Columbia Journalism Investigates Rolling Stone UVA Article

Rolling Stone is taking a new approach to verify its controversial article about rape at the University of Virginia. As the fraternity disputed the article, and some facts were questioned by The Washington Post, Rolling Stone admitted failings and apologized.

Now, Rolling Stone has asked the Columbia School of Journalism to conduct an independent review of the report. Two deans will lead the investigation and have been promised complete access to the magazine's staff and documentation. 

PR News assessed the strategy:

"From a communications standpoint, Rolling Stone's decision is an interesting one. For the University of Virginia, this episode is still very much an open wound, and people in and around Charlottesville want answers to what (if anything) the article had right and what went wrong. An internal review, a common crisis management tactic, would seem less credible to those looking for real answers to what happened with the story. 

"The decision to have Columbia handle the inquiry has people talking about the bungled report once more, and when the report comes out the magazine will face the specter of further criticism. While the independent review will not excuse the debacle entirely, by submitting itself to the scrutiny of a highly regarded journalism school, Rolling Stone is again acknowledging its fallibility and desire to get the story right, even at the expense of more bad press."

Image source.

Discussion Starters: 

• What's your view of Rolling Stone's approach? Do you agree with PR News? 
• What are the risks of this strategy?

No More Voice Mail at Coca-Cola

It's a sign of the times: Coca-Cola is no longer accepting voice mail messages. At the Atlanta headquarters, employees can shut off their voice mail system and never have to listen to another message. Only 6% opted in.

According to spokesperson Amanda Roesster, the move meets the goal of "changing the tools and methods in which we communicate as a company." In an internal message announcing the decision, CIO Ed Steinike wrote that eliminating voice mail will "simplify the way we work and increase productivity."

Bloomberg and MSN credit Millennials for the declining use of voice mail. To people under 30, they are a waste of time. Texting and Facebook messages are more efficient, and some Millennials admit not listening to voice messages at all. An NPR article quotes a trend expert: 

"Everyone criticizes the Millennials for being the 'me' generation and being so entitled. I don't think they're so entitled. I think they're just incredibly pragmatic. So for them if a voice mail isn't practical - which most of the time it isn't - and there's a more practical way of delivering the same information, they're gonna go for that."

Image source. 

Discussion Starters: 

• What's your view of voice mail messages? What are the advantages of voice messages that Coca-Cola may lose? 
• How do you decide whether to send someone an email, text, Facebook message, or voice mail? See advice in Chapter 1 for ideas.

Putin and Others Laugh at Stroke Survivor

A reporter at Vladimir Putin's press conference slurred his question, and Putin joked and laughed, as did other reporters. The Russian leader didn't know that Vladimir Mamatov had survived several strokes. 

The reporter asked why supermarketers don't stock kvas, a popular Russian alcoholic drink. In the middle of the reporter's question, Putin said, "I get the feeling you might have been at the kvas already."

People who knew Mamatov's medical history set the record straight. 

I see no reports of Putin apologizing for the incident.  

Discussion Starters: 

• What's the lesson for others leading press conferences? 
• Should Putin apologize or issue a statement? If so, what should he say? 

Samsung Turns Off ChatOn

Samsung's instant messaging app, ChatOn, will be discontinued starting February 1, 2015, and phasing out in the United States sometime after. The application has lost too much ground to What'sApp and Facebook Messenger. 

The company imitated BlackBerry Messenger in 2011 after seeing the success of the service, but it didn't last. Based on communications about the app ("Available on multiple platforms!") and the graphic, above, I'm guessing the company had an image problem. Did people think that, like BlackBerry Messenger, ChatOn worked only between Samsung phones?

Facebook's approach was clever. When people downloaded the Facebook app, they had to download Messenger, which now has more than 500 million users. 

Samsung issued this brief statement about the decision: 

"On February 1, 2015, ChatON will be discontinued in all markets except the United States, as we strive to meet evolving consumer needs by focusing on our core services. We remain committed to offering services that cater to our consumers' lifestyles and add value to their everyday lives."

If Samsung issued a news release, I can't find it. The last press release on the company's website is dated September 4. I guess nothing has happened since.

Discussion Starters: 

• What's your view of Samsung's statement? Does it sound cliché to you? 
• What app do you use for IM? Have you considered ChatOn? Why or why not?

