Brian Williams Gets Suspended
NBC News president Deborah Turness announced the decision: Brian Williams will be suspended for six months. The suspension comes after a week of controversy about how Williams changed stories over time.
A New York Times article describes the decision-making process at NBC. Several people were consulted, including the highly respected Tom Brokaw, who was news anchor and managing editor before Williams took the position. The article is a window into corporate politics and decision making.
In an email to staff, Turness announced the suspension:
From: Deborah Turness (NBCUniversal)
Sent: Tuesday, February 10, 2015 7:47 PM
To: @NBC Uni NBC News All
Subject: Brian Williams
All,
We have decided today to suspend Brian Williams as Managing Editor and Anchor of NBC Nightly News for six months. The suspension will be without pay and is effective immediately. We let Brian know of our decision earlier today. Lester Holt will continue to substitute Anchor the NBC Nightly News.
Our review, which is being led by Richard Esposito working closely with NBCUniversal General Counsel Kim Harris, is ongoing, but I think it is important to take you through our thought process in coming to this decision.
While on Nightly News on Friday, January 30, 2015, Brian misrepresented events which occurred while he was covering the Iraq War in 2003. It then became clear that on other occasions Brian had done the same while telling that story in other venues. This was wrong and completely inappropriate for someone in Brian's position.
In addition, we have concerns about comments that occurred outside NBC News while Brian was talking about his experiences in the field.
As Managing Editor and Anchor of Nightly News, Brian has a responsibility to be truthful and to uphold the high standards of the news division at all times.
Steve Burke, Pat Fili and I came to this decision together. We felt it would have been wrong to disregard the good work Brian has done and the special relationship he has forged with our viewers over 22 years. Millions of Americans have turned to him every day, and he has been an important and well-respected part of our organization.
As I'm sure you understand, this was a very hard decision. Certainly there will be those who disagree. But we believe this suspension is the appropriate and proportionate action.
This has been a difficult time. But NBC News is bigger than this moment. You work so hard and dedicate yourselves each and every day to the important work of bringing trusted, credible news to our audience. Because of you, your loyalty, your dedication, NBC News is an organization we can – and should - all be proud of. We will get through this together.
Steve Burke asked me to share the following message.
"This has been a painful period for all concerned and we appreciate your patience while we gathered the available facts. By his actions, Brian has jeopardized the trust millions of Americans place in NBC News. His actions are inexcusable and this suspension is severe and appropriate. Brian's life's work is delivering the news. I know Brian loves his country, NBC News and his colleagues. He deserves a second chance and we are rooting for him. Brian has shared his deep remorse with me and he is committed to winning back everyone's trust."
Deborah
Discussion Starters:
- Assess Turness' email. What is being said and what isn't? How is the email organized? What works well, and what doesn't?
- Consider the quotation from Steve Burke, CEO and president of NBCUniversal. Does this belong?
- Did Turness and the others make the right decision? Why or why not?
Uber's False-Cause Fallacy
A Fast Company report gives us a great example of a false-cause fallacy: "Uber Cures Leprosy."
The video pokes fun at Uber's claim that the service reduced the number of drunk driving incidents. Last year, Uber and MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) announced a partnership that includes donations to the organization. However, a news release by MADD, although complimentary of Uber's service, doesn't imply causation:
"The report released today builds upon a study conducted by Uber in May 2014, which estimated that the entrance of Uber in Seattle coincided with a more than 10% reduction in the number of arrests for DUI. "
On the other hand, Uber's promotional materials do:
"A new report conducted in partnership with Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) reveals that when empowered with more transportation options like Uber, people are making better choices that save lives."
Discussion Starters:
- Is this just a difference in semantics or something more?
- Is the Fast Company video too critical of Uber?
- What fallacy does the Fast Company reporter use in comparing Uber's claim to curing leprosy?
Job Interviews: "How You Really Sound"
Fast Company created this fun video to show the difference between what a job candidate says and how the interviewer may hear it.
I have to admit I found the "perfectionist" funniest. And the "people person" response reminds me of a video clip from the TV show "The Restaurant." I show it in class to freshmen to encourage them to differentiate themselves during the interview process.
Discussion Starters:
- Admit it, which of the responses have you given? In retrospect, what could you have said or done differently?
- Watch the video clip from "The Restaurant" with successive responses from candidates. Could you see how this might get annoying for a hiring manager?
