DALLAS, Dec 17, 2003/ FW/ --- This is the season of “lists,” especially Santa’s who has been “naughty or nice.”

San Francisco-based Fineman PR sent out their “naughty” PR list for 2003 with their Ninth Annual PR Blunders List.

For the past nine years, Fineman PR assembles the annual PR Blunders List as a reminder of how critical public relations is to businesses and organizations. Selections are limited to Americans, American companies, or offenses that occurred in America.

Topping the “winners” (or should we say losers) this year are Fox News, the Pentagon, Kozlowski and Michael Jackson (see above photo) on the 10 Worst 2003 PR Gaffes.

Listed below is the whole list with explanations on why they were selected.

1. PR BY LITIGATION MAKES THINGS WORSE FOR FOX NEWS

Television networks are supposed to be pillars of free speech, so no one missed the irony when Fox News sued liberal satirist Al Franken.

Fox accused Franken and his publisher of trademark infringement in August claiming they had violated its "fair and balanced" trademark.

Franken's new book attacks Fox often and uses 'fair and balanced' in its mocking title. Naturally when the suit hit the press, sales of the book immediately shot to the top of Amazon.com's bestseller list.

According to the New York Times, Judge Denny Chin threw the suit out saying, "Of course it is ironic that a media company that should be fighting for the First Amendment is trying to undermine it."

PR Week columnist Paul Holmes wrote, " ... the fact that Fox News can trademark a phrase so unrelated to its true agenda ... it's as if Larry Flynt had trademarked the phrase 'tasteful and modest' ... "

2. PENTAGON PLACES WRONG BET ON TERRORISTS

Betting on the probabilities of terrorist attacks, assassinations and coups sounds like something college kids might dream up.

But it was the basis of a $1 million Pentagon experimental program, according to the Washington Post.

After the Pentagon defended the plan, the critics had a field day with the morality of Americans betting on death and destruction abroad. " ... terrorists, knowing they were planning an attack, could have bet on the attack and collected a lot of money.

It is a sick idea," Senator Barbara Boxer was quoted in the San Francisco Chronicle.

The plan was dumped and its author, Information Awareness Officer, John Poindexter, resigned.

3. KOZLOWSKI MODELS FOR CEOs: "EATING, DRINKING ... ALL THE THINGS WE'RE BEST KNOWN FOR" QUOTES TIME MAGAZINE

   Not even greed poster child Gordon Gecko appeared as wanton as former Tyco International CEO Dennis Kozlowski after a videotape of his wife's Sardinian birthday party was screened for jurors in New York.

   Kozlowski was on trial for allegedly looting Tyco of millions, and the video depicting toga-clad models on a lavish set reeking of indulgence at shareholder expense.

   Associated Press business columnist Rachel Beck had a Roman holiday with the story: "From General Electric to Adelphia, the corporate coffers have paid for over-the-top perks including private jets, luxury vacations, private golf courses ... But the Tyco video was momentous. It had executives live on tape surrounded by such excess."

4. DISSING THE NORMS HURTS MICHAEL JACKSON

Instead of finally acknowledging that sleeping with young boys may, in fact, be an appropriate concern for the mortals that make up his fan base, Michael Jackson turned defensive and combative when new child molestation allegations flared in November.

His guilt or innocence not withstanding, Jackson gave the impression he was a brash superstar who could ride above the norms, and his celebrity-crazed supporters tried to sway public opinion, but it backfired in the press.

"It's a sad statement on our society when we have hundreds of soldiers that have died in Iraq, continuing poverty in our cities and 43 million Americans without health care and yet some people are doing vigils for Michael Jackson," said American University communications professor Leonard Steinhorn on ABCNews.com

5. 5. DIXIE CHICKS FORGET THEIR AUDIENCE

Anti-Iraq war politics and country music don't mix well, but that didn't stop Dixie Chicks lead singer Natalie Maines from saying, "we're ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas."

