Sponsor Trouble for Maria Sharapova
Russian Tennis star Maria Sharapova is in a tough spot. She admitted that she failed a drug test and has taken "full responsibility" for it.
Sharapova said she was taking Meldonium, a medication for heart disease, which was added to the list of banned substances this year. She also said that the medication goes by another name, which she didn't know: "It is very important for you to understand that for 10 years this medicine was not on WADA's banned list, and I had been legally taking the medicine. But on January the first, the rules have changed." She also said, "I made a huge mistake. I let my fans down and I let the sport down."
But did she have to call the hotel's carpet "ugly"?
Although her admission and apology are clear, her sponsors don't want to wait for more news. Nike issued this statement: "We are saddened and surprised by the news about Maria Sharapova. We have decided to suspend our relationship with Maria while the investigation continues. We will continue to monitor the situation." Tag Heuer and Porsche also cancelled contracts, with the former explaining, "We had been in talks to extend our collaboration. In view of the current situation, the brand has decided not to renew the contract with Sharapova."
As of today, Nike's website page, "Maria Sharapova News" shows positive stories about the star and no mention of the decision.
Discussion Starters:
- How well is Sharapova handling the situation? Assess the news conference.
- Did Nike, Tag Heuer, and Porsche do the right thing? What pressures are on the sponsoring companies?
The Republicans' 11th Debate
Insults flew during what theSkimm called the "1,000,000th GOP debate." Hosted by Fox News, the debate included the last four standing candidates: Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, and John Kasich. Here's part 1:
After Trump's boycott of the previous debate, he and moderator Megyn Kelly started out on a better note:
"Mr. Trump. Hi. How are you doing?" Kelly said.
"Hi Megyn. You're looking well," Trump said.
BusinessInsider listed a few highlights of the debate, which I appreciate because I don't have the stomach for barbs about hair styles and body parts. Some clips relevant to communication follow:
9:18 p.m. EST - Trump dodged a question from Wallace about why some of his clothing line was made in Mexico instead of the US. Instead, Trump went after Rubio's assertion that the former reality-television star inherited $200 million from his father.
"This little guy has lied so much about my record," Trump said.
9:21 p.m. EST - Rubio slammed Trump for resorting to ad hominem attacks instead of addressing questions about policy.
"You see what happens again when you challenge him on a policy issue?" Rubio said. "You ask him about economic issues, and he the first thing he does is launch into this thing about 'little Marco.'"
"He doesn't have answers and he's asking to be president of the United States."
10:23 p.m. EST -Rubio criticized Democrats for "politicizing" the water crisis in Flint, Michigan.
"The politicizing of it is unfair," Rubio said of the water crisis. "Because I don't think someone woke up some morning and said 'Let's poison people.'"
Discussion Starters:
- Assess the three examples above. How well did the candidates respond to the question or handle the issue?
- What do you consider to be the high points-and low points-of the debate?
- Who do you think "won" the debate?
- What, if any, influence will this debate have on the rest of the primary elections?
Awkward Moment During VW Presentation
A protester didn't help Volkswagen's image during a press conference at the Geneva Motor Show. Dressed in a VW uniform, comedian Simon Brodkin got on stage to place a fake "cheat box" under the car while board member Jürgen Stackmann was speaking.
Stackmann was in a tough spot and said "Thank you" repeated and awkwardly tried to escort Brodkin away from the car.
This isn't the first time Brodkin pulled a prank. During a FIFA press conference, he threw $600 in bills at President Sepp Blatter. After that stunt, Swiss authorities charged Brodkin with trespassing.
Discussion Starters:
- What's your view of Brodkin's antics? Is his approach more productive, disruptive, or destructive?
- How well did Stackmann handle the incident? What could he have done differently?
In Tightening Race, Arguments About Wall Street
Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders debated last night in an elevated argument about policies and finances. In January, for the first time, the Sanders campaign raised more than Clinton's, which her finance director said was, "a very loud wake-up call." Clinton also won the Iowa caucus, but by a small margin. As a result, the tone of the debate changed.
In this clip, the reporter asks about Clinton's record, and Sanders avoids the question to discuss his view on "big banks."
As Sanders campaigns for equity, he shuns contributions from financial services companies: "I am very proud to be the only candidate up here who does not have super PAC, who's not raising huge sums from Wall Street and special interests." He questioned Clinton's contributions from companies, such as Goldman Sachs, which paid her $675,000 for three speeches, and gave examples of inequity:
He said that when a "kid gets caught with marijuana, that kid has a police record." But when "a Wall Street executive destroys the economy" and pays a $5 billion settlement, he has no criminal record.
