Loose lips sink ships. Why it's important to always be on message.

Teachers, salaries, pensions and benefits remain very much in the news. The recent ruckus in Wisconsin is a high profile example. To be fair, here are two recent stories about where the situation stands from the Weekly Standard and Huffington Post.

A lot of contention, opinion and emotion remains on both sides.


My point here is not what side you may take in this issue or any other, but why it's important for everyone involved to be on message. Just like the old saying "Loose Lips Sink Ships," loose lips can also sink a cause or movement.

Case in point: I was watching the news yesterday and there was a story about people lining up two days in advance of the opening of the new IKEA Store in Centennial. (Why this is "news" in the first place is another story)

A reporter asked one lady who is spending a full two days in line how she could afford to do it. "I'm a teacher, we get the whole summer off," was the reply. Oops. One could almost here the groan of the National Education Association all the way across the country.

When you, your organization or cause is in the middle of a high profile campaign, everyone and I mean EVERYONE has to be on message all the time. Even when standing in line to buy furniture.

Brian Olson
Conversation Starters Public Relations
"We start the conversation about you" (And teach your team to help manage that conversation)

Blood in the Media Waters and the Sharks are circling.

A pundit said the other day there are two types of journalists: Those who work for News Corp and those who compete against News Corp. The latter are having a field day. There's blood in the media waters and it's attracting crowds. Even a shaving creme pie.

Led by Uber Media Baron Rupert Murdoch, News Corp became arguably one of the most powerful media companies in the world. A powerhouse in print and broadcast with online affiliates, often making headlines for the headlines and stories they broke.

Now it appears they might have broken the law while breaking headlines, hacking into the cell phones of political leaders to crime victims in England. A rogue operation within an organization led by a powerful rogue. Executives have been sacked or arrested, a whole newspaper was shut down.

The media business is highly competitive. Make that incredibly competitive. The outlets with the most eyeballs make the most money. And News Corp outlets like the Wall Street Journal and FOX News have the eyeballs. Just ask CNN or MSNBC.

So when a competitor is down, all's fair in love, war and journalism. Let the kicking begin!

Right now the lawbreaking appears to be contained only to England. But unsubstantiated reports have News Corp hacking into the cell phones of 9-11 victims here in the USA. Again, unsubstantiated reports. But there's enough smoke that the FBI is checking for the smallest sign of fire.

There's plenty at stake. News Corp owns several local television stations as part of it's US holding  and they're licensed by the FCC, which if laws were broken, could yank those licenses. The White House, no doubt, is also watching with no small amount of glee that FOX News, which it considers to be "unfriendly" could be impacted by all the fall-out. Guess who likely called in the FBI?

Commentators on FOX News often take potshots at their lower-rated competition. Now the competition is returning fire. All are devoting significant air time and resources to covering the Murdoch saga with great enthusiasm.

I'm not taking sides in this other than if laws were broken or journalistic ethics compromised, those guilty need to be punished. I have my favorite news outlets and so do you. There are plenty to choose from. That said, everyone has to play by the rules. But the story is a juicy one and as long as it has legs, you can bet those who've been bested by News Corp will spare no expense or resources in covering this story. You can also bet there will be a movie about it.

To be fair, the coverage here on this side of the Atlantic has been fair, but also tough. FOX News isn't shying away from covering the story either, helping hold as it were, the spotlight that is on all News Corp properties.

What's next? Stay tuned. There will be no shortage of coverage--and it's great fun to watch.

Brian Olson
Conversation Starters Public Relations

When it's smart to say you're stupid.

Remember the recent incident involving TSA and the 95 year old cancer patient? They made her get out of her wheel chair and remove her diaper. People, justifiably, were outraged at what happened. TSA's official response, no doubt carefully vetted by a cadre of bureaucrats, was they were following "established procedures."

What TSA needs to do is have some established common sense. That includes simply saying what happened was stupid and they'll re-think a similar situation next time instead of making a 95 year old woman, with cancer, in a wheel chair take off her diaper.

TSA serves a critical role in keeping us safe when we travel. Sure, it's a hassle going through security these days but the acts of others make it necessary.  I travel a fair amount and in most cases going through security is  usually done with a minimum of hassle.

But what TSA gets attention for is making 95 year old cancer patients take her diapers off, or patting down young kids or the infamous "touch my junk" episode. TSA does nothing to promote the human side of their mission, so instead they are perceived as being inhuman.

Google "TSA Grope" and you get 765-thousand hits. It's too bad. Arguably TSA's role is as important as our military fighting over seas. The difference is TSA is fodder for viral videos and the source of punch lines by late night comedians.

And far too many negative news stories.

TSA has fallen into the trap of hiding behind rigid "officialese" and so far at least, resisting any attempt to put a human face on the agency or it's mission and most importantly the people that carry it out. They aren't alone. When you hear "BP," what comes to mind?

It's avoidable of course. Sadly, that's the stupid part.

Brian Olson
Conversation Starters Public Relations

1st Amendment Ramblings this July 4th.

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."

These words make us unique in the world, what we commonly call "Free Speech." Simple in concept, difficult in execution.


It's OK for the Westboro Baptist Church to protest at a fallen soldier's funeral spewing all sorts of vitriol. The huge majority of us want them stopped. But the Supreme Court says it's OK for them to continue. The Court also says it's OK for video game companies to sell extremely violent games to teens and younger.

All because of the 1st Amendment.Free speech.

But don't yell "Fire" in a crowded theater. That will get you arrested. Don't describe the President as a male organ on a cable news program. That will get you suspended from work.

A newspaper can voice its opinion about who we should vote for on the editorial page. But journalistic ethics prohibit, at least in theory, a reporter from expressing personal views in a story about politics.

What's the difference? I have no idea. I'm not a lawyer. So while the 1st Amendment is far from perfect, it sure beats the alternative.

The precious right to sound off on just about anything, regardless of whether anyone agrees with us is just that, precious. Certainly something to contemplate as we celebrate our freedom this day.

Brian Olson
Conversation Starters Public Relations.