I read your column, and I enjoyed it all :) The word "whiny" never mentioned my mind in any shape, form or fashion. Loved the California pictures too :)
newscoma
· 2 years ago
I read your column, John and you were right on. Our computers are also from 1999 and every word you wrote is true. For a laugh, our High School Cheerleaders just won the National Championship and three different people brought me CD's of the competition. Each CD had more than 600 photos on each one. Talk about wanting to pull my hair out. I didn't feel that your column was in the least bit whiny. It seemed practical and were very good words of advice. As for Joan Stewart's post, I think we are all experiencing the transition of the transparency of blogging. Recently I met a politician who just won a seat to Congress. When I introduced myself, he said (and it was so weird) "No your not Tracy Sharp, your newscoma" while he grinned. I never brought up the blog. It happened again a couple of weeks ago at the Legislative Reception in Nashville. Once again, the blog wasn't brought up by me. I found it to be very odd. I have had a couple occasions when people would come into my office and bring up the blog and I found myself automatically saying that the blog and my job at the newspaper are two different things. But, the two worlds of journalism and blogging are colliding, don't you think? I think where Stewart (and many people in mainstream environments outside of the blogosphere) don't always get is that it's not about publicity for publicity's sake. It's an extension of the creative medium we are in. At the newspaper (and do you go through this) we have a rigid set of rules we must abide by. Worn out copies of our AP Stylebooks, scheduling reporters for news stories, dealing with publishers, handling complaints and dealing with the promotion of the newspaper as a whole. The blogging allows us to step out of that box and delve into a new medium (or at least I'm speaking for myself). I write about rural media that needs to be respected and appreciated but I do try to seperate them as I believe you do. We blog just because we dig it :) And I think if someone called me wanting a job or googling my name to see what I put on-line would make me take pause. Don't regret writing the column at all. It was a good column and this is actually a very good dialogue about the subject of people who do work in the mainstream are experiencing. To blog or not to blog. I say blog. Sending fond wishes from the west side of the state.
newscoma
· 2 years ago
Darn, didn't mean to hijack here. Oops.
John Wesley
· 2 years ago
Dear and Gentle Reader,
Since I last had the pleasure of visiting ye, I have had many thoughts upon ye and your work in this, our online community. Keep hold the faith and continue to run the race! We will praise God for what he has done through your ministry and I cherish your willing spirit and compassion.
Who knows but it may please God to make ye an instrument in His glorious work? In effecting an union among the labourers in His vineyard? That He may direct and bless you in all your steps is the prayer of my heart.
Your affectionate and obedient servant, JW
Joan Stewart, The Publicity Ho
· 2 years ago
I'm not suggesting that someone mention your gumbo recipe or the fact that you're a gameshow geek in the first sentence of their pitch. Knowing what journalists are blogging about helps PR people and anyone else who wants to self-promote build the relationship with journalists. Publicity is all about relationships: giving the media what they want, when they want it, then asking "Is there any other way I can help you?"
Smart PR people hang around at a blog they're trying to get a client into, read it for several weeks, post comments, then pitch the blogger.
P.S. I worked as a newspaper editor and reporter for 22 years. Back then, it was all about building relationships. Still is.
All Comments
Talk about wanting to pull my hair out.
I didn't feel that your column was in the least bit whiny. It seemed practical and were very good words of advice.
As for Joan Stewart's post, I think we are all experiencing the transition of the transparency of blogging. Recently I met a politician who just won a seat to Congress. When I introduced myself, he said (and it was so weird) "No your not Tracy Sharp, your newscoma" while he grinned. I never brought up the blog.
It happened again a couple of weeks ago at the Legislative Reception in Nashville. Once again, the blog wasn't brought up by me.
I found it to be very odd.
I have had a couple occasions when people would come into my office and bring up the blog and I found myself automatically saying that the blog and my job at the newspaper are two different things.
But, the two worlds of journalism and blogging are colliding, don't you think?
I think where Stewart (and many people in mainstream environments outside of the blogosphere) don't always get is that it's not about publicity for publicity's sake. It's an extension of the creative medium we are in.
At the newspaper (and do you go through this) we have a rigid set of rules we must abide by. Worn out copies of our AP Stylebooks, scheduling reporters for news stories, dealing with publishers, handling complaints and dealing with the promotion of the newspaper as a whole.
The blogging allows us to step out of that box and delve into a new medium (or at least I'm speaking for myself).
I write about rural media that needs to be respected and appreciated but I do try to seperate them as I believe you do. We blog just because we dig it :)
And I think if someone called me wanting a job or googling my name to see what I put on-line would make me take pause.
Don't regret writing the column at all. It was a good column and this is actually a very good dialogue about the subject of people who do work in the mainstream are experiencing.
To blog or not to blog.
I say blog.
Sending fond wishes from the west side of the state.
Oops.
Since I last had the pleasure of visiting ye, I have had many thoughts upon ye and your work in this, our online community. Keep hold the faith and continue to run the race! We will praise God for what he has done through your ministry and I cherish your willing spirit and compassion.
Who knows but it may please God to make ye an instrument in His glorious work? In effecting an union among the labourers in His vineyard? That He may direct and bless you in all your steps is the prayer of my heart.
Your affectionate and obedient servant,
JW
Smart PR people hang around at a blog they're trying to get a client into, read it for several weeks, post comments, then pitch the blogger.
P.S. I worked as a newspaper editor and reporter for 22 years. Back then, it was all about building relationships. Still is.