Category: News

The News Group’s Newsroom, Best of the Best

My business partner at The News Group Net - David Henderson – and I consulted recently with a team at one of the world’s most respected corporate advisory organizations. They wanted to know more about our strategic, proprietary model to building corporate online newsrooms that are vastly more effective at managing online brand image and reputation than anything else.

The consultancy, which advises the world’s leading corporations about best practices, had evaluated literally hundreds of corporate online “pressrooms” or newsrooms … and had zeroed in on our work to develop and manage Imperial Sugar’s online newsroom as the best example of using a new online model to effectively enhance corporate brand.

The head of the team said, “In a world of grossly mismanaged corporate brand images,” the Imperial Sugar newsroom is among the best they have seen. And, here’s why … Our model for an online newsroom achieves corporate brand prominence, distinction and competitive differentiation within an industry. It defines leadership online. It uses the appeal of news to become the center of discussion and interest within an industry sector.

When you openly and honestly present the news, you open discussion that results in credible attention. Our online newsroom model is not about the old-fashioned style of pushing out or shouting out marketing messages, meaningless press releases or promotional dribble. Such things are the antithesis of today’s style of online communication, media and brand-building.

A corporation that uses an online newsroom to “market its messages” is making a big mistake that will ultimately harm that corporation’s brand image because it corrupts the fundamental credibility and integrity of news with the self-serving purpose of marketing. Furthermore, it’s not about scampering to try to reach vast numbers of eyeballs because that’s irrelevant; it’s about reaching the right leaders, the most influential and important people within target audiences.

The News Group Net, a corporate journalism consultancy, develops and manages custom turn-key online newsrooms for organizations that want to expeditiously enhance brand positioning online and throughout their respective business and financial sectors by becoming the most respected, trusted, transparent and influential source of industry news. In the area of crisis management, this approach online is singularly the most important step any organization can take. It is a vast difference from what anyone else is attempting online … and, it works!

Mar 15, 2010 | 0 comments View Post

Primary Audiences for Online Newsrooms

It is a misperception in the PR business that the primary audience of an organization’s online newsroom is the news media.

Journalists and bloggers, alike, have learned that most traditional online newsrooms are little more than dusty repositories of old press releases – not news and not helpful.

Not surprisingly, most online newsrooms are seldom visited. Besides, that’s not how reporters find the material they need for stories … they usually turn to Google and find out what others are saying about you.

The objective of the digital model for online newsrooms developed by the team at The News Group Net LLC – of which I am a partner – is to make a company or organization the go-to online resource for balanced and legitimate news about its industry and business sector.

At the same time, it is a site that reflects stories, voices and news that appeals to the company’s most meaningful audiences – such as investors, the financial community, business partners, employees, customers, consumers, contractors and vendors … and then, maybe, the media.

In other words, we build online newsrooms – such as ISCNewsroom.com and LouisianaSugarNews.com, among others – that quickly become the most credible information resources about an industry as well as the company. In an era of media chaos and turmoil, we create sites for organizations to showcase their own news, targeted to audiences that make a difference.

In the case of Imperial Sugar’s online newsroom, its popularity reflects a 181 percent growth in shareholder value. The site has become the highest rated site of any sugar company in the world, soaring to an Alexa.com ranking of 135,000 in the U.S. (among 12-million sites online). More than anything, Imperial Sugar’s online newsroom has significantly expanded the company’s brand awareness as a leader in the food industry.

When you achieve such transparency, credibility and openness,

Mar 11, 2010 | 0 comments View Post

The News Group Net Will Miss Founding Partner Springfield Lewis

Bourbon Street in The French Quarter

Springfield Lewis on Bourbon Street

New Orleans changes people, sometime for the better, sometime for the worse.

Springfield Lewis, his real name is Robert, had hired me a couple of times to photograph stories for his IBM publications before we met in the Mississippi River city almost 25 years ago. Over the three weeks we worked in New Oleans on a project for IBM, the city brought us together as life long friends.

A few months after New Orleans, Springfield was responsible for introducing me to my wife Adrienne, with whom he was a co-worker. I am not sure whether I should thank him for that or not, 24 years later we are still seeing if we are right for each other. It might take another 24 to be sure.

Girls at Night in the French Quarter

During the time I lived in Atlanta, Springfield was a close part of Adrienne and my circle of friends. After we all left Altanta and moved on to other jobs, Springfield dropped off the radar. Years later when Adrienne and I moved to Texas, Springfield once again emerged as a blip at EDS in Dallas.

