Just a daft thought but maybe peace would be nice,. maybe even a little bit of love.
Happy New Year♠
Tuesday, 29 December 2009
Wednesday, 16 December 2009
Press release: rage against the machine
Modern media is a funny old game. Can you imagine back in the 70s trying to get a campaign on the go to stop Gary Glitter or Slade getting to number one.
Thanks to Facebook someone has launched a campaign to get the early 90s angry rockers to number one ahead of Xfactor winner Joe.
To date they are making a decent stab at it. Although they probably will not manage it they have still managed to rattle Simon Cowell.
Just think what you would have had to do in the 70s - write a zillion letters, go on a Jarrow style march, print a million leaflets, write letters to every newspaper in the country, shout at passers by, etc. Even then it would amount to bot all!
Now if you get the mood of the zeitgeist right you are on to a winner. 500,000 plus followers on the facebook site - it really is amazing. Now all they need is to flog them something.
Newspapers have their facebooks sites and yet they don't seem to manage them or do anything with them to stimulate readership figures.
What they need is some young guns with some uber-knowledge - what ever that is.
Thanks to Facebook someone has launched a campaign to get the early 90s angry rockers to number one ahead of Xfactor winner Joe.
To date they are making a decent stab at it. Although they probably will not manage it they have still managed to rattle Simon Cowell.
Just think what you would have had to do in the 70s - write a zillion letters, go on a Jarrow style march, print a million leaflets, write letters to every newspaper in the country, shout at passers by, etc. Even then it would amount to bot all!
Now if you get the mood of the zeitgeist right you are on to a winner. 500,000 plus followers on the facebook site - it really is amazing. Now all they need is to flog them something.
Newspapers have their facebooks sites and yet they don't seem to manage them or do anything with them to stimulate readership figures.
What they need is some young guns with some uber-knowledge - what ever that is.
Tuesday, 8 December 2009
Press Release: Is little news dead?
I don't know about you but my news judgement is being affected by bigger macro matters. A lady was on the BBC news talking about how we should be worried about stereptyping girls and boys with pink and blue colours.
For a start I have heard the story a thousand times (life's a re-write) but secondly it just does not seem important when we at war, in a deep recession and our heads of states are meeting to try and avert the end of the world.
General news suddenly makes no sense. A bit like after an earthquake when everyone gets an attack of what'sthepoint-ism.
And no - I don't know the answer!
For a start I have heard the story a thousand times (life's a re-write) but secondly it just does not seem important when we at war, in a deep recession and our heads of states are meeting to try and avert the end of the world.
General news suddenly makes no sense. A bit like after an earthquake when everyone gets an attack of what'sthepoint-ism.
And no - I don't know the answer!
Monday, 7 December 2009
Press Release: Newspapers and PR
When I was a lad.....no honestly! When I was lad on newspapers in "the old days" it was rare to use a press release unless it had come from a major organisation - police, fire, council, utility.
The press releases went on a pile until fillers, or grout as it was sometimes known, were needed to fill the space around the major stories.
Sadly today, and I speak as a PR, newspapers rely on press release fodder to fill the papers. A lot of PROs are ex-journos so the quality of the average press release has gone up in my opinion. But it is a pact with the devil. At the end of the day the PR is there to protect reputation and enhance the standing of their client. With police or local authority they are there to firefight and "communicate". The client is always number one.
We used to have a joke in the newsroom way back that a story was "too good to check"! It was tongue in cheek of course but now stories supplied by PRs on a regular basis drop in to the paper without a thorough check. The releases are taken as 100% reliable. While I am not saying that blatant untruths are peddled it does raise the temptation to exaggerate a tad.
Journos should question everything they receive. The lines are blurring and it is Joe Public who suffers. There's never been a better time to get away with something.
The press releases went on a pile until fillers, or grout as it was sometimes known, were needed to fill the space around the major stories.
Sadly today, and I speak as a PR, newspapers rely on press release fodder to fill the papers. A lot of PROs are ex-journos so the quality of the average press release has gone up in my opinion. But it is a pact with the devil. At the end of the day the PR is there to protect reputation and enhance the standing of their client. With police or local authority they are there to firefight and "communicate". The client is always number one.
