The Business Communicators

Chaos in the Capitol: Why Ethical Communications are Pivotal

Episode Summary

Just days into the new year, the weaponization of social media ignited a firestorm of violence in Washington D.C., leaving five dead, and the country in chaos. Hours before, an ill-advised press release from Pizza Inn that “demanded” changes to nonexistent voter fraud touched the grey area of communications and ethics. How did we get here? The Business Communicators dives into the role communications played in the chaos, and why now more than ever, words matter when helping move this country forward.

Episode Notes

Editor’s Note: This episode was recorded on Friday, Jan. 8, hours before Twitter permanently suspended Donald Trump's account “due to the risk of further incitement of violence.” 

Just days into the new year, the weaponization of social media ignited a firestorm of violence in Washington D.C., leaving five dead, and the country in chaos. To mitigate potential harm, President Trump was banned from nearly all digital platforms for “incitement of violence” just days before the 2021 inauguration. How did we get here? The Business Communicators dives into the role communications played in the chaos, and why now more than ever, words matter when helping move this country forward. 

Then, do politics, pizza and public relations mix? The show delves into an ill-advised press release from Pizza Inn last week that “demanded” changes to nonexistent voter fraud. Was this merely a PR stunt? Did it violate the IABC and PRSA Code of Ethics? Why did a Dallas-based agency, Champion Management, ultimately issue the press release on behalf of Pizza Inn CEO Brandon Solano? And, how can agencies avoid an ethical quandary moving forward?

Note: Please consider listening to our debut episode as Axios’ Sara Fischer discussed the weaponization of social media.

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