We were proud to kick off our first event of the year with an impressive panel and great attendees! Our conversation dove into the ethics of public communications; credibility; effectiveness; and the sometimes fine line between transparency and legality.
And in between some friendly banter, our moderator and panelists also shared industry best practices for PR/communications professionals and journalists alike. Here were some of our key takeaways:
On Ethics
- “We are entitled to our own opinions but not our own facts.” - Mike Raia
- There is a need to balance transparency and legalities. - Laura Meade Kirk
- Social media should be used by political offices to complement communication channels. - Mike Raia
- Social media offers an intimate connection to your audience. - Emily Crowell
- “It’s good that you have more ways to get your message out, but you now have less control.” - Laura Meade Kirk
Best Practice
- Building relationships between PR professionals and journalists is key to honest and comprehensive reporting. - Panel
- Press releases are not a place for feature writing. Be efficient, get to the point. - Tim White
- The old approach to a “Friday News Dump” is no longer an effective practice to avoid sharing bad news. - Emily Crowell
“Thank you” also to our moderator and panelists!
- Tim White (moderator) - Target 12 Investigative Reporter, WPRI
- Emily Crowell - Director of Communications, Office of Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza
- Laura Meade Kirk - Public Information Officer, RI State Police and RI Department of Public Safety
- Michael Raia - Communications Director, Office of Governor Gina Raimondo