Event Recap: Meet the Philadelphia TV & Radio News Directors

By Caitlan McCafferty

Last week, I had the opportunity to attend a panel with some TV & radio news directors in the Philadelphia market. The event was hosted by the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Mid-Atlantic Chapter and Drexel University. The panel was moderated by Susan Buehler of PJM Interconnection and the speakers included:

• Steve Butler, Director of News and Programming for KYW Newsradio 
• Sandra Clark, Vice President of News and Civic Dialogue for WHYY
• Margaret Cronan, Vice President and News Director for CBS3 and the CW Philly
• Tom Davis, Vice President and News Director for 6ABC 
• Jim Driscoll, Vice President and News Director for FOX29 
• Anzio Williams, Vice President for NBC10/Telemundo62

The panel members' discussion ranged from their goals as news directors to their career trajectories and their advice for young broadcast journalists. Each of them provided rich insight into their motivations as journalists and how their production and reporting teams are dealing with the ever-evolving media landscape.

An event bringing together six competitors in the country’s 4th largest media market was an interesting dynamic to begin with. But it soon became clear that they actually had many things in common. As news directors, they are responsible for the strategy and journalistic integrity of their stations. Each cited the same motivation – providing a public service and telling people’s stories.

But, certain differences, such as the allocation of resources, sets Clark, VP at a public media affiliate, apart from the others on the panel who have the resources of major network affiliates at their disposal. Despite a challenging media landscape, the panelists are more willing than ever to provide local audiences with the honest and informing stories they need and want.

When asked about digital media trends, the panel members were generally positive. Tom Davis talked about how 6ABC uses social media for brand enhancement and Cronan echoed that sentiment by talking about brand consistency in social media. In the radio space, Clark talked about how important podcasts have become to WHYY’s success. Butler also discussed how he was hopeful about digital media and that he was doing the most hiring for social media positions at KYW.

Some of the news directors also talked about some of the digital tools they use for stories. Driscoll uses Fresco, an app for citizen journalists, to curate footage of events. Williams uses Banjo, a news aggregator, to stay on top of up-to-the-minute happenings in the Philadelphia area.

So with all this in mind, the news directors had some helpful tips for PR professionals to consider when pitching:

• Only pitch local stories. Each panelist has a local focus, and KYW has a hyperlocal focus. 
• The panelists talked about struggling to allocate resources to the suburbs. If pitching a story about an event in the suburbs, be sure to contact the newsroom the week before to give them time to prepare. 
• Use digital tools to stay on top of the news. Pitch your client as a source if they could be a resource to journalists on a certain issue. 
• Contact the right person in the newsroom. The news directors spoke highly of the talented producers that work at each station in the Philadelphia market. The producers are responsible for assigning stories and putting the final broadcast together.  
• Follow the news station and key people at the station on Twitter to keep current on their interests and projects. 

From Oscars Flub to Fake News: What We’re Reading Now

By Jackie Sofia

‘Envelopegate’ and the Power of Public Memory
The PR nightmare continues for PwC in the wake of this year’s Academy Awards, during which the accounting giant somehow mixed up the envelopes announcing the coveted “Best Picture” award winner. Jaws were left visibly hanging after Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway handed the golden man to the wrong man.

After the debacle, PwC was spotted on Twitter trying to bury their shame amongst unrelated news content about the firm. The distraction was not very effective; CBS News reports that the two individual accountants involved will never work the Oscars again, and the relationship of the entire firm is “under review.” While PwC’s reputation is now tarnished, they may have inadvertently buffed up the image of several other accounting firms just in time for tax season. One man’s loss is another man’s win.

An Instagram How-To: Multiple Image Posts
Instagram continues to advance its offerings for users. A new feature allows users to post multiple photos at once with a slideshow effect. The digital flip book allows you to post up to 10 photos simultaneously and already has been implemented widely by advertisers on the platform.

Marketers can use this feature to relay more extensive messages to their audience, or get creative and compile step-by-step guides for their products and services. Speaking of step-by-step guides, here’s a tutorial explaining how to use the new feature.

