Archive for the 'Interviews' Category

29
Apr
09

Fox 8′s Stefani Schaefer Discusses Social Media

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Categories: Facebook, Interviews, Online Video, Social Media and Twitter
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The increasing popularity of online communication channels can be a positive boost for traditional news outlets, especially if these outlets leverage social media in an appropriate context.

Fox 8 in Cleveland is one of many news organizations that has been proactive in utilizing social media to connect with its viewers. For example, Fox 8 anchor Stefani Schaefer blogs on the Fox 8 Web site and maintains an active presence on Facebook. Stefani even uses Facebook on her laptop during the 7:00 a.m. hour of the morning show.

Earlier this week, I spoke with Stefani about the benefits the mainstream news media derives from using social media platforms. Check out the video of our conversation above. Here are a few key points from the interview that I want to point out:

  • Authenticity is of paramount importance. Stefani personally responds to her messages rather than having a representative from the station respond for her.
  • Breaking news on Twitter can be a catalyst for TV viewership. When people are alerted that a breaking news story is developing, they may turn on the TV for more information.
  • The Internet is an ideal way to gather news, so long as the sources report accurate information. Everyone is broadcasting information online, and the credibility of each source should be examined closely. As Stefani says, “You want to make sure you’re getting your information from a place that’s validated – that’s a credible source.”
  • Television anchors can use their online following to benefit charitable causes, even ones they may not have a chance to feature on the air. Stefani used one of her recent blog posts to boost support for a program that offers free mammograms to uninsured women.

Most importantly, Stefani excels in maintaining an engaged online following because she shares content and opinions that provide value to the people who connect with her. Stefani has been a friend of mine for several years, and I can attest to the fact that she is every bit as genuine and personable as she appears on TV. Her genuine personality comes across in her online activities and that authenticity undoubtedly resonates with the online community.

06
Apr
09

Cleveland Rocks!

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Categories: Interviews and Online Video
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It was great to see Cleveland shine in the national spotlight over the weekend during the Rock Hall inductions. As one Plain Dealer reporter put it, Cleveland “made a positive – even glamorous – impression.”

The Rock Hall inductions weren’t the first time high-profile celebs have ventured outside of New York or Los Angeles to visit Cleveland. Last November, Will Smith came to town for a special screening of the film, “Seven Pounds.”

As you can see in the video below, I spoke with WKYC anchor Romona Robinson at the event, and she suggested that the positive word of mouth generated by stars like Smith would resonate with the Hollywood community and attract more celebrities to Cleveland.

As Romona put it, “The people who say negative things about Cleveland – they’ve never been to Cleveland.”

Let’s hope all of the positive buzz surrounding Cleveland will continue to grow in the year ahead.

24
Mar
09

Tweet Carefully

By radarpublicrelations Leave a Comment
Categories: Interviews, Social Media and Twitter
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© Twitter

At its best, Twitter is an ideal communication platform for fostering open, honest dialogue with key audiences in real time. With the current public distrust of the corporate establishment, companies may particularly benefit from opening up on Twitter. Social media sites such as Twitter have the ability to humanize an organization. Additionally, both organizations and public figures that use Twitter are capitalizing on the high level of transparency that the social media movement thrives on. Julia Roy, senior agent at Undercurrent, says being authentic is the fundamental principle of having success on Twitter.

At the same time, it’s important to recognize that Twitter is a communication tool that needs to be used responsibly. Recently, Milwaukee Buck player Charlie Villanueva drew fire for posting a tweet to his account during halftime. “Tweeting during halftime probably isn’t the smartest thing,” Roy advises. “If you were to tweet right after the game, it probably wouldn’t be a big deal.”

In fairness, Villanueva went on to have a strong performance in that game in rout to leading the Bucks to victory, so some perceived Twitter indiscretions aren’t as severe as others. Yet, Roy says the basic principle users need to take away from examples such as this is it that “professionals need to think about [Twitter] professionally.”

For example, anyone working in an agency setting should definitely think twice before posting tweets if clients are waiting on the completion of time-sensitive projects. Twitter users should also recognize that their tweets can travel a long way in the Twitterverse and wind up being read by people they never intended to have see their tweets. As one user found out the hard way, posting negative remarks about a job offer is a big mistake.

“People are definitely going to make mistakes and are going to tweet things that they’re going to look back at later and wonder what the hell they were thinking,” Roy comments.

Roy says that everyone on Twitter needs to recognize that even though using the service is quick and easy, if it’s not used responsibly “it does have its repercussions.”

Check out Julia’s blog for more of her thoughts on this topic.

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24
Mar
09

Julia Roy – Social Networking Extraordinaire

By radarpublicrelations 1 Comment
Categories: Interviews, Online Video, Social Media and Twitter
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Undercurrent Senior Agent Julia Roy

Undercurrent Senior Agent Julia Roy

If you’re on Twitter, Julia Roy probably needs no introduction. She’s the spunky senior agent at Undercurrent who’s quickly become one of Twitter’s most prominent influencers. Julia epitomizes what it means to embrace all channels of social media, not just Twitter. She’s become known for the “Tweet Week” videos on her blog, her self-portraits on Flickr and her quirky videos on 12 Seconds.

Check out my interview with Julia at The Trades. She shares some useful insights about online media and offers advice about how to master the art of social networking.
On a side note, today is Ada Lovelace Day. It is a day to draw attention to women excelling in technology. Julia is definitely on the leading edge of the social media movement and deserves a shout out on this special day.

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