How About We Wrap This Baby U, Shall We?

Over the course of the semester, I’ve learned a lot about ethics in relation to journalism, advertising and public relations. Man, I feel like we’ve covered so much information in a short period of time. I’m not exactly sure where to start…. I say we take it back to the very beginning, shall we?

Once upon a time (yes, I just said that) during the fall semester, I had registered for JOUR4470 (Ethics, Law & Diversity in Strategic Communications). Short after, over Thanksgiving break, I received an email from Samra Bufkins, the course professor. Within the email, Bufkins gave us information on everything we needed to have prepared before the beginning of the class. This ranged from an online personal blog, a Twitter handle, and a few other necessary materials to have prior to the first class lecture. After reading this email, I admit to being annoyed. I was happily enjoying my time away from everything school related and here’s this woman telling me to have this, that, and this way before the spring semester even began.

Thus, I responded with the following:

Hilarious, right?

Having to follow Bufkins via Twitter, I began to pay attention to her tweets. I found them somewhat humorous, as she would tweet about grammar goofs made by students in her classes. Although, I found them funny, I admit to being a little hesitant about being in her class because I felt that she was some strict, crazy woman who sat on Twitter all day and did nothing but tweet sports, news and grammar (which I will talk about a little bit later).

I also had Bufkins for another class entitled Topics in Journalism & Mass Media. This was a social media applications course. With this class, the students were all expected to be on nearly every social media network available. I swore this woman was trying to turn me into a computer geek.

Ok, we’re going to fast-forward into the semester. Are you ready?

So here we are, day one. Typical syllabus overview, not really paying attention but alas, I finally get to meet the woman behind all of the madness. I’m thinking to myself, “Man, she’s tall! She’d probably dunk on me.” This is when I found out her love for Kentucky basketball…and at that moment, I knew she was the professor for me (as I am a huge college hoops fan). Major cool points.

 Throughout the semester, the students would have to complete a few cases studies, blog assignments, class presentations and mini-exams. Not too bad. As an advertising major, I wasn’t  that into public relations going into the class and didn’t figure I’d get much out of the course. I just knew I had to take it in order to graduate. Boy, was I wrong. Over the course of the semester I learned tons of interesting things that I will definitely use over the course of my professional career. Our class studied everything ranging from ethical/unethical practices, ethical theory, social responsibility, and even law. Our case study assignments really educated me on the issues that huge companies and organizations face and the steps to take to make sure there aren’t any ethical issues that could compromise a brand. It was interesting to work in a case study group of both PR and advertising majors to get a different perspective on how to apply ethics. Personally, the case study assignments help me to realize the purpose of the class. I could easily be in a job position (whether it be advertising, public relations or communications) and issues like these could come up at any moment. I would definitely need to know how to handle dealing with crisis communication, especially in the wonderful world of advertising.

All in all, I am so upset that I will not have the pleasure of being in Professor Bufkins’ class anymore. It’s bittersweet. She was one of my favorite professors because she was super laid back, hilarious, and just a joyful and energetic person. One thing I will miss the most is when she would check the students on their grammar in class. I would sit in the back and just crack up laughing. Man, that was always a highlight. I’d always double check my papers just to make sure I didn’t have any typos or spelling errors just to make sure that she wasn’t talking about me (no worries, I was good).

The whole part about Bufkins being this crazy, Twitter-crazed woman…well, that’s pretty much true. I totally mean crazy in a good way (sort of like, this woman cracks me up sort of crazy). As far as being Twitter-crazed? Well, I believe her license plate says it all.

(it says TWITTER, no joke)

Bufkins, it was my pleasure. Keep in touch. #OrElse (I will be watching you).

Never Goodbye. See You Later.

An Ad Major.

Brittani J. Wilkins

Employers on the Prowl

Well hello there beautiful people. We meet again.

Alright, so today I'd like to talk a little bit about debates. Weird, yes. Over the weekend, I was involved in UNT's Debate-a-Palooza. My topic to debate was whether or not employers requiring social media information during job interviews is an invasion of personal privacy. My partner and I were arguing the affirmative (I think I'm cool because I can use debate terms now, yay me). Here is a small portion  of our opening statement:

Social media has taken over the world faster than anyone would have ever imagined. Seriously, go online and Google me. First name Brittani, last name Wilkins. Boom, there’s all of my information right in front of you. Now, sure there are privacy settings, but there’s always a loophole in there somewhere. You know it. I know it. And many employers looking to hire are aware of it as well.

So picture yourself sitting in a job interview. Instead of worrying about typos on your resume, your main focus is whether or not an employer has found anything negative about you online that could compromise your potential employment.  Embarrassing photographs, did you delete all of yours? How about you? And you? Remember that one post where you used inappropriate language in reference to your past supervisor? I sure hope you got rid of that one because employers are digging up information that could compromise the chance of you ever being hired.

Oh, did I mention politics, religion, and other personal beliefs that could also scratch you off the list? Just think about it. If the human resource manager doesn’t agree with your moral standards, doesn’t that present potential conflict when it comes time to hire?

