Ghost writing for Newsletters
I GHOST-WROTE the newsletter copy below over several years.
It represents just ONE HALF of the posts I wrote for this ONE CLIENT.
The newsletters were distributed to thousands of Managers, Executives, Politicians-including a dozen Senators, and MBA students at Harvard Law School.
The copy was used in Newsletters, Blogs, Twitter, LinkedIn, YT, & Facebook.
Each piece was posted individually on Social Media, and also emailed in newsletters to thousands of subscribers.
For technical reasons it’s not possible show you the EMAIL format.
NOTE: MOST of the LINKS no longer work.
I also decommissioned most of the imagery so it’s not so bulky.
Please keep in mind,
the VOICE is the CLIENT’s,
and not necessarily my view.
February 2016
1.) A PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN UNLIKE ANY OTHER
Donald Trump calls Ted Cruz a liar and Ted Cruz accuses Donald Trump of throwing “Trumper Tantrums” (Try saying that ten times).
The GOP contest started off as a mutual admiration society, but when the Iowa caucus drilled down to a Trump-Cruz contest, the gloves came off. Indeed, the language used in the Republican campaign has been highly inflammatory and most un-presidential. We hear gems like; “They’ve been wearing this political correctness kinda like a suicide vest.” and “I have never seen a thin person drinking Diet Coke.”
Do you know who said what?
Check out these links to find out . . .
Trump’s Outrageous Quotes
http://goo.gl/AxJIP4
Palin’s Speech re Endorsement of Trump (video)
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2.) IF IT QUACKS LIKE A DUCK
Hillary Clinton ought to be careful what she asks for. The presidential candidate told supporters last week they should literally bark like a dog if they hear a Republican candidate tell what Clinton considers to be a lie.
I suspect that now that she has let the dogs out, the GOP will be dogging her on the campaign trail to give her a taste of her own medicine.
Here’s Hillary offering up a sample bark: http://goo.gl/eGRG9R
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3.) KNOWING THE RIGHT THING TO SAY
The U.S. Presidential campaign is now shifting into high gear as politicians ramp up their Town Hall appearances across key states. With every word out of their mouths under a magnifying glass, candidates need to be even more mindful of the impact of what they say and how they say it.
Former GOP presidential candidate Chris Christie snapped at a young woman at a recent event when she asked the New Jersey governor why he wasn’t in his home state cleaning up after the bad storm the state experienced a couple of weeks ago.
After a mini tirade Governor Christie apologized to the mayor of the town that experienced the storm, and for trivializing the seriousness of the crisis.
Christie did not however apologize to the young woman who bravely stood up to politely ask the governor a question. It may not always be easy knowing what the right thing to say is, but at the very least don’t bite people when they ask a question you don’t like, especially when it’s asked in sincerity.
Here’s what Christie said: https://youtu.be/B0F97YcFDJk
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4.) MANAGE YOUR PHYSIOLOGY IN STRESSFUL MOMENTS
Humans are all wired the same way. In nervous moments we experience the release of stress inducing hormones, like cortisol. Within the context of tough questioning during a media interview we put ourselves on high alert as we teeter on the precipice of the “fight or flight” syndrome.
Whether we realize it, in those situations we ask ourselves “Do I stay here and answer the question, do I run, or do I freeze?” Recognizing we have no choice but to answer the question, our sole objective in that instant becomes survival, saying to ourselves, “Please get me out of here in one piece.”
When reporters for the TV news show 16 x 9 investigated “Just Energy,” an energy marketing company, they accused the firm of using high pressure sales tactics. The CEO of Just Energy declined interview requests, and instead her co-CEO took her place.
The co-CEO spokesperson looked like a deer in the headlights. In nervous moments, we ether breathe in a shallow upper-chest manner, or we hold our breath. When we hold our breath our hearts start to race and our brains run on fumes. It doesn’t matter how solid your messages – you have to keep breathing while you speak!
Watch how the co-CEO breathes in this encounter with the reporter:
https://youtu.be/g4DQIFWBfO8
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5.) LOOK AND SOUND LIKE YOU MEAN IT
Ahh body language, one of our most powerful communication tools. It defines our confidence and indicates whether or not we can be trusted.
Vladimir Putin watchers attribute his rise to infamy partly on how he holds himself when he walks. Basically, he was trained to walk like a Russian soldier holding a sidearm in his right hand. He struts his stuff in a manner that evokes masculinity and sends a message of always being on guard.
Body language subconsciously manifests itself in many ways, from the slightest micro-twitch around your mouth or eyes when you tell a reporter a lie, to how you walk up to someone and greet them with a handshake. It’s an all-encompassing package that reveals your integrity, or lack thereof.
Most people think they easily hide their emotions, but the reality is that it takes training and practice to conceal your “TELLS.” Good poker players do it well, and so do experienced spokespeople and politicians. Most people however say one thing with their mouths and send an exact opposite message with their hands, heads, bodies, and even feet. With a little practice it’s relatively easy to spot incongruity.
You need to look like you mean what you say and say what you mean.
Drop the ball on any of those facets and you send a mixed message, which means people won’t trust you regardless of the words that leave your lips.
55% of the way your message is interpreted comes from the way you use your body and face, while 38% comes from your voice, tone, texture, and level of conviction. Many people however overdo conviction, so be careful because if you protest too much it sends a message you’re hiding something.
That leaves a measly 7% for people to interpret your message based on your words.
Reporters are well trained to spot a disconnect between what you say and how you look when you say it.
Putin’s Strut and Claim to Fame:
http://goo.gl/OLUBfm
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6.) FACT CHECKING THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES
News reporting budgets have been slashed over the last decade, and fact checking has taken a big hit.
One would wonder then how a news organization can trust spokespeople to tell them the truth. Well the truth is, they can’t and they don’t. It’s a harsh reality that inexperienced and poorly trained, or worse, untrained spokespeople often exaggerate the truth. They think they can sneak something by a beleaguered industry struggling to evolve how they verify a story. Fortunately, the news industry is still paying attention and checking to see if what you tell them adds up. Today however they have a new set of tools to replace the big money once thrown at fact checking.
Fact checking now occurs across a number of social media platforms like blogs, Facebook, and Twitter. Reporters might not be able to dip into the company kitty anymore to pay an intern or young employee to confirm facts, but they can poll their social media feeds to see what’s what, and they do, moment by moment.
If you’re wondering how it works and what type of fact checking is occurring respective of the presidential primaries, check out the NY Times link below and see what the best of the best are doing and how they call out presidential hopefuls as the November 8, 2016 election approaches. You do not want to be on this “Fact Checking” list, and the really bad news is that there are now thousands of lists just like it, not as big, but as powerful. All it takes today is for one person to call your bluff on Twitter and you’re toast.
Click to learn what Trump, Clinton, Sanders, Cruz, & Christie are saying:
http://goo.gl/O44xZk
Twitter Dynamic Fact Checking Feed:
How Eyewitness News Fact Checks Political Ads:
http://goo.gl/cVU7FZ
Fact Checking – A BIG LIST:
Fact- Checking
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7.) WHEN YOUR MOUTH GOES FASTER THAN YOUR BRAIN
Maine Governor Paul LePage put his foot in his mouth so deep recently, it came out the other end. LePage was talking about drug dealers in his state when he made an inappropriate race related comment and then refused to apologize.
TV Host Rachel Maddow knows how to cultivate and elicit juicy sound bites, and the gems she recently plucked from LePage are priceless. Rachel even half apologizes and explains that asking hard questions is what reporters do. Maddow tries hard to get her questions answered, and as you’ll see the governor’s spokespeople tried to turn it around and make the reporter look foolish. Not a good move.
Watch the painful video here: http://goo.gl/NbubSq
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8.) ALGORITHMS WRITE NEWS HEADLINES
Just when you thought it was safe to talk to a reporter, it turns out machines are now writing headlines and giving your words new meaning.
Algorithms can take a headline and automatically turn it into several versions to be used in different mediums and on different websites. The “King of Clickbait” Emerson Spartz, a twenty-eight year-old modern day mini media mogul has the headline market sewn up and is expanding even further across television, radio and print.
Spartz wrote a series of algorithms that parse traditional headlines and then automatically re-writes them in a nanosecond so different versions can be used to target a wide variety of audiences. If you think you can ignore Spartz, good luck, because his sites attract 50 million hits every month, which is considerably more than newspapers even dream.
If you’re interested in what compels someone to read a headline, check out the link below; for example, if a headline induces anger in the reader it can generate a very high response.
Learn more here: http://goo.gl/LkjrSy
Is it Clickbait, Trickbait or Sharebait: https://goo.gl/CRWO4w
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9.) NEWSPAPERS CLOSE COMMENT FEATURE
Comment sections of news companies are a problem for the industry on a number of levels. News companies report they are closing comment sections because of “vitriol, foul language, and racism” among other things.
What they fail to say however is that people in comment sections often correct overworked reporters, and usually not so nicely, but more importantly, they sometimes criticize the news company’s advertisers. As you can imagine, a business that counts on making a profit cannot afford to have their benefactors upset, so the easy solution is to kill the comment section.
Many online companies manage comment sections without too much problem. For example, they don’t allow personal attacks, racism, or even posting off topic. Quite often the comment section is also tacitly co-moderated by the people making the comments. Technology allows comments to be voted upon, liked, and even reported for infractions of the site.
Yes, it costs money to moderate comment sections, but news companies truly committed to telling a balanced story feel it is worth the investment.
There is little merit to the argument that comment sections cannot be moderated cost effectively, because many companies do it successfully daily. They don’t however have to mollify advertisers. Follow the money.
Here’s the Toronto Star’s take on why they closed commenting:
http://goo.gl/qGw5yq
Here’s what the Globe & Mail has to say about the Star closing comments:
http://goo.gl/dG1ZPE
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10.) STALKING SPOKESPEOPLE
If you ever wondered how tenacious an investigative reporter can be, take a look at how one of the fastest growing pure-play online news companies, BuzzFeed, finds new reporters. Here’s a quote; “I made the decision I was just going to hire great reporters who would sniff out amazing stories,” Schoofs said. “Who would basically go out to the Serengeti, kill the game and drag it back.”
When reporters like this show up at your door you better know exactly what you’re talking about and how to get your message across effectively, because journalists like this won’t stop until they take down the story lined up in their sights.
Read more about Buzzfeed’s, Mark Schoofs: http://goo.gl/siJt9M
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11.) SPIN – HATE IT OR LOVE IT
Spin is a term I’m not too crazy about it because for me and many others it implies the manipulation of information.
Spin is nothing new though and has been around for a very long time, especially in the political arena. When we think of spin we often think of old time snake oil salesmen travelling from town to town hawking potions.
Today however, politicians use spin to procure votes.
Here’s how they do it, and why: http://goo.gl/r9rP9d
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October 2015
1.) THE POWER OF OPTICS
Donald Trump is getting away with his caustic comments because he doesn’t care what media report. Just about all politicians live and die by media coverage, but not Trump. He’s thriving in it because he’s ignoring what social media says about him. While most politicians cower in the wake of a social media onslaught – it only makes Trump stronger. Social media pundits and reporters alike know they’re not getting to Trump and it galls them.
If anyone but Trump had launched this type of campaign they’d be long gone long ago.
Everyone knows that the only reason he’s lasted so long is because of his wealth, and also because his political incorrectness is seen by many as a breath of fresh air – as nonsensical as some of his comments have been.
Canada’s newly elected prime minister, Justin Trudeau proved more adept than his competitors when it came to appreciating the power of optics. Globe and Mail TV reporter John Doyle quotes one political type saying “Skillful use of images for TV news can be as persuasive as TV ads . . .”
Read the story here . . . http://goo.gl/6cTXE3
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2.) NEWS MEDIA STILL GET BIG STORIES WRONG
“Never before in history has more information been available to more people, but at the same time, never before has more bad information been available to more people,” Scott Pelley CBS Evening News.
One would think that with all the access reporters have to social media and communication tools the accuracy of news reporting would improve.
Unfortunately, it is even more important today for spokespeople to communicate clearly because the process of news reporting is becoming more complex. Newsroom budgets are being radically cut, which means fact checking has suffered as has the amount of time a journalist spends on a story. It all means considerably less accuracy.
On the other hand, if, as a spokesperson you are able to communicate to a reporter more clearly, the odds of your message being reported in the manner you need rises dramatically. When you look or sound like you’re stumbling and unsure of your message you invite trouble from a frazzled newsroom.
Though Pelley made his comments a couple of years ago, they are even more relevant today.
Read the story here . . . http://goo.gl/gTmo4o
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3.) SHOOTING OFF YOUR MOUTH
When Maine Governor Paul LePage joked about shooting a cartoonist he missed the target and instead shot himself in the foot. Comedy, no matter how well intended is very difficult to pull off. It takes a lot of skill to be funny, but if your joke is caustic in any way you can almost guarantee it will backfire.
Gov. LePage was speaking to a group of teenagers, and one of the teenagers in the crowd was the son of the cartoonist LePage joked about shooting. The man he targeted was political cartoonist, George Danby. LePage made it worse by not immediately apologizing for his errant tongue, and in fact further insulted Danby and his son by reiterating he disliked the cartoonist.
Sometimes you just have to know when to quit shooting your mouth off. It sounds easy, but in the heat of the moment emotions take over and inexperienced and untrained spokespeople often react badly.
Read the story here . . . http://goo.gl/VBlcLD
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4.) WORST JOB OF 2015 – REPORTER!?!
According to CareerCast, the Worst Job Award of 2015 goes to “REPORTER”.
As for why, well, their Growth Outlook falls deeply in the minus category and the pay is almost as dire. The job is fun, but the economic prospects are grim.
Reporters today work under increasing levels of stress, from lack of support from employers, to disrespect from the people they cover in stories. As the economy shifts and news companies feel the impact, journalists become more frustrated. Reporters with experience have heard it all, so if you are a spokesperson you had better have your story and delivery straight before you say even a single word. Reporters are not in the mood these days to deal with amateurs.
Read the story here . . . http://goo.gl/DEDiw1
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5.) SHOOTING THE MESSENGER
When a hospital didn’t like the way the local newspaper reported stories about their executives, the health facility stopped selling the newspaper in their gift shops and delivering it to patients. The boycott was viewed by many as vindictive and brought even more attention to the hospital’s questionable track record.
The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center reacted to criticism by shooting the messenger instead of investigating how they manage their facility. Going head to head with news media is always a losing proposition, yet, in all their wisdom it is exactly what happened at the hospital.
The Pittsburgh Post Gazette even published an article describing why they were critical of the UPMC, and then went one step further to describe why the protest was futile when they wrote, to “wage a war on media instead of investing more heavily in public trust.” Their readers got it, and the UPMC suffered even more damage.
Read the story here . . . http://goo.gl/EW4K8E
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6.) DESPERATE REPORTERS OVER EAGER
When the pressure is on it seems people make bad decisions, including reporters. Getting the story at any cost has been a common complaint heard around the world for many years, but recently the severity and frequency of complaints has increased considerably. Reporters are frustrated for a number of reasons and in order to protect their jobs and remain competitive they go to great lengths to break a story, including breaking the law.
In Nevada recently, reporters broke into a TESLA battery factory, and when confronted by employees who called the police, the reporters jumped in their car to run and hit an employee with their vehicle as they escaped.
Read the story here . . . http://goo.gl/hgZ6Xt
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7.) JOURNALISTS USE SECRET-SHARING APPS
If you thought it was hard to hide information from a reporter in the past, it’s almost impossible today thanks to technology like Whisper and Secret. (Since the original article below was published, the creator of Secret has shut the app down.)
Whisper however still prowls the internet looking for and verifying information that could be posted by anyone, even anonymous sources. Think of apps like this like a dog’s nose. Once a reporter is on a scent, it doesn’t take much to reverse engineer what often mounts to gossip and build a case for the story. Finding the secret is the hard part. Proving it is relatively easy considering social media is so pervasive and that many people, especially your competitors, are often willing to talk to reporters.
It’s never been a good idea to be less than honest with a reporter, but today it is even more important to be able to relate your story in a way that convinces them your version is the accurate version.
Read the original article here . . . http://goo.gl/SMVmJD
Why Secret was Shut Down . . . http://goo.gl/IgNF3J
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8.) TWITTER NOW CURATES NEWS . . . EXTRA EXTRA
Twitter just moved a big step closer to doing what newspapers “used” to do for readers. Twitter now has a feature that curates tweets for you, which means if you want to follow a story you simply hit the little thunderbolt icon and the story rolls out automatically. No more having to follow specific users to track breaking news. Basically, it’s instant news at your fingertips, any day and any time. Only available in the U.S. for now.
EXTRA EXTRA READ ALL ABOUT IT!
Read the story here . . . http://goo.gl/MIEJqA
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9.) AMATEUR SPOKESPERSON vs PRO REPORTER
If you’ve ever wondered how easily a professional reporter can goad an amateur spokesperson into losing emotional control, look no further than this video.
When a political supporter is asked by reporters why a politician lied, the spokesperson, who is merely a supporter and not even an official spokesperson, accuses the reporter of illegal activities and becomes so angry he spews out a stream of expletives.
The reporter remains calm and gives the guy enough rope to hang himself and prove her point. WARNING: strong language
Watch the video here . . . https://youtu.be/Qv6Pq5nNjN4
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10.) PRO SPOKESPERSON vs PRO REPORTER
If you’ve ever wondered how a well trained spokesperson handles a tenacious reporter, check out this video of Seattle Seahawks star player Richard Sherman going head to head in a media scrum.
Sherman stayed cool, calm and collected throughout the entire exchange. He maintained his own in the interview, and when he was satisfied the reporter had nothing left to say, he dismissed her and moved on to the next reporter without missing a beat.
Media training as well as experience gives spokespeople confidence to get their message across in a manner that leaves them and their company looking good.
Watch the Video here . . . https://youtu.be/7F8pO-n0TU8
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11.) SEARCHING FOR HEADLINES
There is no doubt the dynamics of the news industry have changed radically in the last five years as a result of search engines and social media sites.
News is the same, the difference however is how it is distributed. Music and books went through the same evolution news is now facing.
The challenge for public speakers and spokespeople is that anyone can now Google your name, your company name, and/or a related topic and instantly see a cross section of what a large group of people think about you, right or wrong.
Some feel there’s direct competition between search engines and news companies, but when you look closely you’ll see subtle differences that constitute a paradigm shift. The Gutenberg Press was invented 600 years ago, and for almost this entire time news was based largely on a print model. The old saying of “never argue with a someone who buys ink by the barrel” has evolved to become “If you’re going to argue make sure you know how to do it and what you’re talking about, because we all now have one click access to social media headlines, some of which we write ourselves.”
When Jeff Bezos, Amazon founder, bought the Washington Post, the doctrine of news distribution as we know it, once again began to change. Throughout history we’ve mistakenly thought technology would make our lives easier. All it’s done is make it more complex.
Read the story here . . . http://goo.gl/TzS6yk
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March 2015
1.) GROUP POLARIZATION & JOURNALISM
A new interpretation of an old phenomenon is occurring online and having a considerable impact on the news business.
It’s called “group polarization,” and even though it is a well-recognized socio-psychological occurrence, we see it more often recently due to fast response times of news information distributed through social media networks. For example the recent crazy controversy over the wedding dress being white and gold, or blue and black illustrates how group polarization impacts what news consumers think about an object or story.
Granted, the colour of a dress is not news, but the story did go viral on large news networks, which by default means it was in some form, news. The story started when it was innocently posted on Tumblr and an argument began between friends that escalated to include celebrities like Mia Farrow, Julianne Moore, and Taylor Swift to name a few. Gawker picked it up and it went viral causing major news networks to feed the fire using it as “Click Bait.”
Why is this phenomenon important to spokespeople? Well, imagine if it wasn’t a dress color going viral, but instead information a spokesperson told a reporter that was open to interpretation.
Fact checking today is a challenge for many newsrooms in their scramble to get a story online before the competition. It’s one reason stories like this go viral at all, and also at a rate much faster than just a few years ago.
As defined on Wikipedia: “In social psychology, group polarization refers to the tendency for groups to make decisions that are more extreme than the initial inclination of its members.”
Consequently, as a spokesperson, you need to be very confident of the words that leave your lips, because it doesn’t take much today for seemingly nothing to be blown into a headline with your name in bold type.
The Dress Story – As Reported by FOX – http://goo.gl/UGhfdA
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2.) TWITTER – A REPORTER’S MOST VALUED TOOL
Twitter has quickly grown to become “the most valuable research tool” for reporters around the world. It is used daily by local news reporters and international investigative journalists alike.
In conjunction with other online tools like Google Maps, reporters can check facts in mere minutes without picking up a phone or leaving their desks.
Challenges reporters reluctantly face today are; budgets drastically reduced, newsrooms shrinking, and resources disappearing that were relied upon in the past to ensure stories were accurate. Reporters have less time and money, but are expected to do and deliver more.
It’s a very difficult position for experienced reporters in this new online world. The “legacy” reporters who survive are those who tirelessly embrace change. New journalists on the other hand, those fresh out of journo-school, have an easier time because they are more familiar with all the new tools, and they have fresh minds uncluttered by industry politics, not to mention less of a life investment in their careers.
Twitter allows reporters to either break news immediately if they are on the scene, or use it as a real-time research tool to uncover more details. Being fluent in Twitter and knowing where to look for fast moving information is the secret. It’s similar to a spokesperson responding to a crisis. It’s too late to learn the language after the plane crashes or the building collapses.
Spokespeople, just like reporters need to respond immediately and to know how to use the tools at hand.
Reporter Markham Nolan explains in detail during a TED Talk how he fact checked obscure details in a story about a lightning strike at a woman’s home. If a reporter takes the time to check such a benign story, just imagine what they check when lives are at stake.
TED – How Reporters Today Separate Fact from Fiction – http://goo.gl/VUiZBw
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4.) RIP DAVID CARR 1957-2015
One of the most feared, loved, hated, cantankerous, and respected reporters of all time recently died, and when he did an era passed with him.
If you want a feel for what it’s like to be interviewed by a NY Times journalist with fierce tenacity, and how difficult it is to face his questions, stare, and fingers hammering on his laptop as you speak, watch this video.
Carr is interviewing executives from VICE magazine, also an aggressive news company with a well-known reputation.
Correction, “interviewing” is too light a word. “Confronting” is more accurate.
If there was ever a “Reporter Bites Dog” story, it would be about Carr.
A word of warning, video contains STRONG LANGUAGE – http://goo.gl/0YBbi2
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5.) FIVE FACTS ABOUT THE NEWS
One would think that with all this technology floating around life would be easier for spokespersons and reporters. Unfortunately, the exact opposite is true. We live in uncertain times of explosive change.
More and more reporters are being laid off and newsrooms are closing every day, which makes the survivors’ jobs harder, and their collective patience testier.
Advertising revenue, which supports newspaper operations is quickly eroding meaning less money to spend on fact checking and investigations. Shoot from the hip is the norm, and no longer the exception. Limited funds have caused newsrooms to share resources and stories, which means the headline that disparages your reputation or company gets the cookie cutter treatment faster than you can respond with “WHERE?” to a Tweet about “FREE ICE CREAM!” The fight for revenue makes newsrooms desperate, and when they get pushed to the wall frustration trickles down to their targets – YOU!
According to PEW Research, it wasn’t easy for news companies in 2014 and it’s not going to get any easier this year either.
Five Facts About the News – http://goo.gl/aBuwkc
FULL Story – PEW Research State of News Media – http://goo.gl/TXM5oH
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6.) CRISIS? WHAT CRISIS? WHAT!?
No one predicted the BP Oil Spill in the Gulf, or the train derailment in Quebec, but tragedies like these spontaneously combust regularly.
We all know how it works, yet many people ignore the inevitable until it smacks them in the forehead. It’s human nature to procrastinate and pretend nothing will ever go wrong, and you often hear of people having to “Hit The Wall” before they do something about it.
Why are we like this? Well, some feel it’s because we naturally operate in positive mode because we think it is unhealthy to live in a negative atmosphere always fearing catastrophe. It might be a good philosophy for one’s personal life, but in the business world it’s called denial.
The reasons and solutions are too complicated to address in a newsletter, so if you want to be proactive, or, worst case scenario, if you wake up one day and suddenly find yourself splashed in the headlines and behind a Media Crisis 8 Ball, call us immediately.
There are however preemptive strategies you can take, and we have a program designed for exactly this type of incident. At the very least we can give you advice so the “HIT” to your reputation and share price are mitigated.
Sometimes you need a high energy media skills workout and a condensed program to quickly get you up to speed as a crisis builds, or even if you have an interview with a reporter scheduled in a day or so making you a bit apprehensive.
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7.) PERISCOPE IS A GAME CHANGER FOR NEWS
Every now and then something comes along that has such impact it spawns a paradigm shift. A new app called Periscope promises to drive that type of change.
It’s quite simple – like many great ideas, and easy to use, which makes it very powerful. If it does in fact catch on it will change forever how consumers get their news and how reporters send it.
Periscope, with one click, streams video directly from your phone to ALL of your Twitter followers. Think about it for a second.
You’re walking down the street and a train derails a block away causing a catastrophic crash. You take out your phone, click one button and your video stream shows your Twitter followers a crisis-in-the-making. All they have to do is watch as you report. You see the train’s engineer stumble out so you go to him and ask “What happened?” In shock, he blurts out, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I was drinking with friends earlier and fell asleep at the controls.”
Or . . . you could just as easily be in a downtown elevator when a controversial politician or executive steps in. You slip out your phone and in your best investigative reporter voice ask why her actions caused an economic crisis.
Periscope not only “one-click” live streams to put a whole new paradigm spin on BREAKING NEWS, it also automatically saves your video recordings.
Here’s a real, live action Periscope NYC crisis http://goo.gl/llOSDK
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May 2014
2.) SENATOR TARGETS NEWSPAPER AS POLLUTER
When news media criticize your political performance and credentials, it’s a high risk move to attack back. Arguing with a media company is dangerous, but it’s exactly what Washington State Senator Don Benton is doing.
Unbelievably, the senator, frustrated that The Columbian newspaper is investigating his business background and job qualifications, is proposing the paper pay a “litter fee” because he claims the newspaper is a polluter by virtue of its physical attribute – paper!
If the regulation is enacted, which is doubtful, it will cost The Columbian $150,000 per year based on their size. Coincidentally, they are the largest news publication in the area and consequently the only newspaper subject to the fee.
I’ve been advising clients for years to not argue with reporters, partially because journalists always have the last word. That advice goes quadruple for an entire news organization, which buys ink by the barrel.
I suspect that people like the senator are head butting news companies more often recently because they watch celebrities do it. The difference is that anyone with a celebrity following usually has a large social media community, a posse that loves them and hangs off their every word. Most CEOs and politicians don’t fit that profile.
The reality is that if you’re not Donald Trump or Quentin Tarantino, trying to punish a news company is not a good idea.
Read more; http://bit.ly/1gla2Yc
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3.) WHAT’S ON A REPORTER’S MIND? SURVEY SAYS – NEGATIVITY
Indiana University recently interviewed 1,080 journalists and discovered 60% feel the news industry is going in the wrong direction. 10% claim hasty reporting is negatively impacting their business. The survey, entitled, “American Journalism in a Digital Age” raised a lot of eyebrows when 19% of reporters claimed they were somewhat dissatisfied with their jobs. Job satisfaction is at an all-time low, which means the reporter speaking to you from the other side of the camera or phone might have a chip on his or her shoulder.
The survey did report some positives though, like the fact reporters use social media more frequently. If you know anything about Twitter and Facebook though, you also know that in times of company crisis, social media can have a harmful influence on a spokesperson’s and company’s reputation.
