WHO SAYS IT'S "NEWS" ?

In a time of newsroom layoffs, citizens have every right to be skeptical of what passes for “news” these days in print, broadcast and websites.

As a former journalist I know the diligence that should go into vetting a story for accuracy before it is reported. Sadly, those standards aren’t what they used to be.

Competitive pressures and smaller staffs force too many newsrooms to “get it out” first, then check the facts. Bloggers and “citizen journalists” muddy the process by offering opinions under the guise of news. And far too many news organizations regurgitate handout material (press releases, video news releases, freebies) and report them without disclosure or much fact-checking.

Even “soft” news should be suspect: theater critics shouldn’t be given free tickets or restaurant reviewers free meals. Their reporting should be done anonymously, replicating the average consumer’s experience.

Even big, traditional news organizations have found their increasing use of freelancers who haven’t been following their rules is causing big problems… witness this fascinating mea culpa from the New York Times’ Public Editor.

And don’t get me started on groups like Fox News that keep reminding us that “We report, you decide”. The more a site has to proclaim its quality, the less it probably has.

No wonder readers / viewers / listeners are skeptical. But what fascinates me is that most of us, instead of seeking out differing viewpoints to balance the bias, just tend to wallow in “news” that supports our own views.

Fox news fans rely on The Drudge Report to confirm Fox’s slanted coverage. And NPR listeners never miss Keith Olberman or Rachel Maddow to bolster their liberal views.

Here’s a fascinating exercise:

Watch your favorite evening network newscast… ABC, CBS, NBC of Fox. Then watch that same evening’s newscast on the BBC America, France’s Antenne Deux or Italy’s RAI networks. You’d hardly know that you’re viewing coverage of the same day’s events.

If you read the NY Times, add another out-of-town or international paper’s website to your reading list. And whatever your political leanings, always give a look at Pro Publica, the “public interest” (non-profit) news website.

When driving, I always try to catch Rush Limbaugh and Neil Boortz, not because I agree at all with their jaundiced views, but because I need to hear and understand them. And who knows, maybe I’ll hear them say something that will actually make me THINK!

The Fallacy of Facebook: Twittering Away Our Time

So-called “social media” are getting far too much hype, time and budget.

If you want to reach people where they “think”, traditional media is the way to go, not Facebook. You want to build a social media site for a client, be my guest. But that’s not the place to make a credible impression or to change people’s minds. Facebook is ego gratification, not persuasion.

A single story placement in print… a satellite media interview on even a low rated UHF TV station… even a spot-news radio interview… any of these will get you more “eyeballs” than “friend’ing” on FB.

And as for Twitter… what a time waster! It’s the equivalent of online Kindergarten: A bunch of self-absorbed kids, each yelling louder than the next one, “I’m cool. Pay attention to me”. Who cares, or remembers?

People in PR who waste their time “tweeting” on behalf of clients could better be spending their time pitching a journalist or blogger.

Millions of self-obsessed Twitterers don’t mean squat. And PR strategies that depend on such folly need to be rethought. Show me the data that social media changes minds and I’ll change mine. But ‘til then, MSM (mainstream media) rule!

Newspapers may be shrinking, but they still have readers who turn to them and their journalists with trust. Sure, selling your story to a reporter is harder than putting it on Facebook, but which has the credibility? And when this morning’s Facebook post has scrolled off into oblivion, a print “hit” is still around for others to see and comment on forever.

Yes, I have a Facebook page and occasionally “Tweet”. They’re fun, like playing Sudoku. But they’re not my strategy for finding new business or establishing credibility with my clients. Firms that tweet and post self-serving Facebook status updates come off looking stupid or desperate.

Too many people in PR are believing their own hype when it comes to this new medium. Social media is fun, but it’s not the salvation for an industry trying to reach people with credible, thoughtful messages. Stop playing and start pitching!

Isn't it time for all of us to get back to work?

THE NEXT GREAT COMMUNICATOR: OBAMA RAISES THE BAR

Like the rest of the world, I was in awe at the outcome of the Presidential elections. As a naturalized American citizen, the outcome was evidence yet again of the power and durability of this democracy. We are the envy of the world by what we have done rather than by whom we have bombed.

