Journalists share thoughts on publicists in a down economy

A few weeks ago I posted a blog about the kinder gentler PR person phenomena. OK, quick recap. In last week’s Las Vegas Business Press, Valerie Miller wrote that PR people have become kinder and gentler in recent months since the economy fell into the toilet. She asked PR people (myself included) why we thought this was the case.

As I mentioned in my blog before the story came out, I was a little reticent to answer because I wasn’t even sure if this was true.

Once the story came out I started getting some feedback from journalists. Not all agreed with Valerie’s assertion that PR folks (not flacks) have taken a kinder tone.

Are PR people really kind and gentle, warm and fuzzy? I threw the question out there to some journalist colleagues. Here’s a bit of what came back to me.

One editor shared quite a bit of insight on the topic, “Based on my experience it’s half and half. Half are kinder, gentler and more responsive than I have ever seen.”

However, she said, “The remaining 50% have turned into a bunch of rabid and relentless whiners. In the last five or six months, we have started to get some pretty ridiculous pitches and when we say ‘no thanks’ they continue to push to the point of a credibility issue.”

A local broadcast journalist commented that the local publicists she has known for years continue to be very accommodating. However, she said publicists that are unfamiliar with the market, ones that do not know her from an editor in Yuma, those PR people have become more pushy.

One print journalist told me that she instantly deletes e-mails from publicists that have given her problems in the past; she won’t even open them.  She said she knows it is not worth the trouble to get the story done.

Another went on to say, “People who wouldn’t give me the time of day, before the recession, suddenly want to bend over backwards for me. It makes me even less fond of them, truthfully.”

One long time Las Vegas journalist shared this observation, in regards to the changing PR and media landscape.

“I have not noticed a detectable shift in how PR people treat me. They have always been professional and friendly to me. They do seem to understand how important it is to be patient, as over the years the industry’s growth has far outpaced the media. I think the symbiotic nature of what we do, too, places us in similar circumstances — both sides sink and thrive with the economy.”

As publicists, once we push too hard, we lose credibility.

One editor shared “Sometimes I wonder if they are getting a commission for each bad story they place or if someone is standing behind them with a gun to their head”

Ouch right?

What we should take away from this

Public relations is all about relationships. Journalists know when you are being fake and they despise having their time wasted.

Keep it real. Journalists read people every day, that’s part of their job. If you come off as a phony you’re not helping your client or yourself. Journalists aren’t going to do you or your client any favors when they are getting beaten over the head with a story.

Most importantly, take the time to do it right. Do more research; find the right story angle for the publication and the journalist you are pitching.

MARKETING  & PUBLIC RELATIONS POSITION

I will continue to post job openings on this blog so if you know of any, send them my way. I received this one yesterday. It looks like a great position for a creative individual. Best of luck!

The Jewish Federation of Las Vegas is looking for a qualified PR and Marketing professional. The JFLV is a dynamic non-profit organization that serves as the central coordinating body for fundraising, planning, allocations, and communal services for the Las Vegas Jewish community, one of the fastest growing in the North America.  www.jewishlasvegas.com

The job involves PR, marketing, communications, public affairs and skills related to direct mail, telemarketing and e-philanthropy.  They would like someone who is assertive, aggressive and energetic to help JFLV establish a new look, offer more transparency and help it get the JFLV message and mission out to the community and donor public.  You do not have to be Jewish to apply. The position pays $40K to 60K depending on experience.

If you are interested, please send your resume and cover letter to Elliot Karp, JFLV president/CEO at elliot@ajewishlasvegas.com.

PR and media jobs are out there, I swear

I communicate with so many people everyday. I have my clients, colleagues in the PR world and members of the media. Let’s not forget my hubby, my friends, my sister (we talk every day) and of course Osi, my cat. Of course there’s the social media outlets. Friends and contacts but also people I have never met are following my escapades on Facebook, twitter and now this blog. It’s kind of funny when you think about it.

Many times while doing all this communication, it seems the conversation often comes back to jobs and the work place.

There are talented people looking for new jobs, mostly because of this “downturn” we are experiencing. They have lost colleagues to layoffs, lost raises and lost benefits. There has been belt tightening that no one thought possible and some people are just tired of being bummed. In addition, there are still good people getting laid off everyday or those who are still looking for the right opportunity after being laid off a little longer than anyone would have expected.

Still, good news is, there are jobs out there. I hear about them from time to time. I also come into contact with good people who ask me if I know of “anything out there”.

So from now on if I hear of a job opening in PR or media, I will post it on this blog. On the flip side, if you are someone who I should recommend for a job, let me know. I might be able to help.

I also worry that now that I have put this out there, I wont hear of any more openings. That is what all of you are here for. If you hear of anything or even better, if you are doing the hiring, let me know. This could totally work or not, still it is worth a try. I like putting good people with other good people.

