inside.

But the media weren't able to check out the VIP lounge.