Teen Health and the Media
Today, media is in our lives no matter where we go. From television, radio, and the news, to magazines, newspapers, and the internet, media plays a big role in the spreading ideas, norms, and styles to people. Media spreads information really quickly to millions of people. Media is around people no matter where they turn, and they face it on a daily basis in some form. So, how is media related to eating disorders?
Eating disorders have a big impact on society on a small and on a large scale; meaning both individuals and society as a whole dedicate significant parts of their lives to the struggles of dealing with eating disorders. A lot of money and time go into the troubles of dealing with an eating disorder, as well as into the measures taken in order to treat and prevent them.
Eating disorders are very common amongst celebrities, mainly because their profession puts pressure on them to be skinny. The majority of celebrities that we see in the media are all skinny, and most of them are anorexic or bulimic. The fans of these celebrities look at the bodies of their idols and they want to be like them. The problem with this is that anorexic and skinny celebrities do not make good role models for their fans because their skinny figures are not a healthy look to follow.
Famous people believe that in order to be successful they must be skinny. This is not true. Celebrities expose their looks and body image to the media where fans can see them and get the wrong idea that their idol’s looks are acceptable when their idols are only trying to lose weight for their own “success”. It is like a cycle; celebrities are skinny in order to impress their fans and companies. They send their fans the wrong idea, thus making their fans lose weight. In the end, everyone has the idea that they must be thin and they must lose weight, thus, being skinny becomes the norm.
In a survey of girls 9 and 10 years old, 40% have tried to lose weight, according to an ongoing study funded by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.
In a study on fifth graders, 10 year old girls and boys told researchers they were dissatisfied with their own bodies after watching a music video by Britney Spears or a clip from the TV show “Friends”.
A 1996 study found that the amount of time an adolescent watches soaps, movies and music videos is associated with their degree of body dissatisfaction and desire to be thin.
One study reports that at age thirteen, 53% of American girls are “unhappy with their bodies.” This grows to 78% by the time girls reach seventeen.
In movies, particularly, but also in television shows and the accompanying commercials, women’s and girls’ appearance is frequently commented on: 58 percent of female characters in movies had comments made about their looks, as did 28 percent in television shows and 26 percent of the female models in the accompanying commercials. Mens’ and boys’ appearance is talked about significantly less often in all three media: a quarter (24%) of male characters in the movies, and 10 percent and 7 percent, respectively, in television shows and commercials.
One in every three (37%) articles in leading teen girl magazines also included a focus on appearance, and most of the advertisements (50%) used an appeal to beauty to sell their products.
The commercials aimed at female viewers that ran during the television shows most often watched by teen girls also frequently used beauty as a product appeal (56% of commercials). By comparison, this is true of just 3 percent of television commercials aimed at men.
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What’s your Goal for Social Media in Your Online Business?
These days you have no choice, but to differentiate yourself from your competitors unless you have an exclusive product. Otherwise you’re forced into the unwinnable battle of competing for the lowest prices and fastest shipping. In this case, it is the social media that will play a very useful role in providing you an online business opportunity.
This is why social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace, and LinkedIn have become so popular. Social media is about sharing your experiences, photos and videos, and you can even tag your friends. You can integrate your Twitter account with both Facebook and MySpace and your friends can comment on your tweets. You can build fan pages or groups to promote the brands and activities you really love or advocate. You can also do a lot of online work with the help of social media.
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Three Primary Social Media Goals
When we look at online marketing, there are three broad categories into which nearly all social media related goals can fall. They are usually either aimed at:
>> Building/Strengthening the Brand >> Driving Conversions >> Increasing/Monitoring the Presence
Just for an example, if you’re a plumber in New York, social media might not have a direct influence on increasing sales. Most of your prospective customers are still going to find you through search engines with keywords like ‘plumber in New York’ or ‘New York plumber service’. They are not going to go on YouTube to find a plumber. Rather they will prefer to take the help from the social media sites.
Hence starting at this broad level and thinking about the goals you have for your business, you can use the help of social media. You can be assured to have great success in building your online business opportunity, which will provide huge profits in less time.
Even the Little Guy can get On The HOOOOO Train after the McMahon Family Portrait Flag of United States Trevor Murdoch (Trevor Rhodes) * Flag of United States Johnny Nitro (John Hennigan) * Flag of United States Randy Orton * Flag of Samoa Umaga (Eddie Fatu) * Flag of United States Val Venis (Sean Morley) * Flag of United States Viscera (Nelson Frazier, Jr. Referees * Flag of United States Mike Chioda – Senior Official * Flag of United States Jack Doan * Flag of United States Marty Elias (Marty Rubalcaba) * Flag of United States Chad Patton Other on-air talent * Flag of United States Max Bretos – Backstage interviewer * Flag of United States Jonathan Coachman – Executive Assistant for Mr. McMahon * Flag of United States Armando Estrada (Hazem Ali) – Manager of Umaga * Flag of United States Todd Grisham – Backstage interviewer and occasional ring announcer * Flag of United States Jerry Lawler – Color commentator of RAW and occasional wrestler * Flag of United States Shane McMahon – Executive Vice President of Global Media, Head of Media Relations Department, Occasional wrestler * Flag of United States Jim Ross – Play-by-play commentator of RAW and Executive Vice President of Business Strategies * Flag of United States Ron Simmons – Occasional appearances Inactive talent * Flag of United States Lilian Garcia – Ring announcer * Flag of Mexico Super Crazy (Francisco Pantoja Islas) – Torn MCL suffered during European tour * Flag of United States Triple H (Paul Levesque …
Video Rating: 4 / 5
The New Tone of the Media
The world of PR is benefiting from dramatic changes in the way media coverage is being delivered electronically to your computer desktop or PDA of choice. Perhaps the nuisance of ink on your fingers is being replaced by a bad case of “BlackBerry thumb” — but nevertheless getting your media coverage electronically has never been easier or more mobile.
