Messaging, Views on News, public relations • March 15th, 2011

“When the going gets weird….

by Chris Lato

…the weird turn pro.” Hunter S. Thompson said it, and it feels appropriate here as tempers fray and odd angles start popping up in the ongoing collective bargaining saga.

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Messaging, Views on News, public relations • March 10th, 2011

Another NPR bombshell

by Chris Lato

Where do I start with this one?

Last year conservatives blew their collective stack when NPR bounced Juan Williams after a comment about Muslims.

Pause for a moment here. Does anyone think Williams is an objective reporter of news? He is a conservative commentator and news analyst. That was the role he played at NPR. He was offering a statement of personal feeling. You could take it or leave it.

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Messaging, Views on News, public relations • March 8th, 2011

Insert cheap Viagra joke here

by Chris Lato

Hmmm. Is there any doubt that this was dropped because of the ongoing budget repair bill soap opera? This fight has been going on for years, and suddenly the Milwaukee teachers’ union decides it’s not worth continuing the suit?

The biggest surprise is that this didn’t get deep-sixed weeks ago. Talk about a good PR talking point for pro-Walker forces – this lawsuit is hard to defend (see what I did there?). I’m sure the union didn’t want to extend the debate (I’ll be here all week, try the veal!).

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Messaging, Strategic Blueprints, Views on News, public relations • March 7th, 2011

Why must WI get rid of collective bargaining?

by Chris Lato

It’s a fair question - and I’m hearing it from people who are Republicans and support Governor Walker.  The thing is, I don’t know that the administration has done a very good job of articulating the underlying reasons. I suspect that is part of the reason why, at least for now, Walker is losing the public opinion battle.

I realize this is a marathon, not a sprint, polls are just a snapshot in time, and that things will not change because a few polls indicate things aren’t going Walker’s way.

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Views on News, public relations • February 28th, 2011

Double deception

by Chris Lato

Three months ago, everyone with a TV was breathing a sigh of relief that the elections were over and the political ads were going to disappear for a while.

Well, the ongoing battle royale in Madison has brought out big bucks and it feels like a week before the election all over again.

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Messaging, Strategic Blueprints, Views on News, public relations • January 4th, 2011

Jobs, jobs, jobs…and the other stuff

by Chris Lato

The saying goes that a rolling stone gathers no moss…so as Team Walker rolls its way through Madison, some GOP legislators wasted no time in introducing their own pet legislation.

This gave Democrats an opening, which they immediately pounced on. “See?!?!” they cried. “Republicans were bluffing when they said jobs were their #1 priority!”

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Leadership, Views on News, public relations • July 22nd, 2009

Degrees of misconduct

by Chris Lato

I had an interesting conversation recently about whether any law or state regulation that is on the books should still be enforced- particularly when those who create/enforce the laws are accused of breaking it.

The initial discussion was spurred by adultery – which is illegal in Wisconsin. Recently, a top law enforcer was caught in an affair with a reporter/commentator/professor who wrote a story about him. Both were married and admitted to the infidelity. (I’m not mentioning names here – I see no need to rehash. Read some of Dan Bice’s recent columns at JSOnline if you don’t know who I’m talking about.)

Now, beyond the obvious questions of journalistic ethics, should the law enforcer face punishment for breaking what most people likely consider to be an unnecessary law that hasn’t been enforced in decades?

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Leadership, Views on News, public relations • July 16th, 2009

In the news

by Chris Lato

So, Governor Doyle is now refusing to answer questions about missing travel receipts?

The state news media is generally obsessed with the notion of open records in state government, and not without reason. By that standard, shouldn’t the press refuse to take no for an answer and call for full disclosure…and not give up until they get it?

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Messaging, Views on News, public relations • January 9th, 2009

Is MPS keeping a gay-friendly school in the closet?

by Chris Lato

The PR folks at the Milwaukee Public School district had best brace themselves for a potential firestorm.

Although it was first reported by U.S. News and World Report a few weeks ago, only now is the story inexplicably starting to surface: the MPS board has approved what is apparently the first gay-friendly middle school in the nation.

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Leadership, Messaging, Views on News, public relations • January 7th, 2009

Aggressive PR is paying off

by Chris Lato

Call it ‘Mr. Burris Goes to Washington.’ The Roland Burris saga continues to play out in Washington, where he appears ready to be allowed to take over former Senator Obama’s seat after initially being denied.

Burris’ trip to DC was dismissed earlier this week as political theater, a stunt. Dismiss it all you want, but it appears to be working brilliantly. Chalk it up to the power of aggressive PR to change minds and drive action that leads to a desired outcome. He’s out in front, taking charge of the story and never shying away from the camera, while subtly supporting the notion that he is the victim of circumstances beyond his control.

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