johnleemedia.com
Seems like behind the personal brand there has to be this burning passion. Passion can be a great thing, but is it all that it’s cracked up to be in the world of work?
A few months ago Alina Tugend explored this topic in the “Shortcuts” column in the New York Times. I emailed her my response to her musings and today she included my email in her year-end review in the New York Times.
Read it all at http://bit.ly/6yaJX5.
Accenture ad in Laguardia Airport
Pitch TV…in the Paper. My experience has been that the most effective way to get TV coverage is to get a story placed where a reporter or producer will read it—in a newspaper or magazine (or their online versions) or in a must-read website or blog for your target reporter or producer. That kind of coverage validates a story and helps moves it up the media food chain towards TV.
The First Time is the Hardest. From the broadcasters perspective a TV shoot represents a considerable investment. A 90 second story can represent hours of work by a reporter, producers, videographer and editor. A live shot ups the ante as now the broadcaster has to commit a TV truck and hope for the best, given the unpredictable nature of live TV. So to get that first story you have to overcome the broadcaster’s natural reluctance to committing resources to an unknown quantity, but once get them to “yes” you have the opportunity to pull out all the stops, smooth out all the bumps in the road and ensure that the broadcaster gets more than is needed. Once reporters, bookers and producers see how a publicist comes through for them, they’ll be back. Give them a good experience and help them tell a good story and they may even be calling you for ideas on a slow news day or if another story falls through.
Not all TV is on TV The websites of newspapers, magazines and major news websites now often include originally produced video segments which have the added evergreen advantage of frequently being archived. Video shoots for these sites tend to be less complicated than broadcast TV due to smaller crews, cameras and a reduced need for lighting set-ups. There might be a niche website that does video stories on your organization’s sector. If you get an online video story placed, consider including a link to that story when you pitch along similar lines to a broadcast or cable TV outlet.
You CAN Help Shape the Story In “How to Pitch TV Reporters…” TV pros stressed that they don’t want publicists to try “in any way to control the reporter’s script/copy/storyline” and hate it when publicists “try hard to inject themselves into my work.”
Yet the publicist can set help shape a story. You can help by suggesting a great location with a compelling backdrop for the live shot or story, (I’ve seen cable news networks call the audible and decide to keep the live truck at a location all morning and even all day, because they liked the location and guests so much during in the original planned hits).
You should line-up interviewees who speak well on camera (and increasingly people know how to be on TV) and make the right impression for the organization (at the same time filtering out interviewees who might leave a negative impression of your organization.) Remember that a reporter usually has only a minute and a half (and sometimes less) to tell the story. If you can provide him with compelling guests that really help him tell the story, the reporter will have less time to include the one malcontent he also interviewed.
Reporters are often new to a topic, or just assigned to a story an hour earlier, and frequently they are looking to be brought up to speed and are receptive to suggestions that help them bring out the story. You should also have a wealth of info on-hand (I always carried the company’s media guide or a press kit). Just as the reporter is about to do a stand-up or live hit he or she may ask you for some data, a key date, the spelling of something, or an historical tidbit. Would also recommend having a one-pager for the reporter detailing the event being promoted (maybe the Media Advisory/Daybook item you used to attract coverage in he first place) or the person being interviewed.
When It’s Time to Push Back… It hasn’t happened often, but occasionally I’ve challenged a reporter when I thought a line of questioning was unfair, when assumptions were ill informed or when a reporter focused on interviewing people that gave my organization a bad image. Usually I’ve gotten a fair hearing. The one time I wrote to a news director to complain about what I thought was unfair coverage, I also got a sympathetic hearing: he saw my point and said he’d make it up to me. The next week he sent out a TV truck and crew for a live remote to help promote an event at my organization
…and to Push Ahead While working with a reporter or producer, if the story is going well, I’ll always try to get the reporter interested in some other stories ideas to pursue at a later date. One tool I’ve used is “Tip Sheet,” containing 10-12 mini-pitches for TV-ready stories available at the organization I’m representing.
Get Your Org. on Board You will be most successful in getting good TV coverage for your organization if it is on-board and understands what it is getting into when you succeed in getting TV coverage. TV can be intrusive, especially for a live shot, and frustrating when TV crews arrive early (trucks for morning show live shots can arrive at 4 a.m.), late, or not at all. Crews have a way of taking over a space and they may have to borrow furniture, set-up lights and run cables (watch out for union conflicts!). Interview times are often shifted or eliminated and you’ll be told you absolutely need to get the CEO to the set no later that 7:25 a.m. and then find that she doesn’t go on until 7:55 and that there’s only time for one questions.
And it’s not just the CEO and publicist who can make or break a story. I can’t tell you how many times the efforts of a security guard, parking attendant, electrician, facilities person, administrative assistant or even an intern set the stage for a successful TV shoot.
Your organization needs to know there could be bumps and bruises along the way to getting TV converage, but the right kind of coverage can be a tremendous boost in advancing your organization’s profile and communications goals.
Here’s the ball, now go out and pitch….and see you on TV!
