Media landscape

1. Media relationships – it’s important to make them work

   Published on Thursday, January 19th, 2012
   The Press has accused EQC of being unprofessional in its portrayal of two of its reporters – one as “schizophrenic in his writing” and another as a “rogue reporter”.

   The background to this is the EQC’s presentation to field staff on Monday reminding them of the organisation’s responsibilities to the media and that media enquiries should be referred to the designated media contact person.

   This story is evidence of natural tensions between an organisation in the spotlight (and even under siege) and the legitimate role of the media – a fact acknowledged by EQC.

   Any organisation that’s dealt with the media on sensitive issues will have some sympathy for the frustrations of the EQC at this time.  No matter how brilliantly they respond to many claims, some people will remain disaffected and will take their complaints to the media, because they feel that is the only power they have.  Whether these complaints are legitimate or not, the EQC has to accept this.

   If the EQC made a mistake in it presentation to staff, it was in overtly personalising its concerns with individual reporters and preference for others.  For its part the newspaper has over-reacted to this. I suspect there’ve been instances when its own reporters have privately characterised some of the EQC’s personnel in less than flattering terms. That’s just human nature.

   It should not be forgotten that contacts between reporters and organisations are complex human relationships.  In pressure situations there can be an added edge, and what the reporter sees as relatively straight forward is often not so, and the relationship can become prickly.

   There is a long way to go in the repair and re-establishment of Christchurch.  The Press and the EQC are two organisations critical to a successful outcome, and it is vital that they take stock of their respective roles and make the relationship work for everyone.

   For any business, dealing with reporters can sometimes be a fraught experience – never more so than in higher-stake situations such as this.  Getting professional advice is often the best course.

2. Not dead, but often in need of resuscitation

   Published on Tuesday, September 13th, 2011
   When Google acquired the restaurant survey guide Zagat last week one media columnist boldly declared that the “press release”, the traditional format for announcing such initiatives, was now “officially dead”.

   You see the Zagat owners used the style of one of their restaurant surveys to communicate with stakeholders, and Google, unsurprisingly, tweeted the news.

   In our view, the way the acquisition news was conveyed said more about creativity of the parties involved than the demise of any particular form of official communication.

   Their creativity is to be applauded.  It was simply their recognition that social and online media are empowering us to be more creative with our tactics for news generation. And with the ‘medium is the message’ in-mind, now more than ever we need to be proactive about crafting to-the-point, snappy messaging.

   Press releases are not sacred and they are not dead.  They will continue to be the “record” of certain events.  However, in many cases they need some creative resuscitation, and they need to be leveraged to ensure they touch all the necessary audiences.

   With the treatment of the announcement of their deal, Google and Zagat are challenging us to work harder at finding audience-specific forms of communication to achieve our goals.  The traditional press release will almost certainly be part of the mix.

   A press release tells our story – plain and simple.  The communicators then needs to tell that story to different people in the best way possible.

3. Social media and rule of the mob

   Published on Tuesday, July 19th, 2011
   Writing his opinion piece in the Dominion Post today under the descriptor “curmudgeon”, columnist Karl du Fresne says it is hard to recall a time when the tone of public discourse was more vicious and abusive.  He cites the attacks on former EMA boss Alasdair Thompson and ACT leader Don Brash, saying little attempt was made to address the substance of the issues they raised.  “Far easier to shout them down with epithets”.

   The veteran journalist is in my view conservative when he says the level rancour in public debate has been cracked up tenfold by the internet, and puerile abuse trumps civilised discourse every time.

   Du Fresne says that anonymity gives courage to cowards, and newspapers learned decades ago that they attracted a higher standard of letter by having people sign their own names rather than hide behind pseudonyms.  Unfortunately I don’t think we will ever achieve the same level of maturity with social media.  For all its positive attributes, it’s a tailor-made tool for those with a mob mentality.

4. When the line is crossed, let’s not forget our own role

   Published on Friday, July 15th, 2011
   While UK politicians and other media unite in their attacks on the Murdoch media empire over the hacking scandal, a high court judge in New Zealand put “the media” on notice over their treatment of Petricevic and, in fact, any other accused outside court.

