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.