Main Stream Media News (MSM)

From time to time I use this forum to celebrate the hard work of journalists, as well as to "set the record" straight where reporting has gone awry and ventured into sensationalism.  The way I figure it, as PR folks, we spend enough time complaining when a reporter gets the story wrong we should spend just as much time applauding when they get it right! With that said, I am happy for this to be an occasion where I celebrate a journalist with integrity.  This time, it's Morris Jones , Washington, D.C. Bureau Chief, Sinclair Broadcasting, and host of " American Crossroads ." A few weeks ... Read Full Story

Last Saturday the New York Times published an op-ed , written by Stefan Lonce  that illustrates the challenges motor vehicle administrators face in managing both vanity and specialty license plate programs. Lonce successfully distinguishes between the two types of plates.  And he even recommends a solution to the vanity plate conundrum:  a national database of offensive terms and alpha numeric combinations.  He suggests this would serve as a national clearinghouse for motor vehicle agency employees to vet potentially offensive terms and perhaps prevent state agencies from being sued for denying a potential plate's message. The verdict is still out on whether or not his ... Read Full Story

Then it was probably AAMVA's fault. Mea culpa. You see most, if not all, state motor vehicle agencies, use AAMVA's private and secure network ( AAMVAnet ) to process customer transactions.  To put this into perspective for you, AAMVAnet processes approximately 3 million DMV transactions per day, and, since being placed into service in 2006, has had no outages! I'm no tech expert, but I am not sure that any newtwork service provider can boast that record.  And AAMVAnet processes 99 percent of transactions in 0.1 second.  That's faster than you can say DMV. Typical motor vehicle agency transactions across this secure and private network can include ... Read Full Story

For the second time in a year , the New York Times' Chris Jensen has dug into motor vehicle fraud crimes and exclaimed, "Eurkea, NMVTIS ."  Jensen has done his homework on this piece just as he did his previous articles.  During the course of his research for this story, he spoke with me numerous times.  I can't even begin to tell you the number of emails we exchanged.  And all of his communication with me, and other affected parties, was, for nothing more, but the pursuit of the truth.  In my opinion, he covered all the angles here and brought much-needed attention to a ... Read Full Story

License plate controversy  erupted a week ago over the proposed, and now DOA, "I BELIEVE" specialty license plate in Fla.  And now, the South Carolina legislature is poised to direct the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles to issue the nation's first specialty license plate decorated with the image of a cross. Who could have ever imagined a little old piece of metal could prove to have so much mettle? Now, I'm sure most have an opinion of whether or not this is a good thing or a bad thing.  Personally, I would just like to know what organization stands to benefit financially from the ... Read Full Story