KPG Blog

Six Benefits To Podcast Interview - Part I

2009-11-03T10:00:00.000-08:00

There are at least six benefits to being interviewed on a podcast. Part I looks at the first three.

Podcasting is simply a way for people to have a radio show on the internet. It's really no different than regular radio programs except that the show is delivered via the computer. There are several benefits of being interviewed on a podcast (radio show). These include convenience, a potential increase in audience reach, and cost.

You don't have to travel.

When you are interviewed on a podcast you don't have to leave your house. The interview is conducted remotely - over the telephone (preferably a land line). This not only saves you money on transportation and gas, it also allows you to be interviewed by someone in the next, city, or state.
This is an especially attractive option for work-at-home parents because some podcasts air during evening hours or on the weekends when childcare issues can be prohibitive.

It can also mean that you don’t have to also find a babysitter and you don’t have to adjust your travel time to include drop-off and pick-up.

It doesn't matter what you wear because it's an audio interview.

Since most podcasts are done in an audio format (over the phone), you do not have to stress out about what to wear to that important interview. You can do the interview in even if you are having a bad hair day because no one will see you.

Exposure to a broader audience.

When you are interviewed on a podcast, you get exposed to the audience of the person that hosts the podcast. They may reach a segment of the population that you would generally not be in touch with. In this way your message gets delivered to people who would not have otherwise heard it. And that can be very good for business.

Part II explores the cost value, shelf life and 'expertise' status.

Publicity on a Shoestring

2009-10-21T11:43:00.000-07:00

Gift Therapist Jennifer Melnick brings up a topic that is near and dear to my heart: work that benefits the community.

This guest blog (thank you, Jennifer!)explores how she works to benefit a variety of communitites:

Publicity on a Shoestring: Partnering for Profits

In addition to my work as the Gift Therapist, I have had over 15 years of experience working with nonprofit organizations and local community initiatives. A common trend, no matter what their budget size, has always been a lack of resources. Although funding is always an issue, more pressing is the need for human capital. Finding committed volunteers and community champions to support and promote their cause is equally, if not more important to the sustainability of their programs and mission in the community.

Business owners can help solve these problems and make an impact in their own communities by looking outside traditional marketing methods and soliciting the help of the nonprofit community through forming effective partnerships that can create a win/win for both entities. Is there a program or service that is offered in your community that you feel passionate about? Would your product or service be a great match for a strategic partnership or special event promotion? If so, why not explore the following options with your charity of choice:

• Hosting a fundraiser at your place of business that will benefit the nonprofit.
• Providing discounted products or services to nonprofit clients, donors, or community volunteers.
• Donate a portion of your in-store or online sales for a limited time
• Provide mentoring or work experience opportunities in collaboration with your local high school, technical school, university, or community college.
• Offer your expertise “pro-bono” by accepting a seat on the board of directors or local advisory board.

However you decide to proceed, always remember that each party has something significant to bring to the table. Agree to work collaboratively and share your strengths with each other to achieve a common goal. Who knows? In addition to increasing your profits, you just might make life better in your community as well. Good luck and happy giving!

If your product or service benefits a great cause, contact the Gift Therapist to find out more about the Gift Therapist Seal of Approval.

Fact-check Your Facts

2009-10-15T16:21:00.001-07:00

Jon Stewart's recent take on CNN fact-checking should be a lesson to us all.

Whenever we submit information to news outlets we should have already checked our facts. Our press release statements about the effectiveness or the measurement of results needs to be substantiated.

As a journalist I had to check my facts, down to the correct spelling of names and I had to be sure the information I received from sources passed a litmus test. The information needed to be viable or it was either described as alleged or discarded.

Theoretically, news outlets are supposed to present both sides of a story or an issue. So, if Senator SoandSo says that health care will only improve health options for three million people, that number must be substantiated. In other words, where did he (or she) get that three million person figure? Rather than just going along with this person's point of view and collected numbers, news teams are expected to verify that information and provide another point of view to be sure that the audience is getting "the full story" so to speak.

When using "facts" in a pitch (or press release) we need to be prepared to back up our claims with evidence. It can be a qualified report or other credentialed information that can be confirmed.

And this applies to more than just numbers and statistics. For example, if we wanted to reference the praise a particular theatrical production received, we don't simply say "This production has been praised by theater critics." Instead, we cite a quote or portions of a quote and name the critic and his or her credentials (theater critic for local newspaper, etc.). This makes the praise "real."

All of this goes a long way in making us believable and that's what needs to happen if we want to be viewed as reliable sources in any newsroom.

Create Your Own Product Brand: Part I

2009-10-05T08:48:00.001-07:00

If you've got a new product to promote, then read what Gift Therapist extraordinaire Jennifer Melnick Carota has to offer. I brought a Folkheart Press book to her attention and it was selected to be included in an impressive gift bag she made available to select attendees at a well-attended Family Expo in Pennsylvania.
Inclusion in this opportunity was a worthy news item that Folkheart Press was able to promote. Here is the first part of a two part series:

What do you get when you cross a mental health professional with a reformed shopaholic? Or when you cross a community organizer with an aspiring philanthropist? Roll all of those things into one and you get a Gift Therapist!

For many years I struggled with my career goals. I knew I was a “helper” at heart, but always had big dreams of using my myriad skills to touch lives all over the world. The Gift Therapist is my attempt to help consumers, corporations, and nonprofit organizations to work together for the greater good.

Fifteen years ago I fell victim to major credit card debt. After a thorough financial evaluation I quickly learned that I was spending far too much money on others and neglecting my own personal and family goals. The time for change had come…and it was not optional.

As a therapist, I coached myself out of debt by re-thinking my spending habits and creating a new shopping plan. I decided to put myself on a shopping diet of thrift shops and discount department stores for all of my necessities. When gift giving season came around, I would challenge myself to find great gifts at great prices. And I discovered more than I ever bargained for! Discovering the clearance racks for the first time was the tipping point. I couldn’t keep this secret to myself any longer.

