Media First

It's all about the thrill of it!

2009-07-13T05:31:00.000-07:00

Every editor in broadcast news would have had one goal this year and that was to get an exclusive interivew with Obama - The race was on as soon as the results of the American elections were announced. So this time Sky won the day and there will be much hang ringing in newsrooms as to why they didnt get the main man of the moment - Such is the competition for ratings that I'm sure champagne corks were popping long into the night at the SKY HQ so if you're sitting there saying 'so what' its just an interivew - - the thrill is in the race thats what runs through a journalist veins from the minute they wake up to the moment they go to sleep!

FEDERER WOWS THE CROWD & THE MEDIA!

2009-07-06T07:11:00.000-07:00

What a superstar Roger Federer is - not only is he the best tennis player in the world but also unlike many sports stars, he completely understands how to manage the media - he gives them what they want so they love him! He definitely knows how to play the game both on and off the court. He knows what makes the media tick and manipulates them so he not only raises his own profile but that of all his eager sponsors who so desperately want to get their logo broadcast to millions. Once again confidence, clarity and control are the key to a successful relationship with the press and boy does he have all three!

THAT VOICE!

2009-07-01T03:16:00.000-07:00

Ok I have to admit having blogged on the wonders of Andy Murray's interivew technique - i now have to have a moan. Surely with all the money, coaching and advice that is available, could someone please make his voice sound just a bit more animated! Even after a gruelling 5 sets on Monday he still managed to describe his brilliant performance as if he were reading a shopping list! This is one of the key things we train people to do whenever they are doing interivews or presentations - is to show how passionate and enthusiastic they are so that the audience can connect with you!

MURRAY MEDIA MAGIC

2009-06-29T00:57:00.000-07:00

One man who has definitely improved his interivew technique is the main man at Wimbledon this year - Andy Murray. At every press conference or interview - all attempts to be led off course into the dangerous territories of - do think you going to beat Federer, do you think its a given your going to be in the final - he calmy replies that hes taking each match at at time...all his competitors are playing at the top of their game . etc etc - a perfect example of confidence, clarity and control!

ITS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN!

2009-06-26T01:26:00.000-07:00

Yes, Wimbledon is here, exam time is nearly over and its raining at Glastonbury and so the nightmare of the silly season starts here. News editors around the UK are desperately seeking stories to fill acres of pages or airtime. So take heed all of you who have great postive news stories to tell - phone your favourite journalist now! He/she will greet you with open arms. So Carpe diem !

Its not just what you know its how you say it!

2009-06-08T00:21:00.000-07:00

In these troubled times when we need the brightest brains to tell us how to work our way out of the worst recession for decades isnt it amazing that one of the reasons the electorate has lost faith in the system is that MPs just dont know how to communicate with us. Whether its the expenses scandal, or the collapse of the banks the lack of ability to engage with an audience and understand what the general pubic need to hear as to what is the way forward has been lost. Being able to get your message across in challenging times and demonstrate care and compassion is just as important as when there is a positive message to get out. So really its not just about knowing what needs to be said but how you said it!

VIRGIN DOES IT AGAIN!

2009-06-05T00:41:00.000-07:00

Yet another piece of brilliant PR this morning on the radio by the chief executive of Virgin Trains. Despite the interivewer throwing every negative at him from late running trains, ,major disruption on the west coast, he still managed to turn every single response into a positive and ended up being a great 4 minute advert on travelling by train!

It could be you!

2009-04-23T01:29:00.000-07:00

With all the headlines recently of ministers failing to cover up confidential documents - there was a brilliant example of seizing the moment by Rymans (the stationary company) on the radio. The Operations Director was on radio 4 outlining the types of folders they offer, costs and how they would even supply the whole cabinet with a range of folders for free. fantastic piece of advertising on national radio for free! Plus it wasnt the marketing director or the chief executive that did the interivew but the ops director which just shows even if the topic isnt your key responsibility you can still be called upon to push the message and be successful - so yes it could be you !

Fish tank - Feel good factor!

2009-03-31T07:50:00.000-07:00

After my rant yesterday calm has now returned to the office as here at Media First we have decided to lighten the mood by having our TV in the reception area display not just any old image but the fish tank from 'Finding Nemo'. Smiles all round as delegates arrive and stand for a while taking in the soothing sights and sounds of the little tropical fish swimming gently by!Less stress with my team -so to lift the spirits .. go fish!

King or Queen - who cares?