How to Make Your Tweets More Persuasive
Researchers at Cornell University have discovered language that makes tweets more likely to be retweeted. A computer analyzed messages, searching for keywords and combinations of words.
In their article, published in the June 2014 Proceedings of the Association for Computer Linguistics, the authors pose a basic communication question: "How does one make a message 'successful'?" The authors generated this list of recommendations for people wanting more bang for their tweets:
- Ask people to share. Words like "please," "pls," "plz" and, of course, "retweet" were common in successful messages.
- Be informative (often measured by length).
- Use the language of the community, and be consistent with the language you usually use yourself, with which your followers are familiar. The researchers are also testing on Reddit, where users form distinct communities.
- Imitate the style of newspaper headlines. (In their tests, the researchers used the New York Times as a model.)
- Use words that appear often in other retweeted messages.
- Use words that express positive or negative sentiment.
- Refer to other people, not just yourself. Use third person pronouns.
- Use generalizations. Statements that can be applied to a variety of situations are the most often repeated.
- Make it easy to read. The researchers applied a formula used to measure the grade level of a text.
Discussion Starters:
- Does any of this advice surprise you?
- Do you find some recommendations more helpful than others?
- What difficulty could you see in implementing these ideas in tweets?
Brian Williams Takes a Hiatus
After days of controversy and speculation, Brian Williams has decided to take a leave from news reporting. Williams, the anchor and managing editor of "NBC Nightly News," has been criticized for inconsistencies in his reporting over time, raising questions about his credibility.
Williams' reporting of the Iraq War and Hurricane Katrina are being investigated. He apologized this week for saying that, in 2003, he was on a helicopter that was hit by a grenade. His reporting at the time differed and changed during the past 12 years. During Hurricane Katrina, Williams claimed to have seen bodies floating in the French Quarter, but this is now disputed as well his claim to have contracted dysentery.
In a brief statement posted on the NBC News site, Williams acknowledged the distraction:
A Personal Note from Brian Williams
In the midst of a career spent covering and consuming news, it has become painfully apparent to me that I am presently too much a part of the news, due to my actions.
As Managing Editor of NBC Nightly News, I have decided to take myself off of my daily broadcast for the next several days, and Lester Holt has kindly agreed to sit in for me to allow us to adequately deal with this issue. Upon my return, I will continue my career-long effort to be worthy of the trust of those who place their trust in us.
According to The New York Times, the leave may give the NBC executives more time to decide Williams' status with the network.
Discussion Starters:
- What do you make of Williams' reporting on these situations? Keep in mind that memory does change over time.
- Did Williams do the right thing by taking a leave from the news? What are the advantages and disadvantages? Consider the potential consequences of staying and leaving.
Twitter CEO Admits Failures in Addressing Cyberbullying
In two internal discussion posts, Twitter CEO Dick Costolo addressed criticism that the company isn't doing enough to stop cyberbulling.
An employee raised the issue by citing Lindy West, a victim of harassment on Twitter:
"I'm aware that Twitter is well within its rights to let its platform be used as a vehicle for sexist and racist harassment. But, as a private company – just like a comedian mulling over a rape joke, or a troll looking for a target for his anger – it could choose not to. As a collective of human beings, it could choose to be better."
In both posts, Costolo's message is clear: "I take full responsibility."
Discussion Starters:
- What do you see as Twitter's responsibility, and what are the limits?
- What could the company do to prevent or address cyberbullying?
Discussion Starters:
RadioShack Files for Bankruptcy
In sad, but un
surprising news, RadioShack filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The company has been struggling for some time and closed 1,110 stores last year.
Now, 2,400 of its 4,000 stores will be sold to General Wireless, an affiliate of its biggest shareholder, Standard General. Under the agreement, Sprint will operate most of those stores. In a news release, RadioShack describes the plan.
A Wall Street Journal article blames the company for poor decisions. Titled "Strategic Confusion Put RadioShack at Mercy of Lenders," the article says the company "failed to keep up with the changing retail and digital landscape." The company's fate, according to the WSJ, could be worse: Circuit City and Borders were liquidated.
RadioShack is on its seventh CEO in the past nine years-probably not a fun position.
Discussion Starters:
- The Yahoo Finance article reports, "A spokesman for Standard General did not respond to a request for comment." Should the company have prepared a statement?
- Analyze the news release. What works well, and what could be improved?