We used to have a joke in the newsroom way back that a story was "too good to check"! It was tongue in cheek of course but now stories supplied by PRs on a regular basis drop in to the paper without a thorough check. The releases are taken as 100% reliable. While I am not saying that blatant untruths are peddled it does raise the temptation to exaggerate a tad.
Journos should question everything they receive. The lines are blurring and it is Joe Public who suffers. There's never been a better time to get away with something.
Wednesday, 2 December 2009
Press Release: handshake
press release: Murdoch grunts and google parps
Wow. Just goes to show that the news dinosaur Murdoch still has a roar. His rant about free news on the internet seems to have hit home with Google with their latest announcement that they plan to limit ranking all free news.
Could this be the beginning of a new partnership. Has google got into bed with Rupert? Makes you wonder.
Reports in the Media Guardian say Google is to allow publishers of paid for content to limit the amount of free access internet users have to their websites from Google News.
The move comes after Murdoch's recent rant against google running aggregate news for free. Theft as he put it!
However, Google say publishers would be able to charge for their content and still make it available via Google following the changes announced. Mmmmm. We'll see.....
Could this be the beginning of a new partnership. Has google got into bed with Rupert? Makes you wonder.
Reports in the Media Guardian say Google is to allow publishers of paid for content to limit the amount of free access internet users have to their websites from Google News.
The move comes after Murdoch's recent rant against google running aggregate news for free. Theft as he put it!
However, Google say publishers would be able to charge for their content and still make it available via Google following the changes announced. Mmmmm. We'll see.....
Monday, 23 November 2009
Press release: Rolling news
Rolling news is just getting too daft. Too many hours of broadcast time and not enough people to do it. The journos are so busy standing there talking endlessly to camera that they don't have the time to do a proper journos job - ie check the facts, pull the story together. Instead its rambling hyperbole to dress up the same pictures as there is not enough staff to get the latest.
Just look at the flood story. The same pics endlessly repeated, the same rolling news reporter spewing out the same endless words on every quarter hour.
Where's the story behind the story. The only development comes when the police, fire, ambulance etc release a press statement. Where's the contacts? Where's the exclusives? Drone drone drone..........
Just look at the flood story. The same pics endlessly repeated, the same rolling news reporter spewing out the same endless words on every quarter hour.
Where's the story behind the story. The only development comes when the police, fire, ambulance etc release a press statement. Where's the contacts? Where's the exclusives? Drone drone drone..........
Wednesday, 18 November 2009
Press release: Free papers
Surely the time has come for regional papers to grasp the nettle and go free like the Evening Standard. Some of the readership figures kicking around are staggering. I don't think advertisers realise how few people are reading them.
I won't pick on anyone but imagine a local daily paper that sold say 70k copies on average a day 20 years ago. The chances are that the figure is now more like 35 to 40k and the graph is down.
To fight back against the internet they need to cover everything that moves at a local level and go free. Distribute to all the newsagents who give it away. They can charge a higher fee than they used to for delivery and they get the kick back of people coming in the shop.
Advertisers will love. Struggling newspapers can get back on the agenda of national brand advertisers who will not go near a paper unless its shifting 50k a day.
They should do it now instead of re-arranging deck chairs on the titanic.
I won't pick on anyone but imagine a local daily paper that sold say 70k copies on average a day 20 years ago. The chances are that the figure is now more like 35 to 40k and the graph is down.
To fight back against the internet they need to cover everything that moves at a local level and go free. Distribute to all the newsagents who give it away. They can charge a higher fee than they used to for delivery and they get the kick back of people coming in the shop.
Advertisers will love. Struggling newspapers can get back on the agenda of national brand advertisers who will not go near a paper unless its shifting 50k a day.
They should do it now instead of re-arranging deck chairs on the titanic.
Tuesday, 17 November 2009
Press Release: Petrol
At last a paper has picked up the petrol price story again. The story dropped off the agenda when prices went down a bit but now they are more than when the papers were going nuts about it. It looks like 1.10 a litre by next week. The Daily Mail has finally picked up the baton.
The Sun could have done it and used as an example of how crap the country is to hit Brown instead of their clumsy handling of the "letter" story which was a classic example in how to kick your own arse. Brown came out well - even rank and file soldiers were impressed that a serving PM could be bothered to handwrite their own letter!