Wall Street has been a popular topic on both the Republican and Democratic campaigns. Ted Cruz was recently criticized for accepting money from Goldman Sachs without disclosing it.
Discussion Starters:
- Assess the candidates' arguments about Wall Street. What's your opinion on the power of Wall Street?
- Who do you think won the debate? What were the highlights?
"Why I Left My Sorority" Video
The Chronicle of Higher Education interviewed Alex Purdy, a student at Syracuse University who posted a video, "Why I Left My Sorority." Purdy explains her decision without calling out her particular sorority, but gives some damning examples, such as sisters "body shaming" other sisters. She says the biggest problem is "the overwhelming lack of compassion for one another." Purdy is also careful to say that this reflects only her experience and may not represent all sororities.
In the interview, Purdy says she worked on the video for more than six months and had been worried about how people would react. Since then, the video, with the hashtag #sororityrevamp, has received more than 100,000 views, and Purdy has appeared on the Today show.
Most Twitter comments are positive, complimenting Purdy for raising the conversation. Some expressed gratitude for their own sorority, which they say is a kind, compassionate place.
Dani Weatherford, executive director of the National Panhellenic Conference, provided this statement for The Washington Post:
We share in Alex's call for a thoughtful dialogue regarding how to best shape the modern sorority experience. Our member organizations set high standards, and a conversation about living up to them is one that we always welcome.
We also know that for millions of women, sorority membership has been and continues to be transformational and life-changing. We know from research that sorority women are not only more likely to graduate, but to graduate on time and to report a positive sense of engagement in their personal and professional lives.
For us, Alex's story is a reminder that our work must continue as we seek to enhance a sorority experience more than 100 years strong that's rooted in creating opportunities for service, leadership and scholarship.
Discussion Starters:
- What examples do you hear of logical argument, emotional appeal, and credibility?
- How does she organize the video? Do you find this structure helpful to her argument, or does it detract from her points?
- How do you assess Purdy's own credibility? What makes her credible, and what might diminish her credibility?
Marriott CEO Interview at Davos
Marriott CEO Arne Sorenson told Bloomberg TV at Davos that he's optimistic about the hotel outlook for 2016.
Sorenson uses logical arguments to explain his perspective on rates and bookings despite weak performance in the stock market. Referring to industry data, he makes a convincing case that Marriott will see similar revenue in 2016.
In discussing the Starwood acquisition, Sorenson explains the purchase of equity (and a lower price today than what was announced) and describes plans for the integration mid-2016. He also talks about more potential M&A activity for other hotel companies.
Discussion Starters:
- What examples of logical arguments do you identify in Sorenson's interview?
- What data does he use to support his points?
- Sorenson is realistic. Identify at least three examples of reservations and qualifiers you hear him use. How do these help or hurt his position?
Another Call for Hope in Obama's Last SOTU
President Obama's presidency came full circle in his last State of the Union (SOTU) address. The speech was not without humor. The president began by promising to keep it short, so people could get back to Iowa for more campaigning. (Transcript)
As expected, the president highlighted accomplishments from his administration and laid out plans for the future. The speech sounded optimistic, which of course, was the theme of his first presidential campaign. He ended this way:
That's the America I know. That's the country we love. Clear- eyed, big-hearted, undaunted by challenge, optimistic that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word. That's what makes me so hopeful about our future.
I believe in change because I believe in you, the American people. And that's why I stand here, as confident as I have ever been, that the state of our Union is strong.
The audience reaction is typical and always baffles me: Republicans don't support anything a Democratic president says, and the opposite happens when we have a Republican president. It's strange to me when the President makes some points that, surely, everyone agrees with. Early on, he says, "First, how do we give everyone a fair shot at opportunity and security in this new economy?" The camera is on Marco Rubio, who sits stoically in non-response. Doesn't he support opportunity for everyone?
As usual, major newspapers showed their political bent in reporting on the SOTU. The Wall Street Journal ran a secondary headline on the front page with the title, "GOP Candidates Contrast Obama's Speech With Their Own Aims." The Journal showed additional stories under the "Politics" heading further down on the site, shown here.
In contrast, The New York Times ran the story as the main headline of the day with the title, "Obama Offers Hopeful Vision While Noting Nation's Fears," and ran more stories, including opinions, with positive titles about the speech.
