Good for ABC

This shouldn't be a cause for celebration--or news. Nevertheless, it's good to know that one network is doing the right thing.

ABC Bans Paying News Subjects
ABC News has quietly decided to get out of the business of paying news subjects in connection with exclusive interviews. With no public announcement or fanfare, the news division's president, Ben Sherwood, has effectively taken ABC out of what had become a competitive bidding war for hot bookings. After taking a public-relations hit in several high-profile cases, ABC will no longer be buying photos or video as a way of getting a news subject to cooperate-a process that had become a fig leaf for purchasing interviews. When asked for comment, spokesman Jeffrey Schneider confirmed the new policy, saying: "We can book just about anyone based on the strength of our journalism, the excellence of our anchors, correspondents, and producers, and the size of our audience. These licensing deals had become a crutch, and an unnecessary one." The new approach is not an absolute ban, but network sources say it would take an extraordinary circumstance to allow a licensing fee-perhaps once every couple of years-that would require approval at the highest levels. ABC's unilateral disarmament could prompt the other networks to drop out of the pay-to-play arms race as well. Or they could continue to pay big bucks for licensing fees with one less competitor to worry about. "Will we lose a booking here and there? Sure," said Schneider. "Are those lost bookings equal to the credibility of ABC News? Not in any way, shape, or form."
The Daily Beast

News Anchor Barbie

I hate that I want to buy her. And I hate that I want to look like her. If I did, maybe I would've gotten more TV jobs. Seeing her reminds me of the News Director who told me, "You were our second choice. We made our decision for cosmetic reasons."

I hate what she does for the stereotype of journalists. The news industry is already has a crisis of goodwill and reputation. Will the fact that this Barbie is so perfect reinforce the idea that broadcasting is only a looks-based business?

What does she mean for people who want to be newsmakers?

• Look your best.
• Don't buy into the stereotype of "dumb blonde" - the woman interviewing you may be blonde, but chances are she is not dumb. We all know smart, beautiful people.
• Don't base your news-watching preferences on looks. If so, you're buying into the idea that we all need to look like Barbie--or Ken--to be credible.

Top 10 Reasons to Hire a Soundbite Coach

1. You have no idea what a soundbite is.

2. You have never been interviewed before and now, a journalist or talk show host has scheduled time to talk with you.

3. You have been interviewed before... and you bombed.

4. You need an objective journalist to tell you if your interviews are logical, compelling and effective.

5. You cannot think of acceptable answers to reporters other than, "#@*?!!*."

6. You seek publicity to build awareness for a new product, service, book or cause, and your messages are getting no traction.

7. You want insurance against a crisis.

8. You have a high-stakes presentation scheduled.

9. You have received unflattering attention in social or news media.

10. You know your employees are not hearing you. You want shorter, stickier taglines to change the culture.

Are You Repeating Annoying Phrases?

In person or on TV/radio, you may be using crutch words or phrases that drive people crazy, mostly because you're repeating them so often. For instance, I have one friend who says "basically" after every second or third word. I have another friend who ends almost every sentence with "or something."

Annoying your friends is one thing. But if you are a spokesperson or high-profile newsmaker, you may be hurting your image and diluting your message if you do this. One way to discover if you have this problem is to record an ordinary conversation and see if you are repeating any words or phrases unncessarily. Then listen or watch your media interviews and observe if you're repeating yourself.

Yesterday on "Good Morning America," Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood was talking about the Toyota recalls. He kept repeating the phrases "Hold their feet to the fire" and "take a back seat to nobody." I like the "back seat" phrasing when talking about cars, but I don't think it was intentional, and it got old after he said it twice. The phrases you want to repeat are your key messages, not meaningless cliches.

A Phrase to Use When You Can't Talk

If you've attended one of my Crisis Communications seminars, you know that to say "No comment" annoys reporters and makes you look evasive. In that seminar and in my new book, Be A Newsmaker, I give you phrases that help you be non-commital without saying the words, "no comment."

Here's a new phrase from NBC's David Gregory: "I'd love to help you out. I'm not going there." This was in response to a question about the network's late-night host (Leno vs. Conan) situation. This phrase will work for you, too. Say it with a pleasant face and repeat as many times as necessary.

News Anchor Bob Losure Unplugged

What a pleasure to talk with a journalist who's covered the biggest stories in the last few decades and retained his sense of humor. Learn from his perspective.

