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Fair Media Council. Indecent Proposals & Strange Bedfellows: What to Expect from Media in 2009 Presented by: Jaci Clement, Executive Director Fair Media Council. Fair Media Council. "I support the free press, let's just get them out of the room." – George W. Bush. Fair Media Council.
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Fair Media Council Indecent Proposals & Strange Bedfellows: What to Expect from Media in 2009 Presented by: Jaci Clement, Executive Director Fair Media Council
Fair Media Council "I support the free press, let's just get them out of the room." – George W. Bush
Fair Media Council Who We Are… 501c3 nonprofit media watch organization comprised of about 200 businesses and nonprofits stretching from LI to NYC What We Do… We do two things. . .
Fair Media Council What We Do … Advocate for quality local news, which is the vital link between all people, all businesses, all organizations and the government to keep the public informed, allow our community to prosper and retain our quality of life.
Fair Media Council How do we do that? • Meet with media decision makers regularly • Critique the media’s performance, and congratulate them on a job well done • Write/speak on media issues • Bring the media out to meet . . . you
Fair Media Council The other thing we do • Educate the public -- especially business groups and students -- about the news media, including what’s happening behind the scenes that affects the news
Stuff We Do… How we do that: • Media Savvy Breakfast Series – meet and learn from the media • Media Fix Workshop Series – improve communication skills • Connection Day – the only major conference of its type in the country • Folio Awards – recognize quality news
Stuff We Do… • Products – our toolkit: Media Guide, Handbook, Resource Guide • News Literacy Project • Media Savvy Teacher Recognition Program • Blog • Speak at Events • Write on the topic of local news
Fair Media Council At the heart of what we do . . . • we serve as the bridge that brings the news media together with the public, to build understanding on both sides • and to encourage responsible media coverage that is responsive to the needs of the community • voice of the community
Fair Media Council “The problem, if there is a problem in this country, is because we have a free press people have no idea what it’s like to live in a country that doesn’t.” -Art Buchwald
You & The News Media Key Takeaways: • What Is News & Why It’s Important • How & Why It’s Changing • What To Expect From Media in 2009 • How To Leverage Your Opportunities
The Nature of News • Definition: News is something “out of the ordinary” (usually negative) • Standard: It’s constantly changing. What’s considered news today may not be viewed as news tomorrow • Value: What else is happening in the world helps determine news value • Association: Exercise in objectivity based entirely on subject means
The Purpose of News As a businessperson: • News outlets to tell your story & promote your stuff • Establish yourself as an “expert” & gain respect in industry and among customers • Editorial coverage 3x-5x more influential than advertising
The Purpose of News • Caretaker of democracy – strength of our news media is proportional to the strength of our country • Watchdog of government • First responders • Purveyors of credible information • Investigations to protect the public
“conventional wisdom” sez… • Thanks to technology, we have more news and more news choices than ever before • This is the age of instantaneous news: Watch or read it as it happens • Content is king: The news business is highly competitive
Today’s Media Industry Since 2000, media has lost more than 200,000 jobs – 30,000 jobs in 2008 alone. In 1983, 50 media companies in the U.S. owned the majority of news outlets. Now, it’s down to six media companies. Speculation that NBC and CBS will cease news operations, as well as Sirius XM.
Today’s Media Industry Research by Pew Research Institute, Poynter Institute and the FCC all illustrate there is less local news created when a “local” outlet has an out-of-town owner. Poynter also found there’s less variety in news these days, usually a handful of topics dominating the headlines.
The Real Story: Echo Effect • Through 2008, we’ve seen less local news produced and less variety from the major news outlets. • What we do have is more delivery channels (web sites, eblasts, PDA alerts) bringing us the same stories so it appears we have a plethora of news when it’s really the same basic story.
Case in point… • Sanja Gupta may be next Surgeon General. • Story in Newsday, but not Newsday: Washington Post • Story showed 134,000 Google hits – but 60,000 of those were either the WaPo article carried by another outlet or the WaPo story as the basis for a story.
Fair Media Council "The one function that 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
Repackaging of News • Taking one news story and using it across multi-media platforms • CNN style: Take a news story, rework the news story into a feature story and now it’s two stories… same information, just positioned differently
“conventional wisdom” sez… • Thanks to technology, we have more news and more news choices than ever before • This is the age of instantaneous news: Watch or read it as it happens • Content is king: The news business is highly competitive
Today’s News • Technology’s ability to bring news to you faster than ever before has changed news gathering. • Remember Cronkite? Murrow? Facts were vetted, put into context • Now, emphasis is pushing information out to you as fast as possible. This has changed news in two ways…
“In one of the most disturbing and disgraceful media performances of this type in recent years, television and newspapers carried the tragically wrong news …” -Editor & Publisher
Facts? Why Bother? • News is no longer about providing context and relevance. • Speculation has taken place of the facts, due to time constraints and lack of staff.
