In this episode, Matt Kelly and I take a deep dive into the travails of Roseanne, her television network ABC and compliance over her vile and racist tweet comparing Obama advisor Valerie Jarrett to an ape. Immediately recognizing this is not a free speech issue, we consider the corporate response in light of corporate ethics, values and priorities. Matt wrote a great blog post on the topic, cited below.
We consider how social media has not only changed the acceleration of negative events and reputational damage but how companies must balance some quite sensitive and important interests to make the right call on their response. We consider the response of ABC and recently Starbucks over its racial issues and contrast the approach of United Airlines when a passenger was literally dragged off a plane, while holding a confirmed ticket. In today’s age of the social media accelerant, this is one podcast you cannot afford to miss.
Matt Kelly’s piece Roseanne, Corporate Priorities, and Social Media