Metro-North Accident Kills Six
Another Metro-North train accident caused several deaths-this time a collision with an SUV on the tracks in Valhalla, NY. It's unclear why Ellen Brody's car stopped in the train's path, and the driver behind her didn't understand why she didn't back up.
As with other Metro-North incidents, the organization provides service updates, but little human connection. The Metro-North news page only references a collision and provides transportation options. The Twitter feed also posts only service updates.
The MTA CEO did issue this statement: "The entire MTA family's thoughts are with the relatives and loved ones of the victims of last night's tragedy. We are tremendously saddened by this tragic accident, and our thoughts and prayers go out to all of them."
But the MTA press releases are cold statements of the facts:
Discussion Starters:
- Should the MTA do anything differently at this point? To be fair, this accident seems out of the organization's control, unlike the derailment in 2013.
- Compare the New York MTA's response to DC's statement when a woman died of smoke inhalation. What's different? Should the MTA write a similar apology?
Lululemon Founder Resigns
After a series of controversial PR moves, Lululemon Founder and CEO Chip Wilson has resigned from the board of directors. BizCom has two posts about the company over the past couple of years:
The problems seemed to start when customers complained about the sheer fabric used in the company's pricey yoga pants. The New York Times explains the situation:
Some women who tried to return the pants at Lululemon stores said they were told to put them on and bend over so staff members could determine just how see-through they were. After a monthslong public-relations disaster, Wilson, who was chairman of the company, went on Bloomberg TV that November to share what he thought was a reasonable explanation. "Some women's bodies don't work for the pants," he said. "It's really about the rubbing through the thighs, how much pressure is there over a period of time."
In a video in 2013, Wilson tried to apologize, but it didn't go very well. The Times writer describes Wilson: "More than once, the way Wilson spoke reminded me of the airhead fashion model Ben Stiller plays in "Zoolander."
Here's an excerpt from the company's news release about Wilson:
Mr. Wilson concluded: "I have achieved the goals I set when I came back, and after careful thought, I believe that now is the right time to step away from the board. I leave behind a new and talented management team and new board construct. By stepping away from lululemon I will now have more opportunity to work with my wife and son as they grow their new business, Kit & Ace. I am so excited for Kit & Ace because it is where street clothing is going. Shannon and JJ have caught the next wave." Founded in 2014, Kit & Ace produces Technical Luxury™ products by using Technical Cashmere™ blends.
Discussion Starters:
- Read the NY Times article about Chip Wilson. What impressions do you get of the man and the situation?
- Read the entire news release. Analyze the tone, organization, and word choice. How is the company representing the situation?
Nationwide Ads
In a series of commercials, some of which played during the Super Bowl, Nationwide is encouraging parents to keep their kids safe. In each video, children are telling us that they can't do what they had hoped to do because they died.
Frank Eliason, a father who lost his child of four years old during a liver transplant, wrote a post describing how the ad affected him:
Let me introduce you to Gia. She was born in 2000. She never learned to ride a bike. Or got cooties. She never learned to fly. Or travel the world with her best friend. She will never get married. She didn't grow up, because she died during a liver transplant surgery as a result of liver cancer. She passed away on July 26, 2004.
Imagine Gia was your daughter. It is easy for me, because she is my daughter. Now we are over 10 years later, and I still think of her everyday. Now imagine escaping this troubled world for a few hours to enjoy the Super Bowl. It is an escape that only comes once a year. I enjoy watching the game with my girls, and try to forget the troubles the world brings. Then this commercial comes on:
How would you feel if you lost a child for any reason? Can you imagine the discussion it creates with your other children who are 7 & 8 about the sibling they never met? Simply put this brought nothing but pain to parents who lost a child, no matter the cause of death.
I know Nationwide has issued a statement stating that they were hoping to start a dialogue regarding safety in the home. That may be a noble goal, but this is not the way to start a dialogue of any kind. It is obvious to me that no one involved within the company or their advertising agency has ever suffered such a horrible loss. I certainly hope they never do.
Insurance is supposed to be about making you whole, but there is no insurance in the world that can ever make the loss of a child whole. In my view this commercial was much more than a downer, as the Washington Post stated. To me it was personal.
In an unrelated Nationwide video, actress Mindy Kaling thinks she's invisible. This one's funny.
Discussion Starters:
- Do you find Nationwide's commercials offensive or insensitive?