Hopefully the petrol story will get some mileage - get it - and shame the oil companies and petrol retailers! Damn well shame!!!!
The Sun could have done it and used as an example of how crap the country is to hit Brown instead of their clumsy handling of the "letter" story which was a classic example in how to kick your own arse. Brown came out well - even rank and file soldiers were impressed that a serving PM could be bothered to handwrite their own letter!
Hopefully the petrol story will get some mileage - get it - and shame the oil companies and petrol retailers! Damn well shame!!!!
Thursday, 12 November 2009
Press Release: Gordon Brown
Gordon Brown took a hammering over the soldier letter the other day. Harshly in my view. The Sun stitched him up good and proper. At the end of the day he hand-wrote the letter which is more than most ministers would do.
He made a genuine error and The Sun went to town. Recording the private telephone follow-up conversation was also bang out of order. They made capital out of a grieving mother.
He made a genuine error and The Sun went to town. Recording the private telephone follow-up conversation was also bang out of order. They made capital out of a grieving mother.
Thursday, 5 November 2009
Press Release: Paying for online news
Murdoch admits the plan by News International to start charging for online content is falling behind. The plan was to start charging in June 10 - not a chance.
No surprise really. When they do their hit rate will fall off a cliff. He is talking to other news organisations about doing it together which is the only way will manage it.
Should be interesting to see how Joe Public takes to it. Meanwhile News Corp announced a surge in profit thanks to the TV stations performing well in the US.
The longer the recession the more we sit on our backside and watch TV! No wonder pubs and restaurants are feeling the pain.
No surprise really. When they do their hit rate will fall off a cliff. He is talking to other news organisations about doing it together which is the only way will manage it.
Should be interesting to see how Joe Public takes to it. Meanwhile News Corp announced a surge in profit thanks to the TV stations performing well in the US.
The longer the recession the more we sit on our backside and watch TV! No wonder pubs and restaurants are feeling the pain.
Wednesday, 4 November 2009
Days like today are when we need the BBC. What commercial station, especially radio, would give so much airtime over to debate
the latest on MPs expenses. News on commercial radio stations is virtually non-existent. Skeleton staff run a few soundbites on the hour with bought-in news from agencies. The beeb may not be perfect but with local newspapers losing their investigative bite through poor resources its up to them to have a go.
Sadly the beeb cut back a lot of its regional programming last year so there is less investigative work being done. But something is better than nothing.
the latest on MPs expenses. News on commercial radio stations is virtually non-existent. Skeleton staff run a few soundbites on the hour with bought-in news from agencies. The beeb may not be perfect but with local newspapers losing their investigative bite through poor resources its up to them to have a go.Sadly the beeb cut back a lot of its regional programming last year so there is less investigative work being done. But something is better than nothing.
Thursday, 22 October 2009
Press release: Poor posties
The striking posties are getting an interesting treatment in the media. Time and time again I have heard it on the radio that they are striking for failing to modernise. That is surely a matter of debate rather than fact. While Royal Mail would argue it is about modernisation I am sure workers would argue that it is about changing working practices.
In reality it may be about modernisation but it is a word that should only be used if the report can demonstrate it surely? What is modernisation and how will it benefit the business?
In reality it may be about modernisation but it is a word that should only be used if the report can demonstrate it surely? What is modernisation and how will it benefit the business?
Tuesday, 20 October 2009
Press Release: price of the papers.
You know what. In this day and age of internet news for free the newspapers had better get real and cut the cost of their product.
The price war of the Daily Star and The Sun in the UK proves that in general we think we are paying too much for a daily newspaper in an age where you can pic up a Metro for free.
The 20p Daily Star has led to an astonishing 17% rise in sales over the last year, although that pace is running out of steam. The Sun registered a rise as it followed suit in slashing prices.
If newspapers can get the maths right and offer high quality independent journalism, not just rehashed PA, they may get back on track despite the internet. The Sunday Times manages to perform well at two quid a shout but you get a library full of supplements and words that can take you all week to read so you could argue its value for money.