These changes now drive the development of new tools from content providers, and new software programs to help better manage and analyze media coverage. The automation occurring at the database level and through the real-time delivery of organizational news, to internal and external stakeholders, is now almost taken for granted. And the holy grail of PR — to automate media analysis and measurement — is already under way; but where should software stop to make way for human analysis?.
Media analysis programs can save countless hours quantifying and sorting media coverage in an unlimited number of ways, including by circulation, region, ad equivalency, company programs and services, and competitive brands. However, do you really want a computer program qualifying how each story affects your organization? It’s a gamble with little upside.
Just Say No
The automation of tone and sentiment has already been incorporated into some software programs, but how accurate can it be? Every story, across every medium, will have a dramatically different meaning or impact for various organizations and their stakeholders. Behind the news emerge both winner and losers.
For instance, if a negative story breaks about a strike at one bottling plant it will be a boon for its competitors. The ability to determine which companies are negatively affected by the news is very limited. Furthermore, understanding the actual tone or possible ongoing bias of the reporter on an issue is impossible to automate. News is as much about delivering the facts, as it is provoking a reaction or emotion from the reader. Media analysis solutions can certainly help decipher the facts, but the rest should be left to a team of communications professionals.
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Too Subjective?
The argument against toning media coverage has often been it is too subjective — if the news can be interpreted differently by each individual, won’t this skew the results in the end? True enough — but this can easily be solved with the introduction of a tone standardized ‘scorecard’ that is consistently applied to each story.
These scorecards can really vary, depending on the type of analysis you want to deliver in the end. Many organizations will chose to tone stories by ranking them as positive, neutral or negative.
The use of these 3 words alone is where subjectivity problems can creep in. Along with team brainstorming and training sessions on how tone can be applied, one quick fix is to use the C.B.S. Scorecard instead:
Use Critical (in place of Negative.)
Use Balanced (in place of Neutral)
Use Supportive (in place Positive)
After reading an article, it is much easier to answer the question “Was that story critical, balanced, or supportive of our organization?” Instead of: “Was that story negative, neutral or positive?”
When it comes to tone it won’t always be black or white, but I’d rather leave the grey zones to a trained communications professional rather than to the guesswork of a software application.
When it comes to tone it won’t always be black or white, but I’d rather leave the grey zones to a trained communications professional rather than to the guesswork of a software application.
Beyond the ranking of articles by tone using the C.B.S. Scorecard, other metrics and meanings can be used in tandem to create and even stronger analysis. The following scorecard uses a scorecard range, from – 5 to + 5, to provide a more in depth analysis.
Rating Criteria
+5 Supportive Mention + four of the following: Key Message; Interview; Photo; Call To Action
+4 Supportive Mention + three of the following: Key Message; Interview; Photo; Call To Action
+3 Supportive Mention + two of the following: Key Message; Interview; Photo; Call To Action
+2 Supportive Mention + one of the following: Key Message; Interview; Photo; Call To Action
+1 Supportive
0 Balanced
-1 Critical
-2 Critical Mention + one of the following: Negative Executive Mention, Positive Competitor Mention; Consumer Direct Complaint; Ongoing Issue
-3 Critical Mention + two of the following: Negative Executive Mention, Positive Competitor Mention; Consumer Direct Complaint; Ongoing Issue
-4 Critical Mention + three of the following: Negative Executive Mention, Positive Competitor Mention; Consumer Direct Complaint; Ongoing Issue
-5 Critical Mention + four of the following: Negative Executive Mention, Positive Competitor Mention; Consumer Direct Complaint; Ongoing Issue
Once each story is toned, the rest of analysis can be automated by your software solution. The tone can be used independently to determine the success of the campaign by percentage of C.B.S. stories, but the tone can also be used alongside the rest of the analysis to identify possible media bias or problem areas by region or publication. The media is always analyzing your organization…why not return the favour?
New media monitoring and analysis technologies are certainly changing the face of media relations activities and provide immense return on investment, but determining the impact of a news story on your organization should be kept in human hands for the time being.
Durango Songwriters, BFI Fest, Variety Summit, CMJ 2010, Billboard Conference, Highlight October Media and Entertainment Industry Networking Events
In Cannes, the annual MIPCOM event is known among industry professionals for creating, co-producing, buying, selling, financing and distributing entertainment content across all platforms. At this year’s event, which runs through October 8, “The Connected Experience” showcases trend-setters and innovators in the industry that will provide unique perspectives on how they see the new digital future unfolding, and in “Engaging Your Audience Through Social Media”, Facebook’s Joanna Shields will share her vision of future business models for Facebook content.
