Tag Archives: media relations

9 Tips on Being a First-Rate Radio Guest

Posted on April 5, 2012 by | 3 Comments

Each week, Dear Gracie answers questions from ProfNet Connect readers with advice from our network of nearly 50,000 ProfNet experts. Has there been a question burning in your mind lately, something you’ve been wondering that none of your colleagues can answer? Please send it to grace.lavigne@prnewswire.com

Dear Gracie,

I was asked to be a guest on a local radio station, and although I’ve done TV interviews before, I’ve never been interviewed on the radio. What’s different about radio interviews? Any special tips?

Radio Rookie

**********

Dear Radio Rookie,

A dozen ProfNet experts with extensive experience in radio tune in:

1. Preparation: Background on Radio Station

“Take a little time to go to the radio program’s website and read about your interviewer,” says John Angelo, director of radio relations at PremiereTV, a Santa Monica, Calif.-based broadcast publicity services company. The host will appreciate it if you are familiar with the show and audience, especially if you can tailor specifics, like stats, for example, to the audience.

“Listen to the program a few times before appearing,” suggests Susan Tellem, partner at Tellem Grody Public Relations. Find out if the host has any “hot buttons” that you can anticipate.

For example, does the host like to “go off-topic, joke around or get right to business”? says Pam Abrahamsson, vice president of account management at Stephenson Group.

Check the radio station’s blog or Facebook page, or the website’s comments section, to get a sense of what listeners say and feel about the show, suggests Abrahamsson.

Additionally, find out if the interview is live or taped, says Donn Pearlman, president of Donn Pearlman & Associates, who was also a radio and TV journalist for 25 years with WBBM-CBS Chicago, and author of “Breaking Into Broadcasting.”

If the interview is taped, realize that parts of the conversation may be rearranged afterwards, says Alyssa Nightingale, president of Nightingale Public Relations. What a guest says at the end may be put at the beginning, or certain parts might end up being left out entirely. Your words could also gain extra gravitas from the inclusion of music or other effects.

Write your name, title and organization on an index card in print for the host, and hand it to them before the interview starts, suggests Tellem. “If your name is difficult to pronounce, spell it phonetically as well.”

2. Preparation: What to Say

Just because you have the information in your head doesn’t mean you’ll remember all of the important facts on air, says Angelo. “Have some notes laid out in front of you with the most pertinent facts.”

Clients should answer the questions the host asks them, but they shouldn’t feel bound by them either, says Thomas Madden, chairman and CEO of TransMedia Group.

For example, pay attention to current news and trending topics that you might be able to tie in to your interview to make it more relevant and interesting, says Irene Majuk, publicity director of AMACOM Books.

The host wants you to add insight and color, agrees Angelo. Use phrases like “and if I can expand on that,” “on that note” or “you may also be interested to know,” to transition to another point.

If you want to gently disagree with the host, say something like “I can see your point, but you should know…” says Scott Sobel, president of Media & Communications Strategies.

Similarly, if you’re asked an awkward question, try to answer it briefly and then bridge to a better conversation point, says Shel Horowitz, marketing consultant and author of eight books, including “Guerilla Marketing Goes Green: Winning Strategies to Improve Your Profits and Your Planet.” Try a response like “that question really takes 20 minutes to answer, but let me talk about this one aspect…” or “you’d think that would be true, but actually…”

“Chances are good that the interviewer will not have read your book, seen your movie or know much about anything you want to talk about,” says Pearlman. “Be prepared to get your points across and steer the interview in that direction.”

But do not make it sound like you’re reading, stresses Angelo. “The interview is meant to sound like a natural dialogue.”

3. Promotional Info

Remember to mention the product or service you are promoting, says David Johnson, CEO of Strategic Vision, a PR and political consulting agency. Don’t refer to your product as “it” or “my book,” for example; listeners can’t guess what you’re talking about. Work more detailed descriptions into your responses.

Don’t be reluctant to share too much information, continues Johnson. Some guests mistakenly believe that if they provide listeners with lots of details, then listeners won’t be interested in buying their product. For example, Johnson knows a radio host who once had to stop an interview with an author because every response was “come to my book signing if you want to find out more.”

“Nothing guarantees cutting a radio interview short then failing to give insightful and informative answers,” explains Johnson.

But it is OK however to answer a question briefly and then say “I cover that in more detail in chapter 15 of my latest book,” says Horowitz. There’s a balance.

4. Concise, Simple Words

A common beginner mistake is using big words to prove how smart you are, says Dan Collins, senior director of media relations at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore. If you’re a guest on the radio, it’s already established that you’re an expert of some sort, or you wouldn’t be on the air.

“Use concise, to-the-point language, and make sure your answers are relatively brief,” he continues. If you drone on for a minute, you will lose listeners.

“Speak in plain, simple language that makes it easy for everyone to understand,” adds Angelo.

But never give a yes/no answer, notes Nightingale.

“Have no more than three major messages you want to get across,” says Collins. Tell your story in the first person — people love anecdotes, he says.

You want to leave time for questions, so your responses shouldn’t be more than 15 or 30 seconds at a time, reiterates Madden.

Pearlman suggests keeping responses to two or three sentences at a time, if possible.

5. Descriptive Language

Paint pictures with words, says Collins. “Research indicates that sight accounts for 83 percent of what we learn.”

So instead of saying “About 50,000 people in Maryland have been diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome,” say “Imagine Oriole Park on opening day, a packed stadium — that’s how many people will be diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome in Maryland this year.“

Additionally, try to include the name of interviewer in at least one of your answers, says Nightingale.

6. Voice Control

Try speaking the information you’d like to get across out loud before the interview, suggests Angelo. “You may find that certain combinations of words are easier read than spoken.”

During the interview, speak loudly and with a deep voice to convey authority, says Johnson.

“Beginners tend to either scream or swallow their words into the mic or telephone,” says Sobel. “Speak in a slightly louder than normal voice and project a bit.”

Supercharge your breathing, voice and how you feel by simply standing up, says Abrahamsson. “Your diaphragm — the key to better breathing and voice control — performs much better when not constricted by sitting down. You will also feel more psychologically ‘on’ when you are standing up.”

“Be sure not to give a monotone, one-note interview,” says Angelo. “Fluctuate your voice.”

People will listen more closely if the guest has an engaging vocal pattern, agrees Jennefer Witter, president of The Boreland Group. Put a “smile” in your voice, she suggests.

“Slow it down,” adds Angelo. “You may need to speak a little slower than you do in your natural conversations.”

Ask for a glass of water to have on hand in case your voice gets dry, adds Tellem.

If you’re on the phone, make sure you are in a secure and quiet place so there isn’t any background noise, suggests Johnson.

Never use a cellphone for an interview, stresses Majuk. Always use a landline.

7. Pauses and Stumbles

Don’t be afraid to pause sometimes, says Angelo. People feel the need to fill space with words like “um,” “uh” or “you know,” but if you speak slowly, you will avoid these.

Rehearsing beforehand also greatly reduces the number of “ums” in an interview, says Witter. Try to get the host’s questions beforehand.

And if you lose your train of thought, that’s OK, says Collins. It shows you’re accessible, humble and human, and gives you and the audience some common ground. Just say something like “I seem to have derailed my train of thought!“

Sobel also suggest saying, “Let me restate that so I can be clear,” and then repeating your three main points.

Don’t let any stumbles throw you off, says Witter. Everyone stumbles — even the president! Just act quickly and recover. Make a joke, if appropriate, and then go back to what you were saying.

8. Enthusiasm

“The most important thing to communicate in a radio interview is enthusiasm,” says Madden. “Radio is a personal, intimate medium, and listeners are not only paying attention to what you say, but how you say it.”

Unless it’s a very serious subject, making the message fun can help it stick, says Madden.

Know your host, adds Johnson. “If they joke with you, joke back.”

Remain calm at all times, says Tellem. Sometimes callers, hidden behind anonymity, will say outrageous things. Stick to your message!

Most importantly, enjoy the interview, says Nightingale. The host has chosen you to interview, and has provided a wonderful opportunity to get your message out to the world. “Be courteous, thankful and professional.”