Even though most reporters now use social media to monitor breaking news, what’s good for a reporter is not necessarily good for spokespeople.
You can see the survey here (PDF); http://bit.ly/1gB7Hmp
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4.) COMPANY REPUTATION IS TIED TO ITS VALUE COMPASS
When you work with animals, and your company is caught abusing animals, the right course of action is to consult your Value Compass to help you conceive and deliver a genuine and appropriate response.
Ask yourself, what’s the right thing to do?
A Watershed Watch Salmon Society news team taped commercial fishing crew members kicking salmon across the deck of their CANFISCO fishing boat.
Asked to respond, CANFISCO Senior VP Rob Morely said to reporter Larry Pynn, “Obviously, there are always a few bad actors.”
Remember, when bad news happens on your watch, you have to be the one most upset about it. Shifting blame to employees speaks volumes about your company’s culture and ethics.
Even though the video shows CANFISCO employees allegedly abusing wildlife, Morely also stated, “We don’t condone those activities and advise all our skippers to ensure they try to return all by-catch . . . with the least possible harm.”
Unfortunately, for the public, especially consumers of your brand, “try” isn’t good enough. If you want to win back respect, your customers need to feel confident you will succeed.
Morely continued to defend his company’s actions by stating the video “is very selective and not representative of what the majority of the fleet are doing.”
If you blame your employees, or your industry, you’re dead in the water.
Watch the video; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSLAELBaakg
Read the Vancouver Sun report by Larry Pynn; http://bit.ly/1ux8rSw
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5.) TARGET CEO MITIGATES SHARE PRICE LOSS DURING CRISIS
Target stores suffered a serious breach of confidential customer information recently. Shortly after the crisis made headlines, CEO Gregg Steinhafel told reporters, “Target won’t be defined by the breach, but how we handle the breach.” He was only partly right, and consequently, the part where he was wrong, cost him his position.
More than 40 million Target customers had credit cards compromised, and over 70 million had personal information stolen. When the dust settled, Target’s share price edged higher than experts expected relative to quarterly losses predicted by those same experts many months before the breach. Target still lost market share, but as a result of Steinhafel’s skillful handling of media during the crisis, and how he insisted on transparency, PR practitioners claimed the drop in share value wasn’t as bad as it could have been. Concern without action is meaningless yip yap.
The loss wasn’t as severe in part because during the crisis Steinhafel promoted transparency when media broke the story and backed it up by providing customers with free “identity theft” insurance. He also wisely launched a public review of corporate policy respective of Target employees and technology.
In the end however, Steinhafel still lost his job. Without question though, he lessened damage to share prices through expert handling of news media, the mark of an effective and trained spokesperson.
Read more at Quest; http://bit.ly/1nG9RIV
Read more at Bloomberg News; http://bloom.bg/SZbDZe
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6.) REPORTERS TODAY TOO OFTEN SIMPLY REPEAT PRESS RELEASES
Reporters are so overworked that in increasing frequency they simply repeat information another reporter copied from a press release. To make matters worse, the reporter starting the chain of events is often so busy they sometimes don’t get the initial details right. It’s like the party game “Broken Telephone” where one person whispers something to the person next to them, and so on until it goes full circle ending up with a completely different message.
Considering it is usually a spokesperson who speaks the first word, any resulting misinformation can undermine a company’s reputation and a spokesperson’s career.
No one wakes up in the morning planning to publish inaccurate information, but when a reporter is being pressured by her boss to meet deadlines, plus has to learn how to use new video editing software on her own time, tweet ten times a day, and also check Facebook accounts, well, details get overlooked.
A good example is the story of PalCohol – powdered alcohol. Yes, you read it right, dehydrated alcohol, just add water and shake, not stir.
The Huffington Post story here http://huff.to/1ipWohw alleges the manufacturer is misleading readers by changing information on the PalCoHol website to make media look bad.
Follow the links below to decide for yourself.
Mashable; http://mashable.com/2014/04/21/palcohol/
Toronto Star; http://on.thestar.com/1g49aGU
USA Today: http://usat.ly/1iJyZqv
Palcohol.com; http://www.palcohol.com/
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7.) IS IT A NEW FORM OF NEWS REPORTING, OR ADVERTISING?
Games developer Vice Media has moved news into brand new territory.
AdWeek stated “It’s a news report . . . except it’s also an ad!”
It’s also history in the making and a process spokespeople would do well to understand. If you thought news media was complex before, it just became exponentially more convoluted.
Basically, Vice Media produced a video that uses real celebrity characters, like a voiceover by Kevin Spacey, and also respected military and intelligence sources to report in a news-like setting about current affairs with the sole intent of selling digital games. The second twist is that some of the news sources claim they didn’t know they were being interviewed as part of a game-advertising strategy. They assumed they were being interviewed for a news story.
When a reporter calls, always ask what the story is about and where it will be used. If you can, get their contact info and call them back. It gives you an opportunity to do a little research and get your mind into the right space.
When you watch the video it’s hard to distinguish fact from fantasy. Segues are so smooth the viewer is moved from the real world, with authentic and serious concerns, into a Black Ops game ad trailed out at the end.
Watch the “Call of Duty” video and envision seeing it on 60 Minutes. The production values and news format make it look real, and it is, except it’s an ad. Call of Duty is a game, not a news report.
Check out this link for an overview of the process; http://bit.ly/1opAimc
The AdWeek article; http://bit.ly/RCTpvp
Related Political Content Use from CBC; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHzWccOtzVg
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8.) DONALD STERLING LASHES OUT AT MAGIC JOHNSON
It continues to go from bad to worse for Donald Sterling. When you fall into quicksand you shouldn’t flail. It’s time to calm your inner voice.
It takes knowledge and stamina to find your equilibrium during a crisis, and the more you are prepared to handle adversity, the better you will perform when cameras are thrust in your face.
In an effort to defend his racist remarks, Sterling criticized Magic Johnson as well as media in general. A good lesson to take away from this three ring circus is that the last thing you want to do is try to deflect your mistake by blaming others for your actions, especially news media.
Sterling’s estranged wife suspects he has early onset dementia, and so do members of the medical profession, which would partially explain his initial comments and reaction. Dementia is a devastating illness that slowly creeps into one’s life, many times without the person or their loved ones realizing what is happening.
ABC news produced an interesting string of videos that even if you are already weary of the story, is worth watching; http://abcn.ws/RNQjVv
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9.) GOTCHA JOURNALISM GETS JOHN KERRY
If you think reporters will give you a warning about whether the words you speak will be published or broadcast, think again. Don’t be lulled into complacency thinking you are speaking off the record. Everything you say, can, and will, be used against you, somewhere, sometime, and somehow.
Secretary of State John Kerry learned the hard way at what he thought was a private function. Josh Rogin, reporting freelance for the Daily Beast, a digital news site with 17 million visitors each month, snuck into a supposedly secure and private gathering of influential world leaders. Rogin wasn’t invited and he didn’t register, which means he wasn’t legally tied to the same privacy restrictions as other media attendees.
Rogin asked Kerry what he thought about Russia, and within minutes the politician’s controversial quote was on the Daily Beast while Rogin and Kerry were still at the event within eyeshot of each other! No editing, and no time delay. Welcome to the smartphone age of news reporting. No sooner done than said.
Kerry also told Rogin that if Israel doesn’t make peace soon, it could become “an apartheid state like South Africa”. GOTCHA! AGAIN! and that one really hurt.
An overview from Politico; http://politi.co/1mVWkcv
The misguided Israel Apartheid Sound Bite; http://thebea.st/QGflos
On a related note; The NY Times, The Toronto Star, and Reuters automatically upload pictures immediately to their website as soon as photographs are taken in the field. Sometimes the pictures even beat reporters’ tweets, which means spokespeople are at more of a disadvantage than ever.
Spokespersons not only need to know how to deliver messages effectively, but they also have to remember there is always a camera around.
NY Times Photo Streaming Backpack; http://bit.ly/QJbuqE
Toronto Star Photo Streaming AWAC Unit: http://bit.ly/1mrc6ha
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10.) TO BUY OR NOT TO BUY
It’s a slippery slope when news companies pay for news. Doing so often relegates a respected media company to the tabloid heap, but not so when the news you’re buying is connected to notorious Toronto mayor, Rob Ford.
The Globe & Mail paid a whopping $10,000 for four pictures of Ford being bad, and they were happy to do it. GAWKER Media however, the digital news company that broke the FORD crisis way back, through very slick finagling, got the pictures for free.
Some consider the images overkill for a story of a man with severe addictions who bumps from one self created disaster to another. When a person holds such a high ranking public office, most of us assume there is some semblance of personal control, but clearly with Rob Ford it’s not the case. He is an unrestrained addict now in rehab, who, optimistically, will get better.
Hopefully, from this point forward news about the mayor will be more positive.
Here’s how GAWKER got the pictures for free; http://bit.ly/1glbN7A
Checkbook Journalism; http://abt.cm/QGfwQH
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11.) RAPID MEDIA INDUSTRY CHANGE IMPACTS SPOKESPEOPLE TOO
The startling ousting of New York Times Executive Editor Jill Abramson is just one sign of news industry executives struggling to manage change. In an internal report obtained by digital news company BuzzFeed, it was revealed the newspaper, like every traditional news media company, is having a challenging time adapting to the fact consumers now get most of their news from social media, and not the company’s website homepage.
The nexus today is no longer the front page.
The crisis headline everyone fears, is now digital, not paper based.
It’s not bad news though, because most of the big media players also have very good social media strategies. The twist however is that if you’re a senior media executive, and you can’t, or refuse to keep up with the change you might wake up one morning to find yourself out of work.
All this rapid change is also hard on traditional spokespeople who have to figure out how the PUSH has transformed to the PULL. It’s not as challenging for younger up-and-comers because they eat, live, and breathe through smartphones, but it is still relatively difficult for anyone responsible for managing their company’s reputation, because of the transformation.
Everyone, young and old has to figure out how to ride this evolving beast.
It was a long time coming, but media executives are finally admitting to and saying the word DISRUPTIVE out loud.
These links will help you figure out the push from the pull.
The Homepage is Dead! http://bit.ly/1varIcU
The BuzzFeed Business Spin; http://bzfd.it/1nT5ibT
Leaked NY Times Internal Report; http://bit.ly/RGIJvv
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January 2014
1.) I AM NOT A BULLY
Abrasive, argumentative, rude, dismissive, insulting . . .
No, I’m not talking about Toronto Mayor Rob Ford. I’m referring to New Jersey Governor Chris Christie who remains knee deep in the George Washington Bridge scandal that threatens his presidential aspirations.
Forced to confront allegations that the closure of the bridge was to punish the mayor of Fort Lee, Christie blurted, “I am not a bully.”
You don’t need a journalism degree to know that sound bite is headline material.
http://ti.me/L5xGZC
At the best of times, Christie is “in your face.”
Mother Jones magazine features nine videos showing the governor in action.
http://bit.ly/1ap2vSG
How would you like to be on the receiving end of his barbs? Media observer Howard Kurtz said, [Chris Christie] “has walked a fine line between being a smartass and being a jackass.” http://fxn.ws/1a7m04k
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4.) STOCK TRADERS BUY & SELL BASED ON HEADLINES
According to an article in Business Insider, stock market traders, who have tremendous sway over the share price of a company, will make a buy/sell decision that will raise or lower a company’s stock price simply because of what the trader read in the headline of a newspaper.
Stock traders claim they often do not have time to read the entire article before they make a decision to buy or sell stocks. They claim the market moves so fast, that in order to do their jobs, traders have to shoot from the hip before they have all the information.
What’s more, the time of day the trader reads the headline has an impact on how they will react and how their buy/sell decision will impact the market.
Consequently, headlines that appear late in the day can cause trading action in one time zone that cannot be addressed or counterbalanced in another time zone where trading has closed for the day.
Considering this, it means a reporter and editors have the power to “move” the stock market based on what a company spokesperson says. This alone is enough to underscore how critical it is for a spokesperson to be an effective communicator when speaking with reporters and also analysts.
To make matters worse, media companies like Bloomberg pay reporters bonuses when the stories they publish “move the market”. Yes, you read that right.
News companies give financial incentive to reporters and their editors to investigate and report stories that will affect how stocks are traded and how share prices are impacted relative to those trades.
You can learn more here; http://read.bi/Kjjfk6
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5.) TRANSFORMERS MOVIE DIRECTOR HAS 3D TECH MELTDOWN
Some people believe public speaking causes more fear for people than death, but you don’t expect a Hollywood player like Michael Bay, who directed movies like Transformers and Armageddon, to succumb to stage fright and walk off stage in front of thousands of guests at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
A malfunctioning teleprompter caused the illustrious director to flee when it failed to work during his presentation about Samsung’s curved 3D TV screen.
It’s a perfect example of how important it is for public speakers to be ready for just about any potential disruption, and to be able to communicate with agility.
Why does our mind go blank in nervous moments and our mouth dry up like the Sahara? Why do we panic and freeze?
There is a complex physiological reason, which I discuss in detail during my media training sessions, but for this newsletter, here’s a quick tip to help you avoid this nightmare that happens to untrained spokespeople and presenters who are unprepared.
First, you need to breathe. In anxious moments people naturally hold their breath. I often suggest that spokespeople and presenters write the word breathe on each page of their notes to remind themselves NOT to hold their breath.
Michael Bay Walks Off CES Stage; http://youtu.be/_tqRyzTvNKE
Bay Blogs about the CES Incident; http://bit.ly/1kCgX08
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6.) WHOM DO WE TRUST THE MOST? SEEMS IT’S NURSES!
According to Gallup, 82% of people trust nurses, as opposed to only 6% who trust lobbyists.
Unfortunately, the people who have so much influence over your credibility, and/or your company’s share price, namely, newspaper and TV reporters, garner only about 21% of the publics’ trust.
Trust is comprised of many layers. It has been my personal experience that most reporters are ethical and trustworthy. The problem most often lies in spokespeople not understanding how the news media industry works, in combination with not having the skills to communicate effectively with journalists. Reporters quite often simply report what you tell them. It’s up to the spokesperson to be accurate and present their position articulately.
Always remember, the words out of your mouth form the first draft of the story.
In general, the public erroneously believes reporters need to tell their story better, but I would argue that spokespeople need to tell their story better. The onus is on the person providing the information.
Toronto mayor Rob Ford is a good example of someone who blames news media.
Don’t shoot the messenger.
Gallup Poll – http://bit.ly/1aoOgKi
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8.) EMERGING NEWS PLATFORMS
It’s hard to keep up these days with all the different places we can now go to find news, and one of those places, Buzzfeed, voted by Time as one of the Best Top 50 Websites in 2012, is now a very serious contender in delivering news.
Buzzfeed, a pure play social media platform, has different ideas compared to mainstream news companies about what is important regarding collecting and distributing news. Buzzfeed’s web traffic more than quadrupled in 2013 and the company is forecasting revenues in the 120 million dollar range for 2014.
AdWeek recently interviewed Jonah Peretti, Buzzfeed’s CEO and HOT LIST Digital Editor of the Year, to find out what he thinks about the news industry. Peretti singled out Facebook and Twitter as very important news resources because they connect viewers, and especially reporters, to a wide variety of other media sources.
We live in the “LINK Generation” which directly challenges mainstreams’ philosophy of NOT providing links in their stories because they fear linking will send viewers to a mainstream news companies’ competitors. It’s outdated thinking.
Digital news companies like Buzzfeed do not have link fear. They instead promote a “disruptive” news model, which is designed to undermine the traditional protectionist philosophy most mainstream news companies still maintain.
Peretti also thinks it is exciting to live in an era in which you can watch TV and simultaneously cruise the internet through your smartphone in real time to collect diverse viewpoints of the story. As trust in reporters slips, news consumers do their own fact checking by comparing notes of what the overall social media community is sharing. This makes it very difficult for spokespeople today because now we can more easily see bias at any level in the news chain.
Peretti feels that how information is shared is as important as the “traditional reporting talent” that mainstream news companies rely upon. In other words, all those skills journalists and editors refined over the years are taking a back seat to the sheer volume of information easily available to news consumers. Peretti thinks it is critical for all reporters, especially his at Buzzfeed, to have a good grasp of technology.
Watch Perretti’s AdWeek interview here; http://bit.ly/1kChnUu
Learn more about the LINK Generation; http://reut.rs/1m66PuV
PEW Research reports that people read digital news online more than they read “print” newspapers. http://bit.ly/1dsPxo0
BuzzFeed Twitter Swarm Golden Globes; http://bit.ly/1cpnUrt
Secret Power of Black Twitter; http://bzfd.it/1a7tswy
REUTERS – Twitter Swarm JPMorgan; http://reut.rs/19uNiRC
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September 2103
1.) COMPANY CHAIRMAN GOES OFF THE RAILS
When a “MMA” train derailed last July in Lac-Mégantic killing almost 50 people, I was in Europe where the horrific tragedy was the lead story on all newscasts. The eyes of the world were on Lac-Mégantic and the infamous train that provided the latest lesson on how NOT to respond in a crisis.
As soon as “MMA Railway” company chairman and spokesperson Edward Burkhardt opened his mouth to media, he, unbelievably, made the situation even worse for his company and career.
To begin with, it took Burkhardt three days to make an official announcement.
Everyone wondered where he was and why it took so long, so by the time he finally showed up people were enraged. Based on his opening statement to media, it’s highly likely he was being coached POST ACCIDENT by crisis experts about what to say and how to say it. Mistake number one was not being prepared for all eventualities, which is what happens to way too many senior executives.
No one ever believes a crisis will happen to them until they see it explode across news media, branded with their logo. It really sinks in when you see your name in headlines.
Bernhardt made so many errors it’s hard to know where to begin;
* He was late to make a media statement – by three days!
* He defended his company before acknowledging the suffering of the victims.
* He complained how hard it was for him and his company.
* He issued orders to news media about how to ask him questions.
* He admitted he did not know what he was doing.
* He mentioned his insurance company right off the top.
* He was disingenuous throughout and at times elicited a half smile and shrug.
* He stated; “we had a reasonable safety record up until Saturday and then we blew it all.”
* He blamed “industry practice,” which implied his company did nothing wrong.
* He speculated they wouldn’t find hard evidence about what went wrong.
* He speculated his employee did NOT follow company policy.
Watch the MMA media scrum on CBC
http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/ID/2396291179/
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2.) YOUNG GIRL SLAYS MEAN OGRE
14 year old Rachel Parent went toe to toe with the very aggressive interviewer, Kevin O’Leary, and came out on top! O’Leary is the financial mogul who appears on TV shows “Shark Tank” in the U.S., and “Dragon’s Den” in Canada. He is known for being an arrogant and rude bully. The exchange between O’Leary and Parent demonstrated clearly that, regardless of the challenge, if you know what you’re doing you can get your point across effectively and win over an audience.
Parent is a teen food activist who promotes healthy eating habits. During her fifteen minute interview Parent did not let O’Leary control the subject matter and refused to engage in hypothetical debate. Further, she ignored his attacks and insults against her personal character. Clearly, she was familiar with his style, and knew what she wanted to accomplish.
Young Parent, is somewhat of a natural speaker, but if you watch her carefully you’ll see very sophisticated media strategies she learned in her short time as a food activist spokesperson.
Watch Parent slay the mean ogre http://www.ragan.com/Main/Articles/47147.aspx
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3.) IF AN INTERVIEW ISN’T A CONVERSATION, WHAT IS IT?
Even reporters are subject to the conservative nature of news. Shea Allen, a TV news reporter, published candid confessions on her blog describing experiences she had with people she interviewed, and also blogged about her news company. As a result, she was summarily fired.
Allen fell into the same trap reporters lay for spokespeople every day, except this time she was the architect of her own demise. She made the all too common error of becoming too comfortable with the medium and thought she could use humor to relate to her audience like she would her family and friends. It was a fatal mistake that could turn out the same way for you if you fail to appreciate that talking to a reporter should never be regarded as a casual conversation.
Reporters are experts at lulling you into a false sense of trust. If you feel the interview is going as planned, and especially if you feel relaxed, be on guard for a loaded question that could destroy the reputation of your company, and also your career.
Managing an interview with a reporter is an exercise in careful planning and execution. Performing like a pro in media interviews is a learned skill.
Even a kid can play piano with two fingers, but it takes practice and proficiency to make a Steinway sing.
Here’s the story from NBC News http://www.today.com/video/today/52619485#52619485
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4.) REPORTERS CHARACTERIZED AS MAD SCIENTISTS
Lawyer Mark O’Mara is still blaming news media for helping ruin the life of his client, George Zimmerman, who was recently acquitted in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin.
O’Mara, in a media conference, called reporters “Mad Scientists” and accused them of experimenting with his client’s life and undermining his right to a fair trial.
The outspoken lawyer, using an analogy to compare reporters to surgeons, and to paraphrase said, “news media experimented and operated on his client without using anesthesia, and turned his client into a monster.”
Reporters are trained to take what might be inconsequential information and transform it into controversy. Even though Zimmerman was acquitted, damage to his reputation will remain forever.
Watch the video on YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVC4sdry8Ec
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5.) MATH ADDS UP TO IRS PUBLIC RELATIONS DISASTER
The IRS is no joking matter, so when a lawyer for the “IRS” quipped she wasn’t “good at math” the sound bite immediately started to trend on Twitter. Thousands were livid that a woman, who works for a government agency that bases, and in fact prides itself on mathematical equations, would be so cavalier when she was asked by a reporter to provide a statistic.
Her defense, that she was a lawyer, not an accountant, made the situation even worse.
Once the words leave your mouth you own them, and they own you.
Over 1,000 people commented on the article in the “Washington Post” alone, which means it takes considerably longer to read the comments than it does the article, but many people do.
The takeaway here is that one should not joke with “IRS” agents, or reporters.
If you think you can just show up and babble you’re in for a big shock.
Here’s the story from the “Washington Post” http://tinyurl.com/cukjr9a
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6.) THREE TWEETS AND YOU’RE OUT!
How you react on “Twitter” could be a reflection of how you might react face to face with a reporter. Consequently, if you have a short “Twitter-temper” you need to be especially vigilant when speaking with a journalist.
Ranting on “Twitter,” or to a reporter will often deliver negative results.
Social media is full of TROLLS, who basically, are people that make antagonistic statements simply to throw you off your game. Interestingly, reporters are also highly skilled at knowing how and when to pose questions that catch you by surprise and make you say something you will regret.
Baseball player Ian Stewart of the “Chicago Cubs” went on a “Twitter” rant and ended up getting a ten game suspension. He sent out a barrage of tweets about being sent back to the minors, as well as comments about his manager.
After a fan suggested that Stewart quit, he tweeted, “(sic) why would I quit? I’m making 2 mill in AAA like you would give that up by quitting?”
It was his third strike, and the next day he was benched. No hits, no runs, no money.
The more you know about how the news media game is played, and how reporters undermine your confidence, the better you will be able to maintain control of what you say, and hit a homerun instead of striking out.
Read more at Mashable http://tinyurl.com/lbcu9ne
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7.) UNDERMINING BUSINESS & POLITICAL REPUTATIONS
Many people work at many levels to undermine business and political credibility and reputation.
The more powerful you are, the more energy people will expend to harm you.
If you are a political or business spokesperson, when you talk to a reporter you’re not talking to just one person. There is an entire team behind that microphone and camera intent on discovering something about you that could very well destroy your integrity and hard won reputation.
Your job is to get your story across in a manner that supports your perspective.
Their job is to chip away at your credibility so your words lose meaning, and possibly come back to haunt you.
Business and political attacks against you can come from a wide variety of sources. It could be something you said ten years ago, or something you mistakenly let slip to the journalist standing in front of you today.
Ashley Judd, a well-known actor and political activist knows all too well how nefarious political opponents can be, and to what lengths they will go in order to undermine an opponent’s credibility and reputation.
Her political story is complex and at times convoluted, but if you want to see exactly what happens in backrooms between political opponents, the “Mother Jones” article at the link below is well worth your time.
Business leaders and politicians use news media to tell their stories, while reporters complain daily of how difficult it is to prevent spokespeople from manipulating news coverage for their own biased devices. Consequently, reporters ask probing questions in order to find out if a spokesperson is being truthful, or if they are trying to leverage news media for personal gain.
The article in the link below contains a series of secretly taped audio files that describe very clearly how a political team conspired to destroy an opponent’s reputation. They dug up mental health and religious issues and made meticulous plans to inject information into the news media stream.
The next time you’re talking to a reporter, keep in mind, even if you’re not a political warrior, there can be a number of reasons why the journalist is interviewing you, and you might not know or like all their motives.
Read carefully and listen to each audio file http://tinyurl.com/bmmo4kg
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8.) ARE REPORTERS FRUSTRATED POLITICIANS?
Reporters have always been obsessed with politics, and lately, not only are they investigating and reporting about it, some are now tossing their hats in the ring looking for votes.
And why not? Journalists spend a very large portion of their careers trying to understand politicians, so it’s not a stretch to think that somewhere along the line they believe they can do a better job.
The “Toronto Star” newspaper characterizes their local political arena as “the battle of former journalists.” Ex-reporters, Linda McQuaig, Chrystia Freeland, Jennifer Hollett, and John Deverell have all given up their press passes to stand on the other side of the camera and microphone.
Journalism is a job where bias is under constant scrutiny, which means a reporter could not possibly hold political office and continue to work in news media. Consequently, all of these political hopefuls have retired from their former journalistic vocations.
Read more from the “Toronto Star” http://tinyurl.com/lvuslnu
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9.) AMAZON NOW OWNS THE NEWS TOO
Jeff Bezos, owner of “Amazon.com,” now also owns one of the world’s most read newspapers, the “Washington Post.” WP is the news company where investigative reporters Woodward and Bernstein exposed Nixon’s Watergate scandal.
Amazon, the online bookseller, is now gearing up to change the news business.
It’s interesting that such a forward looking entrepreneur like Bezos would invest in a property many feel is a dinosaur teetering on extinction, but if anyone can successfully bring it back to life, Jeff Bezos could be the guy.
Bezos recently stated he thinks that some day we will only get our news through digital formats, and that newspapers will largely disappear. Many people also thought the same about books when Amazon came on the scene, but as you know it’s not the case. So what exactly, is Bezos thinking, and really saying?
Why Jeff Bezos bought the “Washington Post.” http://tinyurl.com/ksfwdsx
What will Jeff Bezos do with/to the “Washington Post?” http://tinyurl.com/mgf46yo
Former news mogul Conrad Black has also weighed in on the future of newspapers. Despite the proliferation of social media, Black believes newspapers are here to stay. http://tinyurl.com/kqsefls
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10.) REPORTER RUNS DOWN SUBJECT IN THE DARK
Back in the day when news reporters weren’t so anxious about their jobs, there was an element of decorum about how far a journalist would go to get an interview. Today, all bets are off, so if you think you can duck out the back door or run down the block to get away from a media scrum you’re in for a very rude surprise.
Nigel Wright, a wealthy businessman accused of secretly giving funds to Mike Duffy, a politician in financial trouble, rounded the corner during his predawn jog to find “CTV” reporter Danielle Hamamdjian and a videographer waiting for him to return home after a ninety minute run that started at 4am.
When Wright saw the reporter he did a 180 on the street and began to run away. To his surprise, the reporter, in early morning dusk and running attire, jogged alongside beseeching Wright to stop running because it would be “easier” to do the interview.
EASIER to do the interview!?! Really?
That’s tenacity, and an example of modern reporter’s mindset.
Although it happened a few months ago, it’s great television, and worth watching in case you missed it the first time.
