Tag Archives: Media

Dear Gracie: 10 Most Popular Posts From the Past Year

Posted on June 1, 2012 by | Leave a comment

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

It’s the one-year anniversary of my Dear Gracie column! There’s no way I could have written over 52 entries without the support of the ProfNet Connect and PR Newswire communities, including those who sent in questions, the enthusiastic readers, and of course, the experts I quote — so thanks!

When I first started writing Dear Gracie, it was meant to be a general advice column — any question on any subject. After the first few weeks, I started receiving more and more questions about PR and media issues specifically, and eventually the column became an advice column for PR professionals and journalists.

Here’s a look back at the top 10 most popular blog posts (in no particular order) from this past year:

1. How to Write Catchy Headlines

What type of headline turns the most heads? This article provides tips and techniques for print and Web articles, including advice on how to use puns and ambiguity effectively.

2. The Great Serial/Oxford Comma Debate

Dear Gracie actually used to occasionally feature grammar questions — that is, until Grammar Hammer was born.

3. Nine Non-PR Skills Every PR Person Needs

Featured on PRDaily.com, this article was particularly popular with PR professors and their students. The list showcases traits that are not usually associated with PR. Do your skills match up?

4. Branding vs. Advertising vs. Marketing vs. PR

Have you ever wondered what exactly the differences are between these fields? You’re not the only one.

5. When Clients Want to Distribute Non-News

Advice for PR professionals on how to talk down “that client.”

6. Tips for How to Appear on Camera

So you wanna be a star? Check out this advice on looking and feeling good through the lens.

7. Hashtags 101

How to mind your social media manners on Twitter, with a particular focus on hashtag etiquette.

8. Why Small Business Needs PR

How to convince small-business owners that they need PR.

9. #HowToRespond to an @AngryCustomer

If you have nothing nice to say, don’t say anything at all. But what if you HAVE to say something?

10. How to Stand out on a Panel

Learn how to dazzle audiences with your wit and wisdom.

Thanks again for reading Dear Gracie! Until next week…

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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Dear Gracie: Tips and Tricks for Interpreting Polls

Posted on May 25, 2012 by | Leave a comment

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,

With elections approaching, I’ve seen a lot of polls in the news recently. How do we know if the polls are accurate or biased?

Puzzled by Polls

*********

Dear Puzzled by Polls,

Three ProfNet experts provide some insight:

What You Need to Understand About Polls

“Creating and fielding a poll is not something that just anyone can do at the drop of a hat,” says Jason Reineke, associate director of the Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) Poll, which is a statewide, biannual poll of Tennesseans; as well as the university’s assistant professor of journalism.

“It is both an art and a science, and the people who do it well usually have extensive training and expertise,” continues Reineke. “Like a journalist, lawyer or medical doctor, being a pollster is a profession.”

Polls are snapshots in time and not predictive tools, explains David Schultz, law and graduate school professor at Hamline University’s School of Law, and editor of the Journal of Public Affairs Education. For example, polls conducted today about the presidential elections are not necessarily indicative of what will happen in November.

“A common problem with political polls is that they are often fielded by one party to support its agenda,” adds Bob Clark, president of 24K Marketing.

Some polls are better than others, but the value of a poll can be better determined by the goals that it was designed to address, rather than one-size-fits-all rules, says Reineke. “Nonetheless, there are some standards that can be applied across most polls.”

Transparency

Pollsters should freely and honestly report information about the poll’s funding, affiliation, methodology, data and analysis, explains Reineke.

“If the source of a poll can’t or won’t tell you how they sampled respondents, how they interviewed them, what the questions and response options were, what the response rate was, or other details about the poll, then the results should be taken with a commensurate grain of salt,” he advises.

Also, be skeptical of a poll if it was designed and conducted by someone without recognized credentials, experience and reputation, says Reineke. Just you’d be skeptical about a doctor without a degree or a journalist without any bylines.

Reineke suggests checking out the website of the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR). “If a pollster is not a member of AAPOR, or is dismissive of the organization — or worse yet has never heard it of — that should be cause for concern.”

