On Being Presidential: New thread for Monday, Nov. 15, blog assignment

Hello, everyone.

Here's a new thread for your 600-word presidential speech analysis posts. Refer to Wilcox Chapter 15 and go to External Links on the course Blackboard site. Refer to the Boston Globe file Alyssa provided. Also revisit the sites we accessed in class to hear and read the speeches. The JFK speech is 14 minutes; the Obama speech about 20 minutes. You'll find the text of the JFK speech at www.bartleby.com, along with many other writing references.

Feel free to write up to 1,000 words for extra credit. You also may want to comment on the San Francisco mayor's veto of the McDonald's Happy Meal ban some of you cited in last week's thread. Hmm. What do you think happened there from a public relations standpoint?

Here's to clear thinking and concise writing. Let me know if you have questions about what to do.

P.S. We'll have a guest lecturer in class next week: Peter Grefrath, vice president of corporate communication at Trust Company of the West (TCW). He'll present an overview of financial writing.

Now, back to blogging.

New thread for Monday, Nov. 8, blog assignment

Here's a new thread for your Monday, Nov. 8, blog assignment. You may respond to your classmates' posts or suggest a new topic within your post. Write a total of 600 words in one or more blog posts between now and 6:20 p.m. Monday. Feel free to write more. You'll get extra credit for thoughtful topics and well-written posts up to a total of 1,000 words. That's not as much copy as you think.

Good luck and good blogging. I look forward to reading your posts.

Another new thread. We're on a blogroll!

Please use this post to comment on your colleagues' recent posts or to pose your own questions or issues. For example, this week you're "deconstructing" the recent NYU-PRSA partnership press/news release based on Wilcox's news release guidelines and tips. What do you think is the future of the news release? (Did you notice the subtle name change?) Press releases aren't just for the press anymore, or are they? Can you suggest another name for the format? Are the stakeholders the traditional ones or new ones? I suggest; you decide.

Let's start a new thread: What's on your mind?

Keep up the good posts! You're doing well. Your topics are well-chosen and well-written. What more can I say? Continue the conversations.

Your turn.

Hello? Is anybody out there?

I know I've been unavailable, but I thought you'd blog in the meantime. I seem to recall an assignment of three blogs a week for a total of 600 words—and three tweets a week. Some of you are doing that—and some of you aren't.

The idea was to comment on your colleagues' posts and suggest new ones, even though I'm the one who starts new posts.

Speaking of blogs, has anyone visited the nytimes.com After Deadline writing blog lately? It's always interesting and amusing if writing well interests and amuses you. See if there's a topic that would make a good blog post here.

If not, see if there's a nytimes.com Opinion article or column that piques (or peaks?) your interest and tell us why.

I've enjoyed reading your posts so far. They're thoughtful and well-written with just a few tweaks needed.

Let the blogging continue—or begin. Please.

Welcome to Graphophobia!

Have no fear of writing! You're in the blogosphere. Only the world is watching. (I am, too.)

You may blog about Alicia's suggested topics:

Topics:

1. Women have become a large majority of the professionals in public relations, however when looking at company demographics, men still seem to be in the executive pr positions. Why do you think this is and do you think it is possible to change in the near future?

2. With the world becoming smaller and business becoming more international, do you find it important to be multi lingual? Why or Why not?

3. What do you think the importance of a public relations professional is in international institutions such as the UN?

Or Rachel's suggested topics:

1. Proposed New York City outdoor smoking ban and the impact this has on personal freedom

2. The dangers and power of social media and technology, given the recent event at Rutgers University

Or you may comment on a relevant topic of your own.

Either way, post at least 200 words three times a week for a total of 600 words. You may write more if you wish. I will factor your posts into your grade. The class Twitter site also is up: twitter.com/WritingWrite. Post at least three Tweets a week.

Welcome to the world of mainstream PR. Try to have some fun. I think you will. Write write.