Social media and Jack O'Dwyer: Time for an intervention
Posted by dna 13 on Thu, Nov 12, 2009
In the latest drama conceived by PR gadfly Jack O'Dwyer, the banged-up celebrity photographer Tony Escheverria plays the social media and the part of the menacing PR profession goes to Mike Tyson.
A feisty newsletter publisher who has railed against business practices of the Public Relations Society of America for years, O'Dwyer made his annual trek to the PRSA conference to churn up story fodder and speak his mind on the dangers of re-writing job descriptions of those who practice media relations.
During a live interview streamed from the dna13 booth, on the PRSA exhibition floor in San Diego, O'Dwyer described PR practitioners as formidable forces who are trained in psychological interview techniques that are only matched by wily professional journalists. Allowing everyday people to interface with PR officers would be as unethical as pitting a lawyer against a layperson in a negotiation, or a pro boxer against a non-boxer in a barroom fight.
The comments came a day before former heavyweight champion Tyson was arrested for allegedly punching a member of the paparazzi at LAX airport. The photographer, Escheverria, also faces charges.
Since the interview had already rambled on for quite some time, and other PR thought leaders were lined up for the live stream, I regretted not confronting Jack about how antiquated his views were seen among the subject matter experts who enjoy massive audiences in social media.
A few hours later, I caught up with O'Dwyer and expressed the viewpoint that plenty of informed and influencial people are not credentialed journalists, in the old broadcast and print sense of the word.
His response -- which includes reference to people who "Twitter about brushing their teeth" was posted on the dna13 YouTube channel around noon EST Thursday and quickly attracted outraged comments on Twitter.
Jack may be a curmudgeon, but he is no dummy. He is a solid journalist who has built his brand by being a contrarian voice in an industry of PR boosters. His decades-old crusade against PRSA may have kept him too busy from spending enough time to get to know B2B bloggers, citizen journalists and smart tweeters who post content far more insightful than tooth-brushing musings (and who can out-maneuver many supposedly savvy PR pros).
I'm proposing an intervention. If my mother's 85-year-old husband can use Facebook, I'm guessing we can reshape Jack O'Dwyer's views of the expertise of "professional" versus social media. Heck, he can write about us while we're trying to make him relevant in a Web 2.0 world.
Anyone who wants to get on the "Help Jack O'Dwyer Get Social" bandwagon, let me know. Just don't show up wearing a PRSA tee-shirt.