Helping consumers give great gifts on a shoestring budget is only one facet of my mission. I also encourage consumers to do great things with the money that they save. As an avid “community champion” I encourage everyone to give back to people and organizations they are passionate about. My years working as a small nonprofit administrator have taught me that sustainable change only happens at the grass-roots level. And no donation is ever too small.

Although I am no longer bound by the shackles of credit card debt, using smart shopping strategies has enabled me to work part-time while I pursue my passion for community service…to give more to my community. And it also buys me time to work as the Gift Therapist and share helpful gift giving information to consumers who yearn to find a new way to give meaningful gifts without breaking their budget. I love my job!

My guess is that you have never met a Gift Therapist before? Do you have a new brand inside of you just waiting to come out? I encourage you to do so! Embrace the gifts that you have been given and shout them from the rooftop! I promise you, the rewards of creating your own brand far outweigh the risks!

Just What is Glenn Beck Media ?

2009-09-30T21:02:00.000-07:00

Every cable TV news anchor is entitled to his opinion. That's basically the heartbeat of cable news; individual opinions and leanings get air time - big time air time. Hosts complain about this, rally against that and rant on behalf of whatever their political leanings are.

Generally, I watch a few minutes and then turn away because the biases on both sides of the fence, so to speak, are so obvious. I don't feel like I'm getting any news, just prejudices that could actually keep me from the news if I let it.

I want the news; I'm interested in learning about the issues and current affairs of the day, not what someone feels about them. Geez, I guess I'm missing "the good old days" when I expected to have both sides of a story presented so that I could make an informed decision of my own.

Today, in particular, I was stunned (again) that Glenn Beck makes sweeping accusations and assumptions without substantiating evidence. And yet, he gets SO much airtime. Is it because Fox wants the ratings and doesn't care what it takes to reach those magical numbers? Or is it because Fox supports Beck's consistent anti-fact stances?

On the White House Blog writer Jesse Lee takes Beck to task for his consistent inaccuracies.

For example, Lee points out that Beck's laments about Obama trying to secure the Olympics for Chicago is a waste of time because such an opportunity is in fact not profitable.

RHETORIC: BECK SAID VANCOUVER LOST $1 BILLION WHEN IT "HAD THE OLYMPICS." Glenn Beck said, "Vancouver lost, how much was it? they lost a billion dollars when they had the Olympics." [Transcript, Glenn Beck Show, 9/29/09]

REALITY: VANCOUVER'S OLYMPICS WILL NOT TAKE PLACE UNTIL 2010. Vancouver will host the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games from February 12 - 28, 2010 and March 12-21, 2010, respectively. [Vancouver2010.com, accessed 9/29/09]

When I hear this I wonder just how cluttered Beck's media mind is. Doesn't he at least have staff to fact check his information before he throws it out as news?

And doesn't Fox have some responsibility for the quality content of its news shows?

I don't know what Beck brings to his task. In fact, I'm not even sure of what his task is other than to attack anything remotely Democratic in anyway that he can.

His tendency towards reporting faulty information is embarrassing. As a former journalist I cringe because he's not making a good impression in the biggest way possible; broadcast media is powerful and there are literally millions of people watching or intentionally ignoring him and what he has to say every day.

I think he should be paying attention to the fact that media can break people - including him - just as easily as it can make them.

My advice: he should choose his words carefully... very carefully.

Arizona's Ultimate Women's Expo

2009-09-21T14:47:00.000-07:00

This sounds like it's going to be quite a convention!
Arizona’s Ultimate Women’s Expo
October 17-18, Phoenix Convention Center
Arizona’s ultimate weekend designed for women, takes place at the Phoenix Convention Center on October 17-18, 2009, featuring inspiring Keynote Speakers Valerie Bertinelli and Olivia Newton-John, 500 shopping booths, and a weekend of pampering and rejuvenation for Arizona women.

Arizona’s Ultimate Women’s Expo features over 500 exhibits of the very best products and services including fashion, beauty, health, fitness, home, careers, financial planning, education and much more. Attendees will also enjoy a full schedule of speakers on four stages, book signings, celebrity appearances, and cooking and design demonstrations, including the Pottery Barn Holiday Decorating Stage featuring renown design experts providing amazing tips on preparing your home for the holidays. The Sephora Beauty Pavilion will transform attendees with complementary beauty makeovers and the China Mist Tea Garden, a sanctuary of relaxation, will provide complimentary massages amidst the peaceful serenity of the Tea Garden inside the bustling Phoenix Convention Center.

If you plan on attendng, let us know how it went!

When Does Tea Time End?

2009-09-15T11:36:00.000-07:00

The Tea Party motif is being stretched a bit too much. A revolt against monarchy has now come to symbolize a blind rage against the changes in government that a majority of Americans voted for.

Check out what happened recently on Anderson Cooper's 360.

As reported by Huffington Post's Nicholas Graham:

"Tea Party" leader Mark Williams appeared on a CNN panel on "Anderson Cooper 360" last night and promptly set to work discrediting himself and his movement. Williams denounced those carrying blatantly racist signs against President Obama during the tea parties as "no more part of the mainstream of America than the hippies who wear nipple clips and feather boas in San Francisco streets during so-called peace demonstrations."

Cooper had done his homework, however, and caught Williams blatantly misrepresenting himself: "What you're saying makes sense to me here when I'm hearing what you say but then I read on your blog, you say, you call the President an Indonesian Muslim turned welfare thug and a racist in chief."

Williams shrugs and responds, "Yeah, that's the way he's behaving." An incredulous Cooper asks Williams if he really believes Obama is an Indonesian Muslim and a welfare thug. The tea party leader digs the hole a little deeper: "He's certainly acting like it. Until he embraces the whole country what else can I conclude."

