Tag: Change

Change, Journalism, PR

A new way to think about news releases

trienjul

According to PR News, the format and delivery of news releases is changing. What was once thought of as a useful tool to  disseminate important updates or a public statement is now much more. The article explains that news releases should be put out often, essentially following any company update and they should be interactive. This includes a multimedia approach with links to related content, audio, video or images.

The new way of looking at news releases coincides with the popularity of the Internet. More and more people consume of the news through this medium. In fact, as of August 2017, the Pew Research Center reported that 43 percent of American adults often get their news online.

news release post photo
Photo via Unsplash/andrewtneel

The multimedia aspect shows the way in which web content broadens the possibilities of news coverage. Take, for example, a New York Times video on the New York transit system. Here, one can see an organization that is perhaps best known for its print content, producing a video that contains text, references to other material, audio and fast-paced editing. If viewers wanted, they could click off and do independent research based on the people and facts referenced. Also, the pacing and some of the stylistic choices would make it appear as though the Times is targeting the younger audience finding its news on the web.

Since the nature of the Internet is such that it is updated constantly with new content, public relations professionals need to keep the flow of new information about a product or brand going at a consistent rate. Otherwise, there is a danger there that the brand has become “old news” and not worth the audience’s attention.

A final important way to engage the audience is by allowing them to engage with the content. Other than links to follow, many readers would likely enjoy being a part of the conversation.  The article, video or press release functions as a diving board. Now, let them jump in and give their opinions. This can be accomplished in a variety of ways, either by adding a comments section to the piece or website or providing contact information to whom readers can voice their questions, concerns and thoughts.

News releases are no longer disseminated to the public solely at the discretion of an editor publisher. The web allows for direct access to these important updates. As I have said in many of my past posts, the audience is fast becoming the journalist. That also means an added layer of responsibility to decide what is news.

Journalism, PR, Social Media, Upcoming events

Reuters corespondent coming to campus today

trienjul

Barbara Goldberg, a corespondent for Reuters, will be speaking at 6:30 p.m. in Nursing Room 105. All journalism and public relations students are encouraged to attend. However, this talk is open to all. She will be speaking about how social media plays a role in modern-day reporting.

Reuters is an international news wire service, similar to the Associated Press. The media outlet was founded in 1850 and since then, has garnered award-winning coverage. In 2017 alone, two of its pieces were finalists for a Pulitzer Prize.

Goldberg pic

According to Victor Jeffrey Serote, the organization’s coverage is widespread. Reuters boasts a staff of approximately 2,400 reporters in nearly 150 countries.  The website also claims that Reuters is “the worlds largest international multimedia news provider reaching more than one billion people every day.”

Serote also wrote that, because Reuters corespondents are stationed all over the world, deadlines do not exist at the organization. There is an understanding that stories and other components such as video and photography are due as soon as possible. Serote suggested that this understanding among reporters creates a 24-hour schedule where news is constantly flowing into the organization and being put out.

Reuters’ coverage seems to show a fair deal of variety. It covers everything from economics and politics to entertainment.  For example, as of today,  the homepage of the Reuters website features stories such as “Turkey demands to know who ordered ‘savage’ Khashoggi killing” to “Caterpillar’s shares tumble on disappointing profit outlook.”

According to Barbara Goldberg’s Twitter account, she covers news in the Northeast region. She seems to frequently feature the work of other journalists on her page, from Reuters to The New York Times. 

 

 

 

Blogging, Journalism, PR, Social Media

Twitter: A useful tool or the downfall of journalism and PR?

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Okay, admittedly, the title of this week’s post is a bit dramatic and also implies that there is a clear answer. Ultimately, I land somewhere in the middle.

Twitter has its uses, both for journalism and PR. As Forbes suggests, PR professionals can use the platform for announcements, news releases and contest launches among other tactics. In a 2012 post, the late Steve Buttry laid out 10 reasons why journalists should be on Twitter, all of which seem valid. I particularly identified with his top reason, finding breaking news. As Campus Life Editor for Seton Hall University’s The Setonian, I routinely look for stories on social media. 

