A special shout out and thanks to Jeff Magee and the folks at "Performance Magazine" for PERFORMANCE Magazine V. 16, I. 1 Second Quarter edition with features by Bill Cosby, Mitt Romney, and Arnold Schwarzenegger and Ron Palmer and Mike freakin' McCarthy. Man talk about rarified company! One of the very cool things about being in the media is the opportunity to con...er... pursuade fellow media folks to plug your stuff. Jeff has been a good friend and mentor to Ron and me concerning the public speaking profession and it's a treat to be in Jeff's excellent publication again. I mean, me in the same mag as the Cos'... how cool is that. "Performance Magazine" at the newsstands now.
I'll include the link and pdf in the next blog.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Jargon and Irony
I got an email from my brother, who said he liked my blogs (well he IS my brother), but that I was using a lot of media jargon, and that if I wanted to broaden my audience, I'd avoid the radioese. The irony is that I always "suggest" to the doctors I interview on the radio that they avoid doctorese and that Chief Palmer avoid the "cop talk." Ah, physician...or in my case, media crisis guru, heal thyself.
I was listening to The Dianne Reim Show on NPR , National Public Radio (no jargon for me, baby) this morning. The discussion was about radio, mostly centering around the Clear Channel sale and the satellite radio merger. The commentators didn't have much nice to say about corporate radio, how radio was losing market share dramatically because it had gotten away from localization in favor of McRadio. There probably aren't many people would argue that (actually, I think I said something similar in a preceding blog), but that wasn't what caught my attention. What I noticed was the callers. They asked about the XM-Sirius deal, internet radio, iPod's, but NOTHING about terrestreal radio...except NPR.
Here's my thought: Listeners don't hate radio the way it is or even yearn for the way radio was "back in the day." They just don't much care. Has radio as an industry lost its will to live,or will we use the new media and the creativity that radio still has in abundance to reconnect and return radio to the position of prominance it used to enjoy. Your comments are welcome.
I was listening to The Dianne Reim Show on NPR , National Public Radio (no jargon for me, baby) this morning. The discussion was about radio, mostly centering around the Clear Channel sale and the satellite radio merger. The commentators didn't have much nice to say about corporate radio, how radio was losing market share dramatically because it had gotten away from localization in favor of McRadio. There probably aren't many people would argue that (actually, I think I said something similar in a preceding blog), but that wasn't what caught my attention. What I noticed was the callers. They asked about the XM-Sirius deal, internet radio, iPod's, but NOTHING about terrestreal radio...except NPR.
Here's my thought: Listeners don't hate radio the way it is or even yearn for the way radio was "back in the day." They just don't much care. Has radio as an industry lost its will to live,or will we use the new media and the creativity that radio still has in abundance to reconnect and return radio to the position of prominance it used to enjoy. Your comments are welcome.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
An "old media" guy in a "new media" world
As someone who's profession has been in radio, TV, and print, I was an early adopter of the internet, not for the experience...thought viewing some of those websites can be quite an experience (wink, wink, nod, nod, say no more, governor, say no more), but for the information. It was great show prep, great for following Detroit and IU sports in Tulsa, and politics in general.
But I really didn't explore much further. Part of that is demographic, but I just didn't have an interest in MySpace or Facebook. Being on the radio gave me the outlet to talk about myself like others have by using those sites. So it wasn't on my radar...Heck, I just started texting in earnest last year. (I did come up with a cool way for radio and TV stations to contact their opt in listeners by cell or text message for contesting, etc. but THAT'S another blog). I've been reading a couple of political and sports oriented blogs for three or four years, again for info. I never really looked at the social networking opportunities until recently.
Howard Dean's ill-fated campaign last election cycle proved the power of the internet to mobilize and fund raise. But it wasn't until the Obama campaign have we seen just how much power we are talking about...and we are just BEGINNING to scratch the proverbial surface.
Chief Palmer and I wrote a book three years ago on how to manage the media in times of crisis called "And The Incorrect Answer Is...No Comment." We help non-media types ,through point-counterpoint illustrations and examples, better understand what the media wants, needs, demands, etc. and how, if you follow our suggestions, a few simple rules, that you can turn a crisis into a real branding opportunity; survive and thrive we call it .
The book is still valid today AS FAR AS IT GOES. We nail it on how to handle what, three years ago, WAS the media. We even made a few references to blogging, more as an afterthought than anything else, but we were at least aware of them.
Today, its a whole new world. More Americans are getting their info from the internet than are receiving it from traditional media. 67 million people have Facebook accounts, for god's sake. What does this mean to you??? It means that someone could be blogging about your business right now, hurting your brand and your reputation, and you don't even know about it. It happened in Tulsa last year. A pretty good restaurant closed it's doors mostly because a lousy review by a disgruntled patron on his blog took on a life of its own.
Just as Ron and I suggest with the old media...that you have a plan for a crisis and are proactive and take responsibility, the same thing holds true for the new media. Social networking is big and will become enormous. It fulfills the human need to feel connected, to sit around the campfire and commune. But it can work against you if you are not aware.Yes,it's just one more thing you have to do, but it could be a huge opportunity for you.
How, I hear you say. Well, I'm so glad you asked. Coming soon: a new chapter of our book on how to handle the new media, which will soon be available on our web site http://www.mediacrisisgurus.com/. Until then, consider taking a "new media" workshop or seminar like the one I attended in Tulsa last month. Talk about an eye-opener! Twitter, Flickr...hello!?? I had no clue. But now I see them as potentially VERY useful tools for the old media to reinvent itself using the new media.