Soundbite Coach: Bob, you have had a wonderful career, from reporting in major markets to anchoring at CNN and emceeing events and debates all over the country. How has the news industry has changed since you first got into it?

Bob Losure: Lorri, we've seen huge technological changes in just the past ten years. Miniaturization of cameras and uplink equipment. Laptops to edit on in the field. And that leads us to ....smaller budgets. Fewer anchors with larger salaries. Reporters who shoot, edit, produce, write, blog, maintain websites, and work for less money, factoring inflation in, than I did when I began in TV news in '76 in Tulsa, OK. It's no secret that news departments have been turned over to station management and sales departments. With the advertising downturn, more is being done with fewer people. The average reporters have less experience on their resume than they did 15 years ago. have too many duties to spend more than half-a-day on any story, and must move up from city to city if they want a salary increase. Bizarre stories that are tabloid in nature, stories that former NBC anchor Tom Brokaw refers to as "distractions," are making it on the air in place of anything hard-hitting or investigative in nature. And so stories that I think are important in holding government officials accountable, and explaining real problems festering in cities are not covered, and if they are, not by people who have a history of that particular city.

Do I see some bright spots in this rather gloomy assessment? Definitely "Yes." Today's reporters/shooters are developing a whole new generation of journalists who can work far faster than my generation. They are more diverse--women who have now become the majority on-air, and minorities of all ethnicities. News is delivered from more sources. Yes, newspapers are a dying breed, but internet sites, including those of TV stations, allow you to access print and video in seconds, and respond with your own e-mail and your own blog. And I also see a hyper-local explosion in the media, sometimes in partnership with TV stations and newspapers, where more websites target specific neighborhoods, giving instantaneous information from crime to weather to sports to business news in a very short news cycle.


SC: Tell us what you are doing these days. How can people use your skills?

BL: As a cancer survivor, I've been doing cancer survival speeches since 1992. I've branched out into commercials and infomercials on-camera, corporate videos and hosting "live" events for companies, and narrating for ESPN2's Territories Wild outdoors show for the past 8 years. Video clips from my various appearances, and contact info are on my website at http://www.boblosure.com/

SC: Tell us about some of the most interesting or exciting events you have covered.

BL: Briefly, the San Francisco earthquake in 1989 and the Huntsville Alabama tornado in 1990 stand out. I did "live" reports on major breaking news for various network affils for CNN Newsource, and enjoyed being in the field immensely. In the case of the SF quake, the Marina District of the city became became a crush of sidewalks and houses buckled into the air from the concrete separation below. I was flown there from Atlanta, and quickly joined a chorus line of anchors--including Sam Donaldson, Tom Brokaw and Diane Sawyer-- all standing six feet apart and all starting to speak simultaneously at the top and bottom of the hour as their newscasts began. Staying focused is everything, or you end up mimicking the anchor next to you.

A similar scenario of confusion happened to me in Huntsville, Alabama a year later. I was doing "live" reports for local stations from the scene of a tornado that had destroyed much of the main thoroughfare of Huntsville. It was dark, cold, and a steakhouse behind me was a pile of rubble. All we could do was hook up our one light and our phone patch to the steakhouse's electrical box. As I began my report, the lines got crossed somehow, and a guy started ordering: "Hey Mac, I'd like three chicken fried steaks, four baked potatos, a couple of those cobbettes. Hey can you hear me?..." Yes, I heard him...loud and clear. I couldn't turn his volume down in my ear, but fortunately no one else was hearing him. My worry was that I was going to say "We have 16 people injured...and three chicken fried steaks." That guy may still be on the phone today.

SC: Bob, that's funny. And you have to keep your sense of humor when you cover such tragic events. You have interviewed or worked for some of our generation’s most colorful characters, such as Ted Turner and Donald Trump. Do you have a behind-the-scenes story about one of these larger-than-life personalities?

BL: Ted Turner brings back many vivid memories. When I first went to work for CNN Headline News, we were in the basement of an old four-story community center at 1050 Techwood Drive in Atlanta. Ted Turner had a penthouse on the 4th floor and would come down frequently in the middle of the night to the Hard News Cafe to get a snack. He more than once poked his head into the Headline Newsroom, and I was there to greet him on a nightly basis, since I anchored the 3 a.m. - 7 a.m. shift. One night he looked at me and asked "How do you read this stuff every night?" to which I snapped back the reply, "Because you pay me." I'm glad he took that little retort the right way, because I was fortunate to spend the next 12 years there, most of it during daylight hours in much bigger building called CNN Center. Ted, incidentally, still watches over CNN Center. Although losing an estimated six billion dollars in the AOL-Time-Warner merger several years ago, I think he still has a great fondness for what he started. His office is on Luckie Street in downtown Atlanta on the top floor above his Ted's Montana Grill, with the CNN Center in view. As he puts it, "I wanted an office right here so I could keep my eye on 'em, and if they need help, I can rush right over."