However, to put it bluntly, there is a risk of getting caught up in the platform and becoming lazy. Based on experience, I can more easily relate to how this affects journalism as opposed to PR. Most journalists cite Twitter as a key place to look for sources. Many articles even have embedded tweets in them as a means of gauging public response to news.  However, according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) many accounts on Twitter are in fact bots and not real people.

Twitter pic
Photo via Unsplash/Marten Bjork

There is a way to check on this. For example, running account name through Botometer can help determine if the account is real or not.  Since bots are usually designed to participate and share in the spread of propagandized information, a journalist who does not verify his or her source could unwittingly be aiding in this goal.

However, if a journalist or PR professional is careful about their source aggregation, Twitter can doubtlessly be a useful tool. Individuals in both professions can find a litany of ways to gain followers and spread their messages and stories. One way to gain followers on Twitter is to add your name to a directory, as per the Forbes article. If  people want information on a certain topic, you can be listed as a go-to source. If the content is engaging enough, you will likely have yourself a new follower. Forbes also mentions the benefit of adding a twitter widget to your blog, like the one on mine. If you regularly keep your Twitter account updated with regard to upcoming posts and news, visitors to the blog will see that and may follow you to keep updated.

Even though, at the outset of this post, I said I landed somewhere in the middle on Twitter being a must or not for journalism and PR, I will conclude by saying that there are far too many benefits to the platform to ignore it completely. Another way to look at the fields I just mentioned is to point out that they both involve communication. Social media, whether it be Twitter; Facebook; Instagram or whatever platform to be introduced in the years to come, has become the way billions across the globe communicate and connect. To ignore this change is to be in the dark when it comes to the media industry.

On that note, for the latest on what is happening with Julie’s Corner be sure to follow me on Twitter at @SHUSocialJulie.  If you’re interested to learn more about what’s happening at Seton Hall, check out the blog I run with a classmate, Campus Rundown! We can be reached at @CampusRundown.

Journalism, PR, Social Media

Exciting change unfolding before us

trienjul

The Economist seems to have the best definition of social media by classifying it as an ecosystem for the exchange of information. Much like any environment, social media platforms have evolved not only in the growing ease with which users can share information, but also in the way they are perceived by professional journalists.

Throughout the last few decades, the context in which news consumers share information has shifted from print to digital. What may then have been spread by text or broadcast evolved into email forwards and yet again into the “share” button on Facebook. With how important the individual has become in the spread of news, he or she has changed the face of the newsroom. Media outlets are more reliant upon, or more willing to integrate, user generated content in their stories. The Economist uses the example of iReport being an important tool for CNN to receive information from people in Japan during the 2011 earthquake. Reliance on civilian reports allows journalists to quickly gather and generate stories from around the world. A similar change occurred in the field of public relations (PR.) In times of crisis, social media can be an effective tool to get a statement out to millions at once. In fact, the PR field overall is shifting many resources to social media campaigns.

I believe, much like the central message of the readings for this week, both journalism and PR will always exist as industries. Whether it be a desire to ensure the clarity and effectiveness of a message or the correctness of a news story, people will always look to these professionals to help spread and verify information. Even at times when most do not actively seek this, it is still needed. This idea is perhaps best illustrated by the Pizzagate scandal surrounding the 2016 Election in which a man was led to raid a pizzeria based on propaganda and misinformation.

The greatest change we are likely to see, and have seen, across these industries is an effort to increase the immediacy with which information is released to the public. The public is in a space where it expects news to flow as events are unfolding. Tools such as Facebook Live are likely to be used more often as a result of greater demand. Also, just by nature of the usual brevity of social media posts, long-form journalism will likely decrease in popularity as people continually look to their feeds to keep informed. Neither of these changes or related others are particularly frightening, as long as the prospect of learning does not frighten PR and journalism practitioners. In fact, the rapid change of media and how it is consumed should be taken as an encouraging sign. That which remains stagnant usually dies out.