The remark in London last March immediately put the Texas group in country music's doghouse.

Atlanta's Kicks radio station polled its listeners and 76 percent said, "If I could, I'd take my (Dixie Chicks) CDs back," according to CNN.

Listener fury led radio stations to boycott the group's songs, and the Chicks got booed at the Country Music Awards, the Associated Press reported.

With sales of Dixie Chicks' music suffering, Maines apologized.

6. 6. NOT SHARING SACRIFICES AT AMERICAN AIRLINES

To keep American Airlines out of bankruptcy, CEO Donald Carty's called for "shared sacrifice," and he was answered by a labor union vote "to accept $1.62 billion worth of annual concessions," according to Business Week.

But the magazine said Carty "snatched defeat from the jaws of victory" when details of a secret executive-retention bonus plan were revealed.

Carty's mega- blunder led to his resignation. "Carty not only damaged his own standing by trying to pull a fast one on the unions but also undermined the credibility of union leaders," Business Week wrote.

7. 7. KFC'S WHOPPER

It seemed reasonable to believe that a healthy diet didn't consist of a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken.

So when Louisville-based KFC aired commercials implying fried chicken can be part of "eating better," consumer advocates clucked loudly.

The November ads also claimed KFC had less fat than a Burger King whopper. A complaint was filed with the Federal Trade Commission, and newspapers blasted the company.

Advertising Age's editorial cut right to the bone: "In the long history of absurd, misleading and ludicrous ad claims, the campaign's positioning of KFC's breaded fried chicken as part of a healthy diet merits special derision. It damages the credibility not just of KFC, but of the entire marketing industry."

Two weeks after appearing, KFC pulled the ads.

8. GHETTOPOLY JUST ISN'T FUN

With its bandanna-wearing black man holding an Uzi and a bottle of malt liquor, the Monopoly-knockoff, Ghettopoly, was sure to offend many customers of Philadelphia-based street wear clothing retailer Urban Outfitters.

With caricatures of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the game's stereotypes were designed to be funny, according to Ghettopoly creator David Chang.

Black leaders weren't laughing, however, and they pressured Urban Outfitters to dump the game from its 52 stores.

"This is beyond making fun, to use the caricature of Dr. King in this regard. There's no way that game could be taken in any way other than this man had racist intent in marketing it," said Rev. Glenn Wilson on CNN.com

9. GRASSO'S BIG COMPENSATION, POOR COMMUNICATION

Richard Grasso's $140 million compensation package was a vestige of the bullish 1990s but couldn't stand up to the media scrutiny of the bearish 2000s.

Grasso, chairman of the New York Stock Exchange, made several PR blunders after his package was disclosed.

"Mr. Grasso badly misread the growing anger over his pay and the harm it has caused the exchange. He also erred in listening to high profile supporters -- including former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani -- who urged him to tough it out," The Wall Street Journal observed.

USA Today opined on Grasso's mistakes of stonewalling the press, while minimizing the payday fuss: "Instead of defusing what turned into a major crisis, Grasso and his communications team ended up making it worse. The handling of the scandal may end up in a PR textbook on how not to handle a crisis."

10. VERISIGN LOSES SIGHT OVER INTERNET PROTOCOL

Verisign's new SiteFinder was supposed to help Internet surfers find their way after they had typed non-existent ".com" and ".net" Web addresses.

But critics attacked SiteFinder as "an abuse of a monopoly," according to Dan Gillmor of the San Jose Mercury News.

Verisign controls the dotcom and dotnet databases and lost surfers were redirected by SiteFinder to a Verisign owned- site sponsored by advertisers.

When complaints arose, Verisign executives went into denial about the site's intentions.

"The Mountain View company's response, with one exception, has been as arrogant as its initial action," Gillmor complained.

"Companies like Verisign are misusing their choke points, because there's big money to be made in doing so."

Verisign finally relented and pulled SiteFinder down.