Dannon is my name, but this post isn't about me

Press Release to stories

The following is an analysis of the transformation from a press release to a written story. It deals with a lawsuit that was filed against the Dannon Company, Inc. A copy of Dannon's press release can be found here.



January 23, 2008 - Reuters - Dannon sued over "probiotic" bacteria claims

Of the three articles that I reviewed, this is the only one that was written prior to the press release. It actually states in the article that the Dannon Company was unaware or the lawsuit that was against them. It is pretty interesting that the same phrase "the claims of our products and the clinical studies which support them" is used as an initial reply to the news and also in the press release that was published a day later. In this article there is very minimal use of Dannon official statements. Most of the resources and quotes came from the lawsuit. Because of this the article seems to have a bit of a negative tone.

January 24, 2008 - AP - Woman says Dannon overstates benefits of some yogurt products

This article is much more positive for the company. It came out on the same day as the press release and the press release is used and quoted many times in the article. Even the title makes the article seem more positive for the company. It puts focus on what a woman says rather than on what claims are against the company. Unlike the third article I reviewed, this one had scientists saying positive things that agree with the claims of Dannon. Even the last sentence of the article makes the claims against the company look like a joke.

January 25, 2008 - ABC News - Dannon Yogurt Faces Lawsuit Over False Advertising

This article has the most balanced amount of information for both sides of the issue, but the way it is presented makes it seem a little more negative. It at least has a little more question or controversy associated with it based on the way things are worded. As aforementioned it also includes a doctor's negative statements concerning probiotic bacteria that go against the claims of Dannon yogurt. In some ways the doctor's statements agree with and support the lawsuit brought against Dannon.

Overall Analysis

I found this assignment to be very educational. It was very interesting to see the difference between the article written before the press release came out and the article that was written on the same day as the press release. The article was definitely affected by the press release. When dealing with something like a lawsuit, I suppose it is very important to get a statement out as soon as possible. Because if there isn’t any official statements from the company, the only thing the press has to use as a resource is the claims made in the lawsuit or material that the company may have that isn’t current or specific to the case.
The press release is simple and direct. It has firm statements that the company and the company spokesman, Michael Neuwirth stand by. Even when given extra questions the spokesman goes back to some of the same things that are written in the press release. The press release states the research that supports the claims of their products and even goes as far as to give resources as the where the scientific research can be reviewed. The press release really showed how confident the Dannon Company is in their products and the research that supports the benefits of their products. That confidence makes for some good quotes that reporters use in their articles.
A press release can certainly direct (or redirect) strong media attention. The press needs information to write stories and the object of a press release is to make sure that at least some of the information that the press has comes from the company and puts the company in a positive light. Press releases give the public something that a company wants them to believe.

Wikipedia and an interview with the Founding Director of MicroMuse

"I'll have to look it up on Wikipedia." How often does that phrase come up on a daily basis? Wikipedia is a top hit and top return on search engines. It is used as a starting point for information and a place to general knowledge about a wide variety of topics. Many students don't think twice about the credibility of information on the site, despite the fact that most teachers will not allow Wikipedia as an official academic source for research. How credible is Wikipedia?
Dr. Barry Kort, a long-time science and technology researcher and educator, says there is no place in the world of academia for Wikipedia. He says that Wikipedia is a good source for looking up items of pop culture or for finding citations to primary sources, but that it isn't very reliable and you need to double check anything that you find there. Kort isn't the only person that criticizes Wikipedia. Multiple websites, such as WikipediaReview.com, have been set up pointing out the faults and fallacies of the way Wikipedia is run. Even Wikipedia's co-founder, Larry Sanger, has since left Wikipedia to start a competing site, Citizendium which "aims to improve on Wikipedia's model" according to Citizendium's website. Why is there so much controversy? Is there something wrong with Wikipedia's model?
"Wikipedia is an example of a site that lacks ethics" says Kort. He says that Wikipedia is out of control and that it lacks a functional governance system. Wikipedia is known for being editable by anyone but Kort, who is also known as Moulton on the web, says that "Wikipedia is not a democracy. It's an oligarchy." A group of administrators help with the maintenance of Wikipedia, including blocking users and deleting pages and entries created by others. Administrators’ true identities remain anonymous and have a policy of protecting their identities. According to Kort, Wikipedia will kick you off if you disclose that information. Because of this, it is virtually impossible to prosecute Wikipedia or an administrator for slander or false information on the site.
Wikipedia has a list of rules that prevent subject matter experts from contributing to the site. Wikipedia doesn’t allow original research to be added to the site. For this and other reasons, other sites have been created that build upon the ideas of Wikipedia but do it in a manner that contributors and editors are identified and subject matter experts are valued. Examples of these websites are Citizendium, Scholarpedia, and Google’s Knol. These sites are written and edited more like the way encyclopedias are and despite the popularity of Wikipedia, Kort says that the better designs of these sites will eventually supplant Wikipedia.

Positioning Myself

I have been a Public Relations student for a while now. When I tell people and they usually ask, "What do you want to do with that?" My answer seems a little lame; "I'd like to work for an organization in public relations." And the conversation usually ends there. People generally have heard of public relations, but they don't know what someone in public relations does. Sometimes they might think of someone that represents a person or organization that answers questions at a press conference. And if someone is a little more educated they might associate writing press releases. I have to admit that I don't know everything there is to know about public relations. I chose the major because I love to work with people and I figured I would be working with people in a major called Public Relations. The longer I have been involved in the major the more I learn about and love it. The opportunities to be creative really excite me.


I have considered myself a peacemaker and someone that likes to make sure people are happy. Being in public relations gives me a chance to represent an individual or organization that I believe in. I will help people see and understand the value within an organization or individual.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, public relation jobs are increasing quickly, but so are the number of people trying to enter the field. College graduates who are trying to enter the industry have a much higher chance when they have related experience. Careers in public relations are growing especially quickly in technological and other specialized areas. I have set some goals in order to be better prepared to enter and be successful in a career in public relations.

The Public Relations industry is one that is full of niches. It is growing as the internet has made connecting to the public so much more possible and as companies are realizing the importance of their relationships with the public through the internet and other new media venues. My first goal is to become familiar and proficient with different new media (blogs, website design, social networking groups, etc.) My second goal is to build a diverse portfolio of items that will show my proficiency. Then I will display my portfolio and network with others through the internet and face-to-face contacting. During this networking, I will become familiar with different agencies and organizations that will help to find out where my skills and talents will fit the best and where I can do the most good.