It's that time of year again for media companies' PR departments to send their favorite journalists and media buyers holiday gifts. Ad Age's MediaWorks is cataloging the items being sent to its newsroom this year to provide an inside look at an annual tradition that has rarely been explored in public by, well, media companies.
Check this link: http://www.adage.com/news.cms?newsId=47194
You might have to register (free) to log in to the Ad Age site
Friday, December 23, 2005
Thursday, December 22, 2005
PR PROBLEM FOR BIG BUSINESS
"More than ever, Americans do not trust business or the people who run it," reports Claudia H. Deutsch. "Pollsters, researchers, even many corporate chiefs themselves say that business is under attack by a majority of the public, which believes that executives are bent on destroying the environment, cooking the books and lining their own pockets."
Deutsch cites polls from Roper and Harris, in which 72 percent of respondents feel that wrongdoing is widespread in industry, only 2 percent regard the executives of large companies as "very trustworthy," and 90 percent say big companies have too much influence on government.
SOURCE: New York Times, December 9, 2005
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/09/business/09backlash.html
For more information or to comment on this story, visit:http://www.prwatch.org/node/4291
Deutsch cites polls from Roper and Harris, in which 72 percent of respondents feel that wrongdoing is widespread in industry, only 2 percent regard the executives of large companies as "very trustworthy," and 90 percent say big companies have too much influence on government.
SOURCE: New York Times, December 9, 2005
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/09/business/09backlash.html
For more information or to comment on this story, visit:http://www.prwatch.org/node/4291
DoubleClick;s sixth annual Consumer Email Study
DoubleClick's sixth annual Consumer Email Study points to a confluence of personal and professional email use, a decline in concern regarding spam along with an increase in anxiety regarding viruses and fraud, and confirmation that email drives commerce both online and in stores.
Though 57 percent of survey respondents view work email at work at least occasionally, nearly as many check work email from home, at night (55 percent) and on weekends (54 percent). Also, 48 percent check their personal emails at least occasionally at work.
Some 74 percent point to brand - "a brand I know and trust" - as the element most likely to drive a response to an email. Read more...
Though 57 percent of survey respondents view work email at work at least occasionally, nearly as many check work email from home, at night (55 percent) and on weekends (54 percent). Also, 48 percent check their personal emails at least occasionally at work.
Some 74 percent point to brand - "a brand I know and trust" - as the element most likely to drive a response to an email. Read more...
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
Mumbai media fireworks: Report from the frontlines
The battle for Mumbai’s mediascape has barely started, but the battle for its journalists is in full steam. We guess their salaries will reach orbit faster than Space Shuttle Discovery.
Dancewithshadows.com tries to make sense in this case.
http://www.dancewithshadows.com/media/mumbai-media-war.asp
Dancewithshadows.com tries to make sense in this case.
http://www.dancewithshadows.com/media/mumbai-media-war.asp
World Press Trends: Newspaper Circulation and Advertising Up Worldwide
The circulation of newspapers in the world increased strongly last year, the World Association of Newspapers has announced.
At the same time, newspaper advertising revenues made significant gains.
WAN said that global newspaper sales were up 2.1 percent over the year. Unlike previous years, growth was not only driven by gains in developing markets, but increases in sales in many mature markets.
To ponder!
At the same time, newspaper advertising revenues made significant gains.
WAN said that global newspaper sales were up 2.1 percent over the year. Unlike previous years, growth was not only driven by gains in developing markets, but increases in sales in many mature markets.
To ponder!
- Three-quarters of the world’s 100 best selling dailies are now published in Asia.
- Indian newspaper sales increased 8 percent in 2004.
Extracts from:World Press Trends: Newspaper Circulation and Advertising Up Worldwide
http://www.wan-press.org/article7321.html
20 facts of Indian Print Media
- The total number of registered newspapers, as on 31 March 2003: 55,780.
- The number of new newspapers registered during 1.1.2002 -31.3.2003: 3820.
- Percentage of growth of registered publications over the previous year: 7.35%.
- The number of newspapers reported published(submitted Annual Statement): 7156
- The total circulation of newspapers: 14,20,05,543
- The percentage of growth of circulation over the previous year: 23.21%
- The largest number of newspapers & periodicals registered in any Indian language: Hindi (22,067).
- The largest number of newspapers & periodicals reported published (submitted Annual Statement) in any Indian language: Hindi (3,410).
- The second largest number of newspapers & periodicals registered in any language: English (8,141).
- The second largest number of newspapers & periodicals reported published (submitted Annual Statement) in any language: English (750).
- The State with the largest number of registered newspapers: Uttar Pradesh (9,071).
- The State reported to be publishing (submitted Annual Statement) the largest number of newspapers: Uttar Pradesh (1,578).
- The State with the second largest number of registered newspapers: Delhi (7,491).
- The State reported to be publishing (submitted Annual Statement) the second largest number of newspapers: Delhi (817).
- The largest circulated Daily: The Hindustan Times, English, Delhi [Printed from 8 centers] (11,12,160 copies)
- The Second largest circulated Daily: The Hindu, English, Chennai [Printed from eleven centres] (9,22,407 copies)
- The third largest circulated Daily: The Times of India, English, Delhi (8,20,289 copies).
- The largest circulated multi-edition Daily: Dainik Bhaskar, (18 editions), Hindi (17,17,294 copies).
- The second largest circulated multi-edition Daily: The Times of India (Eight editions), English, (13,94,646 copies).
- The largest circulated periodical: Saras Salil, (Fortnightly) Hindi, Delhi (10,49,362).
The above data is as per Registrar Newspapers of India which needs to be updated.
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Debunking the Myths of Forming Media Relationships
Forming a solid relationship with a journalist is much more straightforward than some PR pros would have you believe. To some, it is some densely veiled mystery that is cloaked in secretive rituals and kept close to the vest of highly-regarded and revered media gurus.
Some PR pros would rather take on three crises in one day than to divulge their contacts to their teammates. Don't accept the smoke and mirrors. This logic flies in the face of what true and lasting media relationships are made of - the offering of homerun media angles and access to knowledgeable sources with virtually every contact one makes.
Some of the best media relationships can be built with journalists you might have never met face-to-face, because you offer them good information that is tailored to them. You also ensure that it's done with efficiency, respect and cognizance of their short time and resources.
So, today, we debunk media relationship-making myths.(A quick qualifier: most myths evolve from a small grain of fact.)
MYTH #1: A PR pro must spend a large amount of time having lunches, coffees and drinks with journalists to develop a relationship. In fact, relationship building with the media is much less about "schoomzing" and much more about being a reliable, efficient and knowledgeable resource. Many journalists will tell you that the nature of their jobs, their shifts and their deadlines are not conducive to this form of relationship building. To quote an unnamed TV reporter I've known for years, "I just don't have time for all that. Send me a story!" Conversely, some journalists do have time, but it's incumbent upon us to make the visit worth their time. Blatant pitching will get you nowhere fast, but conversations that generate ideas about trends and issues do - and remember that every idea shouldn't revolve around your client.
MYTH #2: A PR pro must check in with a reporter frequently to maintain a relationship. This is debatable at best and also depends on the definition of "frequently." If you adhere to this practice, you need to have a "newsy" nugget to drop each time you call. Your mother probably gave good advice that's applicable here: "Earn your keep" and "Be careful not to wear out your welcome."
MYTH #3: A PR pro will likely not have media relationships that are as solid as PR pros who are ex-journalists. This is a misunderstanding. Yes, former media types like myself have a ton of contacts by the nature of the circles that we run in, the newsrooms we worked in and the organizations that we are members of. So the access is there; however, if every time an ex-journalist calls a former colleague, s/he calls in a "favor" (even an implied one) and not a viable story idea, s/he will likely begin to scare off old newsroom colleagues. It's true that for an ex-journalist, there is much more at stake because unscrupulous and empty media contact can undermine a reputation that took years to build.
MYTH #4: "My contact is my contact, and you can't have it." I'll be frank: let's all be adults. Yes, you may have forged a great relationship with a contact at a highly-sought-after publication, but do you really believe that you will lose the contact if you introduce him/her to another good resource on your team or even externally? In fact, every connection you make for a journalist counts, and that increases your value with them -- that is, if the foundation of your relationship is built on news-value and not schmoozing. If you must keep your name top of mind, why not make the introduction to your comrade yourself, or ask them to drop your name when doing the outreach.
Now that we've cast away some of PR's very own "old-wives'" tales, when do you know that you've formed a solid relationship with a media-type? Your phone will begin to ring and your inbox begins to see more e-mail from reporters with requests. They probably won't send you a hand-written thank you note for a great lead, but a positive query from a journalist you've pitched is likely a sign of the beginning of a beautiful relationship. Treat yourself to a nice lunch
Who's Who Understanding primary audiences: The strategies and tactics of public relations do not exist in a vacuum. Every PR program is designed to impact the actions, thoughts and/or emotions of a particular community of people. Definitions of what constitutes an audience differ, with one common thread: these groups can impact your company and its products. Pinpointing the audience that will read, listen to and watch your communications starts with a vast universe of choices. Selection of key message recipients will depend on the communication being delivered.
Consider all options to assist in the dispersion of your messages for greater impact. Since this topic is broad, we will explore it in two parts. This first article will focus on primary target audiences. The subsequent article will highlight how target audiences are important for selling and supporting a product, service or the company.The development and approval of company-related communications is a team effort. Explaining the focus and options available to everyone facilitates the process and assists in developing messages customized for each audience type. Below we will define the different primary audiences to help bring everyone onto the same page.Media The first audience that a public relations professional thinks of is the media; editors, producers and reporters that receive a company press release detailing the facts about a new product, event, service or company activity.
The significance of the media is often misunderstood by company and product management who generally think of the customers or investors as the primary audience. Messages communicated to the media deal strictly with answering: Who? What? Where? When? Why? And Under What Circumstances?
Journalists work in separate, specific arenas. Each arena has its own focus, and reports on the happenings within their scope. The different types of media that can be found in print, on-line, radio or television include:
Business: Business media report on local, regional and national businesses and business activities. The focus is on a variety of business-oriented subjects such as: how a business is structured, customer service policies, partnerships within the marketplace, interesting CEO or company profiles, involvement within the community, non-profit donations, new and different ways to run a business, unique marketing campaigns, the local impact of the company on business growth and jobs.