Maybe newspapers do not have to follow the Metro and Evening Standard route and go free - just reduce the price and keep quality high. Not that easy in a recession of course!!!
The price war of the Daily Star and The Sun in the UK proves that in general we think we are paying too much for a daily newspaper in an age where you can pic up a Metro for free.
The 20p Daily Star has led to an astonishing 17% rise in sales over the last year, although that pace is running out of steam. The Sun registered a rise as it followed suit in slashing prices.
If newspapers can get the maths right and offer high quality independent journalism, not just rehashed PA, they may get back on track despite the internet. The Sunday Times manages to perform well at two quid a shout but you get a library full of supplements and words that can take you all week to read so you could argue its value for money.
Maybe newspapers do not have to follow the Metro and Evening Standard route and go free - just reduce the price and keep quality high. Not that easy in a recession of course!!!
PRESS RELEASE: national newspaper sales
More worrying signs about the slow death of newspapers. The latest UK sales figures make grim reading.
Comparing six month figures for 2008 April-to-September with those for 2009 April-to-September is enough to make editors weep.
The numbers show a 3.61% fall in the overall daily newspaper market and a 5.92% fall in the Sunday market over the latest six months and respective falls of 2.49% and 5.47% in 2008.
The Daily Mirror took a 6.61% whack last year and has just lodged a 9.37% drop. Ouch! The Independent looks doomed with a 4.32% drop hurtling to 16.53% fall.
These sort of figures are unsustainable in the long term with advertisers looking increasingly to other markets but bizarrely on-line ad revenues have stiffed. Where's the money going!!!!!
Comparing six month figures for 2008 April-to-September with those for 2009 April-to-September is enough to make editors weep.
The numbers show a 3.61% fall in the overall daily newspaper market and a 5.92% fall in the Sunday market over the latest six months and respective falls of 2.49% and 5.47% in 2008.
The Daily Mirror took a 6.61% whack last year and has just lodged a 9.37% drop. Ouch! The Independent looks doomed with a 4.32% drop hurtling to 16.53% fall.
These sort of figures are unsustainable in the long term with advertisers looking increasingly to other markets but bizarrely on-line ad revenues have stiffed. Where's the money going!!!!!
Friday, 16 October 2009
Press release: will newspapers die?
It's a fair question. They are certainly very sick. The way circulation and ad revenues are going they are heading for intensive care.
Once powerful regional newspapers are reduced to puppy dogs steering clear of stories that might upset a big advertiser. Journalists are being laid off. Hurrah you might say, but whose is going to expose the bad boys in future?
As newspapers wither we lose a bit of democracy. Yes we might have the all powerful web but newspapers wielded a power that could change policy and pull people into line.
Local newspapers that once sold 100,000 are slipping down towards 60,000. National newspapers that sold three million are now down to two and the graph is heading down. Rumours abounded that the worlds oldest Sunday newspaper The Observer was going to be closed down and recently the London Standard announced it was going free!
The internet is taking its toll. Younger readers don't care about holding a paper unlike oldies like me. As cost are cut quality goes down.
The market still does not know where its going. The web moves so fast. News International are threatening to start charging for their web services. If they do others may follow. But there is still too much free news - the BBC for example.
For the business looking to promote itself the strategy is simple. Create good news content and get it online as much as possible to point visitors to your website. The website needs to be up to speed but get them there.
The days of a nice press release in the local paper making ripples are numbered. It is still worthwhile at the moment but businesses need to have one eye on the future.
Once powerful regional newspapers are reduced to puppy dogs steering clear of stories that might upset a big advertiser. Journalists are being laid off. Hurrah you might say, but whose is going to expose the bad boys in future?
As newspapers wither we lose a bit of democracy. Yes we might have the all powerful web but newspapers wielded a power that could change policy and pull people into line.
Local newspapers that once sold 100,000 are slipping down towards 60,000. National newspapers that sold three million are now down to two and the graph is heading down. Rumours abounded that the worlds oldest Sunday newspaper The Observer was going to be closed down and recently the London Standard announced it was going free!
The internet is taking its toll. Younger readers don't care about holding a paper unlike oldies like me. As cost are cut quality goes down.
The market still does not know where its going. The web moves so fast. News International are threatening to start charging for their web services. If they do others may follow. But there is still too much free news - the BBC for example.
