Yesterday we took issue with a piece in The Economist that had a rough, perhaps out of date, view of the PR trade.
It offered three different types of PR people. I had three of my own.
In response, several hacks came up with their own lists.
But they were on the aggressive side of abusive and we just aren’t that sort of publication. (Unless we lose tonight).
One hack offered the following though:
“The other point to make on the Economist piece is that it is a pretty odd way to view the trade of flakery. PR folk are not there to help us. If they happen to do so it is because a) it suits their paymaster b) they have ballsed it up in some way or c) they have deliberately decided to leg over their client (which is obviously the most fun option).
The Economist piece seems – at one point – to make the same error that loads of hacks do and assume that PR people are there for our benefit. It is an analogous argument to a bank robber rating a security guard by counting how many heists he gets away with on their watch. If that were the criteria, then G4S wouldn’t have a PR problem.
These people are not our friends – even if they do occasionally furnish us with handy info.”
I think that’s coming from a very particular place. One that sees truth discovery as a battle between good and evil, with the lines clearly drawn.
If you’re doing undercover investigations, perhaps it is.
Most of my dealings with flaks are transactional; it isn’t this massive fight.
Still, there is a definitely a case for us all being less friendly. Which may start tomorrow. If we lose tonight.
Some decent commentary on the float of Wise here from Capdesk, including good figures, notably that staff will enjoy a payout of £400,000.
Christian Gabriel says: “The Wise IPO will strengthen the business case for employee equity as a performance-driver and promises to be a huge boost for the wider UK and European tech ecosystem. Keeping, growing and sharing the wealth of big tech successes here is exactly what’s needed to ensure the region stays globally competitive.”
