Alright Hobbs, knock the cover off the ball!

When my wife and I married 13 years ago, we wanted to give ourselves a wedding present upon return from our honeymoon. We're both dog lovers, so it was natural that we started our family with a puppy before even thinking of having any kids.

Our search began and ended at Wayside Waifs. While trying to find that perfect dog, my attention was soon captured by a little black Labrador mix. The folks at Wayside allowed us to take him into a special room to get acquainted with the little puppy, and he immediately came over to my shoe and untied it with his mouth. This was our dog.

The next step was deciding on what to name him. Being a huge baseball fan, I was thinking of anything associated with the sport. Then I thought of what my favorite movies were that had to do with baseball. "The Natural" is one of my all time favorites, and I've always been fascinated by the lead character Roy Hobbs. I didn't want to call him Roy...too many dogs named Roy. How about Hobbs? That's a cool name. My wife liked it, and Hobbs was "born" to the Spano family in July of 2000.

The headline to this piece is a line from "The Natural" when Roy Hobbs comes to bat in a game for the very first time. He laces a triple into the gap in left-center field, and in the process, actually knocks the cover off the ball. It's that moment in the movie you know that Roy Hobbs is a very special ballplayer.

Hobbs was about as good-natured and playful of a dog as anyone could have right from the beginning. Sure he was a bit wild and rambunctious, but that's how most puppies act. We were strict and meticulous in our training. He learned all the basic commands of "sit," "stay," "lie down," and so forth. But what we liked best about him was how he became loyal and protective. He wasn't a vicious watchdog by any stretch of the imagination. If an intruder happened to enter our home, he would give a few, loud barks and then probably lick them into an uncontrollable laughter.

When a car door slammed outside, that was always the worst...especially in the middle of the night. I don't know how many times I hit the ceiling after waking up from his loud bark. But I loved the fact that he loved us and wanted to protect his territory.

He never suffered from separation anxiety like a lot of dogs can when we left the house for lengthy periods of time. We began to trust him more and more and as he got older, we allowed him to roam the entire house when we were gone. Rarely was there an accident, but never was anything damaged.

Hobbs became a great lake companion. He loved our weekend trips to the Lake of the Ozarks during the summer, the excitement almost too unbearable for him...and us. Being a black dog, it didn't take much for him to overheat, so he wasn't shy about getting into the water to cool off.

When my wife became pregnant with our first child, we had heard stories about how dogs can become jealous or even withdraw when a baby joins the family and is the new center of attention. Hobbs, although extremely curious at first, couldn't have been better suited for the situation. Somehow he knew, when my son Jack was born, this new person was part of the family, and he was someone he had to love and protect too. It was uncanny the way he took to Jack immediately.

It happened again just three short years later when my daughter Emily was born. This was becoming old hat for Hobbs.

My kids grew to love Hobbs as well. His gentle nature around kids and even strangers when they entered my home was something to behold.

But somewhere along the way, Hobbs got older. His bark became muted, although still startling me in the middle of the night or when he saw a stranger walk down the street. His hearing began to go. His walk became slower. And in the end, he began eating less.

My final memory of Hobbs will be when the veterinarian opened the door of the exam room while he lay motionless on the floor with a catheter in his leg and he sees me, my wife and my two kids for the very last time, his eyes glassy and sad, as he musters enough energy to wag his tail.

The four of us gathered around our friend for a last time as he took his final breaths, ending a short, and I hope painless, bout with cancer.

I will miss the jingle of his collar, the look on his face when I'd leave the house for work every morning, the look on his face when I'd get home from work every night, the excitement he'd show when we went to the lake, the times he wanted to play fetch with the ball, whenever he begged for popcorn, watching him roll around in the grass. I will miss everything about him.

I'm sure someday we'll bring another dog into our family, but for now, we'll grieve together for a fantastic friend and family member.

We'll have memories and photographs and stories to keep Hobbs alive in our hearts and in our minds. We knew that it was that moment in our "movie" that when we selected him, or should I say when he selected us, that we had a very special dog.

My wife and I really did knock the cover off the ball when we got Hobbs.

Lance Armstrong's tangled web

I had the fortunate, or unfortunate opportunity, to work with Lance Armstrong at a previous job. I always knew in my mind the guy was a piece of shit, and now, well, he has validated it.

Say what you will about his work to "fight" cancer, Armstrong lived a lie and did whatever he could to cheat and misguide his fans along the way.

It just goes to show how people will believe anything when it comes to worshiping a sports figure or celebrity. I believe the phrase is called "star fucking." I've never bought in to that philosophy, and I never will.

But see, not only were his followers fooled by his tangled web of lies, so was Lance. He was so good at convincing the world and those within his tight inner circle, I sincerely believe he began to accept his own words and actions as truth.

There is a famous George Costanza line from an episode of Seinfeld:

Once a liar, always a liar.