For the business looking to promote itself the strategy is simple. Create good news content and get it online as much as possible to point visitors to your website. The website needs to be up to speed but get them there.
The days of a nice press release in the local paper making ripples are numbered. It is still worthwhile at the moment but businesses need to have one eye on the future.
Wednesday, 14 October 2009
Press Release: Showbiz Sun
Interesting to see that The Sun are sticking with the 20p cover price offer. I wonder how many readers from the likes of the Daily Mail are taking a punt and seeing what the old red top has to offer. The Daily Mail has done well over the last few years to pull in a young-ish 30 something professional femail readership but I bet some have been tempted to dabble in The Sun for 20p compared to 50p.
With this in mind I think The Sun are making a mistake in not upping their serious news content. Not too serious but just a bit more of the news to water down the showbiz overkill. It seems the tabloids are no longer in competition with other newspapers but in competition with the showbiz mags. Even the Mail, which tries to keep itself composed, slips into showbizzy tabloid coverage. Far too often there's the pic of the actress with no make up and a rather weak story on Robbie Williams dodgy or not so dodgy (depending on your view) live return on X Factor.
More news please!
With this in mind I think The Sun are making a mistake in not upping their serious news content. Not too serious but just a bit more of the news to water down the showbiz overkill. It seems the tabloids are no longer in competition with other newspapers but in competition with the showbiz mags. Even the Mail, which tries to keep itself composed, slips into showbizzy tabloid coverage. Far too often there's the pic of the actress with no make up and a rather weak story on Robbie Williams dodgy or not so dodgy (depending on your view) live return on X Factor.
More news please!
Friday, 9 October 2009
Magazines feeling the pinch
Until recently glossy magazines were riding high despite the creep of the internet. While newspapers wilted under pressure mags remained bouyant.
The party is now over it seems with the news that Conde Nast is set to lose out on a billion dollars in ad revenue this year - a billion dollars! Immediate surgery will see four titles close plus surviving titles will have to make big cuts.
That's a big hit that will send shock waves through the glossy market. It seems the only way forward is for niche magazines ran on a skeleton staff.
Specialist websites and blogs thrive in users but still online revenues are relatively small - surely this has to change.
The party is now over it seems with the news that Conde Nast is set to lose out on a billion dollars in ad revenue this year - a billion dollars! Immediate surgery will see four titles close plus surviving titles will have to make big cuts.
That's a big hit that will send shock waves through the glossy market. It seems the only way forward is for niche magazines ran on a skeleton staff.
Specialist websites and blogs thrive in users but still online revenues are relatively small - surely this has to change.
Wednesday, 7 October 2009
Tories and the press
Cameron and Georgie have taken a massive gamble. Their strategy of saying nothing was paying off! Now they have said something and said something fairly unpopular. Refreshing in many ways that they have actually told it how it is. The press however are going to have fun with this - on both sides. Labour will be pressed to show its hand now but equally the first move by the Tories has them labelled as salary freezing killjoys.
The Daily Mail were fairly soft on him although the word austerity was written huge on the front page! It will be interesting to see how the right wing press play it as the week rolls out.
The Sun meanwhile used the gamble word but will go soft on him as they have just pledged their support to the Tories.
Suddenly politics got mildly interesting. Suddenly in a world of consensus politics we have a choice! The next election could get interesting.
The Daily Mail were fairly soft on him although the word austerity was written huge on the front page! It will be interesting to see how the right wing press play it as the week rolls out.
The Sun meanwhile used the gamble word but will go soft on him as they have just pledged their support to the Tories.
Suddenly politics got mildly interesting. Suddenly in a world of consensus politics we have a choice! The next election could get interesting.
Friday, 2 October 2009
Film Review
Over the course of the last few days I have read three reviews of Ricky Gervais's new film and guess what? They were all exactly the same.
That's because the reviews are supplied by the Press Association. There was a day when local newspapers had their own reviewer who would give you a trusted view.
More dosh for PA but less choice for the rest of us!
That's because the reviews are supplied by the Press Association. There was a day when local newspapers had their own reviewer who would give you a trusted view.
More dosh for PA but less choice for the rest of us!
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