SC: Bob, what do most newsmakers do wrong when they are being interviewed?

BL: Most of them--politicians and corporate spokesmen alike--talk too long, repeat themselves, and don't think ahead to what out-of-the-blue questions they might have to answer. And if they say "No comment," that's definitely the wrong answer. Spokesmen need to anticipate tough questions, always dress appropriately and give direct answers, avoiding the stammering and "uuuhhh" pauses that create such a distraction. And they have to be positive and not carry "an attitude." If they address the interviewer (or newsperson) in a condescending tone, or in one of dis-interest, they more often than not come out the loser.

SC: What advice would you have for business owners who find themselves with a crisis on their hands and reporters pushing microphones into their chins?

BL: Keep your sense of humor. Let me repeat that. Smile, keep moving...and keep your sense of humor. Trying to "get even" with a pushy interviewer just doesn't work. They have all the time in the world to edit your comments so you'll look like the bad guy. If you have "no comment," work around the edges of it, saying "I can't say anything at this time, but at the appropriate time I'll make a statement." And if you're walking from a building to a car, or vice-versa, gently move that way, and do it with a pleasant look on your face--even if you're not exactly in the best of moods.

SC: What advice do you have for those running for office who are in a televised debate?

BL: Don't challenge the questioner or moderator. I've moderated many television debates, and when I'm challenged that the question is not pertinent or too vague, I ask the question with a "Hopothetically, if someone were to ask..." and if they don't answer it, I move on down the line and ask the other candidate or debater the same question.

Also, I advise debaters to keep their cool and stick with the issue, not their opponent's personality. I know that's all you see in these shout shows on the cable networks, but you can be passionate about an issue without trying to make it personal. Most people will already have made up their minds on an issue before they hear you, which is why just plain facts with no shots over the bow of the ship can give you the edge over your opponent's loud response.

SC: What else would you like to add?

BL: On the issue of answering tough questions, I had what should have been a "softball" question thrown my way once, and I think I gave an honest answer. I was asked in a radio interview what story in all my years of broadcasting I thought I had covered the best. I was stumped. I was literally without a comeback. Then I told the truth as I see it. There was no story I could say I covered the best...though I may have done a few that came close to the best of my ability. In TV news, TIME is a huge factor. Getting all sides of a story, giving the history of a story, getting compelling pictures of the story seldom happens for a local reporter with half-a-day to get all the pieces in place. But I'm not giving up. Observing some of the masters like Frontline, Nova or The History Channel might just get me a little closer to that goal.

SC: Bob, thanks for your time and insight. To get in touch with Bob or to read an excerpt from his book, go to www.BobLosure.com.

The Future of News and Public Relations

I've been a fan of Jeff Brady's for years. I first met him on the night he was the best man in our wedding. He has been a reporter and anchor in the Yuma, Tyler, San Antonio, Shreveport and Dallas markets, so you may have seen him on the air. He recently left the newsroom to start Brady Media Group. His perspective about the direction of news is fascinating.

Jeff: We are a Dallas-based PR, consulting and content development agency made up exclusively of journalists. We KNOW the news: the fundamentals of how it is produced, the tempo, the deadlines, the “recipe” and how to attract the interest of a reporter. We understand how to pitch a story to a working journalist because we’ve been there ourselves.

But what does "content development" mean? Well, by that I mean the media content housed on your website. Do you have a blog? A podcast? A video blog? A digital newsletter? Current articles or press releases? What about a video clip to convey your brand identity for the next generation of media-savvy consumers? We can produce all of that. Out-source your newsroom to us. We’re the professional story-tellers.

The clients we currently target are medium and small businesses that are either dissatisfied with their current marketing, advertising or PR strategy. Or those that have never tried PR in the first place. We come at it from a different perspective, and most clients like the “insider knowledge” we bring to the table.

Lorri: How is the Brady Media Group different than other PR agencies?

