Kelly Groft

It would appear that the “new realities” public radio has been discussing for years have arrived, and they have our full attention. Audiences are down in most places, deficits are mounting and staff are being cut, and the editorial heart of our news coverage is in question. As Programming leaders, the question of the moment is, “what now?” We can “admire the problem,” or we can act. On April 24 at 2p CT, Paragon and Listen Again Tomorrow want to start a conversation - ideas for "what now". What meaningful steps can the programming community take individually and together to respond to this new reality? RSVP at listenagaintomorrow at gmail We imagine April 24th as the first of three sessions - earning back the core, new things for new audiences, and scalable/sustainable digital. If you’d like to join this first conversation, send an email to listenagaintomorrow at gmail with the subject line “what’s next,” and a topline response (2-3 sentences) to the question below. We’ll pick 2-3 responses to highlight and discuss on Zoom. Space is limited (because Izzi has a cheap Zoom plan), so RSVP soon. Question for April 24 - How might we (as stations, NPR and other content providers, and as leaders shaping the culture of our organizations) earn back 50% of the audience most stations have lost in the past few years? What this is NOT - a sales thing for Paragon and Listen Again. We’re interested in ideas about action, not pitching work. We will also not be directly discussing the Berliner essay. We look forward to thinking and evolving together. Izzi Smith, Listen Again Tomorrow (listenagaintomorrow at gmail) Mike Henry, Paragon

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“I just need a few key messages that I should hit.” It’s a common request that every communications pro has encountered many times ahead of a media interview. And if you’re anything like me, you roll your eyes. Why? Because key messages are fine and good, but only if they are used to form a broader narrative. More often than not, they’re seen as a license to be repetitive, robotic and focused only on your own outcome. Brute-forcing key messages down a reporter’s throat doesn’t help them do their job. Media opportunities are a two way street - you give value, share expertise and contextualize whatever you’re talking about in exchange for the profile the media outlet can give you and your business. The best and only way to respect this duality is to shape a simple and memorable story which contains the messages you want to hit, and which shows instead of telling why what you’re discussing is important and meaningful. I used to keep a folder of video clips that could’ve been titled “when key messages go wrong” - often depicting some hapless executive or politician stumbling through a repeated response straight from the message sheet he or she was handed. They universally looked silly and unprepared, and the interview did nothing but undermine trust and damage the speaker’s reputation. Next time, before the camera starts rolling, think about a story instead of a key message. Your brand will thank you.

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Among the things I've learned in 13 years of working in media and PR is that great reporters don't always make great columnists (there are, of course, people who excel at both). I think it comes down to a fairly simple distinction: As a reporter, you're gathering evidence and presenting a case. As a columnist or op-ed writer, you're taking that evidence (if you're any good at any rate) and using it to make an argument. I was a good reporter when I had to be but my attention span never allowed me to forensically dig through evidence or write story after story on the same thing. I'm a much better op-ed writer because I love arguments (in the truest sense of the word).

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Facilitating – so much more than just managing a meeting. With my Community Broadcasting hat on, I recently spent the day being ’facilitated’. Bryce Ives had the challenge of leading a bunch of talkative diverse humans in an important discussion about the future of media, and boy did he do a great job! It got me thinking more about the art and skill of facilitating productive gatherings. Facilitation is a dry word to describe a process that is really quite magical. You have heard of 'cat herding'. Wrangling humans - particularly large numbers of humans - is even trickier! You might be thinking, how do I do that? You might even be terrified to try that for the first time. Learning at the feet of some inspiring facilitators (hello Heidi Martin, Kevin Nuttall, Randall Pearce, Paul Taylor, Nancy Hromin, Kate Chaffer and many more), here are a few tips if you find yourself in the facilitation hot seat for the first time: Be crystal clear about the outcome.🎯 What are you here to do? State it up front, test it with everyone, revisit it as the session goes on. There is nothing more dispiriting than a gab fest with no outcome. Bite sized chunks are your friend. 🧩 Plan the session ahead of time and don’t try to squeeze in too much. Imagine the session like you are giving directions – first you go here, then you go there. After a series of steps you get to the outcome. Try walking and talking. 👨🏼‍🦽 If ever I need ideas, I walk. Taking a stroll with a partner is a relaxed way to have a chat. Send your participants in pairs for a trot around the block and be surprised at what they come back with. Keep it pacey and upbeat. 🙂 Dwelling too long on anything is the enemy of good facilitation. ‘Hit it with pace’ as my favourite Bachelor used to say. Respect the group's time and energy. ⏱️ Keep an eye on the clock and check in on energy levels as you go. And beware the dreaded ‘afternoon slump’ - not even the mints will get you through that! Bonus tip – if you are wanting to upgrade your facilitation skills, enrol in Waterfield’s 'Rapid Consensus' course and thank me afterwards. 🙏🏾 I'd love to hear more of your best facilitation tips in the comments.

