The Media Interview

I’m going to be doing a one-hour teleseminar on the power of stories to move audiences, whether it’s in a media interview, a speech, or a presentation. We’ll look at the most effective ways to construct your story and the impact of a really good delivery.

The Power of Story Telling
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
6pm PT / 9pm ET

Readers of this blog can get the teleseminar at a special price - only US $35 (reg. $50)

For more details or to sign up just click here and use promo code TMI2

My wife Kim, who runs the publicity firm Publicity Mavens, has teamed up with me to produce a bi-weekly newsletter with tips on getting media attention and then keeping it. It has something of a focus on books, but it’s really turning out to be very general.

We look forward to bringing you some inside stories of how we work with clients and what’s working and not working for promoting our clients. The signup box is over on the right.

Too often we take our voices for granted, until you’re on a media tour, for example, and you’re answering questions all day long. Today is World Voice Day, which was started back in 2002 to encourage everyone to

assess their vocal health all year long, and take action to improve and maintain good voice habits. This year’s theme, Don’t Tax Your Voice, prompts us to consider ways to preserve and protect our voices to avoid developing voice disorders.

The official website for World Voice Day has been greatly improved this year, featuring a series of vocal warm-up exercises, a vocal health quiz, tips for improved vocal communication, and much more.

My wife the publicist has suggested that I observe the day by conserving my voice and not speaking; in fact, she is encouraging me to observe World Voice Month…

Canada’s CBC Radio is running a six-part series about the news media and public relations Spin Cycles: A Series About Spin, The Spinners And The Spun. I only happened upon the fourth episode this past Sunday, but I’m catching up on their website, which not only has the broadcasts, but also full (or at least longer) transcripts of interviews, along with links to additional resources.

The show airs during the final hour of The Sunday Edition - Sundays at 9:05 AM and 2:05 PM Eastern - on CBC Radio One or Sirius 137.

No sooner had I written that I was back in full swing for the new year, than I got flattened by bronchitis. I thought, ok, at least no one will hear my continual coughing while I write… but that assumed that I’d have any strength left to write after putting in a partial day’s work. Thanks to my buddy Biaxin, I’m mostly over this lung infection and not feeling like I’m ninety years old at the end of the day.

It’s been a while since I’ve been able to post - some challenges over the holiday season, but mostly a lot of fun family time - and I’d like to wish all of you a happy holiday 2006 and the best for the coming year!

It’s been a busy six months since I began this blog and it felt odd not posting anything for more than 10 days, but things are back on track now - let the blogging begin!

Sorry, nothing from me about the Barbara Walters special last night - The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2006. My apologies. Problem was, I couldn’t see it. For those outside of Canada, you may find this story a little bizarre:

Canadian government regulations require cable providers to automatically switch an American station to a Canadian station IF they’re both running the same programming at the same time. So, if Barbara Walters was on a Canadian station and an American station, the cable company’s computer would run the Canadian station in the slot where the American station normally sits… yeah, it’s a money grab by Canadian TV outlets who don’t want you viewing the ads on a US station if you could be seeing the same program with Canadian ads.

Problem was, the cable company didn’t automatically switch the ABC station back in - so the Canadian station which must have been running an ABC show earlier in the evening, was still in that slot come 10 o’clock. AND no Canadian station was airing Barbara… so I had a re-run of Law & Order out of the corner of my eye while I yelled at the cable company on the phone… alright, it was ten minutes into the phone call when the yelling started.

While you didn’t get any comments from me about Barbara’s interviews, you have become slightly more knowledgeable about life in Canada, for what that’s worth.

One of my clients recently got a spot on a national Canadian business program called Venture’s Dreamers and Schemers. Nick Kellet has invented a board game called GiftTRAP and the producers followed him around to trade shows, distributor meetings, and more to see how he’s getting this game off the ground - and it’s taking off BTW!

The show airs tonight (Wednesday) on CBC - 7:30pm (that’s for any time zone).

Thanks to everyone who protested to Fox/Regan Books/News Corporation about the planned OJ Simpson book and TV interview - and congrats to those companies for realizing it was a travesty and for canning the entire project! Here’s a quote posted on TMZ:

News Corporation Chairman and CEO Rupert Murdoch said today, “I and senior management agree with the American public that this was an ill-considered project. We are sorry for any pain this has caused the families of Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown-Simpson.”

May this be one tip of the iceberg that sinks the hopes of OJ Simpson, Judith Regan, and News Corp: the NY Daily News reports that some Fox affiliates have started bailing on the two-night interview with Simpson. The pressure is working.

BTW, advertisers, why not support your local public and make the interviews “commercial-free programming” - call now, the lines are open.

Fox has the power to produce or not produce; you and I have the power to watch or not watch. We know how they chose; how will you choose?

See how readers of the Washington Post’s commuter paper Express are choosing (88% against watching as of today).