NewsTalk and Terri Prone.

Nekarsulm

Am I the only person who finds it incredible that NewsTalk seem to have no other expert on PR or Communications, other than Terri Prone?
This morning on Pat Kennys show, she was again given air time to pronounce on the dress attire of TD's.
Here we have the director of The Communications Clinic, a PR company who have been paid to act on behalf of at least two of the Organisations at the center of recent scandals, adding to her public credibility on a radio station who pride themselves on reporting accurately, the news of the day.

Ms. Prone has acted on behalf of the Bon Secours Nuns, defusing reports of the bodies of infants dumped in redundant underground tanks in Tuam.

Also we learned recently that Garda Commissioner had enlisted Ms. Prones firm for Media training of senior officers, before, during, and after the "Whistle Blower" affair, to the tune of €93,000.

Is it not time for Newstalk to find an alternate "Go-To" source of soundbite for all things media related?
There seems to me, to be a conflict of interest at work here.

sheesh

As a PR person the fact that she has worked for unpopular organisations does not reflect badly on her credibility that is the nature of her job.

She is on there alot.

I assumed she gets the gig if they need someone to argue the other side if they cannot get anybody else and they pay her.

Alternatively she is on there for free to keep her profile high.

neris

Nekarsulm wrote: »

There seems to me, to be a conflict of interest at work here.

its a private company, be different if it was rte.

padd b1975

neris wrote: »

Nekarsulm wrote: »

There seems to me, to be a conflict of interest at work here.

its a private company, be different if it was rte.

She's no stranger in that parish either, and her husband is chairman of the RTE Board.

Nekarsulm

neris wrote: »

its a private company, be different if it was rte.

Well yes, Newstalk is a private company, but even a private news company needs to maintain some level of separation of reportage between the newsworthy investigations and the invited guests.

For example, today it was Ms. Prones own company who released the information that some TD's were getting media advice from itself,( do clients expect confidentiality?) then Newstalk make this into a news piece and have Ms Prone on to talk about the connection between dress codes in the workplace and respect for the Dail, and the unfair pressure females are placed under to dress in a particular way.

Edit: Now if a separate PR company were found to be employed bt AAA politicians (or who ever), then it would be a lot more acceptable to have Terri on to expand on the issue.

maxwell smart

She's part of the Mary O'Rourke, Fergus Finlay, Willie O'Dea club that gets a call when they need someone on the radio to talk sh*te

Lady Chatterton

I have zero respect for Terry Prone and her opinions. In recent times I make a point of switching stations when she is on the radio.

I remember her appearing on TV3 immediately after one of the Presidential Debates. She was analysing and giving feedback on all the candidates and it was well known that one the candidates, Jim Mitchell was a client of her firm at the time. Morally this is wrong, there is a blatant conflict of interest and I believe that regular panellists/contributors to TV and radio news/current affairs programmes should declare these conflicts/excuse themselves from a discussion involving their clients.