As Armstrong delved deeper and deeper into his complex and intricate delusional world, he threatened those that turned against him, discarded those he no longer had use for and took advantage of those he had a Svengali-like power over. This was not a decent or moral human being.

All of this behavior has been well documented over the years by various media outlets that have investigated Armstrong at great length.

I'm not a cycling fan, never have been, but it was hard to ignore the fact that Armstrong had won seven Tour de France titles and was a cancer survivor to boot. I never followed his story that closely, because, quite frankly, I didn't really care. But when Armstrong became a spokesperson of sorts for a company I was working for, I had to take notice. He was probably one of the most recognizable athletes/celebrities in the world at the time.

Admittedly, I didn't like the fact that he was part of my company, but there were a lot of people that did. They thought it was a good move, even with all of the unusual things swirling around in his personal life. I always felt uneasy promoting him and the foundation at fundraising functions, and I never wore the yellow bracelet. It had nothing to do with the fight against cancer, but everything to do with who Lance Armstrong was as a person.

The funny thing is I never thought it was cool that I got to hang out with Armstrong. I never bragged about it. It wasn’t something I was proud of either. Now that the years have passed, Armstrong is no longer associated with the company; however, his foundation is.

Once the USADA report came out in 2012, sponsors began dropping him like a bad habit.

Now, he wants to come clean. How ironic. Cycling seems to be as corrupt as politics. Is this a ploy to try to compete again? Or is it to try to make amends with his fans? Or, is he truly sincere and really wanting to make peace with himself?

The damage is already done. He has lied for so long, and I believe people are way too cynical, and hopefully smart, to fall for his charade. I’m not buying what he’s selling, but then I never have. Oh, there are still some diehards out there that will stick with Armstrong to the bitter end and cite the work he has done with his foundation. But I can't personally forgive someone who has vigorously fought to protect his reputation against an illegal activity for so long only to have it crushed under the lies he told in the process of protecting it.

Whatever the fallout is from his admission to using performance-enhancing drugs, or if he goes on some national apologizing tour, Armstrong should be finished as a celebrity/athlete. But of course, this is America, land of the glut and home of the absurd, and someone somewhere will partner with him, and he’ll resurface in some kind of reality show, and one of his fanatical followers will step forward and say, “See, I told you so. Lance Armstrong is a good guy. He just needed another chance to prove himself. Everyone else did him wrong.”

Because you see, we never are the cause of our own problems. It’s always someone else’s fault.

So you want to be a journalist

More than a decade now into the 21st century and technology rules our lives. Could any of us live without our mobile phones? How about our computers? Heck, what about something that’s been around even longer, our microwave?

These tools are now ingrained into our everyday lives, and are a part of our daily routine. So now I turn to something that’s been around for more than 500 years and has stood the test of time, but may finally be teetering on the brink of extinction: newspapers.

Call me old fashioned, but I’m one who still likes to go out to my driveway every morning and pick up my newspaper and read it with breakfast. I’m part of a dying breed. Sure, I can read it online free of charge, but there’s something about having an actual newspaper in front of me, flipping through the pages, that provides some sort of comfort.

This coming from someone communicating to you through a blog. Hey, I know where my bread is buttered.

Anyhow, I know there are many high school and college students that have dreams of earning a journalism degree. Although there are several different fields within the industry they could enter, there are some that still want to be a newspaper reporter. I can tell you now, that the hours stink and the pay stinks, but there was still that feeling of prestige and pride every time I saw my name in print.

Because of the rise of the internet and the world of blogging, the newspaper industry has suffered immensely, and it’s unfortunate. News isn’t covered as thoroughly as it once was. Ad revenue is down. Readership has fallen. People are getting their news elsewhere, and it’s becoming more specialized. If I want just sports news, I can subscribe to a sports site that will send me nothing but sports news. If I want it to just be baseball news, then it will be baseball, and if I want to be on a specific baseball team, well, you get the idea.

So what should these students who want to become the next great writer/reporter do? Don’t give up on your dream. Take some advice that I received some time ago…start a blog, and write about what you feel you are an expert on. Find your passion and expound on it.

Keep a journal. This is not a diary. Don’t write a detailed description of your days’ activities, unless it was something so interesting you don’t ever want to forget it. A journal can be pretty much anything. You can write a short story, whatever you are thinking at that moment, an idea you might have. The point is to always keep writing because it will spawn new ideas, keep your writing fresh, but most importantly, make you a better and more experienced writer.

Another idea is find a topic you are interested in, research it and write a story about it. You never know, there might be someone out there that’s interested in what you have to say about it. Don’t be afraid to shop it around to editors. Blogging and writing articles on your own, quickly builds a portfolio. Also, check around to various publications to see if they will allow you to freelance for them. It’s a great way to get your foot in the door, gain experience and again, add to your portfolio.

Hopefully, these will be useful tips and ideas to get the young journalist started on their journey to being the next great reporter. Like so many people who have worked in newspapers, I don’t want to see the industry die, but I’m afraid it will slowly fade away as this new-fangled internet continues its stranglehold on our lives.