Now in its 15th year, Durango Songwriter’s Expo is a bi-annual musical event held in Colorado and in Santa Barbara, wine country. The October 7-9 event in Broomfield promises golf enthusiasts among its songwriting workshop participants a 27-hole championship golf course, as well as the Mokara Spa for use of massage, body treatment, sauna, fitness room, steam room and inhalation room. As usual, Expo enrollment is limited to 200 participants to provide greater attention from the music industry professionals conducting the sessions.
At this year’s Chicago International Film Festival, October 7-21, ‘Stone’, directed by John Curran, with Robert De Niro and Edward Norton, will be screened, and following the screening VIP ticket holders will be treated to a reception with a full bar and appetizers at theWit Hotel. The Awards Night on October 16, features cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and an awards presentation honoring this year’s winning filmmakers in the Main Competition, New Directors Competition, Docufest, Short Films, and Intercom competitions, set in the Pump Room of the Ambassador East Hotel.
ShowBiz Expo is the annual event held on both West Coast and East Coast presenting many opportunities to network, build contacts, and be cast in upcoming productions. This month the show is in New York for one day on October 9. Auditions at ShowBiz Expo have a limited number of appointments available and must be made at Casting Registration upon entering the Expo. A VIP networking after-party, with open bar and hors d`oeuvres, follows the Expo event.
In 2008, the Registry of Official World Records (Record Holders Republic) USA & UK, declared Bass guitarist Jayen Varma of Cochin, India, the world’s fastest for that year. And the guitar master has carved out new areas of achievement as a slap bass innovator (for instance using hard plastic tubes on fingers) in the Indian Tabla style. Upcoming workshop performances will give the public a chance to view the master in performance and instruction, on October 9 on Willingdon Island, with classical vocals and Mridangam, and on October 16, in Malabar, Calicut, with classical violin and drums. There will also be a special experimental session with the mandolin master, U. Shrinivas, in the third week of the month, but complete details are as yet to be released.
Content & Communications World, in New York, October 13 and 14, is a conference and exhibition for media, entertainment and communications technology. CCW presents business solutions for content creation, management and delivery, along with a range of satellite, fiber, and IP communications solutions. Folded into the CCW agenda are: HD World, SATCON and 3D World conference and expo, which can all be attended free of charge for pre-qualifying industry professionals. Visitors can stop by SocialSphere to chat with a media relations specialist about maximizing social media tools for their business, get tips and tricks for Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin and more.
Established in 1933, the British Film Institute (BFI) promotes understanding and appreciation of film and television heritage and culture through a range of activities and services. This years marks the 54th BFI London Film Festival, running October 13-28 in South Bank. BFI also runs the London Lesbian & Gay Film Festival, and publishes the monthly film magazine Sight & Sound, a wide range of books on film and television, including criticism, theory and history, as well as popular companions to individual film titles.
The New Orleans Film Society hosts the 20th Annual New Orleans Film Festival, Louisiana’s preeminent film event. Both established and emerging filmmakers gain media exposure, connect with the region’s diverse audiences, and participate in this anticipated event. A Patron Party and Opening Gala happens October 14 at the Eiffel Society on historic St. Charles Avenue, with food by Chef Ian Schnoebelen, specialty cocktails by Mixologist Alan Walter, and music by Sasha Masakowski & Musical Playground, and Treme Brass Band.
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Established in 1981, the Hawaii International Film Festival (HIFF), running October 14-24 in Honolulu, is dedicated to the advancement of understanding and cultural exchange among the peoples of Asia, the Pacific and North America through the medium of film. HIFF presents features, documentaries and shorts from Asia made by Asians, films about the Pacific made by Pacific Islanders, and films made by Hawai`i filmmakers that present Hawai`i in a culturally accurate way. HIFF also conducts seminars, workshops, special award presentation receptions with participating Asian, Pacific and North American filmmakers. HIFF is the sister festival of Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF) and Shanghai Media and Entertainment Group (SMEG), and an official partner with Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) for Oscar Night America. Free public screenings are held on the beach in the evening.
AniMiami, October 16 -17 in Miami, is a conference/festival whose mission appeals to large numbers of students and professionals of animation and computer graphics. A job fair will be held the first day of the Conference only — Saturday, October 16. Candidates will have the opportunity to sign up and interview with national and local animation and VFX companies looking to fill full-time, part-time, freelance and internship positions. Pre-selected students will have an opportunity to pitch their stories, ideas and projects to a panel of industry professionals from studios and TV networks. A kick-off party will be held at The Newsz Lounge.
An October 18 Variety Entertainment and Technology Summit in Santa Monica, co-produced by Variety and Digital Hollywood, has in-depth discussions and networking focusing on the top business issues facing technology in entertainment today. After a welcome and introduction by Variety Publisher, Brian Gott, former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Walt Disney Company, and Founder of The Tornante Company, Michael Eisner, delivers the opening keynote. In one featured break-out event, there is a competition between various content providers competing for people’s TV viewing time. The Producers Guild of America and Variety host a joint panel in another featured session. A poolside cocktail reception closes the days event beginning at 5:30 pm.