Jeff: As you know Lorri, the vast majority of publicity agents have never worked a single day in a newsroom.

The analogy I provide is taking your car to be repaired by a mechanic who’s never driven a car. It just doesn’t make sense. Why would anyone try to solicit favorable coverage in the news media by paying an advisor who’s never done the work?

Not only do we have the DNA of journalists, but each member of my team has a pretty hefty Rolodex (or Outlook Directory) filled with our former colleagues in newsrooms all across the state – and the country.

Lorri: You say that “public relations” has a negative connotation in newsrooms.

Jeff: Name one PR agent whose help or involvement you enjoy. I would challenge any working journalist to name three. It’s almost impossible.

Again – as you know – the typical relationship between the reporter and the publicist is one of grudging tolerance. As a journalist, you typically feel that you HAVE to put up with the meddling, opinionated interference of the PR rep because it’s the ONLY way to get the story.
If there were any other means, you’d do it. Right?

Moreover, during my entire 18-year career in TV news, I can’t think of a single PR agency I would turn to – in good faith – as a resource in a pinch. And yet that’s exactly what’s happening to me and to my friend and colleague, Jeff Crilley. He has a very similar publicity agency here in Dallas. And our story ideas and clients have now become almost invaluable to friends and former co-workers who may need help on short notice. They will call to ask about a reliable source who can speak on the "topic of the day." And we usually come through!

Lorri: What is the future of television news?

Yikes. This is the tough one. Short answer: most major network TV news operations will survive in their current form.

Most local TV new operations will NOT. The business model is disappearing like ice on a summer sidewalk. A recent report projected that 2009 local TV ad revenue will drop up to 30% this year alone.

Of course, there are a lot of reasons – including the recession and the staggering auto industry.
But advertisers are simply following the audiences – and migrating to other platforms. If ad revenue drops, that means the station’s entire budget drops: payroll, equipment, travel, overtime, etc.

So imagine the task of a local TV General Manager: reduce the budget by 30% but produce the same amount (or more) original content – and make it better than ever – to attract an audience that is more media-savvy than ever!! It is not sustainable.

Lorri: News is covered differently than it was when you started reporting. What happened?

Jeff: Newspapers are going bankrupt because they are using an archaic technology (ink on paper delivered by hand) and because they are giving away their best content. (Why should top-notch journalism be free online when the phone companies have trained us to pay 25 cents for a TM??)

Most big newspaper ownership groups are in a financial tailspin and doing anything to survive. Most will not. The reporting suffers when the business is going through such convulsions that it can no longer pay for the best talent. (I wrote a blog entry about “The Newspaper Fix” – you should check it out at http://www.bradymediagroup.com/!!)

As far as TV, when Walter Cronkite (rest his soul) commandeered CBS, the fundamental goal was to do the job of reporting what every American needed to know. Then TV became highly profitable. Then the journalists in charge of the networks and local stations sold out to non-journalists (in the 70s and 80s), and then it became all about the profit margin. Then the newsrooms became more focused on “what will people watch” instead of “what do people need to know.” That’s why we have so many blaring cop-chases and health scares on local TV news.

In addition, there are too many people "under the tent" calling themselves journalists. Not everyone with access to a TV camera and a microphone is qualified to deliver the news. I fully support the notion of “accredited” news agencies. But I digress…

Lorri: Do you think every newsmaker needs a publicist or a company like yours, or can people do this on their own?

Jeff: Most people can absolutely do it on their own. No question. It’s not nuclear physics. PR is a sales job. It involves making a sales call with YOUR story or YOUR company or YOUR brand in mind. Sell, sell, sell. Know the audience (the journalist to whom you are speaking). Make it sexy. Leave 'em wanting more.

At the same time… with my U.S. Marine Corps training, I can wash, starch and iron my own shirts. But I don’t. Instead, I outsource that work to experts who are much more efficient and effective. The same can be said for media exposure.

Lorri: What else would you like to add?

Honestly, I believe we are on the verge of an era in which most people don’t need to worry about soliciting the attention of mainstream media. Instead, most people need to spend more time developing their OWN media… with the help of an expert consultant, or course!

Have you read The New Rules of Marking & PR by David Meerman Scott? If not, check it out. With increasing high-speed Internet access, more companies, entrepreneurs and non-profits are learning that a steady stream of unique and compelling content on their own website is the best PR in this day and age. So I tell most clients that they need to start a blog and then create a channel on YouTube. And develop a better brand using these new platforms to reach a vibrant new audience. Most of whom are not watching TV or reading newspapers, anyway.

