X-Message-Number: 901
From: david! (David A. Roth)
Subject: Re: cryonics: #896 - #898
Date: Sat, 13 Jun 92 00:15:40 EST

> . . .
> [ David, I lost track long ago of all the radio, TV, and print media
>   presentations on cryonics and cryonics organizations.  True, the need for
>   media exposure is a never-ending task, but the main PR problem confronting
>   cryonics and cryonics organizations today is that nobody can verify that
>   cryonics works (even though we have a LOT of indirect evidence).

Man didn't make it to the moon until we got there.

>   Research
>   showing that complex organisms retain their memories after freezing would
>   go a long way toward changing that.  Some of this research can be done for
>   a lot less money than the cost of hiring a PR agency.  Where would you
>   prefer to put your limited cryonics dollars? - KQB ]
> 
     I would certainly like to see non-profit companies not to have
to spend any money towards their own funding but how many more people
are helped because the public is aware of the cause?  Would other
types of research be given as much attention and funding if it were
not for PR efforts.  By not spending the effort towards better PR,
which enlightens more people of what is going on then
there is a smaller net for research.

      I'd also like to point out that PR agencies like law firms do
have their own causes and in some cases do have reduced fees for certain
projects.  Sometimes they take on these types of projects because
it is good visablity for the agency.  The reason a company, for-profit
and non-profit, spends money towards PR is because it nets them a greater
return.  Funding for a cause or to help a publisher sell more books.  The
old myth that PR will happen by word of mouth or only after a late
breaking discovery is misguided.  Things in the media don't simply happen
on their own.  It is guided by the help of experienced PR consultants who
know how to present your "story" in a way that can be covered by the
media.  Since I have joined this mailing list in the last few months I
have seen news posted in the form of news releases that I was impressed
with the research results -- yet I have not seen or heard a thing about
it except in this mailing list.  The media is like a gain complex
computer and you need the right PR "programmer" to present the data in a
way it can make the best use of it.

I am not trying to start a debate.  You have interesting things going
on here and it should be making more headlines and talked about more
on radio/TV talk shows.

I hope my comments have helped.

David

Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=901