9. Wrapping Up

As the interview is winding down, give out your website and say the title of your product or service, says Horowitz. Ideally, offer something cool on the website so listeners have an incentive to visit. “Your website, of course, should have a domain that’s easy to remember while people are driving.”

If you share a website, make sure the link works, adds Nightingale. And if you are selling a product, be sure to tell listeners where they can buy it too.

“Email the host and producer after the interview, thanking them for the opportunity to be on their show,” says Majuk. “Mention that you hope they will keep you in mind for future interviews.”

“Promote the interview on your website and blog, as well as across your social media platforms,” she adds.

Over and out,

Gracie

Written by Grace Lavigne, senior editor of ProfNet, a service that helps journalists connect with expert sources. Dear Gracie is published weekly on ProfNet Connect, a free social networking site for communicators. To read more from Grace, check out her blog on ProfNet Connect.

Image courtesy of Flickr user andybee21.

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Seven Strategies to Connect with Reporters

Posted on April 1, 2012 by | 3 Comments

I was recently a panelist on a Bulldog Reporter webinar, “Seven Proven Techniques for Getting Journalists to Call You to Generate Massive Coverage.” While I don’t consider myself an expert on public relations, my years of working with both journalists and PR pros here at ProfNet have given me some insight on ways that both sides can work together. Here are some of the tips I shared during the webinar. I hope you find them useful:

Be the Expert on Your Experts

Sure, you know that the CEO of the tech startup you represent graduated from Yale, or that the owner of that small flower shop can provide consumers with tips on how to make their flowers last longer. But how well do you really know them?

There is more than one way to get your experts in print. Consider “non-expert” queries, where reporters are looking for anecdotes or “man on the street” interviews — like a recent one from a Wall Street Journal reporter who was looking for day traders, or the New York Times reporter who needed to talk to coaches who used to be ministers.

The more you know about your experts, the more opportunities you’ll find. So when that reporter from the Associated Press is looking for the CEO of a small tech startup who likes to hang-glide on weekends, you’ll be ready.

Plan Ahead

Reporters typically use the first good source that replies to their queries, but they also want responses that are personalized and include a quote or statement from the expert. That’s a lot to put together in a short amount of time, but with a little planning, you can have most of it ready to go when a reporter reaches out.

There are some topics that happen every year, at the same time of year. For example, if you represent an expert on autism, you can prepare a lot of material in advance of Autism Awareness Month (April). Create a document with background info on the expert, some bullet points regarding new research, even some quotes from the expert. You may need to edit the document so it fits the exact needs of the reporter’s query, but doing the legwork in advance will save you valuable time and allow you to respond quickly.

You can also send out a press release in advance of news, to get on reporters’ radars. If you’re a ProfNet member, you can also issue an Expert Alert, via which you “alert” reporters to experts who can talk about timely topics.

Think Like a Journalist

One thing I consistently hear from journalists is that PR reps that make life easier for them are the ones they go back to again and again. Think about the kind of information they need to include in an article, and make it available to them. When pitching by email, write the subject line as an article headline. Don’t use excessive jargon. The less work they need to put into it, the more likely they’ll be to use it.

Speak in Sound Bites

This applies both to PR pros and experts. In this era of Twitter, everyone needs to think in sound bites. Thoughts should be concise and quotes should be tweetable.

Last year, I attended the RealTime NY conference. One of the panel speakers was Frank Eliason, SVP of social media at Citi. While there were four others on the panel, Eliason’s quotes were the most tweeted. Why? He spoke in sound bites.

Your expert could well be the perfect source for a reporter, but unless he/she can succinctly express his thoughts, he/she still won’t get quoted.

Be a Connector

Your primary goal is to get press for your experts — that’s a given. But if there’s a publication or reporter that’s part of your media plan, help them out even when there’s no direct benefit to you. Become the person the reporter can go to in a pinch, and they’ll come back to you when it will benefit your client.

Also, be available when others aren’t. This doesn’t mean you have to answer your phone at 3 a.m. on a Sunday, but someone — whoever you designate that to be – should be available when there’s breaking news in your expert’s industry. Include after-hours numbers in every communication – in your email signature, on press releases, on your website, on your Twitter/Facebook pages, etc. If a reporter is on deadline and is looking for a quote, be the one he knows he can get through to.

Be Where the Reporters Are

At a Social Media Week panel last year, one of the sessions was on how to increase your interaction with your audience. The key takeaway was, be where your audience is. The same advice applies to PR: Be where the reporters are. Have a presence on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Quora.

Develop Online Influence

Having a presence on social media is not enough, though. You must interact and contribute meaningful content. You must engage. Don’t just link to articles – add your own take and expertise.

Participate in Twitter chats in your industry – not only will they open you up to a new audience, but they can also introduce you to journalists in the industry who are researching via hashtags.

Start a blog. Remember that material I suggested you put together for pitches? You can take a lot of that and turn it into blog posts. Also, monitor ProfNet queries to spot trends – that’s what people are talking about and that’s what you should be writing about.

Cross-post your blog on other networks. Not only will you reach a new audience, but you’ll also get promoted by the other network. For example, Beth Monaghan of InkHouse Media + Marketing, regularly contributes the blog posts she writes for her own Inklings blog to the ProfNet Connect network. Her posts are well-written, informative, timely – and very popular. In fact, her posts are often the most read on the site in any given month.  What’s the payoff for her? ProfNet Connect has been a major source of traffic back to her blog. Her posts have also been cross-posted on PR Newswire’s Beyond PR blog, giving her and InkHouse even more exposure and traffic.

Share your expertise. Answer questions on Quora, LinkedIn and other services that have Q&A areas. Send press releases about any content you create. For more tips, read Curating Content for Thought Leadership.

So that’s it, those are my seven tips for connecting with reporters. What do you think? Any you would add? What strategies have worked for you?

Author Maria Perez is director of news operations for ProfNet, a service that helps journalists connect with expert sources. To read more from Maria, visit her blog on ProfNet Connect at http://www.profnetconnect.com/profnetmaria/blog/

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Why We Say “No” to April Fool’s Prank Press Releases

Posted on March 30, 2012 by | 5 Comments

What PR pranksters look like to professional media. Don't wind up being the fool this April 1st.

Every year about this time, my son starts plotting and planning for April 1. It would give him immense pleasure to pull a fast one on Mom just one time.  But — as much as I’d love to see that little grin on his face gloating as he utters those words “April Fool’s!” — it never works. Why?  Because I can see it a mile away.  Like me, my colleagues at PR Newswire anticipate April Fool’s pranksters too.   Each year, numerous “prank” press releases are submitted. And each year, after enjoying a laugh while reading them (some are really funny!) we have to say no to sending them out over the wire.

The fact is, the repercussions of distributing a false news announcement are far reaching and lasting, and can ultimately tarnish a public relations pro’s relationships with journalists and bloggers, and negatively impact brand reputations.

News releases distributed over PR Newswire are a trusted source material that journalists rely upon to write their stories.  The media that receive PR Newswire know that we vet sources.  In many cases, they act on the press releases they receive from us immediately, not finding it necessary to call the company issuing the news to verify its authenticity.

Once a release is distributed, it triggers a series of steps taken by the press covering the company, organization, industry or subject that the release is about.  Time is of the essence as today’s journalists produce content for traditional and social media channels.  All it takes is one phony news release to throw a wrench into this process…and make the journalists who worked on the story look, well, foolish.

Fictitious announcements waste the precious time of reporters desperately trying to meet their deadlines. Working in a non-stop news cycle of print, 24-hour broadcast and social media platforms like Twitter, a journalist’s name is forever attached to a bogus story. And a duped journalist never forgets.  After all, their own professional reputations suffer too.

So this April 1st, keep these facts in mind.  Save the funny stuff for a more forgiving audience, such as the small children in your life, and keep those media relationships and brand reputations you’ve worked so hard to cultivate intact.

Author Brett Simon is a national manager of media relations for PR Newswire.

Image courtesy of Flickr user  Foxtongue.