Lorri: Thanks for your time and insight, Jeff. And all the best wishes to you in this new endeavor!

No Book Yet

I had the pleasure of conducting a teleseminar last week for the Business Coaching Group of the National Speakers Association. One of the participants asked, "Can I get any publicity since I haven't written a book yet?"

It's a great question. It is easier to establish your credibility with guest coordinators and assignment editors if you have published a book. But I answered the woman honestly, "I have to read so many books now, that I prefer to schedule guests who aren't promoting a book."

Without a book, you can establish your credibility in these ways:

• Years serving a certain industry
• Education
• A life-changing experience
• On-the-job results

You do have to explain why you are the perfect person to discuss the topic. Sometimes your title alone makes you worthy to be interviewed... for instance, if you are the President of a successful bank, I'd love to interview you this week. Or you may be the Executive Director of a non-profit agency helping hurricane victims... or those who've lost their homes in the sub-prime lending mess.

Don't wait for your book to come out to pitch the media about your expertise. The fact that you can show media experience and contacts will help you sell your book proposal to agents or acquisition editors.

When They Get It Wrong Again

When I was in Abilene, Texas last week speaking to newsmakers and public relations professionals, a common complaint was that reporters in the market were getting their facts wrong again and again. If I'd just heard this from one person, I might've thought she was having trouble communicating to the reporters. But I heard it from three different people. And they couldn't single out one station.

First, that scares me about what is going on in our journalism schools. If you're a professor, please make sure you're making a proper emphasis on credibility, accuracy and truth. If you're a student or recent graduate, know that the only good reputation you can earn is one based on reporting the facts.

Second, if this happens to you, take the steps I recommended in Abilene:

1. At every event, hand out a tip sheet or tip card... even if you've given it to the same reporter before. Just because she got it right last time doesn't mean she'll remember this time.

2. Hold an academy. One Fire Department's Public Information Officer got so fed up with the way the media reported incidents that he created a "school" in which reporters wear turnout gear, hold hoses and climb on ladders and engines. He strongly urges news directors in his market to let only those who have graduated cover his department.

3. Call the news director. Explain the steps you've taken to correct the situation with the reporter and give examples of mistakes that have aired. Ask the news director how you can help make sure the mistakes don't happen again.

4. Reward good behavior. If the reporter takes care and starts filing great stories, send a nice message on your letterhead. The reporter will hang this in her cubicle and file it with HR.

If none of these steps work, ask the news director to assign a different reporter to your events.

The Heart of An Interviewee

Mellanie True Hills is on a mission to save lives. She is a heart health expert, speaker, coach, author of the award-winning A Woman's Guide to Saving Her Own Life and best-sellers on technology topics, and founder of the American Foundation for Women's Health and its non-profit atrial fibrillation patient resource, www.StopAfib.org. For her past interviews and resources for the media, check out her press room and the StopAfib.org press room.

Mellanie is doing so much right with the news media that I asked her to answer a few questions to help readers of this blog.

Lorri: Mellanie, you’ve made yourself a resource to reporters so that they come back to you every time there’s a women’s heart issue in the news. How did you create these relationships?

Mellanie: I believe in giving reporters what I'd want if I were in their shoes and in going the extra mile to help them put together the best story possible. Here are some of my philosophies in working with reporters:

· Respond immediately, making myself available whenever is most convenient for them (i.e., weekends, evenings, early, late, etc.)
· Ask what they want to cover and where they want the story to go so I can focus my comments and time with them most effectively
· Be flexible and help the writer shape the story
· Give as much time and information as they want, and provide information, tips, sidebar content, unique insights, and even other resources to round out the story (even sending them to my competitors since there is plenty to go around)
· Point them to my online press room for photos and other resources
· Offer to follow up in the future with new stories or an update for next heart month or stroke month—because of this, we frequently become "old friends" and there are several for whom I've done three, four, and five interviews over the past couple of years

Lorri: As a professional speaker and nice person, you definitely have great conversational skills. Do you have a conversational strategy when it comes to creating soundbites?

Mellanie: You're so kind. Thank you. I think that the sound bites and short stories that work well for speaking audiences also work well for radio, TV, and print, so I use those sound bites and stories in interviews.