Watch the hunt on “CTV.” http://tinyurl.com/lyvxmtg
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11.) SOUND BITE BITES BARILLA PASTA
Guido Barilla, chairman of “Barilla Pasta,” the world’s largest pasta maker, replaced a mouthful of linguine with his foot when he said to a reporter, “I would never do (a commercial) with a homosexual family. . . . if the gays don’t agree, they can always eat pasta from another manufacturer.”
The sound bite bit back hard causing an immediate boycott, and left Mr. Barilla trying to explain himself, but he didn’t even do that well. He came back to say, “I apologize if my words have generated controversy or misunderstanding, and if they have offended the sensibilities of some people.”
Spokesperson Rule #1 – Think before you speak.
Spokesperson Rule #2 – Don’t make an apology that makes the situation worse.
Barilla made a fatal error by foolishly thinking he could hide behind his brand to air personal views. Spokespeople must never forget they speak on behalf of their company, and personal beliefs should never be placed on the table.
If you make a horrendous blunder like this, your only salvation will be to “genuinely” apologize. Backhanded apologies about being sorry if people were offended doesn’t speak to the people you hurt. All it does is underscore your own insensitivity. Instead, focus on how your victims feel, and if appropriate, graciously eat your words, pasta, marinara, and all.
Read more from “Grub Street” http://tinyurl.com/olevltc
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February 2013
1.) MEDIA CHANGES DAILY – LESS NOW DOING MORE
Employment in the news industry has declined every year since 2000,
and it is taking a toll on how news is reported.
Journalists and editors now have less time and resources to not only source information, but also check to ensure that what they report is accurate.
You might be thinking, “Great, seems like they have less time to pursue me and my impending crisis.” What it really means however, is that the onus is now even greater on you to communicate effectively with overworked news media who call, or worse, show up at your door unannounced.
If you have a crisis, rest assured, they will still report it. Reporting however, might not be as accurate as it has been in the past. Consequently, the more you understand about how the news business operates and what you can do to improve communication between you and the reporter, the better for you and your company.
Bureau of Labor Statistics – http://is.gd/65nwnH
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2.) TECHNOLOGY TAKES OVER FOR LOST MEDIA JOBS
Just because we have fewer editors and reporters handling a heavier workload does not necessarily mean FACT CHECKING will get tossed aside. Back in the day, American factory workers complained robots were putting them out of work. Well today, the same could be said of software that apparently “checks facts” on the fly. I’ve reported in the past about this type of technology, but it’s worth mentioning that yet another application is available to help news companies do their jobs better.
TRUTH TELLER is one of the latest fact checking machines being tested by The Washington Post. I’m not sure how the backend works, but the interface is pretty easy for the average viewer to use.
All you have to do is click the link below and then choose a story from the little black dots beneath the big picture, or simply click on the SOUND BITE (in white letters) over top of the default picture to see the accuracy of the story teller.
In most cases, you’ll be able to see the video of the story teller, plus below it, a transcript, and also tabs for FACT CHECKS & More.
TRUTH TELLER is still a prototype, so you probably won’t have to register or need an ID or password. If a security screen pops up just ignore/cancel it and check the facts for yourself.
http://truthteller.washingtonpost.com/
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3.) OLD SCHOOL FACT CHECKING
The “old school” way of fact checking still exists, as evidenced in the story about Mitt Romney, who, during pre-election, claimed President Obama planned to send auto manufacturing jobs to China.
All it took was a bit of research to uncover that Romney was in fact spinning a yarn. As a result, the Washington Post FACT CHECKER gave Romney a score of 4 Pinocchios.
Some news organizations find great value in placing alleged FACTS reported by others under a microscope, and making it the entire reason for publishing an article. An entire story can now be created based on whether someone was stretching the truth, or outright lying.
Which means, it is now more important than ever to not allow a reporter to put words in your mouth and get you to say something you will soon regret.
Some of these errant sound bites are career killers.
4 Pinocchios for Romney – http://is.gd/hmxAwm
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4.) MANUFACTURING GRIEF & ANGST
This next story is a little odd, but if you know the background about why I quit being a reporter many years ago (see the second link below), you’ll better understand why it is important for any spokesperson to understand the business motivations behind reporting the news. News is about generating revenue. How a reporter gets the news isn’t as important as the fact that he or she gets the scoop.
All that matters is the sound bite.
The Ray Lewis Murder – http://is.gd/oRgAGI
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6.) INADVERTENT SPOKESPERSONS RUN AMOK
Companies not only have to worry about what their official spokespeople say in an official capacity, but they also need to be mindful that social media has generated an army of self-proclaimed spokespeople who don’t always have their company’s best interest in mind.
Tools like Blogs, Facebook, and Twitter give any employee an outlet to air rants and dirty laundry. Consequently, over the last few years employers created social media policies they felt were airtight. It seems however, that when you make something airtight, no one can breathe. As a result, lawmakers are now claiming social media policies have gone too far.
Some people purposely disrespect their company’s social media policies, while others do it inadvertently, and even give away company secrets.
Many employees are also going underground by removing their names from their social media accounts. Anonymous Guerilla is the new order of the day. It doesn’t matter what you do, companies will never be able to please all employees. Employers can however give their staff better communication tools and train them to know what is appropriate to share online, and what might harm a company’s reputation, and eventually their salary.
It’s the old “leading a horse to water” conundrum. Forcing someone to do something in this era of social media publishing is not the best way to gain co-operation. Instead, lead by example and make sure your staff knows what is expected of them, and that your expectations are reasonable.
Federal Regulators order companies to scale back policies: http://is.gd/Kjq3Eo
P.S. Don’t forget to check out the COMMENTS on the above article.
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7.) WHOM DO YOU TRUST?
According to Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling;
“News preferences are very polarizing along party lines.”
In a recent poll, Debnam reports, “Democrats trust everything except Fox, while Republicans don’t trust anything other than Fox. Democrats put the most faith in PBS, followed by NBC, MSNBC, CBS, CNN, ABC, and Comedy Central.”
And of the non-Fox channels, “Republicans have the most faith in PBS, followed by NBC, CNN, ABC, MSNBC, CBS, and Comedy Central.”
Debnam’s poll claims “PBS is the only news source more Americans trust, than distrust.”
You can see the entire Public Policy Poll here; http://is.gd/uoX78R
The above link is a PDF. If it doesn’t open automatically, copy and paste it in your browser.
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8.) EGGS OVER EASY & A SIDE OF NEWS PLEASE
A Washington DC restaurant, Old Ebbitt Grill, is serving HOT OFF THE PRESS AND GRILL late breaking news printed on customers’ receipts.
It’s definitely a novel approach to news publishing, but when you think about it, is it really that odd considering you can also get your news from a comedy show and your smart phone?
It will be interesting to see if Old Ebbitt Grill outlasts newspapers.
Kidding aside though, the reality is that old standbys like TV, radio, and newspapers are not the only way to see what’s happening in our world.
Many people believe that within a few years, mobile will be the primary way to receive news, and that your cell phone will put you in touch with breaking stories in real time.
The big question is, how will our traditional and much loved standard publishing tools evolve to continue to manage the market? At the end of the day it’s not about how your news is published, it’s about the content. The real value news publishers provide is as an intellectual filter. Great publishers, producers, and editors first decide what you need to see, and then they filter it appropriately so you don’t have to weed through all the noise and fluff.
Old Ebbitt Grill Newsfeed – http://is.gd/jdtesY
The Ebbitt Story from ABC – http://is.gd/sZ4Kef
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9.) HAVE WE BECOME TOO PC?
It’s hard to know what to say these days. In our bid to become more sensitive to each other, it seems we’ve slipped over the line of common sense.
Offending someone has taken precedence over telling the truth.
Sometimes it is what it is, and there isn’t an easy way to say it.
With a little practice though, and forethought, some of those tough positions can still be traversed without causing a major political correctness war.
Spokespeople often walk on eggshells because they literally don’t know how to frame certain issues and responses.
When they hesitate inappropriately while answering questions, it inadvertently sends a message to a reporter that the spokesperson might be hiding something relevant to the question, when in fact all they are doing is trying to be politically correct.
There is a solution, but it’s not something that comes easy, especially when PC rules change constantly.
Political Correctness on Campus Chills Debate – http://is.gd/iUbuSE
Debate the PC Dilemma – http://is.gd/0u2Jzl
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10.) BLACK EYE FOR BLACKBERRY
Ignoring a reporter’s question is often the kiss of death. When the Managing Director of RIM, Stephen Bates, was being interviewed by the BBC about the newly launched Blackberry10, he stubbornly refused to answer a simple question – “What have you learned from the iPHONE?”
The reporter patiently asked the question a number of times while Bates danced all around it changing the subject and pretending he didn’t hear it.
After the third time the question was asked, it was apparent Bates was not going to answer, and that he felt uncomfortable, but the interviewer kept asking, and each time he did, it became more and more painful to hear.
The lesson here is, if you don’t want to answer a reporter’s question explain why, but don’t pretend you didn’t hear it.
All Bates had to say was;
“I’ll let those folks talk about their product. What makes the Blackberry 10 unique is . . .”
You can listen to the BBC BB10 interview here – http://is.gd/D0zDp1
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11.) CHANGE YOUR WORDS – CHANGE YOUR WORLD
I saw a video on YouTube recently that caused me to sit back and reflect about the power of words. The video, which has received over 16 million views, apparently affected many people, as it did me.
If you are at work and you cannot view it, email the link to your personal account and watch it at home, but please check it out because it will change what you think about words.
A video by Andrea Gardner of Purplefeather – http://youtu.be/Hzgzim5m7oU
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12.) NERVOUS SPOKESPERSON HIDES UNDER DESK
When reporters show up at your office it can scare unprepared employees so much they act irrationally.
The best defense is to know how to effectively manage your organization’s reputation, share price, and your career by knowing how and what to say when an investigative journalist comes knocking.
TV cameras and microphones strike terror into everyone who is unprepared.
Media Training can however ease your fear.
A little knowledge, as well as practice in a safe environment goes a long way.
Check out the video link below of a receptionist at a property management company.
When the unprepared woman saw the KSDK reporter and TV camera, in a panic, she immediately slipped under her desk and stayed there for over half an hour refusing to allow the reporter access to the waiting area.
Reluctant Spokesperson Ducks for Cover – http://is.gd/0Gklfk
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September 2012
1.) NEWS MEDIA ARE NOT THE ENEMY, BUT THEY CAN BE INTIMIDATING
The Toronto mayor is embroiled again in another public relations nightmare, and this time it might cost him his job. The mayor, who has a long history of running from, ignoring, and arguing with news media is now defending himself against a lawsuit that claims he accepted money in a less than ethical manner.
Mayor Ford had an opportunity a couple of times to make things right, but instead of acting appropriately and following the advice of colleague’s who were trying to help, he ignored their suggestions and turned what could have been a slap on the wrist into a high profile, expensive legal battle.
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2.) INFLUENCE GAME: HOW NEWS IS SOURCED & MANAGED TODAY
According to the 2012 Oriella PR Network report, “Imbalances in the global economy are playing themselves out in newsrooms, i.e., a) more people follow news online than they do offline, b) social media has become firmly established in the journalistic arsenal, and c) publications around the world are making use of a wider range of content assets than ever before.”
The above topics are just a few of the issues covered in this comprehensive report.
Oriella also claims CREDIBILITY is emerging as a key consideration for journalism offline and online.
If you are a spokesperson, you need to know how the changes described in this report affect how you communicate with news media, and to the public. The news media landscape is changing rapidly for a number of reasons, and it is now even harder than ever to get your message across in a manner that best protects your, and/or your company’s interests. Clarity of communication is more important now than it has ever been, and the skills you need are becoming more complex and refined.
Did you know that Blogs written by reporters are the most popular storytelling tool used today?
Now, not only do you have to worry about the headline on the front page, you also have to contend with a reporter’s blog that allows readers to comment freely about your issues, or worse, your crisis.
You can read the entire Oriella PR Network report here … http://bit.ly/MmrMkv
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3.) UN-ETHICAL THINGS . . . REPORTERS DO
A working journalist recently published a story describing what he did as a cub reporter.
It landed on his newspaper’s website, was quickly removed, context added, and then placed back online.
There aren’t any earth shattering scandals here because the reporter wasn’t exactly writing for the Washington Post, but the point is, stuff like this happens in the big leagues too.
Jeff Meade, the reporter, had a scheduling conflict, so he came up with a clever plan to be in two places at the same. He interviewed a coach he knew before a game and asked the coach for two sets of quotes – one if they lost and the other if they won.
The obliging coach used all the clichés coaches use: “They/we wanted it more, they/we were more focused, they/we played with more heart.” The scheming reporter was able to write the story in fifteen minutes and get to another event with time to spare.
Take a look at other ways he gamed the system here … http://bit.ly/OHC8ub
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6.) NO COMMENT, OR REFUSING TO ANSWER, MAKES YOU LOOK GUILTY
It doesn’t matter if you’re as innocent as a newborn baby, when you say “No Comment” people assume you are guilty. Refusing to speak implies you’re hiding something, and hiding is interpreted as guilt.
Yes, spokespeople too often say No Comment, but that doesn’t make it right.
It’s a good idea to provide reporters with information if for no other reason than to prevent someone else from speaking for you. If you say No Comment, a reporter will go to your competitors or critics for a quote, and that never goes well.
If you don’t have all the information at hand, at least give reporters something. It’s completely acceptable to say you will look into an issue or event and get back to them. Make sure you follow up however, because if you don’t, they’ll report you didn’t keep your promise, and that makes you look guilty too.
Telling only part of the story can also backfire, especially when the information is, or will soon be in the public domain. Listen carefully to what is asked and learn how to respond in a manner that accurately represents your perspective.
The best way to deal with news media is to be prepared, and to know what they expect and how they operate. Like anything else, practice makes perfect and the best place to practice is behind closed doors with someone qualified to help you, and in an environment where you can learn and become confident.
Here are a few instances of spokespeople and politicians who refuse to comment.
What do you think – are they guilty?
San Francisco Mayor Newson has no comment http://youtu.be/fjvTVrQ6FmE
Senator Dick Durbin refuses to answer a question http://youtu.be/7rr2cVIw6Bc
Mitt Romney refuses to answer questions http://youtu.be/qkOFgtb4IUA
Chicago Mayor Shirley Franklin avoids reporters http://youtu.be/OBmXi-hUdhc
Mayor Fenty refuses to answer questions http://youtu.be/RR-6Upd2V-A
Sue Lowden refuses to answer a Civil Rights question http://youtu.be/Nukdy0Iopaw
Here’s an exception where No Comment works http://youtu.be/75rahCgo-u8
Sometimes there is no story, so No Comment could be justified http://youtu.be/xTXz_4u-4mc
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7.) ARGUING WITH A REPORTER IS A LOSING PROPOSITION
The question today is, if you can’t manage reporters, are you qualified to be a leader?
It’s finally becoming clear to many career-minded people that if you don’t know what you’re doing in front of a microphone or television camera, then maybe you’re not the right person for the job. Responding in the instant is a skill that can be learned, but, it’s too late to learn “during” a crisis.
The reality is that most people work on auto pilot. We do our jobs day to day, and we usually do a good job. It only gets complicated when the train jumps the track and we are unprepared.
When you see a spokesperson meltdown, it’s usually during a crisis. In normal circumstances they would never consider raising their voice, let alone arguing with a reporter, yet, we see it happen every day.
A politician, an executive, a PR spokesperson, and the night manager, all act the same way when caught off guard. They internalize the stress and it spills out at a time when control and reserve are needed most.
Instead of answering clearly, they become argumentative, or worse, they run.
Diane Cibrian, a Texas politician, is seen in this video arguing with a reporter for over two minutes, and then, at the 2:35 mark, she bails mid-interview and runs … http://youtu.be/ZMZuTqd4vEs
It doesn’t have to be this way.
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9.) SOCIAL MEDIA IS A DOUBLE-EDGE SWORD
Social media tools like Twitter and Blogs are great mediums to promote your brand. The downside however is that they can also blow issues out of proportion when you’re embroiled in a crisis.
All the leading companies and politicians now use social media, some better than others, but unbelievably, there are still a few holdouts. For a number of reasons, some companies have failed to get fully onboard. Some feel it would not deliver value to their brand, while others are fearful they might have to defend their corporate philosophy online, so they shy away.
Not having a social media presence is, in some ways, like refusing to talk to a reporter.
When you’re not online in a meaningful way, it’s impossible to slip into a conversation to correct misinformation, or put out sparks before they turn into a raging fire. Keep in mind too that mainstream news media is also monitoring the conversation, which means if you’re not paying attention, they’ll see your crisis coming before you see it. They might even be creating it, and fanning the flames.
Social media is also a very effective, and legal, corporate espionage tool.
When you have a social media presence you’re able to eavesdrop on what people are saying about you and your company, plus, and this is important, you will also be growing a community of followers who will be able to stand behind you and lend support when adversity arises and a crisis strikes.
There’s a learning curve to understand how it all works. Most people underestimate how long it takes to gain loyal followers. They also fail to appreciate how important these followers are during a crisis.
Most followers are faithful, and when they see you taking what they perceive to be unwarranted flak, they will rally round in support if you manage the situation properly. It takes a special skill set however to manage your social media community effectively, and the longer you wait to cultivate a following and win their loyalty, the harder it will be to get it up to speed when you need it the most.
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10.) GOT BAD NEWS TO DELIVER? … SAY IT WITH CAKE
If you have bad news to deliver, put some icing on it.
Bad news is bitter, so you have to sweeten it up on delivery.
Christina Miranda from Redpoint Marketing PR wrote a great article about delivering bad news. In it she advises readers to prepare emotionally by channeling that bad energy in and out of your mind before you hit the podium and meet reporters. Don’t bring negativity to the media scrum.
She also advises that once you hit the podium, and I agree, it’s a good idea to get to the point and not drag it out. Also, don’t procrastinate and let too much time elapse before you break the bad news. It’s not a good idea to let the crisis churn and give anyone a chance to make up their own story.
Christina also advises what I heartily recommend. . . be genuine, and honest. No tricks.
Her last bit of advice is right on the mark; the mic is always on and nothing you say is confidential.
You can read Christina’s article here at Ragan’s PR daily – http://bit.ly/Q0A5Ed
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11.) BPI SUES ABC OVER PINK SLIME
Beef Products Inc. recently launched a lawsuit against ABC News claiming the news company’s stories about “pink slime” caused irreparable damage to their reputation. BPI claims in a defamation suit that the news stories were misleading, and as a result they are seeking $1.2 billion in damages.
Legal and food experts claim the lawsuit will be incredibly hard to prove.
ABC’s news reporting, along with intense pressure from social media, caused BPI to shut down meat processing plants in a number of American cities.
Most assuredly the beef industry could have managed this crises much better out of the gate and avoided such a serious hit on their reputation. The Holmes Group PR firm refers to the actions of the beef industry as “bungling, ” which, considering the $1.2 billion lawsuit, seems to be an understatement.
Holmes Report – http://bit.ly/PLcE23
ABC News Report of Lawsuit – http://abcn.ws/PLazDk
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June 2102
1.) LABATT BLUE IT . . . OVER MAGNOTTA BLUE
Spokespersons must control their emotions during a crisis. Fear is your enemy.
Labatt Breweries learned that the hard way recently. Instead of drawing on good media sense, the company reacted in panic regarding a photo of accused murderer, and alleged cannibal, Luke Magnotta, who posed on his Facebook page holding a Labatt Blue bottle of beer.
When the Montreal Gazette ran the picture, Labatt threatened to sue.
Next to Hitler, someone like Magnotta is the last person you’d want associated with your product, so why make the situation exponentially worse by drawing attention to it? Threatening to sue a news media company even at the best of times is probably the worst strategy anyone can take, but doing so while the entire world is watching puts your company’s reputation and share price in jeopardy.
The best way to control your emotions is to be prepared for all eventualities. When crisis hits, it is way too late to check the playbook to decide on a course of action. When you’re dragged onto the world stage you need to react instinctively, and draw on experience so you can concentrate on the facts and emotions of the issue, and not be distracted by your media technique.
It’s too late to practice your swing when the ball is coming right at your head.
Statistics reveal that most companies will eventually experience a crisis. Lightning however, usually only strikes once. That means many spokespersons won’t have firsthand experience dealing with catastrophic events. You don’t have the luxury to learn as you go, so you have to get it right the first time every time. The only way to gain the experience you need is through the eyes of someone who has been in a similar situation. Training is irreplaceable when you haven’t actually been in a crisis. CEOs often instinctively delegate risky media moves to anyone around them who they think can handle the situation, or who can take the fall. Don’t be the latter.
Panic takes many forms. It can overwhelm you in an instant when you’re caught off guard by a reporter, or it can seem like you’re moving in slow motion as you watch news reports roll in over the course of a few hours. Quite often the people around you, some may even be your superiors, place incredible pressure on you to make a decision. The people giving you advice are often not qualified to effectively handle news media, but panic has taken hold of them too. It is at times like this your leadership skills and media handling expertise are put to the test.
Resist letting lawyers make emotional decisions.
Reporter Dan Gardiner wrote, “It’s curious that a corporation (referring to Labatt) with a sophisticated understanding of the psychology of brands could be so incredibly dumb.” http://tinyurl.com/7h8z9h2
BTW, Magnotta was also photographed wearing a very famous icon on his t-shirt. I’m not going to tell you who it is though, because I truly applaud the icon’s company for a job well done. They knew how news media and the public would react, and smartly chose not to respond in a Mickey Mouse manner and light the fuse. Instead, they coolly handled what could have easily exploded into their media crisis.
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2.) MISQUOTES – ROMNEY, THAT’S NOT WHAT I SAID
“I didn’t say that!” is one of the most over-used lines from politicians and spokespersons.
Unfortunately, “Yes you did” is the most common retort from reporters.
Regardless of the reason, if you said it, someone will remember it, and repeat it over and over to either promote or criticize you. It’s the latter that can, and often does destroy a career.
How you say what you mean is harder than most people think. You can’t just show up and expect to win over your audience. It takes forethought and knowledge of how to clearly communicate. You might have the best of intentions, but when the words leave your mouth reporters can interpret what you say in the manner that suits their purposes, not yours.
It’s even worse today than yesterday, because now your words live in infamy on Facebook, on websites, Twitter, and every social media platform now known or devised in the future.
One of Mitt Romney’s most famous, or infamous quotes, depending on how you look at it is, “My sons are all adults and they’ve made decisions about their careers and they’ve chosen not to serve in the military and active duty and I respect their decision in that regard. One of the ways my sons are showing support for our nation is helping me get elected because they think I’d be a great president.”
Romney also has a bad habit of trying to use humor to deflect questions that make him feel uncomfortable, just like comedians claim they did in high school to keep from getting beat up or to be more popular. It might work for a gifted few, but on the professional career path it can be suicide. Iconic politicians like Bill Clinton have a humorous way with words and effectively use comedy to deflect criticism, but for the other 99%, humor is very risky.
Instead of relying on ill designed, or worse, impromptu comedy to get your message across, it’s best to know how to diffuse an issue without making your words a target for ambiguous interpretation.
Once you say it, it becomes part of your persona, and there are reporters and websites that will guarantee your words live on well past your natural life.
Mitt Romney Quotes
http://politicalhumor.about.com/od/mittromney/a/romneyquotes.htm
Barack Obama
“No, no. I have been practicing … I bowled a 129. It’s like — it was like Special Olympics, or something.”
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3.) HOW FACEBOOK & GOOGLE SHAPE YOUR NEWS
Most people do not realize they look at news through a filter.
Eli Pariser, a viral communications specialist and author of “The Filter Bubble” contends we are currently experiencing a passing of the torch, thanks to Facebook and Google, from “human gatekeepers/news editors,” to “algorithmic gatekeepers.” He maintains that the news you receive online is subtly manipulated to feed you information you want to see, and not what you need to see.
Unfortunately, Pariser is right, and if you pay attention you can easily see this trend for yourself.
Pariser closely studied how social news media communities like Facebook and Google feed you information based on your previously expressed interests. For example, if you regularly search for info about the Republicans, search engines will feed you results heavily skewed in this direction.
It might sound benign, and you might think, “PERFECT!” finally someone understands my interests and I don’t have to wade through a ton of information from Democrats to find facts to support my perspective.
Unfortunately, this type of monogamous news focus serves only to narrow your vision, not expand it.
Even worse, corporate and political communicators know how to manipulate this feed and game the system, which tricks you into thinking you’re getting the info you need to make an informed decision.
When you combine this subtle manipulation with the strategies reporters employ to get you to say what they want you to say, you can see it’s incredibly important to have well developed communication skills so you can think on your feet and focus not only on the content, but also on how you deliver your message.
The deck is stacked against you on every level, so show up prepared.
See for yourself what Eli Pariser contends in this Ted Talk video http://tinyurl.com/cktczd8
Media Training Pitfalls – http://tinyurl.com/3hqmkdp
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5.) PUBLIC ARCHIVE OF NEWS SITE HOMEPAGES
Ben Walsh, who works as a programmer and reporter at the LA Times, recently launched a website called “Past Pages” that serves up homepages of over 70 news websites around the world.
It’s an amazing research tool you can use to simultaneously see what a diverse cross section of news companies are focusing on around the world.
Is your Eco activity or scandal big news in New York and London or Beijing?
Go to PastPages.org to find out. http://www.pastpages.org/
More about Ben Walsh http://palewi.re/who-is-ben-welsh/
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6.) ROOKIE REPORTERS COOK SEASONED SHERIFF
A twenty year old reporter thrusting a camera and microphone in your face is harder to intimidate or fool than you might think. Young journalists work incredibly hard to expose corruption, sometimes without the support of, and even against the will of their editors and producers.
Youthful exuberance brings with it the will to prove oneself. I know, I was in this position as a Cub reporter many years ago.
Recently, two young and relatively inexperienced reporters launched an investigation into the criminal activities of their town Sheriff, and what they discovered and reported surprised people everywhere.
Samantha Swindler and Adam Sulfridge worked seventy hour weeks over several months to break the story and expose corrupt Kentucky Sheriff Lawrence Hodge who was convicted of selling illegal guns and drugs, and is now serving fifteen years in prison.
As Reported by 60 Minutes http://tinyurl.com/7mv5z2y
Nieman Reports at Harvard http://tinyurl.com/6k53k6g
A Conversation with Samantha Swindler http://youtu.be/9qQkJkxap64
In the early 80’s I hunted and researched Nazi War Criminals living in North America. In 1982, Paul Appleby and I published an article in TODAY Magazine documenting our horrific findings about Nazi war criminal, Haralds Puntulis.
The story appeared in eighteen newspapers, and was read by 6 million people.
Here’s an archived copy of our original story – http://tinyurl.com/6vqr6pl
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7.) DO CORPORATE LAWYERS HAVE TOO MUCH INFLUENCE?
Lawyer Philip Howard feels “The land of the free has become a legal minefield.”
Howard, who practices law in New York City and is author of “The Collapse of the Common Good” claims that law has become too complex and that lawyers have too much influence with CEOs when it comes to reputational matters. The problem is that lawyers are paid to be mindful of the court of law, as opposed to the court of public opinion, especially as it relates to crisis.
Lawyers often argue against apologizing because they feel it is an admission of guilt.
An attorney might save you $100 million in a court of law, but is it worth losing $500 million in lost sales?
My philosophy is to apologize when appropriate, and make it clear you feel the pain of the people who have suffered as a result of the actions of your company. You also need to make it clear you will immediately take steps to ensure you’ve genuinely learned from the crisis.
It’s also important to know that many legal jurisdiction have passed the APOLOGY ACT, which states that just because you apologize, it doesn’t mean you admit guilt.
