{"podcast":{"title":"Communication Breakdown","slug":"communication-breakdown-7019931","podcast_index_feed_id":7019931,"rss_url":"https://www.spreaker.com/show/6301456/episodes/feed","website_url":"https://ocrnetwork.com/podcasts/communication-breakdown","image_url":"https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/bb1654c4c2ff3f77a3c1f292f51b3d52.jpg","author":"Observatory on Corporate Reputation LLC","episode_count":86,"summary":"Communication Breakdown is a postgame show for PR pros. In each episode, hosts Craig Carroll (Founder of the Observatory on Corporate Reputation, Editor of the SAGE Encyclopedia of Corporate Reputation, Lecturer at Rice University’s Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business) and Steve Dowling (former head of communications at OpenAI and Apple) discuss the strategies and tactics companies are using in high-visibility crises and PR initiatives, giving listeners unique insight into how key decisions are made. The podcast offers two unique perspectives on communications theory and practice, drawing on Craig’s research and teaching on reputation at USC Annenberg, UNC Chapel Hill, and universities worldwide, and Steve’s two decades of experience as a comms leader at some of the world’s most influential companies. Whether you’re a PR professional, marketing executive, or just curious about how companies make key communications decisions, you’ll find these discussions insightful and valuable.","last_synced_at":"2026-06-05T04:21:27.467075+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/communication-breakdown-7019931"},"episode":{"title":"Resisting Without Escalating: 2025 in Review","slug":"resisting-without-escalating-2025-in-review","published_at":"2025-12-30T14:00:08+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/communication-breakdown-7019931/resisting-without-escalating-2025-in-review","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/communication-breakdown-7019931","url":"https://www.spreaker.com/episode/resisting-without-escalating-2025-in-review--69245680","audio_url":"https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/69245680/ep_64_resisting_without_escalating_2025_in_review.mp3","summary":"In this episode of Communication Breakdown, Steve Dowling and Craig Carroll unpack how companies navigated a volatile year under Trump’s return to power — chasing access, dodging landmines, and managing the optics. From tech’s full-throated alignment to Coke’s non-denial denial, to Harvard’s quiet defiance, it’s a masterclass in when to perform, when to retreat, and when to just shut up. The big theme? Holding ground without lighting fires. This is your postgame on narrative control in a year where even silence spoke volumes. Takeaways Alignment without hedging creates exposure, not just opportunity. Proximity to power can produce policy wins but risks reputational erosion if not translated across stakeholders. Performative signaling amplifies reputational risk — especially when it grants authorship to a polarizing figure. Topics Mentioned alignment signaling, narrative control, stakeholder management, reputational exposure, crisis containment, performative support, political proximity, institutional resilience, communications strategy, narrative authorship, role clarity, reputation vs. access, strategic restraint, media framing Companies Mentioned Trump Administration, New York Times, Coca-Cola, Harvard University, Costco, NFL Episode Hashtags #TrumpAdministration #CocaCola #Harvard #Costco #NFL #CorporateCommunications #ReputationManagement #CrisisPR #NarrativeControl #StakeholderTrust #PoliticalComms #BrandRisk #StrategicSilence #LeadershipMessaging #StudiouslyBland #ShawnPNeal #AdvoCast #OCRNetwork Communication Breakdown is a production of the Observatory on Corporate Reputation . Hosted by Craig Carroll and Steve Dowling. Produced in partnership with Advocast and Shawn P Neal. For questions, feedback, or episode suggestions, reach out at podcasts@ocrnetwork.com","meta_description":"In this episode of Communication Breakdown, Steve Dowling and Craig Carroll unpack how companies navigated a volatile year under Trump’s return to power —…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":1678,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/communication-breakdown-7019931/episodes/resisting-without-escalating-2025-in-review/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/communication-breakdown-7019931/resisting-without-escalating-2025-in-review.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}