Everyday PR

To some, bad publicity is better than no publicity at all.  To others, no news is good news.  And many are just happy to have their name spelled correctly.

Letterman Interviews Blagojevich

In the case of former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, correct name spelling should be the least of his concerns.  Things like a political career, personal character and future employment should be foremost on his mind.  Hard to tell, though, with all the media blitz. A barrage of interviews aired about what he did or didn’t say; what he said the tapes said vs. what the FBI said the tapes said; and what he was or wasn’t thinking.  Like a star celebrity on a press junket promoting his latest film, Blagojevich went from mainstream news shows to late night television for interviews that ultimately starred the interviewer, not the interviewee.  Sarah Palin – make a note.

As with most headlines, the producers, editors, reporters, news anchors and talk show hosts will quickly move on to other stories.  But their work will forever remain in their electronic files from which to retrieve the next time Blagojevich is in the news so we can all look forward to reliving that.

While the media move on, what about the decision makers who count?  Audiences like future employers, universities, think tanks, history writers and the general public.  These are the people who will likely affect his future. Of course the FBI may be the best determinant of that. It’s not every day that a former elected official gets thrown into the pokey, but then again, many federal institutions do allow for media interviews.  Producers – make a note.