It has been five years since Google Plus closed down. While it never amassed the number of users of some of its rivals, many called it home and were cast adrift after its demise, unable to find an alternative that offered the same features and vibe. One Goole Plus user lamented the loss and reflected on the lessons learned from her attempts to find a new social network to call home. In this short midweek episode, Neville and Shel discuss the fragmented nature of social networks and how the fediverse might one day resolve issues like those faced by refugees from Google Plus, Twitter, and other social networks that were no longer available or suited their needs.
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The post FIR #402: Your Favorite Social Network Just Shut Down. Now What? appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

While public corporations employ (or contract with agencies that provide) media relations professionals, government agencies are likelier to have Public Information Officers (PIOs). Agencies, however, are not the only entities with PIOs, who differ from media relations practitioners by virtue of their engagement with multiple external stakeholder audiences, not just media. PIOs have plied their craft for NGOs, educational institutions, civic organizations, religious institutions, and even some big corporations.

Like those in media relations, PIOs are meant to be the first point of contact for a journalist seeking information, interviews, or answers from an organization. Journalists, however, are complaining that, over the last couple of decades, PIOs have been obstacles rather than conduits, hindering their ability to do their jobs instead of helping. It has gotten bad enough that the Society of Professional Journalists is leading a formal, orchestrated campaign to get PIOs to clean up their act; publications like the Columbia Journalism Review and organizations like the Poynter Institute are among many who have gotten onboard.

In this short midweek episode, Shel and Neville look at the SPJ's argument and discuss whether the PIO (and media relations) profession needs to change or if they're just whining about organizations' PR representatives just doing their jobs.
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The post FIR #401: The Battle Between PIOs and Journalists appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

In a LinkedIn post, Techcrunch Sr. Enterprise Editor Frederic Lardinois lamented the ineffectiveness of an event-related press release he received. To date, 42 comments have agreed, many coneming the utter uselessness of press releases and the incompetence of those who produce them. Neville and Shel understand their frustration based on the poor quality of most press releases but defend the practice, when done right, for various reasons in this short midweek episode.
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The post FIR #400: Love Them Or Hate Them, Press Releases Can Still Deliver Value appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.