PR(the)Business

Another PR Journal.

Today, I got my copy of PR Business, a new PR industry magazine in the UK.

It goes alongside PR Week which in the UK hides behind firewalls and subscriptions (and so I won't link to its web site – so there!). PR Business goes a stage further, they promised a web site in March and managed a page!

For dead tree stuff, the content is OK but lacks bite.

The only PR firm to be owned by not one but two ex-presidents of CIPR gets a couple of lines after 'merging' with PRAfrica International – Peter, Carol – you must do better!

In 1000 words we are, apparently, still wondering about the reputation of PR at a time when there are more people working in it, more agencies, more by way of fees, more students etc. etc.

The article about RSS feeds (and press release distribution) by Neil Hershberg was interesting. Its not the sort of thing you would get from PRW(RSS = Really Simple Stupid). He glows about NewsML, the means by which news stories wing around the digital world, but his firm is one of the ones that could not be bothered with XPRL (the same deal but with clients and other media and interactions in the loop).

Lawrence Dore had a big feature about technology and is delighted to say that now, instead of writing about it, he uses it. Wow! Technology is boring. Get it - and then get on with the job in hand.

There is a big article about how hard it is to recruit senior PR managers and directors which is no great surprise. Vicky Man is quoted with a lot of hand wringing but confessed to me that 'over 50's are just not needed these days'. I qualify in spades. So I think that there may be a need for some serious investigative journalism here.

Martin Baker was on the case. He wanted to find out what Financial PR's do. For a Sunday Telegraph columnist, it was not hard to find out – it seems they control the flow of alcohol.

Having been brought up in the heyday of George Gale and Mike Kemp lessons from Gary Flood on how to introduce newbie PR people to hard drinking journos who, after ten pints can file 2000 perfect words comes a bit strong. George, who nearly always used a copytake (remember them?) after a serious night out on the political conference circuit, must have been difficult to understand.. I couldn't... but it was all a bit hazy at the time. Mike even drove cars!

So fascinating to see the dead tree industry try again but .....

Here are some others you may like to try:

Journal of Applied Communication Research.
Journal of Business Communication.
Journal of Communication.
Journal of Communication Management.
Journal of Employee Communications Management.
Journal of Public Relations Research.
Journal of Reputation Management.
Public Relations Quarterly.
Strategic Communication Management.
Communications World.
Frontline.
O’Dwyer’s PR Services Report.
Public Relations Strategist.
PRSA Strategist.
Reputation Management.