So, speaking of jobs, there are two openings at Preferred Public Relations. Owner Michelle Tell told me they are looking for talented people, most likely either for publicist or Director of Public Relations positions.

Here is the info direct from Michelle.

Our PR agency, Preferred Public Relations is growing and we are hiring. Must have a min. of 5-7 years professional PR experience. We are seeking those with a strategic thought process, who are business-minded with a creative streak. Must understand PR planning and be able to execute detailed PR plans. Must have prior corporate and/or PR agency experience. See http://www.preferredpublicrelations.com. or call 702-254-5704.

Good luck to those that apply, happy hunting.

Are you nice, or is it just me?

So, yesterday I was talking to a Las Vegas journalist about local PR.

Somewhere along the way she asked a question that I had to think about, only because there are so many ways to look at it.

She said, “Have you noticed PR people are nicer lately?”

I needed clarity. I said, “Well what exactly do you mean?”

She went on to explain that she had this discussion with a few other other journalists and the general consensus was that Las Vegas PR people have taken a kinder tone in the past few months.

She pressed me, ” Do you know why this may be?”

“I have some ideas,” I said.

I always try to be cordial, available and agreeable when working with a journalist. However, if she and others have noticed a change, I have some ideas as to why that may be the case.

First off, it is simple math. These days there are fewer journalists and media outlets to pitch. I think we can all agree upon that one. As PR people we are thankful for the friends and contacts we have that are still employed and doing good work. We are happy there is someone out there to receive our pitch. We are even more excited when this is a person that we know and trust.

These days everyone is doing a lot more with a lot less, especially those in media. So, as PR people it is important to be accommodating because if I am not, some other publicist will be and that other publicist will get the story.

More importantly, as PR people, I think we feel, we are all in this together. We have lost friends and colleagues (PR professionals and journalists) due to cut backs. I think we all sympathize with one another. I have seen talented journalists and PR friends loose their jobs and it sucks.

Being nice is a good thing so maybe in the long run all this drama has made us (PR people) better at our jobs.

As always, would love to hear your thoughts.

As the World (of Vegas PR) Turns

It has been said that the one constant in life is change. Recently an editor friend and I were talking about the latest happenings in the world of Vegas PR. Suddenly it seems like there is a bevy of movement and if you ask me, that’s a good thing. She recommended I fill in readers, so media know where to find some of their favorite publicists.

Below is a recap of some of the latest changes in the city’s PR landscape.

Movin’ and shakin’

Rob Stillwell will soon be heading over to NVEnergy as executive of corporate communications. Currently serving as VP of corporate communications at Boyd Gaming, Rob is making the jump from gaming to energy. With all the attention energy has recently received I am certain Rob will enjoy this new endeavor. Rob starts August 3.

Katie Conway is now public relations senior account executive for the folks over at Wicked Creative. We think this a great fit and Wicked Creative owner Stephanie Wilson must be very pleased to have someone like Katie on the team. If you need to reach Katie, you can get in touch at: katie.conway@wickedcreative.com or find her on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/katieconway8.

Alex Acuna once a Light Group superstar, Alex has taken on the communications manager position at Mandarin Oriental which will open this winter at City Center. You can reach Alex at aacuna@mohg.com. There is no doubt Alex will be a great success, Mandarain is a global brand and he will serve that brand well.

To fill the large void resulting in Alex’s departure, Light Group has picked up PR services from Shadow PR. Shadow PR is based in NY with offices in LA and Miami. Michelle Davidson is handling the account, reach her at Michelle@shadowpr.com.

Cheryl Bella, former VP at the Firm Public Relations and Marketing, has moved into the non-profit world as the marketing manager for Three-Square. Three-Square has quickly become one of Las Vegas’ favorite charities and why not? With unemployment through the roof, more families than ever need assistance to get food on the dinner table. You can reach Cheryl at cbella@threesquare.org.

Finally, Melinda Scheckells has taken the editor reigns over at 944. I know this isn’t a PR thing but there are still a few who aren’t sure how to get in touch with Ms. Sheckells. If you need her contact her at melindasheckells@944.com. You can also follow her on twitter at http://twitter.com/Melindasvegas. No doubt Melinda will rock this job, because, hey, that’s what she does.

A-List Tidbits

Evolution, yay! Devolution, boo!

Last month I made a short list of things I love about Las Vegas media, and promised I’d deliver an alternate list of major disappoinments.

I’m not a negative person, this wasn’t easy. Please know, this isn’t a bunch of nitpicking. That’s just not me.

What I’d like to talk about is a major movement behind the scenes at several media companies that’s left talented, journalists out of work. It’s happening around the country, but my focus is here in Las Vegas, where I have spent a substantial portion of my career.