Poll Questions

One indicator of bias in surveys are leading questions, says Clark. For example: Are you better off now under the Obama administration than you were four years ago?

This question is biased because it ties Obama to the issue, says Clark.

“A poll is only as good as the questions asked,” agrees Reineke. Questions should not encourage or discourage respondents to provide a particular response over others, and should only ask about one thing at a time.

Conversely, answers to questions should not include biased or politically charged words, says Clark. For example, phrases like “tax breaks for the rich” (instead of “tax reduction/reform“), “Obamacare” (rather than “healthcare reform“) and “War on Terrorism” (instead of “War in Afghanistan“) are all political labels with divisive meanings.

“Answers to questions that include these terms are more likely to be used by one party to validate their agendas,” Clark explains. Thus, this is not a projectable measurement of public sentiment on issues.

Reineke also suggests considering these three guidelines regarding poll answers:

  • Response options should be exhaustive, meaning that any possible response is represented by a response option.
  • Response options should be mutually exclusive, meaning that participants will need one and only one response to indicate their answer.
  • Pollsters, and consumers of their results, should also pay attention to potential order effects, meaning the ways in which a previous question, or a participant’s response to it, might affect interpretation or response to following questions.

Population Sampling

“Polls work by contacting a sample of the population of interest,” says Reineke. That sample should be representative, meaning it should have the same proportion of all important characteristics as the population.

Representative samples are often achieved through random sampling, which means every member of the population has an equal chance of being selected, he says. “Pollsters should be prepared to explain how their sampling is random if they claim it is so.”

“In cases where sampling is not random, pollsters should be able to explain how their sample is representative of the population, and provide appropriate cautions about the extension of results to groups who were not adequately represented in the sample,” continues Reineke.

Population Size

“The size required for a random sample to be representative of the population in question is dependent on the size of the population,” says Reineke. “The larger the sample, the smaller the margin of error.”

In the simplest terms, “margin of error” is a statistic that shows how well the selected sample predicts things about the entire population.

Look at margins of errors when evaluating polls, suggests Schultz. “I would say any poll with margins of errors greater than +/- 4 are meaningless, since that means the results could be off by as much as eight points.”

Interestingly, there is not much difference between the margin of error for a sample of 5,000 Americans vs. a sample of a million Americans, says Reineke. However, there is a significant difference in margin of error for a sample of 500 Americans vs. 2,500 Americans.

Statistical formulas aside, as a rule of thumb, you should look for a sample between 500 or 1,000 for state polls; and 1,000 or 2,000 for national polls, says Reineke.

“For presidential polls, I am suspect of any poll with survey samples of much less than 1,000 people,” agrees Schultz. “They probably need about 1,200 to 1,500 people to be accurate, especially if one wants to tap into swing voters or the views of particular subgroups.”

Also, ignore any poll that does not have a confidence level of at least 95 percent, says Schultz. Some polls have confidence levels of only 90 percent, which means they are only 90 percent confident that responses were within their margin of error. In other words, 10 percent of the time they are not sure if sample answers were indicative of the true population (not good).

Furthermore, polls are only as good as the underlying assumptions that go into them, continues Schultz. For example, a poll that lists 50 percent of those who responded as Democrats is skewed in terms of over-representing Democrats.

That’s why samples are sometimes weighted to better represent the population of interest, says Reineke. For example, if African-American males ages 18-35 are 1 percent of the sample, but 2 percent of the population, a pollster might mathematically adjust the sample so that responses of individuals in that demographic actually count as two responses each, thus better reflecting the population.

Regardless, pollsters should report their sample size and their margin of error, and provide information about how they sampled so that others can evaluate their claims and methods, Reineke stresses.

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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Dear Gracie: When Clients Want to Distribute Non-News

Posted on April 20, 2012 by | 1 Comment

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,

Some of my clients repeatedly ask me to pitch announcements that I don’t think qualify as “news.” I know if I do pitch the information, journalists will be annoyed and I could damage my media relationships. How do I explain this to my clients?

