Purely Piper

My fascination with media and perception began when reading about Ms. Judy Smith, the founder and President of Smith & Company. She is strategist and crisis expert, and most importantly, a storyteller. Through my time as an actor and performer, I have fallen in love with the art of telling a story. Ms. Smith’s ability to tell one’s story, good or bad, and influence public perception is more than admirable, it is inspiring. So much so that she inspired the tv show, Scandal, based on her own career working as a crisis advisor. 

As I have begun reading her books, I am intrigued by her approach to personal crisis, especially for highly public figures. She reframes the story for her clients. So many times, the media is quick to pass judgment or pick a side, though she provides the public with new perspective. She tells stories through a different lens, creating a human connection with the public and each of her clients. 

Nowadays, news is no longer news. Facts have turned into opinion, reports to commentary, and reputation to uncertainty. I will hear the same story from multiple news outlets, but the details differ. I feel that to find the truth, I go searching from article to article, combing the facts from opinions. This is what I struggle with when it comes to journalism today, so much of it has become politicized. I crave the truth, an honest story, free from opinions. 

In Scandal, the main character was inspired by Ms. Judy Smith. The show revolves around Olivia Pope, who works as a crisis advisor or “fixer.” Her job is to handle the media and save reputations of high-profile clients, much like Ms. Smith. Olivia’s number one rule with her clients, no matter what, is to be honest. This is the secret to her success in the show, and I suspect to Ms. Smith’s success in real life. This is the mindset I want from media specialists today. Tell your story with passion and honesty while giving the same opportunity to others.

The competition for our attention in the media drives a lot of misinformation, opinion, and scandal. When writers can inspire feeling and upset in their work, they can attract attention. As Tristan Harris detailed in his Ted Talk, outrage is a great way to gain attention. When people become upset by politics, differentiating opinions, or lies the tech giants gain what they want, attention. Technology is so fascinating because it connects us together more than ever before. Yet, how do we stay informed without feeling left out? How do we educate ourselves without running into fiction?

Technology has expanded our communicative reach while hindering our communication skills. We can know what is going on at any place in the world, at any given time but can sometimes be oblivious to what is in front of us. In the era of “screenagers,” we find quality time interrupted by teens’ addiction to feeling connected. While they desire connection to their friends online, they lose touch with those in person. I am thankful that distance is no longer a barrier to communication, yet long for a time when phones did not create a barrier for day-to-day relationships. It is almost as if I need my phone to communicate but struggle to communicate because of my phone. 

My hope in exploring public relations is to develop an understanding of truthful, ethical storytelling. I want to connect with individuals through their own life stories and draw attention towards the good. As Judy Smith details in her book, we can transform our worst qualities into our biggest assets. I believe approaching this semester with a strengths-based perspective will allow me to grow. I strive to grow not only a writer, but as a storyteller.