TradeTrade: media cover companies, products and services within a specific marketplace. These reporters and editors are highly knowledgeable of the players in the marketplace, company and product performance, product availability and cycles, manufacturing processes and capacity issues, services offered, partnerships, distributors, supplier capabilities, new trends, competitive edge, business strategy, and roadmaps into the future.
Financial: These media types report on quarterly/annual earnings, a public company's stock market activity, the economy trends and effects on business, activities within the investment community, the nation's economic status, Fortune 500 businesses that impact market growth and shrinkage. The orientation is to report on and editorialize about the financial pulse of major markets and economic conditions nationwide and worldwide.
General Interest: General interest media address an assortment of topics related to the daily lives of their readers, community, culture or a particular industry. The focus is to provide insights to or new understandings of people with stories on statistics, values, habits, opinions, cultural traditions, education, political stance, religious beliefs, real life experiences, special hobbies, unique contributions, out of the ordinary events, and fascinating aspects about people and how they live.
Professions: Some journalists report on and write about specific professions. The focus is on any topic related to those within the profession that helps them become more proficient at what they do. Focus can be on key issues, skill updates, training availability, interesting or highly recognized personalities, awards and special ceremonies, events or conferences, new trends in the field, and topics of concern or interest within the profession.
Customers: The simple definition of a customer is any entity that purchases a product or service. Customers can be an individual, company, organization, or government. Customer characteristics vary between marketplaces. It is essential to know what the customer cares about when making a purchase. Also, familiarizing yourself with the decision-making process within an organization, and the decision maker that authorizes purchases is vitally important. Messages directed to customers must specifically address their concerns and benefits provided to them by the product, service or company. Each market will have a message delivery frequency rate to its customer base that maintains attentiveness and interest. The frequency rate could be seasonal, business cycle related, or driven by the activity in the marketplace. Take into account the frequency rate required by the customer base when developing messages. Messages might need to build upon one another or be adjusted as customers learn more and relate differently to the company's offerings. Consider providing vehicles for feedback from customers. This can be accomplished in a number of ways and demonstrates a "we need to know what you think" attitude to customers and potential purchasers.
Investors: It is mandatory by law that publicly held companies report earnings on a quarterly and annual basis to shareholders and the financial community. The responsibility for delineating the revenues, sales, net profit, costs, and earnings figures lies with the finance department/ officer. The public or investor relations department manages reporting the results to the media and financial communities. Issuing public statements about earnings depends on if the company has a calendar or fiscal year reporting structure. Finance and public relations groups work together to develop accurate messaging.
Shareholders and the financial community are a specific audience. Communications regarding the company's financial status are expected to be clear, concise, and delivered on time. Positive and negative factors need to be detailed and justified. Of immediate concern to this audience are the company's financial growth and activities, but don't forget that this audience can be a mouthpiece for company plans, newly announced products or services, and overall expertise of the organization, too. Company goals, market positioning, slogans, campaigns, and product development and announcements need be included in communications to shareholders. The financial analysts and media want to know the potential impact of marketing and sales activities on the bottom line -- specifically, did these activities increase profit and revenue.The vehicles for communicating financial results include:
Private Companies: Companies that are private might think they're off the hook with regard to communicating with investors. This is far from the truth. Investors in private companies are just like shareholders in public companies; they want to know the health of their financial contributions to the company. They differ from shareholders, as investors are literally the financial lifeblood of a new company. Smart communication with investors goes beyond quarterly CEO and senior management meetings.
Ensure that private investors have an inside handle on the activities of the company; after all, their money is keeping the company going. Make sure to develop material with an eye and ear toward the investors' interests in the company. This can include letting investors know about important upcoming publicity the company will receive and/or integrated marketing programs the company is doing. Frequent communication specially designed for investors will go a long way in keeping them informed.
Some companies have created password-protected sections of their websites, exclusively for investors. These protected sites include notes from different key senior executives at the company about exciting endeavors and give investors a chat page. Other firms send out special emails or voicemails from the CEO or other senior executives about new contracts, upcoming tradeshow appearances and other momentum building highlights.
Some PR pros would rather take on three crises in one day than to divulge their contacts to their teammates. Don't accept the smoke and mirrors. This logic flies in the face of what true and lasting media relationships are made of - the offering of homerun media angles and access to knowledgeable sources with virtually every contact one makes.
Some of the best media relationships can be built with journalists you might have never met face-to-face, because you offer them good information that is tailored to them. You also ensure that it's done with efficiency, respect and cognizance of their short time and resources.
So, today, we debunk media relationship-making myths.(A quick qualifier: most myths evolve from a small grain of fact.)
MYTH #1: A PR pro must spend a large amount of time having lunches, coffees and drinks with journalists to develop a relationship. In fact, relationship building with the media is much less about "schoomzing" and much more about being a reliable, efficient and knowledgeable resource. Many journalists will tell you that the nature of their jobs, their shifts and their deadlines are not conducive to this form of relationship building. To quote an unnamed TV reporter I've known for years, "I just don't have time for all that. Send me a story!" Conversely, some journalists do have time, but it's incumbent upon us to make the visit worth their time. Blatant pitching will get you nowhere fast, but conversations that generate ideas about trends and issues do - and remember that every idea shouldn't revolve around your client.
MYTH #2: A PR pro must check in with a reporter frequently to maintain a relationship. This is debatable at best and also depends on the definition of "frequently." If you adhere to this practice, you need to have a "newsy" nugget to drop each time you call. Your mother probably gave good advice that's applicable here: "Earn your keep" and "Be careful not to wear out your welcome."
MYTH #3: A PR pro will likely not have media relationships that are as solid as PR pros who are ex-journalists. This is a misunderstanding. Yes, former media types like myself have a ton of contacts by the nature of the circles that we run in, the newsrooms we worked in and the organizations that we are members of. So the access is there; however, if every time an ex-journalist calls a former colleague, s/he calls in a "favor" (even an implied one) and not a viable story idea, s/he will likely begin to scare off old newsroom colleagues. It's true that for an ex-journalist, there is much more at stake because unscrupulous and empty media contact can undermine a reputation that took years to build.
MYTH #4: "My contact is my contact, and you can't have it." I'll be frank: let's all be adults. Yes, you may have forged a great relationship with a contact at a highly-sought-after publication, but do you really believe that you will lose the contact if you introduce him/her to another good resource on your team or even externally? In fact, every connection you make for a journalist counts, and that increases your value with them -- that is, if the foundation of your relationship is built on news-value and not schmoozing. If you must keep your name top of mind, why not make the introduction to your comrade yourself, or ask them to drop your name when doing the outreach.
Now that we've cast away some of PR's very own "old-wives'" tales, when do you know that you've formed a solid relationship with a media-type? Your phone will begin to ring and your inbox begins to see more e-mail from reporters with requests. They probably won't send you a hand-written thank you note for a great lead, but a positive query from a journalist you've pitched is likely a sign of the beginning of a beautiful relationship. Treat yourself to a nice lunch
Who's Who Understanding primary audiences: The strategies and tactics of public relations do not exist in a vacuum. Every PR program is designed to impact the actions, thoughts and/or emotions of a particular community of people. Definitions of what constitutes an audience differ, with one common thread: these groups can impact your company and its products. Pinpointing the audience that will read, listen to and watch your communications starts with a vast universe of choices. Selection of key message recipients will depend on the communication being delivered.
Consider all options to assist in the dispersion of your messages for greater impact. Since this topic is broad, we will explore it in two parts. This first article will focus on primary target audiences. The subsequent article will highlight how target audiences are important for selling and supporting a product, service or the company.The development and approval of company-related communications is a team effort. Explaining the focus and options available to everyone facilitates the process and assists in developing messages customized for each audience type. Below we will define the different primary audiences to help bring everyone onto the same page.Media The first audience that a public relations professional thinks of is the media; editors, producers and reporters that receive a company press release detailing the facts about a new product, event, service or company activity.
The significance of the media is often misunderstood by company and product management who generally think of the customers or investors as the primary audience. Messages communicated to the media deal strictly with answering: Who? What? Where? When? Why? And Under What Circumstances?
Journalists work in separate, specific arenas. Each arena has its own focus, and reports on the happenings within their scope. The different types of media that can be found in print, on-line, radio or television include:
Business: Business media report on local, regional and national businesses and business activities. The focus is on a variety of business-oriented subjects such as: how a business is structured, customer service policies, partnerships within the marketplace, interesting CEO or company profiles, involvement within the community, non-profit donations, new and different ways to run a business, unique marketing campaigns, the local impact of the company on business growth and jobs.
TradeTrade: media cover companies, products and services within a specific marketplace. These reporters and editors are highly knowledgeable of the players in the marketplace, company and product performance, product availability and cycles, manufacturing processes and capacity issues, services offered, partnerships, distributors, supplier capabilities, new trends, competitive edge, business strategy, and roadmaps into the future.
Financial: These media types report on quarterly/annual earnings, a public company's stock market activity, the economy trends and effects on business, activities within the investment community, the nation's economic status, Fortune 500 businesses that impact market growth and shrinkage. The orientation is to report on and editorialize about the financial pulse of major markets and economic conditions nationwide and worldwide.
General Interest: General interest media address an assortment of topics related to the daily lives of their readers, community, culture or a particular industry. The focus is to provide insights to or new understandings of people with stories on statistics, values, habits, opinions, cultural traditions, education, political stance, religious beliefs, real life experiences, special hobbies, unique contributions, out of the ordinary events, and fascinating aspects about people and how they live.
Professions: Some journalists report on and write about specific professions. The focus is on any topic related to those within the profession that helps them become more proficient at what they do. Focus can be on key issues, skill updates, training availability, interesting or highly recognized personalities, awards and special ceremonies, events or conferences, new trends in the field, and topics of concern or interest within the profession.