Peeved Pitcher

********

Dear Peeved Pitcher,

13 ProfNet experts share their experience:

Why Non-News Is Bad News

“One of your most important roles as a public relations professional is to advise your client,” says John Goodman, president of John Goodman PR. “If a client wants you to pitch a non-news story, you have to tell them ‘no.’”

What complicates this is, too often, PR people try to appease a client and tell them they’ll pitch a story hoping it might work or knowing it won’t work, says Goodman. This damages a PR agent’s reputation with reporters and reflects poorly on the client.

“Determining what is not news is relatively easy; telling the client can be a hitch,” agrees B. Andrew Plant, owner of Plant Communications.

This might partially be due to the fact that it is often easier for PR professionals from outside firms to say “no” to reporters compared to in-house staff, says Susan Tellem, partner at Tellem Grody Public Relations. Outside PR consultants have the luxury of being more objective, since PR staffers might fear losing their jobs if they object to a non-news release.

That’s why it’s extremely important to manage client expectations from the beginning, says Giselle Caamano, senior account executive at Deveney Communication. Regardless of whether or not an announcement is newsworthy, always provide clients with any feedback you receive from media contacts. This helps both parties re-evaluate strategies for next time, and for PR pros specifically, helps manage client expectations.

It’s important to have established trust with your client already, before you need it, says Plant. “That way, you can say to the client ‘Look, this is not a news item and distributing it will not serve you well.’” Use this as a teachable moment to help clients understand what is and is not news, and how releasing non-news might aggravate reporters and hurt future chances, he says.

Journalists are annoyed by non-news releases because it requires them to waste time reading, deciphering and sometimes deleting the inquiries, explains Nancy A. Shenker, founder and CEO of theONswitch.

If we bombard reporters with things that have little merit, they will block our emails in the future, or worse, call us on the carpet, says Tellem. “Then we have the delicate dance of playing both sides against each other,” by telling reporters “the client made me do it.” It is not an acceptable outcome for anyone involved, she says.

“As PR and marketing professionals, we need to be viewed as resources for the media,” says Jason Ouellette, vice president of PAN Communications. “If we’re issuing non-news and expecting people to pick up on it, our news becomes noise within the industry and then we have a bigger hill to climb.”

“The consequences of distributing non-news are alienated and exasperated media reps who may not notice future items from this or other clients,” echoes Plant. “You also may be creating a monster: a client who tells you what is and is not news, and determines what to distribute without your counsel.”

What Qualifies as “News”?

When having the “cold-water talk” with your client, be frank about what is and is not news, says Alison Cohen, senior manager of media relations at Education Development Center (EDC). Tell your clients to ask themselves the following:

  • What makes my issue, project, results or information newsworthy?
  • Is it original or new?
  • Is it especially timely?
  • Is it of interest to a large, diverse audience?
  • Are there two sides to the story?
  • Can I explain it in one or two jargon-free sentences?

Determine if the news story is truly different, and if it sets your client apart from other competitors, agrees Caroline Sherman, vice president of Alpaytac Marketing Communications/Public Relations. See if there is a connection to some timely trend that directly affects the client’s industry, or if there is some kind of benefit for the target audience.

Anything highly self-serving or promotional would be considered non-news, says Sherman. Announcements about product features that have been long been integrated by competitors is considered a “me too” broadcast and therefore non-news too.

For example, information about new products or services, events, strategic partnerships, holiday specials, startup funding or website launches should be weighed critically before being distributed as news, particularly for small businesses, says Bill Corbett, Jr., president of Corbett Public Relations.

“For smaller companies, I’ve found it relatively easy to explain why non-news is not worth a release, since they tend to be more cost conscious,” says Aline Schimmel, principal of Scienta Communications. “Reminding them that a two-page release can cost over $1,000 usually does the trick.”

At some point though, if clients continue to insist, you may have to have a ‘stand your ground’ moment, says Plant.