If you feel there is a need to change how your company interacts with the public, contact me and I’ll give you a few tips on how to help protect your reputation.
Philip K. Howard’s Ted Talk about Corporate Lawyers and Legal Complexity
http://www.ted.com/talks/philip_howard.html
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8.) FINGER FOUND IN ARBY’S FOOD – VP CLAIMS COMMITMENT TO QUALITY
When 14 year old Ryan Hart bit into his Arby’s sandwich and found a piece of a human finger, it didn’t make him feel any better when John Gray, Arby’s VP of Corporate Communications said, “Arby’s wants to reassure customers that we are committed to providing quality food in a safe and healthy environment.”
It reminds me of the story of a plane crash, and the first thing the airplane’s spokesperson said was “Trust me, our planes are safe.”
Defending your company in such an egregious manner is a Trust Violation. Yet, corporate spokespersons do it every day. Someone who has been hurt by your company, either emotionally or physically, wants to know you understand the pain they suffer. Plus, everyone reading, hearing or watching the story also wants to know that the company that caused the pain takes genuine, unconditional responsibility.
What Mr. Gray did was to try to shift focus away from the pain the victim felt, and instead have people think about the “alleged” good job Arby’s is doing.
It’s not about YOU. It’s about the victim!
“Trust is not something you can simply tell people to have. Trust is something that must be earned. And when that earned trust is violated, people must be provided with reasons to once again believe you, presuming they ever did in the first place. When a spokesperson tells people, “Trust me,” it actually has the opposite effect. Instead of encouraging trust or confidence, it sends off a smarmy signal that puts people on high alert.”
Here’s just one version of the Arby’s incident on Yahoo – note the almost 10,000 comments.
I did a quick Google search of the phrase that contains Arby’s VP response, and on the
first 30 pages found over 300 mentions of the insensitive response by Arby’s. Gray’s quote is going to live on in infamy forever. You can’t put the toothpaste back in the tube. http://tinyurl.com/6pasrly
Charlie Bit My Finger
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9.) CRITICAL ISSUES DEMAND PROPORTIONAL PREPARATION
There is a direct correlation between the sensitivity of the issue and the level of preparedness required by a spokesperson. If the issue is of great public concern, the spokesperson has a significant obligation to not only know the facts surrounding the issue, but also needs to know how to professionally deliver the company’s message in an effective manner. You can’t just show up with superficial facts and wing it.
You need to deliver your message in a manner that responsibly represents your company.
Selective video editing can make even the most prepared spokesperson look bad, but when you combine biased editing with a spokesperson who hasn’t prepared properly, or who does not have solid media training, the results can be catastrophic.
For example, Aubrey McClendon, CEO of Chesapeake Energy during a heated debate with an angry crowd, endeavors to have the Boston Globe support his side of the argument by challenging the audience to invite the newspaper to report on what he claims are false accusations leveled at his company. McClendon ended his challenge by saying, “It will be one helluva good story if we’re killing people,” only to have someone in the audience quickly ask how much money the energy company paid the Boston Globe, to which he smiles and begins to answer. Unfortunately for McClendon, creative editing cut short his reply. Arguing with and challenging an angry mob is always a mistake.
Mainstream news media is much smoother in how it edits and leverages sound bites, but this amateur-like video, which has had over 5,500 views, and is part of a Bank of America Lecture Series from Harvard, chops it up mercilessly to make McClendon look as bad as possible.
It’s quite likely McClendon thought the lecture series was going to be a walk in the park, so he didn’t prepare properly. Instead he walked into a hornet’s nest that generated considerable negative attention.
You can watch the video here;
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10.) PRESIDENT OBAMA CHASTISES JOURNALIST
President Obama sometimes has a tough time talking to reporters.
Immediately after an interview with Brad Watson of WFAA TV, and while his microphone was still live, Obama tersely warned Watson, “Let me finish my answers the next time we do an interview, all right?”
President Obama can get away with being a bit snarky with reporters because of his unique position, but even he can’t push it too hard. The better solution when you are asked the same question over and over is to breathe normally and not lose your cool, which for the most part is what Obama did throughout the interview. It wasn’t until the interview was over that he let his guard down and mistakenly assumed his comments at that point were off the record. They are not. Everything you say is fair game.
Journalists use many tactics to wear you down. Another trick to get you to say what you don’t want to say is to ask you a question that comes out of left field. After the reporter signals the end of the interview, they also sometimes ask one last question as you are preparing to stand up or move away. It is often this question that sinks your ship. For example, a reporter will ask ten questions about the colors of the lilies in your florist shop, and you feel good that you’ve represented your company responsibly. But just as the interview seems to be ending they ask you how many cats die each year across North America from eating lily bulbs. You thought the interview was over, so you innocently reply “Not very many.” The next day the headline reads, “Florist Admits Plants Kill Pets!”
It’s never good to argue with a reporter, chastise them, or assume the interview is over.
Here’s a video clip of Obama chastising Watson http://tinyurl.com/3nph6og
While we are on a political note, The Charlotte Observer interviewed me recently for my observations regarding the same sex marriage controversy over Amendment One, which was part of the presidential primaries in North Carolina. I told the Observer, “Clearly, companies need to carefully think through the short, medium and long-term consequences of their social and political policies. If a company is not determined to ride out the criticism . . . it’s best to lay low and pass on taking a stand.”
You can read the article here . . . http://tinyurl.com/7gshhur
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11.) COVERT PROPAGANDA CAMPAIGN TARGETS JOURNALISTS
Reporters are often accused of being overly critical of their subjects, of putting words in spokespersons’ mouths, and also of malicious misquoting.
Recently however, a USA Today reporter and his editor became the victims.
Creating and distributing misinformation is a fact of business today, and it goes hand in hand with disruption techniques used to undermine companies and destroy reputations and share prices.
The following is an example of the length some communications professionals will go to in order to obscure facts and undermine reputations. It’s also a testament to how important it is for everyone on both sides of the news business fence to be well trained and to pay attention to details.
As reported widely, a communications company admitted to acting independently to create a series of websites designed to discredit USA Today reporter Tom Vanden Brook, and his editor, Ray Locker.
Brook and Locker recently published a story about Pentagon propaganda contractor, Leonie Industries, a communications company that received over $120 million in Pentagon contracts over the last 4 years.
USA Today reported that Camille Chidiac, one of the previous owners of Leonie, admitted he set up and managed web sites and a social media presence meant to negatively impact the reputation of the USA Today reporter and editor. He said he was upset over a story they did about him and his former company.
Chidiac claimed to have opened online discussion forums and placed USA Today articles about the Pentagon in them to attract people interested in military issues. Brook and Locker also discovered Facebook and Twitter accounts opened in their names, of which they claim to have no connection. Someone also made extensive Wikipedia entries about the USA Today staffers.
Online reputation experts claim it was a sophisticated attack on USA Today, their reporter, and editor. Chidiac claims he acted completely independently of Leonie, and also asserts he was no longer a partner at the time of his indiscretion.
You can read the entire story here – http://tinyurl.com/cngrnrm
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June 2011
1.) SOCIAL MEDIA’S ROLE IN PUBLIC RELATIONS
Spokespeople and companies today regard social media as an important communication tool.
They use it to distribute and manage press releases for all types of announcements, including product launches, or to try to salvage the reputation of companies from the misdeeds of errant executives.
Social media tools like Twitter and Blogs are powerful ways to reach into your community, but they should not be regarded as the only or primary means to engage clients and customers.
Like everything in life, balance is the secret to success.
Lean too far one way or the other and the boat starts to list out of control and slip off in a direction you might not want to go. Social media can be as dangerous as it can be helpful.
Many spokespeople use tools like Twitter or YouTube to backtrack from statements they regret, and occasionally it is successful, but for those with poor media communication skills it quite often only throws more fuel on the fire and makes the crisis worse.
The really smart thing is to learn how to NOT SAY DUMB THINGS in the first place.
Take Congressman Anthony Weiner for example. The more he opened his mouth the deeper he dug his grave. His troubles started on Twitter when he was accused of tweeting a picture of himself in his underwear to a woman in Seattle.
His trouble grew exponentially and to enormous proportion when he bungled his explanation.
The Twitterati and mainstream news media attacked him full on and pushed him over the cliff.
When Weiner realized no one was buying his explanation he made a lame joke on Twitter about how his numbers of Followers skyrocketed, and then he CLAMMED UP, with hardly a Tweet since the event.
During the heat of Weiner’s sexting crisis his Twitter account jumped by thousands of Followers every day, sometimes by a thousand every few minutes, but he still failed to use it to address the charges leveled against him. He had an opportunity to explain himself, but he failed to engage.
In retrospect, it is clear now he was lying, but the issue is that he didn’t know what to say, which indicates his lack of planning and media training, an understatement to be sure.
Today, NOT responding on your Twitter account is akin to the traditional “NO COMMENT!” and we all know saying nothing sends a message that you are guilty, whether the accusations are true or not.
Shutting down in any medium is a recipe for disaster. You have to communicate.
AM New York interviewed me when the Weiner story first broke.
http://tinyurl.com/43rwj2n
*** Breaking News – CNN reports Weiner will officially announce his resignation today
http://www.cnn.com/2011/POLITICS/06/16/weiner.scandal/
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2.) HOW TO USE SOCIAL MEDIA TO YOUR ADVANTAGE
Unlike Congressman Weiner, some spokespeople know exactly how to use social media tools like YouTube to regain lost trust.
In what has become a classic example of how to respond in a crisis, Domino’s Pizza President Patrick Doyle went on YouTube in 2009 when two of his employees placed videos of themselves online purposefully contaminating pizzas and boasting about it.
Doyle knew what to say to mitigate damages to his company and to get customers back on his side.
He created a conversational-styled social media video where he apologized profusely, explained the issue, and also told viewers how he was going to ensure it would never happen again.
He was genuine in his apology and took full responsibility for the actions of the two employees, both of whom were charged with felonies.
Doyle explained how he took the charges seriously by stating Domino’s was re-examining all of their hiring practices, plus he vowed to send auditors to their stores every day of the week to make sure each location is as clean as possible. He admitted the employees caused a large amount of damage to the company’s reputation and that it “sickened” him that the actions of two individuals out of 125,000 employees could have such great impact.
He demonstrated clearly in mainstream news interviews and through social media channels what Domino’s was doing to regain customer trust.
Watch his YouTube video here – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dem6eA7-A2I
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3.) PREVENTING DAMAGE IS BETTER THAN FIXING DAMAGE
Once the toothpaste is out of the tube it is impossible to put it back.
Executive reputation, which is tied to the share price of a company, needs to be constantly nurtured.
Protecting your reputation should be proactive, not an exercise in “damage control.”
Unfortunately, due to poor media relations skills too many executives and politicians find themselves in a defensive position, often for an unwarranted reason and unable to save themselves or their share prices.
In these recessionary times trust is everything. Many companies today are under increasing pressure, and all it takes is one misstep to send them freefalling into financial failure.
The investment in learning how to manage media is far less than the cost of fixing problems caused by ignorance or lack of proper media training and preparation.
You might think you can handle anything that pops up, or naively believe you can learn on the fly, but when a crisis knocks unannounced in the form of an experienced investigative journalist, or worse, an amateur blogger with a rumor, you don’t have time to call a PR advisor for help.
In this McGulp world you have to be prepared to act quickly. At the very most you might be able to buy yourself an hour or so, but anything longer sends a message something is wrong and you are stalling.
Salvaging a reputation means stock prices have already taken a hit.
Why let it sink to that level? Be a good Boy Scout and Be Prepared.
As explained in the NY Times, fixing a damaged reputation is very costly.
http://tinyurl.com/4yhfhau
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4.) MR. GINGRICH NEEDS TO LEARN HOW TO SAY WHAT HE WANTS
Newt Gingrich recently said, “If you seek to be the president of the United States, you are never an analyst, and you are never a college teacher because those folks can say what they want to say,”
True, you can’t say what you want, but you can learn to say what you mean.
With proper training anyone can deliver their message effectively.
Mr. Gingrich made the above statement mid-May, and less than a month later his presidential campaign team resigned en masse. Many reasons were offered as to why, including lack of commitment and differences in direction, but it has been apparent for quite some time his communication style has impeded his leadership.
If a former House Speaker has a challenge communicating effectively, where do you rank?
It was a surprise to Mr. Gingrich when his team resigned, but you would think a politician with such extensive experience could see something like this coming. Lack of vision is often a trait that gets many leaders in trouble. They don’t prepare for all eventualities, and when a crisis hits they’re caught flat-footed searching for words to describe their feelings. In almost all cases it is the beginning of their end.
When you reveal your weakness to people they focus on our faults instead of your strength.
Can Newt Gingrich Control Newt Gingrich? – http://tinyurl.com/62pao3x
Gingrich Team Resigns – http://tinyurl.com/3n9wvuu
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5.) 33% CONSIDER TWITTER & FACEBOOK IMPORTANT NEWS SOURCES
According to recent polls, “one in three people consider social media sites like Twitter and Facebook important news sources.”
The poll also found that some people feel “journalists should not use Twitter at all.”
In general, the poll reports that the older demographic regard traditional media, like newspapers and television, as more reliable. Younger people feel the exact opposite and trust social media more, although all age groups trust news less today than they have in the past. Regarding younger people, their loyalty is not to a news media organization’s brand, but to the person’s social media circle.
Read more – http://www.j-source.ca/english_new/detail.php?id=6460
50% of Americans report they rely on the people around them to find news, 44% get their news a few times a week from email or social media sites, and since 2009, Twitter’s audience increased by 200%
Learn more about the Pew Research study between OLD & NEW Media here … http://www.journalism.org/analysis_report/new_media_old_media
“Churnalism – a news article published as journalism, is essentially a press release without much added.”
This style of reporting is becoming so popular Churnalism.com was launched to track it.
According to Cardiff University research,”54% of news articles have some form of PR in them.”
Track news yourself here – http://churnalism.com/
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6.) EVEN JOCKS NEED NEWS MEDIA SKILLS
Journalism extends across many areas, and the sports world is one of those places where knowing how to manage news media can enhance an athlete’s or sports administrator’s career.
Sports serves a vital role in society by bringing all types of people together.
Some sports celebrities manage news media better than others. Wayne Gretzky for example during the prime of his career proved to be a great communicator on and off the ice. Other’s however find their interaction with media more challenging, like Brian Burke, NHL General Manager for the Toronto Maple Leafs, who decided to ignore journalists, and in some cases even insult them with harsh criticism.
He recently stated, “Write and say whatever you want.” Guess what? They did!
Here’s an interesting overview of Burke’s recent sparring with media …
http://www.j-source.ca/english_new/detail.php?id=5971
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January 2011
1.) TWO FACED MEDIA – SOCIAL & MAINSTREAM
Not so long ago the big challenge for spokespeople was primarily about dealing with mainstream news media. Today, everyone-and-his-brother (your competitors included) consider themselves part of the media network and have access to volumes of information and a wide audience.
PR companies are constantly on the prowl for information (whether it is accurate or not) that could potentially make their clients’ competition look bad. They also have social networks beyond those of mainstream news media to easily disseminate this information. When released, contentious info can undermine share prices and negatively impact company morale. Once the toothpaste is out of the tube you can’t put it back in.
On another level, mainstream reporters have their hands full trying to do more with less. Newsroom budgets are being radically chopped. Some news companies have even gone bankrupt.
To add insult to injury, citizen journalists, some who are very powerful, but many who are amateurs with little or no training, are reporting stories mainstream news media can no longer cover in a timely manner.
Participatory news is here to stay.
All of this pressure, which emanates from a wide variety of areas, makes it incredibly difficult to get the story straight. Truth is now more elusive than ever.
Amateurs and pros alike use tools like Kurrently.com, a search website that scours Facebook and Twitter, and feeds all types of reporters breaking events in real time. Test it yourself. Search for your city name and the word “accident” or “fire”, and see how quickly information hits your screen. It pops up so fast if you react quickly you can be on the scene before police or fire departments and “official” journalists.
Citizen journalists, as well as mainstream journalists with extensive training and experience, can be there as your CEO stumbles out the back door of a smoke-filled building. The results could be catastrophic for your company if a reporter is standing by with a small video recorder capturing the first words from a spokesperson during a life and death situation, like a shooting or environmental disaster.
Most CEOs are not adequately prepared.
Kurrently.com isn’t the only option either. Anyone can also scan Snapbird.org, Google Advanced, Advanced Twitter, Collecta.com, or Twubs.com. They all provide information about events occurring in real time, which means everyone is in the race to capture a quote that will live on in infamy.
Tony Hayward, infamous ex-BP CEO doesn’t hold a monopoly on insensitivity or ignorance. Don’t YOU become the next “Tony.”
Here’s a 2010 report from PEW Research about Participatory News
http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2010/Online-News.aspx?r=1
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2.) ARE POLITICIANS “MORE” or “LESS” MEDIA ADEPT?
One would think in this media saturated era politicians and corporate leaders would be so experienced and prepared it would be impossible to catch them off guard. Amazingly, as you know, it isn’t the case.
Almost every day we hear of an elected official or CEO embroiled in controversy who inevitably makes his or her situation worse.
They are smart enough to know “NO COMMENT” will only encourage a journalist to dig deeper, but it seems not smart enough to know “what to say” to keep themselves and their companies out of trouble.
Again, “BP Tony” is a perfect example.
He knew he had to say something, but what?
Some leaders think they can correct mistakes by using their influence and networks to backpedal. Some also naively believe journalists will generously give them another chance to explain.
It’s not only naive to believe journalists will give you a second kick at the can, but also financially dangerous when you consider a company’s share price is directly attached to its reputation.
The biggest mistake politicians, CEOs and business leaders make is to think they, and their companies, are infallible.
Can you imagine a surgeon who says, “I’m not going to learn how to use the new “retracting cardio-dissector thinga-ma-jiggy” until a patient is dying on my operating table?
Or a politician who says, “I was elected by a landslide and my career is moving along smoothly, so how hard can it really be to deal with a bunch of nosy reporters? It’s not like the crisis was my fault!”
Spokespeople have a moral, ethical, and many think even a legal obligation to shareholders, to prepare themselves responsibly.
I wrote a feature article about these challenges, and a few other issues.
You can read it here . . . http://tinyurl.com/29oyzyk
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3.) THE VILLAGE IDIOT – DON’T LET IT BE YOU
Reporters use a wide cast of characters to tell their stories, and the most colorful character is the one I call the Village Idiot.
The Village Idiot can be anyone on the scene of a news event, whether a passerby, or an entry level employee, but unbelievably it is sometimes the official company spokesperson who makes a statement that is so “sound bite worthy” it becomes the centerpiece of the story. The quote sometimes even turns what might have been a non-event into a crisis with a shelf life of radium.
Reporters do back flips of glee when they pry juicy quotes from the lips of official spokespersons.
It’s a reporter’s job to not only FIND, but also SELL the news, and if a company spokesperson makes the job easier the reporter has huge incentive to capitalize on the opportunity. A great quote can make a reporter’s career.
“I never had sex with that woman.” Bill Clinton
“I would like my life back” Tony Hayward
(BTW, FORTUNE Magazine published an article called “Tony Hayward’s GREATEST HITS” and listed in it ALL the juicy sound bites from the BP Gulf disaster –
Reporters know however that they need more than a Village Idiot to sell their story and give it substance.
They know they need a full cast of characters to set up the Village Idiot, so they carefully investigate to identify “a Victim, a Villain, and a Hero.”
This trio is usually the easiest to identify and provides the perfect storm for a spokesperson who unsuspectingly wades into shark infested waters.
The Village Idiot is made to be the scapegoat, whether they deserve it or not.
They also provide memorable headlines. Don’t let the idiot be YOU.
The big challenge for any company spokesperson is to relay information to a reporter that illustrates the sensitivity and concern the spokesperson and her company have regarding the news event, and to do it in a way that serves the best interests of the company.
It’s not easy to do, but fortunately it is a learned skill.
I did an interview with the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and discussed in detail how a reporter assembles this cast of characters.
If you’d like to see how it all plays out click the podcast link below.
PRSA Podcast – http://tinyurl.com/4ss6t4t
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5.) TURNING A CRISIS INTO PR OPPORTUNITY
News is what you make it.
As a politician, or a spokesperson you have an obligation to take even the most catastrophic event and manage it in a way that mitigates damage.
In most cases the best solution is to immediately demonstrate you;
a) are sensitive to the impact the event has had on people,
b) are truly sorry for the harm it caused, and
c) that you will do everything in your power to fix the situation and ensure to the best of your ability it will never happen again.
You have to be genuine in your communication, and you have to do it quickly.
The longer you wait to make an “official” statement, the more people will suspect you are manufacturing disingenuous sentiment.
For example; “Yes, effluent generated by ACME Co. breached a levy during a spring storm, and ACME engineers reacted quickly to contain the spill.
ACME kept citizens apprised each step along the way and worked relentlessly to re-channel the sludge. We’re currently re-engineering and rebuilding the network, and compensating landowners who were affected by the breach.”
Though action speaks louder than words, first you need to demonstrate to people that you genuinely feel their pain.
It would be a stretch to think you could turn a disaster into a neighborhood party, but if you manage communication properly you can lessen the negative impact it has on your company and career. It’s a step in the right direction.
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6.) SPOKESPERSON OR SCAPEGOAT?
Executives and politicians often believe they can handle everything on the fly. Some of the more-experienced can, but most are woefully unprepared.
The world of communication is advancing at a phenomenal rate. The skills you brought into the position when you were hired have changed dramatically over the last few years. Like all professions, if you don’t constantly improve your skills, you can’t deliver.
How you manage communication day to day, and especially during a crisis, is directly tied to the long term success of your career. It is ethically responsible to ensure that the people who rely on you know not just your strengths, but also your limitations. If you don`t tell them they will assume you are prepared.
If you simply sit back and wait for a crisis to occur thinking that miraculously you are going to breeze through it, you are not only misleading yourself, but also the people who rely on you to do and say the right thing.
Rest assured, a crisis will occur. Every company goes through at least one major catastrophe, and how well it survives is tied directly to the skill of the spokesperson at the helm.
It is a journalist’s job to find the truth, but if a reporter can`t clearly define why a crisis occurred or who is responsible, reporters have no hesitation pinning it on the first person who foolishly gives them the opportunity.
The question, for you and your company is, when the crisis does eventually occur, will you be the spokesperson or the scapegoat?
Here’s a great article to help you learn more about the process . . .
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8.) LEGAL COUNSEL CRISIS CONUNDRUM
A driver of one of your company’s delivery vans had a heart attack and drove into a group of school children. Four kids and the driver died at the scene.
You, the CEO, and your entire company are devastated and heartbroken. You want to do the right thing – express your grief and offer an apology to the families and friends of the children, but your legal counsel yells “NO!”
Your lawyer is concerned that if you publicly acknowledge the situation people will assume you are guilty.
What do you do? The answer is simple.
Do what is right. But how?
Won’t people, and especially a jury vilify you and impose a stiffer sentence or settlement if you volunteer the accident was your fault?
When you acknowledge responsibility and let people know you feel their pain, and you illustrate how you will work to prevent this type of tragedy from happening again, guess what? Most people will forgive you.
I’m not suggesting they will let you off the hook, especially if you were negligent, but we know from history that when you can genuinely connect with people on a base level they treat you with more respect.
Doing the right thing is such an important part of life that thirty-five states and four provinces have passed the “Apology Act,” which means in these regions a corporation can express its sorrow without admitting guilt.
Granted, you can’t go willy-nilly saying the first thing that springs to mind, but if you are prepared and know what the safe parameters are it is possible to react like a human and still keep your share prices intact in the face of tragedy.
Remember too, it’s not just what you say, but how you say it.
There are five important things to do when challenged by a corporate lawyer who feels he or she is acting in the best interest of your company.
The first thing to do is ask important players in the room how they want the company to be perceived by customers, employees, and other stakeholders while dealing with the current crisis.
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9.) ARE C-LEVEL EXECUTIVES EASY TARGETS?
Of course you are. It’s your job.
The responsibilities of a CEO, CIO, or COO are immense.
It’s why you get paid the big bucks.
In the past, and as long as you had deep pockets, it was relatively easy to hire a top-drawer PR firm and have them hold your hand through the tough spots.
Granted, it’s still possible to do today, but with the advent of social media, and also the fact news rooms are buckling under economic restraints, it means relationships between PR and news media aren’t as solid as they used to be.
Somewhere along the way, you, as a C-Level executive will have to stand on your own and shoot from the hip when a journalist fires off what is meant to be an embarrassing question in front of a slew of cameras and microphones.
NO COMMENT is not an option. It makes you look shifty and untrustworthy.
How you react on your feet will have serious implications regarding the reputation of your company, its share prices, and ultimately your career.
I stated you are an “easy” target, and I’m sticking to my guns, but just because you are “easy to spot” doesn’t mean you have to take a broadside hit.
Instead of fretting over whether you are an “easy” or “hard” target, concentrate more on being the lightning rod that naturally encourages media to seek you out when they need answers. Train them to come to you.
Good executives and politicians do not hide in the face of action.
Instead, they prepare and feel so confident in their skills that they look forward to the scrum. When you have a strong foundation it is only then that you shine.
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10.) RELATIONSHIPS WITH JOURNALISTS ARE COMPLEX
I’ve said it many times over many years that managing a relationship with a journalist is complex. Recently, a well respected journalist published an article supporting this view.
It’s rare to see an influential reporter address the issue of relationships and ethics, but Daphne Bramham, a writer with The Vancouver Sun, recently made critical comments about one of her colleagues, Catherine Urquhart.
Bramham wrote, “Journalists are not your friends.” She also went on to say, “When the coverage is good, media manipulators (as in PR people, company spokespeople, etc.) may credit their close friendship (with reporters). And of course that coverage enhances their own value to their bosses. But it bears repeating, these friendships are of the Facebook variety. Friend today. Unfriended tomorrow.” end of quote
This quote carries considerable weight considering you’re getting it straight from the horse’s mouth, and especially from an investigative journalist who is so well respected by readers and peers alike.
You can read Bramham’s full article here; http://tinyurl.com/4lpxg95
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December 2011
1.) BOB COSTAS, A SKILLFUL JOURNALIST, JUDGE . . . and JURY
Sports journalist Bob Costas literally does it all. Costas, a well known and very much liked and revered sports reporter skyrocketed to even higher superstar status recently when he interviewed former Penn State assistant football coach, Jerry Sandusky, a man accused of pedophilia and raping a child.
In less than ten minutes Costas turned the spontaneous interview into a trial and conviction.
Costas used common interview tactics, albeit in a very skilled manner, to get Sandusky to talk openly about his alleged criminal actions.
Almost everyone who saw the interview cannot help but now believe Sandusky is a child rapist.
Costas, in his trademark cool, calm, and collected journalistic style acted as accuser, judge, jury and hangman. In the hearts of many people who saw the interview, a formal trial is no longer necessary.
In a very calculated way, Costas led Sandusky into saying exactly what the public wanted to hear.
Costas did not trick Sandusky or manipulate him. All he did was ask the right questions using the correct order and tone, and then watch as Sandusky placed the rope around his own neck. Costas did however, know exactly how to skillfully tighten the noose to prevent it from slipping off.
While we watched through the MSNBC lens, Costas carefully led Sandusky into a dark place from which the beleaguered assistant coach will never be able to return.
These exact same journalism tactics are used every single day in a myriad of circumstances by thousands of reporters to get executives, politicians, and all types of spokespeople to say things they know they should not be saying, but are seemingly powerless to stop.
It is obvious Sandusky did NOT have adequate media training, because if he did, Costas would not have been able to so easily cause Sandusky to incriminate himself. The former coach’s misguided responses will no doubt be introduced as evidence in his trial.
