Latest news with #PR
IOL News
3 days ago
- Politics
- IOL News
Kunene quits before the heat? Joburg mayor says city powerless after sudden resignation
Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero confirms the city can't investigate Kenny Kunene after his resignation, saying only police and his party can now handle allegations tied to a murder suspect.. Image: Timothy Bernard /Independent Newspapers Johannesburg mayor Dada Morero says the city council has no jurisdiction over embattled Patriotic Alliance deputy president Kenny Kunene following his resignation as councillor. Kunene, who was serving as Johannesburg's MMC for Transport, resigned from his positions as a Proportional Representation (PR) councillor and as a Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Transport in the City of Johannesburg on Saturday, after the Patriotic Alliance placed him on suspension pending an investigation into his alleged association with a murder suspect. In an interview on eNCA, Morero explained that Kunene's resignation meant the city could not pursue any internal inquiry. 'Council works quite differently. He has resigned as a councillor, meaning he's no longer part of council. And council, therefore, does not have jurisdiction over him in terms of our code of conduct as councillors,' Morero said. This is the hardest letter I ever had to write in my entire life, for sake of full transparency I am putting it here. — Gayton McKenzie (@GaytonMcK) July 26, 2025 Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading He stressed that the matter must now be handled by the authorities: 'It's a matter of the police and his party to investigate,once a councillor has resigned, we can no longer refer the matter to the ethics committee.' The Democratic Alliance has written to the mayor, demanding a full investigation into Kunene's conduct. ''The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Johannesburg notes the resignation of Mr Kunene as PR councillor and MMC of Transport in the City of Johannesburg,'' said the party in a statement on Saturday. The party said this came after it wrote to Morero demanding Kunene's removal as MMC of Transport, citing the powers granted to the Executive Mayor under section 60 of the Municipal Systems Act. While Kunene is no longer a councillor, the DA stated it still demands that investigations proceed as outlined in its letter to the Mayor. The party is calling for a full investigation into all contracts and procurement processes at the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA), a full investigation into the contractors and procurement process behind the Lilian Ngoyi Street repairs, and a full investigation into contracts, appointments, and procurement processes at the Metropolitan Trading Company (MTC). The DA maintains that Kunene had direct political oversight of these processes, organisations, and projects. DA Johannesburg Caucus Leader Belinda Kayser-Echeozonjoku said: 'Should the Executive Mayor fail to respond to the DA within 7 days, the DA will use all avenues at our disposal, including approaching law enforcement with the information available to us, to hold the Executive Mayor as Shareholder representative himself responsible for the alleged irregularities at JRA and MTC.' Morero acknowledged receiving the correspondence but noted that it likely arrived before Kunene's resignation. 'They know the law. They know the code of conduct of councillors,' he said, adding that his office would respond formally. Morero also confirmed that the city is working to fill the vacant MMC for Transport position: 'We are still discussing internally and at the right time we will announce the replacements. In no time we will give you the responses,' he said. Turning to transport-related issues, Morero addressed concerns over the Bree Street refurbishment project, which faced delays during Kunene's tenure. He confirmed there were problems with the initial contractor. 'The contractor was not meeting the milestones as required. The contractor also raised concerns about cash flow and about payments not coming on time. But as a result, between the contractor and the city, the contract was therefore nullified and a new contractor was brought in,' he said. Despite earlier delays, Morero assured residents the city is back on track. 'The contractor made a commitment to us that indeed by the end of August, when the explosion has happened, they would have concluded the work. So we are on track and by the 30th of August we should be in Bree Street or Lilian Ngoyi Street to announce the completion,' he said. The mayor revealed that the project's second phase ,widening the road, adding pavements, planting trees, and creating a more pedestrian-friendly 'complete street' , will take another year. 'We do apologise and we have said so to our residents that unfortunately there were contractual issues which led to the delays, and we are resolving them,' Morero said. Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel. IOL Politics
