Posts Tagged ‘Bulldog Reporter’
Friday, July 30th, 2010
Valerie Simon
1. Long is now shorter. Rand Morrison commented that “Long is shorter than it used to be,” at the Bulldog Reporter 2010 Media Relations Summit.
PR Takeaway: Be succinct. Understand your message and be able to share it in a compelling manner with a few key bullet points.
2. Slow is now faster. Stories break on Twitter live as events unfold. Getting a story right is challenged by an increase pressure to get it out.
PR Takeaway: Anticipate journalists’ needs and serve as a valuable resource. Maintain an accurate, up-to-date, and comprehensive online newsroom or press center. A quick responses and immediate follow up is essential.
3. There is a need to be more resourceful with resources. Cuts in newsroom operations means that journalists are working longer hours, with heavier workloads and a heightened sense of concern regarding job security.
PR Takeaway: Passing along tips and information that will benefit the journalist (publication and readers), whether or not it is for a specific client, will be appreciated and help to build a strong relationship. Likewise, those who are able to help journalists save time by bringing together multiple resources have a distinct advantage. For this reason I am very intrigued with the concept behind Heather Whaling’s Pitch with me!
4. The brand of a journalist is not always limited to the publication. Many journalists now have Twitter handles, Facebook pages, and personal blogs.
PR Takeaway: There are now numerous opportunities to listen, engage, and build stronger relationships with influential journalists.
5. Competition is more competitive. Social media has also increased the challenge of being the first to break a story or add a new and unique angle.
PR Takeaway: Exclusives are more valuable than ever. When you can’t offer an exclusive, consider whether you have a special angle or resource to pitch. What value can you offer the journalist to help him or her provide unique value to readers?
What other changes have you noticed in the field of journalism and how do they impact those who practice PR?
Tags: angle, Blogs, Bulldog Reporter, BurrellesLuce, client, Facebook, Fresh Ideas, Heather Whaling, information, job security, journalism, journalists, Media Relations Summit, message, needs, newsroom, online, pages, Pitch with me!, press center, Public Relations, publication, Rand Morrison, relationship, resource, resources, tips, Twitter, Valerie Simon, valuable, workload
Posted in Media Outreach, Media Relations, Public Relations | 3 Comments »
Friday, July 9th, 2010
Brittany James is a recent graduate from Quinnipiac University with a degree in public relations and a minor in marketing. Currently she is interning at Source Communications, a New York-based strategic consulting firm.
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At the end of last month, the BurrellesLuce team invited me to attend the Bulldog Reporter’s Media Relations Summit. Being a young PR professional, who had just attended my first PRSA event at the beginning of June, I was eager to partake in the day’s activities. With a lot of great companies being represented at the summit, I knew that I wouldn’t be disappointed in this 
amazing learning experience.
While there were very informative “Meet the Editors” roundtables, I had the pleasure of listening to four panels that all mirrored the same message throughout regarding growing industry trends. Some of the key messages conveyed were:
- Keep your skill set up-to-date
- Participating on the Internet is no longer an option
During the first panel, the skills every public relations professional needs were discussed and writing was stressed to be the biggest skill. Like any PR professional knows, writing is essential to their everyday tasks and the panel talked about how being able to tell stories requires writing skills. These writing skills need to have a visual image and content, which helps to develop the full picture of what is impacting areas.
Moving more towards the social media aspect, during the other three panels I listened to, the need for more incorporation of the Internet into PR was a strong topic. In today’s PR world, there really isn’t an excuse to not be on social media and engaging with your and your clients’ audiences. Steve Momorella from TEKgroup International presented the statistics that:
- 90 percent of social media users follow/monitor news and information daily
- 75 percent of social media users visit corporate websites after a story
- 73 percent of social media users believe social media sources with news is more timely
In the second presentation, Tina Brown from The Daily Beast still thinks that as PR professionals we are still retro and need validation through print or TV. She went on to say how we can help shape the response of stories on the Internet by participating and also assisting to make the story go viral.
By being part of the conversation, we as PR professionals can help to position the story in a positive light. However, if there is no presence, anything can happen. As social media is continuing to grow, Bev Yehuda from Products MultiVu stated that “social media is the start of a transition away from ‘push,’ one-way communications to a world full of interactivity between PR professionals and the media.”
Being a young PR professional, what do you foresee as some future trends in the industry? How are you getting your company and/or clients into social media?