Watching the interview underscores the suffering of the child victims, but steel yourself and watch it (link below) until you can clearly see why talking to a journalist is not just a regular conversation.
Pay careful attention to Sandusky’s silence and also how he repeated one particular question asked by Costas. Repeating a negative question asked by a reporter is a common and foolish way to buy time while you plan what to say. It leads people to believe you are making something up, which implies you are lying. Regardless of what the facts may be, much emotion surrounds this story.
Here’s the MSNBC, Costas, Sandusky interview at the LA Times http://tinyurl.com/c8pgs25
How the interview came about http://tinyurl.com/8axzb5c
Jon Stewart’s take on the Sandusky interview http://tinyurl.com/6uyd7v8
Who REALLY BROKE the Penn State Story? http://tinyurl.com/bo9me88
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2.) HERMAN CAIN IS NO BILL CLINTON
Sticky Cain could take a few lessons from Teflon Ron, Bill, and Tony.
All three powerful politicians had a reputation for getting into hot spots without getting scorched. The Teflon term was coined for Ronald Regan and moved through the Bill Clinton / Monica Lewinsky era all the way to Britain’s Prime Minister, Teflon Tony Blair.
Former presidential hopeful Herman Cain was burned on all sides by a string of women claiming sexual harassment. Each time Cain opened his mouth to put out a fire, he ended up with third degree burns.
Cain made one public relations mistake after another, erroneously thinking he could harangue his way out of trouble. He underestimated how quickly reporters can turn one little spark into a raging forest fire.
Politicians, executives, and spokespersons often fail to recognize it’s easier to douse a small flame than it is to fight a blazing inferno. Once the momentum starts, it’s impossible to contain.
The words that leave your mouth at the very first flicker will determine your success, and that is why you have to be prepared and not think of media training only after the TV cameras and reporters show up.
Did Cain actually sexually harass those women as they claim? At this point we don’t know for sure. What we do know however is that enough people think he did, leaving his war chest dry and forcing him to withdraw from the GOP contest.
Here’s a list of articles and videos documenting how Herman Cain handles news media.
Cain yells at reporter during press conference. http://youtu.be/bFa6bz9jpEo
The Cain interview that kicked off the sexual harassment frenzy. http://tinyurl.com/3ftyh6o
Cain eventually tries to buy his way out of trouble. http://tinyurl.com/84c4sqe
News company uses VOICE Stress Analyzer to determine if Cain is lying. http://tinyurl.com/6tflmle
Cain’s attempt to use news media to undermine his accuser’s character backfires.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9TLZ4p3e3M
Cain’s chief of staff spreads false media rumor causing confusion. http://tinyurl.com/7s958pe
According to Kelly McBride at Poynter, news companies withheld Cain harassment information.
According to a PEW Research Poll, 39% of people think the sexual harassment allegations against Herman Cain are true. http://tinyurl.com/7jyagbx
CAIN announces he is “SUSPENDING” his race to be president. http://tinyurl.com/bp2u5gn
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3.) WHATEVER HAPPENED TO . . . OFF THE RECORD?
Back in the day, OFF THE RECORD meant journalists “might” consider that the information you just told them would be kept confidential. Ethical traditional journalists endeavored to play by the rules as long as you both agreed upfront regarding what information could be considered off the record.
Today, for a number of reasons, little is off the record. If you say it, you will have to live with it.
Here’s an interesting perspective from Johna Burke, senior VP of BurrellsLuce http://tinyurl.com/cuofr2z
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4.) SOCIAL MEDIA IN THE NEWSROOM – BLOGS, FACEBOOK & TWITTER
There is a right and a wrong way to use social media to mitigate media damage.
If you think you can simply grasp at Twitter straws while under attack you are mistaken.
You must be prepared and manage communication with news media properly from the outset.
Social media is not making it easier to handle news media. It makes it harder.
You have no choice but to become social media literate, but before you do, you first have to know the basics and have a good appreciation of the landscape and community before you engage.
This short list will give you an idea of what to do, or not do.
Penn State Drops the Social Media Ball. http://tinyurl.com/c3vsudb
In this social media world, exactly WHO is NEWS MEDIA? Maybe this will put it in perspective for spokespeople. HINT: EVERYONE! http://tinyurl.com/6q5ld3m
Twitter & Facebook for newsrooms – Traditional journalists, often the older experienced ones, regard social media as an encumbrance, while their younger colleagues embrace it as a welcomed tool. Use this knowledge to your advantage. http://tinyurl.com/7qqt233
News icon Brian Williams has over 67,000 Followers but not one Tweet https://twitter.com/#!/bwilliams while BreakingNews.com comprised of young news hounds has over 3 million Followers and 62,000 Tweets. https://twitter.com/#!/BREAKINGNEWS
4.74 Degrees of Separation Via Facebook to Your News http://tinyurl.com/6t3zrmn
Storify is moving from news aggregation to more of a social media BREAKING NEWS site. Every time a news company moves from regurgitating, to original production, it means there is a new voice on the block competing directly with CBS, ABC, NBC and all the rest. http://blog.storify.com/
The following link/article about Storify is overblown with hype, but from a spokesperson’s perspective, when bad news is circulating about you, it doesn’t matter where someone sees it. Recently, Storify has delivered huge numbers comparable to some established news organizations. As always, READ THE COMMENTS attached to media stories because that is where unreported mainstream information sometimes comes to light. http://tinyurl.com/6s6bnuo
Want to HANGOUT with Mitt Romney? You’ll need Google+ Hangout – a relatively new social media tool being used by politicians to get close to voters. http://tinyurl.com/8yw4nl7
Citizen Journalism can no longer be easily dismissed. Yes, a large portion of CJ is biased and never gets fact-checked, but it is pervasive. The following link/story relates how the spin by mainstream news was revealed to be false. If the information you provide is inaccurate, or worse an outright lie, and mainstream news spins a story based on your alleged facts, there will be a group of people waiting in the wings to challenge you, and many of them will come armed with video from their smart phones. You might have very, very rarely gotten away with deceiving media in the past, but today social media will call you out quickly. http://tinyurl.com/6tsmakd
A newspaper in Texas includes Twitter accounts for each journalist. There is a big difference between putting a company Twitter address on your news site like most companies do, and placing the individual Twitter account of each reporter on each story like this news company http://tinyurl.com/7zpcvw3
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5.) WHO IS BEHIND YOUR NEWS? – TRANSPARENCY
The next time you get a call from a journalist for an interview, and you want a better understanding of the reporter’s allegiance, you might want to check out a web site called NewsTransparency.com
According to FORBES it’s a site where you can research a journalist’s “personal background, political biases, interpersonal connections and more.”
Remember though what I’ve always advised. When a reporter first calls, unless you are prepared and expect the call, never do the interview immediately. Tell the reporter you are busy and can’t talk right now, and then ask for their contact information. They’ll often say,” but I just have a quick question for you,” and maybe even try to flatter you by saying “you’re the best source for this type of information.” Don’t fall for it. Get their contact info and find out what the interview is about and how they think you fit into it. Call them back after you’ve had time to gather your thoughts, and now, also check them out on http://www.NewsTransparency.com
FORBES About Transparency http://tinyurl.com/4yhd6ou
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6.) HOW NEWS COMPANIES WRITE HEADLINES
Take 5 for a little humor about how news companies come up with those zany headlines.
WARNING – PROFANE LANGAUGE in the Highlights segment.
http://www.jest.com/video/52363/where-occupy-wall-street-headlines-come-from
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7.) POLITICIAN CALLS 911 ON AMBUSH REPORTER
It’s probably not a good idea to call the police when a reporter shows up at your home, even if the reporter is dressed like a Princess Warrior.
Mary Walsh, brilliant comedian and political satirist who plays Marg Delahunty Princess Warrior on the CBC program, This Hour Has 22 Minutes, showed up at Toronto Mayor Rob Ford’s house one morning to ask him a few questions, and instead of good-naturedly playing along like most politicians do, Ford went back into his house and called police.
Calling 911 wasn’t the best political move for the beleaguered mayor who has a reputation for fighting with and refusing to talk to news media. Toronto Star http://tinyurl.com/85dj63a
This Hour Has 22 Minutes Facebook video of the event http://tinyurl.com/7xmovrh
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8.) STAYING ON MESSAGE KILLS CAREERS
Spokespeople who stay on message and will not deviate even when it is appropriate to do so look evasive. Way too many media trainers still mistakenly advocate that a spokesperson should pre-define their message, especially in a crisis situation, and stick to it regardless of the what reporters ask. They have one pat answer and that is all they offer during an interview, even when it sounds ridiculous.
Harry Bloy, newly appointed Social Development Minister in BC, is an experienced politician who instead of respecting reporters’ questions during a media conference he called, decided to keep repeating the same tired mantra over and over. http://tinyurl.com/7j8xmx8
Next is former GOP presidential race candidate Herman Cain, who actually stated he is going to “stay on message.” Probably not a good idea for someone accused of sexual harassment. Watch the video at the top of the link/page to hear Cain repeat his “stay on message” mantra. http://tinyurl.com/3ftyh6o
Last up is Vice President Joe Biden, who, when asked by a reporter if he used a rape reference when he was trying to make a point about economics, insisted on staying on message and angrily refused to admit he used the term in that capacity. http://youtu.be/fxxotkX9ZOo
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9.) TO CATCH A JOURNALIST – UNDERCOVER AMBUSH TACTICS
To Catch A Journalist is an independent group of self-described journalists who use social media tools like YouTube and Twitter to expose fraud, primarily in government agencies. They operate under the name, Project Veritas headed by James O’Keefe.
They use undercover ambush tactics, the same way Pulitzer Prize winning reporters do, to gain access to government officials and employees. It’s similar in some ways to mainstream journalists in the popular NBC Dateline segment, “To Catch a Predator” or the ABC television show, “What Would You Do?”
The main difference however is that mainstream journalists go after individuals, while Veritas targets employees within large organizations that spend taxpayer money.
I don’t agree with all of Veritas’ strategies, but I do understand their process because when I was a journalist I went undercover to expose doctors who over-prescribed medication. I also exposed a nursing home that mistreated patients, in addition to investigating Nazi war criminals. http://tinyurl.com/3tu8ves
Ambush journalism waned for a number of reasons, one being liability, but with the advent of social media and economic struggle within the news media industry, undercover media investigations are making a strong return. Some also argue it fell out of favor because today news media is too closely aligned with big business to support this aggressive style. It steps on too many advertiser or political toes.
Project Veritas is responsible for having federal funding taken away from organizations allegedly operating fraudulently, and for having people fired from their positions – NPR and ACORN in particular. Many mainstream journalists openly criticize Veritas, as do many journalism professors at prestigious colleges and universities, especially those who have been targeted.
Veritas does not always go undercover. Sometimes they show up with a camera and microphone and ask executives extremely hard questions, some which Veritas claims mainstream reporters refuse to ask.
If you think it is difficult to handle mainstream journalists, social media takes it light years beyond.
This C-Span interview of James O’Keefe is a little long, but it will give you a sobering look at the type of journalist more politicians and executives will soon face. http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/JPr
Project Veritas To Catch a Journalist Part 1
Project Veritas To Catch a Journalist Part 2
New Jersey Star Ledger – Are journalists biased?
Here’s another link to an undercover investigation about a puppy mill that sold dogs for human consumption to a New York City butcher shop. Stories like this would rarely come to light if journalists didn’t go undercover. http://tinyurl.com/8yg58yp
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10.) FAKE NEWS – EDITORIAL, ADVERTORIAL, and now . . . PROMOTORIAL
Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water.
Fake news, referred to in the communications industry as PROMOTORIAL, are stories written and distributed that have little basis in fact, and are funded by the parties with the most to gain.
One recent example is a story about water rights in the Los Angeles area. A mysterious reporter, known as Mike Adams, wrote a series of stories regarding issues in the Central Basin Municipal Water District. The PR company behind these stories was paid very well to manage the campaign – in the neighborhood of $200,000. The campaign was slyly positioned to look like news.
Here are a few links to give you an idea of how fraudulent PR masquerades as NEWS;
LA Times – Reporter can’t be found http://tinyurl.com/76y49cp
LA Times – Google wises up and cuts links to false stories http://tinyurl.com/85tw2jy
Gawker – $200,000 in Tax Money Spent on Fake News http://tinyurl.com/6cqs8rw
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October 2010
2.) WHAT IS NEWS? – GOOD QUESTION – WHAT IS LIFE?
Both are complicated, and I’m not sure which is harder to define.
News is everywhere, and, as I wrote in my book, the business of news is a full cycle process that includes “how it is made, reported, and interpreted.”
“News stories usually fall into categories such as good versus evil, winners and losers, bad decisions, irony, rumors, the unusual or absurd, offensive comments, uniformed politicians, and failed jokes.
The current model for media training is broken because it calls on spokespeople to ignore questions and repeat “key” messages. Each time a nonresponsive message is repeated a layer of credibility is stripped away from the speaker.
The most effective way to deal with the media is to be honest and responsive.”
It is especially the case when dealing with news media in the face of a crisis that has full potential to negatively impact you or your company.
Why? Well, it is the reporter’s job to ferret out the truth, and if they get the feeling you are deceiving them, even in the smallest way, their radar goes into full alert, and you just became a prime target.
Wayne Hurlbert, Blog Business World, also interviewed me recently and asked about the NEW approach to PR; http://tinyurl.com/2b6l3mo
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3.) YOU ARE THE STORY – YES YOU
News can happen to anyone, and how you come out of it is proportionally related to how you manage yourself.
If you are prepared, level headed and responsible you have a good chance of turning a negative event into something that places you or your company in a more favorable light. It’s not to say you will come out of it unscathed, but at least you won’t be DOA, and you’ll live to fight another day.
In this chapter I cover the importance of being careful what you say. This piece of advice sounds obvious, but it is way harder to do than everyone thinks. Reporters are trained to bring out the worst in you. They do it every day in a wide variety of contexts, and you are just another pawn in the grand scheme of their careers. Every word that comes out of your mouth is fair game for a quote. Learn to make it positive for you.
I also address the truth about “off the record.” My advice is to not say anything off the record you wouldn’t say on the record.
I cover a number of other issues in this chapter in great detail such as, Image Consciousness, Know What Others Are Saying About You, Know How You Come Across, Building Trust, What’s the Right Thing to Do, How to Get Your Lawyers on Your Side (they always want to stay silent, but I know through experience it is often a mistake), Look to Your Values, The Value Compass (this is a BIG issue I cover in great detail and if you manage it properly you will place yourself in a favorable position).
The Value Compass is an effective tool for establishing and focusing your principles, particularly when public trust is threatened. If you want to be believed and trusted it is critical that you clearly embrace this concept.
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4.) HOW TO ADMIT BAD NEWS
This chapter focuses on the importance of being present and responsive when bad news happens. It also explains the four principles for building trust.
When bad news strikes, people have a tendency to withdraw from the media, or trivialize it. Both are huge mistakes.
As I explain in detail in my book, the four principles for building trust are:
Show Humility
Answer Honestly
Acknowledge Skepticism
Couple Concern with Commitment to Action
In order to do this you have to learn a few skills, like “be accessible, be among those most upset, and most importantly, “facts” will never win over “emotion.”
Emotion trumps fact every time. If you think all you have to do to get people on your side is to relay facts in an orderly fashion, you’ll be in for a rude surprise.
I also discuss in this chapter a process I call “The Problem Solution Formula.” It is a way of addressing a problem honestly while simultaneously ensuring the “solution” will be quoted in your favor.
Admitting bad news is much more difficult than people imagine, and if you do it improperly it is highly likely you could make the crisis seem even worse.
Not to downplay the environmental catastrophe of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, but ex-BP CEO, Tony Hayward, claims he was “demonized” and forced to resign over the spill. I beg to differ with Mr. Hayward.
Hayward wasn’t forced to resign because of the spill. He lost his job and also negatively impacted BP’s share prices even further because he mismanaged the message during the first few hours of the crisis.
Hayward actually made it worse for his company and his career.
MONEY Magazine article
http://money.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=7936072
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5.) CRAFTING COMPELLING MESSAGES
John Ruskin, a Victorian writer and critic wrote, “Say all you have to say in the fewest possible words, or your reader will be sure to skip them; and in the plainest possible words, or he will certainly misunderstand them.”
It’s also great advice for anyone disseminating information about a crisis.
A study published in the Journal of “Personality and Social Study” reported that repeated exposure to one person’s perspective and viewpoint has almost as much influence as exposure to shared opinions from many people.
The study suggests that if you are a competent spokesperson you can single-handedly manage the message during a crisis situation and not only ensure consistency, but also have your company’s message resonate in your favor.
There are however “Messaging Maxims” you have to follow, but it’s harder to do than you might think because your message has to resonate with a wide variety of stakeholders including investors, retailers, customers, and critics.
You’re one message has to reach and have a favorable impact with all of these people, and you have to do it immediately after the crisis strikes. So, if you are not prepared, you will be disadvantaged before you even start. There is no opportunity for a second chance, and issuing a retraction of an early blunder will surely make the crisis seem even worse.
I address a long list of strategies in my book to help you prepare for the worst.
This chapter also includes the Compelling Message Creator, which is a TEMPLATE that will not only help you craft a message that will meet the needs of journalists, but also help position your message in a proactive and positive manner.
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6.) DELIVERING YOUR MESSAGE
Words are like toothpaste.
Once you squeeze them out you can’t get them back in the tube.
In this chapter I share well proven and documented methods that will help you pace yourself and say the right thing, which is something professional communicators plan and do not leave to chance. Politicians and executives learn the tricks of the trade and practice their skills in preparation for a crisis.
There are a number of relatively complex components required to deliver your message in a manner that serves you well. Each on its own seems relatively simple, but the challenge is to make it all work together when you are under the stress of a crisis.
For example, you have to learn to slow your racing brain, and one way of doing it is to learn how to breathe. I cover these two important tactics in great detail in my new book. Your face and especially your eyes relay information that can either help someone trust you, or brand you as a liar. How you use your hands is important too. I refer to an involuntary function as “Body Language Leakage,” which means when you are nervous or lying, you might be doing something that indicates you’re being deceitful. Poker players refer to it as a “TELL.” If you don’t know what a “nodding head” means you need to read my book before you talk to reporters.
You also have to pay attention to your voice. The tone, speed, and inflection tell a person a lot about your message. It’s not what you say as much as how you say it that gets people on your side. You have to “Say it like you mean it!”
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7.) WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH
“Reporters have little reluctance in asking antagonistic or intentionally misleading questions. If necessary they’ll resort to embarrassing silences, dogged questioning, and ambush tactics in order to get their story.”
Reporters love to use surprise as leverage.
When you are caught off guard by a reporter, be sure to breathe, genuinely listen to the questions and stop thinking about what to say – just listen. Then ask questions to make sure you understand what’s being asked of you. The full process is outlined in the book.
“Angry upset people want two things from you. The first thing they want is for you to acknowledge the problem. The second thing they want is for you to solve the problem, which is not always possible while standing in a hallway or parking lot.”
The FLUSTER Strategy is an easily-learned four step process that can give you time to think and recover.
Sometimes you have to know how to end the barrage of reporters’ questions. I call this the CLOSURE Strategy. When the same question is asked repeatedly it indicates the media is not interested in your message, and that the question itself, as well as your answer, will form a pivotal part of the story. “Often, when spokespeople are pummeled in this manner, they weaken and end up providing the one quote they were determined to avoid.” Don’t do it!
Apologizing will usually get people back on your side, but only when you do it properly. There is however concern by some attorneys that an apology constitutes an admission of guilt. Recently though, many governments have passed what is known as the “Apology Act” in an effort to encourage more people to own up to their mistakes without fear their apology will be used against them in court. To date, three provinces and thirty-five states have already passed such legislation. The legal issues differ between jurisdictions, and as you might expect the issue in general is quite complex.
Jim Golden, a lawyer for the trucking industry said, “There’s a difference between saying I’m sorry, and it is our fault and we’re legally responsible. Saying, I’m sorry when an accident is clearly your fault helps begin the healing process.”
Apologizing is not only a delicate legal issue, but an emotional one as well that sends a message to victims during a crisis situation that the person or company responsible is genuine in their remorse and committed to making things better.
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I want to leave you with one last little GEM. It’s MUST SEE video of Phil Davison, GOP candidate going ballistic during his candidacy speech.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMgyi57s-A4
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May 2010
1.) NEW MEDIA MUSCLE
Arguing with a journalist is a guaranteed recipe for disaster. However, the adage “never pick a fight with someone who buys ink by the barrel,” is dated and not as true as it used to be, especially in the world of social activism.
There are a number of powerful websites that very effectively challenge mainstream news media. Some citizen journalism and “crowdsourcing” sites have little problem forcing mainstream news into a corner. NowPublic.com, which is one of the largest such sites in the world, has strong political influence in Washington DC. Plus, there are hundreds of organizations like this in the US and around the world. Many of these sites gang up on mainstream news and are capable of generating strong viral interest to support their views. Other similar sites in Canada include the Canadian Journalism Project, and TheTyee.ca – both of which have solid track records of challenging mainstream news.
Some newspapers are so intimidated they no longer allow comments on their web sites. Some serious social media activists consider the removal of a comment section on a mainstream news media site a victory, and some shun news companies that don’t support unbiased commenting. They believe that if a news company doesn’t respect their customers enough to allow them to comment in an unbiased manner, their credibility is less than stellar. There will always be people who don’t care one way or the other, but for serious media watchers, “ink by the barrel” isn’t as intimidating as it used to be.
Don’t let this lull you into complacency though, because if you think you can easily “fix” something you said to mainstream news media by using these alternative new media sites, you’ll discover it is often impossible to put the toothpaste back in the tube. It’s still best to say it correctly the first time, and use social media news sites to support your case, not defend it.
NowPublic.com was named by TIME Magazine in 2007 as one of the top 50 websites to watch, and they haven’t disappointed. http://tinyurl.com/32l97g
J-Source – The Canadian Journalism Project is a meeting place where professional and citizen journalists write about mainstream news media and debate news challenges of the day. http://tinyurl.com/25fgqjt
TheTyee.ca – Sometimes the comments are more revealing than the articles.
http://thetyee.ca/Mediacheck/2008/10/24/CanWest/
OhMyNews, based in South Korea, is the first open source news site and has had tremendous influence in news reporting and politics around the world.
SPOT.US is an opensource project to pioneer “community powered reporting.” It is funded by various groups, like the Knight Foundation. http://www.spot.us
This last link will take you to a stunning story and video of the director of community relations for the Laguna Honda Hospital, Marc Slavin, confronting a television news reporter regarding allegations of misappropriation of funds.
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/iteam&id=7453754
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May 2010
2.) THE CHANGING NEWS LANDSCAPE
How we gather and create news is changing rapidly.
Pew Research Center recently reported that the Internet is now the second most used medium to gather and disburse news, ranking only behind television. Second place used to be held by radio or newspapers.
On a typical day, 92% of people use many different formats and a variety of platforms and devices to gather the news, 46% get their news from six different media platforms, and only 7% get their news from a single format.
Without question, news media gathering has become a highly fractured process, and because of this, how the content is delivered and how we interpret it has changed radically as well.
Back in the 60’s, technology was touted as a timesaver, and more recently, technology also promised to streamline communication. In some respects, and in both eras it proved partially true, but today, even though news distribution is easier, how we collect and create the content is more complex.
Here are a few more numbers from the Pew report that might surprise you;
33% of people use cell phones to access the news
28% place news sources and topics that interest them on their web sites
37% of Internet users contribute to news creation, comment about it, or distribute it using social media tools
72% agree that most news sources today are biased in their coverage
You can read a summary of the Pew report here. http://tinyurl.com/ycje3n5
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3.) IF IT BLEEDS, IT LEADS – SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE
It is a common news media maxim, and also a heading in my book.
On the surface, we all know what “if it bleeds it leads” means.
If news media can find even a hint of controversy they will exploit it.
You can count on it. It’s their job. Controversial headlines sell newspapers.
Many people mistakenly believe newspapers are primarily in business to report the news, and maybe this was the case in a bygone era, but today news companies publicly admit they are in business mainly to make money. They even teach and encourage journalism students to think this way.
News media companies, like many other industries, are in a life and death struggle to survive, and if they have to do it at your expense they will. They are both your allies and enemies, and you have to respect this dynamic.
As such, you need to know how to ensure your message is heard in a manner that represents you in the best possible light.
Read more from PBS; Reporters struggle with how far they can take a story.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/insidelocalnews/behind_leads.html
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4.) “OFF THE RECORD” WITH THE NEWS MEDIA? – NOT LIKELY
Don’t hold your breath if you think you can bargain with the news media.
It is a myth that “anything” is off the record. You say it – you live with it.
It might not be reported today, but eventually, it will come out.
More frequently than you might imagine, disgruntled people, and amazingly, public relations professionals think they can hold private meetings with news media OFF THE RECORD without cameras or microphones.
“Off the record” is not likely to be respected except in rare instances where a journalist might give an executive or politician with whom they have had a long term relationship special privilege to speak privately. When off the record conversations do take place, media would not agree to “never” reveal parts of the conversation just because they were asked to keep a secret.
Here’s an example of a news media company turning the tables on a public relations professional who was incensed the local television station was trashing her company. The PR pro was so frustrated she emailed the TV station asking them to stop reporting so negatively about her company.
The TV station instead published her letter in its entirety.
LCEC PR Manager Karen Ryan emailed FOX 4 TV Manager Judy Kenny stating, “For you, I know it’s about ratings, but for LCEC it is about having our standing in the community harmed and our character defamed unfairly.”
Basically, LCEC (an electric company) wants FOX4 to quit running stories about what LCEC customers allege is poor service. The TV station however, states it will continue to run the stories because it is what the public wants. From the perspective of LCEC, the company is simply following a business protocol used by tens of millions of businesses around the world – a customer fails to pay and their service is cut.
This problem however, grew out of control when LCEC customers asked TV news media to champion their cause based on “emotion in the court of public opinion,” and not on corporate law. The TV station recognized a David & Goliath story when it saw one, and Goliath wasn’t one of its customers.
Click this link to read, and then PLAY the video on the page’s top right corner.
http://www.fox4now.com/Global/story.asp?S=11925348
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5.) FUZZY LINE BETWEEN POLITICAL, CORPORATE, and FAMILY
More and more every day, the lines between political, corporate, and family privacy are disappearing. It seems everyone today is in the news business.
NBC, CBS, and ABC are no longer the only news sources. For years now they have had to compete with CNN and FOX, plus Jon Stewart, Rush Limbaugh, the entire Internet, and more recently, late afternoon talk show hosts.
If you’re a politician or executive and you get yourself ensnared in controversy, don’t be surprised to see yourself in a crisis cameo on Oprah Winfrey.
Former senator and presidential candidate John Edwards learned the hard way after he lied to reporters when asked about his affair with Rielle Hunter.
Edwards stated emphatically he did not father a baby with her, but this lie soon took on a life of its own after Oprah interviewed his wife, Elizabeth Edwards.
When Oprah interviews someone, just the fact she is doing the interview is news, which in a sense means the news is taking second chair to the reporter. I’m being a bit facetious here because “celebrity reporting” has been going on for a long time, but over the last few years and thanks to people like Oprah it has moved out of “National Enquirer” mode and into the mainstream.
The situation really heated up when Elizabeth Edwards published her book, “Resilience.” In it, politics and family crossed boundaries never before seen.
I include two video links below. The first is simply for your reference. It is of John Edwards denying he was or could be the father of the child, and the second demonstrates the depth of detail Oprah brought to this story.