The animosity of fear that his man and his organizations express really is frightening... unfortunately, it's also so unbelievable that "educated" Americans would think and act like this.

I am reminded of the ugly McCain/Palin campaign rallies that marred the end of what have been an otherwise decent and fair Republican presidential campain effort. Remember those "he's a Muslim" cries from people who had no idea about how to discern fiction from fact?

It also reminds me of my father whose rage was also -reaching. Anyone who came into his sphere of focus was similarly treated; he disdained anyone who might pose even the slightest of the threats. As a child I would shudder at the accusations he made about others because he was somehow afraid that their presence would diminish his.

Is that what's happening here with the Tea Party klatch?

I hope the media keeps on reporting. We need to be reminded that people like Williams and those who blindly follow and do his bidding really do exist. Maybe bringing them into the light of news attention will help dispel the darkness they spread.

A Little Levity Now and Then...

2009-09-09T16:36:00.000-07:00

Even in the fascinating world of broadcast media, TV news anchors have bad speech days!
A recently released news blooper pokes fun at one BBC anchorman who - dependent upon the script that streams before him for accuracy - correctly read the news headline that was written for him.
Unfortunately the sentence lacked punctuation, creating for Jonathan Charles a rather embarrassing introduction. One in which he is self-described as someone who was kept in captivity and forced to bare children.
The headline, of course, belonged to a story about Jaycee Lee Dugard who was in fact kidnapped at an early age, help captive and forced to bare children by her captor.
If you've got a moment and want to enjoy a pretty funny TV news moment, then check out the video. It's priceless!
I'm sure that even the anchor laughed at some point (when off air!).

What Was Rep. Lynn Jenkins Thinking?

2009-09-03T16:58:00.000-07:00

In today's instant message social media world, what in the world was Representative Lynn Jenkins of Kansas thinking when she laughed as a single parent asked her a few questions about the politician's position on health care reform?

According to a story and video in today's Huffington Post:

U.S. Rep. Lynn Jenkins stood just a few feet away as a young mother expressed frustration at not being able to afford a doctor for her son, but Jenkins was not swayed from her opposition to a new government-run insurance plan.
...Elizabeth Smith, a 27-year-old Ottawa waitress who wanted to know what was wrong with a government-run plan for Americans who are currently uninsured. Smith's 2 1/2-year-old son, Jonah, sat on a nearby table, swinging his legs, as his mother questioned Jenkins.
Jenkins told Smith she'd rather give subsidies to families to allow them to buy private insurance. When asked directly why she was against a government-run program, Jenkins laughed and said, "A government-run program is going to subsidize not only yours but everybody in this room. So I'm not sure what we're talking about here."

The representative did "Agree to disagree" but that's just a pleasant addage for family members who might attempt to reach out over the Thanksgiving turkey to strangle someone. It's definitely not enough for town hall meetings where elected representatives are supposed to be taking in and addressing issues that constituents bring to the meeting. And, right now town hall meetings are all about health care reform.

Since when does laughing express a respect for voters? Is Jenkins that secure in her position that she doesn't need to take such questions seriously - or at least pretend to take them seriously?

Jenkins is entitled to her opinion but in a public setting, blowing off someone's question as she did this young uninsured parent just isn't the right thing to do.

I wonder how many votes this has cost her. It sure would have cost her mine!
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Journalistic Heroes

2009-08-20T16:56:00.000-07:00

It's been said that people can never be too old to live their dreams. The same holds true for youth.
For example, look at what child journalist Damon Weaver, who landed a coveted interview with President Obama, had to say on Wednesday: CNN's Wolf Blitzer is his role model.

According to CNN's Lauren Kornreich, Weaver said in a recent interview with Time magazine after his interview with the president and a subsequent media blitz, that he " didn't get a chance to tell Blitzer that he wants to be like him after his interview on CNN because 'it was my first time meeting him and I tried to answer his questions.'"

Okay, I've got to say it: this is cute. I'd say almost too cute if I didn't have a 15 year old of my own whose also got a knack for the journalistic spirit. But this 11-year-old boy has set his sights much higher than my daughter has.

When I was his age I had only just begun my journalism education. Those were the days of who, what, when, and why. Today the why has become "what's next?". I had no idea that in later years I would be interviewing some of the world's most spiritual leaders. I was happy back then to get enough typed news for each issue. Back then we had to layout the pages by hand - with glue - on a light board.

I had a great deal of support from journalism teachers. I wonder who has supported this young man so that he believes enough in his sense as a journalist to want to reach for the top of his list.

I hope his desire continues to grow and that the news world provides him safe passage as he makes his way down the deadline-driven labyrinth all good news stories and reporters must traverse.

In the meantime, let's all remember to stay on the lookout for these news cubs... as they will be the ones to define the news of tomorrow.

Think You Don't Need Online PR?

2009-08-12T15:47:00.000-07:00

Think again because you do. We all do.

Here's an interesting article about that very topic. Although I do take issue with how this James Tuckerman defines on Australian Anthill the two services "that public relations people are very good" at because I tend to think that we are good at more than just these two things, his passion and urgency about the need to have internet front and center in any complete campaign is right on the money.

In short, he dispels the myth that an online presence is ephemeral and like the seasons will change and then fade. He supports his claim by using the example of a podcast interview he had.

His argument in part reads:

"For most PRs, good online coverage on a popular website is barely worth a hardy slap on the back. At the same time, a page seven, two-inch mention in the ‘Back-Water Regional Times’ is often treated as an excuse to pop the champagne.

I, too, for a long time, was guilty of this black hole in logic.

In 2007, I recall being asked to participate in an online podcast with digital media maven Cameron Reilly on his TPN website. I was busy and kept putting the interview off.

Fortunately, a colleague had my back, pulled me aside and explained to me the way things were:

“TPN attracts over 120,000 listeners. The Australian newspaper attracts over 110,000 readers. Would you make time for The Australian?”