The sprawling CMJ 2010: Music Marathon & Film Festival arrives in New York City, October 19-23. CMJ Network connects music fans and music industry professionals with its music offerings through interactive media, live events and print. Among other things, This year, industry leaders from the worlds of gaming and music will gather at CMJ to celebrate the launch of CMJ Play, a celebration and exploration of the intersection of music and gaming, will take place Wednesday, October 20, at NYU’s Kimmel Center and in conjunction with NYU’s Music Video Game Research Project. And because some things should never change, The CMJ Artist Lounge at PureVolume House returns for 2010. As the central hub for CMJ the Artist Lounge provides a space for artists and press to interact and rest in between shows which are conducted at a multitude of venues, screenings, and panels. The lounge will also offer samples and giveaways from a variety of sponsors, along with refreshments.
Casual Connect Kyiv, from October 20-22 in Kyiv, brings together talented and knowledgeable experts in the casual gaming field to further the casual games industry through networking and learning. Casual Connect is the educational component of the Casual Games Association, the international trade association for casual games professionals. Casual Games Association Events are events for the casual games industry with usually over 3,000 professionals attending Casual Connect Events each year. A Disco Bowling Party at Club Chameleon happens on October 21 of the expo.
Through red carpet premieres, black-tie society galas, exclusive industry cocktail soirees and chauffeured antique Bentleys and limos, the Beverly Hills Film, TV, and New Media Festival will celebrate authentic Old Hollywood glamour, combined with an updated twist of the emerging technology of today. The festival’s events, from October 21-24, include a black-tie opening night gala, panels, pitch sessions, gifting suites, film premieres, television content premieres, new media exhibitions, cell phone movie premieres, networking and entertainment industry mixers, and those red carpet events.
The International Filmmaker Film Festival, in Broadstairs, October 25-28, celebrates popular independent and studio films from the global film industry, while promoting opportunities for the business of film, and hosting special hospitality events and courtesy leisure activities. In addition to the filmmaking workshops, screenings of independent films will include many of the filmmakers in attendance for Q&A sessions following each screening. An exclusive screening of a digitally remastered ‘Dirty Dancing’, with the late Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey, is set to open the festival, with proceeds benefiting the Demelza Children’s Hospice and the Pilgrims Hospice.
SMPTE is an industry association, and standards setting body, providing education and technology information to the motion imaging industry, focusing on content – creation, management, distribution and display. From October 26-28 the SMPTE Annual Tech Conference & Expo draws technology professionals from the media content business to Hollywood. This year’s event provides a welcome reception in the exhibit hall, various technical workshops, a technology-focused exhibit hall, a high profile Industry Luncheon, the association’s Honors & Awards Reception and Ceremony, and many networking opportunities.
The Hollywood Reporter / Billboard Film & TV Music Conference is an anticipated annual event. New additions to the format this year when the Conference runs October 27-28 in Los Angeles, allows participants to submit a demo to music supervisors for a chance to receive feedback on their work live from the stage. They can also get one-on-one facetime with film/TV music decision-makers and influencers, and win a chance to meet with the director of an indie film and score their feature. A “Publishing 101″ session, offers a primer on the basics of publishing from how to make money with placements in film and TV, to the administration of catalogs. Conference closes with a networking cocktail reception.
The Association of Film Commissioners International, an official professional and educational organization for film commissions that assists its members with feature, television, commercial, industrial and stills production throughout the world, is hosting Cineposium 2010 to explore the sweeping impacts of the digital revolution and new global producers on the industry. The theme this year in Universal City, October 30 through November 2, is to look at the transition from film commissioner to media commissioner, which encompasses many new roles and responsibilities. In contrast to previous years, and to underscore the need to anticipate the changes to come, Cineposium hosts general sessions designed to equip attendees for success.
The above events are only a sample of what is fully listed. Complete details are on the “Media, Entertainment and Performing Arts Industry News and Events” page which now has a language translation button to convert its contents into any chosen language. The companion video news summary can be found on the podcast blog as well as on the most popular video sharing sites. A look ahead into November’s event dates can help you get ready for the American Film Market, on November 3-10, and American Film Institute Fest, November 4-11, both in Los Angeles. Follow the posting of the news summary on Twitter. Streaming video can now be played directly into your Real Media Player, and your Windows Media Player. Past video from the monthly video news summary is archived on the Free Home Video Showcase which now serves as an archive for all past video presentations but without the audio news narration.
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Leave a commentOnline College Degree In Media Art
Online college degree programs provide students with the freedom to attend class anytime; day or night, during any kind of weather, from anywhere on the globe as long as they remain connected to the internet.
A degree in media arts is the first step towards a career as a multimedia artist, animator, audio and video equipment technician, or a similar position. The classes include arts technology, digital media, animation, multimedia software development, digital imaging, music systems programming, and other media related courses.
With the arrival of the digital age, art careers have gone beyond the traditional roles of illustration and drawing. A degree in media arts may be the way to trigger ones career aspirations; it’s like a ladder to better things.
In the program the student will learn how to portray moods and ideas through various forms of digital media like film and television. Other forms of media, like communications and journalism, are also incorporated into the program. This degree program teaches the student about all aspects of creating media such as digital video, computer animation, audio landscapes, and the like. The student will learn about advanced concepts in digital media, such as how to create realistic three dimensional computerized environments and how the human brain interacts with digital content.
