In June 2007 PRWeek reported
on The New York Islanders' plans to provide media credentials to a select
number of sports bloggers. The sports' blogging community seemed to have mixed
feelings about the plan at the time, and now The New York Times reports
on continued tension between the sports community and bloggers.
“Tension over sports blogging is one of the strains between sports
franchises, leagues and reporters to have emerged during the digital age,” The
Times article states. “The dispute has grown lately between the press and organized
sports over issues like how reporters cover teams, who owns the rights to
photographs, audio and video that journalists gather at sports events, and
whether someone who writes only blogs should be given access to the locker
room. The explosion of new media, especially with regard to advertising income,
has made competitors out of two traditional allies — news media and
professional sports.”
Also just in:
PRWeek reported
on the communications tactics employed by American Airlines during the five day
period when more than 3,200 of its flights were cancelled. Despite direct engagement
with passengers, the cancellations only added to the growing criticism of the
airline industry. The US Transportation Department is demanding new
regulations be set regarding how airlines compensate passengers in
situations where they are stranded overnight.
PRWeek discussed
a report from the National Toxicology Program, which suggested a possibly
dangerous health risk that could result from using plastics containing
bisphenol A(BPA). Due to concerns that have risen as a result of the report, Wal-Mart announced
plans to phase out BPA products from its shelves while two manufacturers - Playtex Infant Care and Nalge Nunc - say they will change practices, too.
PRWeek's Nicole Zerillo previously wrote
about McDonald's Olympic-themed alternate reality game, The Lost Ring, and The Chicago
Tribune recently reported
on a similar alternate reality game that is part of a multi-platform campaign
to promote Warner Bros.' new movie The Dark Night set to hit theaters in
July.