Your thoughts are welcome
But I really didn't explore much further. Part of that is demographic, but I just didn't have an interest in MySpace or Facebook. Being on the radio gave me the outlet to talk about myself like others have by using those sites. So it wasn't on my radar...Heck, I just started texting in earnest last year. (I did come up with a cool way for radio and TV stations to contact their opt in listeners by cell or text message for contesting, etc. but THAT'S another blog). I've been reading a couple of political and sports oriented blogs for three or four years, again for info. I never really looked at the social networking opportunities until recently.
Howard Dean's ill-fated campaign last election cycle proved the power of the internet to mobilize and fund raise. But it wasn't until the Obama campaign have we seen just how much power we are talking about...and we are just BEGINNING to scratch the proverbial surface.
Chief Palmer and I wrote a book three years ago on how to manage the media in times of crisis called "And The Incorrect Answer Is...No Comment." We help non-media types ,through point-counterpoint illustrations and examples, better understand what the media wants, needs, demands, etc. and how, if you follow our suggestions, a few simple rules, that you can turn a crisis into a real branding opportunity; survive and thrive we call it .
The book is still valid today AS FAR AS IT GOES. We nail it on how to handle what, three years ago, WAS the media. We even made a few references to blogging, more as an afterthought than anything else, but we were at least aware of them.
Today, its a whole new world. More Americans are getting their info from the internet than are receiving it from traditional media. 67 million people have Facebook accounts, for god's sake. What does this mean to you??? It means that someone could be blogging about your business right now, hurting your brand and your reputation, and you don't even know about it. It happened in Tulsa last year. A pretty good restaurant closed it's doors mostly because a lousy review by a disgruntled patron on his blog took on a life of its own.
Just as Ron and I suggest with the old media...that you have a plan for a crisis and are proactive and take responsibility, the same thing holds true for the new media. Social networking is big and will become enormous. It fulfills the human need to feel connected, to sit around the campfire and commune. But it can work against you if you are not aware.Yes,it's just one more thing you have to do, but it could be a huge opportunity for you.
How, I hear you say. Well, I'm so glad you asked. Coming soon: a new chapter of our book on how to handle the new media, which will soon be available on our web site http://www.mediacrisisgurus.com/. Until then, consider taking a "new media" workshop or seminar like the one I attended in Tulsa last month. Talk about an eye-opener! Twitter, Flickr...hello!?? I had no clue. But now I see them as potentially VERY useful tools for the old media to reinvent itself using the new media.
Your thoughts are welcome
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Second Blog...pretty original, huh?
In an effort at complete disclosure, I need to note that I work weekends for Cox Radio Tulsa, that my opinions are strictly mine, and do not in any way, reflect the views, policies, etc. of the fine Cox Radio, Tulsa people, so please don't fire me. Nor is this blog a reflection of the views of my PMG partner, or my associates at my ad agency, or my lovely wife and dogs.
I recently had the opportunity to attend a seminar on the "new media." As someone who has been in the "old media" for many a moon...my first chief engineer was Marconi and we sometimes broadcasted by smoke signals...and yes, I used to cue up 45's, I was amazed. On-line social networking, blogging and message boards, along with gadgets like twitter and flickr, could become wonderful tools for radio as a way to reconnect with listeners. Its no secret that weekly radio listenership is down to 78% of adults from 97% not that long ago.Many in the industry will say that the multiplicity of media outlets and delivery options have caused the loss of listeners. No doubt. But that doesn't tell "the rest of the story." The product simply doesn't perform the way it used to. The local content, the intimacy, the uniqueness, those were the reasons audiences were engaged. If you did it right, listeners felt as if they knew you, that you had a vested interest in their lives, that you were pals.Today...not so much. Whether deregulation, consolidation, McRadio, whatever, the fact remains that listeners aren't engaged. That's where on-line social networking comes in. It's a great opportunity for dialog between air personality and listener. Q&A, FAQ's, polling. Its an opportunity to find out what a stations' most loyal (P1's) are thinking.The question is whether radio can turn the ship around to take advantage rather than try to compete with the new media. Your thoughts are welcome.
I recently had the opportunity to attend a seminar on the "new media." As someone who has been in the "old media" for many a moon...my first chief engineer was Marconi and we sometimes broadcasted by smoke signals...and yes, I used to cue up 45's, I was amazed. On-line social networking, blogging and message boards, along with gadgets like twitter and flickr, could become wonderful tools for radio as a way to reconnect with listeners. Its no secret that weekly radio listenership is down to 78% of adults from 97% not that long ago.Many in the industry will say that the multiplicity of media outlets and delivery options have caused the loss of listeners. No doubt. But that doesn't tell "the rest of the story." The product simply doesn't perform the way it used to. The local content, the intimacy, the uniqueness, those were the reasons audiences were engaged. If you did it right, listeners felt as if they knew you, that you had a vested interest in their lives, that you were pals.Today...not so much. Whether deregulation, consolidation, McRadio, whatever, the fact remains that listeners aren't engaged. That's where on-line social networking comes in. It's a great opportunity for dialog between air personality and listener. Q&A, FAQ's, polling. Its an opportunity to find out what a stations' most loyal (P1's) are thinking.The question is whether radio can turn the ship around to take advantage rather than try to compete with the new media. Your thoughts are welcome.
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