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Dear Gracie: 5 Reasons to Decline Media Opps

Posted on March 16, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Each week, Dear Gracie answers PR and media questions from ProfNet Connect readers with advice from our network of nearly 50,000 ProfNet experts. Has there been a question burning in your mind lately, something you’ve been wondering that none of your colleagues can answer? Please send it to grace.lavigne@prnewswire.com

Dear Gracie,

What type of publicity should PR pros actually avoid? How do I know when it’s too risky to accept a media interview for one of my clients? Do the advantages of some types of press ever outweigh the disadvantages?

Cautious Communicator

****

Dear Cautious Communicator,

Four ProfNet experts weigh in:

“Press coverage is an excellent way to raise your visibility and strengthen your brand,” says Dan Sondhelm, senior vice president and partner with SunStar Strategic, a public relations and marketing consulting firm for financial services. “However, it’s important to be selective in the opportunities.”

1. Exclusive Interviews

Turn down a media opportunity if you’ve already given one news outlet an exclusive on an interview, says Atoinette Kurtiz, owner of Strategies PR, host of Writers Roundtable radio show and founder of LaJolla Writers Conference.

For example, she recently turned down an interview for her client for “The Gayle King Show” because the client had already been booked for the “Anderson” show.

“This is not unusual,” she says. But always set up to rebook the client at a later date.

2. Off-Topic Interviews

“Often, I speak to executives in the industry who tell me that they accept every interview that comes their way, even if the subject isn’t relevant to what they want to discuss,” says Sondhelm. They think that all press is good press, as long as they “spell my name right.”

“My next question is: So you want to be a talking head?”

Just because someone sounds smart, doesn’t mean they are on message — and when it comes to supporting the sales team, it’s all about the message, Sondhelm explains.

It’s actually not a matter of affecting the expert’s credibility — being a source in an article is a good thing — rather, for sales and marketing efforts, it’s important for an expert to be seen in articles or interviews with the same message over time, says Sondhelm. “That shows that the executive is disciplined and audiences know what the executive stands for.” It also makes it easier for the sales and marketing teams to find appropriate quotes to use for their purposes.

Additionally, booking experts for off-topic interviews can cause the experts to become frustrated or annoyed during the interview, he explains.

But just because a media opportunity doesn’t work for one client, doesn’t mean it won’t work for another, adds Sondhelm. “Often, after a client declines, we will offer the opportunity to another client.” That’s a win-win-win: the first client stays focused on key coverage, the second client gets a relevant interview and the reporter gets a solid source.

3. Questionable Media Outlets

If a media outlet has a questionable reputation, or if the outlet’s interests aren’t aligned with your client’s interests — and there is no upside for your client or company — it’s wise to decline publicity opportunities, says Aline Schimmel, principal at Scienta Communications. However, if there is an upside, help the expert prepare for the interview so that they can steer the reporter in the proper direction.

For example, it may be beneficial to take an interview with an M&A-focused outlet — even if that topic isn’t aligned with your client’s interests — just to highlight the strengths of your client’s company or their partnering strategy, perhaps bringing potential partners to the table or increasing the interest of an existing party, says Schimmel. “At the same time, it’s important not to take interviews that might damage an ongoing negotiation, so this is a fine line to tread.”

As for controversy, Schimmel once turned down an interview when the issue at hand was extremely contentious and she’d already given the reporter the only statements she could. “If your instinct is that the reporter is not open to the company’s view and is only looking to catch the company spokesperson with a negative quote,” then it may be best to just say “unreachable for comment,” she says. But she notes that she’s only had to do this once in her 20 years in the industry.

On the other hand, Schimmel might actually consider an interview with a controversy-seeking reporter if the news is so positive that it would be too difficult to make it contentious, or if salacious claims could be drowned out by other positive factual coverage. “There is risk in these strategies though, so it’s important that the spokesperson be well trained in how to handle challenging interviews,” she stresses.

4. Lack of Progress

Another reason to turn down interview requests is if the media outlet has previously interviewed someone from the company and there is no sufficient progress to warrant an update, says Schimmel. Be upfront with the reporter and set a date to regroup in the future once specific milestones have occurred.

5. Bad Association

If your client’s industry just had a major accident, like the Costa Concordia, for example, and your client is another cruise line or a cruise travel professional, then granting a request for your company executive to be interviewed about the incident or safety practices is risky, says Agnes Huff, Ph.D., president and CEO of Agnes Huff Communications Group.

It may not be appropriate to comment on another company’s accident, whether your client is discussing what may have caused it or attempting to highlight their own company’s safety practices, Huff continues. “If you do, you are now linked in the media to the company with the accident,” she explains.

“Furthermore, with any large-scale accident, especially with loss of life, the investigation will eventually result in government and media scrutiny for that entire industry,” she says. “In cases like that, where we see a risk to our client’s reputation, we would not recommend participating.”

Etiquette Note

Remember that it’s ultimately the client’s decision to accept an interview or not, so don’t make promises to reporters that you can’t keep, says Huff.

If a client declines an interview, let the reporter know as quickly as possible, and through your own networks, try and refer another expert to them, if possible, she continues. This practice will result in mutual respect between the PR firm or agent and reporters.

Gracie

Written by Grace Lavigne, senior editor of ProfNet, a service that helps journalists connect with expert sources. Dear Gracie is published weekly on ProfNet Connect, a free social networking site for communicators. To read more from Grace, check out her blog on ProfNet Connect.

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March Media Moves and Changes

Posted on March 9, 2012 by | Leave a comment

PR Newswire’s Audience Research Group continually updates the media database that powers our MEDIAtlas service, and our popular Microlists, which let you target niche audiences on the fly.  Here’s a summary of recent media and blogger updates.

CNN International announces the relaunch of the show “Amanpour” with host Christiane Amanpour.  This show originally debuted in 2009 and is now set to return this Spring. Liza McGuirk (liza.mcguirk@turner.com) is the Executive Producer for the program. The format of the show will feature a half hour program with international news and interviews. It will air on weekdays at 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. on CNN International. Amanpour (Christiane.Amanpour@turner.com)  has stepped down as host of ABC’s “This Week” but will continue to remain the Global Affairs Anchor for ABC as well as host of this returning program on CNN International

Former Tampa Tribune Editorial Page Editor Rosemary Goudreau (rgoudreau@floridavoices.com) and Reporter Rosemary Curtiss (rcurtiss@floridavoices.com) have recently started a new media site called Florida Voices (http://www.floridavoices.com). The opinion magazine is said to be a one-stop guide for local Floridians, which will feature content from local Florida newspapers as well as original commentary from Florida Voices’ own columnists. The website also included an online news forum and roundtable where experts discuss current issues such as include local government and the presidential election. The online publication consists of former newspaper employees that have worked for The Miami Herald, Orlando Sentinel, The New York Times, The Palm Beach Post and The Florida Times-Union. Goundreau is the Publisher and Curtiss is the Editor of the site.

Bloomberg is launching a new lifestyle magazine called Bloomberg Pursuits targeted to the global financial elite. The magazine is geared toward readers with an average household income of more than $450,000. The magazine will cover luxury product reviews, destinations, real estate and fashion. The editorial staff includes Editor-in-Chief Vince Bielski (vbielski@bloomberg.net) and Bloomberg Markets’ and News Reporters based around the world.

The Denver Business Journal reports that The Denver Post print circulation is down seven percent from last year, Saturday print circulation is down more than 10 percent from the previous year, and Sunday print circulation is down five percent, from 2011.On the flip side, web traffic continues to grow, at nine percent, when compared to the previous year. You can read more here: http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/news/2012/02/08/medianews-group-unit-to-cut-boulder.html?ana=twt

The Grand Rapids Press, Kalamazoo Gazette, Muskegon Chronicle and Flint Journal will initiate operations under the direction of two new companies, MLive Media Group and Advance Central Services Michigan. The change in administration means new offices for the four newspapers, as well as staff restructuring. In addition, the two companies will also manage the Jackson Citizen Patriot, the Saginaw News, the Bay City Times and AnnArbor.com’s print edition. Staff changes include the promotion of Julie Hoogland (jhoogland@mlive.com) from Assistant Metro Editor to Community News Director at the Grand Rapids Press. Paul Keep (pkeep@mlive.com) has been named Executive Editor of all eight papers. Also, Tanda Gmiter (tgmiter@mlive.com), Jeff Haywood (jhaywood@mlive.com), and Kate Nagengast (knagengast@mlive.com), have all been named Managing Producers at the Press.

