Budgets in Brief - January 21 2019

BIG TRANSPORTATION FUNDING PROBLEM IN OH

OHIO has run out of money for major road projects. A coalition of local governments, chambers of commerce, contractors, engineers and truck drivers called Fix Our Roads Ohio has formed to push for solutions to that problem, including increasing the state’s 28-cents-per-gallon gas tax. (COLUMBUS DISPATCH)

LA TEACHER STRIKE COSTING MILLIONS PER DAY

Tens of thousands of teachers walked off the job in Los Angeles last week in an effort to reduce class sizes, expand school support staff and boost their pay. With about two thirds of the L.A. Unified School District’s 485,000 students opting not to attend school since the strike began, district officials estimate they are losing $10 million to $15 million a day in state funding, which is based on student attendance. (LOS ANGELES TIMES)

LEGISLATIVE LEADERS FOCUSED ON SCHOOL FUNDING IN TX

GOP leaders in the TEXAS House and Senate have both unveiled budget proposals that would significantly increase funding for K-12 public education while capping property tax revenues. But among other things the lawmakers will have to resolve the disparity between the House’s 17.2-percent proposed funding increase and the 10.3 percent increase the Senate plan calls for. (AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN)

CA TOWN LAUNCHES ‘GOAT FUND ME’ CAMPAIGN TO REDUCE FIRE THREAT

The tiny Northern CALIFORNIA town of Nevada City, with a population of 3,100 and an annual budget of $4 million, has launched a crowdfunding campaign to reduce the threat of wildfires with goats. The city hopes to raise $30,000 from its “Goat Fund Me” campaign for a grazing project on city-owned land. The coastal town of Laguna Beach has used goats to reduce the threat of brush fires there for decades. (LOS ANGELES TIMES)

-- Compiled by KOREY CLARK

We Must Protect Press Freedom—Now More than Ever

In our daily lives, few things drive discourse and conversation more than the press. The coverage, investigation and reporting of news is the fuel that carries small conversation, political discourse and general around-the-water-cooler chatter. In our lives as social creatures, and our roles as citizens in civic society, the role of the press is paramount.

Friday, May 3 marked World Press Freedom Day. It’s an annual event recognized globally by the United Nations since 1993. Press freedom is enshrined in international law—codified under Article 19 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights—and in national laws across the globe.

While the annual day-long commemoration is important, it’s equally important that we recognize the value of protecting the freedom of press—and the safety of members of the media—throughout the year. The threat to journalists today is at its highest level in a decade. Throughout 2018, 78 journalists were killed and more than 300 were imprisoned across the globe.

This must change.

No Country is Safe from Challenges to Press Freedom

Threats, violence and suppression tactics against the press aren’t problems limited to so-called third-world countries or dictatorial regimes. Increasingly, the safety and freedom of the press are being challenged in the most modern of democracies with many recent examples.

In April 2019, United Kingdom-based freelance journalists Lyra McKee was fatally injured while reporting on riots and police activity in Northern Ireland. In June 2018, four reporters at the Capital Gazette—a print newspaper based in Annapolis, Maryland—were murdered in a targeted attack on the news outlet. In their 2018 cumulative review, Reporters Without Borders named the United States to its top ten list of most dangerous countries for journalists.

This comes in addition to rhetorical and non-lethal violence. In the past two years, world leaders have called the press "the enemy of the people.” A reporter covering a U.S. congressional political campaign was tackled by the candidate they were covering. In Germany, hackers have begun routinely publishing personal information (“doxing”) about journalists—like phone numbers and home addresses—in an attempt at targeted harassment.

Underpinning this all: the propagation of terms like “fake news” and “Lügenpresse” (“lying press,” in German) by world politicians seeking to discredit unfavorable coverage of themselves.

Accurate Reporting is More Vital Than Ever

In apparent response to the politically charged attacks on the legitimacy of the press, this year’s World Press Freedom Day will focus on “Media for Democracy: Journalism and Elections in Times of Disinformation.”

At the global summit surrounding Press Freedom Day, journalists will attend sessions on topics to include defending themselves against online “trolling” (rhetorical online attacks for the primary purpose of inciting anger), covering elections in nondemocratic countries, doubling down on the fight against disinformation and covering elections in the digital age.

Yet, while journalists convene to build strategies for stopping the spread of disinformation, this duty extends to each of us as individual members of a global society. One of the best methods everyday citizens can employ to help stop disinformation is to properly vet the information shared on social media channels.

Social media and digital innovation have made each person with a smartphone or computer their own publisher, yet many may lack the media literacy to determine the veracity of information they are sharing. A 2018 report conducted by the European Commission recommended improved media and information literacy as one of five tactics to stop the spread of digital disinformation.

