Harrison's Communication Blog

I recently completed the strategic communication course that this site was created for. So now I face a particular dilemma, what will this blog be about going forward? To be clear this does not mean I am considering terminating this blog or that I will just stop posting now that I have fulfilled some arbitrary academic requirements. Instead, I am reassessing what I can do with this site now that I no longer have a weekly deadline to meet. For many people this might mean a lack of motivation (there’s no better motivation to write than a deadline, after all) but for others, it can mean freedom from restrictions. I’m not sure if I lean in either particular direction, but I do feel that it is time to change how I approach this blog. For starters, I will not be posting on a regular week by week basis. Since I started this class, I have started writing for news blogs ( some of which I submitted articles from this site when applying) and I already have my hands full with writing news stories ...

Streaming has overtaken our lives as the dominant form of film and television consumption. Over a decade ago, Netflix introduced this format, and it has since revolutionized how media is consumed. Now every major media conglomerate, from the Walt Disney Company to AOL Time Warner, wants in on a piece of the action, creating exclusive streaming apps to house their own content and intellectual properties. The advent of streaming is so viral that now, traditional television feels like an artifact from the past, the number of people who still pay for cable are at an all-time low, and the cinematic old guard are decrying the “death of cinema” as more people forgo the theatrical experience in favor of the comforts of their own home. In fact, the utility of cable proved more beneficial in light of the recent worldwide health crisis, where theatre attendance dipped to a new low and people stuck to the safety of their own homes. While streaming proves convenient for consumers however, it create...

     Public relations can be a complicated topic. PR officials have to not only actively create a positive public image for an organization, they must also effectively utilize external communication to counteract any failures of a company’s internal communication. A few weeks ago, this blog featured an article about the vital role internal communication plays in projecting an ideal image. This article will now explore what happens when that advice gets ignored and what needs to happen in the aftermath of a resulting PR crisis. Specifically, the recent controversy surrounding the 2021 Academy Awards ceremony will provide a case study to apply  different strategies to counteract negative PR.      First a little background is necessary to understand the scope of the situation. This year thanks in part to the unique challenges presented by COVID-19, the Academy decided to change the format of their annual award ceremony. Not only did the show lack a host, ...