The 2012 Marathon Oil Corporation Paul “Bear” Bryant Awards will be held on Thursday, January 19th at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in downtown Houston. This annual awards banquet is held to announce the Coach of the Year winner live and to recognize a Lifetime Achievement recipient on his career accomplishments. Awards night festivities include a [...]
I used White Glove for the 1st time on a Friday when I knew my GP was out of the office. The NP showed up exactly on time and left 3 days worth of meds which was how long I needed to take the antibiotic and the wonderful well package. She also left a detailed sheet of what I need to do and what things to watch for. As a nurse, I felt like I got excellent care without the hassle of the dr visit and driving to the drug store to leave the prescription and then having to return in an hour to p…
—- Cocktail Party @ Americas Join Houston Single Friends for a Cocktail Party at River Oaks Cocktail Party @ Americas on Friday September 2, 2011 at 6pm 2040 West Gray Street Houston, TX New Location at Shepherd and West Gray Meetup from 6pm to 8pm or so… Complementary valet parking for tips Free parking in [...]
The following mikemcguff.com entry is a guest blog post by PR whiz Marsha Friedman. It’s about how to be a good interview for a media story. This article is geared towards print, but it works for TV and radio news too.:
Sometimes I cringe when I hear people talk about “the media.” It sounds as if everyone in TV, radio, print and online press is a member of one fraternity that thinks and acts the same. There is a vast gulf between the daily life of a print journalist and the daily life of a radio show host. And there are many differences between radio hosts and TV producers.
They really shouldn’t be treated the same. That’s why I’ve written a booklet called 50 Tips to Make You A Great Radio Guest and a similar piece for TV. Now I am compiling interview tips for working with print and online journalists (which in many cases can be the same thing).
Here are the first five tips:
· Be Responsive – In TV and radio, interview times are pre-arranged (Mike McGuff note: TV and radio people need you fast too…like in an hour). However, print and online journalists typically have daily and weekly deadlines. When they call you, they need you right then! In many cases, journalists will reach out to several experts on a news item and then choose the one who is the better interview or whoever responded quickest (or a combination of the two). The more reliably you respond, the more likely they will call on you again.
· It’s Not About You – Most journalists are not interested in you, but rather the expert commentary you can provide. The more you use the words “I” and “my” the less likely they will use you as a source. When speaking to a reporter, keep in mind you are speaking to their audience, so keep your remarks centered on what their audience cares about and you’ll be quoted early and often.
· Read Before You Talk – If you get a call from a publication, take five minutes to go online and read a few of their stories. Look for their tone and approach, so your tone and approach will match. Also look for articles they wrote on your topic, so you can avoid duplicating what someone else said. Finally, read articles written by the journalist you’ll be speaking with. There is no better way to prepare for a print or online interview than to read the writings of the reporter interviewing you. You can discover his or her focus, audience and philosophy. The reporter can tell if you’ve read his or her articles through your comments and will respect you for having made the effort to prepare for them.
· Don’t Empty Your Notebook – Beat reporters – journalists who cover a particular topic or industry – tend to be experts in that field from their time covering it for their respective publications. They don’t need, nor do they want, your soup-to-nuts take on that topic. They need only a few quotes and opinions to round out their stories. Answer direct questions with direct answers, and get to the point quickly. There’s no need to tell the reporter everything you know, emptying your notebook of all your collected knowledge, in order to have a good interview. Allowing an interview to devolve into you talking about your total philosophy on a particular topic or business will result in your interview landing in the discard pile, and the reporter will likely seek a comment from your competitor instead.
· Be Professional – Reporters don’t call you to talk about the weather, last night’s TV, your kids, etc. You’d be surprised how many times I’ve come across people who think a little friendly chit chat can “grease the wheels.” If they engage you, that’s one thing. It’s entirely another if you waste their time with unwanted “schmoozing.” Most have deadlines to meet and their time is valuable. Many outlets are working with significantly smaller writing staff than a year ago. Respect their time and they’ll respect you.
There’s more to a good print interview and in the next two weeks I will share more tips. If you follow this advice, you’ll discover your interviewers will respond better to you, use more of the interview in their actual articles and maybe even call you back for more quotes when they work on other stories. At the end of the day, these tips will help you be prepared so that when your name is mentioned in the media, readers will know they are getting advice from someone who truly knows what he or she is talking about.
Marsha Friedman is a 21-year veteran of the public relations industry and a sought after national public speaker on the power of publicity. She is the founder and CEO of EMSI Public Relations (www.GuaranteedNationalPR.com), a national firm that provides PR strategy, promotion and publicity services to corporations, entertainers, authors and professional firms. Marsha is also the author of the book, Celebritize Yourself: The 3-Step Method to Increase Your Visibility and Explode Your Business. When she is not running her business, she has Cherish the Children, a non-profit foundation that helps under-privileged local foster children.
Electric Touch (Island Records) are the musical guests. Jody Schmal of Houston Magazine is the Audience of One. Record producer Dan Workman and Gina Miller are the hosts.
Brought to you in part by Saint Arnold’s Beer.
With members hailing from both sides of the Atlantic this 5-piece delivers a unique brand of British-American Rock music. The result is Electric Touch, the type of unbridled rock band with a sound that is big enough to fill an arena.
Shane, who?s originally from Nottingham, England, landed in Austin, met guitarist Christopher and things just clicked. Soon Christopher?s twin brother Louis left Houston and headed to Austin to join Electric Touch on drums.
