PR Briefs - News Items October 21, 2006

1. Edelman, PR Ethics and Social Media - the Next Steps- Steve Rubel - Info on Edelman PR's response to controversy about its fake blog tactics on behalf of Wal-Mart.
2. Edelman Admits to Two More Flogs - Shel Holtz - Richard Edelman acknowledges that his PR agency has been involved in two more fake blogs.
3. What Is Edelman Doing? - Richard Edelman reports on what his PR firm is doing to ensure more openness and transparency around social media efforts and word of mouth marketing.
4. PR people, start using your common sense when it comes to disclosure - John Wagner   A review of the disclosure in the Wal-Mart / Working Families for Wal-Mart situation. Wagner suggests more disclosure would help reputations without negatively affecting the ability for PR people to be involved in helping organizations tell their stories
5. Managing Client Expectations: Your Public Relations Firm Must Operate in the Open - Dan Keeney   The PRSA calls for companies and their PR firms to disclose sponsorship of organizations, and avoid fake grassroots campaigns. So let's stop talking about breaches of etiquette, and talk about lapses in ethics.
6. 10 Signs of Life from the News Release - Kevin Dugan   A wrap-up of recent activity in the news release distribution business, and innovations in social media news releases.
7. How to support the troops and not necessarily the war - Rob Cottingham   Voicing opposition to political and military decisions doesn't necessarily mean you have disrespect for the soldiers who risk their lives.
8. Gesundheit, iPod - Rob Cottingham   Apple forgets to apologize after shipping iPods with a virus.