Potomac Flacks: Verizon Lobbyists Mixing it Up in the Blogosphere

October 09, 2006

Verizon Lobbyists Mixing it Up in the Blogosphere

Verizon The 463 tips us off to the new blog launched last week by Verizon's DC lobbying team, PoliBlog. Verizon and the other phone companies have take a blogosphere beating from these guys for the last few months, so it's good to see them putting up a fight. Plus, Verizon's bloggers seem to be doing a few good things, including:

Having a variety of blog authors. While not all of them have posted yet, the site lists nine different Verizon staffers as contributors. That will spread the blogging time burden around and also provide different perspectives from different specialists on their lobbying team.
Allowing comments on their blog. It's not a conversation unless you allow your critics to respond, and they're doing that.
Responding to critics. Lobbyist Link Hoewing blogged about broadband, and then actually went back and took the time to respond to a critic's comment.

PoliBlog's editor is John "CZ" Czwartacki, Verizon's Executive Director for External Comms. Hillites recognize CZ from his previous spokesguy stints for FEMA, Sen. Trent Lott, Rep. Bill Paxon, and the House Republican Conference.

Posted by Matt Mackowiak on October 9, 2006 in Blogging , Corporate PR | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

About the Authors

Matt Mackowiak - Site Manager
Since 2003, Matt Mackowiak has been a communications professional in the U.S. Senate, at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, at a leading international PR firm, and has also worked on a presidential campaign in Iowa and in presidential advance. Follow him on Twitter - www.twitter.com/MattMackowiak

Laura Gross - Contributor
Laura Gross is currently president of Scott Circle Communications. She has served as deputy director of communications at the DNC, was Gov. Howard Dean's Communications Director and she worked in the press office at USAID during the Clinton administration. Her experience also includes time in the PR department of National Public Radio and she was part of Vice President Gore's advance team when he was in The White House.

Blain K. Rethmeier - Contributor
Blain K. Rethmeier is currently the Senior Vice President for Public Affairs for the American Insurance Association (AIA). Rethmeier joined AIA from the White House where he served as Special Assistant to the President for Communications and directed communications for the National Economic Council and Homeland Security Council. Prior to joining the White House, Rethmeier served as Press Secretary for the Senate Judiciary Committee.

This is a personal group blog whose contents in no way reflect the views of any author's employer.

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