Customers: The simple definition of a customer is any entity that purchases a product or service. Customers can be an individual, company, organization, or government. Customer characteristics vary between marketplaces. It is essential to know what the customer cares about when making a purchase. Also, familiarizing yourself with the decision-making process within an organization, and the decision maker that authorizes purchases is vitally important. Messages directed to customers must specifically address their concerns and benefits provided to them by the product, service or company. Each market will have a message delivery frequency rate to its customer base that maintains attentiveness and interest. The frequency rate could be seasonal, business cycle related, or driven by the activity in the marketplace. Take into account the frequency rate required by the customer base when developing messages. Messages might need to build upon one another or be adjusted as customers learn more and relate differently to the company's offerings. Consider providing vehicles for feedback from customers. This can be accomplished in a number of ways and demonstrates a "we need to know what you think" attitude to customers and potential purchasers.
Investors: It is mandatory by law that publicly held companies report earnings on a quarterly and annual basis to shareholders and the financial community. The responsibility for delineating the revenues, sales, net profit, costs, and earnings figures lies with the finance department/ officer. The public or investor relations department manages reporting the results to the media and financial communities. Issuing public statements about earnings depends on if the company has a calendar or fiscal year reporting structure. Finance and public relations groups work together to develop accurate messaging.
Shareholders and the financial community are a specific audience. Communications regarding the company's financial status are expected to be clear, concise, and delivered on time. Positive and negative factors need to be detailed and justified. Of immediate concern to this audience are the company's financial growth and activities, but don't forget that this audience can be a mouthpiece for company plans, newly announced products or services, and overall expertise of the organization, too. Company goals, market positioning, slogans, campaigns, and product development and announcements need be included in communications to shareholders. The financial analysts and media want to know the potential impact of marketing and sales activities on the bottom line -- specifically, did these activities increase profit and revenue.The vehicles for communicating financial results include:
- Quarterly telephone calls with key financial analysts
- Press releases containing earnings detail issued on a particular date and timeI
- nternet archiving of financial calls and presentationsInterviews with financial editors to educate them about the company and plans
- Quarterly letters/emails to shareholdersAnnual shareholder meetings
- Annual report
Private Companies: Companies that are private might think they're off the hook with regard to communicating with investors. This is far from the truth. Investors in private companies are just like shareholders in public companies; they want to know the health of their financial contributions to the company. They differ from shareholders, as investors are literally the financial lifeblood of a new company. Smart communication with investors goes beyond quarterly CEO and senior management meetings.
Ensure that private investors have an inside handle on the activities of the company; after all, their money is keeping the company going. Make sure to develop material with an eye and ear toward the investors' interests in the company. This can include letting investors know about important upcoming publicity the company will receive and/or integrated marketing programs the company is doing. Frequent communication specially designed for investors will go a long way in keeping them informed.
Some companies have created password-protected sections of their websites, exclusively for investors. These protected sites include notes from different key senior executives at the company about exciting endeavors and give investors a chat page. Other firms send out special emails or voicemails from the CEO or other senior executives about new contracts, upcoming tradeshow appearances and other momentum building highlights.
The most important media type
The proliferation of news organizations over the last 10 years or so has led to an ongoing debate among PR practitioners: which media types are really important? Is it important to consider all media types for all campaigns? If you only have enough resources for a limited communications program, which media types are expendable?
The cruel truth is that you absolutely do have to consider all media types as you plan each communications campaign or activity. In some industries, there are fewer news organizations that will cover your company, product or client, which narrows the field. For example, there are not too many radio shows that focus on wireless routers, but the list of those who might cover the business implications, the bottom-line impact, of using a wireless router is much longer.
Some PR professionals, especially those who are ex-TV or newspaper journalists, will tell you that one medium or another is inherently more important, that information on broadcast journalists is nice and all, but really it's the print journalists who matter. They're wrong.
PR is all about reaching the right people with the right message at the right time to influence them to do what you want them to do. You might have the best product since sliced bread and a message that is clear and hits home with your target audience, but if that message is never heard, what good is it?
Media relations is neither an art nor a science; it is both. The science involves geography, demographics, circulation, reader- or viewership and tracking metrics. The art includes understanding nuances such as perceived authority in an industry and the intricacies of local, regional, national and international media.
Which Journalists are Interested in Your News? Picking the Right Stars from the Media Universe
Once you've identified why your product, service or cause is newsworthy, you should pinpoint which journalists are interested in your news.
There are three components to making this determination:
Defining the universe of media opportunities The media universe comprises online and offline news organizations. The offline world includes print outlets (newspapers, magazines, newsletters, journals) and broadcast (television and radio). Offline media varies in terms of frequency of publication (daily, weekly, monthly) and target market (consumers, business, specific industry or trade).
The online world can be divided into media you create yourself and those other people create that solicit contributions and publish original content. Both categories include Web sites, mailing lists, discussion areas, and chat rooms.
Finding relevant details about target media You'll want to cast a wide net to gather information about specific media outlets potentially interested in what you have to offer from among the general categories described above.
You can purchase a directory such as MediaMap Online with detailed profile information for worldwide broadcast, print, and Internet media as well as additional communications management tools, or a more rudimentary directory of basic contact information from companies such as Bacon's or Burrelles.
Alternately, you can create your own lists for every client.
Regardless of how you go about building your list, it's always advisable to read the publications (or Web sites) and view/listen to the broadcast media you are thinking of targeting. Reporters often complain that people who contact them (particularly public relations practitioners) are unfamiliar with their work. Doing your homework before making initial contact with a reporter increases the chances that (1) you've identified an appropriate venue for your material; and (2) you know the individual reporter's likes/dislikes and requirements of the publication/broadcast outlet he/she works for.
Pinpointing opportunities at target media outletsThere are numerous ways to "get ink" in a newspaper or magazine, or to snare coverage on a television or radio station.
At print outlets, types of coverage include:
news stories about your organization or cause;
being quoted by a reporter writing a story whose subject is not necessarily your organization or cause;
content you prepare and contribute on a one-time basis, such as articles, letters to the editor, and photos or images;
content you prepare and contribute on a regular basis, such as a column; listings of events in calendar sections; and personnel announcements.
At broadcast media outlets, options consist of:
news stories about your organization or cause;
being quoted by a reporter preparing a story on a related subject;
for non-profit organizations, free event listings (and public service announcements) aired by broadcast media.
The Internet offers a combination of all of the aforementioned options, plus a venue for you to publish multimedia content on a broad range of topics related to your organization or cause.
The key task in all cases is to identify the individual responsible for preparing content, or accepting submissions.
The cruel truth is that you absolutely do have to consider all media types as you plan each communications campaign or activity. In some industries, there are fewer news organizations that will cover your company, product or client, which narrows the field. For example, there are not too many radio shows that focus on wireless routers, but the list of those who might cover the business implications, the bottom-line impact, of using a wireless router is much longer.
Some PR professionals, especially those who are ex-TV or newspaper journalists, will tell you that one medium or another is inherently more important, that information on broadcast journalists is nice and all, but really it's the print journalists who matter. They're wrong.
PR is all about reaching the right people with the right message at the right time to influence them to do what you want them to do. You might have the best product since sliced bread and a message that is clear and hits home with your target audience, but if that message is never heard, what good is it?
Media relations is neither an art nor a science; it is both. The science involves geography, demographics, circulation, reader- or viewership and tracking metrics. The art includes understanding nuances such as perceived authority in an industry and the intricacies of local, regional, national and international media.
Which Journalists are Interested in Your News? Picking the Right Stars from the Media Universe
Once you've identified why your product, service or cause is newsworthy, you should pinpoint which journalists are interested in your news.
There are three components to making this determination:
Defining the universe of media opportunities The media universe comprises online and offline news organizations. The offline world includes print outlets (newspapers, magazines, newsletters, journals) and broadcast (television and radio). Offline media varies in terms of frequency of publication (daily, weekly, monthly) and target market (consumers, business, specific industry or trade).
The online world can be divided into media you create yourself and those other people create that solicit contributions and publish original content. Both categories include Web sites, mailing lists, discussion areas, and chat rooms.
Finding relevant details about target media You'll want to cast a wide net to gather information about specific media outlets potentially interested in what you have to offer from among the general categories described above.
You can purchase a directory such as MediaMap Online with detailed profile information for worldwide broadcast, print, and Internet media as well as additional communications management tools, or a more rudimentary directory of basic contact information from companies such as Bacon's or Burrelles.
Alternately, you can create your own lists for every client.
Regardless of how you go about building your list, it's always advisable to read the publications (or Web sites) and view/listen to the broadcast media you are thinking of targeting. Reporters often complain that people who contact them (particularly public relations practitioners) are unfamiliar with their work. Doing your homework before making initial contact with a reporter increases the chances that (1) you've identified an appropriate venue for your material; and (2) you know the individual reporter's likes/dislikes and requirements of the publication/broadcast outlet he/she works for.
Pinpointing opportunities at target media outletsThere are numerous ways to "get ink" in a newspaper or magazine, or to snare coverage on a television or radio station.
At print outlets, types of coverage include:
news stories about your organization or cause;
being quoted by a reporter writing a story whose subject is not necessarily your organization or cause;
content you prepare and contribute on a one-time basis, such as articles, letters to the editor, and photos or images;
content you prepare and contribute on a regular basis, such as a column; listings of events in calendar sections; and personnel announcements.
At broadcast media outlets, options consist of:
news stories about your organization or cause;
being quoted by a reporter preparing a story on a related subject;
for non-profit organizations, free event listings (and public service announcements) aired by broadcast media.
The Internet offers a combination of all of the aforementioned options, plus a venue for you to publish multimedia content on a broad range of topics related to your organization or cause.
The key task in all cases is to identify the individual responsible for preparing content, or accepting submissions.
Conducting effective press tours
Hitting The Road Steps to a successful press tour
A press tour (a.k.a. media tour) is a series of arranged opportunities to meet with editors/analysts to introduce a key company spokesperson, a new product or market concept, or explain a company position regarding the competition or market situation.
Meetings with the media or analysts are normally held in their offices, which means traveling to wherever they might be. Or these meetings can be at a convenient, central location that the media and analysts can travel to in order to meet with a company.
(Editor's Note: Telephone and web-based press tours are becoming increasingly popular, especially in light of recent increases in travel anxiety. Still, it is preferably to put a face with your company's name, and the principles below always apply.)