- Assess the company's press release. Did it convey Nationwide's goals while recognizing intense reactions?
McDonald's Latest Emotional Appeal
In yet another attempt to win customers and stave off declining revenue, McDonald's created a clever ad for Game Day. The company's Super Bowl ad is called Pay with Lovin'. If you're one of the lucky few to be selected through February 14, you'll get a free item by, for example, calling your mother to tell her you love her, dancing, or hugging someone.
A McDonald's spokesperson said, "We want to thank our customers for making our day and hopefully they will make someone else's as well-that's what Lovin' is all about. From selfies, hugs to high fives-we have a bunch of fun ways to express your Lovin'."
Also this week, McDonald's CEO has "retired."
Discussion Starters:
- What do you think of the ad and the marketing strategy?
- What other ideas do you have for McDonald's? How else can the company lure customers to the restaurants with emotional appeal?
Head of School's Snow Day Video Message
Wow, 2 million views for this headmaster's "School Is Closed" video on YouTube. A parody of Disney's "Let It Go" from "Frozen," the song is catchy and has attracted lots of attention. Time magazine tweeted the video, which could explain its popularity.
A graduate of Moses Brown school, a 231-year-old Quaker school, Matt Glendinning has two young girls who affirmed the video. According to Glendinning, "They love it. That actually was my first big litmus test. After it was done, my 8-year-old said, 'That is awesome.' So I thought, 'OK, we're cool. We're going to be alright.'"
Discussion Starters:
- What risks did Glendinning take when making this video?
- Do you find it funny, endearing, goofy, all of the above, none of the above, or something else?
Target Employee Commits Suicide
A Target employee committed suicide apparently after being humiliated at a store. The mother of 22-year-old Graham Gentles filed suit, and her attorney describes his experience at the store:
"While he was cuffed he was paraded through the store into a room and was interrogated there," attorney Patrick McNicholas said. "He was then paraded back out to the store, put into a patrol car and taken to Pasadena police station."
Gentles was accused of stealing but wasn't charged with a crime.
Gentles' attorney says that he had autism: "He was hyper focused on his loss, and it was a perfect storm which resulted in his death." His mother says that her son told her, "Mom this is the worst day of my life." The suit also claims that the "walk of shame" is part of Target's disciplinary policy. Target issued this statement:
"Our thoughts and sympathies go out to the friends and family of this individual. The allegations in the lawsuit of a Target policy or practice are simply not true. There is no such policy. As this is pending litigation, we don't have further comment at this time."
Discussion Starters:
- What is Target's potential responsibility? Do you believe the company is to blame for Gentles' suicide?
- Assess Target's statement. How appropriate is it, given the situation?
Taco Bell Pays Conan O'Brien to Poke Fun
Why would a company hire Conan O'Brien to call a brick "the first experimental taco"? The late-night TV host is known for his "spontaneous," "awkward" humor, and his pitch for Taco Bell is no different.
In a nearly 10-minute video watched on YouTube by 1.4 million people, O'Brien brings the head of his IT department to Taco Bell headquarters for a full tour. They learn some history, watch people taste-testing food, and try new products. After eating a casa lupa, which O'Brien says sounds like a "case of lupus," he fakes a seizure.
The video is on Conan's site but at the end reads: "Paid Consideration Provided by Taco Bell Corp."
Discussion Starters:
- How effective is this Taco Bell promotion? What works well?
- Do you find it deceiving, or should people know that it's essentially a paid advertisement?
Adidas CEO Defends His Job
Facing criticism about the future of Adidas, CEO Herbert Hainer won't step down. In an article in a German newspaper, Hainer admitted to losing sales to Nike and said "Suddenly, everything that was right for 12 years, was wrong."
Hainer has been CEO since 2001, and a succession plan is in progress, but some investors want to see a change sooner than 2017, when his contract ends. Pressure started back in September, when the company saw declining sales in soccer and Reebok products and after the stock had dropped 38% for the year.
Hainer admits mistakes in investing in the soccer market but says, "If I no longer had the ambition and the energy, and the firm belief that I can bring the company further forward, then I would stop immediately."
Discussion Starters:
- What's your view of Hainer's decision to speak with the German newspaper? What other options does he have for conveying his point of view?
- How do you think the Board feels about Hainer's position and his comments to the newspaper?
- Do you find Hainer's comments convincing?