John
To read & download “How to Pitch TV Reporters, go to: http://bit.ly/5rTFV0
John Lee Media
Public & Media Relations, Communications, Media Projects
New York, NY
johnlee@johnleemedia.com http://www.linkedin.com/in/johnleemedia
“New York was always the center of music for me. New York was Bob Dylan, Miles Davis, The Clancy Brothers, The Velvet Underground, Television, CBGB’s, Max’s Kansas City. And right from the start with Black 47 we concentrated on creating our own scene. We didn’t give a damn about playing anyone else’s. Because that’s not New York to us.
“…tourists gawl where pimps once prowled”
You come to Connolly’s, you’re in our hands. We’re New Yorkers. We’re not trying to be anything else. We’re in the center of Times Square. They may have changed the lights, the architecture ,tourists gawl where pimps once prowled – all gone now but we’re still right at the core of the beating heart of Emerald City. When you enter that door on the third floor of Connolly’s and fork over your ten bucks, we’ll turn your Saturday night head over heels.
That’s what we do. That’s why we’re Black 47. That’s why we’ve played damned near every Saturday night over the last twenty years moments away from where the ball drops without ever repeating a set.
See you at Connolly’s!”
Larry Kirwan, Black 47
BLACK 47 will celebrate its 20th Anniversary in four consecutive Saturday night gigs (Nov. 21/28 & Dec. 5/12)
at Connolly’s KLUB 45, 121 W 45th St., NYC
Prices rolled back to 1989 level–$10. Order tickets at www.black47.com
Legendary Irish Band BLACK 47 Celebrates “20 Years on the Road”
Brings Back 1989 prices for Four Consecutive Saturday Shows
$10 Admission: Nov. 21/28; Dec. 5/12 at 10:30pm at Connolly’s KLUB 45, 121 W 45th St., NYC
Black 47’s NYC shows have been described as “a rite of passage for all New Yorkers.” For the last nine months they have been touring the country, along with recording 13 new songs for Bankers and Gangsters, which will be released in February 2010. But for four nights they will celebrate their New York City beginnings with 1989 prices of $10. Along with the new material they will highlight songs from all stages of their controversial career.
Black 47 formed in the Bronx in late 1989 and burst onto the American scene in 1993 with their hit single, Funky Céilí. With a controversial eclectic sound as well as provocative lyrics, Black 47 fuses Reggae, Rock, Traditional Irish, Hip-Hop, Folk, New Orleans & Modern Jazz into a New York City gumbo. Their lyrics reflect the drama and black humor of a changing world as they see it, from Belfast to Baghdad, The Bronx to Kabul.
They have appeared on all major TV shows including The Tonight Show, The Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O’Brien and have been profiled by most national magazines and newspapers. They have released twelve CDs including last year’s IRAQ, hailed by Rolling Stone as “an important document, more a prayer than a protest.”
They have appeared in movies such as The Saint of Fort Washington with Matt Dillon and Danny Glover, and their music has been featured in Stephen Rea’s The Break, Jim Sheridan’s Into the West, and Timothy Dalton’s Deterrence amongst others. They composed the music for and performed in the ITV film Victim 0001, a documentary about their friend, Fr. Mychal Judge.
Taking their name from the blackest year of the Irish Potato Famine, Black 47’s signature eclectic sound, socio-political lyrics and off-the-wall live shows paved the way for other Irish influenced bands such as Flogging Molly and The Dropkick Murphys. Their songs have long been used in political science and history courses in many high schools and colleges throughout the US.
Black 47 is led by Larry Kirwan (guitar/vocals) who has written ten plays published under the title Mad Angels, along with a novel, Liverpool Fantasy, an alternate history of the Beatles, and a memoir Green Suede Shoes. He is host of “Celtic Crush” on SiriusXM Satellite Radio and writes a weekly column for the Irish Echo newspaper. His new novel, Rockin’ The Bronx, will be published in March 2010.
Geoffrey Blythe (saxophones) was a founder member of Dexy’s Midnight Runners. Fred Parcells (trombone) has worked extensively in Latin/Jazz and big bands. Thomas Hamlin (drums) is a veteran of the Max’s/CBGB’s scene. Joseph Mulvanerty is recognized as one of the great innovators of the Irish uilleann pipes bringing a rare jazz and blues flare to this most traditional of instruments. The newest member, Joseph Bearclaw brings a wealth of funk/R&B experience as well as a dynamic stage presence.
For its 20th Anniversary shows, Black 47 plans to take the throng gathered at Connolly’s KLUB 45 on a thrilling journey through history and political struggle that will not only entertain but open up audiences to a new cultural experience. Doors open at 9pm. Band onstage at 10:30pm sharp. Advance tickets can be purchased online at www.black47.com.
TV Pros remember PR Fails…Here reporter Mark Joyella recounts a few….
A GMA producer lists the following as her #2 mistake publicists make in pitching story ideas
2) Not separating their clients from the rest of the pack. I get so many pitches for plastic surgeons- for example- (even though I don’t do even those stories anymore!) and they all seem the same. Find out what your client’s specialty is and focus on that- what really makes them special.
For the rest of her list and much more, see the postings below…
Posted via email from john’s posterous
