When you’re in the news business, it is wise to stay out of the news yourself. Because when you become the object of attention, competitors will gleefully exploit your missteps on every newspaper, web page and television channel they own. That’s exactly what happened to Matt Lauer, host of NBC’s Today show, when he and […]
Although it is Wall Street’s biggest deal advisor, Goldman Sachs is not advising on the mammoth $28 billion takeover of Heinz. But the firm is involved in the widening investigation about suspicious options trades that came from a Goldman client account in Zurich just before the deal was announced. Goldman isn’t accused of wrongdoing, but […]
Some institutional shareholders are complaining about Dell’s proposed buy-out, which would see the computer giant disappear from the public equity market behind a $24.4 billion pile of cash. But T. Rowe Price, Southern Asset Management and others think the cash pile isn’t big enough, and they are pressing CEO Michael Dell and his private equity […]
Computer giant HP has taken a shot at its archrival Dell, just a few hours after our post on how to conduct yourself in a public fight. HP gets good marks for its effort, which ranks as a small skirmish in a long battle between the two companies.
The media love conflict. After all, when you’re in the audience-grabbing business, there’s nothing better than a good fight to draw a crowd. The merits of the argument don’t matter much as long as there is plenty of shouting. For proof, look no further than the jousting between Sen. John McCain and Chuck Hagel at […]
Secretary of State Hilary Clinton lashed out at a Republican Congressman during testimony about the attack on the U.S. mission in Bengazhi, Libya. She flashed her temper, produced a memorable sound bite for the media and won the day. Anger doesn’t always succeed as a communication tactic. But here are four rules for making it […]
With the awards season in full swing, we are pleased to present the 10 nominees for outstanding post from the Risk Matters blog over the past year. Enjoy!
The votes are in, and we are pleased to announce our picks for best risk communications in 2012. The year had plenty of risk to go around – a presidential election, an uncertain global economy and a fragile European union. Our Risk List recognizes the people who best demonstrated how risk-taking and excellent communication were […]
Private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management recently announced it would sell Freedom Group, the maker of Bushmaster rifles, the weapon used in the Newtown killings. Thanks to some deft PR work, the news coverage was brief, limiting the damage to Cerberus’s reputation from its association with the tragedy. But the episode raises questions about the […]
The schoolhouse murders in Newtown, Connecticut, have renewed the debate on gun control in America. But that debate is happening without the main protagonist. The National Rifle Association, so persuasive and powerful in private, has been silent in public. It has been their strategy in the past, and it has worked. Will this time be […]