What the CIA is Saying About the New Wikileaks Document (Vault7) 
Wikileaks released its latest batch of CIA documents, a series titled “Vault7.” It’s a cool name, but the contents may be more sobering. The information released this past week includes thousands of documents that describe software tools and techniques for breaking into people’s phones, televisions and other electronic devices.

CIA spokesman, Dean Boyd, said of the surprise release, “We do not comment on the authenticity or content of purported intelligence documents.”  Michael Hayden, the former CIA and NSA director, tried to further soften the blow by assuring viewers on CBS’ The Late Show that these purported tools would not be used inside the U.S. unless a domestic agency received court permission. The jury is still out on whether these leaked documents will be followed up with additional details, and whether the agency will have to come up with a more pointed public response on the matter.

Facebook Launches ‘Fake News’ Flag
Facebook has finally taken steps towards identifying “fake news” on its platform. The company launched the beta version of a two-pronged initiative back in December, which allows users to “dispute” an article if they think it’s fake. The reported dispute is then passed on to third-party fact checkers who determine whether the article receives the label permanently.

Granted, Facebook isn’t known for its transparency, so it’s unclear whether this will be a truly crowdsourced initiative, or whether a select few will have their say on the back end.

Meanwhile, be prepared for disputes over whether a news source should be marked as disputed.

Battle Alternative Facts with a Customized, Fact-Based Infographic
If you still have reservations as to whether Facebook is doing enough to combat the spread of fake news, take your own initiative and fight the good fight with a sharp infographic. People process visual content 600,000 times faster than text, and retain 80 percent of what they can see, compared to only 20 percent of what they read.

This is reason enough to ensure that your visual content doesn’t get buried among all the alternative facts. We’re digging this step-by-step hack for uploading custom-sized graphics along with your Facebook posts.

Resolve for 2015 to Learn When to Shut Up

By Sarah Larson

No, I can't take your call right now. I'm covering the Memorial Day parade.

During my 20 years as a journalist, I dealt with innumerable public relations folks who did not know when to shut up. They didn’t know how to pitch me a story. Out-of-town agencies kept calling, long after the advent of caller ID allowed me to dodge their calls. They excitedly pitched me completely irrelevant “exclusives.” They couldn’t grasp the concept that a shooting or a bank robbery trumped their carefully orchestrated press conference. All in all, many of them seemed truly mystified at how to work with journalists.

After moving into public relations myself about two years ago, I have seen firsthand how understanding how journalists think and work is a huge benefit to my clients. It’s also a benefit to both sides of the PR equation – public relations folks and journalists – because it saves everyone time and frustration, and fosters better working relationships.

So, on behalf of journalists everywhere – pressed for time, paid in peanuts, and always being asked to do more and more with less and less – I offer this roundup of advice from journalists to public relations folks. Many good PR professionals know these things, but even those who do don’t practice them enough, or don’t do an effective job of helping clients set their expectations.

Here is what journalists today wish PR folks did – or didn’t do. A follow-up post will explore some of the things PR folks wish reporters would do or not do.

Understand first and foremost that nearly all news is local, whether “local” is a geographic region or a topic. If you want to pitch a national story or a national issue to a local or regional media outlet, you must find a local angle. Says one suburban Philadelphia journalist, “The only real problem I had is when one firm called me six times in one day (no lie) to pitch me a non-local story on pet insurance and related products.” Says another, "Don't pitch me stories that have nothing to do with my beat or my state."

Source: American Society of News Editors

Understand that everyone’s time is valuable and finite, and journalists are under incredible pressures to produce more. “Your pitch is not the center of everyone else’s world.” Newsroom staff nationwide has shrunk by 35 percent since 1990, according to annual surveys by the American Society of News Editors. That means fewer people to cover the news – and raises the threshold of importance in deciding what does and doesn’t get covered. It also means that those people still working in newsrooms have more to do; be respectful of their time and get straight to the point.

Do your homework – or do it better. Spend some time researching the reporters and the topics/beats they cover. Only pitch them on a story if you can find an appropriate angle for their audience. Says one Lehigh Valley-based reporter, “Don’t repeatedly send me press releases about events/stories that clearly aren’t related to the area that I cover. No need to send me information on an event in Philly when we don’t cover the city.” A sportswriter agreed. “The biggest thing that annoys me as a sportswriter is when I get releases that have nothing to do with me. Like stuff about traffic patterns or news stories. So basically, the best thing is to know who you are sending to instead of just the universal email database.”