But when I watched Senator Barak Obama’s election night acceptance speech before a crowd of a half-million fans (and countless billions viewing worldwide), I was struck once again not only by what he said but also by the brilliance of his delivery.

We’d seen it before in small soundbites on the campaign trail and in interviews. And we certainly saw it during the debates where the reaction shots of John McCain’s fiery temper contrasted starkly with Obama’s cool demeanor.

Like no leader in generations, Obama knows how to deliver a speech.

Admittedly, not all of Obama’s prose is written by him. His whiz-kid speech writer, Jon Favreau deserves much of the credit for the Dr. Martin Luther King-like verbiage and John Kennedy-style similes.

But the delivery is all Obama. It’s about more than just the words.

And as we’ve seen for the last eight excruciating years, even a well written speech can be slaughtered in the delivery. (Just what will Letterman and Leno do without “W” to kick around anymore?)

But what does this mean to you in your communications with clients, stakeholders and the media? Well first off, a higher standard of what makes a “great communicator”.

Barak Obama has raised the bar.

So what is it that makes Obama a “great communicator”?

TECHNOLOGY: Certainly he can read a teleprompter… a very “teachable” skill for some reason never mastered by John McCain. But better yet, he knows how to deliver a line with pacing and patience and passion. He knows when to wait for applause, or even just to let an idea sink in. Contrast Obama with Palin, one brilliant, the other clueless… one poised, the other staccato.

CONNECTING: Even unscripted, watch and listen to Obama. He thinks before he speaks, choosing his words carefully. He looks you in the eye and connects, even in a big crowd, cementing the emotional bond.

Watch the faces in the crowd in the Chicago acceptance speech on election night. Sure, they’re his fans, but look at their tear-filled eyes as they each think he’s speaking just to them, united in thought.

STORIES: Obama doesn’t speak in generalities. He offers anecdotes, one of the most powerful ways of connecting with an audience. And I’d take his 106 year old Ann Cooper over McCain’s “Joe the Plumber” any day.

LANGUAGE: Obama speaks English. Words do matter. His tone is at once formal and stentorian, and in the next minute informal and down-home. His vocabulary matches the moment, lending importance or humanity.

REPETITION: You don’t just deliver a key idea once, you repeat it. In the Chicago speech his rhetorical questions to the crowd were met over and over again with “Yes we can”.

HE’S REAL: Obama’s smile is killer… but genuine, and never forced. People instinctively know the difference.

Sure, it’s one thing to deliver an historic election night victory speech and quite another to talk straight with us about duty and sacrifice. But who would you rather take bad news from, a guy you trust or a phony robo-pol?

My prediction: We can look forward to four (maybe eight?) years of extraordinary speeches, press conferences, interviews and fireside chats. I’d expect the Obama presidency to make us all demand more of those we listen to, be they in politics or business.

Speech writers may try to mimic Obama (and Favreau’s) style. Their speaking clients will hope to match his delivery.

And we’ll be working with all our clients to help them meet Americans’ newly raised expectations of what it means to “connect” with someone they trust.

And you know what? Out of this we’ll all be winners.

Good communicators are what we need.


11/5/08

Newsroom Secrets for Satellite Media Tours

by Amy Fond / Cameron Communications Inc.

"Satellite Media Tours (SMTs) consist of a sequence of one-on-one satellite interviews with a series of pre-booked television reporters across the country or around the world. Satellite media tours typically involve an interview with an author, performer, executive or other spokesperson promoting an upcoming event, product, movie or book release. SMTs generally are conducted from a studio but can originate from remote locations and may be aired live by the television station or recorded for a later airing."
- Medialink Worldwide, Inc.

A Satellite Media Tour can be a great tool to promote your campaign across the country to wide audiences. But while your spokesperson is being beamed out nationwide – you may be surprised at what's going on in newsrooms coast to coast. To truly maximize the impact of your SMT it's imperative that your spokesperson is media trained to make sure that your messaging is heard, and that viewers care. But knowing what the reporter on the receiving end is thinking, and doing, can help level the playing field and also lead to success.
Here are some newsrooms secrets for your next SMT - and why training your spokesperson is that much more important.