It’s taken me some time, but I’m moving toward the technology. I have to because like so many other things in this world, it will pass me by if I don’t.

Words: A Language All Their Own

Does it bug you when you hear some pronounce a word incorrectly? Or even worse use a word that isn’t even a word at all? I have tried to compile a list of words and phrases that I have heard throughout my life that make me want to run head first into a jagged rock wall every time I hear them spoken. Now, I realize I’m probably just scraping the tip of the iceberg here, and I’m pretty sure, I’ve been guilty of using a few of these myself, but over time, I have made a conscious (not conscience) effort to correct my languid language ways.

Words that aren’t even words

Irregardless vs. Regardless
It never fails. People use IRREGARDLESS all the time when the correct word is REGARDLESS. I’m not sure where this came from, but some say it’s a combination of the words IRRESPECTIVE and REGARDLESS.

Acrossed vs. Across
Unfortunately, my mother is guilty of this one. She’ll say something like, “He walked ACROSSED the street,” and I cringe every time I hear it. Yes, he CROSSED the street, but he did it by walking ACROSS it. I once heard a baseball announcer on the radio say, “He throws the ball ACROSSED the diamond.” I almost fell out of my chair.

Theirselves vs. Themselves
There is no such word as THEIRSELVES, and you certainly can’t spell it THEIRSELFS; it’s THEMSELVES. I heard a former professional football coach always use this word and HISSELF in his weekly press conferences. Couldn’t their PR person work with him a little bit to make him look a bit smarter?

Hisself vs. Himself
See above. Again, HISSELF isn’t a word, and the correct usage is HIMSELF.

Alot vs. A lot
I see this one a lot. Many people believe ALOT is a word, and guess what? It isn’t. There is the word allot, which means to divide or distribute by share or portion. Next time, just put a space between the A and LOT.

Ain’t vs. Isn’t
AIN’T is the alleged contraction of AM NOT; however the correct grammatical contraction is ISN’T. There has been a lot (not ALOT) of debate about its origin and its usage over the generations. While its use is still accepted today, it’s still widely accepted as incorrect. During the nineteenth century, AIN’T fell under attack, and its use was condemned as a vulgarism — a part of speech used by the lower classes. Say it AIN’T so, Joe!

Pronunciate vs. Pronunciation
When speaking correctly and clearly, we want to annunciate our words, and we do that by PRONUNCIATION. People have been guilty of using the word pronunciate, a combination of annunciate and PRONUNCIATION.

Heighth vs. Height
When measuring how tall something is, we are measuring its HEIGHT. Again, many people will say HEIGHTH. It’s a common mistake they make because they are so used to saying length and width.

Supposedly vs. Supposively and Supposably
This one is easy to correct. If you say to yourself, “I’m supposed to go to the store,” then by adding an LY to the word SUPPOSED, you’ll never fail in saying this word. But there are still people out there that say SUPPOSIVELY and SUPPOSABLY for some reason.

False phrases

Center around vs. Center on
I see this quite a bit, especially in sports writing. To me both seem physically impossible to do; however, the correct phrase is CENTER ON. You can’t CENTER AROUND something.

One way or the nother
I don’t hear this one all that often, but there are people that have said it, and it’s grinding to hear since NOTHER isn’t a word. The more commonly used un-phrase, if you will, is the next one.

A whole nother
All right, I’m guilty of this one, so it makes me more tolerant when I hear others say it. But I am now much more aware when I catch myself beginning to say something like, “We have a WHOLE NOTHER dozen Easter eggs to color.” The correct phrase should be “We have ANOTHER dozen Easter eggs to color.”

Hot water heater vs. Water heater
I just threw this one in for fun. There really is no such thing as a HOT WATER HEATER, but people say it all the time, especially the ones that sell them. You can’t really heat up hot water now can you?

I could care less vs. I couldn’t care less
If you say, “I COULD CARE LESS” about something, doesn’t that really mean you care a lot about it? What you want to say is, “I COULDN’T CARE LESS.” It means you don’t care and you couldn’t care any less than you already do…or don’t.

Misused words

Their, There and They’re
THEIR is a pronoun and is a form of the possessive case of THEY.
That is THEIR house.

THERE is an adverb meaning in or at that place.
The house is over THERE.

THEY’RE is a contraction for the words THEY ARE.
THEY’RE coming to our house.

Your and You’re
YOUR is a pronoun and is a form of the possessive case of YOU.
Is that YOUR pen?

YOU’RE is a contraction for the words YOU ARE.
YOU’RE using my pen.

Its and It’s
ITS is a pronoun and is the possessive form of IT.
The clock was running slow because ITS batteries were old.

IT’S is the contraction for the words IT IS.
IT’S getting late.