Why conduct a press tour? Two key reasons for conducting a press tour are to tell the company's story and to listen for editors/analysts perceptions. Press tours provide time for information exchange with media and analysts to address specific issues regarding the company and develop connections. A spokesperson can personally present company information and address questions to advance the company's position by influencing the perception and opinions held by media and analysts.
A press tour is also a time for the company to discover perceptions currently held by the primary target audience for public relations -- media and analysts. Questions can be asked in these meetings to further identify opinions held by these key awareness-shapers. Using this time for discovery can help shape public relations strategy, messages and continued dialog with these audiences
Press tour timingTiming of a press tour can be centered on a new product launch, an image or positioning campaign, or the introduction of a new CEO, president or significant leader within the company. Timing for press tours can also be dictated by marketplace activities.
Press tour planning A press tour plan is a blueprint that includes definition of communication goals, news value of a story angle, preparation activities and expectations for the tour. Developing a plan is a prerequisite to initiating any press tour activities because it is a tool that communicates the reasons for conducting a tour.
Management's agreement that a press tour is warranted is crucial. The spokesperson must be physically and mentally available as well as at a level that accurately represents the company. Don't send a junior manager for a major announcement or discussion.
Press tour planning: researchThe development of a press tour plan entails research of the competition's statements reported by the press, reviewing editorial statements or comments made by media and journalists, and investigating pending news or issues that might affect the timing of the tour.
Communication strategies and messages need to be defined for each media and analyst with considerations made to the audience they address. For example, a message to a trade publication would be different to a business publication, even when the same subject is being discussed. Understanding the idiosyncrasies of the media and analysts targeted by the press tour is PR's task. The opinions, personalities, and potential news angle that will be of interest must be highlighted for the spokesperson and also directly affects the way the meeting discussion will be handled. For example, some editor/analyst personalities are very business-like and prefer presentations with question and answers afterwards. Business-like editors/analysts adhere to a strict meeting timetable. Others are more casual and prefer a discussion conversation style. It is up to the PR person to prepare messages, message delivery style and prep the spokesperson to be flexible in approach. Also PR determines the length of time to meet with each editor/analyst. Figure a maximum of 30 minutes per conversation, allowing for extending visits based on the editor/analyst and spokesperson availability and interest.
Press tour briefing documentA press tour briefing document (briefing book) provides a foundation for the spokesperson. The briefing book contains the tour daily timetable, a statement about the publication, its focus, and audience, background descriptions of each editor/analyst, message statements for each interview and content of published material for the last six months. Selected personal details can also be included, such as hobbies or interests. The briefing book text should be easy to read with bullet points and short sentences. Often messages have to be tailored to each interview. The document should allow for these specific messages to be called out early in the description associated with editor/analyst.
During the press tourPress tours are the ultimate test of a PR person's mettle. Just ensuring that your spokesperson arrives on time and in the right location for the interview with the editor/analyst is challenging enough; you also need to monitor that the spokesperson stays on topic and makes enough of an impact to capture the editor's or analyst's attention. The key to staying cool, calm and collected during a press tour is pre-meeting planning and flexibility.Make sure to have multiple communication tools including cell phone and laptop as well as phone numbers of all the editors/analysts, maps and the all-important briefing book. Budgeting for a rent a car with a GPS is a time saver, as is hiring a driver for congested city traffic.Think of your role as similar to an orchestra conductor: the conductor is the one person who organizes all the different instruments into a single harmonious unit. Be a kind conductor; plan time for bathroom and food stops. Working with the hotel the night prior to a long day of meetings and arranging for box lunches or snacks is also part of your conducting responsibilities, and make sure to have extra staples available if you hire a driver for the day. If you're nice to the driver, the driver will return the favor.
Arranging the PR symphonyJust as a conductor holds rehearsals, pre-meeting briefings prior to beginning of the interview day are important. If pre-tour briefing meetings didn't happen before traveling, be sure to talk about the day's upcoming interviews at breakfast. Remind the spokesperson that every interview is a conversation, a dialog of give and take. Review the prepared background material verbally. Based on the experience of the spokesperson, you may find it easier to hold two or three small snippet pre-tour briefing sessions. While in the meeting with the editor/analyst, your role as either active voice or silent assistant is determined by the style and title of the spokesperson. Your role as active voice is to add value to the conversation by giving the spokesperson hints and clues as to key message points that he might have missed. Some spokespeople prefer the silent assistant style; the PR person takes notes of the conversation, and obtains business cards. In either role, the PR person needs to be an active listener, taking notes of the conversation to reference later as well as ensuring that promised deliverables and action items are noted. Make sure that the conversation is meeting the needs of that editor/analyst. At an appropriate time in the conversation, regardless of your role as active participant or silent assistant, get immediate feedback. At the end of the conversation, after hands have been shook and you've walked out the door, reflect with your spokesperson what you heard from the editor/analyst. You might need to adjust key message or interview discussion points based on information obtained from that meeting.
Handling boo-boos It's important that you understand the dynamics and psychology of the spokesperson. Some spokespeople want to 'make the editor or analyst happy' and by doing so will deem at some point in the conversation to share proprietary information. Sometimes, these hiccups occur over a dinner interview injected with a nice bottle of wine and a good meal.
Proprietary organizational information should stay proprietary. Ensure that the spokesperson knows what can and shouldn't be shared in the interview. Still, if the 'cat leaps out of the bag,' you have two options, depending on the nature of your relationship with the editor. If you know him well, you can take the editor/analyst aside and ask that he hold that information until a specified date and time. If there is not an established relationship, then the possibility of ignoring or diffusing the impact of the leaked information is lessened. See if you can negotiate with the editor/analyst to buy your organization time to deal with the impact of the information going public. Then immediately contact the organization and let them know what happened.
After the press tourJust because you've waved goodbye to the editors/analysts and are headed back home, doesn't mean the job is finished. Creating a report detailing the press tour by editor/analyst visit along with any action items generated is necessary.
Manners countWriting brief thank you notes (not emails!) to each editor/analyst shows respect for that person as well as level of sophistication that will elevate you ahead of other companies on press tours. Be sure to complete action items quickly. Broken promises and actions left undone are the sign of an organization that has little respect for the editor/analyst.
Maintain a historical record while the wrap-up memo becomes the historical organization document about the tour, equally important are the notes taken of each conversation or interview. Those notes become a record of what the company said about any given topic, and should be filed in such a manner that can be easily retrieved by others in the organization.
Getting the spokesperson's perspectiveA discussion with the spokesperson will help determine his impressions of the tour and the editors/analysts visited. It's important to review the goals and discuss outcomes of the visit soon as soon as possible to ensure that goals and spokesperson perceptions are in sync.Likewise, contact some friendly editors/analysts and get their scorecard on the effectiveness of the visit -- both in terms of the spokesperson and the message. Often, getting information about a spokesperson's style or effectiveness are keys to press tour success.
While they're neither simple nor easy, an effective press tour will be a key to your communication success.
A release does not a story make
Smashing the Myth of the Press Release
StollerPublicityInsider.com
A musician spends years honing his craft. He writes world-class songs and performs them in a manner that moves his listeners to tears. He records a demo tape and sends it to record labels. He gets a contract and becomes rich, famous and adored.The lesson: demo tapes are the secret of becoming a famous musician.
Wait, you say, the demo tape was just a tool, just his way of conveying his talent. It's his ability as a musician that got him the contract and made him famous.You're right, of course. He could have become just as famous if a record executive saw him in person, or heard about him from a friend, or as a result of a variety of other events.Which brings us to the press release.Somehow, the press release has taken on a magical reputation as the alpha and omega of publicity. Wanna become rich? Send out a press release. Wanna become famous? Press release. Wanna get on the cover of Newsweek? Press release.Publicity "gurus" are springing up all over the Internet touting the press release as the answer to all marketing ills. Just knock out a release, mass e-mail it to journalists, sit back and wait for Oprah to call.It's a cruel joke.Here's the reality: the press release is no more important to your potential of scoring free publicity than the demo tape was to our musician friend. If he had no talent, if his songs sounded like garbage, the best recorded demo tape in the world wouldn't get him signed. Ditto for the publicity seeker. If you don't have a story to tell, your press release is utterly worthless.
I'm not knocking the press release -- it's an important tool. But it's just that: a tool. It's not the first thing you need to think about when it comes time to seek publicity. In fact, it's one of the last. And it's not even absolutely necessary (I've gotten plenty of publicity with just a pitch letter, a quick e-mail or a phone call).If you worship at the shrine of the press release, it's time to rearrange your priorities. Here, then, are the things that are more important than a press release in generating publicity:
1. A newsworthy story
This is the equivalent of our musician's talent. It's the foundation for your publicity efforts. Without it, your press release means nothing.
2. Learning to think like an editor
Oh, what an edge you'll have in scoring publicity over all those press release worshippers once you learn how to get inside the head of an editor. Give an editor what he wants in the way he wants it and you'll do great.
3. Relevance
Tie in with a news event, make yourself part of a trend, piggyback on a larger competitor's story, but, by all means, make your story part of a picture that's bigger than just your company. Stories that exist in a vacuum quickly run out of oxygen.
4. Persistence
Sending out a press release and waiting for results is lazy and ineffective. If you really believe in your story, and you believe that it's right for a particular media outlet, you need to fight to make it happen. Call or e-mail the editor to pitch your story BEFORE sending the release. If one editor says no, try somebody else. If they all say no, come back at them with a different story angle.
Getting publicity involves so much more than just sending out a press release. Treat it as seriously and with as much respect as our newly minted rock star treats his craft and you'll be on your way to success.
StollerPublicityInsider.com
A musician spends years honing his craft. He writes world-class songs and performs them in a manner that moves his listeners to tears. He records a demo tape and sends it to record labels. He gets a contract and becomes rich, famous and adored.The lesson: demo tapes are the secret of becoming a famous musician.
