Posts Tagged ‘Media landscape’

1. 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.

2. The Oprah Effect – the media princess of our times makes an indelible mark

   Published on Wednesday, April 21st, 2010
   Every so often there comes an individual whose unique impact on our cultural psyche is profound and lasting and Oprah Winfrey is one such person. 

   Her ability to influence the beliefs and behaviours of her followers, usually female, is such they will strongly defend their heroine’s stance on an issue and actively share their new learning with others so they can also reap the benefit or avoid the risks.  In turn these views are shared via other mainstream and social media networks, exponentially spreading the information. 

   For those in the know, the goal of producing a daily s-shaped stool is one such example.  Thanks to Oprah many millions, possibly even billions of people now know that producing an s-shaped stool is an indication of good digestive health.  To be fair it is not her words exactly.  But the power of her seal of approval on the experts on her show or magazine means they may as well be her words.

   The Oprah Effect is a term we ourselves use when beliefs that have been firmly established by popular media sources are contradictory to recognised expert opinion.  Being specialist communicators in the health and nutrition space it is something we experience with increasing frequency.

   More recently another Oprah Effect has been felt, this time by the media themselves.  With the release of a new unauthorised biography (by infamous biographer Kitty Kelley) few, if any, of the mainstream talk shows are said to be willing to interview the author.  As one wag said, “It’s one book guaranteed to not make Oprah’s Book Club.” This Oprah Effect has created a fear amongst media of losing privileged access or experiencing a withdrawal of her (powerful) approval. One Oprah story now is not worth banishment forever.

   Oprah is potentially the most powerful media person of our time.  She’s credited with helping put Obama in the Whitehouse.  I must confess to being in awe of her. I am not necessarily a fan but I am fascinated by her effect.

   Oprah Winfrey is the classic case of the right person at the right time having established her global dominance at a pace similar to the globalisation of media itself. Twenty years earlier and she might have languished in Chicago, which might now be known as the city of super-healthy digestive systems.

   It now remains to be seen how the Oprah Effect will manifest itself in the future.

3. There was no Sunrise today at my place

   Published on Tuesday, April 13th, 2010
   The end of Sunrise highlights the challenges media will always face when they enter an established market and aim to grab a slice of the national media pie.

   Even in its category of breakfast TV it was always going to be David up against Goliath (TV1’s Breakfast).  When you add in the other competitors for morning audiences, multiple options from online, print and radio, Sunrise faced a major scrap winning a commercial share.

   Full credit to TV3, as it gave it more than a fighting chance. The quality of the product was first class, and it was delivered by a great team.

   Regrettably for Sunrise we live in commercially difficult times, and things have to pay their way.  For Sunrise, ultimately the numbers did not stack up.
    
   I had always thought it was a safe bet that it would remain an essential in the TV3 line-up.  How wrong I was and, to paraphrase Paul Henry – it’s sad to see it go. 

   Despite our scale, New Zealand offers excellent, possibly world class, media options and there’s simply not enough time to take in everything, no matter how good it is. 

   While there will always be the loyalists who are the backbone of media ratings charts, increasingly people are becoming promiscuous – looking, listening and reading around. In our intensely busy lives we are not inclined to spend our precious time on things we don’t have a high level of interest in, and this is reflected in modern media habits.  For example, how many families sit down and watch shows together.  More likely different people watch different items at different times

   Breakfast TV as a medium, only launched in the UK in 1983, is likely to continue to face major problems in attracting and holding an audience at potentially the most time critical part of most people’s day.  

   So what does Sunrise’s demise mean for the public relations sector, working to tell its clients’ stories via television? The options have just shrunk by half for stories that are great for morning television, and lots of them are. The visual element, a bit of entertainment, some ‘nice to know’ information and perhaps add in a worthwhile cause and we’re onto a winner.

   It’s a shame that now the (admittedly small) viewing public of Sunrise may not get to hear about it.

4. The News Truce

   Published on Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009
   In Ypres, 1914 a Christmas Eve ceasefire became the stuff of yuletide legend.

   The truce began when German troops decorated their trenches, the soldiers placed candles on trees and sang Christmas carols. Not to be outdone British troops responded singing their own carols back in English. In no time the two sides were shouting greetings to each other, there were calls for visits across No Man’s Land where small gifts were exchanged. Whiskey, jam, cigars and chocolate was shared and the artillery in the region fell silent that night.

   This exceptional outbreak of peace reminds me of the news over the summertime here in New Zealand, it’s as if our world stops speaking for a month. Could this outbreak of ‘nothing happening’ be because all of us in the information exchange business have waved a white flag and sent the news on holiday?

   The news goes soft. Not a peep is heard from the courts or councils, the lobbyist and legislators languish. Business leaders too are mute, our captains of industry have headed off in the caravan and so have the agitators and activists. The Beehive itself is silent. Even the sports reporters have given up the ghost.

   The papers are scrawny and the news bulletins truncated. They will contain stories from the seaside, teens running amok, cute kiddies frolicking, kooky animal stories, a freak storm perhaps, sunscreen warnings, surf beach rescues and the road toll.

   The lifestyle pages will be chocka with recipes for leftovers, anniversaries of other things, musings on the future or the past from famousish New Zealanders and book reviews. The news in other words – will be nice.

   This is not a global news-truce, the Northern hemisphere draws a breath for Christmas but their news-machine barely misses a beat. It is us who have a full hiatus of real news and maybe that’s just the way we like it.