Tags: audiences, Bev Yehuda, Brittany James, Bulldog Reporter, BurrellesLuce, communications, content, corporate websites, daily, engaging, follow, Fresh Ideas, industry trends, information, interactivity, Internet, key messages, marketing, media, Media Relations Summit, Meet the Editors, monitor, news, PR, Products MultiVu, professional development, PRSA, Public Relations, skills, Social Media, Source Communications, Steve Momorella, strategic consulting, TekGroup, The Daily Beast, Tina Brown, transition, users, visual image, writing
Posted in Advertising/Marketing, Career Advice, Industry Events, Media Industry, Media Monitoring, Media Outreach, Media Relations, Public Relations, Social Media | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, July 7th, 2010
by Colleen Flood*
The timing for the “Meet the Editors” roundtable at the Bulldog Media Relations Summit could not have been a better follow up to my BurrellesLuce colleague Tressa Robbins’ recent post, What Journalist Really Want from PR People. In fact, I had the opportunity to moderate two roundtables with journalists of highly regarded outlets. The morning session was with Brooke Siegel, entertainment editor of DailyCandy.com, and the afternoon session 
was with was Jake Dobkin, publisher of Gothamist.com. Both conveyed similar messages about pitching:
- Provide simple, concise details of what they need to write the story
- Send the type of story their outlet would include
Perhaps one of the biggest mistakes a PR person can make when pitching is sending the finished product. I heard from Dobkin and Siegel that “almost never do they use the ‘story’ as you send it.” And I am sure that most journalists would probably agree. Instead, they recommend “sending the details” and then “they will write the title and the story.” Be specific with details, especially in the subject line. Just be sure you don’t include the entire press release (in the subject line) – Siegel joked that this has happened to her and reached for her BlackBerry to show us, then remembered she had deleted it!
For Jake the details he must have include pictures, illustrations, or video. Since Gothamist.com is a blog it is important to lure the reader with visuals. Without any it is likely he will not do the story. Just don’t send large files. Instead provide photos via a “photo-drop box” like Flickr.
According to Dobkin, PR and media relations professionals should also know before pitching Gothamist.com that:
- Gothamist.com does 10 posts/day
- Audience is 18-34 year olds known as “affluent hipsters”
- Contact via email tips [at] gothamist.com
- Don’t call us – we’ll call you. Trust us, you will receive a call if we need additional information
- Provide videos via YouTube or embed with a code
As far as getting your story picked up by DailyCandy.com, Siegel provides some specifics:
- Dailycandy.com is committed to covering what’s new and undiscovered in 11 cities
- Audience is primarily geared towards women regarding fashion, food, and fun
- Exclusives are welcome
- They have a “deals email” that is a great way to establish brands
- No “enter to win” or giveaways
- How-to videos are welcome
- Always include a website; this is the “biggest business card you have”
It was a pleasure to meet Siegel and Dobkin in person. They are real people who work very hard to get their stories out to their audiences. And while some of their points were specific to their publications, I think the biggest lesson they offered was to remind participants how important it is to “research and know the outlet you are pitching.” Now, that’s a takeaway any savvy professional working with the media would do well to heed.
Are you pitching journalists they way they want to be pitched? What tips have journalists and bloggers given you for working with the media? Share your thoughts with the readers of BurrellesLuce Fresh Ideas.
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*Bio: Colleen Flood has been a sales consultant with BurrellesLuce for over 12 years and is eager to become a more integrated part of the social-public relations community. She primarily handles agency relations in the New York and New Jersey metro-area. She is not only passionate about work, but also about family, friends, and the Jersey Shore. Twitter: @cgflood LinkedIn: Colleen Flood Facebook: BurrellesLuce
Tags: audience, Blackberry, Brook Siegel, Bulldog Reporter, BurrellesLuce, Colleen Flood, Daily Candy, fashion, Flickr, Fresh Ideas, fun, Gothamist, how-to videos, illustrations, Jake Dobkin, journalists, know the outlet before pitching, makeup, Media Relations Summit, outlet, pictures, pitching, pitching the Gothamist, PR, Press Release, research, story, Tressa Robbins, video, What Journalists Really Want from PR People, working with the media
Posted in Industry Events, Media Outreach, Media Relations, Public Relations | 6 Comments »
Wednesday, June 30th, 2010
Flickr Image: B.K. Dewey
Valerie Simon
Monday morning, as I sat down on the train headed to the Bulldog Reporter 2010 Media Relations Summit, I had trouble getting past the front page of The New York Times. No, it wasn’t the story about “online bullies” or the “G20 agreement to halve budget deficits,” but a part of its masthead: “All the news that’s fit to print.”
I am bothered by the fact that the motto remains tied to a particular format, when in fact The New York Times Digital ranked 13th on the newly released comScore report of top 50 web properties. I enjoy reading The New York Times online via my BlackBerry, following @nytimes on Twitter and receiving its RSS feeds in my reader. I listen to NYtimes.com podcasts and watch NY Times videos. The various formats and channels each offer a unique purpose and different advantage in storytelling.
When I arrived at the conference I paid particular attention to how other media organizations were evolving. During the first roundtable I moderated, Glenn Coleman, managing director, Crain’s New York Business, discussed the different methods of outreach and subscription types available to readers. Alongside the original print edition, there is a digital edition, several premium specialized newsletters, as well as free email alerts consisting of daily, weekly, industry and company email alerts delivering the day’s breaking business news.
