REICH COMMUNICATIONS

Three Years...

Pride

 

I love this country.  I am so thankful that my grandparents, as teenagers around the turn of the 20th Century left their families back in Hungary, Russia and Poland to come here to try to make a better life for their children and grandchildren.

 

I've always been proud to be American, although it saddens me to admit I haven't been quite as proud these past four years.  The president has diminished our stature as a world leader that represents fairness, inclusion and democracy.  Our president has squandered that hard-earned reputation and, in fact, has made this great country an object of pity and derision by many around the world.  And he has sowed division among ourselves, rather than bringing us together.

 

But my feeling of pride has been rekindled as I've been watching the Democrats' virtual convention.  It shows how this wonderful country is not monolithic, but is comprised of a beautiful mosaic of races, beliefs and national heritages, uniquely blended together.  It's reaffirmed my feeling that we are, in fact, our brothers' keeper, building a better life for ourselves and our children, yet working together to make life better for those among us who are less fortunate.

 

So I'm proud to be an American -- even now -- and also proud to be part of a party that pushes for fairness, inclusion, compassion and all the things that make us better people and better collectively as a nation.

 

I hope right-minded people will come out strong in November to bring this 4-year nightmare to an end. It's got to happen if we are to make America great again... great the way it was before Jan. 20, 2016.  And from there, even greater still.

Pete Hamill - Newspaperman

When you think of old-style newspapermen, a few names come to mind...  in New York, those would be Jimmy Breslin and Pete Hamill.

Pete Hamill, who died today at 85, was more than a newspaper reporter and columnist.  He wrote several books -- fiction and non-fiction, as well as screenplays.

I only recently discovered his non-newspaper writing when I picked up a copy of "Downtown: My Manhattan," an ode to New York that combines history and personal recollections to lovingly describe New York now and years ago.  It was a great read, so I looked for other books by him.

I found and loved "Snow in August," just finished last week "Tabloid City," a murder-mystery set largely in a newsroom, and I'm now almost done with "Loving Women," a 1989 novel about a sailor who returns to the base where he was stationed in the early '50s as an 18-year old kid and where he found the love of his life.  I wonder how much of it is autobiographical, as he did serve in the Navy as young man and was based in Pensacola, where the book is set.

I love his way with words.  They paint pictures that take you into the heart and soul of his characters, even in a non-fiction piece like "Downtown: My Manhattan," where the lead character is New York City.

I look forward to reading more of his books.  I'm sorry he won't be writing more, but thankful for the legacy of words that he's left behind.

                                                      - 30 -

 

 

 

 

A Fitting Tribute to a Good Man

American Treasure

Listen to the Science, not "hunches"

Dr. Anthony Fauci has been, for most Americans, a trusted source of accurate pandemic information, based on science and untainted by political considerations. 

Through all of the White House briefings, which seemed to be mainly a platform for the president's bluster,lies, self-praise and denial, Dr. Fauci spoke with truthful authority.

It shouldn't be surprising -- although it is -- that the president and his minions are now trying to take Dr. Fauci down with incorrect and damaging criticisms, largely by tweet, White House official statements and the president's proxies at FOX News.

This latest craziness is sure to convince some who've been sitting on the fence that the president is truly unfit and not worthy of re-election.  (His base is hopeless -- as he's said, he could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue in daylight and they'd still love him.)

But his ongoing denial and inaction has hurt all of us -- healthwise and economically.  His insistence on opening schools, which flies in the face of science and intelligence, is sure to hurt tens of thousands more.

Let's keep listening to the advice of Dr. Fauci and countless numbers of his colleagues in science and medicine who are telling us to move slowly with re-opening.  We need to continue to ignore the ranting of the president and his cronies, no matter how frustrating it may be.

And... wear a mask in public, stay socially distant and be smart.

 

Have a safe Fourth

A Legend

Everybody wants to laugh - you know that. They need to laugh... people need to laugh.  --  Carl Reiner

What We Do: Virtual Media Tour Gets Results

The quarantine during the pandemic has put up some tough new challenges to get PR clients into the news.

It's also opened some new opportunities, as shown by a virtual media tour we've been doing for The National Road Safety Foundation (NRSF). 

With Bob Thomas Productions, we've arranged virtual interviews via Skype and Zoom with 19 TV stations in markets ranging from smaller places like Joplin, Missouri to top markets including Washington, D.C., New Orleans, Cleveland, Nashville and Jacksonville... with more to come.

Here are two typical news segments -- Click to see spots from the CBS station in Cleveland and the CBS outlet in Bakersfield, Calif.

In normal times, Skype interviews would rarely be acceptable for most TV stations because of picture and sound quality and reliability.  But now we're accustomed to seeing interview guests and even reporters and anchors broadcasting from their living rooms and kitchens. 

Hopefully, whenever things get back to "normal," stations will continue to take interviews via the internet rather than the more costly and time-consuming traditional methods -- traveling cross-country for in-studio interviews or doing spots via costly satellite feeds.

For now, it's working nicely for us.

 

 

 

 

 

There still remains an awful lot to be done...