Managing Expectations

What does it mean to manage ones’ expectations? Is it expect the worst, but hope for the best? Is it a set up to fail? Or is it simply about how a situation is perceived by your audience? Here’s a great example of how perception is used in managing a person’s expectations:

There was a small town in which there were two candy stores: Smith Candy and Jones Candy. A mother asked her son which he would like to visit for a treat. Her son replied immediately that he wanted to go to Mr. Jones’ Candy Store. Why? He believed he got more candy for his money from Mr. Jones. The truth was that Mr. Smith’s and Mr. Jones’ prices were exactly the same, but Mr. Smith’s practice was to put a large pile of candy on the scale and then remove it piece by piece until he reached the correct weight, while Mr. Jones put a few pieces on the scale and kept adding and adding until the correct weight was reached. The little boy’s perception was that he was getting more, even though the end result was the same.

When dealing with your audience, expectations should be set up front. They should be realistic. Let them know what they can expect, but don’t over-deliver. If you can’t provide what you say and on time, it’s nobody’s fault but your own.

Managing expectations has always been a vital part of my job when working with clients over the years. I worked for a large financial institution, and we always welcomed a feature piece on our funds from a major publication. The problem was when the piece came out in all its glory, the subject matter expect was never satisfied with some part of it. Maybe it was one tiny quote he or she felt was taken out of context regardless of the fact the piece was glowing, there were quotes from a third party endorsing the product and the one tiny quote was so buried in minutiae the majority of readers wouldn’t know if it was taken out of context or not.

Didn’t matter. The one person that needed to be satisfied was not, and going in was made aware of the ramifications of doing the interview. A story could be 99.9% positive, and you will still find that one person who will focus on that 0.1% that’s negative.

It’s what we deal with on a daily basis of managing expectations.

There's no PR like any PR

Bag Balm.

Ever heard of it?

Me neither.

At least not unitl last week.

"What is it?" you ask.

Well, it's a salve used to rub on cow's udders.  It's been around for more than 100 years.  But herein lies the rub (no pun intended), it's used for almost anything, including that.  In an Associated Press story dated January 27, 2010 about this gooey substance, people have used Bag Balm on squeaky bed springs, psoriasis, dry facial skin, cracked fingers, burns, zits, diaper rash, saddle sores, sunburn, pruned trees, rifles, shell casings, bed sores and radiation burns.

According to Bag Balm lore, the stuff went from barns to bedrooms when dairy farmers' wives noticed how smooth their spouses' fingers were after using it on cows' udders.  The wives were jealous.  The rest is history.

The genious here is that you can't pay for that kind of publicity.  Here's a product intended for the underside of a cow, and people are using it for their own home remedies and have been doing so for 100 years now.  The story is out.

According to the article, Bag Balm went to the North Pole with Admiral Byrd, to Allied troops in World War II, who used it to keep weapons from corroding, to Ground Zero for the paws of cadaver-sniffing dogs searching the World Trade Center rubble, and to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The article goes on to note that this small Lyndonville, Vt. operation is family-owned with a grand total of six employees.  Distributed by wholesalers and sold retail in farm stores, national drugstore chains and general stores, its popularity has grown largely with word-of-mouth advertising as converts becomes users and then devotees.

And now with this AP story spreading like wildfire so should the curiosity of this "udderly" amazing do-it-all product.

How social media helps (and hinders) during a disaster

There is a fantastic story in the January 30 edition of the Dallas Morning News about how social media has played a huge role in the Haiti earthquake relief effort...in a good way, and in a not-so-good way.

The piece by Theodore Kim notes that just as quickly as news spreads of the miraculous rescues each moment, the same can be said of erroneous information and scams.  Social media can be a blessing and its own worst enemy.

A link to the story follows:
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/013109dnmetsocialhaiti.f4a6c7.html

Addressing the press request

Is it a good idea to immediately start answering questions from a reporter as soon as they call you?  That actually might depend on the situtation.  If you have a good public relations department, they should be able to screen the call by mining as much information as they can about the topic, and maybe even getting a few of the questions for the subject matter expert.

But, if you don't have a PR department and the call goes directly to you, my advice would be to not answer their questions immediately.  No matter how well you may know the information, no matter how comfortable you feel, no matter how great your day is, take time to gather your thoughts, your notes, your ideas, a drink, a snack or whatever it takes to make sure you are fully prepared for the interview. If you have to, and you have the time, practice with someone to make sure you know the information.

• Get as much information as you can about the story. Determine the direction of the story. Try to even get a few interview questions. Then, ask the reporter what their deadline is. If it’s several days away, then tell them you will get back to them in a day or two to talk to them. If the deadline is in a few hours, tell them you will call them back in an hour so you have time to prepare. They understand that you are a busy person too.
• If a reporter calls about a story that you absolutely can’t help them with, try to offer an alternative source. Tell them if you know of someone that might help with the story. Also, let them know that if they are working on any other stories on subjects you are an expert on, you would be more than happy to help. You’ll score points with the reporter, and they will remember how you helped.
• When a reporter leaves a message on your voicemail, always call them back ASAP…even if you can’t help them out. A reporter getting a call back from someone that can’t help them out goes a longer way than never returning their call because some day you may need to call on that reporter for a favor. And if you are able to help them out, they are more likely to use sources who respond to them right away.