Retail Minded (http://retailminded.com/magazine) is a newly launched quarterly trade magazine for the fashion boutique industry. The new magazine features news and information about inventory, marketing, merchandising, publicity, designers and more, with input from industry professionals, retail leaders and customers. The nationally distributed publication will feature a different city in each issue. The inaugural issue will spotlight Geneva, Illinois, a community near Chicago. Nicole Leinbach-Reyhle (nicole@retailminded.com) is the Founder and Editor of the magazine.

Philadelphia Media Network (The Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News) is offering buyouts to 37 employees to reduce staff numbers by the end of the month. The plan follows their creation of one newsroom for both newspapers in new offices this Summer.

Gannett Co. is offering early retirement packages to 665 of its employees.  This is a voluntary retirement opportunity for eligible employees. You can read more on this at the Romenesko media blog: http://jimromenesko.com/2012/02/09/gannett-offers-early-retirement-program-to-665-employees/

ESPN’s Monday Night Football booth shrinks: Syracuse Graduate/Play-by-Play man Mike Tirico and Analyst/ex-NFL Coach Jon Gruden will be manning the booth in the Fall as Analyst/ex-Quarterback Ron Jaworski moves onto an expanded analyst role at ESPN. The first game for Gruden and Tirico will be September 10th.

MSNBC has added another new program to its line-up. The self-titled show is hosted by Melissa Harris-Perry and airs live from 10:00 a.m. – Noon ET both Saturday and Sunday. Harris-Perry is a Political Science professor at Tulane University as well as a contributor to MSNBC and The Nation magazine. Her show will focus on – what else? Politics. Along with watching the show on television, follow it online and on Twitter at: http://mhpshow.msnbc.msn.com/ and https://twitter.com/MHarrisPerry

While other cable stations are adding shows, Fox Business Network has canceled numerous primetime shows. On the cutting block are “Follow the Money with Eric Bolling,” “FreedomWatch With Judge Andrew Napolitano” and “Power & Money with David Asman.” Replacing the shows are repeats of “Lou Dobbs Tonight,” “The Willis Report” with Gerri Willis and “Cavuto” will Neil Cavuto. The network is still trying to determine the order the shows will air.
Check out all the FBN shows at http://www.foxbusiness.com/index.html

Better Buildings magazine has recently re-launched. The building management magazine was first published in 1981 but ceased in the mid-1990s. The magazine will cover topics such as building operations, asset management, energy management, capital improvements, and design and construction innovations. Better Buildings (http://reforum.com/betterbuildings/) is a supplement to Real Estate Forum Magazine. It is distributed to almost 54,000 readers in New York’s tri-state area. John Salutri (jsalustri@alm.com) is the Content Director.

WIVB-TV, the CBS-affiliate in Buffalo, has redesigned its set. It has enlarged the news and weather spaces and it will now broadcast in HD. The makeover took just six weeks to finish at a cost of approximately $2.5 million. The new look debuted on the 5:00 p.m. newscast. The website for WIVB-TV is: http://www.wivb.com

He survived being shot and imprisoned in the Middle East but tragically, Anthony Shadid of The New York Times was felled by an asthma attack while on assignment in Syria. Shadid, Beirut Bureau Chief and Middle East Reporter, was being guided through the countryside by locals on horses. Turns out Shadid was allergic to the horses. Shadid has been with the NYT since 2010. He also served as Middle East Correspondent for The Washington Post, the Associated Press and The Boston Globe.

Veteran Wall Street Journal Reporter and best-selling author Jeffrey Zaslow, passed away from injuries suffered in a car crash. He was 53. Along with his financial reporting at the WSJ, Zaslow was well-known for his book, “The Last Lecture.” He also published: “Gabby,” “The Magic Room,” “Highest Duty” and “The Girls From Ames.”

Playground magazine (http://www.playground-magazine.com) has recently launched on the market as the new hip and trendy parenting magazine. The monthly Florida-based publication is geared towards affluent parents in Central Florida with a “sophisticated and hip” twist covering everything from parent-related to home design and fashion to health, travel and culture. It will be distributed through subscription, direct mail to families of incomes more then $125K and distributed in upscale retailers, spas, salons, private schools and exclusive high-profile events.

CNN – Cable News Network announced that Contributing Editor Roland Martin has been suspended for homophobic comments he tweeted during the Super Bowl. Martin has been with the Network since 2007.

Long-time KEYE-TV (http://weareaustin.com/) Anchor/Reporter Fred Cantu had been working part-time in the hardware department of a local Home Depot. He took the position for extra money and the benefits package. Cantu, a handy, fix-it guy, fit well within the Home Depot Staff. However, recently he was offered a contract (of unknown length) to come back and work for KEYE full-time. Cantu gave his notice at Home Depot the beginning of February. The Austin American-Statesman has more on Cantu’s story here: http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/kelso/entries/2012/02/09/_beloved_austin_tv_news.html

What do you do when local ratings look bleak? WFAA-TV (http://www.wfaa.com) in Dallas decided to resort to humor and bring in Texas Rangers Pitcher Derek Holland to “report” the weather. While he fidgeted and flubbed the forecast, veteran Meteorologist Pete Delkus laughed off camera. Holland, who is known for being goofy on camera, pitched during the Rangers’ stint in the World Series last year. Uncle Barky has more on the story here. http://www.unclebarky.com/dfw_files/5da502525e18a869f21deb55219d14cd-2306.html

Jonathan Schuler has been promoted to Executive Editor of the Suburban Life Publications. Most recently, Schuler served as Managing Editor for a range of newspapers within the company. Suburban Life Publications publish 22 newspapers in the western suburbs of Chicago. You may reach Schuler at jschuler@mysuburbanlife.com.

Ward Room, a political blog hosted by the Chicago’s NBC affiliate WMAQ-TV, has expanded into a weekly, half-hour program. The series, hosted by Political Reporters Carol Marin and Mary Ann Ahern, will feature interviews with Chicago-based political figures and report on top stories of the week. For additional information visit, http://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward-room.

Three top executives have left the Chicago Sun-Times daily. Rick Surkamer resigned as President and Chief Operating Officer of Sun-Times Media Holdings; Fred Lebolt, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Digital Operations; and Matthew Saleski, Vice President of Marketing and Business Development

The V Spot (http://www.hausofv.com/the-v-spot.html) is a new blog that covers celebrity news, gossip and behaviors. Kathy Vogel (usofv@gmail.com) is the main Blogger and a Freelance Journalist. Vogel also is a Morning Host on WHBC-FM in Canton, OH. You may follow Vogel on Twitter at http://twitter.com/kathyvogel.

News Director Jim Asendio has left WAMU-FM over an ethics issue. Meymo Lyons (meymo@wamu.org) is the Acting News Director: You can read the story here: http://www.radioink.com/Article.asp?id=2400340&spid=24698

Hispanic media continues to grow. Noticiero Univision continues to attract more viewership, while ABC, CBS and NBC showed minimal gain in viewership and in some cases, a loss in viewers.

El Raton Mickey! Disney and Univision are currently in negotiations to create a new English-language news channel. They are hopeful to have the station up and running by the Fall of 2012.  Univision continues to move in on the English market.

Comcast has selected BabyFirst Americas as one of their Hispanic networks. According to their website, “BabyFirst Americas’ mission is to offer Latino parents the ability to help their children integrate into American society, while maintaining a strong connection to their Latino heritage and bilingual communication.”

