PR 101: If You Issue a Press Release, Tell Your Boss

Posted on Oct 13, 2012 in Critical Now | 0 comments

All those PR futurists who are adamant the press release is dead haven’t seen how New York City’s press corps works.

Unbeknownst to Mayor Bloomberg, his PR team issued a release Thursday announcing improvement to public bus service to busy LaGuardia Airport.

On the positive side, at least one reporter read the release and was ready with some softball questions at a City Hall news conference later in the day.

On the negative side, the mayor had not been briefed, didn’t know a release had been issued, acted evasive at the news conference, and then admitted he had been on a plane and was ill-prepared. “Love to help you but I can’t read everything,” he said after the reporter told him about the release being issued. (Audio )

Public radio station WNYC-FM covered the PR gaffe during morning drive. It was an important lesson on the eve of PRSA: If you’re going to issue a press release and the boss might get asked about it, tell the boss and make sure he/she reads the darn thing.