2009-03-30T06:02:00.000-07:00

I have to say I was amazed last week amidst all the economic turnmoil around the world,
the death of a policeman in Belfast and the continuing attacks on the British troops in Afghanistan, the editor of the Today programme decided in its peak slot of 08.10, to run a story about our the royal constitution and right to accession! How can the vague possibility that in the future Princess Anne might become queen before Prince Andrew be more news worthy than all of the above. Considering when the expert being interviewed said that it was unlikely for any decision to be made on this within the next decade im afraid I fail to see the newsworthyness of the item! ok rant over!

Who do you trust?

2009-01-20T00:49:00.000-08:00

Interesting news item on the BBC last week following the amazing emergency landing of American Airlines flight into the Hudson river. The news at ten report was focused around how quickly the pictures of the aircraft appeared on social networking sites around the world. Hundreds of thousands of people saw these amazing photos before they were shown on the major news networks - but noone questioned whether they were for real or was it just a hoax? Every newsroom when they saw these pictures would have had to check and verify the facts before broadcasting these images. So who do you trust for you dose of breaking news?

2009-01-07T09:01:00.000-08:00

My hopes were raised this morning as I drove to work listening to radio 4. despite the doom and gloom on the high street two seasoned professionals did a brilliant job of making it seem ,well not quite so bad! the Chairman of M & S and the Chief Executive of Next both did an excellent job of putting a positive spin on what was a negative story on a drop in sales figs and for M &S the added challenge of announcing redundancies. A great example of how to turn even this kind of negative news into a positive!

2008-12-03T01:51:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the new Media First website and I thought I would start off with a very seasonal example of how not to handle the media! A couple of days a go there was a small story running about a new 'Lapland experience' opening in the Dorset. Their website claimed to show beautiful snowy scenes and the chance to see rheindeer and huskies in action. However this was not the case and so many of the public complained about the lack of snow and festive feel to the place and the cost.. that the local TV picked up on it - Noone from the company came out to defend their position and so yes you've guessed it the next day both BBC and ITV were running the story - nationwide - now trading standards and the RSPCA are investigating !!! Ignore the media and you will always get burned!

Whose to blame over the Bridgend suicides

2008-02-22T05:44:00.000-08:00

Debate is raging this week over the power of the media and its effect on the tragic suicides in Bridgend. Senior figures within the police force have called for a news blackout as they fear that reporting of such incidents only encourages vulnerable teenagers to do the same. But what/who has the greatest influence over teenagers today - Is it the traditional press or is it the the new media world of social networking that spreads the story, encouraging teenagers to discuss with their friends and ultimately give kudos to this horrific act. I'm sure this won't be the first where both the old and the new worlds of media collide.

MF Launches 'New Media' Training Workshops

2007-10-29T05:59:00.000-07:00

Advances in technology mean that how we access news and how companies communicate is changing fast. As well as the mainstream media, there are new channels through which organisations now need to control the message about their products and reputation.

How do you manage the blogosphere or engage effectively with the many social network communities such as facebook and myspace?

How can podcasting help your organisation resonate with a new digital audience?

What are the implications of getting involved?

How do you manage these new strands to your communications strategy effectively - both internally and externally?

We can guide you through the ever-changing new media landscape, give you the tools to manage your online reputation and help you participate effectively online.

Bespoke Training - You can hear more about how Media First can tailor a New Media course to your exact requirements by listening to our podcast. Or you can contact us if you'd like more information.

Workshops - Our New Media Workshops are designed to fulfill the requirements of individuals or small groups of candidates who require training in an informal, mixed group environment. Click here to view our New Media Workshop schedule.

Media First provides bespoke communications and media training to suit the individual aims and objectives of each client, which gives us the flexibility to accommodate any training requirement.

If you'd like to know more about Media First and the training we provide, you can visit our website or just download one of our podcasts from the main menu.

Flash Gordon!

2007-09-24T07:43:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again. Yup it's party conference season - and what a week Labour are having! This time last year could anyone imagine Labour being ahead in the polls and even considering a snap election? Gordon Brown and his press team provide the perfect example of how to feed the media with the right messages to damage your opponent. Constant briefings to journalists - who just love speculation - which in turn only causes more unrest for the Conservatives. Give journalists a good story and they have no need to go digging. You can get all the coverage you want!

All publicity is good publicity!

2007-09-04T08:32:00.000-07:00

As Boris Johnson launches his campaign to become Mayor of London, surely there is no better example of someone who knows how to use the media effectively. Here is a man who creates the impression of being a bumbling MP and who has been involved in a serives of media furores over his comments about Portsmouth, Jamie Oliver and Liverpool. Yet still the public want more and his TV and radio coverage increases. His ability to bounce back and give the media what they want- a good story - is never ending. It is no accident that he manages to keep his profile to the top of most news programmes' running order. He knows exactly how to play the game.
So is he a serious opponent for Ken Livingstone or just a man who adores the limelight? One thing is certain: if Londoners do decide to vote for him, London will never be quite the same again!

