Working with reporters is never an easy matter for communicators.

There's always a natural tension between journalists and PR/IR folks.  The communicators want their messages to get across, and reporters don't want to be spun.  Mistakes can be costly. 

Episode 4 -- Don't Do This: The Biggest Mistakes You Can Make with Reporters is designed to address this directly.  The discussion centers around a list I created of the biggest mistakes communicators can make with reporters.  You can find the list here, on FKCBlog. 

It's no secret that covering the current situation in Iraq is a dangerous and difficult task.  It takes an especially skilled and dedicated reporter to pull it off.

John Hendren, who covers the Pentagon for National Public Radio, talks with us about the challenges of this particular corner of journalism, ranging from sand and heat to car bombs and kidnapping.  He is our guest for Episode 3 -- Dateline Iraq, which examines the rigors and reality of covering the ongoing story of U.S. involvement in Iraq.

An award-winning reporter with substantial experience, Hendren joined NPR in November 2005, following four years as a reporter for the Los Angeles Times, where he also covered the military.  To view his full bio, click here.

Where would PR and journalism be without the interview?

Companies seek out interviews.  Politicians seek out interviews.   PR firms seek out interviews on behalf of their clients.  And reporters seek out interviews in order to generate new stories.

Episode 1 of Talking Communications with Farrell Kramer is here and this first show examines the art of the interview.  What makes a good interview?  What makes a bad one?  What are reporters' pet peeves?  This episode sums up all the things a communicator should know before chatting with journalists.

Anne D'Innocenzio, who covers the retail industry for The Associated Press, is our guest.  Anne gives a wonderful, candid interview on her experience with the news side of interviews.