Where's the weather chief?

Editorial

Crises have a way of revealing character, and the current firestorm over sexual harrassment at The Weather Channel is no exception.

We are now in Day Two of the story, which you can gather from other other reporting sources, such as http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/stories/2008/05/07/channel_0508.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab. And still we have not heard from the company's top leader, Debra Wilson. Instead a range of muted responses have been offered through lower ranking employees.

Darts for a lack of visible leadership at the top. The Weather Channel is arguably Atlanta's, ahem, hottest cable brand (ok, sorry for the weather reference.) As they pursue a sale, it's clear that the so called corporate police have shuttered any attempts to calm their constituencies, including the thousands of female employees who must be wondering where the company's female CEO stands on what is now a heated public issue. Speaking of heat, we are often treated to their founder's views on global warming only to be left wondering where the company stands. We sincerely hope a pattern isn't forming here.

Does anyone else see the irony here? Where is the CEO? Granted this type of situaton is far too common with fear of reprisal on everyone's mind. It's a scene that repeatedly gets played out by large companies trying to shill themselves out to potential suitors. Little do they realize how much is lost every time a credible voice fails to step and lead on issues that people care about.

# # #

Should We Blog?

Pardon the interruption from the usual topics. But we've been repeatedly asked to speak to an issue that seemed worth addressing via this channel.

"Should We Blog?" speaks to the challenge of incorporating social new media into the standard flow. Here's a starter course:

• Set aside new vs. old media for a few seconds and ask a three-part question: What's the core issue or topic from an audience point of view? What's our message? And what do we want an intended audience to do as a result of receiving that message?
• As attractive as blogs may seem, keep in mind that web logs are highly specific and generally offer a deeper, richer experience than traditional media. Just spouting off the usual run of the mill "stuff" will not cut it.
• The blogosphere is not for the faint at heart. Nor is it ideally suited for big monolithic organizations who haven't figured out what their audience wants down to the nth degree.
• If something that has been said is untrue and you feel compelled to quelch the rumor, remember this axiom that any professional pyschologist will confirm: The more you repeat something that's incorrect, the more others will believe it's correct.
• You can't market the same old way to Generation Y, or those young, valuable buyers that everyone covets. Anything that smacks of contrived marketing will get its due. Just ask Oberlin College, which has seen its share of student backlash after coining a new slogan, "We are Oberlin. Fearless."

For individuals or small businesses, an answer to "Should We Blog?" is clear: No, unless what you're bringing offers specific, helpful insight to those already connected to what you provide.

Isn't that the whole point of effective communication in the first place?

# # #