Of course I would! I’d clear an afternoon.

So why was I so underwhelmed by the prospect of online coverage? Was it because online is transient, while print is seemingly permanent?

On one level my prejudice might have been true (you can put your newspaper or magazine clipping in a scrap-book). But two years on, the TPN website still drives traffic to anthillonline.com and I am still approached by strangers at networking events who downloaded the podcast, liked what they heard, remember what was discussed and want to have a chat.

Talk about great PR!

It’s unlikely that even a picture piece in The Australian would have a similar result. In fact, I appeared in The Australian last month. The result? Zilch. Nothing. Nix (except for a phone call from a distant aunty).

Yet, a day doesn’t go by when the following doesn’t occur: A PR person pitches us a story for our print magazine. We offer to run something online. His/her interest immediately fades.

This is occurring at a time when online media usage is outstripping traditional media. Incidentally, earlier this year, the number of unique users visiting our website in one month doubled our print circulation (when that was a major part of our model).

The internet interview, like most internet interviews was safely housed in a cyberspace easy to access file. Viole! A click of the mouse and there was the interview, perfectly and perhaps eternally intact.

Nice.

This is the very thing I love about broadcast media, like podcasts, ezine articles, TV spots, etc. They remain easy access plus they don't take up much space! Not like newspaper clippings that yellow with age or those dinosaur VHS recordings of TV interviews.

Cyberspace is here to stay, so why not make the most of it? The challenge occurs most often for me when the client hasn't yet reached the speed of the world wide web. There are countless people out there who think that online publications aren't authentic.

So it's a learning curve for everyone. Which is what good public relations people are also great at: educating others.

Lucky for us those who can make creative use of all available media platforms. It not only promotes the client's message but also speak to the breadth of what we have to offer.

In the world of public relations, I think the more media outlets and options there are, the better.

Don't you?

Special Pardon of American Journalists

2009-08-04T15:02:00.000-07:00

At last!!! American journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee have been freed from their imprisonment in North Korea.

A "special pardon" issued by North Korean leader Kim Jong Il followed former President Bill Clinton's request that the journalists be released, according to an Associated Press story that appeared in today's Huffington Post:

"The move to release of Laura Ling and Euna Lee, sentenced in June to 12 years of hard labor, reflected North Korea's "humanitarian and peace loving policy," the Korean Central News Agency said in a dispatch from Pyongyang early Wednesday."

This is very good news; something I didn't think we'd see for a while. Am still not sure how it happened and even less certain that it reflected as is stated above 'North Korea's humanitarian and peace loving policy.'

Maybe Il is doing this to impress his own people or maybe it's to save face. How could he have gotten away with keeping them in a hard labor camp for 12 years?

Well, he did capture the world's attention with the sentencing and now he captures it again with the pardon. These may be the only ways he has of "getting attention". Reminds me of what I've learned as a parent about children: that when it comes to getting attention, acting out can be a way to make sure you are being noticed. Effective? Yes. Smart? No.

The Poetry of Social Media Politics

2009-07-30T16:03:00.001-07:00

In the public eye again, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin (who recently resigned from office) has been twittering her thoughts. Each twitter as tweeters know is limited to 140 characters. Not always enough room for a complete thought; especially when the character count includes the space between words.

But is that poetry? According to Actor William Shatner it is.

He has taken her twitters and turned them into poetry; free form verse filled with prosaic references to the splendor of her home state. His recital recently appeared on NBC TV.

Admittedly it smacks of beat poetry. The musical accompaniement and Shatner's style of reciting reminds me of San Francisco's North Beach; dimly lit coffee houses where basic, synchronistic drum and base beats accent the heartbeat of the poet's pauses.

This is certainly a different approach to Sarah Palin's social media communications. It's one that I find very interesting because it does not condone or condemn her.

I do know of tweeters and facebookers who use their social media platforms to produce poetry and prose. In some cases they write novels at 140 characters a time or try to condense an entire story into two or three lines of copy.

But taking someone's tweets and turning them into poetry? Well, I think it's brilliant! What do you think?
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We Can Protect Our Elders

2009-07-22T10:07:00.000-07:00

Financial abuse of elders is a crime, a crime that is on the rise in this country. Scam artists and family members are robbing senior citizens of their right to live out the lives they have built for themselves. That includes their right to use whatever resources they have accrued over the course of their lives and their right to be protected from predators, especially if they cannot protect themselves.

To that end, the Elder Financial Protection Network (EFPN) has committed itself to educating others about this debilitating crime. They work with law enforcement, adult protective agencies, financial institutions, senior consumers and others to raise awareness about this crime so that the warning signs can be recognized and suspected cases reported before our elders are left as they often are both penniless and emotionally shattered.

EFPN is hosting an upcoming conference in Southern California similar to the one it hosts annually in San Francisco. If you or anyone you know wants more information, please visit their website as soon and as often as possible because there are things that we all can do to help prevent this insidious abuse.
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Public Relations Turn Around

2009-07-14T09:34:00.000-07:00

This is an amazing public relations story!

Wendell Potter, former head of Public Relations for CIGNA, one of the nation's largest health insurers, is now delivering a message much different than the one he delivered while on the company's payroll.

With almost 20 years inside the health insurance industry, Wendell Potter saw for-profit insurers hijack our health care system and put profits before patients. Now, he speaks with Bill Moyers about how those companies are standing in the way of health care reform.

According to the Bill Moyers Journal "...Wendell Potter tells Bill Moyers why he left his successful career as the head of Public Relations for CIGNA, one of the nation's largest insurers, and decided to speak out against the industry. "I didn't intend to [speak out], until it became really clear to me that the industry is resorting to the same tactics they've used over the years, and particularly back in the early '90s, when they were leading the effort to kill the Clinton plan."

