My Own Bad Pitches

It didn't take long for me to get some pretty lousy PR pitches this week!

Here are three I got today:

• A snail-mail press release came in an envelope. The address label was to: "Various Producers." I don't know what the press release was for because I threw it away.
• An e-mail from an address called "PRIntern@name-of-the-organization.org." Sending me an email from an intern's address shows a lack of respect. Just as PR people calling an assignment desk don't want to speak with our interns, we certainly don't want your press releases coming from your interns.
• An e-mail were the address said simply "A Release." Oh. My. God. Could you give me any other reason NOT to pay attention to your precious press release?
  

OK good, I think I got that out of my system. This isn't rocket science, folks!

Bad PR Pitches

I guess I'm not the only one to receive utterly asinine/clueless pitches from public relations "professionals." There is a blog I recently discovered called the Bad Pitch Blog.

One of the latest entries has a list of the Top-1o things to NEVER say to the media.

I am inclined to agree with each point. One of my favorites is Point # 9:
"That isn't a story."

As with most things- it would be better to show me why something is not a story rather than telling me outright that something isn't a story.

Also- if we are calling you, the PR person, about a story- chances are we have already committed to doing the story, and it is in your best interest to "learn more about the story to determine if you should be on offense or defense."

Making Public Record Request Work for YOU

This is fantastic:

Via the Lexington Kentucky Herald-Leader, a man used the state's public record laws to request E-Mails his wife (a state employee) was writing to another state employee.

Malmer said last night he wanted the e-mails because he suspected his wife was having an affair. Although his wife has since confessed to the affair, Stephen Malmer said, he still has questions and wants to see the case through for closure.

Unfortunately, he met a lot of resistance from the keepers of those records. Fortunately, a sane judge intervened and forced the release:

"In this case, the communications are by definition non-work-related, but that does not mean there is no public interest in the disclosure of such e-mails," Shepherd wrote in his ruling. "The fact that state employees are using state resources to exchange non-work-related messages during working hours is a matter of legitimate inquiry for the public."

This is just another example of why public record laws are so vital and need to be strengthened.

Black Friday

Black Friday is just days away. Retailers are going nuts trying to lure customers into their stores in an effort to boost holiday sales.

How do I know they are going nuts?

Because they are actually playing ball with the news media.

I have been inundated with press releases from various stores and chains inviting cameras inside to record shoppers and any mania that accompanies it.

There is even one big-box electronics chain that has told is that we can go to *any* of their stores without prior approval from Corporate. Supposedly, all of their managers know the media might come and have been instructed to welcome them. This is very progressive and very much appreciated by those of us in TV News who have to come up with locations our cameras can go to.

This is a departure from the norm -- which is that we are RARELY allowed to bring cameras inside retail stores. So you'd better bet we will be taking advantage of this.

The winners: The stores who open at midnight (they'll get press in the 11pm news on Thanksgiving night) and at 4:00 or 5:00am (because having the lines as a backdrop is perfect for a live shot for a morning show).

The losers: Malls. A few are begrudgingly allowing cameras into the main "public" portion of the building. But even then, I am sure cameras will be closely watched by mall minders. (Again- what country do I live in??)

The most interesting thing is how many stores are competing for our attention. So the best advice for this year and into the future is to open your doors and embrace the media. Otherwise you will definitely get overlooked and left without a chance to drum up some amazing and free visibility.

Miami Reporter in Trouble for Doing His Job

For quick background on this Miami reporter in trouble with the law, here is an AP story.

Second, here is the raw and unedited video from WPLG's web site of the confrontation.

Third, here is WPLG's report on the incident (perhaps most interesting because they happen to have all the raw video from the story).

This post is to get a peek at how the assignment desk was involved!

These details come by way of FLTV:

According to Rad Berky's [WPLG reporter] report Weinsier called the newsroom complaining about the treatment. Assignment Editor Sandy Antonio called Ed Torrens from Miami-Dade School Police who according to Antonio told her Weinsier “can walk up and down the sidewalk as long as he’s not interrupting pedestrian traffic”.

Sandy Antonio relayed that message back and that’s when you see Weinsier and photog Frank Debesa going back to where they were before.

That this incident escalated the way it did is just ridiculous. Kudos to the photographer, Frank Debesa, for meeting with detectives "to file assault charges against the cop who pushed him." sued for willful bullying.

And good work to the desk for actually reaching out and trying to clarify with the police (and trying to work with the police rather than against them) exactly where the reporter was allowed to go.

The reporter's next court appearance is less than two weeks away on November 13.