Sears CEO Explains Store Closings

Our local Ithaca, NY, Sears store closed last month-one of more than 200 in 2014. Sears Holdings Co. CEO Eddie Lampert explained the decision in a post on the company's website. Part of his message is about keeping underperforming stores open as long as possible:

"I am proud of the work associates contribute to serve our members in all of our stores and believe that the decision to keep some of our worst performing stores open in the past, despite their low or negative levels of profit, was the right one because we kept people employed and served our members. We have experimented with different formats, different levels of investment and different processes to bring about a better result. Given changing circumstances, both in the retail industry and in our company, we can no longer afford, nor justify keeping these stores open."

In a second blog post a day earlier, Lampert writes, "Is something a 'failure' if other successes come from it?" He responds to a Crain's Chicago Business article that criticized Sears for being too merchandise-driven when it needs to evolve as a market-driven company. 

"Success takes both hard work and a willingness to keep what works and adjust what doesn't based upon what our members want. This is what we and our competitors needed to do back in 1988. It's what so many people across our company are doing today, and it's how we are going to bring Sears and Kmart forward into tomorrow."

If nothing else, Lambert's determination shows in the number of his blog posts. Between 2005 and 2013, he wrote no more than three posts per year. In 2014, he's blogging between two and nine times a month.  

Image source. 

Discussion Starters: 

• How does Lambert use principles of persuasion discussed in Chapter 7 in his "Moving Forward" post about the store closings? 
• Compare Lambert's early posts on the blog (2005 and 2006) with his most recent. What differences do you notice, and how can you account for them? 

Employees Can Use Company Email to Organize

Employees, now you can use your company's email to organize with other employees. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has reversed a decision from 2007. As long as the organizing activity is done on their own time or doesn't involve stopping their work, employees may send email to other employees in an effort to establish a union. 

The NLRB explained its turnaround: 

"By focusing too much on employers' property rights and too little on the importance of email as a means of workplace communication, the Board (in its earlier ruling) failed to adequately protect employees' rights...and abdicated its responsibility ‘to adapt the Act to the changing patterns of industrial life.'"

Although won by a narrow 3-2 margin, the ruling is considered a "great victory" for employees. Marshall B. Babson, counsel at Seyfarth Shaw LLP, questions the decision, saying, according to a Bloomberg report, that "the board's decision raises a 'very serious issue' about a 'compelled speech' violation of the First Amendment. The government should not be able to tell an employer that it has to allow use of its own systems to facilitate expression of a point of view that it does not share." 

Part of the decisions seems to hinge on employers' permitting email use for non-work communication. The board also said that email systems "are different in material respects from the types of workplace equipment the Board has considered in the past."

Image source. 

Discussion Starters: 

• What's your view of the NLRB's decision? Consider both the prevalence of email and employers' interests. 
• If you were the human resources director at a company, what, if anything, would you communicate about this ruling?

Social Media Insults

A New York Times blog post tries to make sense of insults on social media. The writer describes one situation:

"In one, Im-ani Gandy, a lawyer and legal analyst, describes the harassment she receives on Twitter this way: 'The hate-filled invective spewed by the dregs of society awaits you in your notifications. It's personal and there's no avoiding it.' In her five years on Twitter, she says, she has been called the N-word so many times that 'it barely registers as an insult anymore.'"

Apparently, few of us are safe. Forty-percent of people have experienced some type of harassment on social media. 

In a blog post, Twitter announced new ways to manage online abuse. The site is making reporting harassment easier and has implemented a blocking mechanism. The company also acknowledges there's more work to be done:

"We are nowhere near being done making changes in this area. In the coming months, you can expect to see additional user controls, further improvements to reporting and new enforcement procedures for abusive accounts. We'll continue to work hard on these changes in order to improve the experience of people who encounter abuse on Twitter." 

Sites such as Yik Yak aren't helping. With the tagline, "Share your thoughts and keep your privacy on Yik Yak," the site allows people to post anonymous comments about people around them. 

But a group of Colgate professors flooded the site with positive comments. Tired of reading insults that are dividing the campus, Geoff Holm, an associate professor of biology, said, "If we have opinions, it's important to own them." Rather than posting anonymously, professors sign their names. I must admit that some of the Yik Yak posts are quite clever. But the insulting ones are not funny at all. 