Good public relations means knowing the story behind the story and this is a classic example. Public relations specialists hear and see much more than meets the public eye. We have to in order to understand what drives the message.

And then we get to make choices about how we will handle that information.

Is this "Too little too late?" or a case of "Better late than never?"

I'll let you be the judge of that.
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North Korea: Smear Campaign

2009-07-03T09:23:00.000-07:00

The latest news concerning the two American journalists who were arrested and sentenced to 12 years of hard labor in North Korea from CNN reports that North Korea officials have obtained confessions from the two women that they in fact were working on a smear campaign

They confessed? Really?

It's amazing to think that these women were going to ruin North Korea's good name. That somehow they were going to put a negative spin onto whatever information they could get and alter the way the world views the Kim regime?

That makes them extraordinarily powerful. And if that is so, don't they deserve more than 12 years of hard labor?

Think about it: once they have served their terms they can come home and write books about their experiences and make millions AND still smear the country's good name.

This makes no sense at all to me. I, like many others, believe North Korea officials are desperate. They want to provoke action on any level much like an eight pound dog barks and nips at the legs of a larger dog.

Do they really want a response?

Here, in part, is the CNN article. Would love to know what you think!

(CNN) --North Korea's state media released a "detailed report" Tuesday claiming that American journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee entered the country illegally in order to record material for a "smear campaign" against the reclusive communist state.

Supporters rally for U.S. journalists Euna Lee and Laura Ling on June 4 in Seoul, South Korea.

It added that the two women "admitted that what they did were criminal acts ... prompted by the political motive to isolate and stifle the socialist system of the DPRK by faking up moving images aimed at falsifying its human rights performance and hurling slanders and calumnies at it."
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UPBEAT makes sense

2009-06-24T08:41:00.000-07:00

As a public relations specialist I am always talking to and working with clients who want to gain and maintain media visibility. Luckily for me, these individuals, small businesses, and non-profits have authentic events and expertise that lend themselves naturally to media interest.

I consider these organizations, entrepreneurs and executive directors to be winners because they believe in what they do and what they have to offer the greater community. In the process of helping them spread the word I help myself. And, like them, I, too, reap the satisfying rewards that come from the community response. Being involved with the opportunities they present nourishes my own sense of what is important. That in turns drives the passion of my work to shed positive media light on their good work.

So what makes these clients so great? It’s not just the project, product or service they are rendering. It’s the attitude with which they conduct business.
Successful business entrepreneur and author Rajesh Setty writes about attitude in his newest book Upbeat. Even in times as economically challenging as these he suggests that attitude is one of the factors we can control. In fact that may be the way we learn to thrive even in tough times.

According to Setty whose wisdom arises from both professional and personal experiences, There is no time-tested solution to make yourself recession proof. Popular plans and prescriptions for recession won’t work. The key, then, for those who want to grow at a breathtaking speed and become someone that you will be proud of is to recognize that the marketplace and the world have provided an opportunity again to evaluate the ways we think and feel.

He’s talking here about negative thinking and mindless complaining about life conditions and circumstances. And fear; fear that there isn’t enough for everyone so we all must fight for what is available whether or not it is our or our clients’ best interest.

Upbeat, small enough to carry around in briefcase, purse or glove compartment of your car, actually offers daily suggestions for developing and strengthening attitudes that foster win-win scenarios.
For example in the section entitled “Yes, old is gold” he writes:
People are looking for good people whom they trust. So your trusted and long standing relationships from the past are PURE gold.
Think about all of your old contacts from your profession. Now the next important step is to see how you can help them. NOT how they can help you.
(This passage has motivated me to take action: Several former clients could be excellent referrals for select current clients).

Setty’s advice is timeless, simple and to the point. If applied, it can build upon strengths we (and our clients) already have. No reinventing of wheels, here.
What is particularly pleasing to me about what Setty offers is that while the primary application of the book’s guidelines may be addressed to segments of the business sector looking to conduct business in healthy, fruitful ways, it is also applicable to one’s personal life. For example, we all are looking for good people whom we trust. We all have chased and/or have been chased away from others by mindless complaints. We all have experienced relationship recessions.

The connection between personal and professional is very clear with the clients I work with. Maybe that’s why the work we do together is so fulfilling.
After reading Upbeat I am reminded of how fortunate and grateful I have been professionally and personally because many clients, family members and friends recognize and willingly support efforts to maintain a right attitude.

Setty’s book also brings to mind one of Mahatma Ghandi’s greatest teachings: You must be the change you want to see in the world.

With this as a central course of action, how could the world not be a better place?
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What's Happening with Journalists Seized in North Korea?

2009-06-19T09:21:00.000-07:00

A recent MSNBC report notes that the U.S. is considering an envy to help free two American reports arrested and sentenced to 12 years of labor by the North Korean government for suspicion of hostile acts.

The arrest of Euna Lee and Laura Ling of Current TV has triggered a showdown between the country and the U.S, according to NBC's Andrea Mitchell.

The envoy would be a humanitarian act and not part of U.S. efforts to punish North Korea for it's recent displays of nuclear power.

It's hard to keep the lines that clean as North Korea has been on the edge of "in your face" behavior for quite some time. I think the arrests of these journalists is another phase of their strategy to challenge the U.S.

Secretary of State Hilary Clinton said, "We think the imprisonment, trial and sentencing of Laura and Euna should be viewed as a humanitarian matter," Clinton said. "We hope that the North Koreans will grant clemency and deport them."

The isolated North is probably less interested in having the women sent to its gulag, where poorly fed inmates often do backbreaking work in factories, coal mines and rice paddies."

Voice of America reports that North Korea's official news agency issued a report Saturday saying the journalists were arrested on March 17 while "illegally intruding into the territory" of the country at its border with China.

