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.