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Opinion | Features
Got a book in you?
From journos to ad execs and PRs, these days everyone seems to have a book in them. But what does it take to get published and will you actually make any money? In a feature that first appeared in Encore, Brooke Hemphill finds out.Attention wannabe authors. Forget big fat advance cheques and living off royalties. The reality of having a book published today is another story altogether. There are only two reasons you should even consider sitting down at your computer to bash out a manuscript – passion or profile.
Savage counsel
In an article that first appeared in Encore, Chris Savage tackles your career and agency dilemmas in his weekly advice column.Hi Chris,
My clients seem to be demanding more and more from us. At the same time, it seems many of the younger people in our industry simply don’t have the client servicing skills my generation grew up with. How do we instill in our executives some of the good old-fashioned behaviours that would keep a client happy and loyal?
Fake it til' you make it... as an ad agency receptionist
From dressing the part to playing the gatekeeper, Leo Burnett Sydney’s Susie Henry tells us how to make it as the face of adland in a piece that first appeared in Encore.What does a receptionist in an ad agency actually do?
Well, there’s the frantic every-day, all-day stuff of deliveries, courier bookings, doing expenses for directors – always challenging – plus arranging all the travel. But one of my main jobs is counselling the account service people. I also keep up with all sports information to discuss with our sports-loving clients – because who wants to be bored while they’re waiting? And I know how they like their coffee. You need to know everyone – from accounting to HR. I’m also the go-to for all catering and sending flowers.
Whose views skew the news? Media chiefs ready to vote out Labor, while reporters lean left
Most journalists lean left-of-centre, says Folker Hanusch of the University of the Sunshine Coast, in a post first published on The Conversation.Most Australian journalists describe themselves as left-wing, yet amongst those who wield the real power in the country’s newsrooms, the Coalition holds a winning lead.
But while the media’s political leanings will no doubt be debated in the lead-up to September’s federal election, our study has also found other largely unscrutinised biases remain – particularly whose views disproportionately shape the news.
It's time for a new New Wave in the film world
Government funding bodies are lazy and decadent, says industry veteran Michael Thornhill but in a piece that first appeared in Encore, Ed Gibbs begs to differ.I vividly remember the time I first saw Animal Kingdom, David Michod’s breathtaking labour-of-love feature debut. The press screening was half empty, despite the film winning the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance just months earlier, in 2010. Yet its superb performances, stylistic flourishes and overall polish left me speechless. Could this really be a feature debut, an Australian one at that, I wondered, almost out loud? It seemed too good to be true.
Going cold turkey on an agency addiction
Life is sweet for freelance writer Max Kitchen, but in a feature that first appeared in Encore, he admits his struggle against returning to the agency fold.I’ve never taken heroin. But I suspect if I had, the temptation to try it again would not be too dissimilar to the lure of returning to agency life.
Can sport save Ten?
First there was the Grand Prix. Next came the reported $500m bid for cricket rights, then Ten secured the 2014 winter Olympics. So, can sport save the ailing network? In a feature that first appeared in Encore, Nic Christensen investigates.The television sports rights bidding process is a bit like a game of poker.
Check, fold or bet. Those were the options for the Ten Network last week when it had to finalise its bid for the cricket rights.
Andy Lark: good for the marketing of marketing
I can still remember the first story I wrote about Andy Lark, when it emerged that he was to be the new chief marketing officer of CommBank.
It was immediately clear that Australia was about to meet an interesting marketer, one who blogged and tweeted and thanks to his time at Dell in the US was digitally savvy. Even two years ago, that was a big deal. The fact that he also had a stint in public relations gave him an absolutely intriguing background before he even arrived.
Storming the media barricades - advice for young journalists
This week Mumbrella’s Nic Christensen, who began his career four years ago, gave the keynote address to would-be journalists at the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance’s Student Day. This is an edited version of his speech.Good afternoon, I can remember distinctly the last time I was in this room.
It was 2009 and I was sitting where you are. I’d come to this event, a friend and myself — from memory we sat up the back — and I can remember at the time wondering if I’d ever get a job as a journalist.
It was only four years ago and then as now getting a job was ultra competitive but I’m not sure there was quite as much media ‘doom and gloom’ as there is now…
Paywalls will help fund campaigning journalism
In this guest post, News Limited’s group editorial director Campbell Reid responds to the views of ninemsn’s Hal Crawford that the company’s push into metered paywalls is about data rather than dollars.Hal Crawford is both right and wrong in his article which argued that our digital subscription plans are all about the data.
Fake it 'til you make it... as a features editor
Cosmo’s Kate Leaver tells us how to bluff it in her job in a feature that first appeared in Encore.What do you do, as a features editor?
Really, play with words and ideas all day. At any one time, we’re working across three issues of the mag – getting one on its way to the printers, pooling all the words together for another, and planning the issue after that. It’s busy but it’s a pretty magnificent process.
Savage counsel - JFDI
Hi Chris,I run a medium-sized agency that is doing pretty well. As the leader, I am finding my workload just seems to go up and up. I am struggling to stay motivated and particularly to tackle the bigger and tougher challenges I have to face every day. How do I keep up the energy when there just seems so much to do? How do you do it?
