The Flack

This weblog attempts to shine a brighter light on the subtle role public relations plays in politics, culture, media, business and sports. Through greater transparency, the author hopes to make the profession better understood and perhaps more widely appreciated.

The previous posting extolled the virtues of Apple’s PR team in effectively keeping the lid on any boffo news that may emanate today from Macworld, and in particular, Steve Jobs’s keynote. Quite the opposite has unfolded for another major piece of news hailing from the content side of the left coast. Bloomberg (and shortly, many others) are reporting that Viacom’s Paramount unit will sell Dreamworks’ film library to George Soros.

“NBC Universal spokeswoman Kathy Kelly-Brown and Viacom spokesman Carl Folta didn’t return calls seeking comment. Diana Loomis, a spokeswoman for Glendale, California-based DreamWorks, declined to comment.” 

Nonetheless, plans allegedly call for a formal announcement tomorrow, which of course, will follow the saturation of the media today. Forbes, citing anonymous “media reports,” (The Wall Street Journal), reported this unfolding story as did Reuters, which did credit The Journal’s Saturday edition.

The difference of course between control (Apple) and lack of control (Dreamworks/Viacom) has much to do with the nature of high profile M&A announcements — especially in gossip-happy Hollywood — and the hordes of lawyers, investment bankers, analysts and other functionaries who are privy to the news. Face it, there are some who have few qualms about whispering insider info to their friends in the media. It makes them look connected and perhaps opens the door to call in a chit down the road.

Perhaps a leak investigation is in order here?

Posted in Institutions & Enterprises, Dreamworks | No Comments »

The Glamorous Life?

Posted by Peter Himler on 12th July 2005

Example

The very astute PR pro Bob Feldman didn’t know what he was getting himself in to, or did he? The former head of now WPP-owned GCI startled the PR industry several months ago when he announced that he would collect his family and move to the left coast as the new head of corporate communications at Dreamworks Animation. Ironically, and fortuitously for him, his newly renovated apartment was featured in The New York Times real estate section on the weekend before the news broke.

With today’s profit warning , the cancellation of a second public offering, and a possible SEC investigation for insider trading, Dreamworks is giving Bob a run for his money. Perhaps Jeffrey Katzenberg knew this all along, hence the rationale for bringing in someone outside the entertainment PR sphere in the first place?

Posted in Dreamworks | No Comments »