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16:27

FIR #392: Going Below the Surface into Dark Social Media

The FIR Podcast Network Everything Feed ·

2024/03/12

Unsavory and nefarious things happen on the Dark Web. But the Dark Web and Dark Social Media are not exclusively a place for ne'er-do-wells, criminals, and extremists. Dark Social includes messaging apps, private discussion groups on popular public forums, and even email. An increasing share of conversations about brands is taking place on the Dark Web, according to new research. How can communicators monitor it and influence the conversation in their favor? Neville and Shel dive into the Deep Web

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16:01

FIR #383: Leadership Traits Aren’t What They Used To Be

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2024/02/02

Back in 2012, business executives thought the most important traits to exhibit when interacting with stakeholders included things like forcefulness, a blue-chip pedigree, and physical attractiveness. No more. A repeat of the study 10 years later found that inclusiveness, a "listen to learn" orientation, and authenticity are among the new traits for a strong executive presence. Neville and Shel discuss the evolution of executive presence and communicators' role in helping their leaders adapt in this

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15:47

FIR #382: Brain Implants Are a Thing Now

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2024/01/31

Elon Musk's company, Neuralink, claims it has successfully implanted a device in the brain of a human subject who is recovering well. These devices are designed to enable severely disabled individuals to manipulate computers with their minds, moving cursors, typing, clicking, and so on. It's the stuff of science fiction, but, like AI, it seems destined to become just another fact of life. The implications for society are huge, and there are considerations for communicators. Neville and Shel

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1:23:03

FIR #381: The State of Trust in 2024

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2024/01/29

It happens every year, as surely as the Tiffany ball will drop in Times Square on New Year's Eve: Edelman has released its annual Trust Barometer with a focus on the public's views on innovation and the pace of change, along with the usual dimensions of trust the survey tracks every year. Neville and Shel examine some of the study's core findings and reflect on their meaning for today's communication professionals. Also in this episode, Neville and Shel discuss a court case in the U.K. in which an

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13:04

FIR #380: Vanguard Leaves Investors Twisting in the Wind

The FIR Podcast Network Everything Feed ·

2024/01/24

When the word came down from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that investment companies could offer Bitcoin ETFs, Vanguard shrugged off the opportunity -- but didn't make an effort to let its investors know, leading to high volumes of online criticism and some investors closing their accounts. Neville and Shel dig into the communication failure in this short midweek episode.Continue Reading → The post FIR #380: Vanguard Leaves Investors Twisting in the Wind appeared first on FIR Podcast

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21:30

FIR #379: Top Communication Trends for 2024

The FIR Podcast Network Everything Feed ·

2024/01/16

When blogs first got hot, every December, it was the rare PR agency and independent communicator that didn't feel compelled to post their predictions and assessments of trends for the new year. That practice has not slowed down. Rather than try to find and read through them all, just sit back and listen to this short mid-week episode of "For Immediate Release." Neville and Shel will summarize key 2024 trends drawn from a number of sources.Continue Reading → The post FIR #379: Top Communication

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15:50

FIR #378: AI for Crisis Communications

The FIR Podcast Network Everything Feed ·

2024/01/10

Deepfakes! Volumes of disinformation generated at scale! Hallucinated information shared as fact! Inherent bias underlying official communication! The number of crises people can imagine AI creating continues to grow. But do AI's abilities to aid in crisis communication outweigh these risks -- especially if we find ways to minimize or eliminate the risks? Crisis expert Philippe Borremans has released a study, "Artificial Intelligence in Crisis Response: Perspectives from Communication Experts," that

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28:20

FIR #377: Two Decades of Podcasting

The FIR Podcast Network Everything Feed ·

2024/01/05

While this is officially episode #377 of "For Immediate Release," the fact is that we reset the episode numbers back in 2015 when we retired the show name, "The Hobson and Holtz Report," at episode #824. Add them together, and this is actually our 1,201st episode. It also marks the beginning of our 20th year of podcasting. We released our first episode on January 3, 2005, several months before Apple introduced podcasts to iTunes, an event that is widely associated with the rise of podcasting's

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22:28

FIR #376: Is the Internet Pendulum Swinging Back to...

The FIR Podcast Network Everything Feed ·

2024/01/02

"We are about to see the biggest reshuffling of power on the internet in 25 years," writes Anil Dash, "in a way that most of the internet’s current users have never seen before." That power, Dash believes is a shift from big companies like Meta and Google back to individual users. Among the trends that have Dash believing this pivot is imminent are the nascent fediverse, the failure of X (formerly Twitter), court rulings that will open up alternative app stores, the rise of new networks (like

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57:58

FIR Interviews: ChatGPT Speaks for Itself About Its...

The FIR Podcast Network Everything Feed ·

2023/12/29

Volumes have been written in the last year about how to apply ChatGPT and other generative AI tools to the practice of public relations and organizational communication. In this midweek episode, we let ChatGPT speak for itself about how it can enhance communicators’ work — and whether communicators are at risk of being replaced by AI. Shel is solo in this episode, so he interviews ChatGPT to ask about its processes for press releases and other PR writing and editing, its non-media and non-writing

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57:58

FIR #375: ChatGPT Speaks for Itself About Its PR...