It wasn’t until last May that Springfield and I reunited. After being downsized from EDS where he was director of communications for the America’s group, I asked Springfield to join David Henderson and I in a unique project, The News Group Net.

Springfield Lewis in the French Quarter

David had landed an important contract with Imperial Sugar to develop and staff an online newsroom. Imperial Sugar was coming off of some very bad years that included a major tragedy, it needed a voice to move into the future. The News Group Net was asked to become an important part of strategically developing that voice, and Springfield was an intregal part in developing the tone.

During the next few months Springfield and I travelled extensively together, and regained the fast friendship that had started in New Orleans 25 years earlier.

Springfield and Me

Last week was Springfields last day with The News Group Net. Harris Communications, a defense contractor based in Melbourne, Fl has lured him away and it really hurts to see him go. David and I wish him all the best in his new job as Director of Worldwide Corporate Communications. We realize he is needed there, and he will take the company to new heights.

It was fitting that the last job we did for The News Group Net, would be in New Orleans. As we wondered around the French Quarter at night, it was as if we were once again 25 years the younger. He will always be an important part of this company.

New Orleans does change people. It changed mine with a lifelong friendship.

Springfield you will be missed!

Aug 17, 2009 | 0 comments View Post

Adrienne’s Breast Cancer Surgery Day

Adrienne with Michael Garcia, chief of surgery at Seton Hospital in Austin.

Adrienne with Michael Garcia, director of surgery at Seton Hospital in Austin.

My wife Adrienne was up all night, not worried about the surgery for breast cancer she was receiving today, but instead on how she was going to manage her hunger pains till her scheduled 11:30 surgery.

At 5:30 this morning I found her up and working at her desk, trying to finish up some last minute detail for her job at Seton Hospital. Even without much sleep she was in a good mood, and ready to face the day. Food however was still on her mind.

Checking into Seton hospital we were given a pager and some last minute forms that needed to be signed. Adrienne had to run around to visitors in the lobby to get two witnesses for her signature. What they must have thought is anyone’s guess.

Adrienne before being taken to x-ray.

It was then off to the day surgery prep room for her traditional gown fitting, equipped of course with an open back, and cute little slipper socks to keep the feet warm. Good news was they also provided pants equipped with a fly.

Before being whisked off to x ray, Michael Garcia, director of surgery, dropped in to wish her well, then she was taken to x-ray where she had a harrowing experience.

The dense breast my wife has did posed a little problem for the placement of a metal wire to mark the cancerous spot, but the real problem came as she was leaving. Adrienne was trapped in radiology when the door handle on the inside broke off. After a call to maintenance Adrienne and the radiology staff were freed.

Coming back to the pre-op room, A was still in good spirits. She was visited by her anesthesiologist and her surgeon, John Abikhaled. They both took extreme pains in explaining what would happen, and what she would be experiencing. She also got a call from her dad wishing her well.

A is Wheeled Away to Surgery.

She has just been wheeled out to the operating room where she will have an hour long procedure, followed by about an hour to an hour and one half recovery.

As I sat in the waiting room, time seemed to stand still. I busied myself editing photos for Imperial Sugar’s newsroom, and making a few calls. Time however did not march fast enough.

Michael Garza came over and handed me a voucher for the lunch room, but despite the hunger in my belly, the hunger that was driving me was A’s successful surgery.

A little more than one hour after watching Adrienne be wheeled away, the pager we were given earlier begin to sing. I hurriedly gathered A’s and my bags, and headed to meet the surgeon.

Adrienne in the recovery room chair

John Abikhaled met me with good news. He said the surgery went smoothly and Adrienne was a marvelous patient. He explained how he removed a lump approximately the size of a golf ball from her left breast (thank god that was the correct one). He had sent samples to the lab, and we would know in approximately two days whether he had managed to remove all the cancerous growth.

After a few questions on her treatment for the next few days, I hurried off to meet my wife in recovery room C4.

Adrienne was awake in her bed, if you can really call only being aware of your surroundings awake. Despite the circumstance she remained in good spirits. I was given the task of getting a prescription filled for pain, so I left here sipping on water and eating graham crackers.

Adrienne being wheeled out of Seton Hospital.

By the time I had returned, the bed was gone and Adrienne was sitting in a chair. She was wide awake and her feistiness was rapidly returning. She was ready to go home.

