My True Self in the online world...

My True Self...

Wow; I just found out that there are people who actually LOOK at my blog, I won't go so far to say people are reading it, that would be expecting too much.

But just so you EAGER fans know, I have a more updated blog on mind of xianglie, it really is my true self (click on link above) this eNViousPR blog is strictly course related, I have a few more intriguing ramblings on the other. I should be updating this one aswell, but you know, writing about nothing is more fun than writing what you have been told to write. :3

Well, this was just a message to let you know about my other blog... talk about plugging oneself. I am pretty modest really... ;D teehee

Conor Nolan set assignment 4

Thought it might be nice to share with you the brighter points to my course, when we actually complete work. We may not see eye to eye at all time, and his lecture always interrupted breakfast/lunch so I was too hungry to be happy, but that Conor Nolan guy is cool and he knows how to teach.
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Assignment Week 4 – Blackberry Torch Issue: Engagement and Dialogue

Email sent to chairperson of Hotwire and to official side Blackberry email-address.

Task: To obtain a dialogue with Hotwire PR over the recent customer complaints of the Blackberry Torch handset that concluded with an admittance of fault.

Hotwire failed to respond to my email. Was this reasonable?

The email was sent from a free G-Mail account and the content included a statement of being a student. This does not build an entirely trustful applicant. It could be an undercover journalist or someone from a rival company trying to obtain information that Blackberry has declined to give. This does not make it acceptable.

Without a response in 48 hours any customer would dismantle any good reputation they held for a company.

 Blackberry publicists should have been watching the branded Blackberry forums and responding direct to customer; even if it was just a message to say that the company was looking into a fix for the freezing, what was most need was acknowledgement.

The lack of response and blatant ignorance of shareholder questions have left the issue unresolved over the processor quality thus loosing brand loyalty at the crucial time when rival companies have perfected this on their own models, therefore customer service should have been top priority.

My Ameera wrote a case study proposal.

Like the title say, Ameera wrote a proposal. It is my job to comment on it. Here is my comment... I don't get marked down for Olde English right?

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My sweete Ameera;

A most charming document you have crafted. An enjoyment I felt under my breast in reading the words upon thy screen, in summers past I could imagine that so many would undertake the dreary adventure that is the serious duty of healthcare PR.

Fear not, fair maiden, for I believe that you have the spirit to succeed! Your passion conveyed at the start of the notion feels my heart; for you to take on such a childhood fantasy and form it into a true act of heroism is indeed a brave and most enviable trait.

Your courageousness in the face of Ethical Considerations; especially the dreaded burdening of those that are completing other more urgent missions around you, is indeed important. Yet, the mere acknowledgment of this very danger will put you in great steed to overcome the obstacle, and win the battle!

Thus far, you have committed to report on the upholding of reputation in the face of ethical obstacles. Dost thou not think that this could tarnish the very reputation you intend to research? Although you know of this danger, as stated in your ending paragraph, a fair warning to thee Ameera, such actions can require more than thou hast to give.

I give you blessings on your journey young wonderer.

Oh my what a wonderful course... ¬_¬ not.

So hi blog, long time no see. I am not encouraged to lvoe you and show you the tender loving care you deserve but I have returned with a gift. <3 Here is the complaint that I will be adding to my entire class' joint complaint to the Big Cheeses of my university. I really do hope you enjoy as there is a fun analogy to keep you going half way ;D

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To whom it may concern.

This letter culminates my complaints toward the course I am currently undertaking at University College Falmouth; Public Relations. Money is a severe issue for not only students buy every individual member of society during this time of recession. I understand completely that the University requires payment from each student to be able to give a qualitative teaching unit to complete a degree; however, it can hardly be said that I, nor my classmates, have received this quality, or in fact the quantity required to complete a degree.

It is not fair that we must pay the same fees as other students at different universities that have a more structured and successful course. Below are the details on which I base my complaints; I hope you take them seriously and I require a reply within the week on how you plan to rectify these.

1.       Issue one is value for money.

a.       The summer term I am about to go into during my second year has no contact time whatsoever, yet I am paying a full terms tuition fees. The reason given by lecturers is that this is the time in which to complete the ‘case study’ module.  This specific module must be submitted mid May, after this we have nothing. It could be used to prepare us for Dissertation exercises, as we have 3 months open until our next term, but there is nothing like this planned.

2.       Quality of teaching when we do get contact time.

a.       We have been given puzzle sheets to learn how to write a press release; of which the sole purpose was merely a reminder of what should be included.

b.      The second lesson we had was a three hour test in which we were given a block of information and told to write news articles and one press release. This was before we had been taught how to write or given any house styles.

c.       The journalism tutors often criticise our work saying we have not been adopting the ‘house style’ in our essays and other references to which we have not been given the resources for. It has mostly been a mere accident when talking informally with friends on the journalism course we have found out about essay deadlines, titles, change in lecture times or rooms and also most of the assignments that we should have already completed. This information should have been communicated to us in emails; which is where the Journalism students have received it, but as we are ‘Public Relations’ students we are not included on many group emails.

3.       I chose Public Relations because I did not want to study Journalism.

a.       All but one of our lecturers in first year was a journalism tutor. And even though we were told in third term that the topics covered in the journalism degree are recommended to us and should be useful we were constantly told in presentations that the ‘following section is more journalism based rather than for PR.’ It could be compared to buying a banana but being given an apple. Although they are both good sources of vitamins and can be enjoyable, it is not what I wanted and I cannot do what I wanted with it- you can’t make a banana milkshake with an apple, no matter how you try and look at it.

4.       Journalism has a better structure.

a.       Our friends on the Journalism course that runs side by side to ours are given regular two maybe three a week assignments to update a blog, given ideas to start and feedback on each piece. In the 18 months of studying this course I have had perhaps two modules that have inspired me to keep a blog, but both are more academic theorising than practical pieces that I can show my talents as a media writer.

5.       CIPR crediting.

a.       Within three months of winning the title of being accredited by the CIPR we were told of the dissolution of the course and that the current students would be the last. A limited edition degree may not be appealing to any employer; it is understandable that the course should be stopped if the university cannot support it any longer; however with the quality of teaching we have so far received before the decision, and then the comparison to how we are being treated after, this course is barely giving us the background needed for the competitive careers market we will be in soon.

The obvious lack of passion from you and our lecturers destroy the remaining fires that we students have to continue injecting effort into our degree. We have paid for a service that we are still yet to receive.

Yours faithfully;

Natalie Venning

Second Year Public Relations BA (Hons)

University College Falmouth