Big News

There are a few stories currently filling the pages of our newspapers and taking up hours of TV coverage that are genuinely of historical importance. And they all have the fingerprints of the communications industry all over them.

You may have noticed yesterday that Barack Obama was sworn in as the latest leader of the free world. The messages around him, or if you prefer, the properties he embodies have been carefully selected and honed: change being the most prevalent.

You may too have noticed that the UK's banks are having a rough time of things. The communications around this story are more adversarial as two warring political parties try to make hay out of the mess. The news coverage of announcements and counter-announcements seems to just muddy the water and it's often better to look to the newspaper columnists to cut to the chase.

Finally, sport. The possible transfer of Brazilian footballer Kaka to Man City has filled hours of rolling sports broadcast and the newspapers' back pages for about a week.

Its conclusion on Monday evening was a case study in damage limitation. Politician, media mogul, owner of Kaka's club (AC Milan) and all-round good eggSilvio Berlusconi got his retaliation in first.

He announced that he was the one who had persuaded his star man to stay on and turn down the mega bucks that City were reported to be offering.

City countered with their own announcement that they'd never actually been allowed to speak to the player suggesting that the deal fell apart due to the money.

In every case you can see how the media is used to channel pre-determined messages direct to the relevant audience.

All of the players in this game have to play the hand they have been dealt in an ever-changing landscape. But some are more adept than others.

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