Be organized and plan ahead. Says one business reporter, "If you're sending something that is on the daily news cycle, make sure your clients are available for comment. This has happened far too many times in the past, often with press releases on major management changes at local companies. If you have a new CEO, that person should be available for additional comment when you send out the release." If time is limited, scheduling a conference call between the client and a group of journalists can be helpful.

Think visually. Providing an interesting setting for interviews or an event is crucial if you are hoping for photographs or video coverage. From a television producer, “A bunch of talking heads at a podium or a conference room is the most boring television ever. Help us tell your story by showing us your story.”

Do not name drop. It’s annoying. “No need to tell me that State Rep. or Senator so-and-so is going to be there in an attempt to make it seem like a bigger deal than it is. Their presence, to me, means absolutely nothing.”

Find out how each newsroom that is important to you or a client operates. Learn what their deadlines are, when their shifts start, when their planning meetings are held, and take that into consideration when pitching stories or scheduling events. From a television producer, “Contact the local media and ask THEM what would be the best time to hold a press conference...my daysiders come in at 9:30 a.m., so if you schedule a presser for 9 a.m., you can pretty much forget about us showing up. Also, allow for travel time.”

Consider offering the story ahead of time on an embargoed basis. The more lead time journalists have to prepare coverage, the better. Working with reporters with whom you have developed trust and giving them the story in advance can help improve the odds of getting coverage. Says one reporter, "Breaking news aside - because the world still stops for breaking news - the more lead time I have on a story, the more likely it is that I can arrange my schedule to include it. I've found that more PR firms are offering stories on embargo. I appreciate that trust and the recognition that I'm not sitting by the phone waiting for news to happen."

Send calendar invites for events. Says one editor, "Attach an i-calendar item with an emailed press release that a reporter can just click on and add to their Outlook calendar with all the necessary information right there. Even if they haven't decided whether they will cover your event when you send the release, making it easy for them to add to their calendar gives you a better chance that it will be reconsidered in the days before."

Understand the types of stories that are good for TV/video or for text. A TV journalist says, “Don't bother sending us releases about events that already happened (unless it's like final numbers for fundraising totals). Tell us BEFORE so we have the option to cover your event.” Print and online journalists, however, often will welcome information about an event that has passed, especially if there are photographs to share or final numbers for attendance, funds raised, etc.

Never, ever take it personally. It’s not about you, or your client. “If your pitch doesn’t succeed one time, no bitching or whining about it next time. That will pretty much guarantee worse results. Move on, it’s not personal.”

6 PR Stories for Your New or Small Company

By Sarah Larson

In today’s economy, everyone is an entrepreneur - or at least, should be.

The full-time elementary school music teacher has a side gig playing piano at a local wine bar. The customer service rep at the bank makes elaborate custom birthday cakes on the weekends. And the accountant by day has launched an antiques refurbishment business.

The success of each of these endeavors will depend, in large part, on how much effort these enthusiastic entrepreneurs put into promoting their businesses. And that, in turn, depends on how effectively they employ an often overlooked, but potent, weapon in the business owner’s arsenal - public relations.

Many new and small business owners make the mistake of imagining "public relations" to be irrelevant to their business. Others think PR is something that only big companies do.

Neither is true.

Yes, big companies usually have in-house public relations teams or contract with support agencies, but small companies still engage in public relations. Maybe they don't call it that, and maybe they don't realize they're doing it -- which likely means they're doing it ineffectively -- but they're doing it.

Your company is going to do it, too - so do it well. The first place to start is by having a story to tell.