After a short explanation of do’s and dont’s by the recovery room nurse, Adrienne was dressed and in a wheel chair headed to the front door. I am not sure that is because the are really good there, or because they really wanted to get rid of her. None the less, despite having to be there for a very serious condition, the professional staff made the experience very pleasurable.

Upon her arrival home, Adrienne quickly hit the bed to be greeted by her favorite cat, Sammy. The two of them fell fast asleep only to be woken by the doorbell and our two furious dogs barking their fool heads off.

Adrienne and her cat Sammy at home.

The wakening was a pleasant surprise. The staff at her office at Seton had sent over dinner for the family. Yum, yum it is pizza and salad and best of all, I don’t have to cook.

Adrienne will be fine I am sure. Our family wants to thank all of you for your prayers and good wishes.

Aug 17, 2009 | 8 comments View Post

On Finding My Wife Has Breast Cancer

Adrienne at her recent birthday dinner. A good looking 53.

The phone call hit me hard!.

The call from my wife Adrienne hit me so hard that I had to excuse myself from the table of a very important business breakfast I was having with my partners in The News Group Net.

My wife Adrienne, had been told two weeks earlier that a biopsy was needed to further define a suspicious spot on her mammogram. Four days earlier, I had taken her to Seton Hospital Northwest for the biopsy. We were waiting for the results. Results that in my own mind would come back negative, I was wrong.

Since being told of the suspicious spot on her left breast, and that the breasts were unusually dense, Adrienne had been researching online medical explanations for dense breasts.

At 53 years of age, and uncountable mammograms and doctor visits later, no-one during her lifetime had mentioned that dense breast tissue is more susceptible to breast cancer. To be honest, even if she and I knew that, I am not sure what could have been done different.

Adrienne has always been a person that does all the right things when it comes to exercising and eating properly. In all fairness, the medical community at some point during one of those exams should have mentioned that the denseness of her breast was something that should be carefully monitored.

Bad news is often followed by more bad news, and that is how it was in this case.

The following week Adrienne had an MRI, and more spots were found on her left breast. After more biopsies, good news finally came from Adrienne’s oncologist, the second set of spots biopsied were benign.

Treatment for the cancer would consist of a lumpectomy followed by intense radiation treatments for a number of weeks. She would also have to take a prescribed medication for up to five years.

For those of you that know Adrienne, and that is easily more than half the corporate communication professionals in the United States, she is a very headstrong and self-confident woman. The breast cancer was discovered early and I’m confident that she will have no problem overcoming this obstacle. Adrienne has a wonderful support group of family and friends that love her dearly, and when all is said and done, this will only make her stronger when she joins the ranks of other breast cancer survivors.

Aug 08, 2009 | 7 comments View Post

NY Times Reports Annie Leibovitz in Financial Trouble

Say it ain’t so Joe, if Annie Leibovitz can’t make it as a successful photographer who can?

This story by the New York Times points out that there is a vast difference in being a great photographer and being a great photographer with good business sense.

With all her photographic talent, it seems Leibovitz has made some very bad business decisions that could cost her the rights to her photographic works. To read the whole story click here.

Aug 03, 2009 | 0 comments View Post

Can Your Newspaper Survive?

My Photo

Earl Carter is a former photojournalist/photo editor having worked in Kingsport, TN, West Palm Beach, FL and Huntsville, AL during his career. He owns Carter Photography in Kingsport, TN and works with families, children, editorial, and commercial clients. He is also my former chief-photographer while I worked at the Kingsport Times-News.

As one who spent most of his life working for newspapers, I am concerned at the recent news of major newspaper closings. Just this week the Denver Rocky Mountain News announced that it would be ceasing operations. It joins a growing list of noteable casualties: Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Chicinnati Post, Albuquerque Tribune, Vermont Guardian, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, and Baltimore Examiner. Others that may soon join them are: San Francisco Chronicle, Tuscon Citizen, Miami Herald, and the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Folks, these are major newspapers in big markets that have felt the mighty hand of change. Other newspapers hope to delay the same fate by implementing cost cutting measures such as limited or no home delivery and publishing less days per week. The Detroit Free-Press now operates on a 3 day home delivery. The Oklahoman (Oklahoma City) is only sold in racks and retail outlets.