   On the face of it there is no relationship between these events at opposite ends of the world, or is there?

   From reports we’ve read, hacking had become a routine tool of trade for some News of the World journalists, which helped them feed their public’s insatiable appetite for all manner of perversions.  Not for one minute can we believe this practice started with a missing teenager or a PM’s sick child. It would have been something much more justifiable in the eyes of the journalist involved…outing some loathsome character. It would have been “defensible”, if challenged. From that point, the line of “decency” was constantly in gradual retreat as readers lapped up scandals and exposes, to the position we read of today.

   I hold no brief at all for Petricevic, but what are the boundaries, if any, of the public’s right to know. A few weeks ago a weekend paper reported that the parents of the Kings’ boy ejected from the school ball went back to a wedding reception after collecting him and taking him home, and short time later he was found dead. The following week the paper said this was not correct and apologised.

   I know of a case where a reporter and cameraman turned up at the front door of woman who’d been caught up in the trauma of armed robbery and had a gun held to her head a day or two earlier. For her being confronted by the media was another trauma.

   Where is that “line”, and does it blur or change depending on our appetite for vengeance or prurience?  Don’t forget who feeds the media beast through our interest – we do.

5. Let’s not allow the Grinch to steal our Rugby World Cup (RWC)

   Published on Tuesday, May 17th, 2011
   You’ve got to agree – we can occasionally be a bunch of whingers and whiners.  When something amazing happens there are always those who will find fault and plenty more who will then jump on that particular band wagon. 

   I have a feeling the RWC will go that way too. But does it need to be that way? How can we reap the most benefit from this event? Certainly not by criticising and complaining about every misstep or perceived “issue” that the public probably didn’t really need to know about.     

   Putting aside the actual games, there could be plenty of negatives to highlight if we go looking, and are that way inclined – crowd control disasters, ticket collection nightmares, bully boy RWC officials clamping down on people breaking the major event legislation, shocking service by international standards or maybe even visitors’ bawdy behaviour, bad weather and of course sub-standard stadium facilities. All of this will be played out to a contingent of international visitors, including media, who will then share these stories throughout the world.  Not to mention ear bashing those of us to listen to local news. 

   So right here right now I propose we put a ban on being unnecessarily negative about the RWC.  Unless there is very good reason to raise potential issues, we should leave the criticism alone and focus on the good stuff. If you share my view then share these thoughts with others and put the brakes on the negativity. 

   My advice to the doom-sayers is to think of the Cup as being a bit like Christmas! Love it or hate it, the 25th of December will always be Christmas day and for many it is the happiest day of the year. If you’re a knocker, keep your bar-humbugs to yourself. 

   So, let’s approach RWC as a great opportunity to celebrate and enjoy one of the many things we are passionate about in New Zealand.

6. Every day heroes respond instinctively to the Christchurch Quake

   Published on Wednesday, February 23rd, 2011
   Like most people I spent last evening watching back to back earthquake coverage. Our heart goes out to the people in the city.

   Last night my instinctive reaction was to buy one of the early flights today and go down and help. But it’s clear that just now there’s no need for knee jerk heroics or reactions. At 12.51 yesterday as the earthquake hit, thousands of people and organisations immediately swung into action and the response continues.

   Each and every one of them is a true hero. Cantabrians and those visiting the region are in our minds, and if you’re like me, concern for their situation is mixed with sheer awe at the way they are dealing with this unimaginable event.

   Since I visited New Orleans post-Katrina (2005), it has been clear to me that in a major civil defence emergency, if you can you need to help yourself, then emergency services will be able to help those in serious need and those without support.

   Canterbury knows this, and there will be some who owe their lives to the swift action of individuals during yesterday’s events. Support is coming from everywhere and everyone, yet it appears as though it is one well oiled machine albeit with many different components.

   My sense of this is entirely through the news I’ve been watching. The efforts of spokespeople from the many agencies and organisations interviewed during hours of coverage is, I think, a reflection of the on-the-ground response. They are fantastic people and professionals doing what needs to be done, to save lives, and protect people from further trauma and discomfort.

