On the Record...Online with Media Relations Expert Peter Himler

Peter Himler goes On the Record...Online with host Eric Schwartzman to discuss the reputation of the PR industry, the reasons why PR practitioners blog, and whether there is a conflict of interest for PR practitioners to blog.

Peter Himler is principal of Flatiron Communications LLC, a PR/media consulting firm in New York. He most recently was Chief Media Officer for Edelman Worldwide following 11 years with Burson-Marsteller as head of B-M's U.S. corporate and strategic media team, and its worldwide spokesperson. Prior to B-M, Peter was media director for six years at WPP sister agency Cohn & Wolfe, preceeded by five years at Hill and Knowlton where he led its broadcast and consumer media group. Peter is president of the Publicity Club of New York. He also sits on the Communications Committee for United Way of NYC, and on the Board of Advisors for the Communications and Media Studies Program at Tufts University. Last year, PR News named Peter its PR Professional/Media Relations Executive of the Year, and PR Week awarded the eight-year PR program he led for the World War II Memorial its Public Sector Campaign of the Year.

SHOW NOTES:

5:26 - Peter Himler on why there is a negative image of the PR industry.
6:36 - Himler talks about whether blogging can improve PR's reputation.
7:54 - Himler shares his views on public relations practitioner Lizzie Grubman.
9:11 - Himler talks about why Page Six is still an institution: "Gossip has grown up and is all over...The Post Page Six...it tends to lead to a lot of other media coverage and gets picked up..."
11:21 - Himler talks about the extortion scandal involving Jared Paul Stern.
13:19 - Himler on whether our fixation with celebrities is in the decline.
14:56 - Himler talks about whether the desire for attention motivates PR people to blog.
16:56 - Himler on the dichotomy present in the PR industry: "...we're caught between our need to command and control the message...and also the importance of being transparent and full disclosure..."
20:26 - Himler talks about whether there is a difference between declassification and leaking information with regards to the Scooter Libby document.
21:43 - Himler on whether there is a conflict of interest for PR practitioners to blog about their clients and their own speaking engagements: "I think to write a blog for the express purposes of promoting a client would be disingenuous."
23:43 - Himler talks about whether PR practitioners need to clearly denote if they are talking about a client on their blog.
25:10 - Himler on how citizen journalism and the blogosphere impact the mainstream media: "...the once powerful mainstream earth-shaking media don't have that kind of power anymore."
27:47 - Himler talks about the Jeff Jarvis incident with Dell.
30:18 - Himler talks about the effect of Jeff Jarvis's "personal crusade" against Dell.
31:41 - End.