Discussion Starters:
- What do you consider to be the highlights of President Obama's speech?
- Look at the audience's reactions. What's your view of the convention I mention above: how does the non-response serve each side?
The #$@&%*! Golden Globes
I cut the cable cord three years ago, so I missed all of the cursing during the Golden Globes, but the language is making headlines. Comedian Amy Schumer set the stage with the first cuss word of the night (beginning with a C), according to Daily Mail, "just minutes after the show got underway."
Host Ricky Gervais continued the evening with his usual vitriol, despite saying several times,"I'm going to be nice tonight," which of course, no one expected or wanted. He started his opening monologue, drinking a glass of beer, by telling the crowd to "Shut up." In about seven minutes, Gervais insulted Caitlyn Jenner, Jeffrey Tambor, Roman Polanski, Jennifer Lawrence, and the film companies in general. The worst insults flew to Mel Gibson later on.
The F-bombs continued throughout show, leading an LA Times writer to conclude , "The hardest-working person at Sunday night's Golden Globes ceremony may have been whoever was in charge of the bleep button."
Gervais also advised the actors who would receive awards, "Don't get emotional. It's embarrassing. Okay? That award is, no offense, worthless." Some of the more emotional speeches of the night were from Lady Gaga, Denzel Washington, and Sylvester Stallone.
Discussion Starters:
- What's your view of the profanity in the Golden Globes? Did it add to or detract from the night?
- How does Gervais's opening monologue differ from roast speeches? Consider a few examples and compare the purpose, audience, and setting.
- Do you share Gervais's opinion that people shouldn't "get emotional"? What would you advise people who accept awards?
Best Graphics of 2015
Bloomberg Business selected its favorite graphics from 2015. My favorites are still the bubble charts, if only because they are easy for students to create. Microsoft explains how to create bubble charts in Excel here.
As is typical, this example shows different colors as variables and different sizes for, in this case, how many millions Swiss banks paid in penalties. (If you're wondering, BSI SA paid the most: $211 million.)
The New York Times also published its list of best graphics from 2015, including this interactive visual showing the impact of the recession on 255 industries.
Discussion Starters:
- Create a bubble chart with Microsoft's instructions. You'll also find YouTube videos to help. How does it turn out? For what type of information or presentation would you choose this chart option?
- Look at the detail behind the recession visual: so much information in one graphic! Do you find it useful, overwhelming, or something in between? What's the best way to navigate a visual like this?
Yet Another Republican Debate
Once again, Donald Trump was front and center during the Republican presidential debate. The fifth of many debates to come, the CNN debate in Las Vegas focused on the two recent terrorist attacks in Paris and California.
CNN identified Jeb Bush, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, and Donald Trump as the winners, while The Washington Post highlighted Bush, Rubio, and Trump (but only for the first hour). Here are highlights from The Post.
Analysts credit Jeb Bush for pushing back on Trump. Calling him a "chaos candidate," Bush attacked Trump's leadership ability, according to Newsweek:
Blitzer asked Bush about his comments that Trump was "unhinged" after Trump proposed banning all Muslims from the United States after the San Bernardino attacks. "Donald is great at the one-liners, but he's a chaos candidate," Bush said, "and he'd be a chaos president, he would not be the Commander-in-Chief we need to keep our country safe."
Discussion Starters:
- No mention this time of Carly Fiorina. What happened?
- Watch more segments from the debate. What are some of the "standout" moments?
Trump Speaks to Republican Jewish Coalition
Donald Trump spoke at the Republican Jewish Coalition in Washington, DC. He started by saying that his daughter is Jewish (she is married to a Jew and converted). He then talked about how his campaign is self funded but he hasn't spent a lot of money on ads and is still in "first place by a lot" in all polls.
Trump made some questionable comments to this audience. An MSNBC article summarizes them well: "at times [Trump] flirted with stereotypes about Jews as wealthy deal-makers":
- "I'm a negotiator, like you folks. Is there anybody that doesn't renegotiate deals in this room?. . . . This room negotiates them perhaps more than any other room I've ever spoken in."
- "You're not going to support me because I don't want your money because, stupidly, you want to give money."
Trump focused much of his speech on Hillary Clinton, how she's unqualified to be president and why she shouldn't be allowed to run.
He was characteristically confident: "I'm gonna win." "My life has been about winning." He also said that now he's dealing in trillions for the first time; he is used to dealing in billions. Trump promised to repeal "Obamacare" and criticized Jeb Bush's low energy.