- They're listening! While your spokesperson is speaking with WPVI, ABC in Philadelphia – WJBK, FOX in Detroit may be listening in. When it's a station's turn for their allotted interview – they dial in to connect to your spokesperson via telephone. The spokesperson will hear the interviewer through a special earpiece called IFB. But even before a station's scheduled interview time – they can dial in and listen to previous interviews being conducted. Without you knowing – a station can hear how your spokesperson is answering questions from other TV stations, and how they handle tough topics! This allows the eaves dropping newsroom to either copy questions they've heard or begin to craft trickier ones. Stations are also listening in to see if your spokesperson is coming off as too commercial. If they think the product is being mentioned too often - they'll cancel their upcoming interview before their turn on the ‘bird’!

- They do want a list of questions from you! More often than not, if you provide a station with a list of questions for your spokesperson, they'll use it. Send over a list of 10 questions you think will help highlight your messaging. Believe it or not - that saves a busy newsroom Producer a lot of time. Training your on-camera talent to successfully answer those questions is a must. The big mistake though, comes when you think a station will ONLY ask those questions. SMTs can often last up to 4 minutes – which means your talent could have a lot of time in the hot seat. They need to be able to tackle whatever comes their way, all the while remembering to deliver their messaging. If they're only prepared for the questions you've crafted – they'll do themselves, and your company, a big disservice. Why do all that work to find the perfect spokesperson and not fully prepare them for success? Crafting your own questions can help – but don't forget about all the other doors stations will try to open.

- They may be taping the interview to run later in their broadcast! Most stations will tell you if they're taping the interview for later use. They may use phrases like "We're putting this to tape." But some stations may not mention how or when they're going to use the interview. If they're taping the interview for later use – that means they can, and will, chop up and edit your spokesperson. If a station thinks the spokesperson was pushing a product too hard – they can cut that part out, meaning your messaging may never get heard. That's why it's even more important to work with your spokesperson so they can deliver your messages in a way that matters to the viewing audience. If a station thinks there's information that viewers will want to hear and will tune in for – they'll run it.

While newsrooms may have their book of tricks to help them conduct SMTs – now you're on the same page. And if your spokesperson is media trained on how to bring in messages points, deflect tough questions, and come off as credible – you can help create a successful campaign and a news segment viewers will watch and remember!

Amy Fond is a Media Trainer and Presentations Coach with Cameron Communications, Inc. She's conducted countless SMT interviews as a Journalist, coordinated numerous SMTs as a Producer, and has Media Trained dozens of clients to successful Satellite Media Tours. For more information: www.mediatrainer.tv or amy@mediatrainer.tv

5 TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL CELEBRITY SPOKESPERSON

By AMY FOND, Cameron Communications Inc.

"The nice thing about being a celebrity is that if you bore people, they think it's their fault." – Henry Kissinger

Henry Kissinger has obviously never seen a celebrity drone on endlessly plugging a product. Celebrities may be trained to act or sing – but that doesn't also mean they're automatically trained to be good spokespeople. So how do you make sure the star you're working with - will work for you when it comes to your messaging?
Follow these 5 tips to help ensure success the next time you partner with a prominent spokesperson.

#1 Don't Confuse Success with Succinct: Just because someone's in the public eye and is successful on TV, in the movies, or on the radio – doesn't mean they're a great public speaker. While you may want your celebrity spokesperson to talk about your cause – stations may only want to talk to them about their personal life, their latest movie, or their recent arrest! They need to have the skills to seamlessly switch topics. That's why Media Training a celebrity is a must! They may already have the skills to tackle tough questions – but the more they practice deflecting dangerous topics – the better they'll get. Make sure you work with the celebrity prior to the interview so they know what questions are appropriate to answer, those they don't have to answer, and when and how to bring in your messaging in a credible manner.

#2 Be Wary of the Celeb Seen too Often: I once worked with a famous female, movie star to help her promote a new campaign for a nationwide pet association. Stations loved the segment – the star had recently been in the news and she was great working in her messaging. Two weeks later I was working with her again! This time she was speaking on behalf of a well-known camera brand. Same star, but there wasn't as much appeal. Was the story less newsy than her last appearance? Maybe. But she was starting to become oversaturated. You can guess what happened two months later when she was back to promote a brand of toys - bookings were hard to come by. Make sure you check around to see what other promotional work the celebrity you've partnered with has done. A good time frame is to wait at least 4 months before using that celeb to promote another product.

