Global Communications Report Predicts Convergence of Marketing and Public Relations

The convergence of marketing and PR is often discussed, and the recent AMEC meeting in Bangkok was no exception. Some continue to argue the two are distinct skill sets while others maintain the two are converging. The findings from USC Annenberg’s 2017 Global Communications Report predicts the latter.

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Fake news vs real news: what to do about it

“Trust is more important than truth.”

 According to those who took part in a discussion “Fake News versus Real News at Amec’s Global Summit in Bangkok, this is typically the case in a “fake news” world.

 So what can journalists do about it? We can stop using the term “fake news”; we can ignore surveys which can be biased or tweaked towards certain results; we must always strive to retain balance in a story; we must be careful on social media because much fake news is a result of social media; and we should attribute to a comment to social media, such as“according to” a Twitter account rather than to a particular person”.

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Rivals H&F and TPG vye for Fairfax

Australia’s Fairfax, which controls many of the newspapers across New Zealand, may have had its proposed merger with New Zealand Media and Entertainment (NZME) rejected but it appears to have other options. One of them is to be taken over either by New York-based private equity firm Hellman & Friedman (H&F) or by a consortium led by TPG.

Merger and acquisition newswire service, Mergermarket (which was then owned by the Financial Times Group) was sold in 2013 to private equity firm, BC Parners, for GBP 382 million. (Since then another sale is being sought, according to reports).

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Does the chaotic news cycle inform us the way it should?

I read the article below that appeared in The Washington Post and thought this was a good reflection of how people feel about the media almost everywhere. What should they believe and what should they not believe?

All over the world, people seem to have become bored with much of traditional media, saying that most of what they read is “fake news”.

However, here is usually some truth in all that is reported, whether it is embellished or not. If people choose not to believe the news, there is little that can be done. That is increasingly the case.

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US reporter arrested for shouting questions on healthcare

Like many people in the media I was shocked to learn about Dan Heyman, a veteran health reporter who was arrested Tuesday night after asking the US President, Donald Trump, the "wrong" questions. It's horrifying to know that such repression of the media is happening in a country that other people in the less developed countries look up too, particularly where the media is still not free- like the Middle East. 

Although the environment is hard for journalists it does force you to think about how to tackle issues in a different way and to be creative. Here's what happened to Dan Heyman.

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Teaching data journalism in developing countries

Data journalism is a term that is used to refer to the increased role that numerical data has in journalism. It brings together computing, technology, statistics and journalism. It is a relatively new term and has become more important as technology and computing has grown. It was just part of investigative journalism before.

The extent to which data journalism is applied is cultural. But it is not just impacted by what is written but how data and statistics are gathered in the first place. This is what this article explains.

 

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Can you avoid being scammed?

 Nowadays there are so many scams and it seems some are difficult to avoid. I have been a victim of an e-commerce con, which has gone on for about three years now. Clearly, I’m not the only one as Forbes magazine has outlined (see below). Unfortunately, it was not until I had parted with my money – twice- one for an upgrade, that I finally realised I had been scammed. Duhhh..

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The UK Government Is Completely Deluded About Brexit

How Brexit impacts the UK remains to be seen, with Brexiters and Remainers sure of the outcome. The meeting that happened on 25 April between the UK Prime Minister, Theresa May, and the President of the European Commission, doesn't look like a good start.

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NZ Finance Minister dismisses visitors' tax

New Zealand finance Minister, Steven Joyce, confirmed his reluctance to impose a visitor levy on tourists because visitor numbers may not remain at the current level, he said. He was speaking at a lunch on April 28 2017, hosted by the Queenstown Chamber of Commerce.

 He noted that tourist numbers in New Zealand were only a small percentage of tourist numbers worldwide - although they might seem big to us.

 However, it was important for the government to invest in infrastructure, to make things happen, he said, particularly in a place like Queenstown given that it is a tourist mecca.

 He also spoke about the need to mobilise private capital and utilise that when necessary.

 At the end of April, Joyce announced that he would be allocating $11 billion over the next four years to infrastructure in the May Budget, up from $4 billion. Some of these projects are already underway such as the Kapiti Expressway and the new City Rail Link (CRL) in Auckland.

