What’s Next For News Media? Meet the iReporter

Since leaving my news post at WCCO-TV more than 6 years ago, I’ve had countless formal and informal meetings with reporters wondering what’s “on the other side” of the news business. What could they do? What should they do - leave or stay? In virtually each case, the person with whom I met would like to stay in the business, but can no longer make it work, financially. And just as it is difficult for the individual, it’s also challenging for media outlets.

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Tags: anchors, bring me the news, iReporter, media, minnpost.com, News, reporters, television news

LeBron James to Announce Decision on ESPN

James will announce his decision tonight on ESPN

I am going to keep this short, as there are thousands of words floating out there on blogs and websites discussing free agent NBA forward LeBron James, and his decision as to which team he will bring his unique skillset this offseason. I do think that the entire ordeal is a gross example of excess and narcissism, but that is not what I find most confounding.

Tonight, in a 60-minute special to be aired on ESPN during prime time, James will announce his decision. My question is, why ESPN would want to put themselves in this position? How can they cover the story, as a news organization, while also broadcasting what amounts to an hourlong infomercial for the LeBron James brand?

For example, if they were to get word of what James’ decision was going to be, before the special hit the air, would they reveal it? By doing so, they would be spoiling the surprise, which could lead to fewer viewers. But, if they held the news until after the special, they wouldn’t be acting as true journalists. It becomes a ‘no-win’ situation. On top of that, if ESPN doesn’t report James’ decision early, it could be perceived that they were holding the story for their own benefit, even if that weren’t the case. The perception could be just as damning.

Add to all this the negative backlash surrounding the entire thing. As I mentioned, there are plenty of articles and blogs providing their two cents, much of it dissing James for turning this into a spectacle. (My two favorites so far can be found on Yahoo and, ironically, ESPN.com.) By providing the airtime, ESPN is just feeding the beast.

Obviously, the entire episode of ‘Lebronwatch 2010′ is completely overrun with celebrity gazing, Twitter rumors, giant egos, overpaid athletes, and misplaced values. His decision, however, is still news, and should be covered as such by news organizations, both local and national. What I can’t figure out, is why ESPN would willingly move themselves from spectator and watchdog, to participant.

Tags: backlash, ESPN, free agent, lebron james, nba, News, yahoo

How Does Social Media Effect Traditional Media?

Michigan State head basketball coach Tom Izzo recently proclaimed his “lifer” status with the Spartans after considering a job opportunity with the Cleveland Cavaliers. As Izzo deliberated this life changing decision, the rumor mill was cranking away with reporters tapping sources, staking out near the basketball complex in East Lansing and outside Izzo’s offices. There were even some reporters contacting Izzo’s mother to see if she had any insight into what was going on inside her son’s mind.

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Tags: Blog, citizen, Cleveland Cavaliers, Communications, fundraising videos, journalism, media, media relations, Michigan State, News, storyteller, Tom Izzo, YouTube

Honesty is a Key Tenet of Social Media

Social media isn’t really all that hard to understand, yet corporate America has a way of taking something simple, honest and relatively pure and smudging it up with it’s big fat fingers. Here’s my beef: One of the tenets with blogging is hyperlinking to content that is complimentary to your content. The idea is to share good information - pretty simple stuff.

So, growing up in suburban Detroit, I often read the Detroit papers - the News and the Free Press. The other day, while reading an article on my iPhone about my beloved Michigan State Spartans basketball team I noticed some obscure words hyperlinked - words like “comfort.” Thinking this is related content (like, ‘in beating Northern Iowa the Spartans can take comfort…), I clicked on the link only to find a pop-up advertisement for a deodorant. Dumbfounded, I began to click on other hyperlinks in this mobile article only to find more and more pop up ads. This is the type of stuff that will drive people away from social media.

In this age of transparency I find it amusing that so many businesses have a hard time helping people, instead of selling to people. It’s an old mindset that traditional marketers can’t seem to escape. They are trapped in old school thinking, that just does not work in the world of social media.

Quit trying to control the message, stop shouting at your customers and find ways to help people. If you want proof that the old way is the wrong way - next time you go to a party, introduce yourself to a stranger and begin selling your product to them. See what kind of reaction you get and then shoot me a note to let me know how that worked for you.

Ed Heil is the owner and president of StoryTeller Media & Communications an inbound marketing and public relations agency and video production company based in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Ed blogs on topics related to inbound marketing, social media, media relations, news media, video production and crisis communications.

Tags: Communications, Detroit, Free Press, iphone, media, Michigan State, News, Northern Iowa, Spartans, storyteller