#3 Play Matchmaker: What leads to the most successful use of a celebrity spokesperson? When the celebrity truly matches the cause or product. Just because someone's famous and can garner attention – doesn't mean they'll garner positive attention for your brand. Example: Using Lindsay Lohan to promote a board game - - probably not the best pairing. A better match would be an example of a female TV-Star I trained for a recent campaign. She had diabetes and was promoting a new injectable therapy for diabetics. The campaign was a hit. She was able to talk about her personal experiences and brought true credibility to the table. So when you're looking for the perfect celeb to pair your product with – just make sure they have nice teeth if they're talking about toothpaste!

#4 Watch out for the Product Pusher: One of the best ways to tank a campaign is if the celebrity looks like they're pushing a product. You want them to be able to stick to their messaging – but not at the expense of looking like they were 'paid to promote.' I know of several stations that hesitate airing campaigns involving a prominent, male, singer. Why? Because his segments come off as commercials: he over mentions the product and turns viewers off. So how do you ensure your celeb doesn't disappoint? A good rule of thumb is to have the celebrity answer or acknowledge the first two questions from the Anchor/Reporter at the start of the interview – then make sure they know how to bring in their messaging by the third question. Let them be a celebrity in the beginning to help hook viewers. If they're media trained to bring in their messages – they will, and should, by the third question, to avoid looking like a salesman.

#5 Don't Forget Fame Can Mean Fuss: Why did a Satellite Media Tour with a famous, female, performer fail the morning of? There weren't hard-boiled eggs on-site. I'm not kidding. It somehow fell through the cracks that the celeb had requested hard-boiled eggs the morning of the tour, and when they weren't there, she was cranky and uncooperative. So why waste the good training and invested time because of an un-soothed ego? Double check lists, ask if they have their own make-up artist or if they need one, find out about dietary concerns, and make sure the celeb knows the timing of the day and how long the day may stretch. And don't forget the hard-boiled eggs!

Amy Fond is a Media Trainer and Presentations Coach with Cameron Communications, Inc. She's been interviewing and working with celebrities as a Journalist and Media Trainer for more than a decade. For more information: www.mediatrainer.tv or amy@mediatrainer.tv

The VNR Is Dead!

My new partner, Amy Fond, comes to Cameron Communications Inc. from a long career in journalism and video production. As she writes below, the times are changing when it comes to VNR's!

- Jim Cameron, President

----------------------------------------------------------------

It used to be king when it came to getting your story on news broadcasts – but now VNR - are three letters some stations don't want to hear.

Video News Releases have your message embedded in them. When a station runs the full VNR – you're assured the story you crafted will be aired. They're designed to be indistinguishable from actual TV news reports - but that's the main problem with the Federal Communication Commission.

The controversy began a few years back when the FCC starting cracking down on VNR use after it was discovered the White House was using them to promote its own agenda. Critics called the VNR’s “paid propaganda”, with taxpayers footing the bill!

The FCC took action – either stations disclose the source of the VNR footage, with a title on the screen, or pay a hefty fine. Many stations chose option "C" – don't run VNRs at all.

Broadcast PR companies who produce VNRs saw a sharp decline in their airings. Once, a VNR could reach over 7 million viewers. Now monitoring reports were coming back with a few hundred thousand eyeballs in smaller markets. With results harder to deliver, production companies who used to produce 15 VNRs a month – now send out 4 or 5 a year. Instead many are looking beyond VNRs - turning to paid placement, b-roll packages and live guest bookings to get clients’ stories on the air.

So what does this mean for you?

You either need truly compelling video, or a spokesman who can deliver on the spot. Paid placement vehicles can be as short as half a minute and look like public service or informational announcements.

Can the executive, doctor or celebrity you're working with convincingly convey your messages in as little as 10-12 seconds? Can they ensure your message will be heard during a live interview where they can't control the questions?

