Flight Safety

Imagine you were a passenger on Southwest Flight 812 this past week when a portion of the fuselage came apart in mid-flight.  (http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=13278839). While no serious injuries were reported, it does make one stand up and take notice to the safety of the airlines. Following is the link to Southwest Airlines press releases regarding the “Loss of Pressurization Event.” http://www.southwest.com/about_swa/press/prindex.html?int=GFOOTER-ABOUT-PRESS

What are your thoughts? Do you think their public relations team acted fast enough regarding the “event”? Why/why not? What, if anything, would you suggest they do differently? What is the main message Southwest Airlines is sending to its various publics?

 

 

 

 

Image from http://www.thedigitalbus.com/facebook-now-available-on-airlines/

 

To vote or not to vote, that is the question.

Next month at Georgia Southern, you will have the opportunity to vote for your student government representatives.

I have been told that approximately 11 percent of the student body participated in the Student Government Association (SGA) elections last year.  With a population of nearly 20,000 students, this is disheartening. This is your campus, your education, have your voice be heard. Don’t sit back and let the minority that vote have a say that affects every student on this campus.

While I will not use my blog to endorse one candidate over another, I encourage you to get involved, find out about the candidates and what they stand for, what are they bringing to the table and how can they help you, your department, your university.

What are your thoughts regarding low voter turnout? What do you think can/should be done to improve the number of voters from 11 percent to at least 50 (or more) percent? Are you going to vote? Why/why not?

Image from studentorg.georgiasouthern.edu

 

Who’s to blame?

Everyone has their issues, however, some people’s issues become more public than others. Take for instance the case of Miley Cyrus. She became a tv star at the age of 12 and her fame skyrocketed from there. There was the tv show “Hannah Montana,” movie roles and her singing career. Was it all too much for someone so young?

In 2008, there was the controversy over photos taken by famed photographer Annie Leibovitz of a then 15-year-old Miley that gave the impression that Miley was only wearing a sheet- her parents were at the photo shoot. (http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20195876,00.html).  Then, in 2009 at the Teen Choice Awards Miley, 16, performed her song “Party in the USA” while dancing on a pole. Her parents were in the audience and they didn’t seem fazed by this. (http://justjared.buzznet.com/2009/08/10/miley-cyrus-pole-dancing-party-in-the-usa/).

Most recently there is a video of Miley, 18, smoking salvia from a bong at a party (http://www.tmz.com/2010/12/10/miley-cyrus-video-bong-hit-smoking-salvia-herb-pyschedelic-birthday-party-hannah-montana/).

Now her father, Billy Ray, is saying that the show (“Hannah Montana”) and Hollywood are to blame for his daughter’s troubles and the break up of his family.

The following articles give Billy Ray’s side of the story:

http://omg.yahoo.com/blogs/thefamous/billy-ray-cyrus-scared-for-miley/656?nc

http://www.gq.com/entertainment/celebrities/201103/billy-ray-cyrus-mr-hannah-montana-miley?currentPage=1

Now it’s your turn, who’s to blame? Do you think Hollywood is to blame (as Billy Ray thinks)? Or, do you think Miley’s parents should have done something before now? Do you think there is something/someone else that should be blamed? Should anyone take responsibility?

If you were Miley’s PR rep., how would you handle the current press about her and her family (her parents are in the process of divorcing)? Do you think she should come out and give her side of things?

 

PRCA 2330 – Spring 2011

Following are the blog addresses of those enrolled in PRCA 2330, Spring 2011.