Being involved with the research behind this debate really opened my eyes as far as some of the ethical issues that come into play when employers ask for this sort of information. One major issue I thought was ironic was that, if employers aren't allowed to ask job candidates specific questions during a job interview, how is it ok to go online and easily find this information without potentially being subjected to lawsuits?

Hmm, what do you all think? I'd love to know.

Until Next Time.

An Ad Major.

Follow me @BrittaniWilkins

It's Slander, With the Words You Choose.

These days, celebrities constantly have to deal with maintaining a positive image. Being in the public eye can, at times, subject the rich and famous to some pretty harsh criticism. It’s easy for celebrities to fall victim to defamation cases including libel and slander in return for the most provocative story or, in some cases, simply for financial gain. The media continues to be persistent in hounding these celebrities, following them on a daily basis and even staking outside their homes for million-dollar photographs.

By representing the image of a public official, it is generally harder for celebrities to affirm the allegations that they may be subjected to or accused of. Many times, the stories that are being told are misconstrued to falsely portray celebrities in a negative light. In most cases, the public official who files for any defamation lawsuit has to have evidence proving the accused defendant that the statement or action made was false and that the defendant acted in malice.

In 2010, Debbie Rowe, Michael Jackson’s ex-wife won a defamation case against a woman who allegedly gave false information to reporters in regards to her relationship with Jackson’s kids following his death. Rebecca White was interviewed by Extra, a very popular entertainment news television show. Following Jackson’s death, White proceeded to tell the reporters that Debbie Rowe had no interest in gaining custody of her two children, Prince and Paris Jackson. White portrayed Rowe’s intent as being solely focused on financial gain. After the incident, after Rowe filed a lawsuit citing defamation, an LA judge granted Rowe $27,000, including $10,000 for Rowe’s emotional distress.

What’s interesting to me is that Rowe, who I would consider a public figure, won this defamation case simply as a result of an opinion of another woman. I’m no law student, so I am a little confused as to why Rowe would be granted the judgment in her favor. From my understanding, if the media considered Rowe a public figure, wouldn’t she be subjected to any commentary whether it is positive or negative? Is the fact that White went on national television and made statements that she couldn’t back up with evidence the primary reason Rowe won the case?

Man, this law stuff is a little tricky.

As tough as it is to prove cases of libel and slander, it seems as if it would be an even bigger burden for celebrities to even attempt to try their luck at justice. Michigan lawyer, Aaron Lawson provided information on why going forward with a defamation lawsuit may not always be worth it.

           

While people who are targeted by lies may well be angry enough to file a lawsuit, there are some very good reasons why actions for defamation may not be a good idea.

The publicity that results from a defamation lawsuit can create a greater audience for the false statements than they previously enjoyed. For example, if a newspaper or news show picks up the story of the lawsuit, false accusations that were previously known to only a small number of people may suddenly become known to the entire community, nation, or even to the world. As the media is much more apt to cover a lawsuit than to cover its ultimate resolution, the net effect may be that large numbers of people hear the false allegations, but never learn how the litigation was resolved.

Another big issue is that defamation cases tend to be difficult to win, and damage awards tend to be small. As a result, it is unusual for attorneys to be willing to take defamation cases on a contingent fee basis, and the fees expended in litigating even a successful defamation action can exceed the total recovery.

Looking at an example in which a celebrity wasn’t so lucky with a defamatory case would include Elton John and the case against The Guardian, a British newspaper. The Guardian featured a spoof column, written by Marina Hyde, which poked fun at John’s involvement with charity organizations. The column stated that Elton John used charity work as a means of self-promotion. The judge determined that the column couldn’t be understood by a reasonable reader as being malicious, and decided that it was nothing more than a satirical piece of work.

In class, we discussed whether or not parody would be considered defamatory. In most cases, using humor wouldn’t be considered an act of defamation, but there might be an instance in which a loophole can occur.

In my opinion, I believe that going through all of the legalities dealing with libel and slander (as a celebrity) may not always be worth the effort. Then again, if someone tried to ruin my public image with negative claims, I would probably make sure that my reputation would not suffer.

Wouldn’t you?                                             

Until Next Time.

An Ad Major.

Brittani J. Wilkins

Follow me on Twitter @BrittaniWilkins

Is Twitter For You/Your Brand? Hmm...

Well Hello There,

This week, I wanted to share an infograph designed by Column Five Media that is a fun way to tell whether or not Twitter is the social media platform for you. The graph looks at Twitter from a personal aspect as well as on a professional/business level. I'll admit, this is just a fun way of looking at the different ways that people can use Twitter to communicate with others in what's known as the Twitterverse.

This week, the topic came up in my social media class whether or not brands should be using social media. How do company execs decide which social media platform to use? Each network is different, so it is very important that professionals find ways to cater to their specific audience and relay messages appropriate to that particular network.

After applying myself and the organization I work for to the infographic, it was obvious that I should be using this tool as a form of communication. I currently work for the campus activities board at the University of North Texas and social media is something we highly depend on in order to engage with our students.

Aside from that (on the personal side of things), I am a journalism student. The fact that Twitter provides instant news updates 24/7...well, you know I'm lovin' that.