Electric Touch shot off to an impressive start. Soon after their mercurial formation in 2007, the four-piece played their first show that December and immediately signed a deal with Texas label – Justice Records. Austin.com wrote, ?How good are they live? Enough that we?re going out on a limb to call Electric Touch the best set of the (ACL) fest. Upon its release, Electric Touch debuted at number one on FMQB Radio with their first single and snagged the #1 spot on Amazon.com release day.
2011 saw Electric Touch perform at SXSW, Coachella and the release of their new album produced by Grammy-nominated producer of the year Howard Benson.’
Thanks for sharing:
Title: Membership/Program Services Assistant Description: EMC (East Montgomery County) Y and extension of the Lake Houston Family Y is looking for a Membership/Program Services Assistant to supervise all aspects of the membership, marketing and childwatch department. Incumbent is expected to develop, plan and implement policies and procedures. Must have experience in hiring, training, and supervising staff as well as effectively communicates and can identify and resolve problems. Incumbent must have a minimum of 2 years supervision experience. Expectations are: team player, organized, committed, computer knowledge, and will exhibit the YMCA five core values; caring, honest, faith, responsibility and respect. Preferred candidate hs been identified. The Y: We’re for youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. Required Experience: Education Required: Planned Duration of Employment: Full Time Position reports to: Jenna Dhayer Contact info: Jenna Dhayer …
NBC5 reporter Kim Fischer leaving to pursue other possibilities
Kim Fischer, a general assignment reporter who lately has worked the early morning shift at NBC5 KXAS, will be leaving the Fort Worth-based station after a two-year tenure.
- Former Fox4 reporter Sara Sidner now dodging bullets in Libya
KENS anchor in car wreck
Sarah Forgany, co-anchor of KENS 5’s morning news, was in a bad wreck last week.
KENS back in the game with new sportscaster
WOAI, KSAT and KABB all have been in the business of beefing up their sports departments and delivering heftier blocks of scores and interviews. Now KENS 5 is jumping in the game again with the hiring of Vinnie Vinzetta.
Ex-El Paso Austin anchor Michelle Valles enters a new stage in life
Former KXAN and KTSM news anchor Michelle Valles, who left El Paso eight years ago for greener pastures in Austin, hasn’t read a TV news story since December.
Longhorn Network goes live – to some
With a burnt orange and white test pattern, a rhetorical invocation from actor Matthew McConaughey and a symbolic flip of a switch by Darrell Royal, ESPN’s Longhorn Network signed on Friday night from the University of Texas.
- The Few, the Proud, the Longhorn Network viewers: A critique from someone who actually saw it
- Longhorn Network crew stays positive, professional
- 3 new Longhorn Network shows
- Jim Nantz says UH and Big 12 would be a good fit
- UH announces the line up of Radio and Television shows for the 2011
Celebrities join the crowd for video shoot at TCU
KXAS/Channel 5′s Deborah Ferguson and her husband, WBAP/820 AM’s Steve Lamb; WFAA/Channel 8′s Paige McCoy-Smith; TV personality Scott Murray; and KTVT/Channel 11 weather forecaster Garry Seith.
Houston Food Bank board of directors adds Henry Florsheim
The Houston Food Bank welcomes the newest member of its board of directors, Henry Florsheim, president and general manager of KTRK-TV Channel 13 since 1997.
Former weathercaster Heidi Jones charges she was duped into false confession in Central Park assault
Former WABC-TV weather gal Heidi Jones has filed new court papers that say she was duped into falsely confessing that she faked an assault in Central Park.
KPRC Meteorologists Work Houston’s Hottest Jobs
With temperatures hitting triple-digits every day, working outside is a lot more brutal these days. KPRC Local 2′s weather team hit the streets to work some of Houston’s hottest jobs. Frank Billingsley, Anthony Yanez, Khambrel Marshall and Mary Lee rolled up their sleeves and broke a sweat to do common outside jobs in Houston.
5 Tips on Covering a Hurricane
Meteorologists from Miami, Charleston and Tampa offer their advice on what to do, and what not to do, when covering a hurricane.
KUT breaks in new studios
KUT’s new digs are still a loooooooong way from completion, but that didn’t stop the city’s NPR affiliate from hosting a concert this week in Studio 1A.
O’Shea New Fox Stations Master Control VP
Shawn O’Shea has been promoted to the newly-created position of vice president of master control operations for Fox Television Stations (FTS). He served five years as VP of engineering and operations for Fox 7’s KTBC Austin
New music director signs on at KGSR
There’s someone new picking the tunes you hear on 93.3/102.7 KGSR-FM. Kristen Kurtis, a recent arrival from Spokane, Wash., has signed on as the station’s music director.
MOVING
KIAH 39 assignments editor Amor Lemus moves over to Fox 26 KRIV.
NATIONAL MEDIA
- Why journalists don’t always make the best PR pros
- Number of women working in TV falls
- 10 TV Characters Who’ve Outlived Their Usefulness
- Don’t touch that radio dial — Arbitron is listening
- Jimmy Kimmel’s Uncle Frank Dies At 77
- A journalist’s guide to the scientific method – and why it’s important
- ‘GMA’ Narrows Ratings Gap With ‘Today’; Closest in 4 Years
- Conn. town officials ask ABC show to change scene
- A Jenny Jones Moment for Reality TV?
DIGITAL
- Are Viral Videos Good for Local Television?
- New generation of Web analytics applies ‘big data’ to newsroom decisions
- 3,000 Hours of TV News from 9/11 Is Now Online
- How Steve Jobs has changed (but not saved) journalism
- ESPN goes back in time, bans breaking news on Twitter
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
- Food Network’s ‘Worst Cooks in America’ Houston casting call
- Texas speed limit increase and other new laws
- Gorgeous Texas TV anchors featured on website