In preparing for an interview, just like for a speaking engagement, I ponder what important lessons I've learned that would be valuable for the audience and think through how to make important messages easy to remember. Acronyms are good memory hooks, so I use those when possible, such as "LIFE" to remember the four symptoms of a woman's heart attack and "HEART" for the five simple steps to a healthy heart.

Alliteration also helps, so a favorite that is easy for audiences to remember is "Stress Hijacks Healthy Habits." These make great takeaways that readers and listeners not only remember, but easily share with others. Of course, for radio and TV, it helps to be so comfortable with your sound bites that they just roll off your tongue, especially tongue-twisters, as you don't want to mess up with a live audience.

Lorri: When you’ve been interviewed on TV, radio and for magazine articles, do you feel journalists have been fair?

Mellanie: Yes, they have all been professionals. Of course, when you are coming from a place of giving, with no specific agenda other than to convey information, journalists will usually be quite fair. While it's nice to have a plug for my book, giving the audience life-saving information is what the interview is really about; if they mention my book, which they almost always do, then that's gravy. If you give, true professionals give back.

While journalists have been fair, I can't say the same for bloggers, who usually aren't professional journalists like you. Some are professional, others are not. For some, anything goes, whether true or not. Misguided bloggers can post false and defamatory comments about you, and you have little or no recourse.

For example, one physician who blogs read a press release from our web developer mentioning their work on our non-profit atrial fibrillation patient resource, http://www.stopafib.org/. This physician leveled the completely false accusation in his blog that no patient could possibly understand medical procedures, and thus our site must have been written by the marketing department of a medical device company to skirt current regulations and that I was a pawn of this company. Nothing could be further from the truth – as an informed patient, I researched and wrote every word myself. Professional journalists would have checked their assumptions, but there are no rules for bloggers, so this one posted first, then called, and never admitted to me that he had blogged and leveled these charges. Thank goodness for Google News Alerts for the heads up. I commented at his blog to set the record straight, and he fired back with additional false accusations, which I refuted. He will never admit the mistake, nor apologize for the grief he has caused.

Lorri: What lessons have you learned?

There are many, but here are some of the top ones:

Some national media, such as the women's magazines, can be very difficult to get the attention of, but once you get that big national magazine story, the others are much easier to get. Better Homes and Gardens' Heart-Healthy Living magazine recently featured my story. It included my two brushes with death from heart disease and a near-stroke, my mission to save others from a similar fate, my recent surgery to cure my atrial fibrillation (an irregular heartbeat), and the non-profit atrial fibrillation patient site we recently launched. Now, more national magazines are interviewing me, and that's yielding more calls for speaking engagements. Patience and persistence pay off.

Press releases aren't just for the media anymore. They now serve a general Internet audience as consumers and companies follow them, too, and they turn up in search results. Press releases can yield more attention and web site visitors than some media coverage does.

Sometimes we get impatient to get certain "big" media, and even obsess over it, but I believe that if you build a platform and do good work, the media will come to you. Of course, you have to help it along at the same time by being a good resource and partner with them.

Lorri: What advice would you give others?

Mellanie: Some of these I've said already, but they bear repeating.

Go the extra mile and leverage every opportunity to help the media create awesome stories, including connecting reporters with others that can fill out the story. They will remember you and you may get extra coverage. For example, when the national magazine reporter called for a quote and some information for a sidebar to his story about what can go wrong with the heart, we spent a long time discussing my story, and he found my two heart issues compelling. We subsequently spent a couple of hours with my heart surgeons and did lots of back-and-forth e-mails to answer additional questions and clarify details. I also did two photo shoots and last minute fact-checking. All in all, that was a lot of time invested. Was it worth it? You bet. What started as a small sidebar to a story ended up as a four page feature spread in a national magazine, and I've developed a relationship with the team that puts the magazine together and can take them future ideas.

Be a good resource and build relationships because you never know where your contacts will end up. Focus on helping others, not yourself. Press releases are cheap and effective publicity, especially on the Internet.

Lorri: Do you think media coverage is helping get the word out about women’s heart disease?

Mellanie: Yes, it definitely is. We have come a long way in helping women know that heart disease is the #1 killer of women and that stroke is #3. What's important now is helping women and men take actionable steps to prevent heart disease and stroke and to lead a healthier life.