Khaleej Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Khaleej Times
Gwyneth Paltrow reportedly paid millions to clean up Astronomer's viral scandal
After tech company Astronomer found itself at the centre of a social media firestorm, thanks to a viral Coldplay concert moment involving its then-CEO and head of HR, Hollywood's Gwyneth Paltrow stepped in to turn all the chaos into calm. Now, her biographer Amy Odell has revealed just how handsomely she was rewarded. In a video posted to Instagram on July 26, Odell claimed that Paltrow was paid 'in the millions' for her short-term role as Astronomer's spokesperson, following the now-infamous concert clip. For context, Odell also shared some of the Goop founder's previous brand deals: $1.6 million for appearing at the Red Sea International Film Festival, a $1.25 million Swarovski contract, and a number of other multi-million dollar endorsements over the years, including with Copper Fit. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Amy Odell (@instamyodell) The drama began when Astronomer's CEO Andy Byron and HR head Kristen Cabot, both married to other people, were caught together on the jumbotron during a Coldplay concert in Boston. Their attempt to duck off-screen only made the moment more meme-worthy, sparking days of online ridicule, headlines, and even commentary from celebrities. The fallout was swift. But Astronomer didn't follow the typical PR playbook. Instead, they brought in Chris Martin's ex-wife, and in a savvy twist of celebrity-meets-crisis-management, Gwyneth Paltrow became the face of their reset. In a video posted by Astronomer on July 25, Paltrow appears poised and playful: 'Hi, I'm Gwyneth Paltrow. I've been hired on a very temporary basis to speak on behalf of the 300+ employees at Astronomer.' She skips over the scandal entirely and instead turns the spotlight to Astronomer's tech, calling it 'the best place to run a patchy airflow, unifying the experience of running data ML and AI pipelines at scale.' Whether the stunt was worth the steep fee is debatable, but in terms of brand visibility, it was a win. Astronomer's new CEO, Pete DeJoy, addressed the attention on LinkedIn, noting that the company has faced tough moments before and always bounced back.
Forbes
3 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
How Astronomer Turned A Viral Scandal Into An AI And Data-Driven Win
Astronomer turned a viral CEO scandal into a data-driven PR win—showcasing the power of real-time ... More analytics, AI infrastructure, and brand storytelling. What started as an awkward moment for Astronomer on a stadium screen has become one of the most unexpected marketing pivots in tech and a case study in how AI infrastructure companies can build brand resilience as effectively as they build data pipelines. Astronomer: Personal Goes Public On July 16, 2025, during a Coldplay concert at Gillette Stadium, Astronomer's CEO Andy Byron and Chief People Officer Kristin Cabot were caught on the venue's kiss cam. What might have been a fleeting, lighthearted moment turned viral when viewers realized the pair were executives at the same tech company and neither had intended for their embrace to become a public spectacle. Within hours, the clip was circulating online. Media headlines followed and commentary poured in. As scrutiny mounted, both Byron and Cabot were placed on leave. Shortly afterward, they resigned. Astronomer initiated an internal investigation focused on leadership ethics and conduct to preserve internal trust and external confidence. Most companies in crisis would go quiet. Astronomer instead responded with data-driven creativity. What Is Astronomer? From Airflow to Air Time Astronomer is not your average startup. Valued at approximately 1.3 billion dollars and based in New York, it is one of the most prominent players in the data orchestration space. The company was founded by Paola Peraza Calderon, Ry Walker, Greg Neiheisel, Viraj Parekh, and Pete DeJoy. It builds tools for managing and scaling Apache Airflow, the open-source project that has become the backbone for modern data pipelines. Its flagship offering, Astro, is a managed platform for Airflow. It gives companies a reliable way to build and monitor workflows across analytics, machine learning, and real-time AI. If data is the new oil, Astronomer provides the refinery. Astronomer is a data company for AI. It builds tools for managing and scaling Apache Airflow, the ... More open-source project that has become the backbone for modern data pipelines. That is why it matters. In a world where AI is only as good as the data feeding it, Astronomer enables companies to orchestrate complex pipelines, feeding models with the right data at the right time with full observability. Astronomer And The Viral Moment Meets a Data-Aware Pivot Instead of issuing a corporate apology and retreating, Astronomer's team recognized something