PR firms have the option of creating policies to ensure that only newsworthy information can be issued, even if a client insists otherwise, says Corbett. With other available avenues for distribution, the information can still be disseminated without ruining any reputations.

If the client insists on distributing the announcement, also consider positioning it as an “FYI” to lessen the risk, suggests Sherman.

“There are plenty of opportunities to promote your client and their news, but in today’s PR world, the challenge is to figure out which medium you want to distribute it through and what the goals of each are,” says Ouellette.

Finding Alternative Forms of Publicity

“As an outside representative, you need to have a good handle on not only what the media tabs as ‘news,’ but also what will be of interest to your client’s prospects, customers and partners,” explains Ouellette.

While agents should never distribute non-news to journalists directly, they could consider sending less-than-newsy information out via a paid wire service, says Henry Stimpson, principal of Stimpson Communications. It assures publication on the Web.

“There are now times when a news release you’d never send to a major news organization is still worthy of posting around the Web, simply to get the attention of anyone searching online for specific words or phrases,” agrees Donn Pearlman, president of Donn Pearlman & Associates and former Chicago journalist. The criteria for quality “news” has changed recently due to search engine optimization.

Also, try getting information into the public eye by using blog posts, video posts, website posts or LinkedIn group posts, says Ouellette.

For example, North Park University’s website offers ways to elevate events or topics to a wider audience when writing a news release is unnecessary, says John Brooks, director of media relations and news at the university. “I’m not looking to make every campus event into a news story,” he says. Instead, the university website has tabs on its homepage like “Coming Up” and “Worth Knowing,” which promote local happenings.

Sharing information via social networks and YouTube can still generate buzz and have an impact, says Corbett.

“I have found that insistent clients really appreciate our linking their ‘news’ to Twitter and Facebook users,” notes Brooks.

Also, consider disseminating information in company newsletters or through member mailing lists, adds Cohen.

“Using our website creatively and using social media for non-news is a much better option than doing nothing at all, especially with insistent clients,” says Brooks.

“Depending on the type of announcement and who it is applicable to, these can be just as, if not more, effective methods,” says Sherman.

Making Lemonade Out of Lemons

PR agents might ultimately need to create and find news for clients, says Shenker. “Many clients focus exclusively on the activity of writing and deploying releases, rather than looking within their businesses for opportunities for innovation.”

Only by launching new products, hiring new talent, winning awards, hosting events and making changes can a company create a stream of truly newsworthy happenings, continues Shenker. “PR without innovation and change is simply a bunch of ‘blah blah blah.’”

“Sometimes non-news becomes news when you wrap it into a larger future story,” says Schimmel. “For example, reporters may not be swayed by a drug company’s formulation or technology achievement, but if a future announcement of clinical data or regulatory successes was to come about as a result of that earlier formation or technology achievement, then it can all be packaged together.”

“You may be able to work with the client to finesse the piece so that it is news, maybe by adding other sources, or pivoting a bit so the information is part of a larger trend or current event,” says Plant.

For example, at North Park University, revised or new academic programs, or campus events, do not qualify as news, “especially when we’re the ones saying how important it is,” explains Brooks.

So for a new or revised academic program, Brooks asks faculty members to connect him to other people, not necessarily from the university, who can testify to the value of or need for the academic program change. And for events, Brooks reaches out to attendees and finds out what they learned from it or what motivated them to attend.

“I’m looking for quality testimony that enhances the story and makes it much more interesting to read than the boring, non-news release I could write!”  he says.

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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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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The New Digital Wars: The Conflicts That Are Shaping the Future of Communications

Posted on April 4, 2012 by | 1 Comment

“EPIC 2015″ is a look into the not-very-distant (anymore) future of media and information.

We are now in the aftermath of Web 2.0.  The promise of interoperability and information sharing has been realized.  It has raised enormous opportunities and some equally enormous concerns.  Here are some of the conflicts that will shape where we go from here.

  1. Big Data vs. Big Government

Big data is big news right now.  If you missed this discussion you might think it is about big databases, big servers, big analytics.  It’s not.  It’s about you and me.

