Cameron Communications Inc logo

Fall 2012
MEDIA NEWS AND VIEWS
By Jim Cameron & Amy Fond



2013 Calendars Available Now

computer calendar
Stick it to your keyboard, monitor or desktop.

Our ever-popular computer monitor 2013 Calendar Strips are now available.    

 

Click here and let us know how many you would like. Be sure to include your snail mail address.

 

Newsroom Secrets for Satellite Media Tours

 

By Amy Fond

"Satellite Media Tours (SMTs) consist of a sequence of one-on-one satellite interviews with a series of pre-booked television reporters across the country or around the world. Satellite media tours typically involve an interview with an author, performer, executive or other spokesperson promoting an upcoming event, product, movie or book release. SMTs generally are conducted from a studio but can originate from remote locations and may be aired live by the television station or recorded for a later airing."
- Medialink Worldwide, Inc. 

A Satellite Media Tour can be a great tool to promote your campaign across the country to wide audiences. But while your spokesperson is being beamed out nationwide - you may be surprised at what's going on in newsrooms coast to coast.

To truly maximize the impact of your SMT it's imperative that your spokesperson is media trained to make sure that your messaging is heard, and that viewers care. But knowing what the reporter on the receiving end is thinking, and doing, can help level the playing field and also lead to success.

Here are some newsrooms secrets for your next SMT - and why training your spokesperson is that much more important.   

 

THEY ARE LISTENING!

While your spokesperson is speaking with WPVI, ABC in Philadelphia - WJBK, FOX in Detroit may be listening in. When it's a station's turn for their allotted interview - they dial in to connect to your spokesperson via telephone.

The spokesperson will hear the interviewer through a special earpiece called IFB. But even before a station's scheduled interview time - they can dial in and listen to previous interviews being conducted.

Without you knowing - a station can hear how your spokesperson is answering questions from other TV stations, and how they handle tough topics! This allows the eaves dropping newsroom to either copy questions they've heard or begin to craft trickier ones. Stations are also listening in to see if your spokesperson is coming off as too commercial. If they think the product is being mentioned too often - they'll cancel their upcoming interview before their turn on the 'bird'!
 
 
 

 

 
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CHINA MEDIA: THE SAME BUT DIFFERENT

 

ChinaTV logo

I am just back from two weeks in Japan and China, where I developed some interesting insights on our global communications challenges.

 

Chinese impressions of the US come thru many domestic (government controlled) and a few foreign (CNN, CNBC, etc) sources (if you can afford a dish). While the official Chinese CCTV channel offered all the production bells and whistles, it was clearly under state control, offering Chinese, English, Spanish and Russian satellite channels with native speaking presenters (think "Beijing Bob" rather than Tokyo Rose).

 

But the US-based networks, while familiar looking, were not airing the US feed. Rather, given the 12-hour time difference, Bloomberg, CNN and CNBC were all offering an Asia feed coming out of Singapore and Hong Kong... American brands, Asian perspective.

Watch Out for Reporters

 

Asian reporter cartoon

Meeting in Hong Kong with the Communications Chief for a major international bank, I asked him how aggressive the Asian reporters were compared to those from the US and UK.  

 

"They're lapdogs," he said.  

 

But the in-country reporters from Reuters and WSJ were to be feared. "The bank's upper echelons always warn me against inviting Western reporters to our events," said my source. 

 

Why, I asked?

 

"Because they might ask questions."

 

Technology and Ubiquitous Information

 

monk-on-cellphone
Monk using a mobile phone

In both Japan and China, smartphones were everywhere. On trains and subways, even walking in the streets, everyone was glued to their iPhone, Droid or cheap Chinese counterfeit.  

 

While riding a subway train in Hong Kong, I watched a live TV feed of Connecticut Governor Dan Malloy describing preparations for Hurricane Sandy. From Tiananmen Square in Beijing to The Bund in Shanghai, football stadium-sized LED walls displayed the government's version of the news.  

 

This generation of Asians is hard-wired to the web even more than Americans.

 

But No Facebook or Google

 

Facebook logo banned

Following The Arab Spring the Chinese government shut off domestic access to Facebook. 

 

But young people I met told me such firewalls were easily circumvented. While the Chinese Bidu and Sina Weibo offer a government sanctioned social media alternative, it is clear that the Communist Party hierarchy can't stop determined online users from finding what they want.  

 

But do the Chinese really care?  I asked one young man, a tech-savvy student, if Chinese people went to the trouble of bypassing censored websites to find the truth.  

 

"Not really," he said. "They just do their jobs, come home to their family and are too tired."  

 

Think Homer Simpson, Shanghai style. 

 
MORE ABOUT CAMERON COMMUNICATIONS

With Cameron Communications, you'll learn the skills to handle your worst communications nightmares. You'll feel more confident, empowered to deliver your message effectively to any audience. 

 

Jim Cameron - Drawing on a career in broadcasting and journalism that began in 1967, Jim Cameron is uniquely qualified to conduct his workshops on Media Training and Speech/Presentations Skills.  The recipient of The George Foster Peabody and Major Armstrong Awards for his work at NBC News, Jim Cameron also worked for INC. Magazine, anchored for local and national radio, and produced syndicated radio programs for scores of clients. LinkedIn

 

Amy Fond - An award-winning news producer, Amy Fond has helped clients achieve success through her work with Medialink Worldwide on fashion, business, technology, medical, and consumer stories. She has produced VNRs, SMTs, public service announcements, corporate videos and promotional pieces and she is a guest lecturer at the Wharton Business School at the University of Pennsylvania. View Amy's Linked In profile. LinkedIn