Dave Ramsey has signed on financial expert Andres Gutierrez to his team. “El Show de Andres Gutierrez” will focus on money managing issues in the Hispanic community. Check it out here: http://www.daveramsey.com/speakers/Andres-Gutierrez/

Veteran African-American female journalist Libby Clark recently passed away at the age of 94. Ms. Clark was a Columbia journalism graduate who later became the first African-American licensed in California to own a public relations firm which she operated for 50 years. Ms. Clark was also a syndicated food writer and was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by the National Newspaper Publishers Association on her 85th birthday.

Ricki Lake is set to once again return to daytime television with her own show. The Ricki Lake Show (http://www.rickilaketvshow.com) will premiere in September 2012. Lisa Kidros is the Producer. Follow the show on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/rickilakeshow.

The former San Diego Union-Tribune, now known as U-T San Diego (http://www.utsandiego.com) is planning to launch an all-news television network on cable TV. The network will be called UT-TV.

Beginning this month, The Hollywood Reporter and Billboard will make their music and entertainment content available to Associated Press customers. Breaking news and feature stories can be purchased for online use under the content distribution agreement.

Los Angeles radio station, KFI-AM, suspended popular hosts John Kobylt and Ken Chiampou of the “John and Ken Show” for making inappropriate remarks on the air about the late Whitney Houston.

MediaNews Group will lay off  seven employees to outsource jobs. The employees affected are part of MediaNews’ Prairie Mountain Publishing Company, which publishes the Longmont Time-Call and the Boulder Daily Camera.

Longtime Montana newspaper editor Paul Verdon, 85, has passed away. From 1960 to 1979 Verdon was Editor and Publisher of the Western News in Libby. The Montana Press Association named the paper the outstanding weekly in the state three times under Verdon’s direction. His obituary through the Missoulian can be found at: http://missoulian.com/news/local/obituaries/paul-verdon/article_63221166-5c9b-11e1-96e1-001871e3ce6c.html

Jeff Jacot has been named Operations Manager of American General Media’s four-station Albuquerque, N.M. cluster. He will stay on as Program Director of KABG-FM and KDLW-FM, while also running KAGM-FM and KHFM-FM. Jacot will also continue to be on air at KDLW, as Co-Host of “Jeff & Jamie in the Morning.”

KOMO-TV Anchor Kathi Goertzen underwent an all-day operation recently to reduce the size of her brain tumors. The surgery came after KOMO hosted a live webcast with Goertzen, where she discussed her upcoming operation with viewers. Updates on her progress are posted on her Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/KathiGoertzenKOMO

KPIC-TV in Roseburg, OR and its corporate parent Fisher Broadcasting, are eliminating the News Director position among other changes. Veteran KPIC News Director Dan Bain will sign off for the last time in early March. Bain has Anchored the evening news in Roseburg for almost 20 years. His counterpart at KCBY-TV in Coos Bay, Tim Novotny, is being let go as well. Reporters at KPIC and KCBY will now submit their news stories to KVAL-TV in Eugene. Also, local evening news segments on KPIC-TV will be anchored by local newsman David Walker from the KVAL studios. (http://www.kpic.com/news/local/139555118.html)

Canada’s National Newspaper Conference is scheduled to take place in Toronto. INK+BEYOND 2012, is the 93rd annual national newspaper conference, provided by Newspapers Canada. The event will be held April 25 -29, at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel. For more information visit (http://www.newspaperscanada.ca).

You can read all the media moves by region here:  http://www.prnewswire.com/knowledge-center/mediaware/March2012MEDIAtlasUpdatesbyRegion.html

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Tips for Making TV Pitches Nationally & Locally Relevant

Posted on March 6, 2012 by | Leave a comment
broadcast pr, pitching daytime tv,

Whether you’re pitching a daytime TV show or the network news, fine tuning your pitches for relevant viewer audiences improves the chances of getting the story on air.

When many of our clients start thinking about broadcast PR and getting TV coverage for their story, they often tell us  their primary objective is to have their segment or interview air in the top 20 DMA markets.  In many cases,  they don’t pause to consider whether or not those markets hold any value for their brand or product -  aside from just being the largest markets in the country.

In general, whether you’re pitching television producers for a satellite media tour, an in-studio interview, a b-roll package or are inviting media to attend a local event, relevancy is key.  It is crucial to make the story applicable to national media while attracting local markets.  This can be done by localizing information and “news-you-can-use” to these specific markets. For example, when a study released the top ten states where the burden of diabetes is projected to be the highest in 2015, stations within those states in top markets like Sacramento and Houston, who would normally not be interested in speaking with a doctor via satellite, participated in the SMT. This worked well for two reasons:

  • The specific statistics, information and tips made available to each station were relevant to viewers within that state.
  • We were able to tailor the pitch to be relevant nationally as well. For those states not on the list, we were able to frame the message as general stories about diabetes, and what viewers can do to protect their health.

This strategy made the story relevant nationally while simultaneously attracting local markets.

When Bicycling Magazine released its 50th anniversary edition with the Best Cities for Fall Foliage Biking, stations on that list were clamoring to participate in the lineup. Why? Because whether you’re number 1 or number 20 on that list, it provides an anchor with the opportunity to highlight the city, plus provide tips for viewers on where they could go to enjoy fall foliage biking in that city. Plus, the talent – in this case, the editor-in-chief of the magazine – was able to provide top tips for cyclists and perspective on cycling now versus 50 years ago in order to satisfy markets who were not on the list. Again, national relevancy while attracting local markets equaled a successful pitching strategy.

Some other questions to ask when trying to gear a pitch towards national, regional or local media:

-Where is my talent/spokesperson from? Where are they located now?

-Is my talent an A-list celebrity with national appeal who will attract national and local media?

-Who does my story affect? Is it a regional issue where only stations in the Midwest will be interested? Is about a disease that only affects a small population? Is it a contest being held in schools throughout the country where the markets of the local schools can be pitched, but where there are enough broad based tips and a call to action that would be appealing to all media? Is it an event taking place in one market?

The bottom line is if you need to delve into the anatomy of your story to determine who it affects in order to determine which stations will be interested. This will help shape your strategy and guide you in pitching your story to appropriate outlets where it can reach the right audience.

Author Risa Chuang is a media relations manager at MultiVu, a PR Newswire company.

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Socializing the News: Old Media Style

Posted on February 28, 2012 by | 1 Comment

It’s been a rocky relationship for social media and traditional news. And who can really blame mainstream journalists for not taking to social media at first?  After all, social was invading reporters’ turf, beating them to the punch breaking news on twitter.  It was the new, unknown kid on the block, trying to change things up and mainstream media didn’t like it. But in just a few years, the new kid on the block has become the coolest kid on the block that everyone wants to know and hang out with.  Now, social media is being integrated into every aspect of major news organizations.  This was clearly evident by the panel of social media editors from CNN, NBC, NY Times, Bloomberg and Thomson Reuters assembled for a sold out Publicity Club of NY luncheon during Social Media Week in NY.  The panelists included:

The fact that such esteemed news organizations as these created social media editor positions in their newsrooms speaks volumes about the growing role of social media in the old media world.

So what does a social media editor do these days?  Much of their time is spent teaching journalists how to use social media to promote their work and find leads.

Bloomberg’s Yurow admits they are playing catch up compared to some other news orgs.

“We slept through the blog generation and arrived fashionably late to the Twitter and Facebook party.”  As social media producer, Yurow faces a unique challenge. “We have to work to balance between our wire service and social media so that both can thrive.”

I can see how Bloomberg was tardy to the party.  I’ve found that most of the journalists I come into contact with through my media relations work here at PR Newswire are still reluctant to jump on the social media bandwagon. Or should I say they’ve jumped on, but aren’t sure what to do next.  (Full disclosure: I was one of those old media hold outs who finally gave in to social media a few years ago, but not without a lot of  kicking and screaming).

CNN’s Krakauer recalled Piers Morgan’s aversion for Twitter. That changed after 12,000 followers poured in immediately after his very first tweet shortly before his show launched.  Krakauer says it’s about transferring twitter users to television watchers, which apparently is working for Morgan’s show.

“About 7 minutes before the Charlie Sheen interview, Piers tweeted about it and our average audience tripled.”