From Iron Pants to Sweetheart • News is no longer about credibility. It’s about like-ability.
View from the Cellar Pew Research has found credibility of news has continuously fallen over the past 10 years. Only 30 percent of viewers believe CNN, but that puts it at the top of the news heap. • ABC & NBC – Only 24 percent believe it! • CBS – Only 22 percent believe it! • NYT – Only 18 percent believe it!
Key Societal Trends • Power is moving from institutions to communities • Business innovation is shifting to bottom-up model • User generated content preferred • Reliance on viral marketing, word of mouth SOURCE: Forrester Research Social Computing: How Networks Erode Institutional Power, And What to Do About It Feb 2006
News Today… • Decline in credibility echoes declines in circulation and viewership. • Purpose of news has been distorted & public has reacted by seeking out people they trust to provide them with real news and first-hand experiences
“conventional wisdom” sez… • Thanks to technology, we have more news and more news choices than ever before • This is the age of instantaneous news: Watch or read it as it happens • Content is king: The news business is highly competitive
Fair Media Council "If one morning I walked on top of the water across the Potomac River, the headline that afternoon would read: 'President Can't Swim.' " -Lyndon B. Johnson
The Big Shift in News 2009 • Newsrooms that were once competitors will now share news and resources. • The trend started nationally, now it’s hitting locally…
Should’ve Seen It Coming… • Home » Opinion » CBS News Polls • Poll: Obama Gained During Debates • CBS News/N.Y. Times Follow-Up Survey Of Likely Voters Suggests Democrat's Advantage Grew • Oct. 20, 2008 | by Brian Montopoli
More of the Same… • Trust in GOP Reaches Record Low • Just 23 percent in a new Washington Post-ABC News poll, said they trust Republicans more than Democrats to handle the main problems facing the nation, the lowest level reached by either party in surveys dating back to 1982. (Dec. 18)
And more.. • A Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll, among the broader category of people registered to vote, found Obama ahead by 10 points.
A National Look • In November, former rivals Dallas Morning News and the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram began sharing photos & reviews • WaPo and The Sun in Baltimore are now sharing Maryland coverage • The 3 major dailies in South Florida are now “partners,” as are five papers in Maine and eight in Ohio
Closer to Home… • NBC and Fox began sharing affiliate coverage in Philadelphia; rolling out format • WNBC-TV here has replaced its newsroom with a “content center” – best described as what will become AP-Style Wire reporting • News channels used to compete, now will cooperate on stories • NY LNS set to begin June 22
Hey! Where’d Everybody Go . . . ? • In 2009, it will be harder to get the traditional media’s attention, as they have less “feets on the streets” • Content sharing will mean less reporters at a news conference
“conventional wisdom” sez… • Thanks to technology, we have more news and more news choices than ever before • This is the age of instantaneous news: Watch or read it as it happens • Content is king: The news business is highly competitive
What it all means to you… • Media relations – and crisis management planning – needs to be brought into focus in 2009, because if you are lucky enough to get major news coverage AND IT’S WRONG, you face increased odds of that same story appearing … well, everywhere
What It All Means to You… • Stop thinking geographically: Reach out to media outlets that hit your target audience, no matter where they may be. (Think global, act local) • Think “social is the new local”: Make better use of social media, RSS feeds, etc. – whatever YOU can control – to get your story out
What It All Means To You… • Be certain who your audience is, and exploit niche media channels. (Size doesn’t matter.) • MSM is on life support. The public has the tools to build their own personal media universe – and they are. • Concentrate on ROI. Use media to make phones ring, not hang on the refrigerator. • Budget, beware! If you are buying advertising now, “bundling” is so 2007!
Fair Media Council FMC wants you to be Media Savvy & Media Connected
Fair Media Council What You Need to Know About Local News . . . • Local media is changing rapidly, both in its products and its people. Staying current is a full-time job
Fair Media Council What You Need to Know About Local News . . . 2) The job of the news media is to afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted. Your media relations efforts must be proactive. Otherwise, the only time a reporter will call will be when you don’t want to answer.
Fair Media Council What You Need to Know About Local News . . . 3) Your public relations representative not only needs continuous training and media outreach opportunities, but also needs a seat at the senior management table.
Fair Media Council What You Need to Know About Local News . . . 4) Take a lesson from the majors: Get media training.