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No Surprises

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An article on the Poynter journalism site asks why Sunday newspaper front pages are so boring. Sunday fronts no longer seem special but look the same as any weekday edition.

The author suggests that newspapers are no longer taking (design) chances. Newspapers are trying to appeal to everyone and in that process, quality design gets lost. Sunday front pages are now packed with anything and everything in the attempt to attract interest from anyone and everyone.

Why is newspaper quality going downhill? There are no surprises here.
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Best and Worst Jobs 2011

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Take this list of the top 200 jobs for 2011 with a big grain of salt. Lists like this are always very subjective and behind the times. To show how out-of-date this list really is, it says that the obsolete job of darkroom worker (“Photographic Process Worker”, position 90) is better than that of photographer (position 144).

The job of photojournalist ranks 185 out of 200. It beat out other “bottom-end” jobs such as meter reader, taxi driver, roofer, lumberjack and roustabout.

What jobs are better than that of photojournalist? Barber, security guard, janitor, shoe repairman, carpet installer, maid, garbage collector and dishwasher. But then again, with the current state of newspapers, maybe these jobs are better.

 

Hire the right photographer

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I received a copy of an e-mail today, originally sent from a graphic designer who is advising their client on how to hire a photographer to shoot a book cover portrait along with an environmental portrait and some publicity pictures.

Regarding the photographer, I have worked with several photographers in corporate communications & public relations situations and have some suggestions about the photo session for you to consider:

Look in the business section of the paper for photos of business people that look natural, then call that photographer and book a session with him or her. …

Rationale: using a photographer who is known to the media may give you a slight edge in getting publicity for your book. (If the photographer’s newspaper work shows the subjects looking natural, that means that s/he is good at putting people at ease, and you will get a better photo.) Also, the photographer may know of particular types of poses or shots that the papers like to use. The extra photos taken can be used on your website and in your marketing campaign, even on your bookmarks.

News photographers are mobile – they can come to you.

Their rationale is right on target. When a business needs pictures for press releases, media handouts or other types of publicity, the best photographer for the job is the one with direct news media experience, someone who has worked for a daily newspaper or wire service. This photographer’s experience is well worth the money.

 

Impression Management

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It’s said that you get only one chance to make a (good) first impression. One might think that no one would understand this more than a public relations agency.

Earlier today, I was browsing the web sites of a dozen Canadian public relations agencies. Eleven of these web sites not only failed to make a good first impression but they also failed to practice what these agencies preach to their own clients.

• Only three sites had pictures of their key employees. The portraits on one of these sites were amateurishly done: it’s painfully obvious that each person used whatever picture they had handy of themselves from snapshot to computer screenshot to out-of-focus cell phone photo.

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Monkeying Around

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One of the things commercial photographers complain about is the low barrier for entry into the photography business. Today, anyone and their cat can buy a digital camera and immediately call themselves a “professional photographer”.

The reason for this is technology. The hi-tech stuff packed inside today’s cameras is amazing. But technology is just a tool and not an end point. No one looks at a photo and exclaims, “Wow, look at that focus!” or “Gee, that picture has a great white balance!”
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Good purpose for corporate journalism

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This may be old news to some but ten months ago, public relations firm Edelman published its annual Goodpurpose survey that studies the relationship between consumer attitudes and corporate social purpose.

For those who are fans of the TV game show Jeopardy!, I’ll phrase it in the form of a question: How does a company’s community involvement affect consumer behaviour?

Some of the key findings from the survey:
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Check Please

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Earlier today, the Western Canada Lottery Corporation released this handout photo of a $40 million winner:

Maybe I’m being too critical but someone at the Lottery Corporation doesn’t know how to fill out a cheque properly.

Sure, it’s just a ceremonial cheque being used as a photo prop (which is much better than using the actual little cheque). But why not take an extra minute and do it right?
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