Discussion Starters:

• Do you post anonymously online? Why? How, if at all, does the anonymity affect your posts?
• What's your view of the Colgate professors' approach to Yik Yak? Will it make a difference?

Social Media Infographic

The Evolution of Social Media infographic by Digital Marketing Agency MediaVision is getting some play. As a good infographic should, this one tells a story by combining text and graphics at-a-glance. 

 

This reminds me of one of my favorite (early) infographics of all time, The Conversation Prism. Brian Solis has been updating this summary of sites and tools since 2008. Now in its four rendition, the infographic puts "You" in the middle of social media.

 Discussion Starters: 

• Which principles for creating infographics discussed in Chapter 9 do these two graphics follow? 
• Compare the first version of the Conversation Prism to the current one. What has changed? 
• What, if anything, surprises you about the Evolution infographic choices? 

McDonald's Latest Food Video

The latest McDonald's video describing how its food is made features Chicken McNuggets. Part of the series, "Our Food, Your Questions," the video shows the ingredients and process of making this popular McDonald's item.  

McDonald's sales continue to falter. Although better than some analysts' projections last month, the company has been losing revenue. This campaign is an attempt at transparency-to address customers' long-standing questions openly and directly. So far, the results are questionable.

Discussion Starters: 

• What's your view of the latest video? What is effective and what is ineffective in conveying McDonald's message? 
• How, if at all, does the video change your view of Chicken McNuggets? 
• What else could the company do to improve the image of its food?

Walgreens Pulls Swastika Wrapping Paper

Would you like swastikas with your Hanukkah wrapping paper? Traditionally, blue-colored wrapping paper would be used for Hanukkah gifts, but paper at Walgreens, part of a Hannukah display, includes a pattern that few Jews would appreciate. 

A Walgreens representative said, "We are in the process of removing the product from our stores," but the company made no other comment about the design. A Hallmark statement acknowledged that the paper "has an unintentional offensive background image" and a representative said, "We sincerely apologize for this oversight and for (the) unintended offense."

Discussion Starters: 

• How does a mistake like this happen? 
• Hallmark says the image is "unintentional" and the offense is "unintended." Do you buy it? 
• What else, if anything, should Walgreens and Hallmark do? 

Korean Air Embarrassment

Unhappy with how she was served nuts, Korean Air executive Cho Hyun-ah ordered a senior flight attendant off the plane. According to The Guardian, the macadamia nuts were served in a bag rather than on a plate: 

"Cho Hyun-ah reportedly screamed at the flight attendant, who has not been named, for not asking her if she would like a preflight snack of macadamia nuts, and then for committing the egregious act of serving them in a paper bag rather than on a plate."

Critics say this situation exemplifies how a few Korean "controlling families," according to The New York Times, "have long been accused of running their companies like dynasties." Cho Hyun-ah was the company's vice chair and is the daughter of the owner. She has since resigned from her position.

Korean Air may face legal action in addition to the embarrassment it has already suffered. Investigators will decide whether Cho Hyun-ah's actions caused a safety violation.  

In  a statement, Cho Hyun-ah said, "I am sorry for causing trouble to the passengers and the people. I seek forgiveness from those who were hurt by what I did." The airline also issued a statement:

"As of right now, we cannot make a value judgment on whether or not actions were warranted or not. Korean Air regrets if it caused any inconvenience to its passengers in delaying flight 086 for 11 minutes in order to deal with this personnel issue."

Discussion Starters: 

• What else, if anything, should Cho Hyun-ah do at this point? What about Korean Air? 
• What went wrong in this situation? Start with the service standards, and then discuss Cho Hyun-ah's behavior. 
• The pilot took orders from Cho Hyun-ah. Assess his position in this situation. What options may have been available for him, if any?

Rolling Stone Is Sorry for Its Apology

After its article about rape at the University of Virginia, Rolling Stone has made a couple of apologies. The article described a gang rape at a fraternity and other issues of sexual assault on campus. Since it was published, the Washington Post found some discrepancies in the story.

