Google Trends shows magnitude of Rob Ford story

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Google Trends shows magnitude of Rob Ford story

The Rob Ford 'crack allegations' story has dominated headlines in Canada and parts of the United States for the past week. In addition to the salacious nature of the allegations of drug use by the mayor of one of the largest cities in North America, there have been surreptitious meetings between journalists and drug dealers and high-profile references to a secret videotape that allegedly shows the Mayor smoking from what appears to be a crack pipe.

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How to write a news release that won't get deleted

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How to write a news release that won't get deleted

Ah, the news release.​.. ​The rotary phone of the modern PR industry. Still able to perform its intended function but, for all intents and purposes, a relic from another era. Is the news release dead? Perhaps not. But it sure is looking a little long in the tooth...

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Nail your next TV interview: Part 3

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Nail your next TV interview: Part 3

Great TV spokespeople aren't born. They're made. And in this three-part series, we've tried to share some of the tips and tricks used by the people who make great TV interviews look effortless. In Part 1, we showed you what to do before your TV interview. In Part 2, we told you how to handle yourself during the interview. And in this final post of this series, we're going to share a few tips about what to do after the interview's...

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Nail your next TV interview: Part 2

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Nail your next TV interview: Part 2

In the previous post, we walked you through what you need to do before your TV interview takes place...things like how to craft a story for TV, how to practice effectively, what to wear, where to look, how to deal with a TV crew ambush and more. So...you've done your prep work. Your story is nailed down. You've carved out some time to practice (hopefully on camera). Now, it's show time.

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Nail your next TV interview: Part 1

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Nail your next TV interview: Part 1
TV interviews tend to put me in mind of dogs chasing cars. It seems like everyone wants to go on TV to talk about their new company, book, product, etc. But when, after so much pitching and pleading, they're finally able to line up that first TV interview, not unlike the dog that *catches* the car for the first time, few people...Read More

A reporter sounds off on the 'Guard Dog' approach to PR

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A reporter sounds off on the 'Guard Dog' approach to PR

Journalists and public relations professionals have an interesting relationship. They depend on each other to do their jobs, but typically, they have very different goals in mind. For journalists, the main concern is securing the interview, getting the facts and hopefully...

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If your media interview isn't uncomfortable, you may not be doing it right

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If your media interview isn't uncomfortable, you may not be doing it right

If you don't feel a bit of tension between yourself and the reporter during your media interview, you may not be doing it right. That doesn't mean there should be an antagonistic or negative tension between the journalist and the interviewee. Think of it more...

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A media interview is NOT a conversation

/ Media Training Toronto/
A media interview is NOT a conversation

If I only had 10 seconds to prepare someone for an important media interview, this is what I would tell them:  A media interview is NOT a conversation. A hard core, full day media training session should still be the minimum prerequisite for any spokesperson preparing to face the media on behalf of their organization. But when it comes to...  

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11 ways to totally *$#@ up your next media interview

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11 ways to totally *$#@ up your next media interview

As human beings, most of us are fortunate enough to possess a finely-tuned survival instinct, honed by millions of years of evolution. You might think these awesome skills are wasted in a world without dinosaurs and sabre-toothed tigers. On the contrary. Even in the corporate world...

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5 mistakes PR pros make when pitching journalists

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5 mistakes PR pros make when pitching journalists

Guest post by Carly Weeks, health reporter with The Globe and Mail.

If you were applying for a job and spelled the contact person's name incorrectly, inserted the wrong organization name in the cover letter or didn't have any of the qualifications specified in the job posting, you probably wouldn't be surprised if you didn't get called for an interview...

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How David Stern should have answered Jim Rome’s loaded/repeat question

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How David Stern should have answered Jim Rome’s loaded/repeat question

Whether you’re a school teacher or the Commissioner of the National Basketball Association, your approach to media interviews should include a sound strategy for handling loaded and repeat questions. Last week, NBA Commissioner David Stern gave us a not-so-friendly reminder...

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Some questions about the Wal-Mart, Mercury Public Affairs incident

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Some questions about the Wal-Mart, Mercury Public Affairs incident

Yesterday, Gawker published a story about a young woman they referred to as a 'PR flack' who was fired for posing as a reporter in order to spy on a pro-labour group's closed meeting. If you're not familiar with the story..

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