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Media Art colleges help students develop important job skills like creating storyboards and utilizing advanced 3D animation, and other digital applications. Jobs in the media arts are available in television, movies, video games, Web site development, commercials, marketing and more. Competition for these jobs is intense, so a college degree will improve one’s chances greatly.
Upon completion of the Media Arts Degree program, the student should have the skills to direct and produce a film or television program and they should also be able to deliver a message and convey a mood or idea using computer animation and visual technology.
The program can help the student to advance his or her knowledge in the broadcast field and learn to tell a great story behind the lens of a camera. This practical, real-world program focuses on the creative, technical and business aspects of the industry. One will also explore lighting, audio for video, television studio production and nonlinear editing.
Possible courses for a student taking a Degree in Media Arts could include Drawing, Design Communication, and Sound for Film, Digital Film Intensive, Studio Photography, Photojournalism, Television Field Production, Audio Production, and Digital Skills.
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Talking to the Media: Who?s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?
Not in my world. The media are just like any other people. They respond to the same things we all respond to – manners, good communication, ability to tell them what they want to know and the understanding they need of their time. And you have to know the rules of engagement. You would never talk to an 80 year old war veteran the way you would to a teenager.
Working with the media does take some research. You also have to understand what each journalist you want come in contact with is interested in, what they write, blog or talk about, what their passions are and how they portray the people and companies that they write about.
It is like any other client. You know what your clients’ needs are. And you know the difference in what you can say to one client in comparison to a completely different client. You know their go buttons and probably know what turns them off as well.
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So think of the media as your client. They are individuals that are like anyone else. You are dealing with an individual who is then communicating to the masses. Ah ha – that is what you think! There is no such thing as the masses. You didn’t know that?
Every media outlet has a target market. No one communicates to the masses. So not every media outlet is going to be right for you or your company. Get to know who writes about your industry, read their articles, listen to and watch their shows, learn their style. And figure out WHO they are speaking to. KNOW their target market. Get educated on what they deal with on a daily basis. And then when you do get the chance to talk to them treat them like a human being and not a receptacle for your promotional message.
How would you like to be pitched every time someone spoke to you about topics you could care less about? What if no one ever asked you if you had time to listen to what they had to say? What if no one ever listened to you and only talked about what they wanted to talk about? What would you do?
So the media is not the big bad wolf. It is just that companies do not take the time to craft their own message, and do not learn the rules of engagement for dealing with the media. And they suffer the consequences as a result. Media relations is just that – relations. It takes knowing people, knowing how to predict what different people will do and being able to guide and control the media message to secure a larger market share.
So, who’s afraid of the big bad wolf?
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Technological PR firms have to use modern advances like social media to serve their clients interests
Now is a time for considerable change for the human race. Things are a foot that not necessarily threaten the way of life currently enjoyed by millions of people, but perhaps are percolating with the possibility of drastically altering the way individuals from all walks of life interact with one another, and the way they receive medical treatment, and even how they perform the daily tasks of life. But one of the most interesting developments in recent in memory is the advent of the age of social media. The fact that people need to document their friendship is a curious development, but one that has clearly fascinated millions of people all over the glove, and not just in the United States of America. People will often waste an entire afternoon, or will stay up until the late hours of the evening just to stay connected to others, namely family members, coworkers, neighbors, old classmates from grad school, old flames, and even people they met just once at a party. Is it truly a marvel that so many individuals the world over have begun to use social media as the primary means of staying connected with one another.
Corporations have been struggling to fit in with the new world order. People do not live and die by whether or not they were invited to the company picnic, replete with three legged sack races, delicious barbeque, and strained conversation about work related activities. People can now set the tone for their own relationships, but this allows individuals the ability to exchange ideas openly and freely. Many technology related businesses, such as retailers, manufacturers, and financial planners are struggling to capitalize on this recent movement, in an attempt to catapult themselves out of the recent financial quagmire that has affected so many individuals and companies the world over for the past two years.
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Many technology related companies have started to enlist the services of a highly skilled and fully qualified technology PR firm to help them protect their reputations. This may seem like a small an unnecessary enterprise, when considering all the difficulties they are currently facing. But when one realizes that the success or failure of any technological or, indeed most any other business depends on their respective reputations, it should become absolutely clear that many technology related firms need to protect their reputations. To this end, a highly skilled and fully qualified technology PR firm can be very advantageous for the average technology related business.
The main principle that technology PR firms have to guide themselves by is that they always have to put the needs of their clients above their own, each and every time they take public action. This is why so many highly skilled and fully qualified technology PR firms have started to use social networking sites in order to pass along their message to their intended targets. It is absolutely essential for any effective and highly skilled technology PR firm to protect their interests. This is accomplished through the use of navigating the complicated and intricate world of media relations. It is important for technology PR firms to accentuate the good aspects of their client’s contributions to the community, while at the same time, ensuring that the negative aspect of their clients business do not see the light of day. Thusly, a highly skilled and fully qualified technology PR firm can serve both their clients interests and their own through good and effective work.