You have had the initial contact with a reporter, collected your thoughts, but now it’s time to actually do the interview. Here are a few tips that will help you get through the interview process:

Preparing for the interview
• Be honest.
• Be brief.
• Be emotional.
• Be positive.
• Cooperate as much as possible to create a win-win scenario. The media will win by getting a story, and you will win by getting your message out to the public.
• Do not be defensive.
• Stay calm in the face of tough questions.
• Show your pride.
• Keep your answers concise.
• Maintain good eye contact with reporters in a face-to-face interview.
• Be wary of off-the-record comments (There is no such thing as off-the-record with a reporter. In other words, NEVER “go off the record” with a reporter.)
• Many reporters want to help you: treat them accordingly to keep them on your side. Never argue with those who by their ink by the barrel or tape by the case.
• Supply advance information on your topic to the media.
• Use analogies and stories whenever possible.
• Never say, “No comment.”
• News is whatever the editor says it is. Just because you do not think an event is a news story does not mean others will not see it as significant, or vice versa.
• Use gestures to help visually and orally.
• When speaking, remember your voice: vary pitch, modulation, pacing and feelings, but do not talk too slowly, too fast, too loudly or too softly.
• When speaking to reporters, you are really speaking to their audience.
• Remember the audience is thinking WIIFM (What’s In It For Me), and your answers should reflect their interests, not just yours.
• Do not repeat negative allegations, as it sounds defensive and leaves the wrong impression.
• Offer art. If you or someone in your company is being interviewed for print, don’t be shy about offering a photo to the reporter.

Difficult questions
What about handling difficult questions? These will sometimes come up, and you never want to avoid answering them.
• Reframe the question to meet your agenda
• Address the topic quickly and with confidence, then use bridging techniques/comments to move on to your key point
• View problem questions as an opportunity to offer solutions and weave in positive messages
• Explain what you know, not what you don’t so you can answer questions with confidence and move on
• Do not be evasive – answer the questions with honesty, and let the reporter know that you may not have the answers to everything

Understanding the differences between media
Media coverage of corporate news and mid-size companies typically takes the form of print, with telephone interviews more prevalent than in-person interviews. Television interviews will be rare for smaller companies, but key spokespersons should still have a general understanding of and be prepared to participate in such interviews.

Print Interviews
• In-depth perspective of a subject, company or issue
• Details and facts are paramount
• May be lengthy interview sessions, with more than one reporter present at times
• Creates a permanent report and a more lasting impression

Telephone Interviews
• You are “on the record” from the moment you say hello
• Keep energy level high, speak with confidence and authority (sitting on edge of seat helps)
• Speak in 20-25 second sound bites
• Make your key points early in the interview and often—reiterate
• Call the reporter vs. reporter calling you once the interview is scheduled to keep control

Television Interviews
• How you say it is as important as what you say
• Emphasis is on demeanor (look and sound) and delivery
• Interviews become sound-bites, so responses should be short, simple
• Make your story as visual as possible

Radio Interviews
• Voice is critical—convey confidence
• Pacing and emphasis are important, but be conversational
• Convey energy in voice
• Use complete sentences to make points, but keep it concise

Understanding reporters and how they operate
All reporters have good and bad tendencies, good and bad characteristics. The key is to identify those as soon as you can in the interview so you are able to direct your answers back to the message you want to deliver. Some reporters will ask questions from every different direction, and it will feel like the interview never flows. Sometimes these turn out to be the best stories. Others will draw additional questions from your answers. Try to pay attention to what the reporter is asking you.

What Reporters Want
• Reasonable access to legitimate news sources
• Consideration for deadlines and logistical needs
• Timely responses to calls and requests for interviews
• Respect when presenting story ideas or interview opportunities—be concise and make sure the reporter is relevant to the story topic you are pitching
• Concise, clear and accurate answers and explanations
• Ability to follow-up for clarification of responses
• Helpful, relevant printed or visual press materials
• Corrections of erroneous information

Interview Styles
• Many interviewers simply want facts, clarification or explanation of information they have received from sources, or the company directly
• Many will engage in a conversation style to create a comfortable environment for the person they are interviewing to see either where the interview will go if they have limited information, or in some cases, to expose the interviewee
• Some reporters try to appear tough and aggressive to test the interviewee
• Unprepared reporters are very common sometimes because of deadlines. The fast pace and competitive nature of their business creates this

Reporting Techniques
• Flattering the interviewee to make them feel comfortable or to gain trust
• Initiating casual conversation to loosen up the interviewee and gain unexpected information
• Remaining silent after a question is answered so that the nervous interviewee continues to speak and potentially offer more information
• Playing the bluffing game to see if the interviewee will divulge information
• Asking several questions in one, or loaded questions so the interviewee becomes confused
• Playing both sides against the middle
• Rapid-fire questions to make the interviewee nervous in hopes of gaining information
• Constantly interrupting answers to steer the interviewee in a desired direction
• Paraphrasing your answers to gain a desired response
• Asking questions that assume certain facts that are not necessarily accurate
• Accusatory questions

Hopefully, all of this information will prepare you for your next interview opportunity.

