Andres Wittermann on international media relations trends

Microsoft And Wikipedia Clash Over Paid Writer

How to influence articles on Wikipedia is an ongoing topic in the world of media and PR. There have been articles about Siemens changing articles on the company - and now Microsoft wanted to pay a writer for changing an article about an open source technology and Microsoft's competing standard.

AP writes that the writer and MS have confirmed the facts around Wikipedia's accusations - it is a well-known "Don't Do It" to pay people (or PR firms) to change entries on Wikipedia. MS thinks IBM-related sources have been behind the original article and says they wanted a neutral writer to represent the story as it is.

The lesson to learn from it comes from Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia. AP reports that he "advises to write or to commission a "white paper" on any subject with its interpretation of the facts, post it to an outside Web site and then link to it in the Wikipedia articles' discussions forums."

Web 0 - Do We Really Live In An Online World?

Do YOU understand why in so many hotels you still need to pay for getting online? I really am tired of it and just never thought of complaining.

Computerwoche Online just notified me of an interview between John Negroponte and sueddeutsche.de, where he complains about a Munich 5-star hotel , where he had to pay to get online. I actually have had that experience in London, in SF (!) and many other places just over the last couple of months.

If you are aware of a campaign which is fighting this, please let me know and I sign up immediately.

The Russian Challenge

Probably since the Bolshevik revolution the Russian reputation has suffered a a lot and Russia was seen as the home of evil in books ("Tintin in Russia"), movies (most of political thrillers) and other media.

Modern Russian companies don't only have to cope with the heritage, but also with the often dubious facts around the time when they were privatized, management members who are perceived as suspicious by the public in the West and a lifestyle of prominent Russian business figures, which also raises concerns in the public.

Today there are reports about a Russian billionaire who was taken into custody in France after a party, which police thought was an orgy with illegal prostitutes. It seems they didn't prove anything to be wrong in the end - so it seems the guy was really a victim of general perception.

It probably will need more than millions they are throwing into European football (Chelsea, Schalke) to get their image sorted. With all the money involved in their businesses it is a miracle they have not been able to get a better image so far.

Fun To Start The New Year With

First of all I wish everyone a happy, healthy and successful 2007.

I thought it would be a good way starting the new year with some fun. In Germany there is a huge discussion going on currently about a new Hitler movie, which will launch this Thursday. It is a comedy - and now everyone discusses if Hitler can really be the topic of humor and if - how he should be dealt with. In an article by Harald Martenstein in this issue's of DIE ZEIT I found a great link to a movie, which combines footage of a Hitler speech with a sketch by famous Bavarian comedian Gerhard Polt about a badly gone leasing deal. If you understand German, this is absolutely gorgeous - if not, you may still get it.

Enjoy the movie and a great new year!