Kalvin Barker – kalvinb.wordpress.com

Christina Belge – tinaspeak.wordpress.com

Kayla Boston – kboston1.wordpress.com

Gianna Carme – giannacarme.wordpress.com

Chanice Childers – watznew.wordpress.com

Matt D’La Rotta – mdlarotta.wordpress.com

Sarah Dixon – bellag1.wordpress.com

Sarah Egan – sarahegan.wordpress.com

Rachel Lea Floyd – rachelleafloyd.wordpress.com

Vincent Garrett – djviga.wordpress.com

Brianna Halpern – brihalpern.wordpress.com

Darnell X. Harris – dxavierharris.wordpress.com

Chinaka Herbert – empyreus.wordpress.com

Emory High – sonicserver24.wordpress.com

Brittani Hill – brittanihill.wordpress.com

Katherine Hilson – khilson.wordpress.com

Yasmine Horton – yasminehorton.wordpress.com

La’Royal Irvin-Collins – laroyalcollins.wordpress.com

Casey Johnson – caseyj67.wordpress.com

Carolyn Johnston – lynnleej.wordpress.com

Lane Keenan – alkeenan.wordpress.com

Amanda Kepshire – amandakep.wordpress.com

Brian Kolesar – truestoriesimadeup.wordpress.com

Maggie Mack – margiesmind.wordpress.com

Natalie Maffett – nataliemaffett.wordpress.com

Chantal Marley-Husbands – chantalmh.wordpress.com

Ryan Matherly – ryanmatherly.wordpress.com

Rene McClure – brenemc.wordpress.com

Kayla McGlashan – kaylamcglashan.wordpress.com

Kelsey Mulder – km04662.wordpress.com

Rachel Nix – rgn17.wordpress.com

Naima Othman – othmanna.wordpress.com

Paul Porter – southerntau.wordpress.com

Pharone Price – pharone.wordpress.com

Carrie Pulliam – carriepulliam.wordpress.com

Ashley Rand – ashleycrand.wordpress.com

Lennox Reid – lennoxreid.wordpress.com

Austin Riner – arriner12.wordpress.com

William Shurling – wshurling.wordpress.com

Trinity Smalley – winiwe.wordpress.com

Inez Tate – Inezmarie.wordpress.com

Annie Tuggle – atuggle.wordpress.com

Jaren Turner – jarenturner9.wordpress.com

Erin Vines – texasvines.wordpress.com

Xin Wan – xinwandylan.wordpress.com

Erecka Washington – reckarenia.wordpress.com

Dillon Winfrey – dillonwinfrey.wordpress.com

Christina Wright – christina890.wordpress.com

Shannin Wright – shalew.wordpress.com

 

Welcome!

Welcome to spring semester! I am sure that some of you experienced some wacky weather over the past week, and we can be thankful that is behind us. Hopefully an early spring is around the corner! (We can hope anyway, right?!)

For the PRCA 3330 students, hopefully you have read the directions on Georgia View and are here at my blog to give me your blog address (please be sure you are responding to the post labeled for PRCA 3330), as well as contribute to the possible weekly blog topics for the semester post.

For the PRCA 2330 students, scroll down to find the blog post for your class asking for your blog address. Also, contribute your thoughts to the possible weekly blog topics for the semester post.

I am looking forward to a great semester with all of you! Please let me know if you have any questions. If sending an e-mail, I prefer that you do so via Georgia View. You are also welcome to stop by my office in Veazey (room 2013).

 

 

Image from: http://tympanogram.com/

 

What shall we write about today?

This post is for both the PRCA 2330 & PRCA 3330 classes. Each week this semester, you will have an assigned blog topic. Some of these topics will be those that you, the students, suggest. In the comments section below, list some topics you would like to blog about.

First, some rules:

• Keep it clean!
• Be specific. For example, don’t just write dogs. What about dogs would you want to blog about? A better topic would be, why one should rescue a dog from a shelter or humane society, rather than purchasing one at a pet store.
• Each person must suggest a minimum of two ideas.

Some examples of previous topics (and yes, we can do some of these again):

• Favorite You Tube videos
• What do you really think about reality TV?
• Favorite TV Show
• Pet Peeves

Let your imagination be free and be creative!

 

 

Image from http://www.a-hec.org/dimensions.html

 

PRCA 2330 – What’s your blog?

All PRCA 2330 students: please reply to this post with your blog address. First, click comment, then at the bottom of the post you will see an area in which to leave a reply. You must include your name, followed by your blog address. For example, Joe Smith – joesmith.worpress.com

Once I have everyone’s blog addresses, I will create a post listing your name and blog address so that you can read each other’s blogs and make comments as stated in the syllabus.

To find blogs I have written for  or pertain to this class, click on the PRCA 2330 link under Categories on the right side of your screen.

 

 

 

Image from http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/o/2707/p/salsa/web/blog/public/entries?blog_entry_KEY=21604

 

Fare thee well

We’ve all said it over the past few days, but it’s true. It’s finally here. That’s right – it’s the end of yet another semester. It seems like yesterday when the semester began, but the last few months have flown by. Papers have been written, quizzes given and presentations made. All of that leads up to the final exam.

I hope you enjoyed the semester and that you learned a lot about public relations. I wish you much luck as you move on in the program. Please remember that my door is always open and you have my e-mail address – you can contact me and ask questions and I’ll do my best to help you. I’m also on twitter – @mgroover. And for the brave, you can befriend me via facebook. 

I enjoyed having each of you in class. I appreciated how you would get involved in class discussions and bring your opinions and firsthand experiences to the conversations.  I hope that you enjoyed our guest speakers and took something away from each of their talks.

Now it’s time to turn the page and begin the next chapter. For some it will be going to summer school, for others jobs, marriage and even graduation. Don’t be afraid to turn the page, each one will bring richer experiences. You never know what you’ll find!

Good luck to each of you as you study for finals!!

 

Are we ready for this?

Coming soon to a living room near you…3-D TV.

That’s right. The new trend in TV’s is not how slim they can be, but how realistic the pictures they project are.

Read the following article, then answer these questions: If you worked in the company’s PR department how would you go about letting the public know of this new innovation? Would you use press releases and fact sheets alone? Would you use celebrity endorsements? What other tactics would you employ?

http://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/3d-tv-is-the-world-really-ready-to-upgrade/

 

Is that what I think it is?

Following is the story of a consumer finding something that does not belong in her purchase. The story headline is what drew me into the article in the first place. Then, as I continued reading I was both mortified and disgusted. Once you read the article, let me know if you feel the same way. I know Pictsweet is not on my list of products to buy!

Read the article and answer these questions: Do you agree or disagree with Pictsweet’s decision to deny liability? Why do you feel that way? If they’re not liable, who should be? With this story circulating the Web, if you worked in Pictsweet’s PR department what would you do to help rebound from this?

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,587205,00.html