Social media editors walk a fine line between training, social strategizing, research and development and what Mandy Jenkins, former social editor for Huffington Post politics, refers to as the “twitter monkey”.  Twitter monkeys are left to manually manage their brands’ twitter accounts, alone, 24-7, with little time for anything else. The term got a strong reaction.

“We don’t consider ourselves twitter monkeys,” said Heron.  She is one of of two SM editors at the NY Times “We’re looking at how to bring social media into newsgathering.  We’re constantly looking at new platforms to see where we fit in,” said Heron,.  She added that at the Times, each desk is responsible for its own social media strategy.

When the panelists were asked if they retweet news from other sources, all agreed that curating is a key part of the job.

“In order to be the place where everyone gets news, you have to be a beacon for all news,”  De Rosa replied. “You make yourself more valuable by curating news.”

Though much of the two hour lunch focused on Twitter, other platforms got honorable mentions. In fact, at one point, the moderator asked “if Twitter didn’t exist, what would you be doing?”

Facebook’s new subscribe button, Linkedin, Google+ are all being utilized by the panelist’s news companies as is Pinterest which they are beginning to experiment with.  They each have their own value.

“Pinterest is sustainable because it appeals to the masses,” says Kannally, the youngest on the panel who joined NBC News three months ago.  He says he uses it regularly but is trying to figure out the best way to use it for news.

“Social media is not new. We have to figure out how to be different and innovative and cut through all the noise.”

Author Brett Simon is a member of PR Newswire’s audience development team, and is one of the voices heard on the @prnewswire Twitter presence.

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Dear Gracie: Is ‘Flack’ a Four-Letter Word?

Posted on February 17, 2012 by | 2 Comments

via @ecourtenay & @matthewgain

Each week, Dear Gracie answers questions from ProfNet Connect readers with advice from the network of nearly 50,000 ProfNet experts. Has there been a question burning in your mind lately, something you’ve been wondering that none of your colleagues can answer? Please send it to grace.lavigne@prnewswire.com

 Dear Gracie,

I’m a blogger, and I recently posted an article that touched on some PR issues. I referred to PR reps in the article as “flacks,” and got a lot of flak for it! I never knew before that “flack” could be considered a slur, and I don’t want to offend anyone — but after reading some blog posts on the topic, it seems like there’s no consensus even within the industry. How bad of a word is it really?

Blushing Blogger

******************

Dear Blushing Blogger,

15 ProfNet experts weigh in on this controversial word:

“Flack” Implies Moral Sacrifice

“When public relations or communications professionals are called a ‘flacks,’ it implies that we will say anything for a buck,” says Donna Maurillo, director of communications and tech transfer at Mineta Transportation Institute. “It says we will take a negative story and turn it into something positive despite all evidence to the contrary. It says we have no ethics or self-respect.”

“I don’t care what the actual history is regarding the term, I just know how it is perceived by the vast majority of colleagues and peers,” says Scott Sobel, president of Media & Communications Strategies. “It has always meant the ‘flack’ can’t be trusted and has an agenda that isn’t presented in a truthful manner.”

“‘Flack’ describes someone who lobbies another for money,” agrees Daniel Collins, senior director of media relations at Mercy Medical Center. Of course PR agents all like to be paid, but the term “flack” implies that ethics, morals and the greater good are forfeited for a paycheck.

Name-calling, even if it was intended to be used “respectfully,” does harm by downgrading the value of the profession, explains Ronald Hanser, president of Hanser & Associates. The word “flack” negatively affects the industry overall because it does not shed any light on the positive impact that PR professionals have on American society every day.

“There is no way to make ‘flack’ palatable, or pass for anything other than a hackneyed insult,” says Carey O’Donnell, owner of O’Donnell Agency. The remark is typically used by journalists tired of being hounded by PR agents with dim-witted pitches, or perhaps anyone in the news industry who is weary of comparing their salary to often higher-paid non-journalists in the PR industry, she says.

The term paints a PR person as a nuisance, rather than a serious professional, agrees Cheryl Sloofman of The Boreland Group.

“This term gives a black eye to our profession,” says Lisa Rinkus, president of LJPR. “Nothing makes my blood boil more than when I hear someone describe hardworking, knowledge public relations professionals as ‘flacks.’”

For example, says Maurillo, what comes to mind when you think of “attorney” vs. “ambulance chaser”? “Physician” vs. “quack”? “Accountant” vs. “bean counter”?

“Each of these terms has very strong connotations that bring to mind specific images: one positive, and the other negative,” says Maurillo. Derogatory names are purposely used to undercut, deride, disparage, scorn or ridicule someone or something, she says.

“Have we known some in our profession who are embarrassments? Of course we have,” admits Maurillo. “They are part of every industry. So why do we allow the public perception of our entire honorable profession — the communications profession — to be tainted by unethical practitioners?”

“Among ourselves, we may agree that we always try to do the right thing, that we would refuse to do anything unethical,” continues Maurillo. “But we cannot seem to translate that honor into a fine and respected reputation for our own industry.”

“My own son once asked, ‘How can you be in PR? All you do is make bad people look like saints,’” says Maurillo.

Why are PR agents marginalized in this way? The answer: “Words have power,” she says. “More than any others, we are the people who know that! So why do we continue to sit silently when we are called ‘flacks,’ ‘spin-meisters’ and other derogatory terms?”

“Like many in the profession, I have devoted my 40-year career to helping people understand public relations,” says Hanser. “For that reason, I find the word ‘flack’ to be inflammatory, condescending and offensive.”

[image from KnowYourMeme.com]

“Flack” Is Outdated

The term “flack” dates back to decades ago when publicists were agents who spun stories, whispered things in people’s ears, etc., mostly regarding celebrities,” says Filomena Fanelli of The Boreland Group. “This is hardly the same as someone who specializes in crisis management, thoughtful opinion pieces and serious newsworthy press releases.”

“This is a very limited definition of public relations,” agrees Hanser. “It’s almost a 1950s era understanding of the scope of public relations.”

“Flack” reinforces an old Hollywood depiction of PR people, concurs Collins. It brings to mind either a slimy sort of person who puts a positive spin on things like seal clubbing or strip mining, or an empty-headed bimbo who attends lots of parties and networks for no apparent reason.

Perhaps “flack” brings that old Hollywood image of PR people to mind because the word is frequently used specifically in the entertainment industry, says Hanser. He admits that he has never actually been present to hear anyone call a PR pro a “flack” — he’s only heard it used in movies or on TV.

For instance, “flack” reminds president of The Boreland Group, Jennefer Witter, of the movie “Sweet Smell of Success,” where Tony Curtis’ character played an unscrupulous, immoral press agent.

Very few people in media still use the word “flack,” agrees John Goodman, president of John Goodman PR. In the past, when there was a clear line between the media and PR industries, the word was degrading and derogatory. “But as the media business experienced contraction and layoffs, more and more ‘journalists’ sought jobs and began careers in public relations,” he says.

After many years of working at news outlets and constantly worrying about when the next wave of layoffs would come, Goodman switched his career track to PR. “I still have many friends and contacts who work in media,” he says. “Unless it’s in jest, no one is going to call me a ‘flack.’”

And that’s because these days, with so many PR pros as former reporters, editors, producers, etc., the differences between the media and PR industries are no longer black and white. Goodman earned respect as a journalist first, and now he earns respect from journalists by helping them with their stories. The dynamics have changed.

“Flack” vs. “Flak”: Origin of Negativity?

According to Google Dictionary, flack is a noun that means “publicity agent.”

Meanwhile, flak has two definitions: 1) antiaircraft fire, and 2) strong criticism.

Neil Gussman, strategic communications and media relations manager for Chemical Heritage Foundation, and former Army chemical engineer who served in Iraq (and who has experienced the first definition of flak firsthand), more clearly describes the antiaircraft-fire definition as the shrapnel and bullet shells that rain down on allies while firing at enemy aircraft.

Maybe the negative connotations of flack come from this connection with flak, Gussman hypothesizes.

As for the second definition of flak (like when someone says “don’t give me any flak”), this associated meaning is perhaps also why the flack reference to PR agents has negative undertones, speculates Fanelli.

