Archive for the ‘Journalists’ Category

No promos, no plugs. Adrian Brady discusses the Guardian’s PR crack down

August 11th, 2011 by Anthony

In addition to their article on the topic, PR Week’s podcast adds weight to the discussion of the Guardian’s new editorial code. Our chief exec Adrian Brady shares his views.

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Posted in Eulogy!, Journalists, Media & Marketing, PR industry | No Comments »

I’ll huff, and I’ll puff, and I’ll…….blow the house down?

July 6th, 2011 by David

On July 6th, commentators within the media and journalism industries are predicting a cultural shift in the way news is reported and consumed. Why? Because The Huffington Post, the US news website famous for using the online community to generate much of its content, will open its doors to the UK blogging community with the arrival of a UK edition on Wednesday. And I can’t wait.

Anyone even vaguely familiar with blogging communities will know that there are vast numbers of talented, eloquent would-be journalists out there churning out content that rivals much contained within the mainstream press. And the papers do acknowledge this (to a degree), with opportunities for freelance comment through their own blogs. The Guardian is just one example of a paper utilising this talent pool to provide informative and entertaining blogs on a plethora of subjects. But editorial styles must still be conformed to, and one can assume that getting the opportunity to write for these papers isn’t available to most online writers, no matter how talented.

The Huffington Post, on the other hand, has over 9,000 bloggers to generate all of its news and opinion pieces (suitably, that stat was found using Wikipedia). With such a wide range of contributors, the content can’t fail to be stimulating and engaging, with readers actively encouraged to join the debate and air their views. Currently, the UK edition has contributors that number “well into three figures” and this is likely to increase. Plans for celebrity writers will almost certainly be in the pipeline, if the US version is anything to go by.

Those championing paid-for-news should be nervous. The Huffington Post gets more views in the US than The New York Times site, and this could well happen over here as well – it all comes down to content. The well worn adage ‘content is king’ still applies, and for The Huffington Post UK it is crucial – with good content comes readers. The Times has a pay-wall, The Telegraph is (reportedly) considering one, and a shift towards online content for The Guardian (a step in the pay-wall direction?) all points to online being the place for news in the future. And if the Huffington Post rivals these papers in terms of editorial and reporting quality, would you use an outlet that had a pay-wall or just get your news for free?

With plans for 11 other country specific editions, this may be the beginning of a different breed of news generation and consumption. How will the established order in the media industry – and PR industry – react to a brand new outlet? Will it be accepted? Criticised? Or just ignored? Watch this space.

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Journo lunches: food for thought

April 13th, 2010 by Christina Aylmer-Pearse

Journalist lunches can be viewed as a perk by PRs. For foodies, those who view relationship building as the most important part of their role or those just wanting to escape their desk and office for a while, lunch excursions are something to be relished.  On the other hand, however, if you’re stuck talking about an industry that you don’t have a natural affinity with, they can be a painful, drawn-out process!

Whether you love or hate them, I wonder if we, as PR people, put in enough thought when choosing a restaurant.

Sure, there are basic questions such as whether the journalist has allergies or any food they just don’t like, but are there different rules of etiquette that should be adhered to when at lunch with client and journalist together, rather than a one-on-one?

Another thing to consider: does the choice or style of restaurant have any impact on the outcome of the lunch or the journalist relationship?  Is choosing tapas at Polpo, Fino or Salt Yard going to create a convivial atmosphere or will sharing all those small plates just be messy?  By going somewhere formal such as Murano, do we risk creating a stilted or strained atmosphere, or could this be advantageous if there are various areas of discussions that your client wants to avoid?

Whatever the restaurant you decide on, one of the main meal components must be a tipple!  It sounds simple, but ensuring that a journalist is offered a drink, (frequently and repeatedly) is, according to some, the most important rule of PR lunch etiquette.

But be sure to do some research into the journalist’s preferences beforehand. The more you know about them already, the better the lunch and the conversation can be. In short, making sure that the journalist has a good time will help you to strengthen your professional relationship, as well as help them get the story they need

If you have any favourite restaurants or tips, be sure to leave a comment.

Photo graciously borrowed from Locals Night Out

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