In addition to continuing to talk about women and heart disease, my new passion is raising awareness of atrial fibrillation, the most common irregular heartbeat. Fortunately I have had surgery to cure this devastating, and sometimes deadly, condition, but I can't just stand on the sidelines and watch others suffer. We've created a non-profit web site for atrial fibrillation patients, http://www.stopafib.org/, to provide the help they need to control their condition. Doctors, unfortunately, often underestimate the impact of atrial fibrillation on patients' lives, so we're trying to change that as well.


Lorri: Is there anything else you would like to add?

Mellanie: I think that being effective at getting the word out about what you do requires being patient and persistent, focusing on relationships with the media, and remembering that it's not about you, it's about others!

Thanks, Lorri, for the opportunity to share what I've learned in my media journey.

Interview with Dianna Booher, Author and Speaker

Dianna Booher is not only a highly-regarded speaker whose company trains all over the globe, she's published 43 books! For a list of all the news interviews she's done and the excellent way she provides ideas for the media, check out the newsroom section of her website. No one does it better. So, I asked this Certified Speaking Professional to share her strategies.

SC: Dianna, why is it important for authors to seek media attention?

DB: Most authors don’t have direct access to enough readers to put them on a bestsellers list without help from the media. The media opens the door to a bigger audience. Media means leverage. But publicity in and of itself doesn’t necessarily translate to book sales or speaking engagements. The key is getting the RIGHT kind of publicity to reach the appropriate audience for your book or speech. And then the real payoff comes in knowing what to do with that publicity once you get it—in knowing how to leverage the publicity to dollars.

SC: You’ve been very successful in getting in lots of different publications and appearing on national news programs. To what do you attribute your positive publicity?

DB: A broad topic of universal appeal. Communication is my area of expertise, and everybody has to communicate well. As far as getting on national news programs, that can also be explained fairly easily: There’s always some politician, pro athlete, or rock star putting his or her foot in the old mouth! Some talk-show hosts want communication experts for their analysis of how those with foot-in-mouth disease can clean up the mess—apologize, give the bad news, respond graciously, or “set the record straight” with a clean slate.

SC: Your new book deals in part with that topic. In terms of publicity, what steps are you taking this time around that you may not have done on your first or second book?

DB: The Voice of Authority: 10 Communication Strategies Every Leader Needs to Know was just released by McGraw-Hill. One thing that I’ve done differently with this book is to think more about positioning BEFORE it came out. Let me explain: An earlier book that I did, which I’m often told has become a classic in the field, was Communicate with Confidence, also by McGraw-Hill. With that book, I aimed at every business professional and evidently hit the middle of the marketplace. It has sold exceptionally well—but just by accident, not through any great marketing or positioning plan. But with Voice of Authority, the publisher has positioned it “one level above” every professional. That is, they still wanted the book to present practical tips, but for leaders in an organization—managers, team leaders, and so forth. So that meant cover design, sales copy, PR, everything had to be different to position the book for that reader.

SC: Have you had any interviews that didn’t go so well? What did you learn?

DB: The first time I was on a national talk show—Good Morning America—I was shocked to learn the morning I arrived in the studio that they didn’t intend to show the book jacket on the screen. They were interviewing me on tips from the book—Get a Life: How to Find Time for the Really Important Things in Life Without Sacrificing Your Career. So I just assumed they’d show the book jacket and flash the title on the screen under my name. Not so. When I said something about that, the segment producer said, “We’re not planning to.” I said, “What do you mean—you’re not planning to?” It never entered my mind that they didn’t intend to show the book. She responded, “Your publicist didn’t make that a condition of your doing the show. Are you saying you won’t go on?” I was floored. I had no idea that was all decided beforehand and should be part of the discussion with the booking agent. I assumed it was all just a “given.” But not anymore! I assume nothing.

SC: That's a good lesson for us all to take to heart. Tell us about the most embarrassing/funniest/memorable thing that’s happened to you.

DB: The most difficult interview I remember doing was a international one—I think the radio station was one from the Bahamas or Jamaica. My publisher had placed an ad in Radio and TV Report, and a producer called in from that ad and scheduled the segment. We didn’t check out the show very well other than to check the Internet and discover that it was a large station. The topic was the communication gap between men and women. It was one of those morning talk shows with two hosts in a playful mood. The first question or two went okay, but soon things started to get suggestive. Their questions started to focus on me personally—my photo on the website. That sort of thing. When I tried to bring things back to a more business-like discussion, one of the hosts began to attack me for being “uptight” and asking “why was I so uncomfortable with my sexuality” and it got worse from there. I just hung up. And then five minutes later, I get a call on my home phone number from this guy, trying to further the very vulgar, suggestive discussion. (They had my home phone number as a back-up number in case of technical difficulties on this early-morning call before office hours.) He continued to harass me at home. Long story a little shorter, I called the PR firm to let them know about this station so they could put this station on their “do not schedule” list.