Discussion Starters:
- Do you find Trump's comments offensive? Why or why not?
- What else do you find notable in Trump's speech and in the Q&A?
- How, if at all, does this speech affect your vote?
Press Conferences Following San Bernardino Shooting
A shooting at the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino, CA, left 14 people dead and 17 injured. Two suspects have been killed, and their motivation for the attack at the facility for people with developmental disabilities is unclear. A holiday party was taking place in the conference room where the shooting took place.
County police have been holding press conferences, providing as much information as possible. The police chief gave an initial statement:
In this video, so many questions are unanswered that I wonder whether the conference was held too early:
As he has after other recent shootings, President Obama gave a statement:
Discussion Starters:
- Do you agree with my assessment of the police news conference? Is it too soon to offer a Q&A session if so little is known and so few answers are given?
- So far, the National Rifle Association is quiet on social media, although others blame the organization. Should the NRA respond or make a statement at this time?
- Compare President Obama's statement with his news conference following the recent school shooting in Oregon. What differences and similarities do you see?
Talks at the Climate Summit in Paris
With an impressive list of speakers, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change started on Monday in Paris. The goal is for leaders from 195 nations to agree to limit carbon emissions. As expected, leaders, such as President Obama, began their speeches by expressing condolences for lives lost during the recent terrorist attacks in the city.
Reuters selected portions of leaders' talks as "highlights," and this video shows three hours of discussion.
The Telegraph analyzed 10 claims about climate change and comments "on just how far [leaders'] fears are really justified." The claims are about rising temperatures, melting polar ice, and increasing hurricanes.
Discussion Starters:
- Read Reuters' highlights. What distinguishes the leaders' key messages?
- Choose one of the claims identified by The Telegraph. Do you find the commentary convincing? What evidence is provided? What, if anything, is missing from the argument?
Radisson Blu Responds to the Terror Attacks
A terrorist attack at the Radisson Blu in Mali resulted in 27 deaths, and the company is responding to the news.
Radisson Blu's website features a large message: "Remember our guests and colleagues in Bamako." The message links to a statement and video from Wolfgang Neumann, president and CEO of The Rezidor Hotel Group (on behalf of the Carlson Rezidor Group).
In his video message, Neumann expresses condolences and appreciation. He also explains support services and provides a telephone line for people needing support and information.
On the day of the attack, the Rezidor website showed a statement saying the company was "closely following" the situation. Neumann created another video emphasizing safety and security.
Radisson Blu has been active on Twitter, providing peridic updates and links to statements and videos.
Discussion Starters:
- Assess Neumann's video statements. As always, we have to empathize with his position during this difficult time. Still, if you were his media advisor, what strengths and suggestions would you identify?
- How do you assess company communications so far? What are the Radisson Blu and Rezidor doing well?
Debate: Substantive But Boring
Analysts are complimenting the policy-related questions for the fourth Republican Presidential debate, but the result was a less exciting debate. Representatives from Fox Business Network did a better job than CNBC reporters in the last debate by focusing on real issues instead of personality.
Donald Trump played a less dominant role in this debate. Fox News reported, "As for Trump, he was very passive tonight. Statesman Trump is not as fun as reality TV Trump." CNN reported other players winning ground:
"There was no single dominant performance as in the past when candidates such as Carly Fiorina and Marco Rubio wowed audiences -- and swiftly improved their place in the polls. Several candidates, including Rubio and Ted Cruz, were strong on the debate stage on Tuesday. And Jeb Bush, who has struggled in such environments, projected greater confidence, seeming to relish a confrontation with Donald Trump on national security."
Reuters' focus was also on Jeb Bush, who said of his own performance, "I thought the debate went well, and I had a good debate because I got to talk about things with a little substance instead of the cute one-liners." Bush may have bought himself more time to gain a few percentage points in the polls; his campaign has been suffering, and his debate performances until this one certainly haven't helped.
Rubio and Cruz are emerging as the most well spoken, if not the most brilliant or substantive.
Discussion Starters:
- How much do you think appearance and youth count in the election? How will these factors help Rubio and Cruz?
- Who do you think won the fourth debate? How, if at all, will this debate affect your vote?
University of Missouri President Resigns
Students have forced the resignation of University of Missouri President Tim Wolfe. Unhappy with Wolfe's response during racial incidents at the university, some students have been on a hunger strike, while the football team announced plans to boycott upcoming games.
Wolfe published a statement apologizing for his response and another describing actions the university will take, but they weren't enough.