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State of the Media Report is out! Read this if you want to know what PR professionals can say and do to win favor with journalists, secure more earned media coverage, and build long-lasting, mutually beneficial relationships with media professionals.

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Journalists are often ghosted... Forget keywords and automated HR software! Let's talk about the untapped goldmine in journalism for social media, marketing, and communications roles. - Speed Demons: We learn from flops faster than you can say "next deadline." Failure just means tweaking the approach and coming back stronger. - Master Collaborators: Juggling multiple hats is our forte. From editors to PR wizards, we dance through projects with finesse. - Curiosity-Driven: We dive into any topic fearlessly, mastering it from scratch. AI today, quantum physics tomorrow? Bring it on! - Networking Ninjas: Our survival depends on building and maintaining relationships. We ask the hard questions and navigate pushback like pros. - Team Players: We’re the last ones to sit on a story or let our work fade into obscurity. We want our efforts to shine and will champion them to the end. Hire a journalist, and watch your expectations get redefined. #Journalism #Marketing #HiddenGems #HireAJournalist #JobSearch

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Transitioning to tech after 10+ years in journalism and communications has taught me one thing: confidence is overrated. Doubt, however, is a far more abundant, incredibly cheaper and much more accessible resource. If it's bold (the irony) enough to periodically plague you, it's bold enough to withstand your exploitation of it. Here's how I've used it (and continue to), and here's how you can too: 1. Doubt as an Endless Fuel for Curiosity ⛽ I know nothing (Jon Snow... sorry, couldn't resist) about Networking, so my decision to ultimately take steps to pursue my CCNA certification has been one deliciously riddled with doubt. As such, I opted to redefine my relationship with the resource. "When I feel doubt, think curiosity". Whenever doubt would come, I'd say those words out loud. Over time, doubt no longer dissuaded me, but became the buzz word or emotion to trigger my enthusiasm for knowledge. Reprogram your relationship with it. 2. Doubt as the Border of Your Ignorance 🚧 If your aim is to grow, doubt is often the beginning of your discomfort and the tripwire waiting at the edge of what you know. Set it off. Pushing the limits of your doubt is the same as shrinking the stronghold of your ignorance. Take that, Subnetting. (Don't mind that last bit. Subnetting and I have beef). 3. Doubt as a Compass If you don't know where to go, head in the direction you doubt to be the best one. The decision to leave the confines of journalism - a bed I've made for 10+ years - for the daunting world of tech, was built on that very premise. I'm transitioning to tech because, among other reasons, I doubt I can. It's a compass pointing me to the thing I feel most anxious about. Fortunately, the business of unmasking the specter of your anxiety is an extremely valuable one. Embrace it. How do you use doubt? #Tech #Journalism #ExploitingDoubt