SC: I applaud you for hanging up. On the other hand, a step you take that endears you to reporters is that you write thank you notes. How important is it to establish a relationship with journalists?

DB: Extremely important. The same journalists call me book after book to do interviews because of a relationship. And they call for quotes, tips, or comments when they’re assigned stories because my name is top of mind on the topic of communication. Anything extra that you can do to stand out makes a huge difference.

SC: Do you use different strategies for newspapers, magazines, radio, television, and Internet coverage?

DB: Yes and no. The fundamentals are the same: Build relationships. Keep your name top of mind. Keep good records. Stay in touch. Help them do their job. Make it easy for them to use your stuff. But you do approach them differently when you have a new book. For example, the lead time when scheduling interviews is different with each type. The method of reaching each is different. The frequency of contact for each is different. What they want to see is different.

SC: Do you practice to develop good sound bites?

DB: Again, the answer is yes and no. Yes, in the sense that I’ve been practicing all my professional life as a speaker. So I practice delivery every week as I deliver speeches and workshops. But no, I don’t practice doing interview sound bites. What I DO to prepare, however, is to pull together sound bites on paper. I always have my assistant to ask the reporter what the interview will cover so that I can pull my thoughts together before the actual interview.

And when a new book comes out, I actually go through the book and pull out sound bites or key points that I want to make in each interview and write those on cards, ready to deliver at every opportunity.

SC: What advice would you give to people to leverage a little media coverage into bigger markets?

DB: Always let your clients know where you’ve been covered, reviewed, interviewed, featured. Even if they didn’t read it or see it directly, they’ll be impressed just to KNOW or HEAR that you were featured in your industry’s top journal. Then when you step up to appear on Fox & Friends newscast or CNN’s Larry King Live about X or Y or get interviewed by Harvard Business Review or Investor’s Business Daily about Z, let clients know. Second-hand, pass-on announcements about such coverage get almost the same bang for the buck as the first time around.

SC: Sometimes you use press releases to establish yourself as an expert. You’re not necessarily selling a book, but definitely building credibility and reputation.

DB: We do this about twice a year for big events—when we complete major surveys or research surveys. Another thing that warrants a press release is when we sign global, enterprise-wide contracts with training clients for our communication courses. Sometimes our clients do it for us—that’s the very best. For example, when Lockheed Martin won the huge $288 billion Joint Strike Fighter contract with the Department of Defense, the company sent out a press release and mentioned us as the training firm who coached the senior executives in giving briefings. That’s nice.

SC: You do a great job of explaining the media in your Get Your Book Published workshop that you hold once or twice a year. How essential is it that authors think of the media angle as they begin a book?

DB: Considering the media and marketing angles from the get-go is paramount. In fact, you will absolutely not sell a book today if your book proposal does not include an exceptionally strong marketing and media section. Selling books is all about the author’s platform. That’s why in Get Your Book Published we spend a great deal of time making sure would-be and experienced authors understand how to convey to agents and editors what they plan to do to market their books and get media attention. The media opens the door to everything else.

SC: Dianna, thanks so much for your wisdom and insight! I'd like to encourage everyone to sign up for your monthly Communication Tip and to read your blog. We'll also be looking for you on TV!

State of TV News

"Increasingly, people find local TV news repetitive and not nutritious." - Tom Rosenstiel, director of the Project for Excellence in Journalism, comments to Gail Shister at the Philadelphia Inquirer

How is your local TV news? Do you get the who, what, where, why and how of what is going on in your community or do you get gossip and rehashed press releases? Complain to your stations if you're tired of repetitive, idiotic news. News Directors are notorious for paying attention to ratings and focus groups, so real, live feedback matters. You can make a difference.

Reality or Really Silly?

Making News: Texas Style is a new reality show on an obscure channel. My husband and I love it, even though the production values could be better. We love it because we have lived small town television in Texas.

But if you happen to catch an episode in order to better understand behind-the-scenes news operations, please know that some of the drama is contrived and exaggerated. For instance, a reporter loses her cool because a truck honks at her during a live shot. If she gets this upset in real life, she needs to get a real life.