Sources in contact with the two reporters prior to the incident say they are Chinese-American Laura Ling and Korean-American Euna Lee. They work for San Francisco-based Current TV, a network founded in part by former Vice President Al Gore. Both were apparently gathering video footage for a report on human rights abuses of North Korean refugees who cross into China.

State-run news agency? Well, we all know what that means. Talk about Spin!

I urge media to stay on the trail of this one as it is essential that freedom of the press reign supreme here. We all need to know what is really going on and most of us have no other sources for our information. It needs to be a real as possible!

L.A. Journalists Sentenced in North Korea

2009-06-10T15:26:00.001-07:00

News spread like wildfire today about what has happened to two L.A. journalists in North Korea.
Laura Ling and journalism colleague Euna Lee have both been convicted on some "grave crime" that results in a penalty of 12 years hard labor.
Just what is North Korea trying to do and why do they think the rest of the world won't care? It does care and the proof is in the countless news reports that are coming across the wires about what has happened in North Korea.
This is media in action; freedom of speech that is used to alert, not divert,our attention to human rights violations around the world. News people are watch dogging human rights violations and risking their lives -- as these two women have done -- to keep us informed. And,without information how can we stay informed?
It is a relief for me to know that reporters are paying attention and speaking out, and doing so loudly - at least loud enough for most of us to hear.
According to Raja Abdulrahim and Jessica Garrison of the Los Angeles Times:

Ling, 32, and Lee, 36, who work for San Francisco-based Current TV, were convicted by the communist nation's Central Court of an undefined "grave crime" against the regime and sentenced Monday to 12 years of hard labor.

Both women work in Current's Vanguard journalism department -- Ling as a vice president and correspondent and Lee as a film editor. Current, founded by former Vice President Al Gore and others, is a television network carried on cable and satellite that is aimed at young people and strives to serve as a platform for citizen journalism while also producing documentaries on topics not covered elsewhere.
For complete story: Los Angeles Times

Diplomatic efforts are far from complete as the women have not yet been released. I am comforted in knowing that journalists will be working on this story, staying with it until these women have been freed.
It's at times like this that I am especially grateful for the committed efforts of news people who strive to keep us apprised of what is going on in the world around us.
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The Survival of a Weekly Newspaper Editor

2009-06-04T14:58:00.000-07:00

I recently asked David Abbott of the Sonoma West Times and News weekly newspaper to be June's Guest Blogger. He agreed to write about what life was like for him as the editor of a popular weekly community newspaper (circulation approx. 3800). He gave the assignment some thought, rolled up his sleeves and got busy writing. I'm amazed and impressed that he was able to squeeze this into his schedule. But then, that's what community newspaper editors do; they pack as much as they can into the little time they have to produce good copy.
Here's what David cranked out (on time, by the way, with perfect word count in order) to meet my deadline:

In the wake of the economic disaster of the 21st century, the life of a weekly news editor has become extraordinarily busy.
Prior to becoming a journalist and then an editor of a weekly newspaper with a circulation of approximately 8,000, I spent the earlier part of my life performing various types of industrial work interspersed with long bicycle trips. The last job I had before returning to college at the age of 40 was as the manager of a failing bicycle shop in Sebastopol , CA .
That’s when I returned to school to learn how to write so that I could record my bicycle adventures. Little did I know when I began that I would develop a passion for journalism. After three years as a staff member/editor of state university newspaper, I was hired by a small weekly as a part-time staff writer. As the economy worsened, staffing cuts left more work for the remaining writers, and I, still a college student, survived in large part because the publisher was tired of wearing three hats, as editor, publisher and staff writer.
Nine months after I graduated from college I was promoted to editor of the paper. By that time, we were down to a green editor, one full-time writer, one part-time, and a few former writers who shared in our fairly limited freelance budget.
The role of an editor in the current climate/market is one of a multi-tasking writer/public relations flak/layout-desktop-publishing professional/time manager.
Thanks to the wonders of the computer age, with my laptop and an internet connection I can work any time day or night, independent of an office and desktop publishing has effectively reduced a position adding to the workload of the editor. Although I share layout duties with one member of our production department, I am still responsible for assembling content for 10-12 pages per week.
It can be exhausting, thankless work, but what we do serves a vital service to our communities, and in these times of shrinking news rooms what we do becomes even more important. The local daily can send reporters out from a central office in another city, but our reporters — and me as editor — go to the board meetings and business openings to learn about and record what’s happening beyond the spot coverage daily newspapers have the resources for these days.
We represent the eyes and ears of the community, and provide a venue for the official public record for legal proceedings and other necessary businesses and community announcements.
But another service we provide is that of the recorders of history in the vernacular of our times. Our tiny office houses more than 100 years of local history in the form of dusty, yellowed newsprint, written by individuals who may not have been perfect but were willing to put their names to what was their interpretation of the world in which they lived.
It is a world that is constantly changing, as we are all well aware. The work is getting tougher for “the survivors,” but the role of the weekly is more important than ever as a means of filling in the gaps of coverage by dailies that are being forced to cut back on resources and limit their coverage.

Public Relations Society of America Wants You!

2009-05-28T11:03:00.000-07:00

Are you a PR expert?
Plan to be in New York on October 8?
Interested in being a speaker at an annual Public Relations Society of America annual conference?

If you answered yes to all of these questions then think about applying for PRSA's Northeast District Conference.
Speaker proposal deadline is June 5!.

Here's more information:

About Proposals:
They are looking for experienced presenters who can motivate and energize an audience on the latest tools, techniques, trends and knowledge of new technology or research pertaining to public relations.

Industry experts, seasoned practitioners, researchers, or public relations service providers are welcome to submit a proposal to individually or jointly present on a topic relevant for PR practitioners with varying levels of experience. We’re looking for presenters from both the corporate and not-for-profit worlds. The tracks chosen for this year’s conference are:

• New & Social Media – From digital media to best practices for integrating blogs, Twitter, Facebook, etc. into your PR campaign – we’re looking for case studies and tutorials from experts on these topics.

