Thomson Reuters Wire Service Poses Challenges

Earlier this week, vendors serving the public relations industry were stacked side-by-side in the PRSA Conference exhibit hall in San Diego. Among them were some familiar names in the news industry -- the AP, Dow Jones and Thomson Reuters.

AP was serving up access to its extensive photo database, and Dow Jones its research and database services... pretty common fare, with no raised eyebrows. However, a slug on the Thomson Reuters pop-up sign drew my eye... "news wire."

The esteemed Reuters news wire, right, served by (usually) objective journalists spanning the globe? Not quite.

A few weeks ago, Thomson Reuters acquired Hugin Group B.V., a provider of news distribution services. Yes, Thomson Reuters has entered the paid wire service market, up against the likes of PR Newswire, BusinessWire, Market Wire, et al.

Out of sheer curiosity, I asked a couple of Thomson employees how the company plans to avoid consumer confusion between its editorial and paid services. For now, paid distribution will continue to carry the Hugin brand. The team didn't know how a transition to the Thomson Reuters brand would occur, or when for that matter.

Will Hugin's new parent preserve the original but less well-known brand? Will it christen its newly-acquired wire service with the Thomson brand? Or will the lure of the Reuters brand be too strong to ignore, drawing customers but confusing readers in the process?

Herein lies a branding and transparency challenge that will be fascinating to watch play out.

The Wah-Wah Pedal of PR

About 15 years ago, I was working for Yamaha Corporation as a PR consultant, fresh out of college. No, not the Yamaha motorcycle guys (the "cool" Yamaha), but the music products firm -- guitars, pianos, CD-R drives, computer speakers, etc. As we drove down a street together in Las Vegas, headed for another day at an industry trade show, my client -- Gerry Tschetter, a veteran of the music industry -- shared a story.

Have you ever listened to early 70s rock, and noticed the use of the wah-wah pedal in every guitar solo (and I mean every one)? It seems that when the wah-wah pedal was introduced, everyone rushed out to buy one, and not sure of how to use it appropriately, included it in every single song for the next two or three years.

"Heck, you couldn't even have a guitarist get through 'Happy Birthday' without some wah-wah," recounted Gerry. "But in time, musicians figured it out, and applied it where it was needed. We became more enamored with the music once again as opposed to a pseudo-musical tool."

As I walked the Marriott in San Diego today, comparing the '09 PRSA International Conference to Detroit in '08, I'm starting to hear a bit less social media wah-wah. Oh sure, there are pockets where the guys and gals are screaming for their social media rock stars, who are (over)using wah-wah to the hilt. But then there are also those among us who have eased off that pedal a bit... a cool pedal indeed, but one -- when used a bit more judiciously -- carries more oomph and wow.

And that's music to my ears.

The Business Case for Public Relations

What is the business case for public relations? I'd have to believe there's a strong one, or we'd all be without a career. Perhaps it's more in the articulation of it...

Join an industry panel (including me) on Monday, Nov. 9 from 10:15 - 11:30 a.m. at the PRSA International Conference as we take a deeper look at how the industry can help itself.

Working at the Speed of New

In this age of always-on, "gimme more" communication, the 24-hour news cycle has given way to the 24-second tweet cycle.

I'll be sharing ways to conquer and survive this environment at the 2009 PRSA International Conference in San Diego this coming Sunday.

You can download a PDF of the slides here.

Why?

Why? It's a simple question, and one I've asked daily (if not hourly) since I could speak, and thank my parents for always encouraging me to find the answers.

So I ask it now... why start a blog in a crowded field of sometimes pruning, status-seeking self-proclaimed pundits who speak, publish and shout endlessly about the communications and public affairs professions?

To stimulate debate. To foster critical thinking. To offer alternative viewpoints. To ask my colleagues, my friends, and my peers to engage. And of course to have some fun.

Welcome to PR Schism!