Likewise, at my second roundtable, Joe Ciarallo, editor of PRNewser and manager of PR initiatives for mediabistro.com, noted that the MediaBistro community receives content and information from a wide array of platforms. In addition to its original blog, MediaBistro reaches its audience using targeted blogs such as PR Newser, TV Newser, and Agency Spy, premium content, and opportunities for members, live events and an active social media presence.
So what is the new standard of newsworthiness – the new goal of media organizations striving to be that essential trusted source of news? During the conference Rand Morrison, executive producer, CBS News Sunday Morning, wisely remarked that, “Long is shorter than it used to be.” Perhaps an updated motto for The New York Times would be “All the news that’s fit to tweet.” But seriously, the motto should no longer focus on one particular format, but rather on consumption, discussion, or sharing. I’ll put it to you, the BurrellesLuce Fresh Ideas community. What do you think would be a more appropriate motto for today’s New York Times?
Tags: @nytimes, Agency Spy, all the news that's fit to print, audience, Blackberry, breaking business news, Bulldog Reporter, BurrellesLuce, CBS News Sunday Morning, Comscore, consumption, Crain's New York Business, discussion, evolution of media, free email alerts, Fresh Ideas, G20 agreement to halve budget deficits, Glenn Coleman, Joe Ciarallo, live events, media organizations, Media Relations Summit, Mediabistro, mediabistro.com, methods of outreach, motto, newsworthiness, NYtimes.com, online, online bullies, podcasts, PR initiatives, premium specialized newsletters, print, PRNewser, Rand Morrison, RSS feeds, sharing, social media presence, targeted blogs, The New York Times, The New York Times Digital, top 50 web properties, trusted source of news, TV Newser, Twitter, Valerie Simon, videos
Posted in Advertising/Marketing, Industry Events, Media Industry, Media Outreach, Media Relations, Public Relations, Social Media | 6 Comments »
Monday, November 30th, 2009
Flickr Image: RonAlmog
by Carol Holden*
Like most people, I start my business day by checking the BurrellesLuce morning news briefing to see what’s up with the competition and the industry as a whole.
Recently, I found two bright spots regarding the health of the traditional media industry.
As reported in Editor & Publisher, in a study recently released by Scarborough Research, data analysis indicates that newspapers are still read in print or online by a critical mass of adults in the U.S. on a daily and weekly basis. “While our data does show that print newspaper readership is slowly declining, it also illustrates that reports about the pending death of the newspaper industry are not supported by audience data,” said Gary Meo, Scarborough Research’s senior vice president of print and digital media services. “Given the fragmentation of media choices, printed newspapers are holding onto their audiences relatively well and this is refreshing news.”
This is certainly refreshing to me as the person directing the BurrellesLuce Media Measurement service as well as being a former employee of a small town newspaper.
The report went on to list the following statistics:
In an average week –
- 79 percent of adults employed in white collar positions read a newspaper in print or online
- 82 percent of adults with household incomes of $100,000 or more read a printed newspaper in print or online
- 84 percent of adults who are college graduates or who have advanced degrees read a printed newspaper in print or online
Secondly, as reported in Bulldog Reporter’s Daily Dog, a new survey from the Boston Consulting Group asserts that the average news consumer would likely be willing to pay for news online, but respondents insist on unique news stories worthy of buying. “The good news is that, contrary to conventional wisdom, consumers are willing to pay for meaningful content,” said John Rose, senior partner at Boston Consulting Group who leads the firm’s global media sector. “The bad news is that they are not willing to pay much. But cumulatively, these payments could help offset one to three years of anticipated declines in advertising revenue.”
This change carries a lot of implications. Top of my mind is the impact on how Google will search for news and, depending on the sources and the charges, it will likely influence my own RSS options. How will you advise your clients to navigate the new terrain? How will paid content change your online sources for news?
*Bio: I’ve been in the media business all of my adult life, first in newspapers before going full circle and joining BurrellesLuce, where I now direct the Media Measurement department. I’ve always enjoyed meeting and especially listening to the needs of our customers and others in the public relations and communications fields; I welcome sharing ideas through the Fresh Ideas blog. One of my professional passions is providing the type of service to a client that makes them respond, “atta girl” – inspiring our entire team to keep striving to be the best. Although I have been lucky enough to travel through much of Asia and most major U.S. cities for business or pleasure, my free time is now spent with my daughter, visiting family/friends, and of course the Jersey shore. Twitter: @domeasurement LinkedIn: Carol Holden Facebook: BurrellesLuce
Tags: Boston Consulting Group, Bulldog Reporter, BurrellesLuce, Carol Holden, changes in the media, daily briefing, Daily Dog, Editor and Publisher, Fresh Ideas, Gary Meo, Google, Google Reader, John Rose, Media Industry, media measurement, News Coverage, Paid Content, RSS, Scarborough Research, traditional media, U.S. daily, U.S. weekly
Posted in Media Industry, Media Measurement, News Coverage, Public Relations | 7 Comments »
