Write & Rewrite: The Media Mechanics

1. Write & Rewrite: The Media Mechanics With . . . Steve Crescenzo and Jim Ylisela

2. Who are the media mechanics? • Write (Steve Crescenzo) • Contributing editor to Ragan publications • Writer and columnist for The Ragan Report, Corporate Writer & Editor, Journal of Employee Communication Management • Longtime workshop leader • Integrating Print & Online; Strategic Employee Communication Vehicles; Steve Crescenzo’s Master Class • Speaker and blogger • ragan.com/corporatehallucinations • Custom trainer • In-house workshops for major companies, nonprofits, government agencies and associations

3. Who are the media mechanics? • Rewrite (Jim Ylisela) • Group publisher of Ragan Communications • Publications, workshops, conferences, manuals • Chicago journalist • 25 years in the business; award-winning investigative reporter • Professor of journalism • 13 years at Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism • Workshop leader • Ragan’s Advanced Writing & Editing

4. What do media mechanics do? • We fix things • Writing that loses power • Publications that need a lube job • Intranets that stall out • Vehicle maintenance • New parts and body work for your publication • New accessories for your intranet • Tune-ups for your executives • Trouble shooting • Approval process • Lack of support from top management

5. Our garage is full of broken-down vehicles • Communication problems abound—a lot of lemons out there! • Writing that lacks punch and purpose • Headlines that don’t grab readers’ attention • Intranets that are too busy and don’t deliver what readers want • Approval processes that bog down everything—and everyone • Executives who fail to speak directly to employees, or don’t speak at all

6. Questions? • jimy@ragan.com • steve@crescenzocommunications.com