John Edwards denying he could be the father – http://tinyurl.com/2u8gagu
The following video is an interview Oprah conducted with Elizabeth Edwards. Introducing this interview is a “pre-interview” by Diane Sawyer who spoke to Oprah’s editor about the interview.
Diane Sawyer & Gayle King, “O” Magazine editor-at-large, & Oprah on ABC
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Television/story?id=7525333&page=1
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6.) MANUFACTURING OUTRAGE
Manufacturing OUTRAGE is a second cousin to manufacturing CONSENT.
Manufacturing CONSENT is a common strategy politicians, executives, and news media use to surreptitiously influence people into following their doctrine. It’s similar in a way to “compliance selling,” except the person doing the consent manufacturing is endeavoring to sell you an idea, not a product.
Manufacturing OUTRAGE is a strategy used to make you angry. Politicians do it for a couple of reasons. The first is so they can get people worked up about supporting change. The word “outrage” carries a negative connotation, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be manufactured in an angry manner.
“An Inconvenient Truth” is a good example of passive aggressive outrage. Thanks to Al Gore, people everywhere are outraged about global pollution.
The second reason politicians manufacture outrage is to get the public worked up about the opposition. If you want to turn the public against someone it is far safer and more effective to have a third party do it for you.
When you create a false sense of outrage people will soon jump on a soapbox to express their “anger.” Manufacturing outrage is now a much more effective tactic thanks to social media. Today, the digital soapbox careens around the world in the amount of time it takes to toast a bagel.
In some cases you would be hard pressed to recognize who exactly is behind all the outrage. It might at first seem like a benign member of society. It might even look like the guy or gal next door, but for all the big agendas, if you look closely you might discover a shell company hiding behind a shell company.
Manufacturing outrage is often based loosely on fact, but couched in drama.
According to Rachel Maddow of MSNBC, there is an official “script” for outrage and it was written by a group called Right Principles in an instruction-like format. Maddow describes it as a “tool for intimidation.” In the RP script, people are encouraged to express their outrage while politicians deliver speeches, with the intent of disruption, as opposed to discussion.
Here’s an excerpt from “the script”;
“You need to rock the boat early in the Rep’s presentation. Watch for an opportunity to yell out and challenge the Reps’ statements early. – if he offers excuses — call him on it, yell back and have someone else follow-up, follow up with a shout out – the goal is to rattle him.
When the formal Q&A session begins get all your hands up and keep them up. The balance of the group should applaud when the question is asked, further putting the Rep on the defensive.”
These instructions are posted by Bob MacGuffie, who is associated with Freedom Works, a Washington DC lobbying firm.
The script for outrage can be found on ResistNet.com, which is affiliated with Grassfire.org and managed by Shirley & Banister Public Affairs.
As you can see, politicians and executives are having a harder time in front of the public every day because of the growth of social media activism. When you’re not prepared for this type of confrontation, it can create a serious impediment to having your message heard. I included a couple of links below to give you an idea of the organizational prowess of these groups.
Orchestrated Outrage Rachel Maddow
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlBqx4JKv1s
Shouting Down Politicians
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htAooJZRLu8&
Here’s another interesting example. It focuses on Andrew Briebart, a news media social activist accepting the Reed Irvine Accuracy in Media Award for a story about corruption. Briebart used his acceptance speech on the award podium to call out NY Times reporter, Kate Zernike for creating “outrage.” http://tinyurl.com/29skh4x
This next example, which is also incredibly interesting, has to be viewed with a wary eye because it is edited from the perspective of social activists with strong intent to make a gas company look bad. Given the current situation in the Gulf of Mexico regarding the BP oil company, making an energy company look bad today is not terribly hard to do. The video is very biased, but if you watch it carefully you will see a social activist “script” in action.
What started out as a PRESENTATION at Harvard, turned into a disastrous situation for natural gas company, Chesapeake Energy.
Here are a few key areas where they went wrong;
Their CEO, Aubrey McClendon implied “MIGHT MAKES RIGHT” by telling the audience his company has one million customers. He then asked, “How many people have been killed in Pennsylvania as a result of my gas company’s actions?” He then followed up by directly challenging the audience to have mainstream news media investigate – with the supposition the news media will support the gas company’s position. The audience immediately asked, “How much money are you giving the Boston Globe?” – a question McClendon ignored.
The crowd went after him in such an effective systematic manner, the Harvard moderator had to intervene and save McClendon and his gas company from further damage.
You can view the YouTube clip about the gas company clip here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8OSqf77iG8
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8.) SABOTAGING YOUR CAREER
It never fails. Every time I publish a newsletter, a high ranking executive or politician gets caught once again sabotaging their career by saying something they should not have into a live microphone or camera.
Occurrences of this nature happen so often, you would think people in the public spotlight would learn to measure their thoughts more carefully, even in what they believe to be private conversations. We know these people are intelligent. How else did they get to where they are today? The answer is addressed at length in my book, but basically, they are caught off guard speaking without thinking – a sure way to damage a career and/or lose an election.
Here’s the latest incident; outgoing British Prime Minister Gordon Brown recently met a sixty-four year old woman, a supporter of his Labor Party, on the street during a public outing. He spoke with the woman in the presence of news media, and then got into his chauffeur driven-car forgetting he was still wired to a live lapel microphone. As the car drove away, and while speaking privately to his entourage in the car, he called the woman a bigot and asked how he ended up in such an uncomfortable public situation. News media recorded the conversation and within a few days more than 287,000 people witnessed his indiscretion firsthand on YouTube.
After the incident occurred and he realized he had put his foot in his mouth, Brown stuck it in even deeper by denying he called the senior a bigot, blaming his staff, and then actually blaming the woman. Three strikes and you’re out.
When you callously demonstrate your lack of remorse, recovering is almost impossible and often a career killer, as would prove to be the case when only three days later Brown lost the national election and was ousted as Britain’s prime minister. This gaffe was certainly not the primary reason he lost, but it was a very close race and when you are running neck and neck every single vote counts.
This link is of the prime minister on ITN News feebly trying to explain himself.
It goes from bad to worse.
Ex-British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, accusing a woman of bigotry.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbhPWAMx2y0
Trying to deflect the blame.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3F_ly9xSqQ
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9.) YOU TOOK ME OUT OF CONTEXT
WHERE’S THE REST OF WHAT I SAID?
Actor Will Smith learned the hard way after a headline in “The World Entertainment News Network” screamed,
“Will Smith: Hitler was a ‘good’ person.”
Other headlines read, “Hitler, Schmitler: He Wasn’t that Bad.”
The fact is, Will Smith has no one to blame but himself for serving up such a caustic quote.
Even the Associated Press reported the Will Smith / Adolf Hitler story, only the AP version advanced the story by quoting Jewish community leaders calling for a boycott of Smith’s new movie.
Will Smith does not strike me as an admirer of Adolf Hitler, so, how could media everywhere report that Smith thinks Hitler is a good guy?
It’s easier to see what happened when we read Smith’s comments in their entirety. While talking to a Scottish tabloid about human nature, Smith said, “Even Hitler didn’t wake up going, ‘Let me do the most evil thing I can do today.’” Smith went on to say, “I think he woke up in the morning and, using a twisted, backwards logic, he set out to do what he thought was ‘good.’ Stuff like that just needs reprogramming.”
To clean up the mess, Smith actually had to issue the following statement to explain, “Adolf Hitler was a vile, heinous, vicious killer responsible for one of the greatest acts of evil committed on this planet.”
Knowing how journalists edit the news is central to understanding the dynamic of media communication.
Many people confuse the editing process with being taken out of context.
What newsmakers see as “out of context,” is seen differently by the reporter.
Will Smith Takes a HIT over HIS QUOTE – ABC News
http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/story?id=4052017&page=1
Politicians often complain of being taken out of context. Here’s an example of the Washington Post taking Barrack Obama out of context even before he became president.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-502443_162-4306672-502443.html
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January 2010
1.) TRANSPARENCY and FULL DISCLOSURE
We all quickly tire of buzzwords, like “transparency” or “full disclosure,” but the internet and social media make it incredibly difficult to hide secrets or bias, which means these buzzwords will be around for a long time, maybe forever.
When you make a statement, either during an interview or online, someone, somewhere could eventually connect you in a six-degrees-of-separation kind of way to an aspect of the story that might reveal your bias.
Bias in itself isn’t a crime or unethical. We are all biased in some way. The challenge occurs when bias is hidden, either purposely or inadvertently.
We see examples of bias in media regularly. Sometimes we recognize it immediately, and other times it slips by under the radar.
As you know, newspapers are struggling. The strain is so great some have succumbed to bankruptcy. Newspaper people often blame the recession for the lack of advertising revenue, and in a sense they are right, but it’s not the entire story. Lack of advertising is the symptom, but not the disease.
I’ve published this newsletter since 1999, and over the last decade have quoted statistics a number of times from companies like PEW Research who report that readers have steadily lost trust with news media. Even though the news industry is in crisis, the media still refuse to admit it is partly to blame for its own demise. Bias in news, and transparency, are often tied to news companies when they slant their stories to suit their advertisers. In some cases, the bias is even more nefarious and politically connected.
Quite often someone being interviewed is not aware of the bias and they say things that make their situation worse. The more you are able to think on your feet the better you will be able to manage your message and reputation.
Here are a few examples of bias in media you might find interesting.
Fiscal Times and The Washington Post
NY Times and Political Bias
FOX News and the Cropped Video of Martha Croakly
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2.) ADDRESS EACH CRISIS ON ITS INDIVIDUAL MERIT
Loblaws, a major Canadian food retailer, recently found itself in crisis mode after making an important decision based solely on “standard corporate operating procedure.”
Briefly, Loblaws and Atlantic Wholesalers Ltd., filed a joint lawsuit against a driver who was operating a van involved in a horrific accident where seven Bathurst High School basketball players were tragically killed.
The two companies filed the suit to recover $40,688 in damages regarding the cleanup of petroleum that leaked from a transport truck owned by Atlantic Wholesalers Ltd. that was also involved in the accident.
The Telegraph-Journal asked me to comment on the issue and I told them, “Maybe they had a process in place that whenever there was an accident, some low-level bean counter launched a lawsuit.”
Locals were extremely upset upon hearing of the lawsuit, and as a result Loblaws quickly retracted the legal action and apologized. Residents however, still recommended a boycott of the company.
As I told the Telegraph-Journal, I don’t think the anger against Loblaws will last long because its quick action helped remove resentment and limited the story to a single news cycle.
When you make a mistake, acknowledge it, genuinely apologize, and describe how you will remedy the situation.
You can learn more at the Telegraph-Journal;
http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com/search/article/915943
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3.) NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH SO HELP ME GOD
Easier said than done.
How many times have you tried to answer a question truthfully, only to have the words spill out sideways when you open your mouth?
Maybe it was the way the reporter framed the question that started your heart pounding. Maybe it was because you actually have something to hide, even though the little lie you just told is worse than the transgression you were trying to conceal.
The secret is to have command over the words that leave your lips.
Depending on your situation, sometimes a reporter is just fishing, and they don’t have any evidence, but they throw it out there just to see your response. Reporters for the most part are pretty intuitive. It’s their job.
Quite often, when you lie to them, they know it, and they may not call you on it at the time, but your uncomfortable answer gives them incentive to dig deeper.
Answering questions truthfully is critical. Often however, the truth is not good enough to satisfy media and sometimes stakeholders as well.
Managing an interview is complicated, but it is a learned skill that almost anyone can master with knowledge of media strategies and techniques, as well as practice. It’s all about being prepared, aware, confident, and knowing what you want to say and what you want to accomplish.
If you walk into an interview unprepared you are at a disadvantage. Reporters interview people every day, and some have been doing it for decades.
Reporters don’t just call or show up out of the blue. They have a story in mind and in most cases are looking for someone like you to help them tell it. Your job is to position yourself on the side of the story that benefits you.
Even Politicians Tell Little White Lies
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/04/obama-is-smokin.html
The Invention of Lying (YouTube Vid)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhGIeqTytz8
When Journalists Lie to Get a Story – from American Journalism Revue
http://www.ajr.org/Article.asp?id=598
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4.) MAYOR OF SAN FRANCISCO OFF THE RECORD
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom inadvertently demonstrated how NOT to manage a television interview.
Hank Plante, journalist with CBS5 interviewed the mayor who hit the wall right from the first moment he opened his mouth.
Mayor Newsom ignored questions, laughed nervously, criticized the press, and when he left the interview room proclaimed “off the record” that he was disappointed with the reporter’s questioning.
At the end of the broadcast the news anchor and reporter explained how they interpret the term, *off the record*
The interview is painful to watch, but important to see.
Watch the CBS video here;
http://cbs5.com/video/?id=58275@kpix.dayport.com
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5.) FRIENDLY REPORTERS – AVOID COLLATERAL DAMAGE
Quite often a reporter will call looking to have you help them tell their story.
There is no crisis, and they don’t want to harm your company or trap you.
They just need an expert to help explain the details.
Most of the time reporters are looking for someone to confirm what they already know. They simply need a third party, you, to explain an issue so their audience will understand. It is at times like this that good speaking and presentation skills will serve you well.
If you are confident, know your business, and know how to get your message across eloquently in front of a camera, your reputation and that of your company will be enhanced. If you drop the ball, your contribution will never make it to air and they will probably never call on you again.
The best way to achieve proficiency is to practice in a controlled environment.
The last thing you want to do is experiment in real time in the real world.
Practicing in front of a mirror is one thing, and you probably do it from time to time, but if you really want to hone your skills the best place to do it is in front of a rolling camera in a lifelike studio.
You learn on two levels this way. First, you get to experience the feeling of being interviewed, and then you get to watch the results in a safe environment.
Sports and music stars don’t just show up and perform,
and neither do great executives or politicians.
They practice . . . and so should you.
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6.) LESSONS LEARNED FROM A TIGER
Picking up the pieces from the Tiger Woods scandal, one cannot help but suspect there is much more to the story than what has been reported so far.
Tiger, after all, was a master at shaping his public image, and certainly has access to the best communications counsel money can buy. Yet, when it came time to step up and confront his now public transgressions, he instead chose to hide behind a door.
No doubt, there must have been someone in his entourage who counseled him to come forward, and it begs the question of why he chose not to. My personal suspicion is that there must be videos, pictures, and audio tapes somewhere that are deeply incriminating, which would make Tiger’s situation even more serious for him, and the companies with which he is affiliated.
Considering the goodwill Tiger generated over the years, it “was” possible for him to begin achieving redemption by issuing public statements referencing the pain he caused his family, and by also making a commitment to treatment for what appears to be a sex addiction. However, when mistresses started to pile up, and the world realized Tiger’s sins were worse than suspected, that very narrow window slammed shut. Even his most ardent fans lost faith.
Here’s an initial overview of the economic damage anyone affiliated with his brand suffered; a study by researchers at the University of California reported “. . . Woods had deflated between $5-12 billion of the market value of companies he endorsed.”
His career earnings amount to about one billion dollars, but only about 10% of it was generated by on course winnings, the rest was from endorsements.
Victor Stango and Christopher Knittel, economics professors at the University of California reported, “looked at stock-market returns for several of his corporate sponsors in the 13 trading days between Mr. Woods’s car crash and his announcement that he was leaving golf indefinitely, comparing them with other companies in the same industries.” They also reported the scandal reduced shareholder value in those companies by 2.3 percent.
Woods initially denied all allegations of domestic trouble and adultery.
Lie #1 – He claimed his wife was actually trying to save him by bashing out the windows of his SUV with a golf club.
Lie #2 – When media started to figure it out, he then switched gears claiming it was a private matter between him and his wife.
Lie #3 – He then claimed it was only one affair.
Lie #4 – He then insisted news media was irresponsible for pursuing what he characterized as a non-event.
Lie #5 – He then called one of his mistresses and asked her to disassociate herself from him by removing her name from her cell phone.
Lie #6 – Woods also asked his mistress to lie about their relationship.
Lie #7 – Woods accused the public of being irresponsible because the public was (allegedly) drawing the wrong conclusions.
Throughout all of this he refused to speak with police and give a statement.
As the lies piled up speculation and rumors increased, the rumors outgrew the reality when people pegged his affairs in the hundreds, and the scandal’s pendulum swung from being tragic to hilarious and back.
We know now more details of that fateful car crash night. Allegedly, Woods took a sleeping pill and while he was sleeping his wife, Elin, used his phone to text his mistress, Rachel, pretending to be Tiger. His wife confirmed her suspicions by tripping up the mistress. Woods’ wife, in a rage, woke up Tiger from a drugged sleep and allegedly began hitting him, which drove him out the house barefoot to his car, which he crashed on the front lawn. It was at this point his wife bashed out the windows of the Cadillac SUV with a golf club.
I always recommend to my clients that they tell the truth, express genuine remorse, and indicate how they will fix the matter. In Woods’ case it was also good advice. However, when he lied to us, the public, and made it personal for all of us, the level of arrogance it demonstrated made it impossible for the public to consider forgiving him.
Once the public lost faith, the companies endorsing Woods were backed into a corner and had no choice but to bow to public sentiment.
The numbers from a shareholder perspective . . .
http://www.news.ucdavis.edu/search/news_detail.lasso?id=9352
A look at the loss of endorsements by the NY Post . . .
WSJ Barron’s asks, “Will Tiger’s Loss be Nike’s Gain?” referring to the trend of corporations discontinuing their use of celebrities to promote their brands.
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7.) SOCIAL MEDIA and CRISIS COMMUNICATION
I was recently interviewed by Sonya Bell from the Canadian Press for the Chronicle Herald. She asked me about the challenges older politicians and executives have with social media, and I told her, “There’s a generational rollover happening because a lot of the politicians who are over 50 now find themselves in a world where Facebook and Twitter are very prominent. They have to get onboard or else risk looking dated.”
Managing a crisis effectively is harder than most people think, and it is even harder today when the social media Paparazzi/Twitterazzi are hot on your tail.
Technology can be both a boon and a nightmare.
When you use it proficiently it helps you connect with millions, but when it is used against you millions get to watch you writhe in pain in full public view.
Here are a few tips to help you play safe in the Social Media Sandbox.
TUNE IN and check occasionally to see what others are saying about you. Don’t be obsessive, but also don’t ignore rumors. There are a number of good tools to make the job easier, and if you don’t want to do it yourself, hire a media communications company.
Here’s a good Twitter app for your toolbox – http://www.monitter.com/
STAY CALM! Just because someone is talking about you or your company in a way that initially upsets you is no reason to overreact. First consider the source. Are they reputable and believable? Don’t respond in kind to someone the world considers crazy, at least do not do it directly. If you do feel compelled to respond, make sure you know all the details and do not get drawn into an online argument. State your case clearly and leave it.
FIX IT just as you would in the real world. If you are in the wrong, address the issue just like you would if you were standing in front of a reporter. Tell the truth, apologize if necessary and tell people how you will rectify the situation.
SET A PRECEDENT by telling your story first. If you think someone is about to smear you get the truth out there so when people start to Google you they find your version of the story. Quite often the first story people hear is the one they believe so don’t hesitate to set the record straight ASAP.
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September 2009
1.) GUILTY BY IMPLIED PERCEPTION
Perception is nine tenths of the law.
Former Ontario attorney general Michael Bryant was tried and convicted in media even before emergency services finished cleaning up the fatal accident.
News media is fast on the scene today. In a heartbeat, Twitter users dispatched the news that Bryant had an altercation with bicycle courier Darcy Sheppard that resulted in the courier’s death, and in short order mainstream journalists arrived to cover the story.
Bryant, a lawyer and at the time CEO of Invest Toronto, was caught in a media vortex. He was charged with criminal negligence causing death, and even though the jury is still out regarding his innocence or guilt, reports began circulating immediately from citizen journalists and mainstream news media implying Bryant had acted irresponsibly in causing Sheppard’s death.
After the dust settled it was reported Sheppard had contact with police regarding alcohol consumption earlier that day, and that only a short time later Sheppard’s death occurred.
Media was quick to create an atmosphere that very subtly overshadowed the real events. They reported early on that Bryant drove recklessly after being out for dinner and drinks with an unidentified woman, which naturally caused people to speculate it was someone other than his spouse in the car. Turns out it was Bryant’s anniversary and the mystery woman was his wife. More importantly, Bryant was not drinking.
Initially, bike couriers of Toronto mobilized. They, and others were angry and ready to lynch Bryant.
Mainstream news media also reported the following day that Bryant hired a high profile PR agency to manage the fallout, and for a time the PR agency’s involvement became the story. The implication was that a rich businessperson was using PR pros to spin his way out of an accident that triggered a death.
After his release from police custody, Bryant met with reporters to offer his condolences to Sheppard’s family. He also asked media to respect his personal privacy and that of his family while the case was being investigated.
News media needed to stereotype Bryant as a powerful celebrity in contrast to a common bicycle courier, and they struck pay dirt when they discovered he hired a PR firm to manage the message.
The moral to this unfortunate incident is that if you are in the public eye, be prepared at all times to manage your reputation. You can’t predict a crisis, but you can handle it better with proper training.
Globe & Mail report
CBC report
Toronto Star report
Video http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/689220
CBC Video of courier protests in the street
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2.) BARACK OBAMA ACCUSED OF LYING – IN CONGRESS
When was the last time you heard an American president called a liar during an address to Congress? Times have changed folks.
Representative Joe Wilson, hopped up on caffeine pills (*or so they say), couldn’t contain his frustration, and during President Obama’s recent address to Congress regarding health care reform he loudly yelled out, “You lie!” to a stunned audience – live and televised.
The president replied, “That’s not true” and continued his speech.
Back up a sec, “Hopped up on caffeine pills?”
According to *The Hill (as in Capitol Hill blog), Wilson “popped caffeine pills like candy in 2007.” Apparently The Hill thinks the pills are still having an effect. The Hill is a political online publication, but the real interest here is that this old story on their blog was republished by major news media two years later, which means the caffeine story went from 0-60 at a time when Wilson wanted to be taken seriously.
What we learn from the Wilson story, among other things is, if you do or say something inappropriately it will eventually come back to haunt you at a time you least expect.
The story about the caffeine pills made the NY Times, and also elicited over 400 Comments on The Hill’s blog. Many of the comments accuse The Hill of low brow bias and reminded everyone Barack Obama has admitted to illegal drug use and smoking. Some even re-hashed (excuse the pun) his admitted use of pot, and allegedly, cocaine.
Wilson tried to insult Obama but it blew back at him instead.
The Hill – Wilson Apologizes http://tinyurl.com/npcxrx
NY Times Caffeine report – http://tinyurl.com/lf52ko
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3.) I’M SORRY – SO SAYS SERENA & FANS AGREE
Serena Williams, tennis star extraordinaire lost her composure during a Grand Slam tournament and berated a linesperson using a string of expletives during the U.S. Open.
No big deal some say. Athletes are temperamental, and especially in the heat of competition. I’ll give you that. Losing one’s temper during a sporting event that could pay out hundreds of thousands of dollars is understandable, not really acceptable, but I get it.
Serena was mad. Her big mistake however, was not apologizing immediately after she calmed down.
When she did eventually get around to apologizing it seemed hollow and forced, which was big mistake number two.
Interestingly though, a day later when Serena was being interviewed by Patrick McEnroe courtside in front of a large crowd that included her fans at the Grand Slam award ceremony, McEnroe asked her about her apology. The crowd began to boo almost immediately, but they weren’t booing Serena. They were expressing displeasure with McEnroe for bringing it up again.
Serena’s sister, Venus, jumped in quickly and told McEnroe, “What I think the crowd is saying Patrick, is let’s move on.”
So what have we learned here?
One, if you’re going to apologize do it quickly and make it sincere.
Two, get your allies, or fans in this case, to back you up.
Three, learn to manage your emotions.
Yahoo! report – http://tinyurl.com/mcn33g
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4.) QUICK RESPONSE IN A CRISIS
In a crisis situation your company needs to respond as quick, or quicker than mainstream news media. Today, quite often during a crisis people turn to your website, which means you have a first-hand opportunity to tell your story.
As long as you are properly trained and confident in relaying the right message you can keep, or get people back on your side.
First, you must clearly understand what people need to see and hear, and then you must be able to deliver it effectively.
Both of these requirements necessitate special skills. Fortunately, they can be learned, and with a little practice, perfected.
Media training teaches you to deliver an effective message during a crisis situation to a mainstream news media TV camera, as well as to a video channel on your website; and effective speaking skills ensure your message is delivered and received in a manner that benefits your company.
Good media presentation skills will ensure you deliver your message effectively across any medium.
When crisis strikes, get your perspective online and on record before news media has an opportunity to unduly influence your market.
Don’t wait. Be the first on the scene and the first to respond.
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5.) USING HUMOR APPROPRIATELY & EFFECTIVELY
Saying sorry is never enough when your company creates a situation that negatively impacts people. You also have to follow up in a manner that gets them back on your side.
If the crisis is NOT life threatening or catastrophic, self-deprecating humor can potentially take the sting out of a company blunder.
Here’s how it can be done – check out the COMMENTS too!
Consumerist report – http://tinyurl.com/mqevd5
Here’s how it’s NOT done.
Rory McAlpine, VP of Maple Leaf Foods, the company responsible in 2008 for causing the death of twenty-two people as a result of listeria in tainted meat, went too far during a presentation and made a joke about his company’s involvement. His audience laughed quickly, but in retrospect the humor was not funny to everyone, specifically, surviving family members.
MetroNews.ca report and video
http://www.metronews.ca/halifax/canada/article/291693
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6.) SEX & THE FLIPPANT SOUNDBITE
Never underestimate the power of your words.
In some situations, you can get away with murder, but in others, an errant word can turn into a media relations nightmare. Lisa Raitt, Canada’s Natural Resources Minister learned this the hard way.
In Raitt’s case a private audiotape of her speaking was left by one of her aides in a washroom. The tape soon went public, and on it Raitt referred to the isotope shortage as a “sexy career challenge.”
Most people would consider it an offhand comment and never give it a second thought, but isotopes are used to fight cancer, and consequently cancer patients were understandably offended.
We all make mistakes, and usually we apologize – immediately.
In Raitt’s case though she took too long to say she was sorry.
When she did eventually apologize she shared that her father and brother had both succumbed at separate times to cancer.
The Toronto Star covered the story and called to ask my opinion of her apology. I thought it was heartfelt, genuine and effective in stemming the outrage against her. Others felt she was crying crocodile tears and I suspect they felt it was partly because Raitt took too long to get around to saying she was sorry. Even though the space was relatively short between the time the tape was made public and her apology, it gave people time to stew on what she said and they began to internalize their anger and resent her.
Read more about my comments regarding Raitt’s apology –Toronto Star
http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/650333
View Raitt’s video apology here – Toronto Star
http://www.thestar.com/videozone/648754
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7.) TWITTER LEAKS OBAMA’S JACKASS COMMENT
I wrote about Twitter in my last newsletter, and today controversy is swirling about the integrity of news media in respect to ABC News and a comment President Barack Obama made about entertainer Kanye West.
West jumped onstage recently during an award show and insulted Taylor Swift as she accepted an award for best video. West snatched Swift’s mic during her acceptance speech and claimed Beyonce had a better video. The crowd sat stunned, including Beyonce.
A few days later ABC News employees heard an “off the record” taped conversation of Obama saying he thought West was a “jackass” and one of the employees quickly tweeted it.
Here’s the rule folks – the microphone is always on.
It makes no difference whether the distribution medium is newspaper, radio, television, or Twitter. The effect is the same.
As you can imagine though, in this case almost everyone agreed with President Obama. In fact, at the writing of this newsletter more than 1,400 people commented about it on MSNBC alone.