Productive, successful executives are those able to consistently tackle difficult and big challenges. It’s a constant struggle for me so I know how you feel. How do the successful leaders do it?
Q&A with Brett Clegg
Brett Clegg, group director – business media, Fairfax Media, in a Q&A that first appeared in Encore, on the journo who refuses to work with him – his wife.Who is the most powerful person in Australian media and why?
Hard to go past Rupert Murdoch. He controls the single largest and most diverse portfolio and is intent on leveraging its scale (and, of course, influence). He’s an innovator and his will to win is obvious to all.
The experiential experience
Anyone can throw up a tent in a high-traffic area and harass the general public, but what does it take to pull off an effective experiential event? In a piece that first appeared in Encore, Matt Smith investigates.A television commercial can easily be muted and ignored, but try ignoring a purring, squirming cat in your arms. That was the experience awaiting passers by in Sydney’s Martin Place in October last year when Mars Petcare built Whiskas Kitten Palace.
The News Limited paywall isn't about revenue. It's about data
In this guest post, ninemsn’s editor in chief Hal Crawford argues Fairfax Media and News Limited’s new paywalls won’t draw much revenue, but will generate data. And they’re late to the data party.When I first learned that ninemsn’s major digital competitors Fairfax and News Ltd were going to introduce paywalls across their mainstream properties, I was excited.
Every obstacle thrown in the way of their audiences is an opportunity. People hate friction and anything that makes life difficult on a rival site is a chance to get them on yours.
PRs versus journalists back in focus
The relationship between journalists and PRs appears to be the topic of the week, culminating in a debate on the subject in Sydney tonight.
This evening’s PR Institute of Australia event comes in a week that the differences between the two sides have been widely discussed.
On Monday, Neil Shoebridge, marketing editor of the Australian Financial review wrote a piece decrying incompetent PRs, while journalist Jason Whittaker shared his own negative experiences in a guest posting for Mumbrella.
It came as research – which will be debated tonight – suggested that up to 80% of news content starts off as PR. And others debated the need to involve a PR agency at all.
Those contesting tonight’s question - ”that PR and journalism are different sides of the same coin” – include a mixture of journalists and PRs, plus an academic: Clint Drieberg (2UE); Gerard Ryle (Sydney Morning Herald); Simon Sharwood (media freelancer); Lukas Picton (Text 100); Brian Giesen (Ogilvy); Sophia Russell (B&T); Pru Quinlan (Einsteinz Communications); Marie Najjar (Public City); and Prof Jim Macnamara (UTS).
Tonight’s debate can be followed via the Twitter hashtag #priadebate.
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Comments
6 May 09
1:29 pm
Thanks for the preview Tim and hope you’re looking forward to the event – should be a cracker of a night!
6 May 09
1:48 pm
One of my favourite topics but I’m afraid I’m too jetlagged to be there tonight. I’ll be following the tweets with interest.
What I will say though is this: there are great PRs and great journalists, crap PRs and crap journalists. I’ll rant about the bad ones as much as the next person, but let’s not tar everyone with the same brush.
6 May 09
1:51 pm
Oh god not this old chestnut! These discussions never get anywhere – just Journo’s slagging off PR’s aand wishing they didn’t need them. Let’s face it Journalism isn’t what it used to be – not many journo’s source their own stories anymore because there simply isn’t as many journo’s out there with job cuts. Journo’s are always going to hate PR’s when it suits them. They need to look at the reason why there are so many PR’s now V’s Journo’s.
6 May 09
2:04 pm
As someone who has worked on both sides – as a journalist first, and now in PR – I know for a fact we both can’t live without each other. I agree with Jen – there are good and bad in both industries. I think the more understanding we have of each other’s working environments, the more harmonious our relationships could be.
6 May 09
2:09 pm
We have had some problems with the registration system and have now done some fixes to make sure people can purchase tickets for tonight. The link is: http://www.pria.com.au/eventsp.....-same-coin
I am working out a weblink and will attempt to microblog the proceedings from the floor.
6 May 09
2:10 pm
@TWUBS Sure it has potential to be a slagfest, but I’d rather hear about what media and PRs are doing wrong, to work out how to do it better.
6 May 09
2:11 pm
Ever since I joined the PR world 21 years ago this debate has raged on and off and has never been resolved.
Why?
Because there is no right or wrong answer. The one side can’t do without the other (although citizen journalism and social media has fundamentally shifted the goalposts).
There is nothing wrong with a bit of tension on both sides as long as it falls within the bounds of professional conduct. Unfortunately to the detriment of both professions this isn’t always the case.
6 May 09
2:28 pm
PR professionals and Journalists can get along. They do, they have been and they will; tonight.
As a member of the PRIA New Media Committee, I would like to clear up a few misleading arguments from today’s mUmBRELLA PR vs Journalism debate that has arisen before the ACTUAL debate.