Check out the article/graph at the link below and see where you fall. Is Twitter right for you?

Is Twitter Right For You?

Until Next Time...

An Ad Major.

Brittani Wilkins

JOUR 4210

Follow Me on Twitter -@BrittaniWilkins

$5.00?! And I'm Not Talking Footlongs.

Public relations practitioners are often perceived in a negative light. Many people believe that they tend to construe the truth in order to positively reflect the company or organization that they are working for. In relation to risk management, the potential for conflict to occur in an attempt to balance every side of an issue may result in a risky or unfavorable ethical practice.

The balance of trying to keep everyone happy in a crisis situation is something that I personally find challenging in the field of public relations. PR pros have to manage to keep both the company and the public happy and provide the most accurate information without compromising the reputation of the company along with the public’s trust. Not only does that seem stressful, but it’s also a very hard thing to accomplish if there is a company goof.

And don’t get me started on ethics…

Transparency is something that companies are leaning toward these days but let’s be honest, there are few CEOs and company executives who are willing to openly disclose every aspect of their business. So what happens in the case of an emergency or company error?

Do companies accept full responsibility?

Point the finger?

Act in the company’s best interest or the interest of the people?

Let’s examine a case that focuses on the idea of the ethical theory, Egoism.

In 2011, Bank of America (BofA) made an announcement that the company would begin charging its members a $5.00 transaction fee on any purchase they made using their Bank of America debit card.

Yes, I said $5.00.

I’ll give you a second to process that.

Of course the company received tons of criticism following the announcement, even from U.S. President Barack Obama. When it came time for Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan to release a statement, members were anxious to find out the reasoning behind applying a transaction fee. Moynihan released a statement in an interview with CNBC including the following:

"I have an inherent duty as a CEO of a publicly owned company to get a return for my shareholders."

Moynihan followed with a statement saying that once customers and shareholders were fully aware of the reason behind the transaction fee, they would be more understanding as to why the bank has a right to make a profit.

The ethical theory that could be applied to this particular case would be egoism. In my opinion, it’s clear that Bank of America executives were concerned about the company’s potential to profit off of their members. It seems as if they tried to keep the members in mind by stating that members would understand of the fee following implementation, yet it still seems as if BofA’s profitability was the bigger goal.

One thing that I found surprising about BofA execs stating that consumers would be on board with a $5.00 fee, which came as a surprise to many, was when Don Vecchiarello, Bank of America’s VP Media Relations Manager, commented on banks charging overdraft fees and how consumers reacted negatively toward costly fees.

“Our customers told us they did not like surprise charges,” says BofA spokesman Don Vecchiarello. “Reaction has been very positive and our complaints about overdrafts have gone down.”

In my opinion, I believe that Vecchiarello, along with the media relations team, should have known that an additional charge would definitely reflect negatively in the minds of BofA members and shareholders.

I mean, come on.

Following the backlash of consumer criticism, BofA decided to get rid of the transaction fee, citing that customer outcry resulted in the company’s choice to pull the plug. In the end, I believe that BofA made the right choice in nixing the fee, although they had to learn the hard way that people do not want anybody messing with their money.

Until next time.

An Ad Major.

Brittani J. Wilkins

Professors, Students and Social Media - Should They Connect Online?

Well Hello There,

I'd like to focus tonight's discussion on whether or not students and professors should establish online relationships via social media networks such as Facebook and Twitter.

Hmm...

I found interest in this topic after reading an article online posted by the Wall Street Journal stating that New York City schools are interested in pursuing a policy that would crack down on social media contact between teachers and students. The main concern with teachers and students having online engagement is the fact that there may be an online conversation that could easily be misinterpreted. The New York City Schools Chancellor estimates a social media policy that could possibly take place next month.

In my own experiences, I've connected with a couple of my professors online and continue to maintain positive relationships with all of them. A few of my professors would not allow online engagement with students until after students were no longer enrolled in his or her class. Their main reasoning would be that they didn't want to compromise any academic integrity.

I can easily understand why some professors may be fearful of compromising their careers due to backlash from interacting with students online (I mean, watch the news...). As an adult, I don't see a major issue with conversing with professors online, as long as it is done in a responsible manner. I definitely feel that there should be some restrictions when applied to young children in grade school. It'll be interesting to watch the New York City schools as they develop a policy to crack down on student/teacher social media interaction.

http://online.wsj.com/article/AP8886ce60311b4d3793feaacccb6e77fe.html

I'd love to know what you all think. Please comment.

Until next time.

An Ad Major.

Brittani Wilkins
Follow Me on Twitter 

World, I'd Like You to Meet...Mobli.

Well Hello Ladies and Gents,

Lets talk Mobli. It's Instagram on STEROIDS. I love it. See that video down there? Watch that bad boy. It'll fill you in on everything you need to know!

Disclaimer: I apologize in advance for the amount of times I say, "It's really cool." I was a little too excited. Press play.

So, have you downloaded the app yet? What are you waiting for?

I think Mobli is a very interactive social media app to use and share images and photos with others. Instagram move aside.

 

Until next time.

An Ad Major.

 Contact me.

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