   These spokespeople seem to instinctively know this was another important part of the job that required complete focus, no room for error or nerves. Each person gave vital information that was reassuring and realistic. Even when some journalists pressed for issues around response times and under-resourcing, the spokespersons confidently pushed back and reassured people that they were there to help as required.

   While it’s not possible to single out one group or person, I do think the journalists who reported live from Christchurch yesterday deserve a special mention. They had just experienced the earthquake and some possibly had come out of damaged buildings. Others still have colleagues missing or possibly deceased. But they put their own personal trauma aside to take the lead on getting the story and important information out to people. Even while still trying to confirm where their own family and friends were, they knew how important it was to get the news out more widely.

   This sensitive but pragmatic response was evident in the response from the Orion spokesperson. Based on their past experiences, whether from earthquakes or snow-storms, he said they had learnt to not immediately rush in and throw everything at fixing what first appears the most obvious issue (I paraphrase). Instead sit back and get a view of the big picture, and then you will know where to prioritise your resources.

   The entire team at Network PR is providing support needed to client organisations, and will be glad to help any other companies in the affected region who would benefit from our experience and support.

7. Obituary – British humour and satire has died!

   Published on Thursday, February 10th, 2011
   Is global communication sounding the death knell for national humour and satire?

   British humour has certainly taken a buffeting in recent weeks with the Top Gear team and Stephen Fry being castigated internationally for their ‘zany’ comments, the type of which is beloved by many in the English speaking world.

   Fry’s offence was for pondering whether Tsutomu Yamaguchi was the ‘unluckiest or luckiest man in the world’ for surviving two atomic bomb attacks.

   The Top Gear team got into deep water for making ‘outrageous, vulgar and inexcusable insults’ about Mexicans.

   The problem with humour and satire when covered out of context in print or digital form is that you miss tone, delivery and most importantly the ‘gleam’ in the eyes of the comedian. And if English is your second language, you’re likely to be totally lost.

   For me, the world will be a more mundane place if we have to forgo the likes of The Life of Brian, Blackadder and The Office, to be replaced by American sitcom humour.

   Could our own Billy T James have risen to prominence in today’s more sensitive world? In his day that ‘evil’ chuckle and the cheeky smile at the end of his delivery was enough to smooth over any ruffled feathers. But would he get away with it today?

   For those who believe the Stephen Frys of this world should be censored for taking pot shots at ‘foreigners’, my response is have a look at what they say about the English. Surely ‘the foreigners’ are getting off lightly!

   English humour and satire has made too great a contribution to literature and the development of communication to be hobbled by it being labelled ‘racist’.

8. Cyclone Yasi – the new reality TV show

   Published on Thursday, February 3rd, 2011
   They used to speak of the isolation of far North Queensland. No more I expect.  Over the past 24 to 36 hours our connectivity has once again been proven, with literally hundreds of people sharing personal accounts of their pre, intra and post-cyclone experiences. Even with widespread power outages, we have countless voice, picture and video accounts.

   It is very personal.

   How different this is from the experience of Darwin’s Cyclone Tracy very early Christmas Day, 1974.  Most Australians, and resident Kiwis, did not learn of the death and destruction caused until later that afternoon, many hours after the event.  It was a category 4 storm, and there were over 70 deaths. So far, there have been no reported deaths from Yasi.

   Good communications played their part in preparing and directing people ahead of this outrageous storm, and it’s not surprising that Queensland emergency services have developed a well-oiled, best practice communication machine. All agencies can learn from this.

   My communications reflection on Cyclone Yasi is just this: If there is a downside to all the tireless, drip-feed of personal connectivity, it is that we lose the moments of shock revelations– experienced with Cyclone Tracy.  In contrast it has the semblance of yet another reality TV programme.  As such, the real tragedy so eloquently conveyed by the State’s Premier is somewhat lost. What do you think?

9. Is stubborn pride and political correctness stunting New Zealand’s Growth?

   Published on Monday, December 6th, 2010
   One of the first rules of communication is to ensure you don’t insult or criticise your audience.  When it comes to things related to Gods Own we are brilliant at making sure this rarely, if ever, happens.