Tonight’s PRIA debate consists of mixed teams of PR professionals and journalists. There are four people per team so that means two PR pros and two journalists on the Affirmative and two PR pros and two journalists on the negative. This is a perfect example of the industries working together and they have been working together very well and very hard to develop terrific arguments for this evening’s event. Thanks to all those involved.
I hope you’ll all get there to see just how well we can work together. Support the arguement that PRs and journalists can get along.
6 May 09
2:32 pm
You’re right Kimberley. Just as I blogged back in March: http://www.dynamicbusiness.com.....iends.html
6 May 09
2:43 pm
Absolutely! Totally agree with your Dynamic Business blog – PRs and journos can get along and they should. I can’t believe it’s such an ‘issue’. We both (I’m at WordStorm PR) have our place and can work together very well. I believe we should go back to the good old fashioned relationship building ‘long lunches’ and face meetings to establish a working relationship where we can be of real value for each other but without any pressure or expectations for results on either side. And when it comes down to it, yes, we’ll pick up the bill! Thanks Jen.
http://www.dynamicbusiness.com.....iends.html
6 May 09
2:47 pm
I remember a lecture from my early student days – a sort of ‘Marketing 101′ – and there was a film that had been gathering dust in a closet somewhere for many years that was dragged out for we students. It had a rather to-the-point, in a Madison Ave kind of way, title – “20 Rules of Focus” (or something similar).
Rule number 1 – Focus needs an Enemy.
While there are valid points on both sides, I feel this whole debate may have it’s roots in that very concept. Maybe the film was more relevant than I knew…
6 May 09
2:55 pm
Lisa, perhaps it should have stayed in the closet as a Madison Ave film!
6 May 09
3:09 pm
Journalists are never wrong or can rarely admit it. Certainly not in public. Start there. I am one and what I’m saying is right, unless that’s wrong.
6 May 09
3:52 pm
As a journo who’s now run a PR agency for a decade, I remember once interviewing a junior PR graduate for a job who had never had to complete a media writing course as part of her degree. Our compulsory Media 101 training course for all clients explains how the media works, what makes news, and what doesn’t. I’m lucky to run a ’boutique’ (that’s PR for smaller) agency that isn’t answerable to shareholders looking for new accounts to boost income and frank dividends. So we pick the accounts we enjoy, with recognisable PR and media opportunities. And we walk away from the ones that cause the ‘oh oh’ feel in the gut. Not all PR agencies are so lucky. But – as Jen and Kimberley so rightly say – of course we can, and should make every effort to, get along. Last time I looked, we’re all made up of pretty much the same innate stuff, regardless of what our business cards say!
6 May 09
4:08 pm
Philippa, your journalistic writing skills hit the proverbial nail on the head – we are made from the same stuff and we’re all striving to deliver information to our target markets / audiences, so it makes sense to work together. In fact, the more I think about it, the more crazy and nonsensical the ‘issue’ seems; almost as though we’re trying to make it even more difficult for our professional selves!
6 May 09
4:12 pm
Kimberley you sound like you’ve already made up your mind!?!? And you’re yet to hear my witty jokes and convincing argument
All I can say is that tonight should be a good laugh and all things going well I’ll still have a job tomorrow following my PR-bashing!!!
6 May 09
4:18 pm
Oh Lukas, the crowd will decide tonight; it’s not up to me! I have strong opinions about both sides of the arguement so you’ll still have to convince me!
Yes, tonight is for entertainment folks, it’s not a dual to the death so let’s hope everyone remembers it’s a networking event and not a mud slinging fight. Although perhaps we can add mud wrestling to the agends for the next networking event?!
6 May 09
4:19 pm
Listen to brekky radio and read the morning paper. It’s all the same stories, nothing unique anywhere, and much of it is driven by PR, the new issue of Choice magazine, or the story of the week (hello swine flu).
Somebody needs togrow some balls and lead the pack with unique interesting stories.
6 May 09
4:46 pm
OK link established and (reception allowing) will try and Twit some of the substantive points from tonight’s debate – tune into the hashtag on Twitter #PRIADebate
6 May 09
5:35 pm
I’ve been enjoying reading all your comments, although I think Kimberly may have come up with the best story of the week – pitting the journos against the prs in a mud wrestling reality show – perfect entertainment for all! With live commentary via twitter…
7 May 09
9:16 am
So, how did it go?
7 May 09
9:24 am
It was a victory for the we’re-all-in-it-together camp. More here shortly:
http://mumbrella.com.au/pr-vs-.....-side-5221
Cheers,
Tim
11 May 09
1:29 pm
RE: the 80% influence statistic…. this is a chicken and egg issue.
Journalists influence the commercial agenda of the business community to an enormous degree. There’s few things that get a Chairman or CEO’s attention these days so fast as a news headline. So, you could almost reverse the stat and say that media influences well over half the decisions made in corporate Australia today.
… and how about the fact that a PR’s content is primarily generated by and influenced by the CEO’s they report to. PRs may give it a fresh perspective or wordsmith it, but it ultimately comes out of the business they represent. Business drives our economy, and is a legitimate source of news, so why the drama?