For more information visit to http://www.makovsky.com
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Posted in media relations | advances, clients, Firms, interests, Like, Media, modern, serve, Social, Technological, their | Leave a commentThe Art of Storytelling – tactics to increase your chances of securing media coverage
Column inches. Sound bites. Web page real estate. Inbound links.
These are the metrics by which the success of a public relations campaign is measured.
If you have news or information about your company that you want to share with the world, how do you go about trying to secure these publicity gems?
The key to getting from point A and point B is the story.
While this might seem like a basic concept, there’s much more to it than simply committing facts to paper. You must shape and craft your story strategically to convince reporters, writers and bloggers that it is important and relevant to their audience.
So, the real question is, what makes a good story, and how do you frame it in a way that persuades those who hold the megaphones to re-tell your story for you?
The process of pitching a story is much more art than science.The process of pitching a story is much more art than science, more alchemy than equation. Just like any art form, there is no formula that guarantees success. However, there are a number of tried-and-true tactics you can employ to increase your chances of getting coverage:
Think in literary terms.
Go back to the basics you learned in English lit class. Good stories are built around archetypal themes: good versus evil, perseverance through adversity, the triumph of the human spirit, the hometown boy makes good – the list goes on and on.
Identify the elements of your story that offer universal appeal and frame your story accordingly. For example, a simple press release on your newest executive hire could jump from a passing mention on the comings and goings page to a full-fledged feature if he or she boasts unique personal accomplishments, offers a different perspective or has overcome great obstacles to achieve success.
Make it timely.
By its very definition, news is “of the moment.” Follow news cycles closely and try to find a way to tie your story to current events whenever possible.
Holiday-themed and seasonal stories are always a solid bet, but don’t forget about other observances and commemorative events. Everything from National Breast Cancer Awareness Month to National Safe Boating Week to America Recycles Day could be a great opportunity for you to present a timely story that offers a connection to the news of the day.
Identify your rock stars.
Reporters are always looking for credible experts to provide insight and analysis. Make the media aware of the resources your company has to offer by presenting bios and lists of topics that your key spokespeople are qualified to discuss.
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For example, a travel agent could send information detailing the size of her business and years in the industry and offer to share helpful tips on top destinations or how to find the best airfares and hotel rates.
This tactic works particularly well when timed strategically to coincide with relevant news cycles. In the case of the travel agent, she should contact reporters right before the summer and the holidays, when reporters and bloggers are looking for interesting story angles for the peak travel seasons.
Play the numbers game.
Nothing makes for good sound bite fodder like interesting data. Journalists are fact- and, therefore, numbers-driven. A surprising statistic or one that either validates or disproves a commonly held belief is often the spark that gets media tongues wagging.
Add a visual.
Providing a strong visual, such as a photo, chart or compelling video, to accompany your story will definitely increase your chances of coverage. This is especially true when targeting television or web-based media contacts, who often rely on visuals to give depth to their stories.
Also, if you’re planning an event, don’t forget to include a photo opportunity, especially if there will be well-known people in attendance. There’s no easier way to get your event noticed than a photo of a familiar face, whether it’s the mayor, a hometown celebrity or even a prominent member of society.
Do the heavy lifting.
In the wake of budget cuts and downsizing, many traditional media outlets are stretched thin and are grateful for prepackaged stories they can pick up and run as-is when they have a few extra column inches to fill.
Typically, press releases offer solid, factual information that helps reporters build their own stories. However, when targeting smaller news organizations, you may also want to consider sending a fully written article complete with quotes and photos as well as how-to advice, tip sheets or even recipes.
This approach can be very effective for broad-based consumer pitches and is often used by companies such as financial planners, real estate agents, travel agents, party planners, food companies and health care organizations.
Remember that bigger isn’t always better.
Let’s face it, we’d all like to be featured above the fold on the front page of the Wall Street Journal, but often a well-placed local hit is even more effective.
Focus your time and attention where you have the greatest chance of success – and of boosting your bottom line. If your customer base is local rather than national, craft stories that incorporate elements of local interest to help you attain coverage from writers, bloggers and broadcasters that cover your area.
Know their audience and yours.
The demographics – age, gender, education level, professional occupation, income, geographic location and political leanings – of the audience for each media outlet are critically important to determining the story you should pitch.
You can’t pitch the same story to BusinessWeek and Parents magazine. Understand what aspects of your product or service would generate interest in each publication’s core audience and tell your story accordingly.
For example, I once handled the media relations efforts for a small but very rapidly growing online party supply company. We pitched e-business stories to technology trade publications; wrote articles featuring party planning tips for small local print outlets; offered profile pieces on the owner – a working mother herself – to publications targeting parents; and conducted a media tour offering party trends and budgeting tips to national women’s publications, such as Better Homes and Gardens, Good Housekeeping and InStyle.
Keep it simple.
Although there are multiple angles you could pursue for any given story you have to tell, the only way to succeed is to tell it as simply as possible.
Remember that the reader may have little, if any, familiarity with your business or industry. Break down complex information, avoid using jargon or technical terms and use language that everyone can understand and relate to in some fashion.
Put it to the test.
The most important question in determining the strength of a story is “Would I read an article on this topic?” If you cannot honestly answer “yes,” either go back and reframe it or skip it entirely.