The importance of big data is that it is perceived as a way to identify how people behave and thus predict what they are going to do.  What’s pertinent in the business world is what they are likely to be interested in buying.  This is the promised land for marketers.  It also has more than passing interest for all those online properties that built a big audience and now are trying to figure out how to make it pay.

The premise here is that carefully targeted messaging is better than traditional approaches that were by comparison mass scattershot communication.  Can’t argue with that.

But there is one flaw in the plan.  Nobody asked you and me what we think about this.  A lot of us aren’t so interested in having our behavior analyzed and predicted.  In fact we might not be any more interested in this than we were in having hawkers call us at dinnertime to sell us aluminum siding.

So that’s where big government steps in (think of the “Do Not Call” registry).  Government has a lot of things going against it.  It’s slow.  It’s generally behind the times from a technologist’s standpoint.  And it has enormous baggage, an archive of rules and regulations, some so old they were originally drafted on parchment and intended to protect the guy who needed a musket to score his next meal.

But government has got the big hammer.  And when it comes down in the form of “do not track,”  “do not sell,”  “do not even store” data that has not been permissioned by every individual covered, a lot of the industry that has been built up around converting big data into targeting marketing gets crushed.

  1. Google vs. SEO.

Search is a primary means of distributing information.  It is distribution that is owned by the audience.  We like that.  Google dominates.  So we want to make Google happy.  Or,  at least, we want to curry favor with its algorithms.

So what should we do, Google?  We only get a few scraps from Google about what they think but we know they don’t like too many keywords, they don’t like too many links or too many links above the fold, they don’t like to see your stuff in more than one place, etc.  Basically they don’t like SEO at all.  “Create good stuff, put it on good sites and we’ll take care of it,” is what they seem to be saying.  That is when they choose to say anything at all.  Fair enough.

Only trouble is SEO tactics often work.  In fact sometimes they work so well they become a life and death matter for an online based business.

SEO is really about gaming Google.  No wonder Google hates it.  One suspects the tech monolith is dreaming of squashing the whole SEO industry with its enormous boot.  But the thing is that the harder and more puzzling SEO becomes due to Google efforts to eliminate it, the more businesses need it because of the fact that it’s now harder and more puzzling.

I don’t see the end to this one.  This is the digital equivalent of the Hundred Years War, meaning the conflict is likely to be around for at least another 18 months.

  1. The Media vs. the media

Okay that is a little confusing.  Think of Media with a capital M as media organizations, newspapers and their digital descendents, wire services, broadcast outlets, etc.  And think of media with a lower case m as all the different vehicles for storing, delivering and providing information.

If you’re a big M guy you’ve got to be a little ticked off.  You pay all the bills to create the best content you can, but your P+L is hemorrhaging and all the buzz, not to mention eyeballs, is going to the aggregators, the curators, the sharers, the linkers, the little m guys.

NewsRight (http://www.newsright.com/) is the latest venture by the Media to try to get the upper hand here.  It’s hard not to sympathize with them.  If you think of a good book, you want to think the rewards from the sale of that book go to the author.  Most of us think that the primary beneficiary of a great song should be the person who wrote and recorded it.

The cost of big Media became disassociated with a good portion of the revenue it generates when the Media lost control of the distribution of its content.  I don’t think that’s going to prove easily reversible.  Search and social are now fundamental to the distribution of information.  Both work within the context of the free flow of information.

So the Media find themselves in a position of inadvertently limiting and potentially reducing their audience by seeking the just reward from their product.  I’m not sure that moving in the direction of having fewer people seeing your content is the best thing for the future of the business.

  1. Big Technology vs. Big Technology

Does big technology eat itself?  What I’m thinking about here is Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Amazon, Apple and others.  We all think we know what these companies do and probably have a short but sweet description of how we use them.  I buy presents on Amazon, search on Google, talk to friends on Facebook, network professionally on LinkedIn and so on.