A final statement announces Wolfe's resignation, which he also describes in a news conference.
Discussion Starters:
- Assess Wolfe's three statements. Could he have said anything else to quell the controversy, or was it hopeless?
- Assess Wolfe's news conference. What improvements would you suggest for future presentations?
- Wolfe's resignation misuses "affect." Do you see the mistake?
Metrojet Defends Its Plane and Pilot
A Russian airplane crashed in Egypt, killing 224 people, and the cause still eludes investigators. The airline, Metrojet, has ruled out mechanical failures and pilot error, anxious to rebuild its reputation.
But the head of Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency said, "...it is very premature to talk about the reasons. I would like to call on the aviation community to abstain from premature statements." Russian President Vladimir Putin said, "Everything must be done to create an objective picture of what happened so that we know what happened and react accordingly."
Metrojet is still at the center of the investigation. Turns out, the company hasn't paid its employees in two months, and a pilot's wife says her husband complained about poor plane maintenance. Also, the Metrojet plane had suffered a tail strike, and investigators are wondering whether the problem was properly fixed. In a video statement, Metrojet denied mechanical and pilot errors.
Recent reports indicate a flash picked up by a U.S. satellite, which could point to an explosion on board, such as a fuel tank or a bomb.
Meanwhile, ISIS has taken responsibility for the crash. Although officials won't yet rule out terrorism, few seem to believe the organization's claims.
Putin expressed his condolences and investigation plans via video.
Discussion Starters:
- How well is Metrojet handling the news and its defense?
- How does the background information about Metrojet-potentially missing payroll, for example-influence your thinking about the situation?
Visuals About the NYC Marathon
A New York Times article, "New York City Marathon in Six Charts," shows an interesting mix of line, bar, and other graphics. This one represents a newer way to display parts of a whole.
The first time I saw this type of display was in David McCandless's "Billion Dollar O'Gram."
The newspaper calls these charts "interactive," presumably because some move, but users can't really interact with them. Most of the charts focus on demographics. One titled, "A Race for All Ages, Especially Round Ones," shows an elaborate bar chart of participants' ages and spikes, particularly at 40 and 50.
Discussion Starters:
- Which principles from Business Communication: In Person, In Print, Online do these visuals follow?
- What is another way to show the age demographic data, perhaps as a percentage?
Republicans Debate for a Third Time
We still have ten Republican candidates for president, and the ground is shifting. In this debate, sponsored by CNBC, Donald Trump "shared the oxygen with others," as Skimm put it. Two standout moments are when Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio sparred and when Ted Cruz accused the media of, well, being media.
Bush criticized Rubio's work, saying he was treating his job "like a French work week." But Rubio fought back, leaving Bush unable to get another word in. According to Vox, Rubio clearly won the debate over Bush:
Bush was prepared. But Rubio was also prepared, and sharper. After cutting Bush to the quick - "Jeb, let me tell you, I don't remember you ever complaining about John McCain's vote record. The only reason you're doing it now is because we're running for the same position" - he denied that's what he'd done. "I can't campaign about the future of America or attacking anyone else on this stage," he said. Rubio became a happy conservative again. And that was that.
When Ted Cruz attacked the media for the questions asked, he got punished and lost his time.
Discussion Starters:
- What's your view of the first video? Did Rubio do as well as Vox reported?
- Do you agree with Cruz's assessment of the media? Was it fair that he lost time? Should the CNBC interviewers have handled this differently? If so, how?
VW Europe Apology
With more than 1.2 million of the 11 million affected cars in the UK, the managing director of Volkswagen UK has issued his own apology for the deceptive software.
Willis told members of parliament (MPs) that he is working hard to communicate with customers. He also admitted the company's failures:
"We mishandled the situation. That's why we need to fix the cars, that's why we need to get the customers in and need to put the cars right.
"We mishandled the situation without a shadow of a doubt."
When questioned about diesel emissions, Willis denied that the cars are emitting more than expected. The Guardian reports,
The Green party MP, Caroline Lucas, asked Willis: "How much more NOx has been emitted by your cars than would have been the case if your claims had not been dishonest?" Willis replied: "None." Lucas replied: "How can that be the case?"
Another MP told The Guardian, "There are a lot of unanswered questions that we would have expected to have been answered in the session."
Discussion Starters:
- Watch Willis's statement to the MPs. Assess his delivery, message, and so on.
- Compare Willis's statement to that of Martin Winterkorn and Michael Horn. What similarities and differences do you notice? To what do you attribute the differences?