This starts by learning to do quick fact checks. Learn to be skeptical of online content coming from an unknown publisher. Start questioning headlines that make you have an instant, strong emotional response. Be aware of your biases and recognize when you may allow facts to rank secondary to the fallacy of confirmation bias.

Reporters are Human—Recognize Their Sanctity

There are fewer community-based journalists today than ever before. Legacy media organizations across the world are closing at increasingly fast rates. Attacks—physical and rhetorical—against the media are peaking right as fewer and fewer journalists exist to form close connections with individuals.

It’s important, therefore, to remember that journalists are daughters, sons, mothers and fathers just like us. They go to work with a conviction that they’re devoting their life to sharing the information that helps us live ours. We must remember that, and we can’t forget those that have died pursuing that mission.

Our hearts go out to the families and friends of the 78 journalists who were lost their lives while reporting in 2018.

How media monitoring keeps Halloween-based PR on point

The temptation to use Halloween and the entire month of October as a tie-in to new product launches is great for brands, as the season's themes are wide-ranging, fun and unabashedly commercial. That said, PR firms and departments need to be careful at this time of year. Without a keen and up-to-date picture captured with media monitoring, companies could stumble into PR issues.

Track success of seasonal product launches with social analytics

Before digressing into warnings about Halloween promotions, it pays to remember how valuable it can be to launch or promote a product with a strong link to the holiday. This is especially true for food and beverage makers, as there is perhaps no holiday tied so closely to snacking.

The options are much more exotic than a seasonal favorite—some might even call it an obsession—with Pumpkin Spice anything. Just a few years ago, Frito-Lay debuted black garlic Doritos-brand chips adorned with vampire imagery in Japan. And this year, Burger King introduced the “Nightmare King” burger with an eerie green bun, along with a black frozen drink called “Scary Black Cherry.”

The opportunities to launch a new flavor, shape or packaging design in the run-up to Halloween are nearly limitless. With a little effort, you can make just about anything scary, but sales forecasting is important as companies can misjudge demand and end up in crisis mode with product that will not be relevant again for a year.

Haunted by a Halloween Marketing Miss?

Not every brand that launches a tie-in to the season is having a happy Halloween. In fact, those that make mistakes will likely need much more active PR departments than their competitors. Celebrities are not immune from some Halloween backlash. Just last weekend, snowboarder Shaun White’s Instagram post showing himself dressed as Simple Jack from 2008 film “Tropic Thunder” was roundly criticized on social media, leading him to delete the post and issue an apology, saying, “I owe everyone in the Special Olympics community an apology for my poor choice of Halloween costume the other night. It was a last minute decision. It was the wrong one. The Special Olympics were right to call me out on it.”

In the age of Instagram and Snapchat, brands that end up in trouble over their decisions will likely need up-to-the-minute media monitoring to quickly realize there is a problem and distribute messaging to counter any lasting reputation damage. Truly great PR departments can learn from others to prevent such a situation from ever happening.

When teams perform active and up-to-date media monitoring regarding topics of interest, they may realize in advance that a trending topic turned into product or costume idea holds the potential to miss the mark or just downright offend.

Stay alert to trends with media monitoring

Sometimes, events in the Halloween season cause PR problems for companies that weren't even trying to engage with the season. In these cases, it's especially important for organizations to stay aware of potential issues and counter them carefully.

In 2016, McDonald's decided to keep its popular Ronald McDonald character out of the public eye in the U.S. market after a rash of incidents throughout October in which individuals dressed as clowns have intimidated or frightened passersby.

By observing the tone of media coverage around clowns worldwide, the restaurant chain made a proactive decision to avoid possible negative associations. The decision was seemingly reached not based on any incident with Ronald McDonald, but the general attitude toward the frightening clown sightings. Preemptive actions are possible if PR departments have keen and timely awareness of media activity.

Get More Treats this Season

To be successful, brands must make sure to keep their campaigns tasteful, understand public sentiment and stay aware of current trends. These insights and tie-ins can provide relevant and appropriate options for branded campaigns and product launches in October. Just in case something does go wrong, it pays to be hyper-aware of any negative coverage of the business or products in question—this level of visibility is made possible today with technology monitoring media 24x7. Halloween is a season of tricks and treats, but brands don't want to be haunted by PR mistakes made during October.

3 Ways to Apply This Information Now

Keep up with the media buzz with the LexisNexis Newsdesk® media monitoring and analytics solution.
Check out other posts on trends to see how we’re using LexisNexis Newsdesk to track PR & Marketing impact.
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Social Policy - March 13 2017

Supreme Court Returns Virgina Case

The Supreme Court of the United States returns to a lower court the case of a transgender VIRGINIA boy who was refused the right to use the boys’ restroom at his high school. The SCOTUS returned the case to the 4^th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to reconsider in light of the Trump administration’s withdrawal of a rule requiring schools to treat students based on their gender identity (GOVERNING).