Wait, you say, the demo tape was just a tool, just his way of conveying his talent. It's his ability as a musician that got him the contract and made him famous.You're right, of course. He could have become just as famous if a record executive saw him in person, or heard about him from a friend, or as a result of a variety of other events.Which brings us to the press release.Somehow, the press release has taken on a magical reputation as the alpha and omega of publicity. Wanna become rich? Send out a press release. Wanna become famous? Press release. Wanna get on the cover of Newsweek? Press release.Publicity "gurus" are springing up all over the Internet touting the press release as the answer to all marketing ills. Just knock out a release, mass e-mail it to journalists, sit back and wait for Oprah to call.It's a cruel joke.Here's the reality: the press release is no more important to your potential of scoring free publicity than the demo tape was to our musician friend. If he had no talent, if his songs sounded like garbage, the best recorded demo tape in the world wouldn't get him signed. Ditto for the publicity seeker. If you don't have a story to tell, your press release is utterly worthless.
I'm not knocking the press release -- it's an important tool. But it's just that: a tool. It's not the first thing you need to think about when it comes time to seek publicity. In fact, it's one of the last. And it's not even absolutely necessary (I've gotten plenty of publicity with just a pitch letter, a quick e-mail or a phone call).If you worship at the shrine of the press release, it's time to rearrange your priorities. Here, then, are the things that are more important than a press release in generating publicity:
1. A newsworthy story
This is the equivalent of our musician's talent. It's the foundation for your publicity efforts. Without it, your press release means nothing.
2. Learning to think like an editor
Oh, what an edge you'll have in scoring publicity over all those press release worshippers once you learn how to get inside the head of an editor. Give an editor what he wants in the way he wants it and you'll do great.
3. Relevance
Tie in with a news event, make yourself part of a trend, piggyback on a larger competitor's story, but, by all means, make your story part of a picture that's bigger than just your company. Stories that exist in a vacuum quickly run out of oxygen.
4. Persistence
Sending out a press release and waiting for results is lazy and ineffective. If you really believe in your story, and you believe that it's right for a particular media outlet, you need to fight to make it happen. Call or e-mail the editor to pitch your story BEFORE sending the release. If one editor says no, try somebody else. If they all say no, come back at them with a different story angle.
Getting publicity involves so much more than just sending out a press release. Treat it as seriously and with as much respect as our newly minted rock star treats his craft and you'll be on your way to success.
3 parts to a good story
3 Parts to a Story What makes a good publicity story
How did they get on the front cover of Newsweek? It’s a common question. As PR professionals, our clients often ask us how they can get the kind of publicity that other companies have. They complain that they frequently see competitive products or companies in the news. Or that their competitors are regularly quoted in trade magazines. They can’t understand why journalists overlook them.
Despite the fact that they send out news releases every time something happens at the company, they don’t get media coverage -- or if they do, it’s only a couple of lines. They are frustrated.How do you get publicity? Well, sometimes that depends on what you're pitching, what company you represent, and who you know. For example, if you find a cure for Alzheimer’s disease, you will get publicity. If you are launching a new product at a high-profile corporation, such as Microsoft, you will get publicity. If you have earned the respect of the media as someone knowledgeable in your field, you will have an easier time convincing them that you have a good story. But you might not meet these criteria. So, how can you get attention from journalists? By identifying compelling story ideas that the media need.Every radio or television program, every newspaper, every issue of a magazine needs dynamic stories or information. They have to fill their space and make sure their readers, viewers or listeners are impacted by the stories they cover.They need dynamic stories or information. They are under tremendous pressure to secure the best material. The competition between media outlets is intense. The opportunities for getting your story covered are there. You just have to find out what the media wants and craft your story to satisfy that need.What is important to you does not necessarily offer the same degree of interest for the media. The trick is to find what interests them.
The best way to get publicity is to have a good product or service to talk about, a good story to tell about it, and a story that appeals to the specific media outlet you are pursuing.1. A Good Product or ServiceIf you don’t have a decent product or service, or if your product or service doesn’t deliver on the promises you make, don’t seek publicity. You either won’t get it, or you’ll get negative publicity -- the media love to highlight problems.Your product must work. You should collect proof that it works. You’ve tested it, you’ve got customers who are willing to offer testimonials, and you’ve been in business for many years -- use whatever you can to substantiate your claims. Your service should be unique or different; it should meet a specific need and be proven with many customers who will attest that you do what you say you will.2. An Interesting Story to TellAll news organizations are storytellers. They're looking for stories to tell readers, viewers or listeners. If you can identify or create a story related to your business that will interest the public, you'll make it easier to interest media outlets in your company. Find a way to tie your product or service to a national issue or concern. For example, a company that salvages used computers and refurbishes them for reuse in schools and charitable organizations makes a contribution to society and to the environment. Look for a human-interest angle. Find the human elements that make a company's story worth writing about. Tell about the personal sacrifices you made to develop your product or business…how you financed it…or what one user or client has achieved using your product or service.Make sure that your story is really news, not just an advertisement in disguise.
3. Appeal to a Specific Media Outlet Nothing is more irritating to an editor than a news release that is obviously misdirected or irrelevant to their focus. Whatever you pitch, you must ensure that your story is of interest to the media outlet that you are pursuing. What's newsworthy to the editor of Field & Stream is quite different than what's newsworthy to the editor of Report on Business. Find the news outlet that matches your message -- whether business, trade, financial, general interest, or professional affiliations. Know what interests different types of media. Print publications focus on facts and figures. Radio and television don't lend themselves to this kind of detailed information; it’s about sound bites, excitement, and entertainment. Think about whether your story can be conveyed in a visual form.You wouldn’t ask a television reporter to publish your six-month financial results but, if they were impressive, a television reporter might be interested in featuring your business on a weekly business program.Discover how important visuals are to a particular magazine, before you make your pitch, by scanning a couple of issues. Note whether photos or drawings are used. Are they black-and-white or color? Is at least one illustration used with every story of one page or more? If so, you should be prepared to provide to provide the same. Otherwise, your article might move to the reject pile, regardless of its other merits.Don’t overlook good local or regional newspapers or television if your story is local. You’ll be wasting your time promoting it to a national news carrier. Sometimes the large networks will pick up stories that initiated in a local market if they think there might be national appeal.
Develop good relationships with journalists. Be accessible to them. Remember that reporters need information. They might not want your story right now, but you can do a reporter a favor and offer insight and expert comment/analysis on other newsworthy issues. As long as they are quoting you, you are still getting publicity.
If a reporter shows interest in your story, be prepared to provide any additional information they ask for -- like a press kit that includes good image material and background information on each topic or business you are promoting. Make sure that your website also contains high-quality visuals. A picture may help a reporter instantly identify with you and your story.What can you do for them?
Publicity is most likely to happen when you stop thinking about how someone else can help you, and concentrate instead on what you can do for them. Spend most of your time understand them. Find out what areas are the most challenging and identify the hot issues and trends important to them. Then think about what your story does to resolving their issues.That is what makes a good publicity story.
Criteria for a Good Story
· Focus: Does the story have one main focal point, “hook” or angle?
· Timely: Is it relevant to a current social issue? Could it relate to a holiday or special event?
· Novelty: Is there something unique or different about how you run your business? Is your product a novelty in its industry? Have you found a new way to do something?
· Consequence: Is there an impact on a particular market segment with your company or product? Will it change how your customers work or live? Does the topic appeal to a specific group of people?
· Human interest: Is there a story behind your product or company? Have your services resulted in a high-impact result for a client? Has your product saved a life? Has a client realized exceptional results with one of your products? Is the story idea of particular interest to the audience of a specific publication or does it have broad appeal?
· Prominence: Do you have you a high-profile client? Is the product achieving an award or reaching a leadership position in your industry? Can you tie your product or service to a celebrity event? Is your product achieving an award or reaching a leadership position in your industry?
· Proximity: Does your product or service have a local angle? Is it a national story? Is there a geographical region most suited to your solution?
· Conflict: Is your story contentious in a way that would breed debate or opinion?
How did they get on the front cover of Newsweek? It’s a common question. As PR professionals, our clients often ask us how they can get the kind of publicity that other companies have. They complain that they frequently see competitive products or companies in the news. Or that their competitors are regularly quoted in trade magazines. They can’t understand why journalists overlook them.
Despite the fact that they send out news releases every time something happens at the company, they don’t get media coverage -- or if they do, it’s only a couple of lines. They are frustrated.How do you get publicity? Well, sometimes that depends on what you're pitching, what company you represent, and who you know. For example, if you find a cure for Alzheimer’s disease, you will get publicity. If you are launching a new product at a high-profile corporation, such as Microsoft, you will get publicity. If you have earned the respect of the media as someone knowledgeable in your field, you will have an easier time convincing them that you have a good story. But you might not meet these criteria. So, how can you get attention from journalists? By identifying compelling story ideas that the media need.Every radio or television program, every newspaper, every issue of a magazine needs dynamic stories or information. They have to fill their space and make sure their readers, viewers or listeners are impacted by the stories they cover.They need dynamic stories or information. They are under tremendous pressure to secure the best material. The competition between media outlets is intense. The opportunities for getting your story covered are there. You just have to find out what the media wants and craft your story to satisfy that need.What is important to you does not necessarily offer the same degree of interest for the media. The trick is to find what interests them.
The best way to get publicity is to have a good product or service to talk about, a good story to tell about it, and a story that appeals to the specific media outlet you are pursuing.1. A Good Product or ServiceIf you don’t have a decent product or service, or if your product or service doesn’t deliver on the promises you make, don’t seek publicity. You either won’t get it, or you’ll get negative publicity -- the media love to highlight problems.Your product must work. You should collect proof that it works. You’ve tested it, you’ve got customers who are willing to offer testimonials, and you’ve been in business for many years -- use whatever you can to substantiate your claims. Your service should be unique or different; it should meet a specific need and be proven with many customers who will attest that you do what you say you will.2. An Interesting Story to TellAll news organizations are storytellers. They're looking for stories to tell readers, viewers or listeners. If you can identify or create a story related to your business that will interest the public, you'll make it easier to interest media outlets in your company. Find a way to tie your product or service to a national issue or concern. For example, a company that salvages used computers and refurbishes them for reuse in schools and charitable organizations makes a contribution to society and to the environment. Look for a human-interest angle. Find the human elements that make a company's story worth writing about. Tell about the personal sacrifices you made to develop your product or business…how you financed it…or what one user or client has achieved using your product or service.Make sure that your story is really news, not just an advertisement in disguise.