Print Lives (at JCPenney)
JCPenney is bringing back its hefty (120-page) print catalog. After reviewing data from online sales, the company recognized that, although people bought online, they were inspired by print photos.
It's been six years of focusing on web marketing, but the Consumerist explains the turnaround:
"The catalog has been revived by the executive who killed it off in the first place, chairman and CEO Myron Ullman. The company assumed that catalog shoppers would switch to making their purchases online, as they have at other retailers. That wasn't the case: Ullman says that the company discovered that many online sales actually began when the customer was flipping through a catalog offline."
The Consumerist compares JCPenney's strategy to Restoration Hardware's. I'm not on the mailing list, but apparently the company distributes a 17-pound catalog.
Discussion Starters:
- What are the company's considerations in bringing back the catalog? Why do you think the management team discontinued it six years ago?
- How do you see print and online ordering working together? What's your own process for shopping on the web?
TurboTax Apologizes for Change
TurboTax changed its software and didn't communicate the decision as well as it could have. People rely on the program to do their own taxes rather than hiring an accountant. But the company omitted some forms, and users didn't realize until they starting working in the system.
General Manager Sasan Goodarzi is front and center-including this photo- in the apology that was distributed by email to TurboTax registered users.
Download full TurboTax apology.
Discussion Starters:
- What principles of business writing does Goodarzi use in his statement? Particularly consider the organization: how is the statement structured, and how does he organize each paragraph?
- How effective is his apology? What might users appreciate, and what could further anger them?
Facebook Time, Multitasking, and Students' Performance
A study published in the Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology correlates time spent on Facebook and multitasking with poorer academic performance. An Iowa State researcher studied 1649 active student users, and found that seniors spent less time on Facebook and less time multitasking than freshmen, sophomores, and juniors.
Time spent on the site was negatively predictive of freshmen's GPA, and multitasking was negatively predictive of GPA for all ranks but seniors.
Discussion Starters:
- What, if anything, about these findings surprise you?
- The respondents attended Iowa State University. Do you think the results would differ at other universities?
- What cautions would you raise about the findings?
Oscar Diversity Problem? "Not at All"
The Academy Awards are under fire for lacking diversity in nominations this year. Although "Selma," the film about Martin Luther King, was nominated for best picture, its director and lead actor were snubbed. Criticism looms partly because all 20 nominees for best actor and supporting actor are white. "Selma," a highly acclaimed film received only one other nomination: best song.
Cheryl Boone Isaacs, the Academy's first black president, said, "Not at all. Not at all," when asked whether the organization had a "problem with recognizing diversity." She also told Vulture
"Well, it's a terrific motion picture, and that we can never and should not take away from it, the fact that it is a terrific motion picture. There are a lot of terrific motion pictures, it's a very competitive time, and there's a lot of great work that has been done. I am very happy that Selma is included in our eight terrific motioncture [nominations]."
"The good news is that the wealth of talent is there, and it's being discussed, and it's helpful so much for talent-whether in front of the camera or behind the camera-to have this recognition, to have this period of time where there is a lot of publicity, a lot of chitter-chatter."
Isaacs also told Time, "I would love to see and look forward to see a greater cultural diversity among all our nominees in all of our categories."
An infographic and the Twitter hashtag #OscarsSoWhite give us more perspective on the controversy:
Discussion Starters:
- Do you agree with the criticism?
- Analyze Isaacs statements. What works well to convey the Academy's position, and what could be improved?
- Here's another graphic showing concern about the Academy's lack of diversity. Which do you find more effective in conveying the message?
DC MTA Apologizes for a Death
Unlike the NY-area MTA when a train derailment killed four people, the Washington, DC, MTA is doing the right thing: apologizing for a death. Smoke filled a subway car, and officials later described communication with emergency personnel as "ineffective or sporadic."
One woman died, and about 80 riders were hospitalized. Some riders say they were trapped for more than 30 minutes before being rescued. Passengers tried to revive the 61-year-old Carol Inman Glover but were unsuccessful.
A report by the Fire and Medical Emergency Services department details the incident, including transcripts of 911 calls.
The MTA's apology is interesting in light of pending lawsuits, a common reason for organizations to avoid such displays of humanity.
Discussion Starters:
- Analyze the statement: the choice of a full-page ad in the Washington Post, the word choice, etc.
- What principles of report writing from Chapter 10 does the department use in the report? What could improve the report?
- Read the emails and 911 communications in the report. Any surprises?