Care and compassion - just what's needed

2007-08-24T04:11:00.000-07:00

After the tragic death of Rhys Jones on Wednesday evening, there was the inevitable frenzy of media attention as to how and why such an incident could occur. For the police team running the investigation, dealing with this kind of intense media pressure can be extremely challenging as they are required to simultaneously do their job and give the media regular updates. On BBC Breakfast the morning after the shooting, Chief Constable Simon Byrne was giving a live 'down the line' interview from Liverpool. His compassionate and measured response to the often tough questioning about how the investigation was being run was the perfect example of how to handle a crisis situation. In these types of interivew it is very easy to simply respond to the interviewer's line of questioning. The key is to take the initiative, to show care and understanding and to reassure your audience that you and your organisation are in control of what is often a very difficult situation.

A right Royal Mail result

2007-08-21T01:49:00.000-07:00

What a difference a day makes! Over the weekend General Sir Richard Dannatt was seen on national TV highlighting the fact that soldiers are still being charged postage by the Royal Mail whilst on duty abroad.

This comment comes after relatives signed a petition asking the Government to pick up the bill for post to troops overseas.

Within 24 hours news had broken on the BBC website that the Royal Mail will shortly be announcing free post for our brave boys. A perfect example of someone using the media to get their message across and harnassing the power of public opinion to get the result the families wanted.

Suitable surnames!

2007-08-17T05:53:00.000-07:00

Is it us, or are increasing numbers of spokespeople seeming perfectly suitably named for the organizations they represent?

Last night, BBC South Today reported on the controversy surrounding the giant sheep advertisement – part of a campaign to promote Quality Standard lamb in the light of the recent foot-and-mouth outbreak – staked to a hillside on the side of the M3.

Mo Herd from the English Beef and Lamb Executive will no doubt be disappointed this morning that the sheep will be removed after safety fears were raised.

Mo’s old colleague from her days at the Meat & Livestock Commission – Amanda Lamm – might also agree.

This morning we hear from the RSPB’s conservation director Dr Mark Avery (pity about the spelling) that climate change is to blame for a drop in the number of some birds that visit Britain each winter.

And what drew Edward Funnell to the Comms department at ATOC – the Association of Train Operating Companies? Sean Trainor at Network Rail might be able to shine a light on that one.

And finally to Malcolm Weatherall, Public Weather Service Consultant at the Met Office…

Keep it simple...

2007-08-15T06:09:00.000-07:00

We're glad to see increasingly more column inches are being dedicated to the findings of medical research. This is due in part to the realisation amongst the science community that simplifying the explanation of often complex concepts can ensure a wider take up by the media.

How better illustrated by today's 'Junk Food Babies' report.

Co-authored by Dr Stephanie Bayol, of the Royal Veterinary College in London and Neil Stickland the report found that rats fed on a diet high in processed foods such as doughnuts and crisps during pregnancy and lactation gave birth to offspring that overate and had a preference for foods rich in fat, sugar and salt compared with rats on a regular diet. Dr Bayol’s team argues that similar trends could be expected in people.

Simple and moderately effective.

But our favourite summing up of the report has to come from Sue Macdonald, education research manager at the Royal College of Midwives.

"Pregnant women should not take from this that they can never have a doughnut, just don’t have ten.”

Sometimes, one line is all it takes!

Vain internet users reach for the airbrush!

2007-08-14T06:41:00.000-07:00

An article in yesterday's Daily Telegraph highlights perfectly the vanity of users of social networking and dating websites. Apparently image-conscious web users have created a 550 per cent increase in requests for airbrushing services, according to photo specialist Snappy Snaps. Technology offers those striving to achieve a flawless look the chance to have crooked teeth straightened, dark shadows removed, wrinkles erased and bodies slimmed - virtually - and at a fraction of the cost of actual surgery. Internet psychologist and Media First trainer, Graham Jones, says in the piece, "It does not suprise me that they want to airbrush things they feel make them look bad. It is about how the person inside feels about themselves and it makes them feel more positive."

It's that time of year!

2007-08-13T00:22:00.000-07:00

Listening to the review of today's newspapers on the radio, highlighted perfectly what time of year it is. Not one of the newspaper editors could agree on what should be the main lead today.
Plus the added running saga of sharks off the coast of Cornwall shows it really is time for a holiday!

Welcome to the Media First blog!

2007-08-07T02:42:00.000-07:00

Welcome to our world...