Communication in the News

Is there ever a time in the news when something interesting regarding communication isn't going on? Definitely not. Let me give a few examples. One pertains to a terrible incident in Afghanistan where an American soldier apparently went on a killing spree and murdered 16 civilians. Understandably, this senseless rampage has angered citizens there and triggered much anger toward the United States. President Obama and his administration are now faced with a communication problem on several fronts: he needs to effectively communicate to the Afghan nation his deep regret at what happened, convince them the U.S. will deal with what happened and the person responsible for it in a just and transparent manner, and reassure Americans that this tragic incident will not deter us from our overall mission.

Another example pertains to Rush Limbaugh, the nationally popular and conservative radio talk show host who is currently under heavy criticism for comments he made about a law school student who testified recently before Congress. Limbaugh went on a verbal rampage and called the female, among other things, a "slut" for what she had to say about on the issue before the Congressional hearing: contraception. As a result of his tirade, Limbaugh's advertisers have been leaving the show in droves. He has apologized several times for his comments. Still, Limbaugh's communication challenge is to convince his sponsors, listeners and critics of the sincerity of his regret.

Sometimes as a result of our own doing and sometimes due to the actions of others, things happen that impact our lives. Granted, this is not always fair. Those violent actions of the American solider, for instance, have created a real dilemma for President Obama and the many other military men and women in Afghanistan who conduct themselves in a respectful an peace-loving way. On the other hand, Limbaugh has no one to blame but himself as he deals with his current situation. Not only how the President and the radio commentator deal with their respective matters from a communication standpoint define them, but how we - their publics - listen and assess what Obama and Limbugh do will define us as well.