So now I'm a "public enemy."

At least according to a contributor to AMRA News, the monthly publication of the Automatic Meter Reading Association..

That's not the case with opinion/editorial blogs. Online op-eds are just like those in the newspaper. If they're compelling enough, corporate communicators might want to be thinking of ways to address them.

To illustrate his point, Joyce offers this example of a blog posting that slams Xcel Energy. He says it's a particularly effective hit against the utility, because the blog writer is using one of the Xcel's own brochures as evidence of the gas utility's misstep.

Should you respond to such a posting? And, if so, how? "If the op-ed piece is raising important issues, you may want to respond to the writer on the blog," Joyce says. But, even if you don't want to engage the writer online, "you might want to come up with some corporate message that explains or counters the negative viewpoint so that you can start shaping public opinion in your favor."

Heh.

Well, the linked article was written in February, so they're a bit late. But then again, better late, than never.

The Automatic Meter Reading Association has it out for me now.


I better double check my electric bill :-)