Reporters need to know that what you give them is worthy of their time and attention, so if it’s not worth yours, don’t pass it along. Ultimately, if you want to achieve long-term PR success, it’s important to cultivate your reputation as a source of interesting, factual and relevant information.
By inundating reporters with stories that are not legitimately newsworthy, you’ll do more harm than good and make it far less likely that they’ll take your call when you have something truly valuable to share with them.
If you employ these 10 tactics, you’ll create a strong pitch that will stand out in a sea of bland, boilerplate press releases and greatly increase the chances that your story will end up in the headlines rather than the recycling bin.
Posted in media relations | chances, Coverage, increase, Media, securing, Storytelling, Tactics | Leave a commentInternet Marketing ? The Missing Link in Media Campaign
For someone to have a successful online business, it needs strategies and planning like just any successful business in town. It is not really as simple as it appears if one will be involved in this online niche. Patience, effort, time and pure determination is what it requires for this. Most importantly, one has to learn the basic rules of Internet marketing to attain the success you foresee in your future.
Media Relations and Public Relations
Business owners least understood that public relations is the actually most underutilized marketing techniques. It is represented though facts already that for small business owners, they have this opportunity to cultivate relationships towards the editors and reporters in their community. A lot of your competition thought that it would be best internet marketing step to advertise. But it is really obvious that your competitors are already doing it. It should be reminded then that a commonplace for inexpensive and free publicity is through media relations and press releases.
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Opportunities and Pitfalls
There are three primary reasons why releases get tossed in a file. 1) It appears unprofessional 2) they look ad veiled like a news story and 3) If not little, they have no news value. It is important therefore to know that the common internet marketing flaws is the failure of getting straight to the point, grammatical and typographical neglect and the absence of formatting too.
While on the other hand, there are countless of opportunities for press releases. There are also positive media exposure and include in that are partnerships, office expansions, mergers, fund raising campaigns, announcing results of survey, sponsorships, new website launch, lobbying activities and lot more. The bottom line of it all is that it conveys more than just a message but the credibility and it is vital in internet marketing campaign.
Professional Management Software for Public Relations
There are softwares to help you create, plan and deliver a PR campaign. If you are starter for this internet business, better assure that you will use the tools which PR agencies are also using. In it are built in expert comments in each document that provides you certain ideas, instructions and examples for your services and products even what to feature. They are just downloadable over the internet so have a good find for the ones that are professionally formatted.
Joining Professional Organizations
Other way to establish trust include being active in a certain community related to your business. This is also one good way to earn your professional credentials. Things that you can also do are conducting seminars, teach classes and speak to forums.
You see? There are just valuable tactics for greater online visibility. The internet marketing strategies stated above are mostly related to PR and focused deliberately towards propelling credible web business. Begin your journey by putting your self in the shoes of your customers and with that level of thinking, apply the ways for an image of reality. Best of luck for making a good impression and the rest will be a story of success.
Eight Steps to Conquering Local Media
Anyone charged with the task of growing a business salivates at the idea of landing in the national media spotlight. The lure of the massive exposure that just one mention on CNN, Good Morning America or Oprah or in the pages of Bloomberg Businessweek or USA Today delivers is the driving force behind many PR campaigns.
However, it’s important to remember that the cardinal rule of real estate also applies to media relations: location, location, location.
Of course your potential customers are tuned in to news from the national players. But these customers also exist as members of their local communities. They live locally, shop locally and do business locally. They also read, listen to and watch local media outlets.
No matter the size of your business or the scope of your target market, it’s critical to develop a systematic approach to leveraging local media.
That’s why no matter the size of your business or the scope of your target market, it’s critical to develop a systematic approach to leveraging local media outlets to increase awareness, build trust in your brand and boost sales.
But if you want to make an impact, you must get strategic. Even at the local level, the competition is stiff for airtime and column inches.
Here are the fundamentals of breaking through the clutter and conquering the local media markets where you do business.
1. Do your homework.
Every market offers a wealth of opportunities for media coverage. Make it your mission to uncover all of the outlets available to you in each market and then narrow your hit list according to the demographics of your target market and their media consumption preferences.
For print media, you’ll want to identify the major daily newspaper as well as smaller suburban weeklies and specialty publications that serve niche audiences like parents, women and retirees. Even the humble neighborhood association newsletter can be a valuable tool for showcasing your expertise or increasing awareness of your services.
On the broadcast side, local television news programs are a given, but don’t forget about local daily or weekly radio and TV talk shows, which often have strong loyal followings. Morning and afternoon drive shows in particular attract a huge number of listeners during the daily commute. Locally produced call-in and talk radio can also be ideal targets for your promotional efforts, particularly if you can offer an expert to field questions or provide insight on topics of interest.
2. Go grassroots.
In your efforts to canvas the traditional media outlets in a given market, don’t forget to also investigate the opportunities that may exist to gain exposure among locally based online communities.
In today’s digital era, companies have unprecedented access to highly active, motivated and powerful influencers who can use social media platforms to disseminate information through their networks of friends and fans.
A successful local social media-driven PR campaign begins with researching the popular websites and blogs that cater to that specific market as well as identifying individuals have a strong following on Facebook or Twitter and whose needs and interests overlap with your offering.
