On Sunday night I was reviewing some old feature stories I wanted to share:

– Ronn Torossian feature in The New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/20/nyregion/thecity/20feat.html

Great quote: “But the fact is that Mr. Torossian, brash and aggressively outspoken, is the consummate scrappy publicist. In the town that was the birthplace of modern public relations – the field’s inventor was the Viennese immigrant Edward Bernays – Mr. Torossian is one of the New Yorkiest practitioners of this quintessentially New York profession.”

– Ronn Torossian named to Ad Age 40 under 40: http://adage.com/article/special-report-40-under-40/ronn-torossian-31/110905/

In the article, a client said: “Ronn is a rare combination of a conceptualizer and a doer. He’s smart and he’s tireless. He moves with an almost military intensity.”

Very excited for a great 2012 ahead.

Today Careercast issued their annual list of the 10 most stressful jobs of 2012 – and guess what, yet again Public Relations is at the top of the list at #7 this year.  The full list may be viewed at: http://www.careercast.com/jobs-rated/10-most-stressful-jobs-2012

In their description, “Public Relations Officers are responsible for creating and maintaining a positive image with the public for companies, non-profits and government agencies. They typically are responsible for giving presentations and making speeches, often in front of large crowds. This very competitive field, which often includes highly visible, tight deadlines, keeps stress at high-levels for specialists. Some PR executives are required to interact with potentially hostile members of the media, especially after a disaster.”

Owning a PR agency, 5WPR, I couldn’t agree more – PR Jobs are tough, non-stop, stressful and tiring.  That said, I wouldn’t trade any of it for the world.

2 years in a row as 1 of the most stressful jobs in America – wow.

Work Ethic And New PR Book

A recent exciting feature story was published on Ronn Torossian, CEO of 5WPR.

Entitled: “In My Business! Public Relations Pro Ronn Torossian Talks Industry Stereotypes, Work Ethic and New Book!”, the full story may be read at:
http://www.urblife.com/the-edge/in-my-business-ronn-torossian/

Article references my new book “For Immediate Release” which can be purchased at:
http://www.amazon.com/Immediate-Release-Deliver-Game-Changing-Relations/dp/1936661160

“Shouting fire in a crowded theatre” is a well known paraphrase of a U.S. Supreme Court decision which served as an example of the limitations on free speech, when the speech is imminently dangerous and has no conceivable purpose.   In a world where we have seen real revolutions in part because of digital media, its interesting that everyone today has digital media to amplify whatever noise they’d like to make – good or bad – and can utilize media without a filter.

Its on the backs of Wikileaks pressure by the American government to shut down – including pressuring financial companies not to process payment, threatened prosecutions and the like – that a close friend of mine for many years, Nitsana Darshan-Leitner of the Shurat HaDin Israel Law Center, is all over the media today threatening to sue Twitter for allowing terrorists to use the digital media network. Trust me, I know her – she is smart, focused and ideological – a formidable opponent raising a valid point. If the US government deems these organizations illegal and they cant raise funds – why can they amplify their message freely to Americans ?

Leitner’s organization, The Shurat HaDin Israel Law Center, is a civil rights organization dedicated to “combating the terrorist organizations and the regimes that support them through lawsuits litigated in courtrooms around the world.” They have done a lot of good worldwide to fight terrorism via lawfare – utilizing the courtroom to battle Anti-Western interests.  Hezbollah, al Qaeda affiliate al-Shabaab and others violate American law by using Twitter. A breakdown of terrorists utilizing social media is at: http://www.theatlanticwire.com/global/2012/01/most-infamous-terrorists-twitter/46852/

The ACLU says “the government can’t force private companies to censor lawful speech just because the government doesn’t like the speech or the people making the speech.” Does that mean I can go online and scream fire in a crowded theatre ? Can I behave however I want simply because I am online and hidden behind a computer screen ?

While Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recently cited President Obama as believing that “the more freely information flows, the stronger societies become”, one wonders where the administration will stand if mass rioting was sparked by digital media.  UK authorities say rioters used social networks to coordinate mass civil disobedience earlier this year in London.  State prosecutors in Mexico have accused people of terrorism and sabotage by claiming that their Twitter posts helped spread false rumors about a school attack, leading to real-life violence.

Its no secret that the terrorists are public relations savvy and very concerned with brand and image.  As was recently reported, Al Qaeda is concerned about the baggage associated with that name, and is increasingly going by the name “Ansar al Sharia” because of concern about their brand. Its no secret that American PR Agencies have represented Qaddafi, Assad, and just last year Qatar hired a leading U.S. PR firm to lobby for the Hamas regime in the Gaza Strip.

Darshan-Leitner stopped the second Gaza flotilla earlier this year, and has won lawsuits against Hamas, Hizbollah and the Palestinian Authority.  I am sure Twitter’s going to be answering this one pretty soon. I’d venture that a modern “fire in a crowded theatre” discussion may be coming to a courtroom near us very soon.

Ronn Torossian is the CEO of 5WPR, a Top 25 PR Agency and has a best-selling PR book“For Immediate Release: Shape Minds, Build Brands, and Deliver Results with Game-Changing Public Relations” an Amazon best selling Public Relations book available for purchase at: http://www.amazon.com/Immediate-Release-Deliver-Game-Changing-Relations/dp/1936661160

Its an inevitability – a company, or a government agency, or anyone for that matter hires a PR agency, and someone questions it – Why do they need a PR firm ? No one ever reads articles about why someone needs a lawyer, an accountant or an architect – but a big bad Public Relations pro – wow lets write an article.

In this recent article in the San Francisco Chronicle there’s a story about how the  U.S. Treasury Department, has hired an outside public relations agency  to remind people it’s ending paper bond sales after 2011. And of course the inevitable “It seems odd that the government would spend money promoting something that many Americans are sorry to see go.”

And forcing someone to explain why they are paying an agency “ She would not disclose how much it’s paying Weber Shandwick, but says the firm was hired to do other projects as well. She adds that the expenditure is “very, very tiny” compared to the $120 million the Treasury expects to save over five years by cutting out paper bond sales.”

Just tired of the attacks upon the PR industry – why don’t they find someone else to pick on ?

Ronn Torossian, CEO, 5WPR