What does all this mean to us in a small market like Kingsport, Tennessee. Not much, unless you like reading the traditional printed newspaper. Just last week the Kingsport Times-News ran a survey on its online edition asking readers what effect not having their paper in a print edition would have on them. The results are sobering. It was roughly divided in three groups. One group said it would not have much affect on them. Another said they would find something to take its place. That leaves approximately one third of your respondents saying it would matter to them. Now admittedly, this survey was done online so it probably doesn’t reflect all the print copy subscribers accurately, but it still must cause some concern.

Most newspapers hope to convert readers to their online editions and maintain some sort of presence in the market they serve, but that does not require the current amount of staff to produce. Already the Bristol Herald-Courier just up the road is requireing many employees to take 2 days per week off without pay. Can any measures hold back this trend

When I first began working at the newspaper, they all had individual personalities as unique as the town and editors that produced them. Each one was a reflection of the people and values of their readers. Then USA Today came along with lots of color and marketing itself at America’s paper. It was a big success that didn’t go unoticed by local papers hoping to beat back this interloper that was taking some of their readers. Thus, began the big homogination of America’s newspapers. Everybody wanted colorful weather maps. In depth stories were no longer allowed. It had to be brief, short attention span type of writing. They all began to look like newsprint from the same litter. I wanted to be loyal to my newspaper, but which one was it.On the newstand they looked alike.

Then, I remember the staff meeting when we were told that we were no longer in the news business. We were in the information business! Okay, what does that mean? We would attempt to publish a wealth of information on just about anything. We probably had that piece of info you needed, but it might be in four point type, so look very hard.

Other changes such as the rising cost of newsprint meant less space for editorial content ratio compared to news. Make the pictures smaller! Cut the copy! Everybody wants their paper in the morning so no more kids on bicycles delivery boys. Distributon cost went up. All of these things were mere annoyances compared to the looming astroid about to hit planet newspaper. The Internet….the biggest change in information distribution since the invention of the printing press. The generation that has grown up with the computer as their primary source of communication does not relate to the printed newspaper.

Will newspaper evolve, grow new appendages and take a Darwinian leap into a hyperspace creature? Only time will tell, but the carcasses of the ones that didn’t make it are appearing more frequently. If for nothing more than sentimental reasons, I hope they survive.

Jul 24, 2009 | 1 comment View Post

Kodachrome Fades Into History

Like many of the old slides that line my closet storeroom, Paul Simon’s famous Kodachome has now faded into history. Kodak has taken “everyone’s” Kodachrome away, thus ending a legacy.

Seventy-four years ago, Kodachome became the first commercially successful color film bringing a brilliance and color to film that was before unseen. It was that feature that for decades made Kodachome the film of choice for magazine photographers, most notably National Geographic.

Using Kodachome had it’s problems. The processing could only be done at a limited amount of plants Kodak had set up worldwide, therefore unless you lived in one of those cities, timeliness was a factor.

I was lucky, while working in Dallas my studio was only a couple of miles from the Love Field Kodachrome facility. I can remember speeding down Mockingbird Lane to beat the 10 pm drop of time that allowed for film pickup the next morning.

Although Kodak is now officially killing off Kodachome, it actually did it years ago, when it sold the processing rights to a third party. That combined with the rise of Fugi as the dominent player in the film industry was really the death of Kodachrome.

Like many old photographers, it is indeed an emotional experience to see something that was such an important part of your younger life fade into history. But to be perfectly honest, I would never trade the digital photographic world for that of film. Embracing the future is good, especially if you are a photographer… goodby Kodachome.

Jul 19, 2009 | 2 comments View Post

David Meerman Scott: Creating Authoritative Voice

Author, consultant and communications thought-leader David Meerman Scott has come out squarely in support of my project with the Imperial Sugar Company, saying “brand journalism creates an authoritative voice” for the company’s new online newsroom.

In his popular blog, WebInkNow.com, David writes:

I’m particularly excited about how ISC hired journalists to create their newsroom, something I’ve advocated for years. This is something I’ve called brand journalism and is an increasingly effective marketing tool. In fact, ISC has hired the skills of a print journalist, a television journalist, and a photojournalist.
When a company creates information in a newsroom like ISC and updates it frequently, the valuable content is indexed by the search engines, and will gravitate into the top positions.

Imperial Sugar’s new online newsroom was developed by The News Group Net, of which I am a partner.

Click here to read David’s full story.