If you have a third party spokesman, tips or advice for viewers, a true news hook and a willingness to curb your product mentions – then a VNR may still work for you.

Otherwise, you’d better be certain your spokesman has had media training to make sure your message will be heard!

“TECH TIPS FOR SPEAKERS”: PowerPoint’s Other Face

So, I’ve only been doing Speech / Presentation workshops for 25 years, teaching clients how to make more powerful presentations. But I’ve just learned of a powerful tool, thanks to David Pogue of the NY Times.

Pogue’s the tech writer for the paper and host of a great weekly TiVo-cast. I heard him speak at the Bulldog Conference in Washington and, at his suggestion, have been using the fabulous voice recognition software package “Naturally Speaking” which allows me to “talk” my written communications, including this blog, without keyboarding.

Pogue also has a great new series on Discovery HD called “It’s All Geek To Me” and in a recent episode on laptops, he taught this old dog a great new trick for using PowerPoint.

One of the worst sins as a presenter is to read your slides to the audience verbatim. (Hello?!? English is my first language!) That’s why PowerPoint has a “Speaker Notes” function embedded in every PPT “deck”. Using “Speaker Notes” the speaker can script what they want to say about each slide that’s not visible on the slide itself.

The problem is, you have to print out those “Speaker Notes” and use them as hard copy while projecting the slides on the screen. Or so I thought.

As Professor Pogue taught me, if you use the “Presenter Tools” or “Presenter View” tool in PowerPoint, you can see the Speaker Notes on your screen while your computer sends the slides to the LCD projector. Duh! Why is this function so buried in such a ubiquitous but essential software tool for business.

Here’s how to find this nifty tool:

For PowerPoint on the Mac just chose “Slide Show” and then “Presenter Tools”.

On Windows, of course, it’s more complicated. From the top tool bar select “Slide Show”, then “Set Up Show”. In the dialogue box check the big “Show Presenter View”. Then, in the “Display slide show on” list select the monitor you want the slides on.

When it’s set-up correctly, your audience will see the slide and your laptop will show you the Speaker Notes version of that slide and, on the left, thumbnails of the entire slide deck. That way you won’t “read” your slides, but give the audience some “value added”, i.e. info that’s not on the slide itself.

It will also make it easier to transition between slides, a technique I call “teasing”. Using Presenter View you’ll know what’s up next and can intro it verbally before showing it visually.

If you’re still confused, check out this explanation from Microsoft.

Try this out and let me know how it works. And thanks, David, for a fabulous tip!

TECH TIPS FOR PR: “Typing by Talking”

This edition of my blog is being written without me touching the keyboard.

As I dictate this column, the words appear on the screen as fast as I can say them. The future has finally arrived! My computer is listening to me.

Voice recognition software has come a long way since I first tested Dragon “Naturally Speaking” about five years ago. The newest edition of the software from Nuance is up to version 9 and is a quantum leap from the earlier versions.

I have to give credit to David Pogue of the New York Times for turning me on to the software though I had seen it heavily advertised before. Pogue was being interviewed on Connecticut public radio when he recommended the program has been nothing short of brilliant. He was right.

Truth be told, I’m turning into something of a Pogue groupie. Not only do I read his column, but religiously watch his TiVo-cast, and his new series on discovery HD, “It’s All Geek To Me.” He was also one of the keynote speakers at the recent Bulldog conference and wowed the audience.

The “Naturally Speaking” software package costs all of a hundred bucks, including the headset and microphone. Unlike earlier versions, this one requires no learning for the software to adjust your voice. All you do is load the CDs and go.

Ironically, it’s taking some getting used to, to be able to think and speak as fast as this program can keep up with you. It used to be the typing was slow enough you could collect your thoughts before the words were committed to paper. But this program screams it so fast.

I learned to type 40 years ago the old-fashioned way, two fingers at the time but fast. My daughter, who’s in high school, can type faster than me, but is probably in the last generation that will be the perfect keyboard skills.

If you do a lot of typing in your work, whether for e-mail or documents, you should definitely check out this program. It will make your life a lot simpler.

(Full disclosure: OK… I’ll admit I did have to spend 2 minutes correcting a few errors after dictating this column, but it was so much faster than keyboarding the whole thing!)