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NZ Super Fund among global leader in climate change

Private equity in New Zealand is lead by the country's sovereign wealth fund. The annual SWF conference was held in Auckland last November. Here is a link. IFSWF Conference: where should sovereign wealth funds invest?

The New Zealand Superannuation Fund has achieved a AAA rating in its listing of top international asset managers in the most recent Global Climate Index report, and ranks at 15, in its list of top international} asset managers.

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Two Versions of France now racing towards the finishing line

Like many people, I'm closely watching the French election. The country is divided, in much the same way the USA was divided about Trump's election to the Presidency. Will there be a similar upset in France to that of the USA? Will there be a surprise election result? Just like the “two Americas” that many U.S. analysts saw during the 2016 presidential campaign, the Macron-Le Pen match that will take place on May 7 in the French presidential election this presidential run off will have all the ingredients of a clash between the "two Frances." This analysis by Philippe L Corre from the Brookings Institute explains the potential outcomes and what they might mean.

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Gaw Capital closes US$1.3 billion

Gaw Capital Partners Successfully Closes on US$ 1.3 Billion for Gateway Real Estate Fund V

Hong Kong fund Gaw Capital has raised yet more money for its latest fund. Here's what the company says.

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Getting real with Riyadh

I thought this article was very interesting (not that I agreed with all of it) explaining the very complicated relationship between Washington DC and Riyadh. There is always the risk of oversimplifying the relationship but I think this article does a good job of avoiding that trap. It also explains the somewhat fraught relationship between Iran and the Gulf States. Such is the complications of the relationship between the Gulf States and Iran, even my friend (who has always kept his counsel on the subject of Iran) talked about the "mad country next door that may do something at any time". Whether this is true or not, probably doesn't matter as long as people believe it will happen.

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Tradition meets modernity- camel racing

I recently had the opportunity to go to camel racing in Dubai, way out on the Dubai-Al Ain Highway- not far from the Outlet Mall. While I lived in Dubai (for 8.5 years) I had wanted to attend these races but at the time women could not attend, and then there was all the performance about the use of child male jockeys, which, for a time, seemed to stop camel racing altogether- or at least it was never advertised. There was certainly no stadium, as there is now, and visitors weren't encouraged to attend.

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The future of augmented journalism

I've been a party to a fair bit of discussion recently about artificial intelligence (AI). Most of it seems to be about AI in manufacturing and urban contexts, and there seems not to be much in the context of publishing. Therefore, i was surprised when I came across this article which puts AI into the context of the media.

Report: How artificial intelligence will impact journalism

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Saudi Arabia Lifts Oil Market

Here are some thoughts about Saudi Arabia's energy policy, and Tesla. 

Saudi Arabia Lifts Oil Market With Support for Renewing Production Agreement

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Two visions for the future of media

This article made me think about the future of journalism, especially since it mentioned the Financial Times Group, a former employer in the Middle East and owner of the newswire service, Mergermarket, which I headed up in MENA. Journalism cannot survive on charity; a loyal customer base is necessary and the most profitable way for an owner is for the publication (digital or hard copy) to be subscription based. What will be the media's future?

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PR is a snap: how brands are using Snapchat

I'm in Dubai right now, attending a conference, and revisiting places I frequented when I lived here. Here's one of the iconic sites
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How tolerant are you?

I gave a talk recently at Toastmasters, in Queenstown, New Zealand, about my experience travelling to the West Bank and my time in Bethlehem. What I found interesting is that even in a place as supposedly “tolerant” as New Zealand, the audience response is still subdued as regards Palestine, and way more “moved” by what happens to and in Israel. Admittedly, I was wearing a hijab or a headscarf.

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Future Proof - A Podcast

Measurement, a capabilities framework, mental health, the CIPR at 70 and #PRfest, are all among the topics discussed on the latest #FuturePRoof podcast.

Sarah Hall and Stephen Waddington  recorded a new edition of the #FuturePRoof podcast this week. Here's what you'll learn.

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