• PR/Marketing – This track will focus on the cross over between PR and marketing initiatives and aim to provide information on how PR practitioners can work with their marketing counterparts on delivering united messages.

• Internal/External Communications – We’re looking for speakers to present case studies of great internal and external PR campaigns. How are you using PR to effectively communicate with your employees – particularly in today’s trying economic times when many organizations are forced to cut back? Are you an expert in crisis communications who can share your experience?

• Student Tracks – The conference will have tracks geared toward PRSSA members and recent graduates. We’re looking for everything from career development and enhancement (resume preparation, interviewing skills, etc.) to finding your first PR job and building a professional network.

• Miscellaneous – Not sure if the proposed session you want to submit fits into one of the above tracks? Maybe you’re an expert on political PR, grassroots PR, ethics or marketing to a diverse audience? We’ll have one track dedicated to all other topics – so please feel free to submit all other ideas under this track.

They are open to any proposal that provides PR professionals with new knowledge, insight and ideas that can enhance their professional capabilities.

If this sounds like a good fit you can get more information on the district's website

Good luck!
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The Value of Investigative Journalism

2009-05-21T12:13:00.000-07:00

Chauncey Bailey, Jr. - 1949-2007.
Three men associated with Oakland's 'Your Black Muslim Bakery' have been indicted for the July 8, 2007 murder of Chauncey Bailey, Jr. Bailey, editor of the Oakland Post and other San Francisco Bay Area publications that covered African-American issues was walking to work on the morning he was fatally shot.
At the time he had been working on a story about the bakery's finances. No stranger to investigation, the bakery had long been the subject of several journalistic investigations related to business conduct and several alleged crimes, including sexual abuse.
According to reporters Josh Richman and Mary Fricker of The Chauncey Bailey Project the law caught up with the bakery.
The article reads in part:

Until recently, Devaughndre Broussard was the only Your Black Muslim Bakery associate ever charged with murder, despite a decades-long trail of eight bodies authorities say they have linked to the organization or its founding Bey family.
Now, Broussard and two others are charged not only with the August 2007 killing of Oakland Post editor Chauncey Bailey, slain amid his investigation of the bakery, but in two other killings as well.
Broussard, a bakery handyman; Yusuf Ali Bey IV, the bakery’s last CEO; and Antoine Mackey, a bakery associate are charged with the July 8, 2007 killing of Odell Roberson Jr.; Broussard told prosecutors Bey IV had ordered him to kill Roberson because Roberson’s nephew had killed Bey’s elder brother in a botched carjacking in 2005, and Mackey helped lure Roberson to his doom.

The hope of justice that family members feel in light of recent developments is still faint. Unfortunately, nothing will bring back those who were killed.
Perhaps the public outcry for justice was sparked by Bailey's death. There was so much outrage in the community. Even here in Northern California, the shock was palpable for fellow journalists, members of the African-American community, and beyond.
I like to think that Bailey's good will and professional journalistic manner, aided by the ceaseless efforts of news colleagues who felt both a professional and personal sense of loss, pushed the wheels of justice just to keep them turning. And turn they did because in the legal processes surrounding Bailey's murder, other murders - other shallowly buried bodies- were uncovered and victims of other bakery-related crimes stepped forward.
It's important to remember that much of what has happened to bring the truth to light has been the result of committed investigative reporting; journalists who know how to dig for information that benefits everyone, even as it threatens their own well-being and the well-being of those they love.
This is something to think long and hard about... Journalists are not perfect. We know that from typos and misquoted phrases, but they are to be respected and appreciated for bringing the news of important events to our attention whether we like it or not.
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Why We Need Independent Media

2009-05-13T11:23:00.000-07:00

I recently read in the Huffington Post a Democracy NOW! interview by Amy Goodman with David Barstow the New York Times reporter who won a Pulitzer Prize for Exposing Military’s Pro-War Propaganda Media Campaign during the Iraq War.
This story brings home the value of independent investigative media reporting. If anyone ever doubted that we need this to remain a nation of free thinkers who can make decisions based upon impartial research and reporting, this article should set the record straight.
Having the military provide military personnel of a pre-determined persuasion to serve as experts and commentators for TV news programs is ludicrous unless the TV news programs do not provide independent news coverage.

Here is an excerpt of the interview:
In his first national broadcast interview, New York Times reporter David Barstow speaks about his 2009 Pulitzer Prize-winning expose of the Pentagon propaganda campaign to recruit more than seventy-five retired military officers to appear on TV outlets as military analysts ahead of and during the Iraq war.
AMY GOODMAN: I think what's so interesting about this story is not only what the Pentagon has done; it's the lack of reporting on this by the networks. Of course, you know, that is your subject here, how the networks use them. How many times have you been invited on the networks--you just won the Pulitzer Prize for this investigation--to explain this story of the networks' use of these pundits?
DAVID BARSTOW: You know, to be honest with you, I haven't received many invitations--in fact, any invitations--to appear on any of the main network or cable programs. I can't say I'm hugely shocked by that.
For complete story check out Democracy Now!

I shudder to think about where this country would be without programs like Democracy Now! In this case it seems to me that all TV stations would be the same in terms of the integrity of coverage. That's scary!!!

The Murder of Chauncey Bailey, Jr: Next Phase

2009-04-30T07:58:00.000-07:00

Oakland Post Editor Chauncey Bailey, Jr. was investigating deaths allegedly related to Your Black Muslim Bakery group owner, Yusuf Bey IV, when he was shot to death.
The news of this murder reverberated across the country. It was a loss for all of us.
Bailey was a top notch journalist whose path crossed mine on occasion. I first met him when I was handling pr for the North Bay Black Chamber of Commerce here in the San Francisco Bay Area. At the time I was impressed with the way he responded to my calls. Friendly and open, he was always on the look out for community news and had a natural sense about what that was.
I believe his commitment to the nature of his work was unshakable and may have very placed him in harm's way.
The harm came swiftly and brutally as he walked to work one morning.
The world hasn't been the same since then.
Today's news about the court rulings on that alleged assassination did bring a sense of justice to the loss of this journalistic giant.

