Translation is a great metaphor. One of my profs talked about PR as a boundary spanning function, and that's always stuck with me as a useful idea. Serve as a valuable connector, creating value for both sides.
Brian Oberkirch | Homepage | 07.19.05 - 4:49 pm | #

Brian:

The other point I didn't make is one of time ... I can write something in 20 minutes that might take a non-writer four hours to craft (and it's a lot less painful for me).

So if we're asking people to be bloggers to communicate the company message, and they aren't professionals, how much time will they have to invest to post to their blog? And wouldn't that time be better spent doing what they are good at?

Just a thought ...
John Wagner | Homepage | 07.19.05 - 5:32 pm | #

Beautiful, simple response to the short-sighted PR-is-dead argument going around. I do work with the media and still find that explaining in plain English what a technology does and why is more than half my job.
Jeff | Homepage | 07.20.05 - 2:37 pm | #

Thanks, Jeff. I appreciate your comments.

I don't discount the importance that a blogger can have on reaching an audience. It's already a proven fact that it can be powerful.

But to suggest that you could then do away with the folks who help craft the vision and describe it in ways that is understandable is to dismiss the real value of corporate communicators.

And that is short-sided, as you point out.
John Wagner | Homepage | 07.20.05 - 5:18 pm | #

Agreed. I gave you a shout-out on my post today. I want our readers to consider your approach to the common misunderstanding, as it's a point we like to drum as well. http://www.mcbrublog.com/pages/ s...892a8e45a21fad8
jeff | Homepage | 07.21.05 - 2:41 pm | #

I totally agree with you.

It is suprising to see how some people are trying to burry PR and proclaim the triumph of blogs to give more transparency to companies.

Doesn't anyone realize that transparency or opacity of communications depend on management and not on PR practitioners?
Jorge | Homepage | 07.24.05 - 3:57 am | #

Jorge:

Thanks for visiting and thanks for your comments.

You make a good point about the role that management plays in transparency. Without the support of the senior executive team, neither PR nor rank and file employees will be effective in communicating on behalf of the company.
John Wagner | Homepage | 07.24.05 - 11:47 am | #