Comments on: Why social media news releases won’t work – yet http://stuartbruce.biz/2006/05/why_social_medi_1.html Public relations, corporate communications and social media Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:33:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Tina Lang-Stuart http://stuartbruce.biz/2006/05/why_social_medi_1.html/comment-page-1#comment-2643 Tina Lang-Stuart Sat, 02 Jan 2010 21:51:58 +0000 http://www.stuartbruce.eu/?p=671#comment-2643 <p>David: I don't think that providing facts and providing background information exclude each other. Journalists can decide to just read the facts and disregard the tags and embedded links. But if the they want more - it's there.</p> David: I don't think that providing facts and providing background information exclude each other. Journalists can decide to just read the facts and disregard the tags and embedded links. But if the they want more – it's there.

]]> By: Ian http://stuartbruce.biz/2006/05/why_social_medi_1.html/comment-page-1#comment-1607 Ian Mon, 15 May 2006 20:45:02 +0000 http://www.stuartbruce.eu/?p=671#comment-1607 <p>I think there is a place for social media news releases, but it depends on the company and its activities. If it's an organisation that people/journalists are interested in due to their activities, this could be a good way of distributing information. It works on a proactive front, but also for crisis events. It could be used by organisations at disaster sites to easily share and publish content and news quickly on a global scale. It could also be used by companies or organsations that the press usually turn to as a source of stories (I'm thinking typically unbiased business case studies for smaller publications). It could also be used by those individuals or organisations who are always a good source for comments on recent activities, particularly those that feed controversial statements! (but could a blog cover this aspect?!) The law case described is another good example of possible application.</p> <p>However, I agree that this is not for everyone. Many journalists work towards tight timescales and are flooded by press releases. May won't even check their email preferring paper copies. Social media news releases changes the relationship between journalist and business - instead of pushing releases out, businesses would expect journalists to come to them. This won't happen. Not unless the activities are something like I described above. However, if this activity could be combined with current approaches of doing the majority of the background work for a journalist, then it could be a useful tool. I think it could support the current methods of developing a story with a journalist by speaking with them!</p> <p>But as Tina points out, I think it's worth trying to gauge reactions, to see how it could be applied and to evaluate it's effectiveness.</p> I think there is a place for social media news releases, but it depends on the company and its activities. If it's an organisation that people/journalists are interested in due to their activities, this could be a good way of distributing information. It works on a proactive front, but also for crisis events. It could be used by organisations at disaster sites to easily share and publish content and news quickly on a global scale. It could also be used by companies or organsations that the press usually turn to as a source of stories (I'm thinking typically unbiased business case studies for smaller publications). It could also be used by those individuals or organisations who are always a good source for comments on recent activities, particularly those that feed controversial statements! (but could a blog cover this aspect?!) The law case described is another good example of possible application.

However, I agree that this is not for everyone. Many journalists work towards tight timescales and are flooded by press releases. May won't even check their email preferring paper copies. Social media news releases changes the relationship between journalist and business – instead of pushing releases out, businesses would expect journalists to come to them. This won't happen. Not unless the activities are something like I described above. However, if this activity could be combined with current approaches of doing the majority of the background work for a journalist, then it could be a useful tool. I think it could support the current methods of developing a story with a journalist by speaking with them!

But as Tina points out, I think it's worth trying to gauge reactions, to see how it could be applied and to evaluate it's effectiveness.

]]> By: Tina Lang-Stuart http://stuartbruce.biz/2006/05/why_social_medi_1.html/comment-page-1#comment-1606 Tina Lang-Stuart Fri, 12 May 2006 14:29:39 +0000 http://www.stuartbruce.eu/?p=671#comment-1606 <p>David: I don't think that providing facts and providing background information exclude each other. Journalists can decide to just read the facts and disregard the tags and embedded links. But if the they want more - it's there.</p> David: I don't think that providing facts and providing background information exclude each other. Journalists can decide to just read the facts and disregard the tags and embedded links. But if the they want more – it's there.

]]> By: David Phillips http://stuartbruce.biz/2006/05/why_social_medi_1.html/comment-page-1#comment-1605 David Phillips Fri, 12 May 2006 08:39:21 +0000 http://www.stuartbruce.eu/?p=671#comment-1605 <p>lol... that was a mash up. The last para made no sense even to me and should read:<br /> "One of my friends reckons that most of her press releases are less than 150 words long. Her view is that the journalists need the facts and are so expert that they know enough about background and sources of information not to need any more padding. </p> <p>As a media relations practitioner, she is stunningly good."</p> lol… that was a mash up. The last para made no sense even to me and should read:
"One of my friends reckons that most of her press releases are less than 150 words long. Her view is that the journalists need the facts and are so expert that they know enough about background and sources of information not to need any more padding.

As a media relations practitioner, she is stunningly good."

]]> By: David Phillips http://stuartbruce.biz/2006/05/why_social_medi_1.html/comment-page-1#comment-1604 David Phillips Fri, 12 May 2006 08:36:24 +0000 http://www.stuartbruce.eu/?p=671#comment-1604 <p>Stuart, If anyone should advocate social media press releases its me. I think social media is a solution trying to find an application when it comes to media relations.</p> <p>At the end of the day the journalist needs up to date facts to provide context for the story. Social media and a lot of links are time consuming to follow without the assurance of being the most relevant or up to date without the imprimatur of the PR person's reputation behind it.</p> <p>Being true to your reputation as the provider of good stories is by far and away the most important part of this debate.</p> <p>One of my friends reckons that most of her press releases are less than 150 words wrong. Her view is that the journalists need the facts and so expert that they know enough about background and sources of information not to need any more padding. </p> <p>As a media relations practitioner, she is stunningly good.<br /> </p> Stuart, If anyone should advocate social media press releases its me. I think social media is a solution trying to find an application when it comes to media relations.

At the end of the day the journalist needs up to date facts to provide context for the story. Social media and a lot of links are time consuming to follow without the assurance of being the most relevant or up to date without the imprimatur of the PR person's reputation behind it.

Being true to your reputation as the provider of good stories is by far and away the most important part of this debate.

One of my friends reckons that most of her press releases are less than 150 words wrong. Her view is that the journalists need the facts and so expert that they know enough about background and sources of information not to need any more padding.

As a media relations practitioner, she is stunningly good.

]]> By: Tina Lang-Stuart http://stuartbruce.biz/2006/05/why_social_medi_1.html/comment-page-1#comment-1603 Tina Lang-Stuart Thu, 11 May 2006 20:16:38 +0000 http://www.stuartbruce.eu/?p=671#comment-1603 <p>Thanks, Stuart for this insightful post and for using my comment as an intro. I don't want to get into great length but I'd like to make one point. As I commented to John earlier today: Let's give it a try. If us seasoned PR folks with 15+ years experience don't give it a try - who will? I know, we need to find the balance between taking a risk and making money. But still....you see I dont' want to let go.... </p> Thanks, Stuart for this insightful post and for using my comment as an intro. I don't want to get into great length but I'd like to make one point. As I commented to John earlier today: Let's give it a try. If us seasoned PR folks with 15+ years experience don't give it a try – who will? I know, we need to find the balance between taking a risk and making money. But still….you see I dont' want to let go….

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