Well it seems like the Earth has started to turn the wrong way.  Amazon is making devices to browse the Web, Google built a social network, Facebook created a feature than looks like Twitter and my LinkedIn home page is starting to look like iGoogle or My Yahoo.

It’s as if Tony, the guy who runs the best pizza shop in town, stepped out in front of his store and saw people going into the nail salon on the corner and the dry cleaners in the next storefront.  So he decided to focus his future business development on cleaning shirts and providing manicures.  Just make the best pizza Tony, please.

Can all of these companies go after everything they see each other doing without losing their focus on what they do best – and why their customers come to them in the first place? A few years down the road will we be able to describe in a few words what each of these companies do or will we need a couple pages of PowerPoint with bullet points to figure it out?  And if we do, what happens to these tech giants?

Author Ken Dowell is PR Newswire’s executive vice president of social media & audience development.

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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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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: Press Kit Tips for Better Media Exposure

Posted on February 24, 2012 by | Leave a comment

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,

There’s a lot of information out there about what can be included in a press kit, but I want to know what should be included in a press kit. What information do journalists actually use from a press kit? What annoys them about press kits? How can I make my clients’ press kits better?

Press Kit Contemplator

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

Dear Press Kit Contemplator,

Nine ProfNet experts provide their insight:

What Should Be Included in a Press Kit?

“A media kit is absolutely essential for anyone mounting a public relations or media campaign,” says David Johnson, CEO of Strategic Vision, a PR and political consulting agency. “Many of the major media outlets won’t even consider a guest or doing a story if there is not a media kit.”

For example, major television networks rank potential guests using a 0 to 10 scale, says Johnson. If a guest does not have a media kit, they automatically rank at 0 and have no realistic chance for an interview.

“Media kits are a factual snapshot of who you are as a singular entity and what your offerings or products are,” explains Peter Kelly, communications specialist and co-owner of Framework Media Strategies. Unlike promotional materials, media kits are meant to act as “the holy grail” of information for you and your business.

Although media kits often become dynamic documents, Kelly continues, they usually all have some elements in common (biographical or background information, photos and/or video content, etc.), but differ depending on what type of audience is being targeted.

Johnson’s press kit includes information on the company or product, bios of key company personnel, photos of the personnel and products, previous press releases from the company, FAQs and a sampling of previous media coverage.

Shel Horowitz — copywriter, marketing consultant and author of “Guerilla Marketing Goes Green: Winning Strategies to Improve Your Profits and Your Planet” — also recommends including photos, book covers, sample interview questions (great for TV or radio journalists), prior media mentions and other credibility builders, and maybe even some free content that can be used on a non-exclusive basis.

Check out Horowitz’s press kit (which includes a photo of PR Newswire’s billboard in Times Square).

“I tell my clients that they need to write and submit thought leadership articles to top websites, blogs and ezines, and then put those article placements into a media kit on their websites, as well as the ones used for print,” adds Eric Gruber, article and content marketing expert at ArticleMarketingExperts.com. Media kits need to prove to the press that the expert is respected. “Start writing and submitting articles,” he suggests to experts looking for press.

Michael Laderman, assistant vice president for communications and marketing at Barry University in Florida, says that in the university’s press kit, he includes the university magazine, view book, campus life brochure and general facts.

For an event, conference or trade show, John Brooks, director of media relations and news at North Park University in Chicago, suggests including background information on the event, schedules, downloadable photographs of the speakers or company logos, biographical information on the presenters, news releases, social media connections and event registration information.

Maximizing Chances: Less is More

Everyone in PR wants to get their message out there in as many ways as possible, says Laderman. But PR professionals need to create media kits that will maximize the chance of the press viewing it — otherwise, it’s a waste of time and effort.

“Journalists have both praised and cursed press kits since the dawn of professional public relations,” says Kelly. Journalists might get annoyed with a press kit if it includes nonsensical business jargon, “exciting” filler content or information that is too broad to use.

