There’s not many real journalists left, so PR flaks rule the ether.

It’s not surprising that repeat offender of PR-before-peer-review Sylvan Charlebois has climbed the org chart, moving from the University of Guelph to dean thingy at Dalhousie University’s Faculty of Management in Halifax, Nova Scotia (guess that’s like going from Guelph to be president of the University of Windsor).

The best and brightest get promoted up the chain.

The public relations machinery at Dalhousie University announced breathlessly on April 5, 2018 that Canadians are confused about food recalls.

And the National Post faithfully reprinted the PR.

“A new study from Dalhousie University’s Faculty of Management shows that many Canadians aren’t getting enough information about food recalls. In a recent survey, most respondents underestimated the number of food recalls that happened in 2017, and many had trouble correctly recollecting recalls that have occurred.”

The new study is just that – a study.

It has not been peer-reviewed, it has not been published, the kind of standards scientists are used too.

So, no discussion from me – other than PR-before-publication is a dangerous trap.

The best thing Halifax has going for it is underrated power-pop band, Sloan, who released new music a couple of weeks ago.