rare. The scandal had momentum but also context. People were talking. And the brand, known primarily among data engineers, was suddenly in mainstream conversation. They leaned in. Within days, Astronomer released a self-aware video starring Gwyneth Paltrow. The actress and entrepreneur, also known as Chris Martin's ex-wife, appeared as the company's temporary spokesperson. The video poked fun at the scandal, made a subtle nod to the Coldplay connection, and most importantly, repositioned the company's story. This was no longer just about the incident. This was about data. In the video, Paltrow promoted Astronomer's upcoming Beyond Analytics conference and explained, with humor and clarity, what the company does. For a data infrastructure firm, it was a standout moment in data storytelling. Why It Worked For Astronomer The move was not just bold. It was aligned with the company's mission to deliver real-time data orchestration and observability. The same principles that govern resilient pipelines showed up in how Astronomer managed the public narrative. They kept it simple. No corporate speak. No walls of text. Just a bold, unexpected move. The Paltrow campaign dropped just as the conversation peaked, redirecting media attention while elevating brand awareness. Astronomer used the moment to educate a wider audience on what they do and why it matters in today's AI-driven economy. Meanwhile, the company stayed operationally strong. Co-founder Pete DeJoy stepped in as interim CEO. The product roadmap stayed intact. Customers, many of whom build AI workflows that depend on reliable data infrastructure, kept moving forward. The Bigger Astronomer Picture: Data Infrastructure For AI Is Having a Moment Astronomer's story fits into a larger trend. AI dreams depend on data infrastructure. As companies rush to deploy language models, recommendation engines, and AI agents, they are discovering that data systems are often the limiting factor. From Machine Learning (ML) observability to feature pipelines to distributed scheduling, the underlying technical work is challenging. Astronomer exists to help teams manage that complexity at scale. In a landscape full of generative AI hype, Astronomer reminds us that infrastructure still matters. Astronomer And The Kiss Cam That Sparked a Data Moment It is not often that a kiss cam sparks a discussion about workflow orchestration. But Astronomer's response was more than clever PR. It was a live demonstration of what data-first thinking looks like in the real world. When the inputs are messy, the signal is chaotic, and the public is watching, can your company adapt with clarity and speed? Astronomer did. And that may be the best endorsement of their platform yet.
Vancouver Sun
4 days ago
- Politics
- Vancouver Sun
Electoral flashback: B.C. MLAs mull proportional representation despite voters saying no three times
VICTORIA — A B.C. legislature committee recently spent two weeks on a trip down memory lane, revisiting the debate over proportional representation that dominated three referendums over the past 20 years. The committee on democratic and electoral reform — four New Democrats, two Conservatives and one Green — was appointed to review a range of issues after the last provincial election. But in two weeks of public hearings earlier this month, most of the witnesses focused on the committee's specific mandate to examine 'models for electing members of the legislature, including proportional representation.' A daily roundup of Opinion pieces from the Sun and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Informed Opinion will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. The switch to a form of proportional representation, or PR, was an option in a referendum during the 2009 provincial election and another in a ballot-by-mail in 2018. Both times voters endorsed the existing first-past-the-post system by a decisive 61 per cent. PR got 58 per cent support in a 2005 referendum but fell short of the 60 per cent threshold set by the then B.C. Liberal government. Yet it is back on the agenda this year at the behest of the Greens. The B.C. party could have won as many as eight seats under PR in the last provincial election as opposed to the two it did win under first-past-the-post. The prospect drew a scornful submission from Bill Tieleman, political consultant, one-time press secretary to NDP Premier Glen Clark, and a leader of the successful fight against PR in the earlier referendums. 'The public has clearly spoken,' said Tieleman. 'Yet here we are again. I regret that the provincial legislature is once more examining an issue that B.C. voters have democratically, decisively, and not once but twice strongly rejected. 'The reason is clear. The B.C. Green party insisted on this committee examining proportional representation as a condition for supporting the B.C. NDP government. I get it. It's political reality. 