Real fake reality

Am I the only person that doesn't watch these idiotic reality shows?  Look, I realize they are cheap to produce and quick to make.  I believe it's a product of the TV industry running out of ideas.  On top of that, it's an opportunity for any person with below average intelligence to get their fifteen minutes of fame.  I remember when aspiring actors went to Hollywood and had to work their way up through the acting ranks, or were "discovered" to become the famous actors we hear about today.  Not anymore.  Just act a fool on some low-budget slopfest on pretty much any network today, and it seems any slobbering nitwit will watch.  My belief is that these shows insult our intelligence, "American Idol" included, yet most people don't even know it.

Let's look at "Idol" for a moment.  Remember William Hung?  He was so awful, yet no one could turn away, and we all knew he had a snowball's chance of winning.  Then something unbelievable happened.  He became an overnight sensation.  A superstar.  Why?  Because he was so awful, and we as Americans, didn't feel sorry for him, we celebrated it.  Were we mocking him, or did people really feel this guy should have deserved a chance to get some kind of recording contract?  Whatever you believed, he still went on to get a recording contract, and people still came out to see him when whenever he made an appearance at the local mall.

Obviously these shows take no thought to watch or understand, and maybe that's a good thing after a hard day at work or with the kids.  Maybe we need a little mindless entertainment, but do we need so much of it that it's starting to drown out the quality shows that are already out there or that will never get a chance to be produced?

MTV has cornered the market on "reality TV," and I wouldn't even call these shows all that real.  Here's an example: You are at family birthday party, holiday event, reunion and someone is walking around with a videocamera.  Do you just go about your businsess of talking to the people around you and ignore the camera, or do you usually ham it, make faces, talk in a different voice, crack jokes, make fun of the people around you?

My point is that whenever a camera is placed in a normal situation, that situation ceases to be normal, whether it's for a simple family video or TV.  In other words, reality TV is not reality TV.  Allegedly, the MTV reality show "The Hills" was semi-scripted to make it more interesting for the viewer.

I can tell you, that America would not want to watch a day-in-the life of my life unless there was some made-up drama in it.  Otherwise they would be using my show for insomnia.

Girls behaving badly

Well, if you hadn't seen it already, here it is again in all it's glory. New Mexico soccer player Elizabeth Lambert, engaged in a uh "friendly" conference match with BYU, and then, of course, all hell...or should I say, hair breaks loose.

But since that ugly incident, Lambert has broken her silence and wants to set the record straight that she is not a dirty player. She spoke with the New York Times and said this:
"I look at it and I'm like, 'That is not me.' I have so much regret. I can't believe I did that. I think the way the video came out, it did make me look like a monster. That's not the type of player I am. I'm not just out there trying to hurt players. That's taking away from the beauty of the game. And I would never want to do that."
Let's look for a moment at the line from the quote "I'm not just out there trying to hurt players." Now, I'm sure she meant nothing by saying that; however, the casual reader may look at that line several times and think that she's out there to play the game, as well as trying to hurt players. Read the sentence again with emphasis on the word "just" and see how it sounds.
"I'm not JUST out there trying to hurt players."
It has a whole different meaning doesn't it? The word is unnecessary. In fact, the sentence could be state a bit differently:
"I play the game aggressively, but never with the intention to hurt another player," might be a better way to make her point.

MMA not OK in BS School District

It's never a good idea to do something you really aren't supposed to do, especially if you think it's just for fun. It's definitely a bad idea if that something results in someone getting hurt. It's even a worse idea when it's videotaped. Let's examine the Blue Springs (Mo.) School District, a suburban school district of Kansas City, Mo.

About a year ago, several wrestlers were videotaped at the school participating in a mixed martial arts-style competition, while another member of the team shot video footage of it. A Blue Springs assistant wrestling coach watched and cheered while this "competition" went on. One member of the team suffered two broken teeth, and another tooth was knocked out. He had a rod placed in his mouth and needed two root-canal surgeries, costing the family more than $7,000. The family expects to spend at least $20,000 more on future surgeries.

A year later, a lawsuit has been filed against the assistant and head wrestling coach, the activities director, the principal and superintendent.

For the most part, the district has remained silent except for this quote that ran in the Oct. 9 edition of the Kansas City Star: "Because it is a legal matter, we're not at liberty to discuss (it)," district spokesperson Leslie Evans said. "That's probably all you're going to get from the district folks."