According to Associated Press writer Michelle Locke:
OAKLAND, Calif. – The former leader of an Oakland community group and an associate were indicted on three first-degree murder counts Wednesday involving the killing of a journalist investigating the group and two other deaths.
The former leader of the now-defunct Your Black Muslim Bakery group, Yusuf Bey IV, 23, was accused of ordering the shooting death of Oakland Post Editor Chauncey Bailey as he walked to work.

Sentencing is expected to take place next week. Yes, justice will be served but it won't do anything to bring this talented journalist back.
Final note:
Everyone needs to remember that many journalists do run risks in the course of their "work". I once was assigned to a man-hunt. Others have had more harrowing assignments. Too often, though, the dangers go unreported because it's part of the job, so to speak.
Please keep this is mind the next time you criticize or judge a journalist because in many cases you are only seeing a slice of what goes on in the newsroom and on the beat.
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Online Radio, TV & Media – How Can it Benefit You?

2009-04-21T13:00:00.000-07:00

This month's guest blogger Lisa D. Smith is Co-Editor & Co-Host of BigBlendMagazine.com. BigBlendMagazine is an amazing audio visual magazine that covers a vast territory (art, adventure, authors, astronomy, and autism, just to give you an idea of their topic range).
Lisa and her business partner have grown this multi-media empire from the ground up and along the way have done great work in the world through the venue of online media.
So without further ado, let me introduce you to Lisa:

It’s truly amazing how diverse media has become. I remember as a small child watching Nancy (my Mother, Partner and Co-Editor/Co-Host of BigBlendMagazine.com) typing away at her trusted typewriter. Her articles were always accompanied by photographs taken with film. Now, from film to radio and magazines to newspapers, our tools have progressed along with the blossoming of the internet which can be accessed from a phone, a computer and even a TV.

We started Blend Magazine over 12 years ago, right when the internet started to become a household word. We had a goal in mind – to be completely online, though we knew we had to be in print first. Later, we watched as most newspapers balked at the idea of going online – and when they did, you could only access the information if you were a paid subscriber. We took a different route – we chose to be in print and online - and allow anyone to access the content in our online and print version of the magazine for free.

The internet is a fascinating medium that always has a new way of getting the word out there. Regular interviews for articles have branched into being audio podcasts, and now there’s live radio. Slide shows, photo galleries and virtual tours have grown to include videos. And let’s not forget email newsletters and social media, the tools to spread the word to new and return website visitors.

In 2006, we reached our goal of becoming a complete online media source. When we stopped printing, we had a consistent average readership of over one million visitors to our magazine site per month. In January 2008, we launched our flagship internet radio show ‘Champagne Sundays’ to maintain a personal touch with our readers, and provide up-to-date content. To date, we have 10 different shows, have broadcasted over 140 shows, and interviewed over 700 guests. Our online magazine has now grown to have over 2.4 million monthly readers, radio listeners and video viewers.

How Can Internet Radio Benefit your PR / Marketing Campaign? Unlimited Listeners! It used to be that radio stations were limited to a regional audience, though a lot of the shows are syndicated across the country. Listeners would tune in from their car or radio, and once the show aired, it was gone. Now regular radio is turning to the internet by posting audio podcast recordings of their shows on their website – which means that listeners can tune in from their computer anytime, and from anywhere. It’s the same for internet radio. Shows stream live over the internet (some with webcam video), and after the initial airing, the segments are accessible on demand 24/7. These shows can be syndicated, posted on websites, downloaded to MP3 players and IPODS, and can even be listened to via cell phone.

How do Listeners find the Shows? There are numerous ways for people to find out about the live and archived shows including: Google and search engine searches, being linked and featured on websites and online publications such as ours, email newsletters, blogs, social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter – the list goes on. Viral marketing plays a big role as people share favorite shows with their friends, family and colleagues. Our very first show is still being accessed!

Should You Be on the Radio? To keep listeners listening, radio shows need to be educational and entertaining. Radio shows do not want guests who are commercial and do sales pitches once on the air – that does not promote you or the radio show in a good light. Just like your TV remote control, listeners can tune out at a click of a button. If you can speak clearly, offer educational information as an expert in your field, make informed comments on timely events, or be entertaining and fun – radio is a good format for you.

Some Tips on How to Get on the Radio – Listen to the show first! Do you think you have something to offer the show that will be educational or entertaining to the show’s listeners? This is what we require for someone to be considered as a guest on one of our shows:
· an email explaining why you should be on the show / what you have to offer our listeners
· your bio / resume
· your photo
· if it’s your book or CD you are promoting – we want a review copy, press release, and cover image
· links to your website(s)
· links to other interviews or media coverage you have received
· and let us know how you are going to promote the possible interview.

Once booked, you will need to be responsible for following the guest interview instructions. This includes calling in on time, speaking clearly, and not being commercial and doing a sales pitch on the air (we have a mute button for pushy sales people and this is a sure way to not be invited to possible future interviews and other shows).

What about TV / Video? A picture is worth a thousand words. We recently launched Blend TV so our readers can watch video clips according to their interest. These videos are informative and fun. They are syndicated and come in from people all over the world. In fact, various studies are proving that companies that post promotional videos on their websites are seeing significant increase in their sales. It is a way to educate, entertain, and again – add that personal touch that can be forgotten in cyberspace.

If you want to be a radio guest, would like us to review a product, book or CD, or would like to us to post your videos on Blend TV – please contact me at lisa@theblendmagazine.com . For more details visit the magazine.
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