The basis of good media relations is a compelling story. Sometimes those stories are easier to find than at other times. With Orthocare Innovations (www.orthocareinnovations.com), it’s new technology that will help patients with artificial legs is a natural winner. Then it’s a matter of finding the right reporter and combining the narrative with arresting images. Here’s how it all came together recently in The Wall Street Journal. In print, it appeared on the front of the B section.  http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390444318104577587141033340190.html

Sometimes it’s not what you say but what you do that is the most telling. Amway is the most prominent company in my hometown of Grand Rapids, Mich. It is known for being fervently conservative and pro-Republican in its political giving. Generally, that means being opposed to measures to prevent climate change and claiming the EPA is evil. That’s why it’s interesting to note that in Amway’s latest corporate citizenship report touts its record of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, shares details of its support of EPA programs, and generally paints itself as pro-environment.

I guess the lesson to realize is that a lot of political giving and statements are just hot air. What really matters is what corporate leaders are doing about all this hot air that is causing climate change…even in a company known for being in the GOP camp.

http://www.amway.com/en/ResourceCenterDocuments/Visitor/cred-amw-fact-v-en–CorporateCitizenshipReport.pdf

If you raise the standards for students will they meet the challenge? I visited a middle school recently and learned how they threw the option of a D in a class out the window. Instead, the grades are As, Bs, and Cs. The other option is an F and no credit. Interestingly, the school has seen growth in all its grades and fewer flunking. http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/07/mount_olive_school_board_elimi.html

By the way, I also realized that I now have spent the same amount of time in my life advocating for school reform as I have spent actually in K-12 myself.

The presidential race is starting to heat up so I thought I’d provide this easy checklist of the memes to expect in the months to follow:

-Sure, Romney has the Super PACs but they are horribly off message. GOP has made a big mistake by not investing in the actual, official campaign.

-(A) Ann or (B) Michelle is unhappy/difficult

-(A) Ann or (B) Michelle is more popular than her husband and party activists wish she was at the top of the ticket

-Bill Clinton is stepping outside his lane
Posted 6/15: http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/230405-clinton-says-romney-qualified-to-run-defends-bain-work

-W reappears and says something that upsets the race

-Barbara Bush says something that upsets the race

-This is not as exciting as ’08

-Romney or Obama is either overprepared or underprepared for the debates

-The debate moderator asked stupid questions

-Romney’s VP pick, his wife, or family members have done something controversial/unorthodox

-Obama will “wag the dog”

OK there is your cheat sheet. Check back in Nov. to actual links to these stories that will be written.

Steve Brill, education critic and the brain behind Court TV, gave a provocative talk at the recent Education Writers Association national conference in Philadelphia. But he seems to have forgotten a bit of his own business background. He somewhat attacked education reporters and suggested they are too attached to sitting in the newsroom rather than venturing into classrooms as he had so bravely done. Yet Brill doesn’t have an education degree and has never taught in a K-12 classroom.

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