Journalists simply don’t have the time to leaf through countless pieces of information, explains Laderman. “Today’s journalists find themselves at the mercy of instant deadlines and being on call 24/7,” he says. The Internet’s “post first, edit later” mentality does not give reporters time to sift through tedious press kits.

Press kits should include as little as possible, agrees Winston Barclay, assistant director of arts center relations, and writer and editor of news services at the University of Iowa. “From a reporter’s standpoint, I can attest that reporters are not impressed by the bulk of a press kit — they are annoyed,” he says. Including a lot of information in a press kit means you’re asking a journalist to devote a lot of time to slogging though the material. “I used to just toss most of them,” Barclay admits.

But a press kit with factual information (like press releases, organization background, FAQs, etc.), is a valuable tool that can leverage press, and create a positive connection between the PR team and publication, says Kelly.

Melissa Simas Tyler, former news anchor and broadcast journalist, and current director of communications for O’Neill and Associates in Boston, says she relied heavily on well-crafted press kits during her 11 years as a journalist. “The press kit answered the questions I didn’t have time to ask an interview subject, or felt as if he or she just wouldn’t know the answers to off-hand,” she says. “The best press kits contain impressive facts that bolster any story.”

A comprehensive press kit might only include a press release, a fact sheet with bullet points and maybe a CD, continues Tyler. Suggested questions and a sheet with the interview subjects’ names and titles can also be very useful, she adds.

“After designing your piece, test it out with some journalists with whom you’ve established a relationship,” advises Brandi Palmer, manager of media relations in the Office of Communications at Florida’s Stetson University College of Law. “Ask them if the format works for them. If it doesn’t work, rethink and rework the piece.”

Palmer also suggests asking these journalists what the best time of day, or day of the week, is to send them information. “Late on a Friday or very early on a Monday may be an overwhelming time to add another email to a journalist’s inbox,” she says. “Show the journalist that you respect their time and input.”

Digital vs. Hard Copy

The purpose of a press kit is to provide important details and a little background in a multimedia format that appeals to journalists working in a variety of media, says Palmer. It can be delivered in as many media as journalists use, from video to still photography to audio to text.

Nowadays, media kits are usually available as downloadable documents on company websites, or as attachments that can be sent via email, explains Kelly. In this age of going green, kits might also be available on CDs or USB flash drives.

Most journalists prefer an electronic media kit as a link they can open, says Johnson.

Most reporters want to be able to download logos and photos to their own computer, or send them to photographers and artists working on page layouts, says Brooks. It’s also a good idea to make press kit materials appropriately formatted for smartphones, he adds, because that means the information will be widely available and accessible to reporters from almost anywhere.

“Set up a website that lets people click to the pieces they need,” advises Horowitz.

“Digital or online press kits are preferable, but only if they provide just the kernel of the story or event,” adds Barclay. Put in all the links you want, but make sure they are clearly identified, so the reporter can easily access or ignore them. “But the basic content should be as brief as possible,” he says.

And despite all of our technological advances, there are still those that desire a hard-copy version (perhaps due to the fact that our population consists of varying age groups), says Kelly.

However, hard-copy press kits are typically only used if they need to be mailed or hand delivered at events or trade shows, says Kelly.

If kits are going to be on-hand at an event, add a press release and facts pertaining to that respective event, suggests Laderman.

But remember: “If you can, do both a print and electronic version of your piece,” suggests Barclay. That way, journalists can use whichever way is easier for them.

For example, Brooks created a press kit for a national news conference a few years ago, with 28 reporters in attendance. Hard-copy background materials were provided in advance, but were also easily accessible after the conference via the Web.

“What really worked is that the photographs we posted of the principal speakers appeared in newspapers all over the country the next day, and so did portions of the support materials we posted,” says Brooks. “Had we provided these resources only in print, much of that material would not have appeared.”

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.

Want to see some great examples of online press kits?  Check out Virtual Press Office.  This PR Newswire company pioneered the digitial press kit, and today hosts thousands of press kits for trade show exhibitors and online press offices for hundreds of trade shows and conferences worldwide.

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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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