Ford AU is the media's new victim.

MarkIV · 27-08-2008, 10:52 AM

Having largely contributed to the demise of Mitsubishi's operations in Australia it seems the media is looking for a new whipping boy.

There is so much negative press about Ford at the moment - poor sales, job losses, declining large car market, pulling out of the V8s, FWD Falcons etc. Whilst some of these of these are facts and some are just media started rumours the whole thing creates a viscious circle.

Why would you buy a Ford if the media says they might go out of business? Of course if you don't buy a Ford they will go out of business and the media can say "we told you so".

At this time the media should be doing all it can to support Australian business. Destroying public confidence in Ford Australia is not the wat to do it.

Rant over.

Cobra · 27-08-2008, 11:01 AM

Yeah I agree, but what can be done to change what the media say? Not much! Maybe Ford can invite the media in for a cuppa and a looksee at some up and comers? Something that the media might WANT to tell the public about, like diesels for instance. Can turn negative press into positive PR.

Wishful thinking and far from reality I know...

Wretched · 27-08-2008, 11:07 AM

I am not sure they're the reason for the decline of Ford.
I would be more looking at Ford themselves.
Nissan shutdown here a long time ago, did that stop anyone buying a Nissan?
I still see a lot of Mitsubishi Lancers around, so obviously someone is buying them.

The media is simply reporting on the basket case that is Ford at the moment.
It would be nice that they can turn around within a couple of years and prove all critics wrong.

**Fordman1** · 27-08-2008, 11:10 AM

The media are reporting. That's what they do.

It's up to Ford to put together a plan and make it work.

4Vman · 27-08-2008, 12:48 PM

Why is the eco/green movement and global warming such a massive issue at the moment??

TZENU · 27-08-2008, 12:59 PM

Wasn't Osborne responsible for the new "five-year plan" ??.. Maybe now that he no longer is with the company, Ford should shed some more light; it may help with PR..

RPO83 · 27-08-2008, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cobra

Yeah I agree, but what can be done to change what the media say? Not much! Maybe Ford can invite the media in for a cuppa and a looksee at some up and comers? Something that the media might WANT to tell the public about, like diesels for instance. Can turn negative press into positive PR.

Wishful thinking and far from reality I know...

Ford have been running a monthly Thursday informal chat session with the media for some time now.

||| · 27-08-2008, 01:21 PM

poor ford. maybe they should invest in something called a PR department. i hear all the cool companies have one these days.

outback_ute · 27-08-2008, 02:56 PM

As RPO says, the info is getting out to the media, it is what they do with it & how they present it. For example with the announcement of job losses at Unidrive the news story says "... and of course this follows on from xxx job losses at Ford and also Mitsi's decision to shut down their manufacturing plant" (seemingly forgetting that the plant closed months ago). One of the news reports I heard after Ford's announcement said they were shedding 25% of staff, some are just hopeless.

Not to mention they don't seem to have linked all the current job losses etc & the tariff cuts. Perhaps it is a separate issue, but do we want to have any manufacturing in this country or not?

Falcon_Crazy · 27-08-2008, 03:04 PM

As some have saidm the media will report what they want to. The company i work for is battling its own PR problem and despite talking the time and effort to provide the media with a stack of balanced and corrective ifnormation, they will still seize the opportunity to only report the sensationailistic stuff.

PR may sound easy, it is not - you can have the best, but at the end of the day, the media will print/say/show whatever angle that best suits their strive for marketshare/sales. How much of this has been on ABC? I have not heard too much of the negative as i listen to the ABC - it is more balanced about what Ford are doing.

swapper · 27-08-2008, 06:08 PM

Quote:

There is so much negative press about Ford at the moment - poor sales, job losses, declining large car market, pulling out of the V8s, FWD Falcons etc. Whilst some of these of these are facts and some are just media started rumours the whole thing creates a viscious circle.

well these arent media started rumours, (except maybe the FWD falcon)
poor sales, job losses, declining large car market, pulling out of the V8s.....these are all facts, there is no arguing that

Jason[98.EL] · 27-08-2008, 08:11 PM

and the fact that ford here in geelong are having an 18 day lay off /shut down this includes maintenance workers

what does that say about how bad things are

Grimus

Rodp · 27-08-2008, 10:09 PM

Pretty articles to try and prop up a declining market is not what the media is there to do and it's certainly not going to sell any papers. I think you're giving the media way too much credit to suggest they were the largely responsible for Mitsubishi going to the wall.

I don't know how many people would be deterred from buying a large car because they read an article in the rag about how bad the large car market is. They're going to be looking at their wallets first. Is this just supposition that the media is underlying reason that Ford and Commodore sales are declining, or have you any hard data of their influence?

Cobra · 28-08-2008, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RPO83

Ford have been running a monthly Thursday informal chat session with the media for some time now.

Well there you go. And it isn't helping much is it? Well, it's not helping Fords current situation which is on a much larger scale than just bad press. If I was religious I would say 3 prayers a day for Ford.

FORD5 · 28-08-2008, 02:09 PM

Media is gay.

Bud Bud · 28-08-2008, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4Vman

Why is the eco/green movement and global warming such a massive issue at the moment??

HA HA so true! What ever happened to hug a tree or save the whales! Last time I looked they were still cutting down forests and the Japanese were still hunting whales.

MarkIV · 28-08-2008, 04:11 PM

The media can only focus on one thing at a time. Have you noticed if something is hot or melting its "global warming" and if something is unseasonally cold its "climate change".

Also up here in Brissie we don't have plain weather any more its "the big chill", "the big freeze", "the big wet" or "Brissie's wild weather" whenever the weather is slightly different?

Van D · 28-08-2008, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Falcon_Crazy

As some have saidm the media will report what they want to. The company i work for is battling its own PR problem and despite talking the time and effort to provide the media with a stack of balanced and corrective ifnormation, they will still seize the opportunity to only report the sensationailistic stuff

Agreed. I just got the boot today (Kenworth flow on), but the company I worked for (luckily for them) uses clever PR where from the outside they look the goods, yet inside it's a shambles :togo:

Assassinbm · 29-08-2008, 12:43 PM

Own the media.....own the world!!

GSH · 29-08-2008, 01:28 PM

well im happy with my AU......ill whip a few nuts out of the front of that joint if they rekon the AU is dud.....ggrrr

XR8GRL · 29-08-2008, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4Vman

Why is the eco/green movement and global warming such a massive issue at the moment??

$$$$.

Rodp · 29-08-2008, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GSH

well im happy with my AU......ill whip a few nuts out of the front of that joint if they rekon the AU is dud.....ggrrr

No need to threaten them with nudity.. Fairfax has its own problems right now.

4Vman · 29-08-2008, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XR8GRL

$$$$.

bingo! and of course the media have total control of what we read and believe i guess...
"Green" is a multi billion dollar industry.....