Rough PR Move, Guys

As I was creeping by on I-430, making my hasty yet sluggish trek to the office yesterday, I noticed this sign staring me in the face.

I drove through hell and back on the way from my home in Saline County to my high school in Little Rock during the I-30 construction that changed it from two lanes to three. I've seen people flung off interstates because of congestion and traffic due to construction. Needless to say, my usual jolly temperament (sure, I'm jolly) is slammed to the curb as my road rage increases tenfold.

I'm sure that goes for a lot of people. Traffic jams no es bueno. So you can imagine why it might be a bit of a PR snafu for the construction going on to advertise it as such a wonderful, brilliant, beautiful thing as people pass by, white-knuckled and weaving endless tapestries of profanities.

After the construction is done, and the roads are safer and perhaps more pleasant, then you could do it. I don't know, I'm not a big PR guy. We could probably bug Blake Rutherford or Emily Reeves, but I'm sure they're busy publicly relating to someone much more important than I.

Because Nothing Says 'Take Me Seriously' Like Knickerbockers

Well, this pretty much sums up my thoughts about the so-called tea parties.

It's not that it's bad to protest. It's a necessary part of politicking. The people must be heard above the noise of the political engine churning on Capitol Hill.

It's not that this isn't even a worthy cause. The Federal Government is expanding mighty quickly, and just maybe these people have a point.

While this is a way to get one's voice heard, an important first step, it fails at the more important second step: Getting a response other than a furrowed brow and confused glance from legislators, conservative and liberal alike.

Where were these people the last eight years? In an interview I had with Rep. John Boozman, he admitted to vast government expansion at the rate of 3 per cent average annually.

“We were certainly guilty of that,” he said. “We increased the government at about a rate of 3 percent per year, which was too much, but the new administration has increased it by 8 percent so far and is projecting to add 9 percent on top of that in 2010.

“I don’t think that’s what Arkansans want or need right now.”

Well, sure, but tell that to the brilliant people who are masterfully photoshopping Obama's face over Hitler's body. I wonder how they voted in 2004 and 2008.

Here's a pro-business, anti-tax conservative's take. Don't let those big numbers fool you.

Now, I wouldn't go as far as to call this a collection of right-wingnut crazies, like Krugman or Brummett might. But the message is getting lost in the noise; Not only the noise of people who aren't genuine or informed in their stance, but people who are knowingly disingenuous, ill-informed, and willfully so. I guess that goes for every gathering. The idiots often steal the spotlight.

Clear out that mess, lose the costumes, then maybe it'll make some noise worth hearing. That hasn't proven to be the case just yet, no matter how valid the argument for the gathering.

Conversation on Arkansas New Media

In the wake of the Washington Post listing the best blogs in the state as The Arkansas Times, The Arkansas Project, and The Arkansas Blake's Artificially Intelligent Panzer, I think some conversation could be started about the role of blogs with regard to conventional media, like newspapers.

I think Arkansas has a rich pool of bloggers that are, in most respects, remarkably credible and good at generating the kind of conversation that newspapers used to — and still can; Conversations that bind communities, offer insight and analysis, and can, perhaps in some regard, be the voice that media has always been.

I think the two — conventional and new media — ought to work together, feeding each other. They are not incompatible. And I think Arkansas might be a good microcosm of how things may ought to be in the future.

I can think of eight blogs off the top of my head right now that I deem to be credible. 'Credible' is a license often reserved for that type of conventional media. From authority, comes credibility. But these guys speak with that authority necessary to delivering news and analysis, often times deriving their information from regular old news types.

The Arkansas Times blog is imitable, as well as remarkably simple. Max links press releases that the Times gets. He links articles that are worth mentioning. He provides a little commentary, but never that much. I think it's what the bread-and-butter of blogging used to be as a concept; Easy, quick, and point-blank information.

Since its creation, blogs have become more legitimate platforms (looking at Pew Reserach web trends, trust me, they're legit) upon which people can build themselves up, therefore reducing the ability to make quick and easy blog posts due to the need to articulate well thought-out articles. Twitter, for the record, may have become what blogs were supposed to be — short and sweet bits o' info. And with only 140 characters, good twittererers had ought be sweet, because they have to be short.

Kinkade's Arkansas Project, while he will say he is not nor intends to be a journalist or be held to that standard, does a better job than most at putting news out there for people to see. Of course, this is layered with humor (or flailing attempts thereof — ZOINKS!), but the information is still there. You also know it's reliable. He's been around the block enough to know what's worthwhile and what's utter bull. The fact that he puts up cheesecake photos on the side, while unconventional in news media, is moot; He's got sources and information, and he's letting you in on it.

Blakes' Think Tank has a much more Man of Our Town appeal, yet maintains the authority of a viable news source. Blake "Don't Make Fun of My Flower Shoes" Rutherford was born and raised here. He's worked here in several different capacities, both professionally and otherwise. For someone who many might think is just popular due to his last name, he has certainly gone above and beyond to offer insight, commentary, and just plain old news that is redeemable on every level.