MSNBC report – http://tinyurl.com/qbbq32
Actual Clip of Obama’s “Off The Record” statement – YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7KMdAaaOy8
Sequence of events including video – CTVBC report
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8.) OLYMPIC MEDIA TRAINING FOR PROSTITUTES
Yes, you read it right. Prostitutes in Vancouver are taking media training in preparation for the 2010 Olympics this February.
When I first read the story I was skeptical, but hey, prostitutes in Vancouver have a story to tell and media can help.
Read why prostitutes are preparing for the Olympics –CNBC report
http://www.cnbc.com/id/30888419
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March 2009
SOCIAL MEDIA
The world is experiencing rapid changes respective of how we receive, disperse, and interpret news. Our newsletter this month addresses a number of SOCIAL NEWS MEDIA developments.
Average people, who now have easy access to thousands of like-minded people, are transforming traditional news mediums like newspapers and television. Phrases like “citizen journalism” and “crowd sourcing” permeate everyday language.
Just recently the Chicago Tribune filed for bankruptcy, and last week a large Denver newspaper, The Rocky Mountain News closed its doors. It was only a few years ago newspapers claimed the Internet would not have a detrimental impact on their industry, but the reality is that how we receive and interpret news is changing at an exponential rate and it is a direct result of the Internet and social media tools like blogs, newsletters (like this one), and Twitter.
Wikipedia defines social media as “primarily Internet and mobile based tools for sharing and discussing information,” but it is much more. Social media, for many, is becoming a way of life.
The video on this page is heartbreaking . . . but awakening.
1.) DO YOU TWEET?
Some of us don’t even blog yet, or use Facebook, and here we are in 2009, and a new technology has once again popped up.
At 140 characters per message, Twitter is the fastest growing news communication tool to hit the streets since, well, blogs. If you don’t use Twitter yet, it’s likely you soon will.
Twitter is quite literally changing how reporters do business. A few years ago, we were all atwitter about going online with our websites to reach around the world and talk to anyone who would listen. Corporate websites changed the way we communicate with customers, media, and colleagues.
During that period, we learned a lot about staying cool and calm, because we knew that sending an inappropriate email was just as dangerous as saying something stupid to a reporter.
The stakes just got higher because Twitter is a news media tool you can’t afford to ignore . . . but when you pick it up it’s like pointing a loaded gun with a hair trigger at your own head.
Twitter is so fast and it reaches so many people the allure is difficult for a growing number of companies to resist or dismiss.
Twitter almost instantaneously opens up a multi-level conversation with strangers around the world. A diverse group uses it including politicians, executives, and media. Like most forms of online communication though, it never started out as a commercial application, but it is quickly developing in this direction.
It is also becoming a popular tool to break news. When the Airbus A320 jet ditched into the Hudson River last month, Twitterers were first on the scene and first to report. The same happened with the plane that also recently crashed into the house in upstate NY. Twitter is everywhere. It can be broadcast straight from your cell phone to millions of people around the world in a matter of seconds.
Twitter is an effective communication tool, but it can be dangerous as evidenced in this link http://tinyurl.com/ckjrdp of a news reporter’s meltdown (caution strong language).
Check out the COMMENTS too.
Hudson River Crash – Who’s on First?
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2.) LEGAL vs. PUBLIC – OPINION
There is a big difference between communicating with the intent of protecting your legal position, and communicating to protect or enhance your public reputation.
During the trial of four RCMP officers regarding the death of Robert Dziekanski, the Polish immigrant who died at the Vancouver airport after being tasered, one of the officers on the witness stand chose to protect his legal rights and ignored public perception. Who could blame him? In a criminal court it is not what the public feels is right that is important. It is how the law is interpreted.
The officer stated during testimony, “Based on the knowledge we had at the time, we wouldn’t have done anything differently.”
He was referring to the taser death of Mr. Dziekanski, and although the officer stood firm regarding his actions, it certainly didn’t bode well with the public, which was looking for a remorseful apology.
You however, have a choice in how you communicate. You have to be prepared emotionally and intellectually and know how you want to be perceived and what is appropriate in a given circumstance.
Judge for yourself whether the actions of the police could have been different . . . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrwmSKJPCXU
RCMP Officer Rundel’s testimony as reported by The Toronto Star
http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/592678
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3.) HOW TO APOLOGIZE or NOT
Weepy eyes and big sobs no longer work.
Angry stakeholders will not forgive you if your apology isn’t genuinely heartfelt, and with substance. Because anyone can now easily go online and talk about YOU, it’s harder for a politician or executive to garner sympathy by simply crying crocodile tears.
Social media changed how we apologize. The organizations and companies below, by virtue of the technical format they used, put their companies and personal reputations on the line, which means they are under increased pressure to follow through responsibly.
Websites like YouTube, Facebook and Twitter make it very difficult for companies to dodge accountability. As a result, how you act and apologize in the real world will be impacted by how companies act and apologize in the virtual world.
Here’s how President Barack Obama apologizes;
“I’ve got to own up to my mistake, which is that ultimately it’s important for this administration to send a message that there aren’t two sets of rules. You know, one for prominent people and one for ordinary folks who have to pay their taxes.”
Bishop Williamson is at the opposite end of the apology spectrum. His apology regarding the outrageous statement he recently made that no Jewish people were killed in the gas chambers during the Holocaust was quickly rejected and harshly criticized. As you will see in the link directly below, not only does he need a lesson in history, but also sensitivity and media training.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article5815675.ece
Here are a few other examples of apologies;
Napoli Italy
Jet Blue Airlines
Amazon Web Services
MAC iPhone
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4.) ROD BLAGOJEVICH – QUOTES
Sometimes you just have to zip it, and cut your losses.
Impeached Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich found himself in a world of hurt over the last few months every time he opened his mouth. He was trite and abusive, and instead of working on a strategy to improve his situation, he chose to bully his way through.
Some of his public quotes are now legendary, and that’s what I’m addressing here, not the secretly recorded wiretaps by the FBI. Blagojevich was doomed from the outset, but it’s worth looking at his public record simply because it demonstrates what not to do.
For example he said; “I want to make money” and it rolled off his tongue like he was ordering vanilla ice cream. In general, honesty is the best policy, but sometimes being too blunt creates an impression that can be leveraged against you. He often used “familiarity” with news media to present himself as an average guy, which was a mistake when you consider media are trained to place their subjects at ease in an effort to get them to loosen up and say things they would normally guard against. When news media spoke with Blagojevich outside his home while he prepared to go jogging, he dodged the scrum and said, “To quote Elvis, ‘hang loose.’ Now can I get a run in, do you think?”
Blagojevich, as you might have suspected from his hairstyle, is an Elvis fan, which in itself didn’t help his cause. If you’ve seen my video, it’s not just what you say, but how you say it and how you present yourself. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9M7oFlJ5E8
Here’s a Google list of “Blagojevich quotes” http://tinyurl.com/akrvrf
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5.) TO ME or NOT TO ME
When you’re under a microscope the smallest details are seen.
For example, grammarians recently criticized President Barack Obama for using “I” instead of “me.”
You probably think you know the correct terminology, but you might have to reconsider. According to the NY Times, the reasoning behind the confusion is based on “hypercorrection.” Basically, it seems we are mixing old-time rules with modern day nuance.
President Obama is without question a great speaker, but even he is falling prey to those who regard grammar in an almost religious sense. I have to admit, sometimes I get confused so I go with what sounds right, but apparently how it sounds isn’t always correct.
At the end of the day it doesn’t really matter to your audience whether you mistakenly used “I” or “me” as long as it doesn’t sound awkward, but it will make a big difference in your level of confidence if you stand in front of a camera or microphone and feel confident that you’re at least in the right grammatical ballpark.
Confidence is important, because once again . . .
“It’s not just what you say, but how you say it!”
BTW, I know what you’re thinking, after listening to George W. Bush for eight years, President Obama sounds like an English professor.
Read more about Obama’s “I” vs. “me” mix up.
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6.) MEDIA MIX – TRADITIONAL or NEW?
For executives, politicians, and spokespeople, one of the most pressing challenges today is how to split interview time effectively between traditional media like newspapers and television, with modern tools like blogs and email or Twitter.
For most, the media message you want to convey is essentially the same, whether it is to assure and calm a distressed public or stockholder, or to simply deliver news about a new process or public service. The challenge is to reach the most people in the most efficient manner, and to know which communication style works best in which medium.
Everything in the last few years has become fractured. Mass media is no longer as “mass” as it used to be. We now have options regarding how we can be interviewed, or how we can deliver a corporate or political message. The recent presidential election is a good example of how important it is to know which news communication tool your followers prefer to use. Managing YouTube effectively was critical, especially for Barack Obama.
Your toolbox is growing more complex and includes newspapers, radio, and television, plus social media options like websites, blogs, email, Twitter, Facebook, and more. The common denominator is the need for information and the need to get it fast, because news happens whether you are ready or not.
Many traditional journalists now have blogs, and their blogs are updated 24/7. Thorough fact checking is becoming a thing of the past. In fact, every day we hear of newsrooms cutting staff, and quite often it is support staff that falls first. Most major news companies update the news minute by minute on their homepages, which means when they call, you have to be relatively responsive by learning what they need and getting back to them ASAP. If you don’t, the common reply in their story is, “the subject didn’t respond to our request for information,” which makes you look evasive.
In one sense, we have more opportunity to tell our version of the story at our own pace on our own political or company websites, but always keep in mind the public still checks into the major news agency websites to start their initial quest for information. Most people go to at least three different sources, the first being a major news company, and the last your web presence, be it a blog, website or Twitter. More and more journalists will even email subjects and ask them to email an answer back.
Many thought it would be easier and pressure would be reduced because you could use your company’s website to disburse information on your schedule, and you’re partially right, but the reality is that when a journalist calls, you have to be prepared.
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7.) GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT
Speaking of fact checking, FactCheck.org is an interesting site, and to quote them they are a “nonpartisan, nonprofit “consumer advocate” for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics.”
I mentioned the site in my last newsletter and thought you’d be interested again to see what happens when they turn the spotlight on President Barack Obama.
According to FC, President Obama’s first speech to a joint session of Congress was a little off the mark regarding accuracy. FC reported that Obama stated oil imports were higher today than in the past, but according to FC, imports peaked in 2005 and are lower today.
Read more about what Fact Check thinks of Obama’s accuracy
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8.) ARE YOU INDEFINABLE or EVASIVE?
Can you learn to be artfully evasive? Ask your kids!
My recommendation is to always be as responsive as you can – as long as you remain in control of every word that leaves your lips.
In the recent presidential race, we saw considerable evasive action. Shankar Vedantam of the Washington Post wrote an article entitled, “Artful Dodging Trumps Open Evasion, Studies Show.”
In it he referred to Sarah Palin’s evasive style, in contrast to the “artful dodging” of Barack Obama, who stayed on topic.
You can learn more here . . .
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9.) HOW TO MANAGE A SOCIAL MEDIA MELTDOWN
The best way to avoid a social media catastrophe is to learn the lingo and stay alert. It’s always better to prevent a meltdown than to clean up after one.
Companies often avoid learning about new communication tools by hoping they will go away, or at the very least not develop into anything serious. It’s a “head in the sand” strategy.
Many companies also don’t realize social media is a double edge sword. Your competitors can now not only tip off media, but also covertly place damaging info about you and your company online.
If you do find yourself in a sticky social media position, here are a few tips that will give you a bit of breathing space;
Be upfront and tell the truth. The more you try to hide information, the deeper everyone will dig.
It is of paramount importance that you admit your mistake and then immediately relate how you are going to fix it. Anything less is disingenuous and perfect fodder for a social media attack.
You have to convince people you are listening and are considering the issues and situation seriously. Social media allows everyone to peer into every corner and read between the lines. Trained journalists usually have some sense of decorum, and they won’t unnecessarily make trouble where none exits, but quite often today citizen journalists do not see it the same way. Once the toothpaste is out of the tube, it’s impossible to put it back.
It is also important to let everyone know you will learn from your mistake and do everything in your power to not let it happen again. Saying it is one thing, but today lip service is so common the public has become jaded, so if you really want to connect and manage the issue more responsibly tell people exactly what you are doing to rectify the situation, and follow up.
And finally, the most important thing you can do to prevent a social media meltdown – stay connected.
Social Media, Rumors, and Defamation
http://www.socialmediatoday.com/SMC/46787
ABC News
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10.) THE FACE OF NEWS MEDIA IS CHANGING
Every day innovative people develop new ways to report and deliver the news. Cell phones play a major role. In January, San Francisco police shot a handcuffed man to death in a subway station. A young woman captured the incident and placed it on YouTube for everyone to witness. Her video also showed the reaction of the crowd.
Citizen journalists then followed up and interviewed the shocked young woman who gave the public a view rarely seen. The video has already received 288,371 views, has 6 video responses, and 2,088 comments. The shooting and reporting stimulated wide debate across North America and changed again how we view the news.
Watch for yourself. The video is jerky and at first confusing, but stick with it and you’ll see news history in the making.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_K0PISpxx4
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11.) CUSTOM CRAFTED SOCIAL MEDIA
A small social media company in California is making great strides in how journalists are paid to report the news. David Cohn recently won a grant of $340,000 from the Knight Foundation to launch his news media company, Spot.Us.
Basically, independent journalists and readers suggest ideas for investigative journalism, and the best ideas are backed and funded by donors, average citizens, who contribute “micro-payments.”
The idea has been embraced by journalists and readers and demonstrates there is room for innovation even at a time when the walls seem to be crumbling around us.
Spot.Us
Knight Foundation
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September 2008
1.) SARAH PALIN SOUND BITE SAVIOR
In choosing Alaska Governor Sarah Palin to be his running mate, Republican presidential candidate John McCain could have made either the boldest, or the most reckless decision of his political career. Palin boosted McCain’s popularity out of the gate, but his decision could backfire depending on Palin’s performance, particularly in her upcoming debate with Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden. She’s looking good, although not as strong as at the outset, and especially after “Saturday Night Live” spoofed Palin and Hillary Clinton in a recent skit.
As a result of a well executed speech, Palin instantaneously won over a large portion of America as soon as she stepped up to the convention floor podium to accept the vice presidential nomination, but as we can see now, her credibility regarding the truth of some statements is in question. See my segment below regarding “Lies.”
She used humor and conviction to win favor. More importantly, she did it in a way that made it look unrehearsed and completely off the cuff, and in some respects it was, because according to initial reports, her teleprompter malfunctioned during her speech. The mark of a true professional is when you can handle everything thrown at you in the heat of the moment. Interestingly though, it now seems the veracity of her statement regarding the teleprompter is under question. According to the Globe & Mail newspaper, even her campaign spokesperson disputes whether it malfunctioned.
Hardware failure aside, some people think her humor is little more than a parlor trick, but when was the last time you recall a running mate creating such an impact in the opening salvo? And a salvo it was, because not only did she immediately have John McCain’s followers on her side, she also won over tens of thousands of fence sitters, and probably a few Obama fans too.
Just like Obama reinventing himself by changing his name from Barry to Barack, John McCain also reinvented himself by partnering with Palin in an effort to win America’s hearts and minds.
This isn’t a political newsletter. It’s a forum about professional speaking and managing media eloquently, so the focus here is on how Palin woke America up and pulled McCain soundly into the race as the primaries round the last corner into the home stretch.
In my professional opinion I can tell you that John McCain and Sarah Palin are not winging it. It’s not just what you say, but how you say it, and timing is critical. McCain and Palin are both well-trained and rehearsed politicians, and all of a sudden Barack Obama has a very serious fight on his hands.
Prepare for a tag team showdown of Obama/Biden & McCain/Palin.
Watch Palin’s acceptance speech style on YouTube . . .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKgNrb3baNM&eurl
In case you missed my short YouTube in the last newsletter, I wanted to include it again because Palin’s speech is a great example of “Saying it like you mean it . . .”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9M7oFlJ5E8
One last quick point regarding Palin; She’s pretty quick on her feet, but she’s going to have to learn to admit that she doesn’t have all the answers. Speculating on affairs in which she is not familiar is dangerous, as we’ve recently seen regarding her comment about the U.S. going to war with Russia if Russia re-enters Georgia.
Her gaffe is a good lesson for everyone. If you don’t know what you’re talking about be honest with reporters and say something like, “This is a difficult issue, and I’d like to give it more thought.”
No one will fault her, or you, for being honest.
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2.) TIME TRAVEL WITH OBAMA & BIDEN
I’ve been writing about Barack Obama for quite a while, probably long before most people ever even heard his name.
While doing research for this newsletter I went back to see what I’ve written about him in the past, and I saw a piece we published regarding a gaffe made by then U.S. Presidential hopeful, and now Obama running mate, Senator Joe Biden in reference to Obama being “the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy.”
It was a racist-intoned gaffe Biden would not soon forget.
If you recall, at the time in February 2007 I wrote; “Media have now painted Biden as “His Own Worst Enemy.” And when you see your name associated with the word “gaffe” more than twice, it’s a sign you need professional media communication help. Go ahead and try it yourself. Go to Google and type “biden gaffe” (use the quotation marks) and see how many returns you get. I got 830 on February 9, and 540 on February 21, 2007. Time seems to be a healer, but can you afford even one second of grief?”
Well guess what folks?
When I Googled “biden gaffe” today in 2008 I got 33,700 hits.
Nineteen months later and people still hang on to him like a pit bull.
I also wrote in 2007 that “It’s a new era, and media training is more important today than it was yesterday.”
Maybe I was wrong about time being a healer.
If you want people talking about you a year and a half later . . .
. . . make sure they are saying good things.
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3.) COMEBACK KID CIRCA 2008
Joe Biden took a big hit over his gaffe, actually, string of gaffes, but in some cases it is possible to redeem yourself, and Bill Clinton is a perfect case in point.
Teflon Bill lulled the audience to sleep during the 1988 Democratic convention speech that nominated Michael Dukakis as the party’s presidential candidate. The speech was boring, and lacked the vitality Clinton usually imbued into his oratory. Tom Brokaw reported that when Clinton wound up his speech with, “In conclusion, . . . people began to cheer.”
Clinton quickly realized he hadn’t performed well, so instead of ducking for cover, he soon addressed media head on.
Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on how you look at it, we’re not all Bill Clinton, but even in 1988 Clinton had enough training and confidence in his media skills to smooth over rough spots when he knew he was in trouble.
It was his first opportunity on a national political stage, and he also knew that if he didn’t redeem himself quickly it could be a tough if not impossible climb out of the hole he just dug.
Could you do the same?
Good speakers may be born, but great speakers are made.
Obama, Palin, and Clinton are all great speakers.
If you want impact and to avoid gaffes, slow down and think. For more insight and a free online Tune-Up on this subject take a look at my short YouTube video, “Don’t be so quick to speak.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIQDXV3egZw
Clinton Bores His Audience – MSNBC article & Video
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5470323/
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4.) CANADIANS LAUNCH SWIFTBOAT SMEAR ATTACKS
In the shadow of an upcoming presidential election in the U.S., Canadian politicians are borrowing American “swiftboating” tactics to target voters of Canada’s current federal election, which will occur during the same period.
Recently, Stephen Harper’s Conservative team launched a smear campaign video depicting a cartoon puffin pooping on the shoulder of Stéphane Dion, and Stéphane Dion’s team launched a video comparing Harper to Hitler. Neither video had anything to do with the other, at least that I can see.
It turned out that both videos created the exact opposite reaction their respective parties were expecting. Canadians reacted quickly to make it clear they were not amused. Both videos were pulled and apologies made, but not before the damage was done.
When politicians act like this it unfortunately causes a person
to wonder if one should vote for . . . or against a candidate.
You can view CBC snippets of the videos on YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vycORRHCvGo
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5.) LISTERIA HYSTERIA
Canadians are dying due to a food borne outbreak of listeria.
According to the Public Health Agency of Canada,
as of September 23, 2008, there are;
18 deaths confirmed as contributing or underlying causes
48 confirmed cases
10 more cases suspected
5 under investigation
The cause of death is a result of eating cold deli-style meats commonly used in sandwiches. In addition, some cheeses were recalled. Plus, food products that came in contact with these food groups along the entire food chain were suspect and pulled from grocery stores and restaurants.
The controversy caused a media meltdown. Consequently, the Calgary Herald newspaper called me shortly after the outbreak to elicit my perspective regarding how the company responsible for the outbreak, Maple Leaf Foods, should handle their reputation and communication with the public in this catastrophic crisis situation.
I told reporter Gina Teel, “People are starting to ask questions at popular sub joints and sandwich shops about the source of the meat in their sandwich. They’ve got a lot of explaining to do. They are in the eye of the hurricane as well. A company like Lucerne [which distributed sandwiches that contained infected meat] has to “bend over backwards” to demonstrate to its customers that it’s doing everything it can. The public is always looking for some degree of assurance that these things won’t happen again, but nobody can provide that assurance. In the meantime, they have to be seen to be doing what is right and what is ethical.”
The president of Maple Leaf Foods is a former client, and I have to say that he learned his lessons well because he did a great job of assuring Canadians that he was doing everything in his power to deal with the crisis in a compassionate and speedy manner.
You can also watch Maple Leaf Foods president Michael McCain (no relation to U.S. presidential hopeful John McCain) respond directly to the public on YouTube. WARNING, the language in the COMMENTS section is explicit and abusive.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgk3o3AJM2U
He ran similar full-page notices in national papers across Canada.
Here’s a link to another of my short YouTube clips you might have seen in the last newsletter, but it’s worth looking at again in the context of this deadly crisis issue. It will help you to appreciate why it is so critical that you “Know how you want to come across.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJ_dusfZpUY
How effective was Michael McCain’s announcement?
Here’s a comment from a reader sent to a newspaper;
“On Monday I watched president and CEO Michael McCain on TV, looking heartsick but taking responsibility for the Maple Leaf Foods disaster and apologizing to everyone. He had to have known that lawsuits were only a matter of time, but he did it anyway.
I can’t remember the last time anyone promptly took responsibility for something he or she caused . . .
. . . My heart goes out to all the affected families, particularly people who’ve lost loved ones. And my respect goes to McCain, a true class act.” Gail Radford-Ross – Saskatoon – Vancouver Sun on 08/28/08
Michael McCain isn’t the only executive to offer a corporate apology. Steve Jobs, CEO Apple recently also offered a mea culpa and a $100 store credit to customers who felt ripped off after purchasing the illustrious iPhone too soon.
http://www.apple.com/hotnews/openiphoneletter/
It works folks. Be genuinely apologetic, and do it ASAP.
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6.) HOW TO MAINTAIN COMPOSURE ON THE HOT SEAT
One of the most common questions I’m asked is;
“How do I stay calm when speaking with a journalist?”
The obvious answer is to know your subject, but it goes much deeper. Many people fail to appreciate that there are physiological reasons for stumbling when asked a question by a reporter.
To start, shorten your sentences.
It will help you maintain your train of thought.
Here are a few ways to keep your sentences short;
1. Breathe
2. Only say a word when you know what that word is
3. Slow down when you speak
4. Stretch vowel sounds, so you linger longer over each word.
5. Make your point and end it with a period.
Make your next point and put a period in there too …
6. Limit your use of conjunctive words, i.e. “and, but, which…”
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7.) HOW TO RESPOND TO REPORTERS
For a variety of reasons politicians cannot always say what the public expects. And whether it is a politician or CEO, knowing how to be noncommittal, yet informative is a learned art form.
This video on YouTube pretty well says it all – I think.
Prime Minister’s Prison Ship Interview
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sv5upLCx4Ao
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8.) WHERE DO WE GET OUR NEWS?
Where people get news today has a big impact on how they consume, interpret, and use it.
From Pew Research – based on a fifteen-year trend;
Newspaper readership decreased from 58 to 34%
Radio news listeners decreased from 47 to 35%
Local TV news viewers decreased from 77 to 52%
Network news viewers decreased from 60 to 29%
More recent formats for news delivery, however, are doing better:
Morning news show viewers held fairly steady since 1998
Cable TV news increased from 33 to 39% since 2002
Online news viewers increased from 2 to 37% since 1995
These numbers tell only part of a very complex story, so when you have time, browse the report to see how trends are changing.
The full report is a PDF document published by Pew Research
http://people-press.org/reports/pdf/444.pdf
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9.) CULTIVATING A GOOD REPUTATION
News and PR are now more closely intertwined than ever before. As you saw in the Pew segment above, more people everyday get their news online. Look the other way at your company’s peril.
Transparency is an approach some companies adopt, while others avoid. It’s important for either group to do an accurate assessment of their weak points in an effort to stave off criticism.
Pay careful attention to what key people in your industry might be saying, good or bad, about you. Also ensure you know what employees are publishing in their blogs, and be aware of what they share in internal email. Follow as many sources as possible, and keep in mind that there is a wide variety of software, and also companies available to help make the process efficient.
If you do see something that casts you in a bad light, study it carefully to make sure you are not overreacting. It’s easy to shoot from the hip and make a situation worse. Ask sales and customer service if the issue surfaced in their systems. It’s possible it’s a rumor surreptitiously proliferated by a competitor, which means ignoring it won’t make it go away.
Ensure all employees communicate in a professional manner, especially regarding information concerning clients. Social networks like Facebook can be incredibly revealing and caustic.
If you feel you’ve been defamed, a lawsuit is not always the best course of action. Treat each issue on an individual basis, and use risk management policy to ascertain whether or not you can afford the added publicity of legal action. Winning in a court of law, but losing in the court of public opinion can have a detrimental impact on reputation and share prices over the long term.
Use tact, diplomacy, and speed to manage your reputation online.
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10.) LIES, DAMNED LIES, & THE INTERNET
The old Mark Twain chestnut, “There are three kinds of lies;
lies, damned lies, and statistics,” now has a 21st century dimension, because now liars have to contend with the internet.
I have always recommended that people tell the truth, especially in crisis situations when journalists are digging deep for the facts.
Politicians also have to be honest, especially today, because if not, and as I’ve written many times here in my newsletters and taught to thousands of students, your words live on forever, and “forever” today is only one click away.
There are many websites devoted to carving in stone what an errant person says, and during this very heated election period, some of these web sites target politicians. For example, a site called www.FactCheck.org is listing in explicit detail all the minor and major transgressions of parties on both sides of the fence.
Truth?
If you want to know what Obama, McCain, Palin, or Hillary really said, check out the link below, but be prepared for the truth, the whole truth, and truth as interpreted in the following statement.
“According to the law, political candidates have a “legal right” to lie to voters just about as much as they want.”
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June 2008
1.) SPEAK SLOWLY & REIN IN YOUR BRAIN
To use and say the right amount of words, speak slowly, with the brain not getting ahead of the tongue and the tongue not getting ahead of the brain. It is easier “said than done” considering the penchant people have to speak quickly in nervous moments.
Hearing a spokesperson unleash a torrent of words is not by itself a giveaway that the individual is nervous. Often, people speak quickly to imply a sense of urgency, or to reflect passion for the subject matter. However, when spokespeople talk quickly to reporters, they risk experiencing brain-tongue separation, where brain and tongue disengage resulting in words that leave our lips faster than we intended. Oops – we said something we wish we hadn’t said. Talking slowly helps control what we say, as we say it. The average person speaks at 175 words per minute in everyday conversation.
In pursuing the Democratic nomination, speeches by Senator Barack Obama averaged 110 words per minute. Speaking in a thoughtful, deliberate manner adds “gravitas to the message almost regardless to what the message is,” said speechwriter Dan McGroarty, who wrote for former president George H.W. Bush.
For contrast, Hillary Clinton clocked in at an average 188 words a minute in her campaign speeches.
