Note to FedEx: schoolyard taunts are a poor PR strategy
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Note to FedEx: schoolyard taunts are a poor PR strategy

On Sunday, the New York Times published a critique of the way that the shipper FedEx cut its federal tax bill to zero. Rather than defending itself, FedEx lashed out at the finances of the Times. While such tactics may be working for politicians, they’re no way for a public company to behave. Here’s the…

How should the president tweet?
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How should the president tweet?

Sunday’s New York Times included a fascinating print and interactive section on the president’s Twitter Feed. However you feel about this president, you must agree that his tweets have been an effective if incendiary communications tool. The next president will use Twitter, but how? Based on observing not just Trump but other politicians and authority…

The New York Times colludes with Mark Zuckerberg on shameless op-ed

The New York Times colludes with Mark Zuckerberg on shameless op-ed

Sunday’s New York Times featured an op-ed by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, titled “Facebook Can Help the News Business.” It’s an outrageous ad masquerading as content — and demonstrates Zuckerberg’s arrogant attitude towards how Facebook has decimated the news business. Why is the New York Times publishing a product announcement as editorial content? The purpose…

Some better questions for Goop’s Gwyneth Paltrow
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Some better questions for Goop’s Gwyneth Paltrow

The New York Times interviewed Gwyneth Paltrow, CEO of the $250 million wellness site Goop. She’s a charlatan selling snake oil, but the Times can’t decide whether to call her on it or be nice. I can. So I wrote my own interview questions. David Gelles’s interview for the “Corner Office” column highlights CEOs. Because…

How not to plagiarize like Jill Abramson in “Merchants of Truth”
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How not to plagiarize like Jill Abramson in “Merchants of Truth”

Jill Abramson, former executive editor of the New York Times, published a book on media called Merchants of Truth. Many passages appear to be plagiarized. I’ll explain why authors do this and how you can make sure you never do. I can already feel your outrage. Plagiarize? I would never do that! No respectable author…

No one knows if a recession is coming. But that doesn’t stop them from writing about it.

No one knows if a recession is coming. But that doesn’t stop them from writing about it.

The brutal stock downturn and indicators like the bond yield curve are signaling that a recession might be on its way. It must be that time again: Time for economists to make equivocal predictions, and journalists to equivocate madly writing about them. Neil Irwin of The New York Times feature “The Upshot” is here to…

The mystery of The New York Times’ anonymous op-ed: a ROAM analysis
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The mystery of The New York Times’ anonymous op-ed: a ROAM analysis

The New York Times posted an op-ed from an unnamed “senior official” who is managing the chaos in the Trump Administration. To truly understand what’s going on here, you need to look at the writer’s motivation. ROAM is the perfect way to do that — but in this case, it only deepens the mystery. The…

The frou-frou cuteness of the New York Times style section

The frou-frou cuteness of the New York Times style section

The New York Times traffics in clear, straightforward text. Except, that is, in the Sunday Style section. Having no style myself, I’d typically skip the Style section, but an article by Penelope Green on birds sucked me in yesterday. I like birds. I read it. I’m still dizzy. If you like metaphors, you’ll love the…