3. Appeal to a Specific Media Outlet Nothing is more irritating to an editor than a news release that is obviously misdirected or irrelevant to their focus. Whatever you pitch, you must ensure that your story is of interest to the media outlet that you are pursuing. What's newsworthy to the editor of Field & Stream is quite different than what's newsworthy to the editor of Report on Business. Find the news outlet that matches your message -- whether business, trade, financial, general interest, or professional affiliations. Know what interests different types of media. Print publications focus on facts and figures. Radio and television don't lend themselves to this kind of detailed information; it’s about sound bites, excitement, and entertainment. Think about whether your story can be conveyed in a visual form.You wouldn’t ask a television reporter to publish your six-month financial results but, if they were impressive, a television reporter might be interested in featuring your business on a weekly business program.Discover how important visuals are to a particular magazine, before you make your pitch, by scanning a couple of issues. Note whether photos or drawings are used. Are they black-and-white or color? Is at least one illustration used with every story of one page or more? If so, you should be prepared to provide to provide the same. Otherwise, your article might move to the reject pile, regardless of its other merits.Don’t overlook good local or regional newspapers or television if your story is local. You’ll be wasting your time promoting it to a national news carrier. Sometimes the large networks will pick up stories that initiated in a local market if they think there might be national appeal.
Develop good relationships with journalists. Be accessible to them. Remember that reporters need information. They might not want your story right now, but you can do a reporter a favor and offer insight and expert comment/analysis on other newsworthy issues. As long as they are quoting you, you are still getting publicity.
If a reporter shows interest in your story, be prepared to provide any additional information they ask for -- like a press kit that includes good image material and background information on each topic or business you are promoting. Make sure that your website also contains high-quality visuals. A picture may help a reporter instantly identify with you and your story.What can you do for them?
Publicity is most likely to happen when you stop thinking about how someone else can help you, and concentrate instead on what you can do for them. Spend most of your time understand them. Find out what areas are the most challenging and identify the hot issues and trends important to them. Then think about what your story does to resolving their issues.That is what makes a good publicity story.
Criteria for a Good Story
· Focus: Does the story have one main focal point, “hook” or angle?
· Timely: Is it relevant to a current social issue? Could it relate to a holiday or special event?
· Novelty: Is there something unique or different about how you run your business? Is your product a novelty in its industry? Have you found a new way to do something?
· Consequence: Is there an impact on a particular market segment with your company or product? Will it change how your customers work or live? Does the topic appeal to a specific group of people?
· Human interest: Is there a story behind your product or company? Have your services resulted in a high-impact result for a client? Has your product saved a life? Has a client realized exceptional results with one of your products? Is the story idea of particular interest to the audience of a specific publication or does it have broad appeal?
· Prominence: Do you have you a high-profile client? Is the product achieving an award or reaching a leadership position in your industry? Can you tie your product or service to a celebrity event? Is your product achieving an award or reaching a leadership position in your industry?
· Proximity: Does your product or service have a local angle? Is it a national story? Is there a geographical region most suited to your solution?
· Conflict: Is your story contentious in a way that would breed debate or opinion?
Heavy Lifting Is your communications team pulling its weight?
By Sue DurisM4 Communications
In today¹s economy, companies are looking for immediate ROI. This applies to your communications team as well.As a former high-tech product manager, I was always told to establish and continuously build credibility with the engineers if I was to be perceived as adding value.As marcom professionals, we must establish and build credibility with senior management. Submitting press releases and counting clips on their own are no longer measures of value.
Following these guidelines will help your communications team be perceived as a valuable component of your company.1. Be an information sponge. Know your industry inside and out. The Internet is a wonderful thing. Subscribe to news that is targeted to your industry. Research issues and trends impacting your industry and company. Subscribe to appropriate print and electronic publications. Register for discussion lists and newsgroups specifically geared to marcom professionals and your specific industry.2. Know your business and products as if you developed them yourself. Know the history of your business, mission statement, objectives, target markets, and value propositions. Review the company¹s strategic business and marketing plans. Know your business partners, why you chose them and how you go about choosing partners. Know your product lines and their features and benefits. Also know your competition. Be able to perform an objective competitive analysis on your products. Create a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis of your business. Have one-on-one sessions with customer service, sales, marketing, and engineering representatives. This is a triple-win for you -- you obtain first-hand knowledge, you are building internal relationships and you are establishing yourself as a credible resource.
3. Know your customers. What is the typical customer profile? Interview customers to get an idea of who they are, how they perceive your company and your competitors, how they make their buying decisions, etc.4. Link your PR objectives to the company¹s business and organizational objectives. Having a clear understanding of your organization¹s business objectives is your first step in setting measurable objectives for your communications program. Of course, this is simplified when the communications team participates in setting the organization¹s overall objectives.Remember that an objective must:
· specify a desired outcome
· directly reference at least one target audience
· be measurable
· refer to ends, not means
· include a timeframe in which the objective is to be achieved
To help ensure PR objectives are effectively linked to business objectives, ask the following questions:
· What is management trying to achieve and what will help or hinder its success, from a communications perspective?
· How are stakeholders likely to respond to these objectives?
· What are management¹s expectations for how stakeholders should respond to these objectives?
· How can PR programs achieve these goals?
· What specific communications programs should be implemented to meet these goals?
5. Measure the success of your communications program.When management asks what it is getting for its PR investment, it wants evidence that communications activities have advanced business goals.As noted above, press release submissions are no longer an indicator for success of a particular communications program. A stack of clips is only beneficial when you changed behaviors and contributed to the bottom line.Consider the following:
1. Target your press releases to a specific campaign so you can measure the amount of revenues generated from that specific campaign.
2. Utilize web site traffic monitoring tools to determine if there are any traffic spikes due to published articles.
3. Enlist the help of a third party to measure your PR efforts.
Making these items a part of your daily communications regimen will not only build credibility, but you will be seen as a valuable resource while impacting the bottom line.
In today¹s economy, companies are looking for immediate ROI. This applies to your communications team as well.As a former high-tech product manager, I was always told to establish and continuously build credibility with the engineers if I was to be perceived as adding value.As marcom professionals, we must establish and build credibility with senior management. Submitting press releases and counting clips on their own are no longer measures of value.
Following these guidelines will help your communications team be perceived as a valuable component of your company.1. Be an information sponge. Know your industry inside and out. The Internet is a wonderful thing. Subscribe to news that is targeted to your industry. Research issues and trends impacting your industry and company. Subscribe to appropriate print and electronic publications. Register for discussion lists and newsgroups specifically geared to marcom professionals and your specific industry.2. Know your business and products as if you developed them yourself. Know the history of your business, mission statement, objectives, target markets, and value propositions. Review the company¹s strategic business and marketing plans. Know your business partners, why you chose them and how you go about choosing partners. Know your product lines and their features and benefits. Also know your competition. Be able to perform an objective competitive analysis on your products. Create a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis of your business. Have one-on-one sessions with customer service, sales, marketing, and engineering representatives. This is a triple-win for you -- you obtain first-hand knowledge, you are building internal relationships and you are establishing yourself as a credible resource.
3. Know your customers. What is the typical customer profile? Interview customers to get an idea of who they are, how they perceive your company and your competitors, how they make their buying decisions, etc.4. Link your PR objectives to the company¹s business and organizational objectives. Having a clear understanding of your organization¹s business objectives is your first step in setting measurable objectives for your communications program. Of course, this is simplified when the communications team participates in setting the organization¹s overall objectives.Remember that an objective must:
· specify a desired outcome
· directly reference at least one target audience
· be measurable
· refer to ends, not means
· include a timeframe in which the objective is to be achieved
To help ensure PR objectives are effectively linked to business objectives, ask the following questions:
· What is management trying to achieve and what will help or hinder its success, from a communications perspective?
· How are stakeholders likely to respond to these objectives?
· What are management¹s expectations for how stakeholders should respond to these objectives?
· How can PR programs achieve these goals?
· What specific communications programs should be implemented to meet these goals?
5. Measure the success of your communications program.When management asks what it is getting for its PR investment, it wants evidence that communications activities have advanced business goals.As noted above, press release submissions are no longer an indicator for success of a particular communications program. A stack of clips is only beneficial when you changed behaviors and contributed to the bottom line.Consider the following:
1. Target your press releases to a specific campaign so you can measure the amount of revenues generated from that specific campaign.
2. Utilize web site traffic monitoring tools to determine if there are any traffic spikes due to published articles.
3. Enlist the help of a third party to measure your PR efforts.
Making these items a part of your daily communications regimen will not only build credibility, but you will be seen as a valuable resource while impacting the bottom line.
Triangulations –PR vs advtg
Triangulations –PR vs advtg
As someone once said: "There are people who go to sleep on an advertised bed, on advertised linen, people that brush their teeth with an advertised toothbrush using advertised toothpaste, and then they say advertising does not work!" Or another - How come yoghurt is being eaten by millions!
For me the point is that there is a need for integrated communications. Every method has advantages and disadvantages. It's what is called triangulation in communications research. Triangulation is the simultaneous use of different, corroborating techniques (instruments).
No one methodology, be it surveys, interviews, focus groups, network or content analysis, is sufficient in itself. A single technique, even if properly administered, will produce biased results simply because of the inherent strengths and weaknesses in that methodology.
The same applies to media used. We have to appeal to as many senses of a person - visual, auditory, kinaesthetic, smell and taste. Using different tools to get the message across is absolutely critical. Even better if you can get your message across in many different simultaneous ways (without increasing costs substantially)
The question I would rather ask is what sensory stimulants do I need to use in a situation? For instance:
Various communication media involve various senses, such as:
Radio: Sound only
Television: Sound plus images
Colour TV: Sound plus colour images
Interactive Video: Sound, colour images, plus user participation
Virtual Reality: All the above plus kinaesthetic stimulation and an environment that surrounds the user
The more senses involved in the communication process, the higher the impact of the communication and the more it will be remembered.