In a statement, the fraternity disputed some of the allegations and connections. They denied having a social event during the weekend in question, found no member of the fraternity working where the victim claims to have met him, and affirmed its commitment to the university's code regarding pledge initiation: 

"Third, our Chapter's pledging and initiation periods, as required by the University and Inter-Fraternity Council, take place solely in the spring semester and not in the fall semester. We document the initiation of new members at the end of each spring. Moreover, no ritualized sexual assault is part of our pledging or initiation process. This notion is vile, and we vehemently refute this claim."

Rolling Stone Managing Editor Will Dana responded, at first, rather strongly.

"In the face of new information, there now appear to be discrepancies in Jackie's account, and we have come to the conclusion that our trust in her was misplaced. We were trying to be sensitive to the unfair shame and humiliation many women feel after a sexual assault and now regret the decision to not contact the alleged perpetrators to get their account. We are taking this seriously and apologize to anyone who was affected by the story."

Subsequently, the magazine issued a statement describing its reporting process in more detail and expressing regret for granting the victim's request to not speak with the alleged assailants. The tone is softer and accepts more of the responsibility rather than blaming Jackie's trustworthiness: "These mistakes are on Rolling Stone, not on Jackie."

Letters and articles in UVA's Cavalier Daily give us a window into discussions on campus about the story.

Discussion Starters:

• After reading the Rolling Stone and Washington Post articles, what's your view of the story? How
• Read a few letters and articles in Cavalier Daily. How do these shape your thinking about the Rolling Stone story?

Gap's Failed "Dress Normal" Campaign

Business Insider blames Gap's declining sales on its failed "Dress Normal" campaign. Created by agency Wieden+Kennedy, the ads feature celebrities and push the notion of normal as an individual belief.

According to Gap's press release, "the campaign is rooted in the same core values the brand has unapologetically stood for over the past 45 years – individualism and the liberation that comes from confidently being your most authentic self. Dress Normal boldly instructs individuals to shape their own authentic, personal style – and intentionally challenges every one of us to dress for ourselves."

Criticism started when the campaign was announced and continues today, as Gap sales dropped 4%, in November compared to a 2% increase this time last year. Writers and analysts called the campaign "blah" and "too normal."

Maybe the campaign failed because people couldn't stand the bad grammar.

Discussion Starters:

• What's your view of the campaign? Read the press release and look at a few of the photos.
• Am I being too picky about the grammar? 

Bill Cosby Falls into the Streisand Effect

Bill Cosby is having a tough month. Allegations of rape are haunting him, and he is trying not to respond. During a video interview with the Associated Press, the celebrity was put in a difficult position: He didn't expect questions related to these allegations, yet he got him. With his wife by his side, he gave few-word answers, sticking to his strategy of not engaging reporters' questions.

But then he made a fatal mistake, asking for the interaction to be cut from the published video. As crisis communication experts could predict, this made the clip far more alluring.

Cosby could use a lesson in the Streisand Effect. The phenomenon was named after the singer and actress Barbra Streisand filed suit against an organization that maintains photographs of the California coastline, which includes her Malibu estate. Rather than hiding the location, the suit had the opposite effect: People were increasingly motivated to find out where she lived and what he home looked like. Without the attention, experts say, few people would care.

During the interview, Cosby made such an issue of trying to squelch his non-response to the questions that the clip became newsworthy. He sounds silly and defensive-and we like that in a fallen star.

Discussion Starters: 

• What's your view of the interview? What could Cosby have done differently? 
• What other observations do you have about interactions during this segment?

Staffer Resigns After Comments About Obama Girls

A Republican staffer made negative comments about President Obama's teenage girls, apologized, and resigned. Elizabeth Lauten, communications director for a Tennessee representative, posted on her Facebook page during the annual White House turkey-pardoning event:

"Dear Sasha and Malia, I get you're both in those awful teen years, but you're a part of the First Family, try showing a little class. At least respect the part you play. Then again your mother and father don't respect their positions very much, or the nation for that matter, so I'm guessing you're coming up a little short in the ‘good role model' department. Nevertheless, stretch yourself. Rise to the occasion. Act like being in the White House matters to you. Dress like you deserve respect, not a spot at a bar. And certainly don't make faces during televised public events."

Video of the event shows the girls at the president's side during his speech and the traditional turkey-pardoning.

A Forbes writer criticized Lauten, noting that the event is silly, and the girls acted as expected: as awkward teenagers embarrassed by their father's "dad-jokes." Elisa Doucette also questioned Lauten's apology.

