How Does Your Business Navigate This Changing World of Ethics? Join us June 13th for a Live Discussion #TruthonTrial

Doug Simon, CEO of DS Simon Media and Richard Levick, Chairman & CEO of LEVICK, a global communications and brand protection for corporations, countries, and major institutions meet for a quick discussion about #TruthonTrial, a live event and webcast, that will explore the changing standards in ethics, communications and will attempt to figure out what organizations need to know to navigate the current information environment.

Join the FREE live discussion on June 13th as Doug Simon CEO of DS Simon Media, Ty Cobb Former Special Counsel to the President, Andrew McCarthy, Major Elliott Garret Chief White House Correspondent for CBS News, Richard Levick Chairman & CEO of LEVICK, and other top talent in the legal, communications and media professions to share their best advice on navigating this changing world of ethics. Register for the FREE webcast here.

FULL TRANSCRIPT

DOUG SIMON: Have we got a treat for you. And it’s not us that’s putting truth on trial, that’s top of mind issue whether you’re involved in government, communications, the media and we’re covering it a special CommPRO event. I’m Doug Simon of D S Simon Media and I’m here with Richard Levick who put this event together with us and the folks at CommPRO to really deliver you, those of you in government, in communications insight into how you navigate this current territory. Thanks so much for being with us Richard. And we’re going to be talking about what the implications are for communicators and what’s behind ethics and the collapse of institutional trust. Richard you brought some terrific people to the event. Do you want to share a little bit about some of the participants.

RICHARD LEVICK: Sure Doug. You know so many people work on this putting it together. But I think we have sort of like the Ben-Hur we have a cast of dozens who are going to be participating here. Ty Cobb Chief among them, Richard Painter who’s the White House Counsel in the Bush administration, of course Ty who’s just left the White House and special Counsel to the present the United States president, Trump. I’ve known Ty for a few decades and he is a longtime Washington player and has extraordinary insight into how Washington works, but how it’s changed and how it’s changed both from a legal and communications perspective.

DOUG SIMON: Sure. And you know never before has the media faced such scrutiny. I mean it’s not unusual for politicians, government officials, corporations and others to be on opposite sides of the media. But now it’s become so heightened-I think it’s important to get Major Garrett the Chief White House correspondent from CBS News his perspective and that’s going to be available to you for free on June 13th from 1 to 3 p.m. as part of CommPRO event.

RICHARD LEVICK: You know one of the questions, I think to raise in terms of the challenges for media is that no time in the past even during the Nixon administration has the media felt as defensive and how is it that they played the role of referee if you will calling balls and strikes not trying to appear partisan. It’s a very very challenging thing. And I think one of the things we see now is a transition back to the way papers used to be at the founding of the country. The way media used to be which is to say that everyone has a political point of view.

DOUG SIMON: And there are multiple truths out there and that’s why it’s important that we’re gonna have a panel of communicators KayAnn P.  Schoeneman among them Senior Vice President Director Of Corporate and Public Affairs At Ketchum and KayAnn definitely be able to share those insights we’ll be able to take questions from viewers. A couple of things that come up- there are multiple truths. It’s not just truth on trial, and from different perspectives that truth may be different for different individuals and that shows up in how the media covers it. One incident I’d like to get on the table right now-that just took place as we’re recording this piece, is that Roseanne Barr’s new show was ended by one tweet. How unusual could it be that a top program completely knocked off the network by one offensive tweet by a comedian for that matter.

RICHARD LEVICK: Well you raise a lot of questions Doug, obviously. What is it that comedians are allowed to do? But also, an offensive tweet and there’s no question that this tweet was offensive. But what’s happening is that companies, networks, and other companies-Starbucks not wanting the company brand to be tarnished are making extraordinarily quick moves to extricate themselves to separate themselves from the apparent offender. And whereas sometimes it made the crime and the punishment may fit we’re in such a rush to judgment that we’re not always sure.

DOUG SIMON: Well it’s hard to say anything is nonpartisan these days you know because everything is partisan. We’re going to do as much as possible to keep it that way for instance on the Comedians side, Michelle Wolf was challenge from a different political perspective than Roseanne Barr, you know could comedians be funny? How this has changed our culture? But most importantly, how do you as a communicator navigate this from your organization your brand? We hope you’ll be joining us June 13th from 1 p.m. on CommPRO. This free web nor with a sensational cast of characters and Richard I want to thank you for being with us. Thank you so much.