News

Seven things PR pros need to know on Thursday, 11.13.2014

White House releases new anti-campus sexual assault PSA; Twitter's mission statement panned; How one brand also tried to #BreakTheInternet.

by Frank Washkuch / November 13, 2014

1. The White House released a PSA about on-campus sexual assault on Thursday morning as part of the It’s On Us campaign. Its target is men, who studies show often don’t do enough to stop violent incidents against women that are taking place around them.

Nov. 17 is the start of #ItsOnUs Week of Action! Plan an event to bring sexual assault awareness to your campus at http://t.co/hEHBueyn0l.
— It's On Us (@ItsOnUs) November 9, 2014

2. A FIFA judge has dismissed corruption inquiries into the bidding processes by Russia and Qatar, respectively, for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. Qatar, however, continues to face questions about labor and living conditions for workers building stadiums for the event.

3. Obama administration officials are confident healthcare.gov will work properly when open enrollment for healthcare plans through the Affordable Care Act begins again on Saturday. Kevin Counihan, who is overseeing the site for the White House, told CBS News, "This is not last year."

4. Comcast president and CEO Brian Roberts took a softer tone on Wednesday on President Barack Obama’s stance on Net Neutrality than other executives, laying out some areas where he agrees with the White House.

Roberts also said his company has not changed its mind on combining with Time Warner, and plans are for the merger to be complete in the first quarter of next year.

5. Twitter did not win points for clarity when it unveiled its new mission statement and product strategy on Wednesday. Valleywag called it "a trash heap of jargon." Wall Street Journal business editor Dennis Berman summed it up like this: "35 words, 62 syllables, 4 clauses, 2 grammatical errors." Here are six products or features to expect based on Twitter’s presentation.

Twitter's new mission statement: 35 words, 62 syllables, 4 clauses, 2 grammatical errors. pic.twitter.com/QhUgqE3zZ2
— Dennis K. Berman (@dkberman) November 12, 2014

6. MSNBC will reorganize next week amid a drop in ratings, combining its TV and digital teams into one group called "The Bridge." Network president Phil Griffin announced the changes in a memo to staff on Wednesday.

7. Jumping off Kim Kardashian’s risqué pose on the cover of Paper, a number of brands also tried to #BreakTheInternet on Wednesday. Here’s Southwest Airlines’ take.