The Scoop: WSJ reporter’s release emphasizes importance of free press
Jobs report may indicate economic struggles ahead; Threads reaches major user milestone.
After 491 days of unjust detention in Russia, Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich is free and back home in the United States.
Gershkovich, 32, spent the last year-plus behind bars on a false allegation of espionage. A Russian court sentenced him to 16 years in a high-security penal colony following a hurried and secret three-day trial, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The United States government managed to secure Gershkovich’s freedom as part of a multicounty prisoner exchange with Russia. Among those also released were fellow journalist Alsu Kurmashevar, former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan and British-Russian activist Vladimir Kara-Murza.
Join @VP and me as we greet Americans freed from Russia at Joint Base Andrews. https://t.co/0B5iOzYKk0
— President Biden (@POTUS) August 2, 2024
Why it matters: The return of all four individuals is surely a relief for their families, loved ones and colleagues. It’s also huge news for the Wall Street Journal, Radio Free Europe-Radio Liberty (where Kurmashevar works as an editor) and journalists across the globe.
PR and comms professionals work closely with journalists every day and know the importance of their work. Having a free press – one without the threat of government interference or censorship – makes it possible for the public to trust the stories and thought leadership journalists are sharing.
The freedom of the press is a fundamental liberty of the United States, so much so that it’s embedded in the First Amendment of our Constitution. Journalists serve as watchdogs of truth and help convey important and sometimes confusing messages with the public to help them better understand what’s going on in the world around them.
That sense of trust is what makes earned media so important, and the safety of journalists so vital to the field of communications and the world.
6. It is worth remembering that Evan was thrown in jail and had his life put on hold for 16 months for doing absolutely nothing wrong. He was charged and convicted for practicing journalism. Period. #IStandWithEvan #WelcomeHomeEvan
— Paul Beckett (@paulwsj) August 1, 2024
This situation, particularly that involving both Gershkovich and Kurmasheva, is a reminder that those same freedoms aren’t experienced everywhere.
“There are still far too many journalists and other political prisoners wrongfully detained in Russia and around the globe, and we must continue to work to win their freedom,” former President Bill Clinton wrote on X . “My thoughts are with the families soon to be reunited, and with those whose loved ones remain imprisoned.”
The biggest takeaway here is we’re happy that Evan and Alsu are back home and can hopefully get back to work soon. Can’t wait to read your next byline.
Editor’s Top Reads:
- The United States added a weaker-than-expected 114,000 jobs in July, slowing a previously rising hiring trend. The unemployment rate also rose to 4.3%, reaching its highest point since October 2021, according to the Associated Press. A weak job report might indicate economic challenges are on the horizon. The country continues to face high interest rates, and many industries aren’t hiring: Roughly 56% of new hiring in July was in healthcare and social assistance, per the AP. Restaurants, hotels and bars added nearly 26,000 jobs nationwide. These types of numbers can have a major impact on consumer confidence. It’s important to understand how these numbers may influence public perception of your business sector, so you can develop an effective communications plan as the broader economy starts to shift.
- Italian gymnast Giorgia Villa has ascended to social media stardom during the Paris Olympics in part because of her unlikely, but obviously brilliant, partnership with the Parmesan cheesemakers. By now, you’ve undoubtedly seen the quirky photos of the 21-year-old athletically posing next to or in some cases, on top of huge wheels of Italian cheese. But neither the photos nor Villa’s partnership with the Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium are new; the deal began ahead of the 2021 Summer Games in Tokyo. The photos resurfaced after Villa helped Italy capture its first Olympic medal in artistic gymnastics since 1928. The delayed success of these playful images underscores the immense marketing power of moments such as the Olympics. The Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium’s modestly followed social media channels are being inundated with comments about Villa and the cheesy (in a good way!) photos. Now would be the perfect time for the cheesemakers to capitalize on this viral moment. There’ve been no recent social posts about the campaign from either Villa or Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium, so it’s unclear if the deal is ongoing. It’d be a major missed opportunity if the two sides didn’t try to parlay this into a new campaign in the very near future.
- Threads has eclipsed the 200 million user mark after just 13 months. The X rival hit the mark by collecting another 25 million signups since the start of July. Having embedded relationships with Meta’s other major social properties, Facebook and Instagram, has been a major benefit to Threads’ efforts to build momentum. But the milestone also suggests users may be feeling a bit burned out by Elon Musk’s X. As TechCrunch reported: “The demise of legacy Twitterunder Musk’s erratic change of direction — which alienated scores of long-time users — was the original impetus for Meta to launch Threads, to offer consumers an alternative space for online discussion.” It’s far too early to speculate that Threads will be the eventual X killer; X reported having 600 million monthly users as of late May. But this data reasserts that Meta doesn’t view Threads as merely an X alternative. Meta’s owner Mark Zuckerberg famously stated that he believes Threads has the potential to become a 1 billion user app.
Casey Weldon is a reporter for PR Daily. Follow him on LinkedIn.