You must control every word when answering questions from media.
In 2004 neurobiologists at the University of California discovered that “visual, tactile and auditory information needs to be synchronized. If it were not, then one might, for example, perceive someone’s lips move before hearing the words being spoken—like a badly dubbed foreign film.”
You can read more about the neurology of sight and sound here;
http://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/newsrel/science/sdivlabor.asp
Here’s a guy doing 300 words per minute – and making sense.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeK5ZjtpO-M
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2.) INVOKE EMOTION TO CONNECT WITH YOUR AUDIENCE
News is about emotion, either the use of . . . or the lack of it.
Now that the presidential candidates have been selected, there is much to learn from the way they communicated in the campaign thus far, for example, regarding Hillary Clinton’s non-connection with people, New York Times reporter Patrick Healy wrote, “Mr. [Bill] Clinton became visibly emotional in Davenport on Tuesday, for instance, as he recalled a New York City fireman who professed devotion to Mrs. Clinton for her work after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. ‘I have a hard time telling this,’ Mr. Clinton said with feeling.”
Healy continued, “Mrs. Clinton has her own powerful stories about her mother’s struggles and the love for America in some countries, but she rarely sounds as if she has a lump in her throat.”
Demonstrating once more . . .
It’s not only what you say – it’s how you say it.
Perhaps that perceived lack of emotion led Hillary to open up in the days after her loss in Iowa. Recognizing her need to project greater warmth to voters, Hillary wanted to demonstrate she indeed has emotions, so when she was asked how it feels to be considered unlikable, she answered;
“Well, it just hurts my feelings. But I’ll just have to press on.”
Her answer garnered considerable coverage, but a day or so later in the Café Espresso coffee shop in Portsmouth, New Hampshire it paled in the wake of her emotional display.
A freelance photographer, Marianne Pernold-Young, asked the candidate how she keeps going in the grueling campaign. Hillary, tears welling in her eyes and a lump in her throat, answered, “I just don’t want us (United States) to fall backwards, you know? So, you know this is very personal for me. It’s not just political. It’s not just public. I see what’s happening and we have to reverse it.”
Some, (including me) thought her emotional display could quite possibly have represented the beginning of the end of Hillary’s campaign. That precise image derailed the l972 presidential campaign of Senator Edmund Muskie, who was forced to pull out of the race because he appeared to cry while defending his wife’s integrity.
Hillary’s emotional moment, shown on TV over and over again, had the opposite effect. Voters, not to mention reporters, lauded her new signs of warmth. Political scientist Pippa Norris of the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard said, “When Hillary, who has played against gender types, suddenly tears up, women flock to her because she seems like them.” Pollster John Zogby said, when Hillary showed emotion older women believed “her struggle is mine.”
Toronto TV critic John Doyle wrote that one reason Hillary’s display of feeling had the effect it did is because “women own the television world right now and have for several seasons. It’s women viewers who matter to broadcasters and advertisers, and it is the stories, fantasies and foibles of women – especially married or mature women that are the fodder for the most important and popular story telling. What Clinton did was insert herself into the most significant narrative in the American popular culture.”
She went on to win the state primary. Lest skeptics fault Hillary for her emotional demonstration, hubby Bill offered up some wet ones of his own the next day, when he welled up on-camera, while talking about the pride he felt for his wife.
Worth noting is that Pernold-Young, the woman who asked Hillary the question, has mixed feelings about what she witnessed. “We saw 10 seconds of Hillary, the caring woman,” she said. “But then when she turned away from me, I noticed that she stiffened up and took on that political posture again. And the woman that I noticed for 10 seconds was gone.” Pernold-Young ended up not voting for Hillary. “I voted for Obama,” she said. “He really moved me. Hillary did too, but he was less scripted.”
Practice makes perfect. You can’t expect to perform on cue and in a perceived off-the-cuff manner if you don’t take time to fine-tune and learn exactly how to properly use emotion to positively impact your statement. I refer to this discipline as Quantum Speak, and for a number of years have helped a variety of politicians and executives express and manage their emotions and speak with clarity.
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3.) HARPER USES COMMON LANGUAGE TO BUILD TRUST
In a historic apology to First Nations Indian People in Canada, Prime Minister Stephen Harper used proven crisis management strategies to get his message across in a way that was perceived by many, especially the victims, to be heartfelt and genuine.
The National Post newspaper asked me to analyze the apology for a feature article. First Nations Aboriginal children were subjected to abuse and atrocities at the hands of the government spanning the late 1800’s to 1990 when the boarding schools were finally closed.
Prime Minister Harper exhibited many traits of a well-trained crisis management communicator during his speech, and used a series of strategies meant to invoke trust. He even asked for forgiveness, and if you have any type of media training you know that this simple appeal goes a long way in gaining trust.
You can read the National Post article and more of my analysis here
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/story.html?id=580666
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4.) The EVOLUTION & REDEFINITION of NEWS
“The one function TV news performs very well
is that when there is no news, we give it to you
with the same emphasis as if there were.” – David Brinkley
I recently wrote an article for an online publication called “PR in Canada,” and in it I address the perennial question, “What Makes News?” It’s hard to tell anymore because the news landscape is changing so rapidly, and often in such an abstract manner that even media professionals readily admit to being confused.
This article will put a new spin how you regard the news, and reinforce once again that there is no substitute for experience.
http://www.princanada.com/what-makes-news
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5.) TAKE THE HIGH ROAD, BUT DON’T GET TRAPPED
Campaigning for the GOP nomination, Senator John McCain was asked a question about Hillary Clinton when it appeared she still had a chance of winning the nomination. “How do we beat the bitch?” asked an audience member. “Excellent question” responded McCain.
Excuse me?
What is so “excellent” about calling a presidential candidate, or a woman a bitch? By answering as he did, McCain confirmed he is like-minded with the questioner in believing that Hillary is a bitch. The fact there was no big backlash to his comment remains curious.
McCain legitimized and accepted the premise of a very offensive question. Considering that the question and answer were heard in a public forum, at the very least McCain was obligated to respond to the characterization about Clinton.
More appropriate comments or responses would have been:
“Hillary Clinton deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.”
“Your terminology is inappropriate.”
“Hillary Clinton is a respected member of the Senate.”
Now, this does not mean that anytime an offensive question is asked that you’ve got to pick up the mantle and fight back.
In some instances, it can be a trap.
For example, if a reporter is conducting an interview for print or is recording an interview for TV or radio, their questions are likely to be edited out. Take a look at the following question and answer:
Q: “How do you plan to beat that bitch, Hillary Clinton?”
A: “I never said Hillary Clinton is a bitch”
Well, you know the quote resulting from that response will read, “I never said Hillary Clinton is a bitch.” Even though the respondent thinks he is doing something positive by refuting the offensive claim, he makes it worse for himself by accepting the premise of a very negative question. Better to respond with one of the three choices offered above, as Senator McCain himself discovered when a similar type situation repeated itself.
At a Cincinnati rally, conservative radio host Bill Cunningham was invited to introduce the senator as a guest speaker. In his introductory remarks, Cunningham encouraged Americans to “peel the bark off Barack Hussein Obama.” In an obvious attempt to remind people of Obama’s Muslim roots, Cunningham made three references to Hussein, Obama’s middle name.
Still licking his wounds from the “bitch” incident, Senator McCain later told the crowd that Cunningham “made some disparaging remarks about my two colleagues in the Senate, Senator Obama and Senator Clinton. I have repeatedly stated my respect for Senator Obama and Senator Clinton, that I will treat them with respect. I will call them Senator,” he said. “Whatever suggestion that was made that was in any way disparaging to the integrity, character, honesty of either Senator Obama or Senator Clinton was wrong. I condemn it, and if I have any responsibility, I will take the responsibility, and I apologize for it.” (Source New York Times, February 27, 2008)
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.
Our Media Strategies program;
http://www.jeffansell.com/mediastrategies-full-text.html
Regret The Error – a collection of media errors
http://www.regrettheerror.com/
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6.) REPUTATION MANAGEMENT
It pays to be proactive in our rapidly evolving news media world.
For starters you can subscribe to Yahoo! and Google ALERTS to monitor your company name, your president, and key players and issues in your industry. Google and Yahoo! will let you know when someone publishes an article using the tags you submit.
Address rumors before they take on a life of their own by monitoring your company name on social networking sites. Don’t ignore rumors, because if you do people often assume the rumors to be valid. It’s not prudent to wait for a crisis to explode.
It’s also a good idea to monitor Yahoo! & Google NEWS for your name. It’s not paranoia. It’s responsible to know what people are saying about you and your company. They make it “1 Click” easy.
Another good strategy is to monitor major discussion forums in your industry and learn to interact. It takes time to understand the subtleties and lingo of each group. If you wait until a crisis occurs you could make things worse by responding inappropriately.
If you’re not familiar with the following social media search companies, learn what they do and what they report about you;
www.Technorati.com & www.BlogPulse.com
When you find erroneous information online about your company, ask the people publishing it to correct themselves, if they don’t, do it yourself in comment sections. A competitor will not usually report bad information about your company on their own website or blog. Instead they will use third party social media blog sites to anonymously start or feed rumors that impact your company.
If an erroneous statement about your company has taken on a life of its own, also consider posting your perspective on your company blog or website, and make it easy to find because this is quite often where skeptics will look. People want to believe what they read about you on your company website – as long as your perspective has merit. Sticking your head in the sand and ignoring an issue sends a message that you are hiding something.
Transparency is an important aspect of reputation management in this era. You can use it offensively as well as defensively, but offensively is the best option. Place your views online before someone else does it in an unflattering manner.
Use low budget video when it is possible, and use companies like YouTube and Yahoo! to host your videos, because if you do, you will automatically leverage their large audience.
A blog is ideal because it can combine a number of different elements like text and video, and it is easy to manage if you use popular companies with stable systems.
Manage your reputation proactively.
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7.) SAVING BABY FACE
A recent study by scientific researchers suggests that the shape of a person’s face affects how a message is received.
The three researchers, Gerald J. Gorn and Yuwei Jiang from Hong Kong University, and Gita V. Johar from New York’s Columbia University, report that, “the shape of a person’s face is not a trivial consideration.” They contend that during a “minor” pubic relations crisis, a person with a “BABY FACE” is regarded as more honest than someone with a mature face. However, when the crisis is serious, and “in contexts where innocence conveys naiveté, a mature face is evaluated more favorably.”
Based on this study, some people are suggesting that when a company is subject to a minor crisis that they send in an executive with a round “baby face,” but if the crisis is serious, an executive with a mature face would elicit a more reassuring response.
My personal and professional opinion is that in times of crisis, and regardless of the shape of an executive’s face, send in the person who is the best-trained and most capable overall.
You can read more here;
Science Daily
http://sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080530132058.htm
Reuters
http://reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUSSP31422420080602
I have no affiliation whatsoever with the researchers or their findings, but if you’re interested you can purchase the report here.
http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/529533
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8.) PRESSURE COOKER UNDER THE MICROSCOPE
It’s not easy remembering what to say when a microphone and camera are thrust in your face. Even professionals crack under the pressure. Your best defense is to train and practice in an environment that mimics the real world as close as possible.
How tough is it on the front line?
Check out these two video clips to see even the pros crumble.
Bill O’Reilly loses it in the studio.
WARNING; this video clip contains profane language. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tJjNVVwRCY
Reporter Argues with his Anchor in the Studio – ON AIR!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOc4XgBespw
If these pros have a hard time just imagine the pressure you invite upon yourself when you step into the breach unprepared.
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9.) THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU Grandmother.
In Barack Obama’s Democratic Nomination Victory Speech in Minnesota on June 3, 2008, at the very beginning of his speech, at the very top, he exuberantly shouted THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU thirty-nine times (that I could count) in the course of three minutes to a crowd that was on its feet and that grew louder with ever utterance of the phrase.
He saved the most important thank you for his grandmother before he launched into his signature oration of segued sound bites.
Whether you love, hate, or are indifferent to the man, the opening segment of his speech can’t help but touch you emotionally and demonstrate the power of humility and appreciation.
Always remember to thank, and acknowledge those who help you.
See, listen, and experience it here on YouTube . . .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtL-1V3OZ0c
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October 2007
1.) KNOW HOW YOU WANT TO COME ACROSS
When you’re dealing with upset and angry people,
there are two things they want from you.
The second thing they want from you is, “Fix my problem.”
The first thing they want is for you to “Acknowledge the problem.”
To build trust and influence with stakeholders, in every important encounter and communication in your professional life, and perhaps even more importantly in your personal life . . .
“Always know how you want to come across.”
Too often we go into automatic pilot and lose control over the words that leave our lips. So we always have to know how we want other people to see and perceive us, especially when it’s a critical communication.
Ask yourself, “What are the words I would use to describe how I want my stakeholders to see and perceive me? Especially when I’m dealing with a situation where there’s a high degree of concern, maybe a low level of trust, and there’s skepticism, and controversy.”
The term I like to use is “Value Compass.” What’s in your value compass?
What are the words you would use to describe how you want folks to perceive you when you’re involved in an issue that’s of concern to them?
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2.) PROVIDE COMPELLING REASONS TO BE TRUSTED
Let me share a couple of ways to build trust.
First, acknowledge the skepticism other people may have about your policies, programs, initiatives, issues, and so on. Do not pretend skepticism does not exist. Address it, and deal with it.
Something tragic happened in Toronto recently at York University. Two young women were sexually assaulted in their dorm, and the spokesman for York University spoke to the media the next day and said, and I quote,
“The dorms are safe.”
Now . . . given the sexual assaults that took place in the dormitory, how could he possibly have made such a statement?
Acknowledge the skepticism that some people feel. What the university spokesman could have said was; “We’re terribly upset about what happened and will work closely with authorities to learn what we can do to keep such a terrible thing from happening again.”
Put it into context and acknowledge and recognize the emotion. When you’re dealing with angry people and you want to build trust and influence, you’ve got to tap into the emotion.
Let me give you another example of providing compelling reasons to be trusted. For a variety of reasons, the Catholic Church has not done a terribly effective job representing itself regarding scandals, but I will always remember the words of a parish priest in Boston. His name is Father James Flavin. He said to Newsweek Magazine, at the height of this whole scandal involving sexual abuse of young people at the hands of priests, “I wouldn’t trust a priest either right now,” adding, “The church screwed up royally.”
I trust him. He said what everybody knows to be true but we’re all afraid to say for goodness sake.
When you acknowledge skepticism, you’re simply acknowledging what everybody often knows to be true. As a result, your credibility is maintained and maybe even enhanced.
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3.) DON’T BE SO QUICK TO SPEAK
Once a word leaves your lips, it’s on its way to Mars.
It doesn’t disappear. It reverberates. It ripples.
When we were kids we’d get into a fight in the schoolyard. We’d get a punch in the stomach and double over a little bit, but ten minutes later we’d forget about it. The pain went away.
But, if you’re a child, and somebody says something to you, like, “Her sister’s the pretty one, or his brother’s the smart one,” the comment can be forty or sixty years old and those ugly words still live on in the universe.
We have an obligation to use words in a responsible fashion.
Having the ability to use words is sacred. It’s a gift, but we use our words in such mischievous ways, and we demean other people when we don’t think about what we say. It’s a terrible thing to demean or embarrass another human being. It’s an act of theft. You’re stealing a person’s dignity and esteem. No one has a right to do that. We should use our words to build others up. Help them feel good about themselves. Lift them up.
Think of the words that leave your lips.
It’s a bit like toothpaste.
Once you squeeze it, it doesn’t go back in.
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4.) SAY IT LIKE YOU MEAN IT
There’s famous research from the University of California in Los Angeles, from “Dr. Albert Morabian.”
Dr. Morabian has demonstrated conclusively that when you say something, 55% of the way your message is interpreted comes from the way you use your body and how you use your face when you say it.
38% of the interpretation of your message comes from the voice, tone, texture, and level of conviction.
So . . . run the numbers, and what does that leave?
A massive 7% for people to interpret your message based on your words.
It’s disheartening.
When we speak, we have to juggle the visual, vocal, and verbal so that we look and sound like we mean what we say and say what we mean.
To me, the secret to being a good speaker is;
“Say it like you mean it . . . and look like you mean it.”
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5.) MAKE A POINT OF PAUSING
When somebody says something to you,
pause before responding or commenting.
When we listen to other people, we often think to ourselves,
“How am I going to answer? How am I going to answer?”
. . . and we’re not listening to them.
If we do this to our spouses, our loved ones, the people we claim to care about, we’re short-changing our relationships. When you’re engaged in an important encounter, try not to think about yourself so much. Consider making the other person or people more important than you. It will better connect you with other people. You may even find it liberating to stop thinking about yourself so much.
Make peace with pausing.
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February 2007
FREEDOM OF SPEECH IS NOT A LITERAL TERM
You might think it, and you might be right, but if you say it, it could be the beginning of the end of your career. Freedom of speech is part of the constitution in many countries, but in no country can it be taken literally.
Freedom of speech in North America even allows a person to make racial slurs without legal repercussion, and some politicians and executives push it to the edge. But if you happen to step over the line, even accidentally, you might find yourself shunned and in a world of news media pain you never knew existed.
2006 and early 2007 were a whirlwind of activity in this regard and examples ran the gamut from B-grade celebrities to presidential hopefuls. Mel Gibson, while in a drunken stupor, got the ball rolling with his anti-Semitic remarks, while Michael Richards of Seinfeld fame lost his cool onstage in a nightclub and dug his grave by spewing racist remarks against African-Americans. More recently Isaiah Washington from “Grey’s Anatomy” used homophobic language on the set to “out” his gay co-star, T.R. Knight. Washington made the situation even worse by later denying he said it at the Golden Globe Awards, which as you can imagine, was like pouring gasoline on a smoldering ember.
Sometimes you just have to know when to zip it.
Psychologists feel it is very difficult to change beliefs that have been ingrained since childhood, but they do agree it is possible to change behavior. In part, that is what media training does. It helps you manage and control your thought process.
Why you might ask, when this is a business newsletter, and the people above are entertainment celebrities, am I bringing attention to this string of media train wrecks? Well, I want to demonstrate that even people whom you would expect to possess highly developed communication skills, still get themselves in trouble when they don’t put enough thought into what they say. If “these guys” can hit the wall when they are stressed, where do you fit into the equation? Granted, you’re probably not a drunken bigot with a career on the skids, but the point here is that anyone can lose control when they are under pressure. And is your pressure any less intense than their pressure? When jobs and careers are at stake it is hard to think rationally when the screws are tightened and a TV camera is stuck in your face.
Let’s consider U.S. Presidential hopefuls for a moment. Recently, U.S. Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr. described Senator Barack Obama, a fellow Democratic candidate, as “the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy.”
Bigotry aside, Senator Biden should have known to stay clear of anything even remotely ethnic, or that refers to a person’s clothing or hairstyle. Commenting on a woman’s or even a man’s garment is never acceptable, no matter how flattering it is intended to be. It’s Sensitivity Training 101.
If you do make a gaffe, you should at least have enough media sense to know how to get out of it gracefully. “I did not have sexual relations with that woman” has been used before and the public is now immune to such trite responses. It appears Senator Biden missed a day or two of media training classes, because instead of simply admitting his error in judgment and apologizing, he claimed he was taken out of context. It was the sentiment as much as the actual choice of words that sparked the angst against him, and it was all that news media needed to give the story legs. Once again, it was like throwing fuel on a fire. It also didn’t help that he made a similar statement last year when he said, “You cannot go into a 7-11 or a Dunkin Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent.”
Media have now painted Biden as “His Own Worst Enemy.” And when you see your name associated with the word “gaffe” more than twice, it’s a sign you need professional media communication help. Go ahead and try it yourself. Go to Google and type “biden gaffe” (use the quotation marks) and see how many returns you get. I got 830 on February 9, and 540 on February 21, 2007. Time seems to be a healer, but can you afford even one second of grief?
You throw a newspaper away at the end of the day, and turn off
TV news at midnight, but stuff like this lives online forever.
It’s a new era, and media training is
more important today than it was yesterday.
Biden Obama quote on YouTube.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vj7RPxykFP8
Biden’s 7-11 Indian gaffe on YouTube.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIT3jUrNTX0
Google “biden gaffe” – http://www.Google.com
26 MILLION AMERICANS GO ONLINE IN 1 DAY FOR POLITICAL NEWS
According to PEW Research:
26 million Americans logged onto the Internet on an average day in August of 2006 searching for political news. It broke a record.
http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/187/report_display.asp
Americans want control over their political news, so they go online.
http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/202/report_display.asp
Who is Online? 70% of the adult population.
http://www.pewinternet.org/trends/User_Demo_1.11.07.htm
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MICHAEL MOORE UPDATE
Just a quick follow up to the Michael Moore piece I had in my last two newsletters. In February of 2006, Moore asked Americans to send him stories about their experiences with the health care system. In July of 2006, according to his website, he was overwhelmed with responses.
Although Moore isn’t confirming anything at this time, look for his new movie “Sicko” to be released June 2007. He knows silence gets people talking so he has chosen to stay quiet, which for him must be a challenge.
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THE ART OF THE GRACEFUL RETRACTION
Managing media in a crisis situation is like playing a musical instrument, the more you practice, the better you get.
French President Jacques Chirac made a “gaffe” in late January, but quickly recovered by admitting that he made a mistake, and he retracted many of the things he originally told news media during an interview in Paris a day before.
He originally made comments to reporters from the International Herald Tribune, The NY Times, and Le Nouvel Observateur, regarding Iran and nuclear weapons. When he realized that the comments he made to these newspapers and magazine contradicted France’s policy, and also what he had consistently stated in the past, he quickly called the same news companies back, and the next day admitted his error.
He said that he had spoken “casually,” and “too quickly” the previous day, and claimed he thought he was “speaking off the record.” He frankly admitted that he had made a mistake, and clarified his, and his country’s position regarding Iran and nuclear arms.
As quoted in the International Herald Tribune, he said, “It is I who was wrong and I do not want to contest it. I should have paid better attention to what I was saying and understood perhaps that I was on the record.”
This second interview was embargoed, which means that the reporters in attendance agreed not to publish the retraction until the following Thursday when the magazine, Le Nouvel Observateur normally published.
According to the International Herald Tribune, they were unclear as to whether Chirac had misspoken, or that he believed what he said the first time, and realized that it would negatively impact his office if he did not retract the original statements.
Regardless of the interpretation, what could have turned into a highly volatile situation was defused, and the only thing suffered was a slightly bruised ego and reputation. The outcome was much better than if Chirac would have stubbornly refused to concede he made a mistake. He quite literally made it very difficult for news media to run with it.
The rule of thumb here is, admit you made a mistake, and then provide a plausible solution. It is textbook, but I have to wonder how a politician as experienced as Jacques Chirac could ever think he was speaking off the record, especially to international journalists who may not be as familiar with his idiosyncrasies or sense of humor.
Would you relax with your head in a lion’s mouth, let alone a strange lion?
The second lesson to be learned is that ”the microphone is always on, and anything you say, at any time, to anyone, can be entered into the public domain.” If a reporter can verify that you said it, he or she can, and probably will use it. It’s their job. In fact, in this era of blogs and independent online news agencies, anyone who is witness to your words or actions can send them careening around the world in a heartbeat. It reminds me of the words of Mark Twain, who said, “A lie can travel halfway around the world, while the truth is still putting on its shoes.”
YouTube.com, like CBS, is only a mouse click away.
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COVER YOUR BACK
For some newsmakers, sometimes it doesn’t matter what they say or do, they believe they will be misquoted or taken out of context. All smart executives and politicians know they cannot control everything, including how media and the public interpret their words and actions. Fortunately, in this era of “new media,” a “new” solution exists.
In the old days (2004) executives and politicians often used small micro cassette recorders during interviews to “cover their back.” Well, maybe “they” didn’t, but their PR people did.
Today, the new tool of choice is a small technological device that also still literally fits in the palm of your hand, but it packs a punch that can be felt around the world in less time than it takes you to jog around the block.
The new tool is a combination phone/camera/video recorder/ PDA style little marvel that almost all of us have, but few maximize, although recently many more are starting to figure out a good line of defense is sitting in their breast pocket. It is extremely powerful because you can stream and network your message through companies like YouTube, or Google Video, or Yahoo. If a picture is worth a thousand words, just imagine the impact of a video that contains a thousand pictures as well as sound?
A micro-video recorder isn’t a replacement for well-honed media skills. You must still always know the agenda of the reporter interviewing you. It is why you should always ask beforehand what the premise of their story is, and it is why formal media training is even more important today than it was last year. Practice makes perfect. Ask journalists politely “before” you begin the interview what they are trying to achieve. Also, unless you can avoid it, never agree to an interview when they call you cold. Ask what their premise is and call them back, even if it is in ten minutes. A professional media person will usually tell you the premise, but usually only if you ask. Very rarely will they deceive you unless you are doing something that they feel is underhanded. Pros will also give you time to compose yourself before you start. If they don’t, their motives are highly suspect and you should be even more wary than normal.
Having a back up that you control is a good defense when you are under unwarranted pressure, or when you are misquoted or taken out of context.
More and more every day sharp business executives and politicians go immediately to your website or blog to see your version of the truth. Their next step is to run a Google Video or YouTube search to see what other people are saying about you. Consequently, the most progressive players are also uploading their version of the story on public video services. Everyone has an agenda, and every agenda is different.
Mainstream news media have lost their exclusivity, and their punch. Smart executives and politicians, and now even J.Q. Public know they have options, and these options are only a click away. You don’t even have to be at a desktop computer to see what people are saying about you. All you have to do is sit down in your favorite coffee shop and it is likely they will provide you with a free wireless feed to cruise the new media frontier via your laptop or PDA. The stranger sitting beside you could be reading about, or watching “you.”
Nowhere is business communication video streaming more valuable than when you or your company’s perspective goes against the grain of “current” public opinion. Quite literally, as startling as the image might be, you hold in your hand the capacity to become a “Mini-Michael Moore.”
Sometimes you and your company are simply more progressive or forward looking than the masses, and in some cases mainstream news media often have incentive to undermine your opinion, especially when it contradicts a political or economic agenda their news media company supports. A good example of this is in Olympic regions when communities are torn apart by news media companies, governments, and private companies, all who have different versions of what is good or bad for the community. Media tools like this are opening new doors and literally giving communities and companies more control over the messages they want dispersed. Mainstream news media are getting lost in the crowd and they don’t know what to do except react through brute force. Today, we live in an era where finesse has more impact. No one wants to be bullied.
However, don’t think for even a nanosecond that having a video back up means you can ignore good media skills. In fact, the exact opposite is true. You still can’t walk into a situation unprepared and shoot wildly from the hip and then patch things together later. In the music industry it’s referred to as “fix-it-in-the-mix” and it is not even a remote option for you. Newspapers and TV still have a sizeable audience, and if you know how to give them what they want in a manner that works for you too, you are further ahead than having to defend yourself later. A back up is exactly that, and not a first line tool.
Today, you need even better media skills, because now, if you want to use your video to defend or promote your position, your performance must be clear, concise, and professional. If not, other than speaking improperly from the outset, the next worst thing you can do is create and unleash a video that will help someone else make you look foolish.
The tools are there, but you have to use then effectively.
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TAKE 5 – HUMOROUS GAFFES
No one wants to be the butt of a joke, and making gaffes that live on in news media makes you an easy target to make the “Dumbest Quotes” lists assembled at the end of every year by anyone who can henpeck a blog. Take 5 and have a little chuckle at the following;
“I have learned from mistakes I may or may not have made.”
George W. Bush.
Laugh more here . . .
http://politicalhumor.about.com/od/stupidquotes/a/dumbquotes2006.htm