Hmmm. That's all we're gonna get from the district folks, huh? Obviously, you never want to give a "No comment" to the media. It makes you look even more guilty than you may already be, if that's possible. But a better quote might be: "Because it is a legal matter, we're not at liberty to discuss the situation; however, I can assure you that we are conducting an internal investigation. The Blue Springs School District has always provided a top-notch education for our students, while giving them a safe and secure environment in which to learn."

It's all about finesse.

So what exactly is public relations?

In one of my first blog postings, I did a three-part article, an Introduction to Public Relations. Here, I want to delve down a little bit deeper into exactly what public relations, or media relations is and where it is most beneficial. Public relations is a cost-effective way to build credibility and awareness. More specifically, it is the practice of managing the flow of information between an organization and the public. Public relations, often referred to as PR, gains an organization or individual exposure to their audiences using topics of public interest and news items that do not require direct payment. Because PR places exposure in credible third-party outlets, it offers a third-party legitimacy that advertising does not have. Common activities include speaking at conferences, working with the press and employee communication.

TYPES OF MEDIA
Print
Examples
Newspapers and Magazines

Benefits
Shelf Life: Readers clip and save articles. Reprints are effective sales tools with the implied third-party endorsement.
Targeted Audience: If you are looking for a niche in a particular geographic area, you can select the print media with specific readership.
Credibility: Newspapers, although facing tough times, continue to be a valuable news source for people in your community.
Capacity: Print articles typically contain more details than a 30-second television news story, which is often helpful when explaining complex topics.

Opportunities
Local and national newspapers, business journals, or local and national magazines

Broadcast
Examples
Television and Radio

Benefits
Speed: Immediate news source with a faster turnaround than print.
Market Size: Reaches a large audience.
Hungry for Content: Many local networks and stations are always looking for story ideas and experts to fill news time (particularly all-business radio format stations).

Opportunities
Local business radio shows or local and national television news business segments

Internet (Social Media)
Examples
Websites and Blogs

Benefits
Speed: Immediate news source with stories posted at a moment’s notice
Market Size and Coverage: Online stories can reach expansive audiences around the world at lower costs.
Warning: You must carefully choose your site to target only local markets.
Key News Source: As technology continues to evolve, experts are calling the Web the major news source for most people.

Opportunities:
Many times stories from print and broadcast are run on Web sites, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace

A good quote

In past blog posts, I have noted how people have made mistakes, missteps and misquotes in their interviews. Here's one that actually does it right. In a story from the Oct. 5 Los Angeles Times about hotel employees wanting to unionize, a representative from the Hyatt Regency Hotel chain actually sympathizes with the same housekeeping employees that are protrayed as the victims.

But Jeff C. Pace, the Hyatt general manager in Long Beach, said that attendants cleaned a maximum of 24 to 26 rooms a day and that completing 18 to 20 rooms a day is more typical. Many Hyatt housekeepers participate in a bonus program allowing them to earn more if they opt to clean additional rooms, the company said in a statement.

"The safety of our guests and associates is a serious concern for us," Hyatt declared. "Every associate, including housekeeping staff, undergoes extensive training to ensure a safe work environment."

Huh?

One of the major cardinal sins of doing an interview is when the subject speaks in terms your audience doesn't know. You should never, ever use industry jargon, or talk above your audience's head. This gentleman provides the perfect example of what I'm trying to explain:

The Ultimate PR Nightmare

Recently, a Mexican restaurant in Kansas was shut down when approximately 20 people fell ill with nausea, vomiting and dizziness. The restaurant said it was from carbonic acid poisoning caused by faulty water lines; however, the state health department said not all those who got ill had carbonated drinks, and preliminary testing had not confirmed that was the cause. It was the second time in less than a month that patrons became sick at the establishment. According to a restaurant spokesperson, the problem was caused by carbonated water for drinks getting backed up and making contact with copper tubing, causing a chemical reaction that led to the poisoning. But a spokesperson for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment said not all those who got sick had a carbonated drink. “We can’t say that’s the cause yet,” she said. “They are looking at the water and the ice as well.”

Now, how can a restaurant, any restaurant rebound from a nightmarish incident such as this, especially when there are conflicting stories from the restaurant and the health department? First, clean the restaurant like it has never been cleaned before. And comply with all health department regulations before you even consider reopening the doors. Once all that has been completed, relaunch, and by doing this, take the restaurant to the people. Show the public you are for real in what you have done to fix your problems. Remember, you have had two health incidents in less than a month. Set up a stand at a busy (foot traffic) area, and give out free samples of your popular dishes. Hand out coupons to passersby. Take out ads in the local paper with coupons. Go on the local midday news show and prepare one of your popular recipes. Have a kids eat free night. There are a myriad of solutions to this problem, the key is to keep it up so that people will know you are serious about your turnaround and will keep coming back.

More interviewing 101

Even those who've been in the business forever can come into an interview unprepared...or at least make it look like they were unprepared. Take this clip from "Larry King Live" where Jerry Seinfeld talks about the end of his show "Seinfeld."




I always wonder how uncomfortable it is in the studio during the commercial breaks.