The FIR Podcast Network Everything Feed ·

2023/12/29

Volumes have been written in the last year about how to apply ChatGPT and other generative AI tools to the practice of public relations and organizational communication. In this midweek episode, we let ChatGPT speak for itself about how it can enhance communicators' work -- and whether communicators are at risk of being replaced by AI. Shel is solo in this episode, so he interviews ChatGPT to ask about its processes for press releases and other PR writing and editing, its non-media and non-writing

en-US

1:29:06

FIR #374: Getting Your News from AI

The FIR Podcast Network Everything Feed ·

2023/12/25

German publisher Alex Springer -- which owns Politico, among other media properties -- has inked a deal with OpenAI, which means ChatGPT will be able to include news in its responses to prompts. Debate over the pros and cons is robust, and there are implications for organizations trying to get their news into the mix. In the December long-form episode, Neville and Shel explore the ramifications and possible next steps. Also in the show: Starbucks has suffered vandalism and other blowback based on

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17:59

FIR #373: Has the Fediverse Reached a Tipping Point?

The FIR Podcast Network Everything Feed ·

2023/12/20

The speed with which media companies are announcing moves into the fediverse is accelerating, with Flipboard and Mozilla among the latest to signal their plans to support federation protocols. While most consumers are shrugging over the idea of decentralized social networks, the actual benefits will be evident once the protocols are implemented and people are able to take advantage of them. In this short midweek episode, Neville and Shel break down what the fediverse is, discuss the competing

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17:06

FIR #372: More Disinformation Targets Companies

The FIR Podcast Network Everything Feed ·

2023/12/15

The rise of "non-credible publications" and the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence have fueled a surge in disinformation attacks aimed at businesses. Knowing where to look for this potentially harmful content and how to prepare your organization to address it proactively can help your company avoid a lot of grief. Neville and Shel explore some recent research and outline recommendations for communicators in this short midweek episode.Continue Reading → The post FIR #372: More Disinformation

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17:22

FIR #371: Employee AI Competencies

The FIR Podcast Network Everything Feed ·

2023/12/13

How much should a company's employees know about AI? Some companies are now looking for employees who can bring a range of AI skills with them for virtually any job the company has to offer. In this short midweek episode, we discuss how companies like software firm Deel and furniture site ufurnish.com are using AI tools like ChatGPT to boost efficiency. For example, they use AI to write website copy, code, and even employee performance reviews. Experts say AI adoption is accelerating, with job posts

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15:27

FIR #370: War, Managers, and Empathy

The FIR Podcast Network Everything Feed ·

2023/12/08

Most organizations have remained silent about the Israel-Hamas conflict. Leaders don't see how any reference to the war is relevant to their companies' operations, purpose, or values, and they can't imagine any statement would satisfy everyone. Yet most employees want to hear from their leaders about the situation. Research found that trust in leadership rises considerably when they do speak up. But what employees want to hear from leaders, particularly their immediate managers, is not which side

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14:22

FIR #369: Outdoor Guerilla Marketing Campaign Goes Viral

The FIR Podcast Network Everything Feed ·

2023/11/30

In Paris, commercial murals on walls are permitted only without logos or product images. Oatly, the non-dairy milk company, was entering the French market and planned and out-of-home (OOH) campaign that involved wall murals. Intent upon showing their product without violating the law, the company turned to a guerilla marketing effort that has gone viral. Neville and Shel explain in this short midweek episode.Continue Reading → The post FIR #369: Outdoor Guerilla Marketing Campaign Goes Viral

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15:02

FIR #368: AI and PR Codes of Ethics

The FIR Podcast Network Everything Feed ·

2023/11/24

PRSA has released as set of guidelines to govern the use of Artificial Intelligence by public relations professionals. The association has used its Code of Ethics as a roadmap. In this short midweek episode, Neville and Shel explore the recommendations -- and the landscape of AI ethics guides for the PR profession.Continue Reading → The post FIR #368: AI and PR Codes of Ethics appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

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16:39

FIR #367: Innovation Thrives When Employees Engage in...

The FIR Podcast Network Everything Feed ·

2023/11/21

Individual employees can reap a clear benefit from participating in online social networks. The companies for which they work also benefit from smarter employees who can reach out for help that can speed up the completion of projects. New research suggests that the company's advantage goes deeper depending on how many employees are participating robustly in these networks. Neville and Shel share the research and discusses what businesses need to do to tap into that benefit in this short midweek

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1:24:42

FIR #366: DIY GPT

The FIR Podcast Network Everything Feed ·

2023/11/20

Pundits are proclaiming social media dead (or dying), and they have data to back up their beliefs. If it's true, what does it mean -- for society, for networking, and for business? Neville and Shel examine the evidence and trends and discuss the implications in the monthly long-form episode for November. Also in this episode: ChatGPT pauses new signups and other news A look at ChatGPT's GPT Builder The state of news on social media Generative AI and journalism A high-profile executive's fake

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