“Some publicists may get offended by the term because they believe ‘flack’ denotes criticism,” says Todd Fraser, account director at INK Inc. Public Relations. “But they need to take a step back from that because that definition is spelled ‘flak.’”

Why Some Reps Don’t Care If You Call Them a “Flack”

“Flack” isn’t a bad word, but a silly one, says Henry Stimpson, principal of Stimpson Communications. “What me and 99 percent of other PR people do today is miles away from ‘flackery,’” he says. “You can call me a ‘flack’ if you want, but I’ll just chuckle at your ignorance.”

“‘Flack’ is slang, but I don’t think it’s something for us to get worked up over,” agrees Tim O’Brien, owner of O’Brien Communications. “In more formal usage, we call ourselves ‘public relations professionals’ or ‘communications practitioners,’ but in less formal settings, we can be called ‘flacks.’”

However, the word “spin” needs to be avoided at all costs — formally or informally, stresses O’Brien.

“Publicists have been called a lot of things, some of which aren’t appropriate for print,” says Fraser. “But I’ve always been on board with the term ‘flack.’ To me, it conjures up the idea of a club for all of us who smile and dial for a living,” he says. “It has an old-school feel, like calling a newspaper writer a ‘scribe.’”

But Fraser agrees with O’Brien that “spin doctor” implies dishonesty and should never be used.

“As a new public relations professional, I was advised of the term ‘flack,’ and the ensuing debate as to whether the term was derogatory or offensive,” says Suzan French, a seasoned PR professional. “Many years in the industry later, the argument is silly to me,” she says. “So when it came time to name my own PR firm, I had no reservations about my choice: FlackShack.”

“I don’t think of all slang terms as less credible,” explains French. “I associate many of them with respect and trust.”

For example, when French hears “doc,” she imagines a “big, gruff, older gentleman in a white lab coat — the same one who treated my poison ivy, delivered my babies and came to my elderly mother’s bedside during her final days.”

“‘Hack,’ ‘flack,’ ‘shrink’ all conjure up images of those experienced in their professions, who have been working at their trade for a long time, and are good at what they do,” continues French. “Words like ‘geek’ and ‘nerd,’ which were once considered derogatory, are suddenly cool,” she adds.

“Though public relations should be taken seriously, it does not have to be serious in nature all the time,” French continues. “Some of the most successful campaigns have been those that were tongue-in-cheek, playful and sometimes just plain silly.”

French concludes: “I don’t know who said it first, but I have to agree: ‘I don’t care what you call me, just call me.’”

Readers: What’s your take?

Gracie

Written by Grace Lavigne, senior editor of ProfNet, a service that helps journalists connect with expert sources. Dear Gracie is published weekly on ProfNet Connect, a free social networking site for communicators. To read more from Grace, check out her blog on ProfNet Connect.

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February Media Moves and Changes

Posted on February 2, 2012 by | Leave a comment

PR Newswire’s Audience Research Group continually updates the media database that powers our MEDIAtlas service, and our popular Microlists, which let you target niche audiences on the fly.  Here’s a summary of recent media and blogger updates.

A new year means out with the old and in with the new, at least for ABC Network (http://abc.go.com). The network launched a new show in its afternoon lineup called “The Revolution”. The show replaces “One Life to Live” in the network’s 2:00 p.m. ET time slot. ‘The Revolution’ is hosted by Ty Pennington, Tim Gunn, Harley Pasternak, Dr. Jennifer Ashton and Dr. Tiffanie Davis Henry. Broadcasted from ABC Times Square Studios, these six experts will help women transform aspects of their lives including body, health, style, mind and environment. Each week, the show highlights one woman over the course of five months. Executive Producer is J.D. Roth. You can follow The Revolution on Twitter http://twitter.com/therevolution or on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/therevolutiononabc.

The Washington, DC region received a late news gift in January with the addition of a second all-news station to the area. WNEW-FM, 99.1 on the dial, is now broadcasting news 24/7. Michelle Dolge is the News Director and you can send news to this CBS station via email: desk@wnew.com. Amy Morris and Bill Rehkpf are the Morning News Anchors. The station is on the web here: http://washington.cbslocal.com/station/wnew-99-1-fm/ and tweets here: https://twitter.com/WNEWNews

Univision (http://www.univision.com) will now be providing English subtitles to their telenovelas in an attempt to attract the non-Spanish speaking audience. Televisa has countered this move by teaming up with Lionsgate to create new English telenovelas with the same Spanish flare.

There is no doubt that the Hispanic population has grown in the US, and that their votes are really important. Univision’s Anchor Maria Elena Salinas was given the first interview with President Barack Obama after his State of the Union Address, beating out ABC’s Diane Sawyer for the interview.

Dylan Byers on Media is a newly created blog produced by The Politico (http://www.politico.com) which will feature a combination of politics and Media. Political Media Reporter Dylan Byers (dbyers@politico.com)  is the author of the blog. The blog will serve as a replacement for the Ben Smith blog, which ceased continuation when Ben Smith recently accepted a position as Editor-in-Chief at BuzzFeed. For more information, visit http://www.politico.com/blogs/media/  You also follow Dylan Byers on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/dylanbyers

First on television and now in a magazine, Reality TV stars are getting their own weekly magazine. Reality Weekly (http://www.realityweeklymagazine.com) launched last month but so far has not been as successful as hoped. But it’s still early and publisher American Media is not giving up just yet. The Editor-in-Chief is Richard Spencer. Send him tips at tips@starmagazine.com. Reality Weekly is a sister publication of Star Magazine.

While still only in the testing stage HGTV Magazine (http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv-magazine/package/index.html) is a hit! The newest Hearst publication has already produced solid subscription numbers and Hearst will make the decision whether or not to keep the magazine in its line-up shortly. The magazine will parallel the programming on the HGTV Television Network. The Editor-in-Chief is Sara Peterson (speterson@hearst.com) and the Associate Editor is Rachel Jacoby (rjacoby@hearst.com).

The Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News (http://www.philly.com) are raising their rates at the newsstand. The increase will be 25 cents. The Inquirer and Daily News will now cost a dollar each during the week.

Colorful Meteorologist John Bolaris has mutually parted ways with Philadelphia’s FOX 29, WTXF-TV. Bolaris recently was interviewed in Playboy about being robbed in Miami last year by two professionals. The station apparently did not like the way he represented the station in the article. You can read about it here: http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/entertainment/celebrities_gossip/John-Bolaris-no-longer-employed-by-Fox-29.html . The meteorologist is famous for his missed call when he was at WCAU-TV in Philadelphia and wrongly predicted the snow “Storm of the Century”. His blown call at the time forced him to move on to a new gig.

Condolences to the family of retired CBS Correspondent Richard Threlkeld. He was recently killed in a car crash. He was 74.

Going forward, KNBC-TV will be known as NBC4 Southern California (http://www.nbclosangeles.com). The re-branding is part of the station’s makeover in an effort to boost ratings and standings among local stations.

Los Angeles Daily News Columnist Dennis McCarthy is retiring from the newspaper business after 40 years of service.

Geraldine Baum has bid farewell to the Los Angeles Times. Baum had been with the paper since 1989 and was most recently New York Bureau Chief. Tina Susman will take over as the new Bureau Chief.

OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network (http://www.oprah.com/own) has decided to part ways with long-time Oprah Executive Lisa Erspamer. Erspamer who has worked with Oprah for 18 years will be replaced by Discovery Channel executive, Rita Mullin.

Veteran newsman George Lewis has announced his retirement. Currently the Senior Technology Correspondent at NBC Television Network and MSNBC/Microsoft-NBC, Lewis began working for NBC in 1968. He started his career covering hard news and his resume includes coverage of some of history’s biggest stories. Among them: the Vietnam War, Tiananmen Square, Operation Desert Storm, the Iranian hostage crisis, the Exxon Valdez oil spill as well as two Olympics and the infamous O.J. Simpson trials.