If you’re a frequent local Las Vegas news consumer, you’ve likely noticed some of your favorite personalities/journalists have suddenly disappeared and the quality of the paper and the newscasts has diminished. It bothers me, and as a consumer it should bother you.

When it comes to local television news, viewers favor familiarity as much as they favor content, maybe even more so. Someone with experience and a closeness with their community will have an easier time relating a story to the audience. This is the difference between in-depth reporting and the “rogues gallery” of mugshots and crime stories that can clutter a large chunk of an evening newscast.

The truth, as many of you have probably surmised, is that money is the driving factor in these decisions. Contracts are not being renewed or are being canceled prematurely. Veteran journalists are not even being given the option to take a pay cut or add new responsibilities within their company.

The latter option is the one that management should be considering. Keeping employees with less experience does nothing to improve your product. A disciplined journalist can bring stability to your entire news team.

With access to the entire world literally at our fingertips, local news managers need to show the audience why they should choose their product. That means media companies need to embrace local stories that the audience cares about. Sounds simple right? To do that, local media companies are going to need smart people that understand the local history. Now is the time for media companies to embrace their veteran talent, cut ties with the inexperienced “warm bodies” and move forward with a leaner, meaner operation.

By the way, those aren’t just buzz words. I’ve been in the business. I know there are a lot of people who could be doing a lot more work than they are right now and that includes these talented vets. It’s happening around the nation. It needs to happen here.

Media companies will not grow by cutting ties with their best talent without adding any new responsibilities to those people who are left.  Let’s just hope those left behind can handle the workload. I’m all for the evolution, let’s just make sure it’s we are not devolving.

This was mostly focused on the TV side of things but the same thing is happening in print news rooms as well. As always, would love to hear some feedback.

P.S. Media Bistro, you read my mind

OK, so MediaBistro was probably not directly influenced by my blog from a couple weeks ago. But last week they did feature Rob Curley, President/Executive Editor of Greenspun Interactive in the “What do you do column…”. Turns out Rob Curley does a lot.

Check out the article, I am very interested in hearing your input. I found it quite amusing, especially the part where Curley said, “[702.tv has] kind of disguised itself as this really, really crazy fraternity that’s always on party mode, but then when you look back you realize that all the members of the fraternity have the highest GPA in the college.”

I am not quite sure how I feel about that just yet. But those crazy 702.tv kids are off to a banging start and I hope they keep up the good work. It will be interesting to see how the project evolves into its own as its editorial team decides what works and what does not.

M.J. I was a fan…

Everyone is reacting to Michael’s death their own way. I look back and think of some of my favorite “Michael moments”… The first time I saw the complete “Thriller” video, the first time my sister and I watched as he did the “moonwalk”, listening to “Man in the Mirror” and wondering how I can make a change too, as a newsperson I watched him be transported from Green Valley Ranch in Henderson to McCarran airport back to Santa Barbara where he was facing child molestation charges, that was a sad day but as a news person, very exciting.

Most recently I think of me truly getting down to Michael. I can’t think of how many times I have said, “I know what they say he’s done, but he sure knows how to make me dance.” This is usually said while I am out on the dance floor (or maybe just in my living room) grooving to so many MJ songs.

Please listen and smile:

An icon, a trailblazer, a freak and a star. He will live on through his music, and I like that.

P.S. I have already been told that I am glossing over the terrible crimes for which Michael was accused. Yes, he was accused of doing horrible inexcusable acts and he lived a very unconventional lifestyle. Sorry for leaving that part out. That’s all your going to get from me. I guess I am one of those people who tries to focus on the positive. This post was simply a walk down memory lane.

P.P.S. For all those concerned, don’t worry, I still plan to share things I do not like about Las Vegas media right now (positive spin included). Now please, don’t stop till you get enough!

Hello world!

Welcome to my world.

It’s official, A-List Media is no longer just telling everyone else how smart it would be to get their ideas out there through a blog, we are jumping into blogosphere feet first. So happy you have decided to join us. I am thrilled to share my unique perspective as a media fanatic living and working in the city that truly never sleeps, Las Vegas.

The A-List Media LV blog will be updated a couple times a week with a little bit of everything: commentary, news items, interviews and tips on how to build your brand through PR, marketing and media (both old and new).

As the owner of A-List Media LLC. the majority of posts will come from me, however, on  occasion, digital media extraordinaire, Jason Latham, my husband, will get his two cents in.

I recommend also following A-List Media on twitter because you never know when I will drop a savory tid-bit of knowledge. It is also a good idea to check out our group, A-List Media LV on Facebook.

Thanks so much to my husband, Jason Latham for making the dream of A-List Media a reality.  Also, thanks to the very talented Las Vegas artist, Jerry Misko. I have stolen the letter “A” from his print “Fifteen Minutes” for our blog header. I hope you like it.