Content, Not Tech, Future of Media Relations
Technology will always evolve, but content (and connection) will always be king.
Judging by the bazillions of hours people spend on their tablets, smartphones and laptops, you’d think most people get most of their news from the Internet. But according to a poll by the Pew Research Center, 66% of Americans still get most of their news from television. And although 43% of Americans said they now get most of their news from the Internet (people were allowed to name up to two sources), what does that really mean to companies and organizations trying to work with the media? I say not much.
People often ask me in our media training sessions if the tried-and-true interviewing techniques and tactics that we have taught our clients for nearly 15 years still work in the digital age. My response is to answer their question with another question: ‘When you get your news ‘from the Internet where do you get it?’ 95% of the time I bet you get it from a TV station’s or newspaper’s website. The method in which ‘we digest our news may be changing, but the news gathering process has not. Five years from now TV sets and printed newspapers may go the way of telegraph, but you’ll still have journalists sweating to make deadlines and being as grumpy as ever.
Content, not technology, is king and always will be. A human being still has to interview you, shoot and edit the video, write the words, pick the sound bites. After all what is a website, blog, video channel, etc. without content? Surely not very interesting and surely not somewhere you’d want to be.
Anthony Huey is president of Reputation Management Associates, a media, speech and crisis communications consulting and training firm. He speaks nationally on a number of timely communications topics for a wide range of industries.
Where in the World is Anthony?
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Spent all day in Ft. Wayne, Indiana speaking at a construction-industry leadership program. Crisis communications tip 29: Using social media to drive traffic to accurate information that you've put on your website will significantly decrease misinformation.
Gave a keynote this morning on Maryland's beautiful Eastern Shore. Body Language Tip 9: If you have a habit of swaying or rocking, put 1 foot forward, the other slightly open and perpendicular to it. It'll lock you in place. And watch the swivel chairs when doing virtual calls!
Speaking this week in Maryland and Indiana. Presenting tip 43: Never turn your back on the audience to read your PowerPoint slide. In fact, never read your PowerPoint slide, period.
Just gave Keynote in Wichita and headed to Nashville to watch some basketball. Go SEC and Go Gators! 🐊 Presenting tip number 1: Secret to wowing any audience is VARIETY: in voice, movement, pace, gestures, visuals, interaction, etc. Mix it up and stop being boring!
Spent the day working with remediation managers of a global chemical company. Presenting tip 72: Storytelling is a powerful tool. It helps simplify complex ideas, and provides that much needed connection to the audience.