Thursday, February 17, 2011

Spinning PR in a different direction

This week's entry is for my fellow PR students who are craving to get out of the classroom and into the working world, whipping through press releases, organizing media conferences and updating the status of a top 100 company across the globe.


Summer, Lauren, Jonathon, Simon, Katie and Erika
I, as well as others I have talked to, have discovered The Spin Crowd on E! This show depicts Jonathon Cheban, insane yet brilliant owner of Command PR, running his west coast office. He has four staff working under him, as well as a quick-witted vice president. I was so excited to see that a reality show was made about PR but this one goes against my whole belief that reality television is real to me.


I haven't had much experience in PR yet, being only a student for now, but I am praying that I do not have to work for someone like Jonathon Cheban. I have my reservations about working for someone who tells his employees to get lip injections. I may be critical of what others wear, but I would take offense to being asked to change my physical appearance if it was not helpful to my overall health. Luckily for little Erika, the new girl from San Diego, she only got a temporary lip injection but angered Jonathon for deceiving her. I wonder if this is a question of morals.


I am worried that I will enter the PR world and have everyone compare it to this show. Better, more prestigious professions have been compared to other shows, not all reality television, like practicing medicine to Grey's Anatomy or ER, and practicing law to Boston Legal or Law and Order. PR, from what has been described from our professors, is going to be filled with writing, editing, communication and building relationships. I think looking for ways to melt fat away or improve your wardrobe shouldn't overshadow the importance of a great profession.
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4 comments:

  1. SamanthaFebruary 17, 2011 at 3:48 PM

    After watching the first episode, I knew what I was expecting to get out of it. PR will be crazy busy, with constant communication amongst different publics and running around like a chicken with its head cut off. It makes me both excited yet nervous to get into the field.
    Although Jonathan seems like a brillant PR pro, I didn't like how he was so critical to Erika. Will plump lips really help them out to run an event or secure a story in People Magazine? Probably not. I can't wait for the next episode though!

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  2. AnonymousFebruary 17, 2011 at 6:49 PM

    I haven’t seen this show but I do believe that there are bosses out there that will say whatever is on their mind. Look at Ari Gold from Entourage, he’s hilarious on TV but not someone I would want to work for in real life. I also think it depends where you’re working because a boss from LA will be different than a boss in Canada. Americans from certain regions can be very vain, plastic, and presumptuous. Who would want to work for someone like that anyways, I think that we should be fine. I’d like to think that none of us would even work for someone like that in the first place.

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  3. Rachel MFebruary 28, 2011 at 8:22 PM

    I watched a few episodes of this last week and I just felt it didn't depict PR in a good light. You don't get to see all the hard work the four girls do putting events together. Instead you get to see the intern get coffee spilt all over her in the car. Riviting. I don't think i'll be tuning in again.

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  4. ElizabethMarch 4, 2011 at 9:45 AM

    I have never seen this show, but am now going to check it out. If the show really does depict PR in a negative light thats very unfortunate. I just don't understand why people in the industry would want to be involved with something that makes them and their careers be viewed in a negative light. I guess I will just have to check it out....

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