The next big food debate

It's not that corn is at the top of everyone's mind these days...especially corn syrup, but there's a recent push making news that may put it at the forefront very soon.

Kraft Foods Inc. has been removing high-fructose corn syrup from several of its most popular products because some consumers believe this ingredient to be dangerous.

According to a story in Chicago Business ("Kraft touts efforts to skip corn syrup," 8/24/09), Basil Maglaris, a spokesperson for Kraft stated: "We saw some consumers were interested in products without high-fructose corn syrup, so we decided as part of this quality improvement to eliminate it."

Other companies are also taking steps to eliminate HFCS such as beverage companies. PepsiCo launched "throwback" versions of Pepsi and Mountain Dew, which are essentially HFCS-free formulations in retro cans.

The Corn Refiners Association has taken notice and staged a full-fledged media assault aimed at what it perceives to be "misinformation" in the media. According to the article, its campaign, from agency DDB, Chicago, depicts people such as mothers in a kitchen, or a young couple on a picnic blanket, talking about whether corn sweeteners are bad for you. "It has the same amount of calories as sugar or honey, and it's fine in moderation," a woman says while handing her boyfriend a popsicle stick.

"It has really been a nationwide multimedia and advertising campaign targeted principally at moms, given the role they play in buying food," Corn Refiners Association President Audrae Erickson said of her group's effort.

But here's what the other side is saying:

"I don't know whether it's laughable or tragic that the corn refiners association is likening its product to sugar," Rory Freedman, co-author of "Skinny Bitch," wrote in an e-mail. "Neither HFCS or refined sugar is good for us. Our bodies simply do not like foods that have been highly processed, especially those which cause spikes in our blood-sugar levels."

The real issue here is money...for both sides. Studies have shown that people are obviously gaining weight from the massive amounts of food they are taking in containing high-fructose corn syrup or sugar. Companies that are producing these foods know they have to change for the sake of potential lawsuits somewhere down the road. The Corn Refiners Association members have do whatever they need to do to put food on their tables. The story here is that there are two sides of an argument where each party is making a compelling case, but the side that's getting the most negative publicity has hired a PR firm to clean up its tarnished reputation and maybe help persuade people that are undecided on the issue or quite possibly on the other side. These types of stories are very common in the PR world, as this is just one recent example.

How to right a wrong

Wanna know how to fix a big PR blunder? Take the billboard advertising campaign for Coors Light beer in Toronto, Canada. According to a story in the Aug. 19 edition of the Winnipeg Sun, approximately 30 billboards were scattered throughout Toronto recently that stated: Coors Light is "colder than people from Toronto."

Some citizens of Toronto were offended by the ads, and a handful of emails were sent to Coors; however, when the Toronto newspaper reported on the ads, a backlash brewed (no pun intended), and Coors pulled the ads.

"Sometimes we get it wrong," said Adam Moffat, Molson brand and marketing public relations manager. "This is one instance where we misfired, and we realized that after seeing people's reaction here in Toronto."

The key message here was that a large corporation admitted to being accountable for its own actions and then acted on it rather than let what could have been a potential PR nightmare fester.

Interviewing 101

One of the major mistakes a reporter can commit is coming into the interview completely unprepared. Here's a classic example:

So is it the money or the students?

According to an Aug. 17, 2009 Wall Street Journal story "Hard-Hit Schools Try Public-Relations Push," many inner-city school districts throughout the country are trying to stem the tide of a mass student exodus to suburban, private and charter schools. These school districts are turning to public relations and marketing firms to help get the word out that their schools aren't so bad while enrollment numbers continue to plummet. Some of the tactics used are billboard, television and radio ads, as well as direct-mail campaigns.

In St. Louis, the urban district's enrollment has plunged 40% in the past decade because of students moving to charter schools and suburban districts. The school district has been through eight superintendents in 10 years and lost its state accreditation. It faces a $53 million deficit and recently closed 14 schools. But administrators have set aside $1 million to pay for publicity that may include bragging about a top-ranked high school and magnet programs in culinary arts, aeronautics and international studies.

Now here is where it gets interesting.

According to the article: A marketing firm will spend the next two months asking residents, "What would it take to get you to send your children to school here?" said Patrick Wallace, a district spokesman. "We're losing 1,500 to 2,000 students a year," Mr. Wallace said. "If we can get those kids to come back, that's a whole lot of money."

Now, I understand school districts need to make money to "stay in business." They have to pay for teacher and administrator salaries, books, supplies and general upkeep and maintenance of the buildings, but the last quote from Mr. Wallace has the completely wrong focus. As a spokesperson for the district, his number one concern should be the quality of education for their students rather than the amount of money they are losing. A better quote might be: "We're losing 1,500 to 2,000 students a year," Mr. Wallace said. "However, our chief concern is providing the best education we possibly can to the students that have remained as we continue to look for new ways to attract new students to the district."

Any qualified public relations professional could have helped hone the message and put the focus where it should be.