'But this committee should not be examining electoral systems for the fourth time. It's kind of ridiculous after 20 years, when B.C. voters have heard all the arguments and voted against proportional representation with what should be finality.' Tieleman offered a shorthand take on why voters prefer the status quo to PR. 'The reason why voters strongly supported our current first-past-the-post system is that it is simple, stable and successful,' he argued. 'By comparison, proportional representation is complicated and confusing, and it removes local, accountable elected officials. It is a foreign voting system that has chronic problems where it's used.' Most of those who made submissions — electoral reform advocates, university professors, Green party members and others — disagreed. Many of their arguments for proportional representation were similar to ones mounted in the past two referendums. But I was struck by how some PR advocates have turned against the whole idea of referendums after losing two in a row. Leading the way on that score was the first speaker in the lineup, Adriane Carr, a former Vancouver city councillor and a former leader of the Greens. Referendums are too time consuming, she argued. 'Timeliness is important, so no referendum beforehand,' she argued. Rather, Carr says the government should impose proportional representation by a vote of the legislature before the next election. Then, after a term or two of governments elected under PR, it would submit the system to referendum after the fact. Fair Voting B.C. went further, declaring that 'voting reform is a civil rights issue, and referendums are not an appropriate way to settle such questions.' Rejecting the notion of bypassing referendums was Bob Plecas, a Tieleman ally in the fight against PR and a deputy minister under former Social Credit and NDP governments. 'The legislature should not unilaterally end this relationship with the voters who today directly elect their MLA, especially after 61 per cent of them have just recently rejected the idea of pro rep,' said Plecas. 'If it proceeds, it would be essential to go to a referendum including a supermajority in both vote and constituency.' The committee wrapped up hearings last week and closed the door on written submissions Friday. The members will then get to work crafting recommendations to the legislature. Their final report is due Nov. 26. If the MLAs felt bound by the majority of submissions on electoral reform, they would recommend a shift to proportional representation. But I doubt that will happen. Since dodging the PR bullet in 2018, the B.C. NDP has won back-to-back majorities under first-past-the-post. The party's provincial director, Tania Jarzabek, did propose some electoral reforms in a submission to the committee. Pointedly, she did not take a stand on PR, one way or the other. Nor can I see the Conservatives supporting an electoral system that could empower further splits in their already fractious caucus. Besides, just this past week, Research Co. reported an opinion poll on electoral reform. While respondents showed some interest in other systems for electing governments, 65 per cent said they were satisfied with the existing first-past-the-post system. I expect committee members, apart from the one Green MLA, will reach a similar conclusion in favour of the status quo and avoid a call for proportional representation, with or without a referendum. vpalmer@
Entrepreneur
4 days ago
- Business
- Entrepreneur
How to Earn Customer Trust and Boost Sales Without Big Ad Budgets
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. For every one dollar businesses invest in public relations (PR), they earn an average of $5.50 back in media coverage. For this reason and more, major corporations consider PR indispensable. PR can make a big difference for companies and organizations of all sizes, however. As consumers' trust in traditional advertising and marketing has waned, PR has emerged as a vital part of strategic business communications. This is especially true at key moments in an organization's development, such as in the months before launching a new enterprise, product or service. The problem with traditional advertising and marketing Research has shown that customers today are much more skeptical of advertising and marketing campaigns than their predecessors. According to a December 2024 report from YouGov, 53% of survey participants said ads are a waste of time, and 52% said they don't trust TV ads. The distrust is particularly marked among members of the younger generations. A Connect by Live Nation survey recently discovered that only one in four of these customers say they trust brands. Instead, they want transparency, authenticity and realness. Luckily, PR offers exactly that kind of transparent, authentic and honest approach that today's consumers crave. Related: How to Master Public Relations and Build Lasting Trust in a Changing World PR's unique approach to strategic communications PR can disarm the