Jul 10, 2009 | 0 comments View Post

Stay Away From These Companies

Moving is a stressful experience, especially when one spouse (me) had to be on the road working during packing and preparation. My poor wife Adrienne, was left to find a mover, new appliances and of course the important cable and internet provider.

Through a friend at work, Adrienne was able to find Travis the mover. Travis is a great guy with a good crew and very resonably priced. They did a fantastic job on the move, but as my son Alex likes to say, “he is just a little ‘time challenged’.” I would recommend Travis, but only to those with a non-military sense of time.

The real trouble arouse with buying a new refrigerator. Adrienne found a counter depth Samsung model that would fit the home. She researched price and decided to go with Aus-Tex Appliance.

V-AUSTX-55091579_ID168797_guide_inclusion Boy, was that a mistake on both counts. Aus-Tex did have a good price, but they delivered a new refrigerator without checking to see if it had all its parts. When confronted with the fact they delivered, the owner, “Billy Boy”, told me in no uncertain terms “tough shit, it wasn’t his problem and to call Samsung.”

Upon calling Samsung customer service (10 times) to try and get the problem resolved, they finally figured out they would have to send me the part for me to install myself. Some kind of customer service and a $2200 refrig. My advice to all, is stay away from “Billy Boy” at Aus-Tex and Samsung appliance.

This brings up ATT U-Verse.

For the past 1o years we have been customers of Time Warner. They are expensive but reliable and show up on time. Adrienne and I wanted to get digital service for our televisions, and the AT&T price seems reasonable. We signed up for an install date two weeks before our move.

Every few days we would get an email from AT&T saying they were looking forward to providing us service. Even the night before the email came saying our installation was scheduled for the next day. Well the next day came, the slot for them to arrive came, and it went and no AT&T. After calling, a customer service rep said that there was a network problem and all installers were waiting for it to be fixed.

At 4:30 the day of the installation, six hours after the appointment time, an installer reaches our front door. I tell him what has to be done, and he looks at me and says this is an all day job and needs to be scheduled for the morning. At which point I told it was, and because of the system being down he was late. The installer looks at me and says “the system isn’t down, we are just overbooked.” I went to the phone and called Time Warner.

Two days later AT&T calls me up and asks when they can reschedule my installation. My response is cannot be repeated in polite company.

Oh well, what is a move without some problems. I just hope we get the part from Samsung sometime this year!

Jun 30, 2009 | 1 comment View Post

The Image of Neda

My good friend and parter David Henderson was on top of this story from the very beginning. This is a tragedy in Iran that should have never of happened.

From the blog of David Henderson -

Much of the world has kept track of events in Iran following the questionable outcome of elections there on June 12 via Twitter. With severe restrictions by the regime in Iran on media coverage and apathy by the news media in the West, Twitter has served to redefine how many of us view the concept of media in the Internet era.

It is no longer about some editor or TV producer making decisions for us but rather we are sharing information and drawing our own conclusions.

Nothing has been more profound, in my opinion, than watching video of a young woman named Neda Salehi Aghasoltan die on the streets of Tehran yesterday.

She was a student of philosophies at Tehran University. According to reports, she was shot by a police sniper while standing with her university professor, watching protesters.

The video is haunting, especially her last moment alive when she looked at the camera as if to seek our help. At least that was what I saw in her eyes.

The story of Neda is being heard around the world today, carried first – with a few exceptions – not by the sleepy, slow-moving traditional news media but by people, sharing on Twitter and online.

Jun 21, 2009 | 0 comments View Post

David Henderson Speaks at Univ. Houston IABC Student Chapter

As a new member of the Houston IABC Chapter (don’t worry I am still keeping the Austin Chapter my home), I was pleased when my good friend David Henderson, author of The Media Savvy Leader, was announced as a speaker for the Houston IABC Bronze Quill event.

It is always great to spend time with David, so the day of the Bronze Quill I tagged along with him as he spoke the the IABC student chapter at the Unversity of Houston.

“I have to say that while it was an honor to be the keynote speaker among peers at the IABC Bronze Quill Awards,’ said Henderson, “my personal highlight was the chance to participate in a roundtable discussion with students at the University of Houston about trends and opportunities in the fields of the media and public relations. They are the future leaders in our industry.”

Henderson, a thought-leader and consultant in the evolving and
complex field of strategic communications, shared his insight with the students on merging the best of online communications and and traditional techniques.

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May 02, 2009 | 1 comment View Post