Content summary: FIR 5th anniversary show on Monday; next FIR Live on Jan 23; Dan York says goodbye to 2009 and looks forward to the Tens; the Media Monitoring Minute with CustomScoop; News That Fits: how should government address information security and the TSA example of how not to do it, a really bad pitch from Ross Torrosian, 2010 gears up for an explosion of 3D, the PRSA controversy; listener comments discussion; music from Amanda Bloom; and more. Get FIR: Download the MP3 file … [Read more...] about The Hobson and Holtz Report – Podcast #513: December 31, 2009
Archives for 2009
Navigating sat navs, settled for a Navman
One mobile device that ought to be added to any list of gadgets that epitomizes the Naughties (and there are lots of lists) is the portable satellite navigation device, or sat nav for short. I first used a portable sat nav in 2005 with a rental car in Amsterdam, then bought my own in 2007 and, yesterday, purchased a new device (the one you see here, attached to my car windscreen), something I’ve been umming and aahing about for weeks if not months. My experience to date with sat navs has … [Read more...] about Navigating sat navs, settled for a Navman
The Hobson and Holtz Report – Podcast #512: December 28, 2009
Content summary: Comments for the first FIR Video; fifth anniversary show on Jan 4; next FIR Live on Jan 24; Michael Netzley reports from Singapore on the top ten stories from Asia during 2009; discussion: the ethics of non-attributed posts to Posterous; the Media Monitoring Minute with CustomScoop; News That Fits: more trouble for AT&T as company turns to celebrity to improve employee morale, just because you only met social media idiots does not mean that everybody is one; listeners' … [Read more...] about The Hobson and Holtz Report – Podcast #512: December 28, 2009
Avatar: telling an old story in a new way
We went and saw Avatar yesterday, the film that’s getting a lot of attention for a variety of reasons since its release on December 17: the amazing digital effects, the dramatic and epic scale of the story, the $400 million budget, the groundbreaking 3D version. We saw it in 3D at Cineworld Brighton, a multiplex almost right on the seafront (not a fun experience getting there on a freezing windy December evening) at the Brighton Marina. But it was unquestionably worth the trip. It’s a long … [Read more...] about Avatar: telling an old story in a new way
FIR Videos: PR Disasters – December 24, 2009
Using VodBurner, we have produced our first FIR video, a Skype call between FIR's co-hosts. We'll work on improving the quality, adding visuals and the like, as time goes on, but for our first effort on Christmas Eve, we opted to just use the VodBurner output as is. We'll also look at adding these videos to the "everything" RSS feed but, for now, we're just embedding it here. We're anxious to hear what you think! (Cross-posted from For Immediate Release, Shel’s and my podcast … [Read more...] about FIR Videos: PR Disasters – December 24, 2009
Do they know it’s Christmas?
A blast from the past that’s as relevant today as it was when “Do They Know It’s Christmas?†was first recorded a quarter of a century ago. This is a song in which a real A-list of musical talent and influence came together to record for Band Aid, a charity supergroup featuring British and Irish musicians and recording artists. It was founded in 1984 by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise money for famine relief in Ethiopia. Something still to think about in many places around the world … [Read more...] about Do they know it’s Christmas?
Ten trends that will matter to every company in 2010
I don’t know what it is about the final work weeks of the year but it’s the time when people throw 50 weeks’ worth of caution to the wind and make predictions. In my context area, that usually means predictions about what will happen in the broad world of organizational communication and social media. Here is a handful of good ones I’ve seen in recent weeks: Five Social Media Predictions for 2010 by Joel Postman Six Social Media Trends for 2010 by David Armano 10 Ways Social … [Read more...] about Ten trends that will matter to every company in 2010
FIR Cut: Snow, customer service and crisis communication make Eurostar’s perfect storm
Overflow from FIR #511 on December 21, 2009. Google News: Eurostar. TechCrunch Europe: As hundreds of Eurostar passengers languish, Eurostar ignores Twitter. We Are Social: A note about today’s Eurostar crisis. Little break, big difference: Our apologies. Download this podcast (2.45Mb, 6:14) If you want to automatically receive FIR Cuts as they’re published, subscribe to the RSS feed. (What are FIR Cuts?) … [Read more...] about FIR Cut: Snow, customer service and crisis communication make Eurostar’s perfect storm