Home » Blog Talk, Citizen Journalism, Journalism, PR, PR Education, Public Relations, Public Relations Education, Teaching PR, Why a blog

Sarcasm on ABC News blog earns criticism – PRWeek UK

3 October 2005 1 views 4 Comments

This is an interesting cautionary tale about what might happen when MSM tries to join in a new medium while not understanding it first.

Yet another example of “know your audience” and “know your medium” that will likely re-play over and over again as corporations experiment with blogs.

Sarcasm on ABC News blog earns criticism – PRWeek UK

NEW YORK: What was meant as a satirical posting by ABC News’ political blog, The Note, has drawn criticism from some in the blogosphere for compromising the integrity of the ABC News brand.

The posting last Tuesday, September 27, claimed it was featuring an advanced copy of a speech President Bush was to make the next day. Instead, what followed was a speech Jimmy Carter gave almost 30 years ago.

Printing what is known as Carter’s “malaise” speech was intended to show a comparison to President Bush’s new conservation effort. But not all were in on the joke, and, ultimately, it served as a cautionary tale for news organizations as they increasingly try to penetrate the blogosphere and its culture.

4 Comments »

  • gas guzzler UNITED STATES Windows XP Mozilla Firefox 1.0.6 said:

    People need to lighten up. I applaud ABC for going sarcastic.

    # 3 October 2005 at 3:11 pm
  • Robert UNITED STATES Windows XP Mozilla Firefox 1.0.6 (author) said:

    Well, Mr. Guzzler (if that is your real name) :grin:

    I’ve often experienced that those claiming to be on the leading edge (blog happy people) and claim to be open to all manner of new ideas (blog enthusiasts) are usually those most likely to try and apply their ‘new rules’ to ‘their’ innovation (blog police).

    So, I’m not surprised that ABC is being criticized.

    Their blogging efforts are relatively new, therefore people have not become accustomed to the tone and tenor of their posts. They were poking fun while making an editorial statement and thought a blog was the appropriate place to be able to get away with it.

    For a MSM journalism corporation to take such liberties and then be greeted by criticism is not too hard to understand, now is it?

    ABC and the others are desperate to find ways to hold their old audience and gain new audiences. So, they try out blogs (among many other things). It is not surprising that they get burned a bit when trying something new – in such an awkward and obviously unknowledgable way.

    # 3 October 2005 at 3:22 pm
  • Greg UNITED STATES Windows XP Internet Explorer 6.0 said:

    I’m not sure those who are criticizing ABC’s “The Note” — which has been publishing on the web since well before PR Week — have ever bothered to read it with any regularity. I think the blogosphere could learn a few things about properly researching opinions and, yes, sarcasm by taking it in every morning. There is not a single more important political blog publication on the web. I was puzzled by PR Week’s story. ABC didn’t just join the blogosphere. They’ve been around a lot longer than many of their recent critics.

    # 4 October 2005 at 10:25 am
  • Robert UNITED STATES Windows XP Mozilla Firefox 1.0.6 (author) said:

    Thanks, Greg.

    I went to “The Note” and took a look. PR Week did not link to it and I was too quick to post. I am not a lover of political discussion, so I avoid it like the plague. I didn’t find the supposedly offending article/post. Still haven’t read it … so I don’t have context.

    FIrst, I don’t know how long the publication has been on the net. Looking at it, I wouldn’t even call it a blog.

    So, it seems there are at least two issues at hand here.

    (1) Perhaps PR Week perceived the online publication to be a blog (or poor word choice). I wonder why? Can’t say. And wasn’t this initially delivered via email?
    (2) The nature of political blogging seems to be “lash out at anything you don’t like” etc. Political blogs do it every day.

    Then, I thought, who exactly is calling it a gaffe? I did not research it – just took PR Week’s word. That’s a dangerous thing.

    So, I looked for references to “The Note” controversy online. Didn’t find a great deal of posts? I did find Wonkette’s. That scared me. The other references seem to be partisan outrage defending the Prez. I think the one thing that gave the article credence – for me – was the quote from Silverman.

    Publishing sarcasm – without a disclaimer – will take some people in. Also, some (me) may see one side of an issue in the story (potential pitfalls) that grew out of the controversy and post away without researching to see what it is ‘all’ about. And, like me – again, some will take publications they are familiar with at face value.

    I broke two of my own rules. (1) Be skeptical. (2) Research before you post.

    I don’t think ABC probably cares about the controversy on this one. I’m wary of sarcasm being posted on an MSM site. I’m wary of political commentary coming from an MSM outlet without a big banner of “Editorial” above it. That’s just me. I’m old. I’m used to the old ways.

    Ultimately, we will probably see more of this outlash at political sarcasm by blogs – especially if it is coming from any MSM outlet.

    An aside: First, I’m curious why no one wants to identify themselves on this one in the comments? Don’t know why that surprises me on this issue, but it just seems strange. No sites or emails. Well, the ‘guzzler’ did put links to what seem to be spam sites… but, I digress. Just a tangent that interests me.

    # 4 October 2005 at 3:19 pm