19 July 2006

PR (out of) Business…

Is the star that burned like a 40-watt bulb about to be snuffed out? Here are the rumours we’ve heard…

PR Business is finished as a weekly mag, but may relaunch later in the year as a monthly. Founder board member Lord Chadlington (of Shandwick fame) is thought to be no longer involved after losing confidence in the magazine’s direction…so it looks like it George Pitcher’s show now (Luther Pendragon). When you think about it, given these fellas are such an 80s throw-back it’s little surprise the mag looks so dated and they didn’t understand why a useful website might be a good idea…that’s what too much black leather and chrome does to the mind.

PR Business is looking for a new editor…any suggestions for candidates? It’ll need to be someone with the ability to find the financial backing to put some proper resources and reporters in place.

Best of all, Colin Farrington, CIPR Director General is thought to be furious about the editorial in last week's issue about his Colonel Blimp-like views on blogs. Would he have withdrawn their support from the mag (i.e. their database for distribution which is what the mag uses)? PR Week's been cosying up to the CIPR since the launch of PR Business (PR Week used to be free to members, then went paid, now will be free again). Any scent of backroom deals?
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4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Christ! I posted about the closure and wondered if the CIPR free-to-members-deal was involved in the decision.

From what you say it seems like there was a lot establishment backslapping involved.

I know the website was crap but I actually liked the direction the mag took and at least it was prepared to put its neck on the line over things like the Colin Farrington debacle. Not even ...the world's leading... rose to that challenge.

I personally think that a monthly just won't work. CorpComms is an ok mag but I'm certain we don't need another one.

1:46 pm
Anonymous said...

I guess you're just speculating about Farrington putting the screws on because he took personal offence to the story? If you're not and you have the evidence, then surely the board of the CIPR have to fire him for inappropriate use of his position.

9:46 pm
....the world's leading.... said...

Just speculating..but you've got to think, haven't you, that Farrington would have had a 'who the bloody hell do they think they are, after all we've done for them, blah, blah, hurumph, hurumph, I'm off down the club for a large Scotch' moment when PR Business gave him some stick, wouldn't you?

8:35 am
Anonymous said...

The main reason that PR Business failed was as a result of under investment and poor management. I’ve been reliably informed that the website was only ever developed to a Beta stage, and the supplier refused to take it further until long overdue invoices were paid – they never were. An interest-free payment scheme was extended to PR Business along with plenty of goodwill, however, that goodwill was exploited and PR Business reneged upon the agreement. I believe a similar scenario occurred with the printed magazine too.

10:05 am

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