Nevada Approves SB 110

The NEVADA Senate approves SB 110, which waives the requirement to publish name changes in a newspaper if the reason is to conform to an individual’s gender identity. It moves to the Assembly (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL).

Colorado Approves HB 1156

The COLORADO House approves HB 1156, which bars the use of so-called “gay conversion therapy” - a controversial mental health treatment that attempts to change a person’s sexual orientation - on anyone under age 18. It moves to the House (DENVERCHANNEL.COM).

Alabama Approves SB 15

The ALABAMA Senate approves SB 15, a bill that would end requirements for probate judges to issue marriage licenses. The measure, which is a reaction to some probate judges still refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, moves to the House (LEXISNEXIS STATE NET, MONTGOMERY ADVERTISER).

Confused by Conglomerates? Consider These Three Things When Researching Corporate Ownership.

There is a difference between brand identity and corporate identity but finding the latter may prove to be more difficult than reading the name on a label. While the average consumer in a retail store may not know—or indeed have a desire to know—who owns each product in their shopping cart, there are legitimate reasons why the matter of corporate ownership may become important.

Whether by a series of opportune mergers and acquisitions, the planned purchase of an entire supply chain, or through strategic efforts to saturate a given category, the portfolio of brands a parent company may own can be confusing—if not nearly impossible—to track down.

This can create a challenge for researchers trying to match brands to corporations or a local sales manager to their global c-suite leaders. Consider the difficulty an academic researcher might have evaluating potential conflicts of interest whenever any given funding source could have financial interest in dozens of varying industries. In other cases, one industry behemoth may have acquired most—if not all—of the supply chain. How might a small- or mid-sized competitor evaluate that and engage with potential suppliers without the risk of supporting their primary competition?

Navigating the web of corporate ownership and affiliation can be complex, but there are certain paths to take to find clarity.

Follow the Trail of Reporting

Activities that bring varying brands under new parent company ownership often attract some level of media attention—even smaller acquisitions tend to get listed in local business publications. For much larger companies, however, M&A activity is likely to be covered heavily in local, national and industry-specific news.

Determining the parent company of a certain product or organization can often require looking beyond the current news cycle. A parent company may have made headlines for acquiring a brand a decade ago, but that brand could still operate the same today with little or no mention of its parent entity.

Duracell—the worldwide battery company with headquarters in the United States and Switzerland—is an example of how this happens. While the brand itself has existed continuously since the 1920s, there have been many changes in its ownership that might be hard to track, especially when only evaluating today’s reporting on the company.

The current owner of Duracell, Berkshire Hathaway, Inc., is a clear example of the diverse holdings a single company today may own. Beyond batteries, the company operates in industries as varied as insurance, building materials, food condiments and media outlets. While stories from the time of its acquisition of Duracell provide context to better understand the details of the Berkshire Hathaway transaction, even stories published in highly specific battery-industry trade journals don’t mention the brand’s ownership today.

Don’t Be Fooled by Apparent Competitors

Belgian beverage company Anheuser-Busch InBev has practically stacked the shelves in their favor when it comes to global beer consumption. While beer brand loyalists may feel a competitive rivalry between what they consider domestic or imported, craft or classic, many of these beer brands—as diverse as Budweiser, Corona and Stella Artois—originate from this same parent company.

In fact, owning seemingly competing products in the same category isn’t all that uncommon. U.S.-based Proctor and Gamble owns two diaper brands, at least four fabric detergents, multiple shampoos and several competing detergents and cleaners… among many others. This is an “illusion of choice” that often goes unnoticed by consumers.

For researchers, the challenge comes from finding quality source materials that bypass branding in favor of data.

Use Resources to Help Connect the Chain of Ownership

Researching corporate ownership may feel a lot like genealogy and following the trail of corporate affiliation can certainly branch out like a family tree. One brand’s parent company can have another parent company that is held by yet another organization on top of that. This can go on for many “generations,” and can potentially complicate research. Especially as partially owned companies, sister companies and joint partnerships come into play, bypassing information geared toward consumers and looking at more direct industry filings can prevent research from being derailed by chaos.

The information exists, but finding it can be difficult. Public financial records, regulatory disclosures, press releases and investor reports all disclose information that—when analyzed together—can help determine corporate affiliations. Additionally, researching executive and board staffing can provide hints to corporate affiliations as well. While many legal entities can exist in the chain of corporate ownership, because they have unified operations, they will often have the same people in positions like chief executive or chairperson.

Using research tools that bring these information sources together can help make the corporate ownership research process less manual than mapping out an entire corporate tree and scouring company biographies and announcements.