Multi-Sensory - information is presented in a way that it can be heard, seen and touched. For me the rule is to maximise impact you need to invoke as many of a person senses.
Using only advertising or PR is based on a number of assumptions that are no longer valid:
Traditional models of communication practice assume that one type of well-designed intervention will solve the problem - be it advertising, publicity, training, or an internal newsletter. These linear methods ignore a systemic approach to solving problems. For example, employee communication and training systems may promote safe work practices, but if the work design and performance appraisal systems do not reinforce
these messages, they are likely to be ineffective.
Conventional models assume that the client or requester has correctly identified the problem and the appropriate intervention - for example, that a performance gap such as a lack of sales is due to poor or not enough advertising, low morale or that a two-day training course is needed.
In one organisation we once found that the problem with sales did not lie with advertising or PR or prices, the problem were that the salespeople were not closing deals due to a number of factors that included lack of skill. In this case personal coaching processes - not training, not PR, not advertising nor lowering of prices solved the problem.
When confronted with a potential communication-related project, we need to explore all the factors that can impact the performance of the target audience. For example, I have often found that performance gaps that initially look like training problems are actually a result of for example incentive programs that are not aligned with the business objectives, or caused by suboptimal business process design.
As stated in another post, advertising is just one tool.
I hope this adds to the "melting pot".
As someone once said: "There are people who go to sleep on an advertised bed, on advertised linen, people that brush their teeth with an advertised toothbrush using advertised toothpaste, and then they say advertising does not work!" Or another - How come yoghurt is being eaten by millions!
For me the point is that there is a need for integrated communications. Every method has advantages and disadvantages. It's what is called triangulation in communications research. Triangulation is the simultaneous use of different, corroborating techniques (instruments).
No one methodology, be it surveys, interviews, focus groups, network or content analysis, is sufficient in itself. A single technique, even if properly administered, will produce biased results simply because of the inherent strengths and weaknesses in that methodology.
The same applies to media used. We have to appeal to as many senses of a person - visual, auditory, kinaesthetic, smell and taste. Using different tools to get the message across is absolutely critical. Even better if you can get your message across in many different simultaneous ways (without increasing costs substantially)
The question I would rather ask is what sensory stimulants do I need to use in a situation? For instance:
Various communication media involve various senses, such as:
Radio: Sound only
Television: Sound plus images
Colour TV: Sound plus colour images
Interactive Video: Sound, colour images, plus user participation
Virtual Reality: All the above plus kinaesthetic stimulation and an environment that surrounds the user
The more senses involved in the communication process, the higher the impact of the communication and the more it will be remembered.
Multi-Sensory - information is presented in a way that it can be heard, seen and touched. For me the rule is to maximise impact you need to invoke as many of a person senses.
Using only advertising or PR is based on a number of assumptions that are no longer valid:
Traditional models of communication practice assume that one type of well-designed intervention will solve the problem - be it advertising, publicity, training, or an internal newsletter. These linear methods ignore a systemic approach to solving problems. For example, employee communication and training systems may promote safe work practices, but if the work design and performance appraisal systems do not reinforce
these messages, they are likely to be ineffective.
Conventional models assume that the client or requester has correctly identified the problem and the appropriate intervention - for example, that a performance gap such as a lack of sales is due to poor or not enough advertising, low morale or that a two-day training course is needed.
In one organisation we once found that the problem with sales did not lie with advertising or PR or prices, the problem were that the salespeople were not closing deals due to a number of factors that included lack of skill. In this case personal coaching processes - not training, not PR, not advertising nor lowering of prices solved the problem.
When confronted with a potential communication-related project, we need to explore all the factors that can impact the performance of the target audience. For example, I have often found that performance gaps that initially look like training problems are actually a result of for example incentive programs that are not aligned with the business objectives, or caused by suboptimal business process design.
As stated in another post, advertising is just one tool.
I hope this adds to the "melting pot".
Marketing Yourself: Client - Agency relationship
“It ain’t what you do, it’s the way that you do it. That’s what gets results”By Deon Binneman
The Rapport (South Africa) newspaper last year reported that the use of consultants by the Government cost taxpayers more than 2.5 billion rand (approximately US$278 million) since 1998. The article quotes Minister Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi in saying that “there will be an urgent look at whether the Government is really getting true value in the use of consultants”.
On June 4, 2001, The Business Day reported "SA Airways has cancelled its contracts with a range of consultancies...in a bid to save the airline millions of rands going forward."
Whilst these cancellations mainly affect large consulting firms, the message is clear for all PR and marketing consultants: Beware of putting all your client eggs in one basket, and even if you are successful, market for the future.
Companies change agendas; staff (your previous contacts) leave. For any consultant the loss of a large client can be devastating. It is vital, therefore, to remember that successful consultants market themselves as much as 25% of the time. Consultants also need to re-evaluate their ongoing marketing efforts and reporting mechanisms to clients. How you report and conduct yourself before, during and after the contract is all part of the marketing process.
The following questionnaire serves as a guide to help you think in terms of your clients' needs. (Source: Adapted from Managing the Professional Service firm – David Maister)
Think back to your own use of outside professionals. Did they:
Make it their business to understand what was special and unique about you and your company?
Listen carefully to what you say and what you wanted, rather than substitute their own judgment for yours on what needs to be done?
Give good explanations of what they were doing and why?
Let you know in advance what they were going to do?
Keep you sufficiently informed on progress?
Avoid confusing jargon?
Keep their promises on deadlines?
Document their work activities well?
Make sure they were accessible and available when you needed them?
Make you feel as if you were important to them?
Show an interest in you beyond the scope of the task?
Offer help beyond the specifics of the project?
Most clients say that if they found a provider that reliably behaved in the words described above, they would be:
More likely to return to that provider.
More willing to refer that provider.
Less fee-sensitive about that provider's services.
As someone once said, "The key to marketing success is not how good you are, but how you're perceived."
With a greater understanding of how you are being judged by your clients, here are some tactics that will help you gain credibility and maintain long term relationships even in hard economic times:
Provide regular progress reports so that there are no surprises.
Avoid internal politics.
Emphasize the benefits of your work at all times.
Establish channels of communication with everyone involved in your work.
Discuss small problems before they become major problems.
Provide detailed invoices so that your client can approve them and you can get paid on time.
Put yourself in your clients shoes at all times.
Know your clients and what makes them happy.
Make theclient feel like the only client.
Send articles, share books.
Write thank you & how are you doing notes.
Call frequently when not on site.
Be prepared to deal with unexpected delays.
Coach on an individual basis.
Remember that the client – consultant relationship is a process, not a program
Remember the words from an old song: “It ain’t what you do, it’s the way that you do it: That’s what gets results.”
Deon Binneman , a managing member of REPUCOMM in Johannesburg, South Africa, is a speaker, trainer and consultant specializing in Reputation Management and Strategic Communication counseling.
The Rapport (South Africa) newspaper last year reported that the use of consultants by the Government cost taxpayers more than 2.5 billion rand (approximately US$278 million) since 1998. The article quotes Minister Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi in saying that “there will be an urgent look at whether the Government is really getting true value in the use of consultants”.
On June 4, 2001, The Business Day reported "SA Airways has cancelled its contracts with a range of consultancies...in a bid to save the airline millions of rands going forward."
Whilst these cancellations mainly affect large consulting firms, the message is clear for all PR and marketing consultants: Beware of putting all your client eggs in one basket, and even if you are successful, market for the future.
Companies change agendas; staff (your previous contacts) leave. For any consultant the loss of a large client can be devastating. It is vital, therefore, to remember that successful consultants market themselves as much as 25% of the time. Consultants also need to re-evaluate their ongoing marketing efforts and reporting mechanisms to clients. How you report and conduct yourself before, during and after the contract is all part of the marketing process.
The following questionnaire serves as a guide to help you think in terms of your clients' needs. (Source: Adapted from Managing the Professional Service firm – David Maister)
Think back to your own use of outside professionals. Did they:
Make it their business to understand what was special and unique about you and your company?
Listen carefully to what you say and what you wanted, rather than substitute their own judgment for yours on what needs to be done?
Give good explanations of what they were doing and why?
Let you know in advance what they were going to do?
Keep you sufficiently informed on progress?
Avoid confusing jargon?
Keep their promises on deadlines?
Document their work activities well?
Make sure they were accessible and available when you needed them?
Make you feel as if you were important to them?
Show an interest in you beyond the scope of the task?
Offer help beyond the specifics of the project?
Most clients say that if they found a provider that reliably behaved in the words described above, they would be:
More likely to return to that provider.
More willing to refer that provider.
Less fee-sensitive about that provider's services.
As someone once said, "The key to marketing success is not how good you are, but how you're perceived."
With a greater understanding of how you are being judged by your clients, here are some tactics that will help you gain credibility and maintain long term relationships even in hard economic times:
Provide regular progress reports so that there are no surprises.
Avoid internal politics.
Emphasize the benefits of your work at all times.
Establish channels of communication with everyone involved in your work.
Discuss small problems before they become major problems.
Provide detailed invoices so that your client can approve them and you can get paid on time.
Put yourself in your clients shoes at all times.
Know your clients and what makes them happy.
Make theclient feel like the only client.
Send articles, share books.
Write thank you & how are you doing notes.
Call frequently when not on site.
Be prepared to deal with unexpected delays.
Coach on an individual basis.
Remember that the client – consultant relationship is a process, not a program
Remember the words from an old song: “It ain’t what you do, it’s the way that you do it: That’s what gets results.”
Deon Binneman , a managing member of REPUCOMM in Johannesburg, South Africa, is a speaker, trainer and consultant specializing in Reputation Management and Strategic Communication counseling.
Understanding Indian Media
1. How They See Themselves
India's journalists view their role as that of the voice of truth. Radio and television are controlled by the government; therefore, they typically will air the government's position. The print media is much more independent than the broadcast media and more likely to be critical. Most publications have an acknowledged political viewpoint that colors editorial comments. Journalism has become a fairly highly respected field over the past decade, with income and education levels increasing significantly. Some of the best reporting originates from regional, local language newspapers.