In my nearly 20 years as a journalist, I would regularly meet business owners who had great stories to tell, but they had never thought to pitch that story to a reporter. Too many people don’t see the story value in what they are doing day in and day out. If you are one of them, here are some ideas:

• Has your business celebrated an anniversary? Five, 10, 15 years in business - these are all great milestones that give a reporter a good reason to do a feature story on your business.
• Have you hired anyone new? If you’ve hired a new team member who has established credentials in your industry or community, that’s good news and worth sharing.
• Have you acquired a significant new client? With the client’s permission, and if it fits within your strategic plan, announcing a new client can be a good idea, particularly if that client comes from an industry sector in which you want to grow your business.
• Are you scheduled to speak at a conference or workshop? Sharing the news about the presentation can both help boost registration for the program - something the organizers likely would welcome - and help establish you as a thought leader on that topic.
• Have you won an award? Whether your business was voted tops in an annual survey or an individual team member was honored by a business group, awards are great to publicize.
• Are you participating in a program that has wider appeal? If your accounting firm, for example, donates time to a social services agency to help low-income clients file their tax returns, getting the word out about the program helps the agency, the firm, and the clients.

Chances are, your business has news that fits into one of these categories, and if you don’t now, you likely will sometime soon. In our next post, we look at how to get these stories in front of the people who care about them.

PRSA Philly 2012 Pepperpot Awards - Furia Rubel's Awards & Acceptance Videos

As you may have already heard, Furia Rubel was the recipient of several Public Relations Society of America - Philadelphia Chapter 2012 Pepperpot Awards in December. Our agency compiled acceptance videos for two of our three honors in the categories of brand management and website design. Below see our animated acceptance videos - we are not only proud of the awards, but also our accompanying videos...

Furia Rubel has long been Philadelphia personal injury law firm Feldman Shepherd Wohlgelernter Tanner Weinstock & Dodig LLP's agency of record, providing strategic marketing and public relations counsel and services to the law firm. We designed a new website focused on increasing awareness of Feldman Shepherd’s successes while reinforcing the firm’s brand and national reputation through a myriad of communication tactics. The campaign resulted in more than 14 million media impressions and a consistent increase in visibility supporting business development.

Seeking top-of-mind awareness among existing and potential clients, Para-Plus Translations, Inc. contacted Furia Rubel for strategic assistance in 2011. In 2012, we designed and launched the new Para-Plus website, www.para-plus.com, garnering a top nod from PRSA Philadelphia. The website was designed to segment translation and interpretation services while providing more user-centric content and a streamlined experience. The results were increased site visits by 120 percent within 40 days, increased average length of visits and more online inquiries with less emphasis on phone screening.

We do hope you enjoyed these videos featuring illustrations by Pat Achilles and animation by TD Post & Animation.

Holiday Greetings from Furia Rubel Marketing & PR

We hope you enjoy the Furia Rubel Marketing & PR 2012 animated holiday card...

Wishing you a wealth of warmth and prosperity.

From the integrated marketing team at Furia Rubel Communications

LinkedIn Skills Endorsements for Lawyers

If you use LinkedIn, then you are probably familiar with the Recommendation function. It’s the one where you can write up a glowing report about someone with whom you have worked or vice versa. The idea, of course, is that your positive opinion of them enhances their credibility.

Well, LinkedIn has introduced a new feature called Endorsements. With just one click, you can now endorse your connections for a skill they have listed on their profile or recommend one they have not added. The upshot is that now when you look at a connection’s profile, you not only see the skills he or she claims to possess, you see what others agree are the skills that he or she actually has.

Here’s how it works:

On the top of your connections’ profiles, you will now see a box titled recommended endorsements. You just click the ones with which you agree.

Or, if you scroll down to the new Skills and Expertise section, you can see which skills were endorsed and by whom. The skill that has been endorsed by the most people appears at the top of the list with the rest appearing in descending order of popularity.

The great thing about this feature is that it creates an easy way to scan for a specific skill set. It’s also faster to create than writing a recommendation. After all, it can take some time and forethought to write up a good one.

My own experience as a PR person tells me that you’re going to want to keep asking colleagues for written recommendations as well as endorsements. Endorsements focus on skills while recommendations focus on your qualities as a co-worker or strategic partner - they should be complimentary.

Also, you’re going to want to give some thought to the skills that you want endorsed. You need to manage how you are perceived and act accordingly. While you can’t control which skills people choose to endorse, you can let your connections know which ones you want featured. Or, at the very least, check your endorsements periodically to make sure that the picture being painted of you reflects your best talents.

For more on One Click Endorsements, check out Dave Berger’s write-up  on the LinkedIn Blog.