 According to Doucette, this would have been a better apology:

I wanted to take a moment and apologize to Sasha and Malia Obama for a post I made on Facebook earlier today judging them at the annual White House turkey pardoning ceremony:

When I first posted on Facebook I reacted to an article and I quickly judged the two young ladies in a way that I would never have wanted to be judged myself as a teenager. After many hours of prayer, talking to my parents, and re-reading my words online I can see more clearly just how hurtful my words were. Please know, those judgmental feelings truly have no place in my heart. Furthermore, I'd like to apologize to all of those who I have hurt and offended with my words, and I pledge to learn and grow (and I assure you I have) from this experience.

Discussion Starters:

• After watching the video, what's your view of the girls' behavior? Are Lauten's comments justified?
• Compare Doucette's revised apology to Lauten's. What differences do you notice? What principles of business communication does Doucette suggest?

Voice Tone, Perception, and Salary

Researchers at UCLA and Duke University's Fuqua School of Business are discovering how voice tone affects careers.

In a Duke study, researchers found, "Women exhibiting a lowtched, creaky voice known as 'vocal fry' are considered less competent, educated, trustworthy, attractive, and hirable."

In a UCLA study, researchers found that charismatic leaders use their voice to their advantage. While some characteristics of charisma are in-born, others can be developed.

Acoustic scientist Rosario Signorella, interviewed by in a Wall Street Journal article, emphasized a leader's ability to manipulate his or her voice:

"My research shows that charismatic leaders of any type in any culture tend to stretch their voice to the lower and higher limits during a public speech, which is the most important and risky context of communication for leadership. . . . The voice is a tool that can be trained. Singers and actors train their voices to reach higher or lower frequencies. A leader-speaker should do the same."

A related Duke study analyzed 792 male CEOs in major companies and found that those with lower voices made more money, managed larger firms, and stayed in their CEO positions longer.

Discussion Starters:

• Why would male CEOs with lower voices enjoy such positive career outcomes? What's at play here?
• The UCLA study and second Duke study included only males. What, if any, conclusions might be drawn for women?

Takata CEO "doesn't view this as a crisis..."

According to business associates of Takata CEO Shigehisa Takada, he is calm and doesn't consider the airbag situation a crisis. Although at least five people were killed, eight were seriously injured, and millions of cars were recalled as a result of Takata's faulty airbags, the third-generation CEO doesn't seem overly concerned. 

The company is being sued, and executives answered tough questions at a Senate Hearing recently. All signs point to a crisis. But, according to a Business Insider article, three people who spoke with Takada thought he denied the gravity of the situation. As one said, "He acts like this recall is going to blow by in due time and harbors little sense of crisis." Another said, "He's a nice man, very sincere and seemingly capable, but he doesn't view this as a crisis spiraling out of control." 

In part, the article blames pressure from the large automakers, pressure from lawyers, and pressure from a former, powerful Takata executive, Takada's mother: "Imagine being her son and trying to exercise leadership with her buzzing around you. He's paralyzed to make decisions on his own."

Image source. 

Discussion Starters: 

• Does Takada need to act differently? Should he be more visible? 
• Describe possible pressure from clients, such as Toyota and Honda. What are their concerns in this mess? 
• What about attorneys? What are their concerns for the company? 

Old Navy's Plus-Sized Clothing Policy

Responding to criticism, Old Navy has changed its policy for returning plus-sized clothing but not its pricing. Renee Posey posted a complaint and started a Change.org petition because the company is upcharging for larger women's clothes but not men's.

Gap, Old Navy's parent company, issued this statement:

To Renee Posey and our valued Old Navy customers: 

Recently, important questions were raised about Old Navy's women's plus size line, which has given us an opportunity to hear invaluable feedback from our customers. What we've heard from you has inspired us. We'd like to keep the conversation going. 

There's a lot of room for improvement in the way plus-size clothes are designed and marketed throughout the industry-at-large. At Old Navy, a significant amount of work is invested in making sure plus-size women feel beautiful and on-trend at a price they can afford when they wear our label. Not many apparel brands can say that they've had a dedicated plus size line for as long as we have (since 1994). But, we always want to learn and see how we can improve. 

