Articles Written Within Areas of Study

What Not to Do Online Part II

July 28th, 2010 by Sarah Ward

If you’ve ever been stopped in traffic at a stop light and looked over to see the dude next to you picking his nose in his car, you’re well aware of transparency. In addition to deciding when is a safe time to, well, dig for gold, care ought to be taken for our online dealings as well. Here’s Part II of What Not to Do Online (click here for part I).

What Not to Do Online Lesson #4: Share Confidential Information

How would you like your medical records being discussed on Facebook? Five nurses from Tri-City Medical Center were fired for breaching patient confidentiality online. Keep confidential information classified.

What Not to Do Online Lesson #5: Affiliate With Known Terrorists

Yes, some things should go without saying. This ought to be one of them. Recently a group of 11 Afghan military training at an Air Force base in Texas went AWOL. The majority of the AWOL military were tracked down with the help of Facebook. In the process, it was discovered that several were connected to friends who had Al Qaeda connections. Be careful who you connect with on the internet, because this likely won’t bode well for their military careers.

What Not to Do Online Lesson #6: Threaten Your Colleagues

It’s easy to take things out of context online, such as threatening to bomb your place of work. David Noordewier, a former Wal-Mart employee, remarked on his MySpace page that the average person’s IQ would go up if a bomb were dropped on Wal-Mart stores. His superiors found out about the social media post and he was escorted out of the building. The takeaway for Noordewier? “If you have a MySpace site, you better act like you’re a politician,” he said. “Be politically correct and don’t try to be funny.”

To learn better what not to do online, earn a communications degree. In the meantime, stay tuned for What Not To Do Online, Part III!

What Not to Do Online Part I
What Not to Do Online Part III
Source: 10 Social Media Blunders

Tags: afghan military awol, david noordewier walmart, don't affiliate with terrorists, don't share confidential information, what not to do online
Posted in Business | 1 Comment »

What Not to Do Online Part I

July 27th, 2010 by Sarah Ward

With practically the whole world online these days, the things we say or do on the internet aren’t as private as we may think they are. In an eye-opening study by Proofpoint, Inc., 8% of companies with more than 1,000 employees have fired someone for bad online behavior. In order to remain happily employed, here is the first article in a 3-part series of what not to do online.

What Not to Do Online Lesson #1: Bash Your Boss

In 2009, Philadelphia Eagles employee Dan Leone publicly criticized the company for losing star player Brian Dawkins to the Denver Broncos. His Facebook status read: “Dan is [expletive] devastated about Dawkins signing with Denver … Dam Eagles R Retarted!!” Leone told the Inquirer that even though he removed the comment, it led to losing his job only days later.

Word to the wise: don’t bash your boss online.

What Not to Do Online Lesson #2: Complain About Your Customers

We’ve all had difficult customers and it’s natural to want to vent. Just don’t it online. Case in point, a waitress at a pizza place in North Carolina complained on Facebook about some customers who stayed for three hours, causing her to work an hour past her shift and only left a measly $5 tip. Because she mentioned the name of the company, it came back to bite her in the behind when she lost her job.

What Not to Do Online Lesson #3: Slam Your Community

While in Memphis on business, James Andrews, the VP-director of Ketchum Interactive, posted a tweet saying how he’d die if he had to live in Memphis. This was right before he did a presentation for one of his company’s most important clients, FedEx, and over 150 employees, many of whom — including FedEx founder Fred Smith — are Memphis natives. A FedEx employee noticed the offensive tweet and called Andrews on it, CC-ing his disappointed email to a myriad of executives at Ketchum and FedEx. Andrews kept his job, but upset a lot of people.

To develop an appropriate radar of what not to do online, earn a business degree. In the meantime, stay tuned for What Not To Do Online, Part II!

What Not to Do Online Part II
What Not to Do Online Part III
Source: 10 Social Media Blunders

Tags: business degree, dan leone philadelphia eagles, don't bash your boss online, don't complain about customers, social media blunders, what not to do online
Posted in Business | 2 Comments »

Public Relations Specialists for Musicians

July 26th, 2010 by Sarah Ward

In order to help musicians build their brand, name, and career, it’s important to team up with a public relations specialist. Public relations specialists with online degrees from reputable schools nationwide can help musicians with their advertising, social media, and branding. Musicians who hire public relations specialists can focus on doing what they do best — writing, recording, and performing their music — while the PR professional can take care of getting them visible positive press.

Public relations specialists help manage a musician’s relationship with the public, creating opportunities for them to be featured in publications such as newspapers and magazines by the distribution of press releases. While it is possible for musicians to do their own public relations, many musicians struggle with this business aspect and prefer to have someone take care of it for them.

A well-respected public relations organization New York recently facilitated a European rock band’s tour to America, coordinating radio promotion, press materials, and interviews while on tour. As they drummed up interest in the band through a variety of different media channels, the band was able to deliver memorable interviews and focus on their performances.

Many schools offer online degrees in public relations, allowing busy professionals to work their school around their busy life, and not the other way around. With a public relations online degree, graduates can choose their niche markets and work with the likes of musicians, small businesses, non-profit organizations, or even politicians. For more information about a public relations online degree, visit My Colleges and Careers.

Tags: pr professionals for musicians, public relations for musicians
Posted in Art & Design, Business | No Comments »

Louisiana Church Checklist: Bible, Gun, Bulletproof Vest

July 25th, 2010 by madisonc

On Tuesday, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal (R-LA) signed a controversial bill that will allow guns to be conceal-carried in churches, mosques, and synagogues. Concealed carry permits and training will also apply and, according to the bill, require the officiating church leader to announce to the congregation that there are “individuals armed on the property as members of he security force.”

Gun-free zones like schools, churches, hospitals, and malls have become easy targets for criminals. Since churches across America have seen at least 20 church shootings in the last decade, this bill could potentially save lives.

In December 2007, gunman Matthew J. Murray stormed a youth center in Colorado, killing two people, then proceeded to a Colorado Springs church where he shot and killed two more. His shooting rampage was stopped when he was shot and wounded by Jeanne Assam, a local member and voluntary security guard. Assam’s heroic act prevented many more deaths. Church-goers that have been trained and properly licensed to carry can help prevent harm to a congregation’s unarmed worshippers.

Law enforcement firearms trainers teach local concealed-carry classes in communities throughout the United States. To find a class in your area, visit http://www.carryconcealed.net/courses.

Would knowing there were people in the congregation at your church with a gun in their pocket make you feel safer? Or less likely to return?

Tags: concealed-carry classes, law enforcement firearms trainers, louisiana governor bobby jindal, louisiana guns at church
Posted in Criminal Justice | No Comments »

Guest Blog: One Question Interview With Writer Rachel Call

July 24th, 2010 by Sarah Ward

This week we caught up with Rachel Call, a local writer and recent university graduate.

Question: How did your education help prepare you for your career?

Answer: I think my education has helped me in a few ways. In classes and projects with real-life clients I had to learn to write well and on a deadline. I worked in a student-run public relations agency on campus and one of my projects was the department alumni magazine. That taught me to work with lots of different people with different positions and interests to bring opinions, edits, and ideas together to create a product everyone would be proud of.

Now we pose the question to you: How has your education helped equip you for your career?

Rachel Call graduated from BYU with a Communications BA and an emphasis in Public Relations and is a writer for PMA Media Group. She is from Chicago and in her spare time loves reading murder mysteries, talking politics, taking photos, and going to basketball games.

Tags: one question interview, rachel call
Posted in Art & Design, Interviews | No Comments »