Time.com’s (http://www.time.com) Executive Director Catherine Sharick (catherine_sharick@timeinc.com) has been promoted to Managing Editor. Sharick joined Time.com in 2002 as Web Producer. The timing coincides with Time.com’s launch of Time Business. This vertical will be overseen by Scott Medintz and will cover subjects such as Wall Street, trends, small businesses and more. Other Time.com verticals include Ideas, Entertainment and Newsfeed and Lightbox.

The Conde Nast empire is planning to expand. The company has committed to 1,138 million square feet of office space in the new World Trade Center. They have agreed to a 25-year lease before the project is even finished. The expected completion date of the tower is sometime in 2014.

Meredith, publisher of Better Homes and Gardens reports a loss in revenues from $36 million, compared to last year at, $42 million. Despite the decrease in profits, the circulation revenues increased – online orders for print magazine subscriptions doubled to 500,000, an increase from 2011.

In an effort to cut down on costs, The Boston Herald (http://www.bostonherald.com) has made an agreement with The Boston Globe (http://bostonglobe.com)that would allow the Globe to print and deliver the Herald’s newspaper in the Boston area beginning some time in January. This agreement has allowed the Herald to save on costs by eliminating the jobs of 53 truck drivers and other delivery workers that have been laid off due to budget cuts.The newly launched Jack & Jill blog offers news that is largely geared towards African American political issues and current affairs. The blog also features news and commentary on the  impact of  African-American politicians and the effects of African-American culture in the United States. The blog is authored by Jack Turner (jackturnerpolitics@gmail.com) and Jill Tubmain. For more information , you can visit http://www.jackandjillpolitics.com

The Chicago Tribune (http://www.chicagotribune.com) will begin offering voluntary buyouts to newsroom staffers in an effort to trim down costs due to financial difficulties. The buyouts will be available to all editorial staff with the exception of top departmental management.

Toledo television stations WTOL-TV (CBS) (http://www.wtol.com) and WUPW-TV (FOX) (http://www.foxtoledo.com) will combine their efforts in sharing news, access to studios, master control, technical facilities, maintenance and promotional efforts.

The Miami Herald (http://www.miamiherald.com) has just announced its soon to be new home located on the grounds of the former U.S. Southern Command Headquarters in Doral, FL. Publisher and President David Landsberg has made the announcement after having signed the lease at its new address located on 3511 NW 91st Avenue, which will soon be renamed One Herald Plaza at Westpointe Business Park. The changes are said to take place some time in May of 2013.

Former Miami Reporter at WSVN-TV, Rene Marsh (Rene.Marsh@turner.com), joins CNN Newsource as a National Correspondent. She will be based in the Washington D.C. bureau.

CNN – Cable News Network announced the promotion of Rick DiBella (rick.dibella@turner.com) who has been promoted to Executive Producer. Prior, he served as a Senior Broadcast Producer and a Senior Producer for “The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer”. Also making moves is former Bloomberg Correspondent Lizzie O’Leary (lizzie.oleary@turner.com), who has joined the CNN Network as Aviation and Regulation Correspondent. Charley Keyes steps down from his position as Senior National Security Producer. He retires after 24 years of being with the network. On another note, the network welcomes Flora Zhang (flora.zhang@turner.com) as a New York-based Opinion Editor. She recently served as a Co-Editor for The New York Times blog called “Room for Debate”.

The Seattle Times (http://www.seattletimes.com) announced plans last month that at least 20 employees were going to be laid off throughout the company. This number includes 5 newsroom staff members. Another 10 to 12 layoffs were said to be coming later in the year as well.

Back Porch View (http://www.backporchmagazine.com) is a new quarterly magazine from the Flathead Valley Montana region. The magazine features articles about family life, frugal living, sustainable living and work-at-home enterprise.  Chris Friar is the Editor: crisfriar@yahoo.com.

Sacramento Bee (Sacramento, CA) — The McClatchy Co. announced the consolidation of its five California newspaper’s copy desks to the Sacramento Bee (http://www.sacbee.com). The move is expected to create 20-30 jobs at the Bee.

Sacramento’s Capitol Weekly, a magazine focused on California government and politics, is no longer producing its print publication. They will continue online only for now, and can be found at: http://capitolweekly.net . John Howard is the Editor: news@capitolweekly.net

WVUE-TV‘s Jennifer Hale is pulling double duty and adding Sports Reporting to her resume. In addition to Reporting and Anchoring the news for the local New Orleans FOX affiliate, Hale is covering NFL games for FOX Sports. Jennifer is on Twitter: https://twitter.com/JenHale504

Khloe Kardashian Odom, the newest high-profile resident of Dallas, TX, is now hosting a midday show on KDMX-FM. She and husband Lamar, who plays Forward for the Dallas Marvericks, moved to Big D in December 2011. Khloe is on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/KhloeKardashian.

KHOU-TV (http://www.khou.com) in Houston, TX, has added new social media features to its iPad application. Facebook and Twitter links are now embedded in the news app to create the full social media experience for the user. Also, since adding these features, the average time spent browsing the site has increased.

Javier Garcia has been named General Manager of US Hispanic Business & Operations for Yahoo.

Luis Fernandez-Rocha has been named Senior Vice President of Telefutura after the resignation of German Perez-Nahim.

ImpreMedia and its six publications are still at a crossroads. While the staff has been working without settling a contract since May 2010, there is now word that Argentine newspaper La Nacion is trying to purchase ImpreMedia.

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Tech Blogs: Digital Roundup

Posted on January 20, 2012 by | 2 Comments

Working as the blogger relations manager for PR Newswire, I come across my fair share of great blogs that cover a wide variety of subject matters and interests.  And as you might expect, some blogs are better than others. With that in mind and in an effort to highlight the better ones, I do my best to review one of these blogs every day.

This week my focus is on tech blogs. I’ve written about tech blogs on here before. But the truth is, there are so many great tech blogs out there. And that’s probably because technology has become ubiquitous in nearly all we do. It’s not enough to say that technology is big business. Technology is pretty much all business. And it should come as no surprise that there are a LOT of blogs out there reporting on it. So with that in mind, let’s count our 1′s and 0′s, download the newest apps and enjoy this brief tour of some of the best tech blogs I’ve seen.

Tech Cocktail blends together pretty much everything that’s happening in the tech universe into one place.  The blog isn’t constrained to one geographic location. In fact, you can sort the news from any one of over a dozen cities throughout the world. One important thing, though. If you pitch this blog with stories of advancements in wireless bartending, you’ll expose yourself as a spammer. It’s a cocktail of technology, not the technology of cocktails. Check out the full review here.

Ars Technica is just as likely to talk about the newest gadgets and apps as they are to talk about space moons (!). Ok, they probably talk more about electronics, software, etc. But they definitely do mix in the role echnology’s plays in the natural world. If I were to pitch this blog, I’d hit them with standard tech stuff. Stories surrounding technology aiding scientific advancements might also work. Check out the full review here.

Brotha Tech is the story of one man’s passion turned into an awesome blog. This guy is the one you’d call if your TV’ wasn’t working, or the internet connection was out. You get the sense this stuff is a real passion for him. If I were to pitch this blog, I’d go with consumer electronics or anything else that might otherwise speak to the heart of an A/V fanatic. Check out the full review here.

The Verge is probably the youngest of the blogs on here. But don’t let that fool you. In spite of the site’s age, the masthead on this blog is one of the most impressive anywhere on the web, boasting industry veterans writing in a place where they finally feel in control of the editorial product. If I were to pitch this blog, I’d keep in mind the quick reputation they’ve garnered. Check out the full review here.

Lost in Technology is one man’s quest to save his readers all the headaches and frustration he’s endured dealing with technology over the years. The site is a great example of someone turning their passions into something tangible.  If I were to pitch this blog, I’d probably look for stories that relate to consumer electronics, family-related gadgetry, and maybe even beer.  Check out the full review here.

That’s all for now. In the meantime, if there’s a blog I should be reviewing, drop me a line or a note in the comments, and I’ll take a look. Until next time…

Author Tom Hynes is PR Newswire’s manager of blogger relations. And as you may have guessed, he has a twitter account.

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