II. Degree of Independence
India's constitution provides for freedom of the press and of expression, and with some limitations they are exercised in practice. A zealous press reflects a wide variety of public, social and economic beliefs. The media regularly carry investigative reports and allegations of government wrongdoing, champion human rights, and criticize perceived government lapses. Freedom House rated the overall media environment in 1997 as "free."
The Press Council of India is a statutory body of journalists, publishers, academics and politicians with a chairman appointed by the government. Designed to be a self-regulating mechanism for the media, it investigates complaints of irresponsible journalism and sets a code of conduct for publishers, which includes not publishing articles or details that might incite caste or communal violence. The council publicly criticizes newspapers or journalists it believes have broken the code of conduct, but its findings, while noted by the press community, carry no legal weight.
National television and radio, government monopolies, frequently are accused of manipulating the news in favor of the government. Nevertheless, international satellite television is widely distributed, particularly amongst the middle class, by cable and gradually is eroding the Government's monopoly on television. A government censorship board reviews films before licensing them for distribution, deleting material deemed offensive to public morals or communal sentiment. Producers of video news magazines also must submit their products to the board, which occasionally censors stories that portray the government unfavorably, but rulings may be appealed and overturned.
Under the Official Secrets Act, publication of sensitive stories may restricted, but the government sometimes interprets this broadly to suppress criticism of its policies, thereby restricting freedom of the press. Human rights activists state that government pressure caused one national English-language daily to suppress some stories and to transfer a staff reporter.
The 1971 Newspapers Incitements to Offenses Act remains in effect in Jammu and Kashmir. Under the Act, a district magistrate may prohibit the press from publishing material resulting in "incitement to murder" or "any act of violence." As punishment, the act stipulates that the authorities may seize newspapers and printing presses. Kashmiri groups have threatened journalists and editors and imposed temporary bans on some publications. Despite these impediments, newspapers in Srinagar regularly publish militant press releases attacking the government and report on alleged human rights abuses. Foreign journalists also have been allowed to travel freely in Jammu and Kashmir, where they regularly speak with militant leaders, and file reports on government abuses.
III. Market Forces
News agencies: 2Newspapers: 4,420English language dailies: 340Hindi language dailies: 2,020Periodicals: 37,000TV broadcast companies: 1TV broadcast stations: 274Satellite TV companies: 1Radio broadcast companies: 1Radio stations: 194Televisions per 100 people: 3.3Radios per 1,000 people: 70
Journalists typically expect to get their own stories and do not take news releases at face value. They view public relations practitioners as partners since they are the main source of information. Still, personal relationships can influence the likelihood of a story being covered.
IV. Geographic Lens
India has two primary news agencies, the Press Trust of India Limited (PTI) and United News of India (UNI). PTI is a non-profit cooperative of Indian newspapers and provides service in English and Hindi. It has a network of 140 bureaus and more than 400 full-time journalists in India and stringers in more than 20 cities around the world. UNI is a private company with more than 100 bureaus in India and abroad and provides service in English, Hindi and Urdu. Both PTI and UNI provide coverage for television as well.
The Press Information Bureau (PIB) is the government agency responsible for disseminating information to the print and broadcast media on government policies and initiatives through its eight regional and 32 branch offices and the Internet. Materials are released in English, Hindi, Urdu and 13 regional languages and reach more than 8,000 newspapers and media organizations.
All India Radio (AIR), or Akashvani, is India's government-owned radio network with a mission to inform and educate the people in addition to providing entertainment. The network includes 194 radio stations, providing radio coverage to more than 97 percent of the population. AIR broadcasts music, drama, news and sports programs in various languages, as well as those focusing on farm and family welfare issues. In addition to government subsidies, some channels are supported by advertising, licensing fees and RDS paging services. The bulk of AIR news is derived from its own network of domestic correspondents. News and information also are broadcast internationally by the External Services Division.
Doordarshan is India's government-owned national television service. It has a network of three national channels, two special-interest channels, 10 regional language channels, four state networks, an international channel, and studios in 41 cities. The Primary Channel operates through transmitters across the country, bringing programming to more than 87 percent of the population. The company's three-tier service provides news, science, culture and drama programming through the national service (broadcast in English and Hindi), similar regional language programming through the regional service, and coverage of local issues in local languages through the local service. Metro channels, linked by satellite, are available in Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta and Chennai. Doordarshan is supported in part by advertisements. Satellite broadcasting also is available.
V. Professional Development
The increase in income levels over the last decade as attracted more intellectual, better educated journalists to the field. Most journalists are generalists, covering a wide variety of subjects; however, at specialty publications journalists with expertise in subjects such as science, economics or finance can be found. Wealthy, larger media institutions are able to provide their journalists with relatively sophisticated equipment and facilities, such as computer systems.
The majority of journalists have a college education and most have a masters degree. Some even have doctoral degrees. A diploma in journalism is available at a number of institutions across India, including Usmania University, Calcutta University, New Delhi University, Chandigarh University and the Institute of Mass Communications in New Delhi.
India's journalists view their role as that of the voice of truth. Radio and television are controlled by the government; therefore, they typically will air the government's position. The print media is much more independent than the broadcast media and more likely to be critical. Most publications have an acknowledged political viewpoint that colors editorial comments. Journalism has become a fairly highly respected field over the past decade, with income and education levels increasing significantly. Some of the best reporting originates from regional, local language newspapers.
II. Degree of Independence
India's constitution provides for freedom of the press and of expression, and with some limitations they are exercised in practice. A zealous press reflects a wide variety of public, social and economic beliefs. The media regularly carry investigative reports and allegations of government wrongdoing, champion human rights, and criticize perceived government lapses. Freedom House rated the overall media environment in 1997 as "free."
The Press Council of India is a statutory body of journalists, publishers, academics and politicians with a chairman appointed by the government. Designed to be a self-regulating mechanism for the media, it investigates complaints of irresponsible journalism and sets a code of conduct for publishers, which includes not publishing articles or details that might incite caste or communal violence. The council publicly criticizes newspapers or journalists it believes have broken the code of conduct, but its findings, while noted by the press community, carry no legal weight.
National television and radio, government monopolies, frequently are accused of manipulating the news in favor of the government. Nevertheless, international satellite television is widely distributed, particularly amongst the middle class, by cable and gradually is eroding the Government's monopoly on television. A government censorship board reviews films before licensing them for distribution, deleting material deemed offensive to public morals or communal sentiment. Producers of video news magazines also must submit their products to the board, which occasionally censors stories that portray the government unfavorably, but rulings may be appealed and overturned.
Under the Official Secrets Act, publication of sensitive stories may restricted, but the government sometimes interprets this broadly to suppress criticism of its policies, thereby restricting freedom of the press. Human rights activists state that government pressure caused one national English-language daily to suppress some stories and to transfer a staff reporter.
The 1971 Newspapers Incitements to Offenses Act remains in effect in Jammu and Kashmir. Under the Act, a district magistrate may prohibit the press from publishing material resulting in "incitement to murder" or "any act of violence." As punishment, the act stipulates that the authorities may seize newspapers and printing presses. Kashmiri groups have threatened journalists and editors and imposed temporary bans on some publications. Despite these impediments, newspapers in Srinagar regularly publish militant press releases attacking the government and report on alleged human rights abuses. Foreign journalists also have been allowed to travel freely in Jammu and Kashmir, where they regularly speak with militant leaders, and file reports on government abuses.
III. Market Forces
News agencies: 2Newspapers: 4,420English language dailies: 340Hindi language dailies: 2,020Periodicals: 37,000TV broadcast companies: 1TV broadcast stations: 274Satellite TV companies: 1Radio broadcast companies: 1Radio stations: 194Televisions per 100 people: 3.3Radios per 1,000 people: 70
Journalists typically expect to get their own stories and do not take news releases at face value. They view public relations practitioners as partners since they are the main source of information. Still, personal relationships can influence the likelihood of a story being covered.
IV. Geographic Lens
India has two primary news agencies, the Press Trust of India Limited (PTI) and United News of India (UNI). PTI is a non-profit cooperative of Indian newspapers and provides service in English and Hindi. It has a network of 140 bureaus and more than 400 full-time journalists in India and stringers in more than 20 cities around the world. UNI is a private company with more than 100 bureaus in India and abroad and provides service in English, Hindi and Urdu. Both PTI and UNI provide coverage for television as well.
The Press Information Bureau (PIB) is the government agency responsible for disseminating information to the print and broadcast media on government policies and initiatives through its eight regional and 32 branch offices and the Internet. Materials are released in English, Hindi, Urdu and 13 regional languages and reach more than 8,000 newspapers and media organizations.
All India Radio (AIR), or Akashvani, is India's government-owned radio network with a mission to inform and educate the people in addition to providing entertainment. The network includes 194 radio stations, providing radio coverage to more than 97 percent of the population. AIR broadcasts music, drama, news and sports programs in various languages, as well as those focusing on farm and family welfare issues. In addition to government subsidies, some channels are supported by advertising, licensing fees and RDS paging services. The bulk of AIR news is derived from its own network of domestic correspondents. News and information also are broadcast internationally by the External Services Division.
Doordarshan is India's government-owned national television service. It has a network of three national channels, two special-interest channels, 10 regional language channels, four state networks, an international channel, and studios in 41 cities. The Primary Channel operates through transmitters across the country, bringing programming to more than 87 percent of the population. The company's three-tier service provides news, science, culture and drama programming through the national service (broadcast in English and Hindi), similar regional language programming through the regional service, and coverage of local issues in local languages through the local service. Metro channels, linked by satellite, are available in Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta and Chennai. Doordarshan is supported in part by advertisements. Satellite broadcasting also is available.
V. Professional Development
The increase in income levels over the last decade as attracted more intellectual, better educated journalists to the field. Most journalists are generalists, covering a wide variety of subjects; however, at specialty publications journalists with expertise in subjects such as science, economics or finance can be found. Wealthy, larger media institutions are able to provide their journalists with relatively sophisticated equipment and facilities, such as computer systems.
The majority of journalists have a college education and most have a masters degree. Some even have doctoral degrees. A diploma in journalism is available at a number of institutions across India, including Usmania University, Calcutta University, New Delhi University, Chandigarh University and the Institute of Mass Communications in New Delhi.
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