Today, it starts with doing more. We will do a better job communicating the value we provide to plus-size customers and begin forging a stronger relationship with customers. As a result of customer feedback, we are updating our policy to allow in-store returns of women's plus size clothes, starting December 5. We also hear loud and clear that Old Navy needs to be better about engaging with our plus size customers. 

To that end, Old Navy will be forming a new customer panel to gather insights that will further enhance our plus size collections. This group, which will kick off in January, will focus on discussion, fashion brainstorming and product feedback directly to the Old Navy design and marketing teams. Meeting four times a year, they will test drive new Old Navy women's plus designs and serve as a sounding board for the Plus Design team. We are excited about the ways in which their input will enhance the Old Navy customer experience. 

Some of our customers have pointed out that our women's plus line is priced differently than our men's extended sizes line and they're right – it is. 

It's priced differently because it is different. We invest more in our product, and we're proud of what we deliver. 

Looking back, we have not done enough to celebrate what is unique and special about Old Navy's plus line. Thanks to the work of a dedicated plus design team – a rarity among our competitors -- we create patterns specifically for our women's plus size line to ensure the best fit and experience. 

The reality is that while our men's line is meant to provide affordable, fashion-forward options for various shapes, sizes and heights, men have different needs when it comes to fashion. Our men's line embraces the same values of fun, fashion and family, but our extended-size menswear is the exact same design and therefore the exact same price. 

We plan to continue to offer women's plus fashion essentials at accessible prices. 

Clothes are meant to be empowering, flattering and a way to express your personal style. Old Navy is proud of the clothes that we create for fashion-forward women of all sizes. 

Sincerely, 
Edie Kissko, Old Navy spokesperson

Although Old Navy didn't commit to changing its pricing, Posey posted a comment on Change.org calling the result a "success." At the same time, she acknowledged, "These are important first steps that will lead to the further changes we would like to see..." Following is the first paragraph, and the entire post is here. 

Hi Everyone!

When I started this petition a couple of weeks ago, I had no idea what it would lead to. I thought a few people who know me might sign and that would be that. With over 95 thousand supporters at the time of this writing, I think it's safe to say that the results have far exceeded my expectations! Read more.

Discussion Starters: 

• How convincing do you find Old Navy's response? Would you call it a "success"? Why or why not? 
• What's your view of the policy? Is it fair, unfair, or something in between?

Twitter's Twitter Fail

It happened to Anthony Weiner; now it happened to Twitter CFO Anthony Noto. No, not sexting, but both posted tweets they thought were sent as direct messages. 

Speculation about which company Twitter is planning to acquire abounds, but spokesperson Jim Prosser confirmed only that Noto intended to send the message privately. As a Twitter executive since only July, maybe Noto is still learning the system. He deleted the tweet.

Discussion Starters:

• Explain to a novice the difference between a tweet and a DM. 
• What else, if anything, should Twitter say about the situation? In addition to deleting the errant tweet, should Noto comment on the mistake?

Takata Answers Questions About Faulty Airbags

After weeks of recalls, airbag manufacturer Takata was pressed to answer questions at a Senate Hearing. Senior Vice President of Quality Assurance Hiroshi Shimizu apologized: 

"Even though millions of Takata air bags have inflated properly, saving lives and avoiding serious injuries in hundreds of thousands of accidents, any failure of an air bag to perform as designed in an automobile accident is incompatible with Takata's standards for highest quality assurance. We are deeply sorry and anguished about each of the reported instances in which a Takata air bag has not performed as designed and a driver or passenger has suffered personal injuries or death. Our sincerest condolences go out to all those who have suffered in these accidents and to their families."

Shimizu took the brunt at one point from Senator Dean Heller of Nevada: "I think there was something amiss in your testimony and that was that nowhere does Takata say they take full responsibility. Does Takata take full responsibility for this tragic defect?" With an explanation about anomalies, Shimizu responded, "Yes."

The airbags have caused at least five deaths and many injuries, and the problem seems to be dragging on. It could take years for the recalled bags to be fixed, and the company hasn't yet found a solution.  

Discussion Starters: 

• Assess the Senate Hearing questions and answers. What, if any, part do you think cultural differences play in the executive's responses?
• Why isn't the CEO, Shigehisa Takada, responding to questions? 
• What's the relationship between Takada (the CEO) and Takata (the company name)? (Hint: The explanation is similar for Toyota and its CEO.)