Specifically regarding the Tyler Denton for Lt. Governor story line. Broken on the Think Tank, it generated the same type of conversation and speculation that many people at one time might have looked for in the political section of the local paper. Whether or not the story pans out in reality isn't really the point; It got people talking, which is what papers have been doing for years.

Not that the Post mentioned them, but I think some honorable mentions ought to go around. Arkansas Business' Lance Turner's blog is really good, often dealing with the primary concern that many are heeding regarding new media: How the heck are we going to make money off of this? Jason Tolbert is unique, with his ever transparent, in-your-face flip cam, and has given the blogosphere a little more edge in legislative halls, I think (you sure as crap won't find Kinkade there).

Speaking of the Legislature, some props have to go to Under the Dome, Rep. Steve Harrelson's blog from the House. It's an obvious form of sincerity in trying to be as open and representative to his constituency. Robbie Wills' blog, while a little more theatrical, can be thought of in that same vein, although it's an obvious second fiddle to Under the Dome.

I'd like to say, without patting myself on the back, that I've done alright with Unfamous First Words, speaking from the Bureau's perspective in a bit of a more youthful (maybe irreverent?) voice than most have been used to, while still qualified to speak with credibility and authority. Brummett's blog also has that, but you won't see his tone changing between his column and his blog. Sometimes, they're even the same text.

Is Print Media Dead? I wouldn't think of it like that. Think of it more like Jurassic Park, where the prevailing theory was dinosaurs evolved into birds. Print Media might not be dead, but it could be said that it is evolving into a digital age. We'll monetize it, sure, somebody has to. But in the meantime, it's a special time to see the dinosaurs walking with the birds.

Professional Journalists Set to Convene, Shrug Awkwardly About New Media

The rest of the blogosphere seems to be all about this regional gathering of the Society of Professional Journalists scheduled for this weekend.

Rutherford expectedly whined about an inability to Twitter about the event in his absence, which brought up his first good point of the week: Some may be unable to attend the event to hear Kinkade and Conan wax eloquently about New Media, or to hear me ramble incoherently about the magic boxes that control them there interwebs.

So here's a preview, what literally half-dozens of people will line up to hear us say:

"I don't know." (This declarative statement will then be a variance of shrugging, nervous glances, and stuttered, empty platitudes about how "interesting the subject is")

That's the God's honest truth. Nobody knows how this New vs. Old Media thing is going to play out. If I know the answer to this question, you'd never hear from me again on this medium, because I'd be too filthy stinking rich, driving fast cars and trying on fly suits.

I really think that before we figure this level-kajillion-Sudoku enigma out, we're going to have to take several steps back, deep into the recesses of journalistic philosophy and rediscover what it means to be someone who delivers news.

I think we — naturally and unashamedly and with good reason — look at how to monetize the market the way our predecessors monetized newspapers. And it's much more complex. This isn't like figuring out how to fit a square peg in a round hole; It's more like figuring out how to throw a monster truck into a blender to make a banana daiquiri.

I think once we step back and look at the services the news industry has and does offer, I think we'll be able to make headway. I believe it can be done. They monetized music in the wake of the Napster crisis of aught-one, not that music and news are compatible in business models.

One of the wisest sages of our time — Conan O'Brien, of course — offered a segment on the subject on his feature "Glass Half Empty, Glass Half Full." Here's that, paraphrased:

"Half-Empty: The print media business is hemorrhaging money in the wake of the internet and New Media, and struggling to find a way to make money off of it.
Half-Full: Hey, it worked for porn!"

It's that sort of Can-Do attitude that's going to get the media business back on track. Innovation is the life force behind the capitalist markets to which we all subscribe.

Somebody's got that idea right now between their ears. I hope they're my friend. Or better yet, me.

You can never have too many fly suits.

Tumbleweeds Infest Legislative Halls

LITTLE ROCK — Tumbleweeds have swarmed into the capitol in what most call "The most exciting event to happen in the legislature in weeks."

The collection of rounded grassy refuse rolled all the way from the Senate chambers to the main atrium where a swift wind from an open door blew it right to the steps leading up to the Governor's office.

It remained there for twenty minutes before the custodian was allowed to remove it from the premises.

In the House, Rep. Ann Clemer, R-Benton, took an eight-hour nap as yet another Dan Greenberg bill was violently powerbombed, and Speaker Robbie Wills completed nearly half of the numbers in his daily Sudoku on the House floor.

In the Senate, Pro Tem Bob Johnson allowed AG Dustin McDaniel to showcase his Egyptian slideshow, full of museums, random people from Egypt, and another museum. A rush of excitement as Sen. Jimmy "JayJay" Jeffress, D-Crossett, dozed off and Sen. Tracy Steele, D-North Little Rock, put Jeffress' hand in warm water.

More as that story develops.

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No. Seriously. Is there anything else of value going on? No controversy? Harrelson's Human Cock Fighting bill might turn some heads, and Jon Woods has apparently been blessed with enough teen angst to maybe bring up another tax-cutting bill, that Beebe will assuredly say is a no-go, but really? Nothing else? I suppose that the whole "No New is Good News" Rule might apply, but please. This is just painful.

Thank God that end is in sight. But wait, how many more bills were filed before the deadline?...

Shoot me. Just shoot me.