cynical and build trust with target audiences. Instead of paying to put self-interested messages in front of people, PR earns the media's attention by offering legitimate value to readers, viewers and listeners. PR professionals have many different strategies for attracting this media coverage. Much of it comes down to staying on top of the news cycle, having an in-depth understanding of clients' areas of expertise and building relationships with journalists and editors. Publicists then combine these factors to create opportunities to shine the spotlight on their clients. For instance, when a hurricane has just ravaged a community, publicists understand that many members of the public will be worried about the prospect of losing their own homes in another such event. The publicists can take advantage of this opportunity by offering to allow journalists to interview their clients who specialize in insurance. This gives the client a chance to explain how homeowners can best protect their property before a storm. While the client never explicitly promotes their own insurance products in their commentary, the fact that they are willing to take the time to be helpful and offer guidance reflects well on them and their company. Being featured in the media also enhances their search engine optimization (SEO), which means search engines are likely to rank them higher in online search results. This is just one example — the important thing is that talented publicists understand how to pique the media's interest in their clients at any given time. Related: 5 Common Misconceptions About Public Relations Why PR makes a difference This sort of media appearance or mention — often called "earned media" — is very different from a promotional ad. It offers education, knowledge, expertise and goodwill toward the public, not an attempt to sell something to them. Yet, PR is also an effective way to promote clients' products and services. The company's valuable advice and ethical behavior create a positive connection with viewers. Doing PR fosters trust, which can pay off when members of the audience seek to purchase a relevant product or service later. Indeed, according to the Edelman Trust Barometer, survey respondents identify earned media as a better way to win their trust than any other kind of marketing. As the same study also reports, industry experts are trusted more than any other source, including peers, celebrities, and influencers. The combination of authority and empathy is a winning one. That's the combination PR offers. As a result, studies show that PR has a positive impact on the bottom line. ALSO READ: How You Can Leverage These PR Strategies to Build Your Company's Credibility and Trust — Even When Under Attack PR buoys the bottom line A 2020 survey showed that, after hearing about a product on a podcast, 64% of listeners visited the company's website, and 55% ended up purchasing the item. Meanwhile, 70% of those same people said they fast-forward through ads. According to research and advisory firm Forrester, companies that garner earned media can generate as many as 20 times more leads than those that only pay for advertising. As these numbers show, PR buoys businesses at any given time. Yet there are also key moments when it's even more important to do PR. The right time to do PR Studies indicate that PR makes a particular difference at certain times in their development. Doing PR in the months leading up to the launch of a new product, service or business helps the enterprise take off better than advertising. My own experience bears out these conclusions. For instance, one of my PR agency's clients — an anti-aging wellness center — was worried that no one would show up to their grand opening. We reached out to influencers based in his community and sent media advisories to local news outlets and the Chamber of Commerce, which promoted the event on its own social media accounts. This created buzz, and as a result, the grand opening was packed with people, many of whom booked appointments. Again, this is just one example. Basically, PR introduces people to new products, services and businesses more effectively than advertising because it mobilizes third parties that are considered more trustworthy than a brand would be itself. PR delivers results While every company stands to benefit from cultivating trust with consumers, doing PR is particularly important for new companies and businesses that foresee launching new products or services in the coming year. For the best results, be proactive and start well in advance. This will give your PR team time to strategize, do market research, and create the key connections necessary for optimal outcomes. Major corporations engage in PR because it delivers results. That's why businesses of all sizes should do so, too. Ready to break through your revenue ceiling? Join us at Level Up, a conference for ambitious business leaders to unlock new growth opportunities.