   Remember John Cleese and his comments about how forgettable Palmerston North was?  It made national headlines and most likely put the fear of god into future visitors who might think to offer some constructive insights.

   The second question most visitors are asked by media is invariably: “and what do you think of New Zealand?” This is invariably in anticipation of a glowing response.

   But surely we need some constructive criticism in order to rattle the cages of the decision makers so shortcomings can be addressed and, where possible, we get ahead of the curve in core areas.  For example, our ride on the knowledge wave has slowed markedly, and we seem to be settling for a lot less and are content with simply being ‘a good place to live’, compared with other countries. 

   In reality though, we are now officially behind in some key areas which has been reinforced by leaders in internet, mobile marketing, food, the retail sector and communications, who’ve all shared this view at different forums in the past month. 

   In the food space, at a recent food industry conference, a keynote speaker referenced research that shows our retail offering in food is viewed as lacking in excitement and interest. How can this be possible when we produce some of the best food in the world?  Yet it seems people are bored and treat shopping for food as a chore, unlike our European counterparts who enjoy the rich experience of food shopping.

   Move on to consumer engagement with mobile technology. At a recent Marketing Association event, Derek Handley, co-founder of mobile marketing company The Hyperfactory*, told the audience of senior marketers that we need to go out into the world and see what is going on.  Being laggards in the internet and mobile phone space has serious ramifications for us locally and abroad.  When computers, cell phones and Eftpos came to market we proudly talked about how we were early adopters. Guess what? Our broadband charges, speed and accessibility means we are now way behind.
    
   One major step forward will be the move from “trickle” band to broad band and making it super cheap.  Derek Handley, who stated the next 24 months will see a total internet overhaul globally, went so far as to suggest that the companies offer free broad band for a brief period so that people can experience its potential. This would speed up our adoption of technology, and means that in 24 months time, we have a fighting chance of being in these critical conversations, rather than left out forever.

   I firmly believe that there are two key factors at play here.  First, we don’t like to be criticised and see it as either unfair or malicious. Second we rely on virtual connections to experience the rest of the world – partly understandable given the cost of travel. 
   But travel is an investment people need to make in business if they want to move forward, so they truly experience other markets and can apply those experiences back here.

   Another option could be for Air New Zealand to help more kiwis get out into the world to experience it for themselves, and I don’t mean the Pacific Islands or Australia.  Finally we communicators need to build a culture of more direct and honest communication within companies and organisations. Of course, one can go too far as Paul Henry discovered.

   * The Hyperfactory is a client of NetworkPR

10. We express our deepest sympathy to the families and friends of the 29 men lost in the tragic Pike Mine disaster

    Published on Thursday, November 25th, 2010
    Along with all other elements of this tragedy, such as the cause of the explosion and the stalled rescue effort, communications will become a focus for examination and commentary. As fellow communications professionals we salute the efforts of those involved and acknowledge the many challenges, most of which would be unknown to the outside observer, faced in providing the communications “support” necessary in this awful situation.

    We have all heard the words “PR Spin” used in relation to the frequent briefings on the status of the planned rescue attempt, and know the scene commander came in for some heavy and very personal criticism. 

    Any organised attempt to communicate in such emotionally-charged circumstances is likely to come under fire. Also, communicators are an easy target when the messages fall short of what people want to hear. We’ve personally worked with some of the communications advisers involved in this crisis. They are senior professionals who we respect for the job they and their teams did. Most have previous and unfortunately extensive experience in dealing with tragedies that have also involved loss of lives.

    Surely there will be things that could have been done better (they will be their own greatest critics), but as the people behind the scenes, their efforts at Pike River have set a bench mark for best practice communications in New Zealand.

    Superintendent Gary Knowles, as the conduit for a plethora of technical perspectives, many of which he would have been unfamiliar with, did a fine job in a situation where he could never meet all of the expectations of the diverse audiences he was talking to. Far more than a country cop, he had the job no-one would ever choose to do and he did it as well as one could ever expect.     

    As for Pike River CEO Peter Whittall, he was an outstanding spokesperson. We will remember his clarity, calmness and staunch presence for many years to come. 

    All communicators should embrace any lesson they can from this difficult and ultimately devastating operation.