Once you’ve pinpointed the sources that are the best fit in terms of both size and scope of their influence, that’s when it’s time to put trustcasting to work.
You must strive to create authentic relationships with these individuals who hold a position of leadership within their tribes. You must also overcome the burden of proof that your company and your products are worthy of their recommendation. By giving you their endorsement, they’re putting their reputation and their credibility on the line. Make it worth their while, and they’ll make it worth yours in return.
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For example, when Just Focus Massage & Wellness in Charlotte, North Carolina, needed to build awareness for their new FocusForward wellness seminar series, they identified popular local lifestyle blogs and approached the owners with the opportunity to attend the series free of charge in exchange for sharing their experience with their readers.
For a minimal investment, Just Focus was not only able to gain exposure to a highly targeted audience, they also reaped the benefits of the inherent trust that comes with the word-of-mouth recommendation of an established tribe leader.
3. Get to know the gatekeepers.
It’s always a good idea to get to know the talk show hosts and reporters who cover topics of relevance to your products or services.
However, it’s important to keep in mind that many of these individuals have relatively little control over the stories they report.
The real power players in local media are the editors (print), producers (radio) and assignment editors (television) who tell the writers, hosts and reporters where to be and what to talk about.
If you can get to know these gatekeepers and how to get in front of them, you’ll greatly improve your chances of gaining the coverage you seek.
4. Develop genuinely local angles and events.
It’s tempting to distribute the same press release or pitch to every outlet on your hit list, especially if you think your story offers a broad-based appeal.
However, going the extra mile to enhance your story with local interest will pay dividends in securing coverage in the markets that matter most to you.
For example, let’s say you’re an HR consulting firm pitching a story on the rising costs of health care. This is a compelling story that might gain coverage simply on the merits of its timeliness. However, you could significantly boost your chances of catching the eye of a local newspaper editor simply by including a few relevant details like how local cost increases compare to the nationwide average or the contact information for one of your consultants who is based in that location and can offer expert insight on how these changes are affecting the job market in that city.
5. Don’t forget the fundamentals.
Give your press release the “Would I read it?” test.
In addition to giving local media stories that offer local angles, local impact, local data and local people, you must also make sure you’re obeying the fundamental rules of good storytelling.
Give your press release the “Would I read it?” test. Keep it simple and find hooks that tie into universal themes. Time your pitches to correspond with news cycles and seasons. Offer compelling visuals and expert spokespeople. Learn the audience demographics and the hot-button issues for each media outlet you plan to approach, and shape your story accordingly.
6. It’s all in the delivery.
Even the best pitch can fall flat it it’s not delivered in the correct manner and at the appropriate time.
An important part of building relationships with media professionals is getting to know how and when they prefer to be contacted. Does he live and die by his Blackberry, or will your e-mail just collect dust in his inbox? Would she like to hear from you, or would a phone call be an annoyance?
Timing is everything. You must make sure you’re on the radar when editorial decisions are being made and that you’re not trying to get attention when a reporter is up against a deadline.
Make sure you’re on the radar when editorial decisions are being made.
While every news organization works differently, there are a few rules of thumb that apply in most cases. Deadlines generally fall in the afternoon for daily print publications and three to four days ahead of publication for weeklies. Radio show producers typically have either weekly or bi-weekly meetings to plan upcoming topics and guests, while assignment editors for local television news broadcasts make their final determinations about where to dispatch camera crews and reporters on a daily basis, usually very early in the morning.
It’s important as well to be realistic and bear in mind that there can and will be times that no matter how strong or well-timed your story idea might be, no one will bite based on prior commitments or breaking news. Simply accept this graciously and move on to the next pitch.
7. Don’t underestimate the personal touch.
Always remember that there are people on the receiving end of your stories.
“Media relations” can be a bit of a misleading term. It implies that you’re sending your press releases and pitches to some nameless, faceless news-generating machine.
In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. Always remember that there are people on the receiving end of your stories, so put your best relationship-building skills to work.
Call and introduce yourself to local writers, editors, bloggers and producers when you have nothing to actively pitch.
If possible, invite them to lunch to discuss their needs and interests as well as how they prefer to receive information, and demonstrate consideration for those preferences when you contact them in the future with story ideas. Do keep in mind that many media outlets have strict policies regarding gifts, so be sure to know and play by the rules.
8. Give ‘em the goods.
Product placement can go a long way in getting free advertising for your company, especially in radio.
If you run a bakery, deliver a tray of your most popular treats to the afternoon drive show personalities. Or if you own a day spa, invite the busy mom who hosts the morning show to enjoy a free day of pampering. While there are no guarantees, chances are good that you’ll at least get an on-air thank you and maybe even a genuine, glowing review of your products or services.
Additionally, radio and TV producers are always looking for prizes for promotional giveaways and sponsors for events. These opportunities tend to cost much less than traditional paid advertising on the same stations but deliver high-impact exposure and referrals.
Let the conquest begin.
Remember: if you want to win the war of PR, you have to win the battles being fought in your own backyard. By employing these time-tested tactics, you can help to ensure that your pitches will stand out from the crowd and establish your company as a trusted source for local media outlets in the markets where you do business.