Ax / Axios

[Songbird]

It's one click.

Seriously.

One.

I understand but (as this is, or used to be, a journo board) the first post should include as much info as possible.

This is why every media outlet in America wants Trump to win again. CLICKS!

 

[Azrael]

I understand but (as this is, or used to be, a journo board) the first post should include as much info as possible.

This is why every media outlet in America wants Trump to win again. CLICKS!

That's why I didn't just post the email.

The TPM story puts the email and the outcome in a convenient, readable story.

 

[Songbird]

That all said, I know this (former) reporter's pain all too well.

There's no such thing anymore as flippant or sarcasm or innocuous. You better forking know exactly what words you're using before hitting the send button.

 

[MisterCreosote]

Aren't ALL politicians' "press releases" propaganda in some form or another?

 

[The Big Ragu]

Yeah, but the crap DeSantis' people is putting out is juvenile propaganda. He's feeding the lowest common denominator with a constant stream of stuff like that.

Montgomery shouldn't have sent the e-mail, because it was the same as taking the bait. They are trying to make you part of the story. It's your job with people like that to do everything you can to avoid being part of the story. He needed to be smart enough to know that him responding was the same as him feeding the beast.

And that said. ... Axios should not be firing anyone because of something like that. Even if they explained to him the dynamic he is a part of and told him to do the job with a stone face, it should have been just a private conversation.

 

[MeanGreenATO]

Wright Thompson, who is close with Montgomery, also sounded off:

 

[Azrael]

Aren't ALL politicians' "press releases" propaganda in some form or another?

Yeah, but the crap DeSantis' people is putting out is juvenile propaganda. He's feeding the lowest common denominator with a constant stream of stuff like that.

Montgomery shouldn't have sent the e-mail, because it was the same as taking the bait. They are trying to make you part of the story. It's your job with people like that to do everything you can to avoid being part of the story. He needed to be smart enough to know that him responding was the same as him feeding the beast.

And that said. ... Axios should not be firing anyone because of something like that. Even if they explained to him the dynamic he is a part of and told him to do the job with a stone face, it should have been just a private conversation.

I'll disagree here to the extent that there's a difference between a self-serving campaign brochure sent from an individual politician, and an official press release sent from the office of governor.

There's a range of publicity and marketing and advertisement in all these things certainly, but in this specific case - as Montgomery pointed out - there was nothing in the press release to which all that anti-DEI, anti-CRT sentiment was attached.

No news event. It was only anti-CRT and anti-DEI sentiment, and was untethered from anything newsworthy or actionable.

It was an anti-diversity tract alone.

So to me it exists outside the normative range of public relations. Even political public relations.

It's not just another version of brand enhancement. The character of propaganda is not only to misinform and mislead, but to prioritize unthinking emotion (usually hate and / or fear) above information.

 

[MisterCreosote]

I'll disagree here to the extent that there's a difference between a self-serving campaign brochure sent from an individual politician, and an official press release sent from the office of governor.

There's a range of publicity and marketing and advertisement in all these things certainly, but in this specific case - as Montgomery pointed out - there was nothing in the press release to which all that anti-DEI, anti-CRT sentiment was attached.

No news event. It was only anti-CRT and anti-DEI sentiment, and was untethered from anything newsworthy or actionable.

It was an anti-diversity tract alone.

So to me it exists outside the normative range of public relations. Even political public relations.

It's not just another version of brand enhancement. The character of propaganda is not only to misinform and mislead, but to prioritize unthinking emotion (usually hate and / or fear) above information.

I agree. Hadn't read the "press release" prior to commenting. I just assumed it was tied to something newsworthy.

Of course, the reporter could have just ignored it. When I was in the biz, the only purpose a political press release served was as a reminder to call the mayor (or whoever) for comment and actual reporting.

 

[Azrael]

 

[PCLoadLetter]

The reporter's email was stupid and pointless and was always going to end up being tweeted out by the Governor's staff.

But if this is how Axios is going to handle people like DeSantis, the rest of the Axios staff in Florida better start formulating an exit strategy.

 

[playthrough]

The reporter's email was stupid and pointless and was always going to end up being tweeted out by the Governor's staff.

But if this is how Axios is going to handle people like DeSantis, the rest of the Axios staff in Florida better start formulating an exit strategy.

Yep, that email was a jackpot for the staff. Montgomery is a good pelt on their wall and it riled up all his writerly colleagues as you see. Does this get tweeted out if it's some low-level young schmuck without a following?

 

[SixToe]

Yes, to prove their strength against all the hated media.

They'll keep doing it every time someone does something like this. Fodder for their supporters.