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Thanks to everyone who attended this week’s conversation about responding to audience loss.  A recording of the webinar (w/presentation warts and all) and the deck are here. https://lnkd.in/ggXMHvzV The question we started to explore was: “How might we (as stations, NPR and other content providers, and as leaders shaping the culture of our organizations) earn back 50% of the audience most stations have lost in the past few years?”   Let’s keep the conversation going. Just this morning, Mikel Ellcessor shared this essay (https://lnkd.in/gE8EGzJW) about “News as Product.” If that idea makes you wince or cheer, here’s the core idea in the piece, which resonates with the discussion in the webinar:   “What does product-market-fit mean? Putting it in journalistic coverage terms … For example, if your newsroom is very good at crime headlines reporting with articles on your website, but your audience for that content is shrinking. You need to make a change - and I’m not gonna be sheepish about this, you may need to scrap that reporting or deeply reduce it. You do not have product-market-fit.”   Jarl Mohn always said, “We’ll keep the audience we earn.” Onward to earning back a listening habit. Mike Henry, Paragon Consulting Izzi Smith, Listen Again Tomorrow

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How engaging are your promotions, your #communications, your #PR? Are people tuning IN or tuning OUT? Here’s what happens when you don’t connect w/your #stakeholders: https://lnkd.in/eQsjBf85 #PRtip #WritingTip #MarketingTip

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If you're a local or trade news publisher and want to reignite your readership and reinvent the way you source and generate news, check out the Newspage News Desk. News Desk is a white label editorial solution for publishers, powered by Newspage, that enables publishers to turn their readers into an extension of their news teams. Our proven and proprietary tech helps publishers unlock their subscribers’ intel, derisk their content, streamline their editorial processes and drive ad revenues through increased relevance, engagement and shareability. Imagine that. We'll be offering progressive publishers, both vertical and local, exclusivity on our tech — and an opportunity to own their sector rather than churn out the same old crap that nobody cares about. Read all about it on the link below. If you want to discuss, message me. When I'm sober, I'll message you back. If you're a percentage player, message Jonny Stevens. He's a lager top so will get back to you in 30 seconds flat. #newsavoidance #newsmedia #media #publishing #newspublisher https://lnkd.in/eD3FC4H5

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The idea of a "favorite" radio station is fading. Radio's predictable and uninspiring formats struggle to engage listeners, highlighting a need for a revitalized approach to win back audience loyalty. Check out my blog! #RealRadioMccoy #FavoriteStations #GenZ

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When you promote your podcast, tell people what it’s about! As a former three-time Emmy nominated TV news producer and reporter I find this baffling. Many posts from attorneys and business folks say, “I was on a podcast!” And the podcast episode only says their name and that of the host with little to no indication of their credentials or what they talked about. So what’s more interesting to random people? “(Name of someone you don’t know) was on a podcast!” Or: “Who’s liable in a self-driving car crash? - featuring longtime personal injury lawyer (name).” I picked a random subject I’m personally curious about. But you hopefully get the idea. Also, podcasters, stay on topic! Free range opening segments can be great to warm up the guest and audience a bit but have goals, not just an agenda, to dig into what you and your audience likely want to find out. You can have multiple segments in an episode. Pick the most interesting one and use that to promote it. Think about what you would want to know as you formulate questions and produce material. And realize you have to keep it interesting.

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Ten years ago today Bell Media pulled the plug after only seven months on its only experiment in a new format for national news. The rise and fall of #KNLive taught me a lot about innovating in large legacy media organizations. Among the lessons: 1. Hire hard working restless people who want to prove something. 2. Lead with an understanding of mission and 'voice'. 3. Be brave in creation. You can easily abandon what doesn't work. 4. Don't show the world the work until you're comfortable. Not polished or even confident, just comfortable. 5. Manage and engage those in the organization threatened by innovation. 6. Build and nurture corporate alliances. 7. Legacy models will seek to self-preserve in a crisis. 8. When hard choices need to be made, make them quickly and fairly. 9. Fall in love. 10. Be ready for heartbreak.

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If you don't subscribe, then you are missing out on great content! Eleanor Hawkins delivers every time! My BIG takeaway from the current installment has to do with this stat: "An MIT study found false news online reaches people about six times faster than the truth, yet 28% of businesses don't have a formal mis-disinformation response plan in place and 23% have no plan." At the very least, businesses need a single source of publicly-facing truth space online. I see so many businesses that do not have this space (and no, it is not your consumer-facing blog), so the stat is not shocking at all. This is a communication malpractice. Reach out and let's fix it.

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This year's U.S. Book Show was buzzing with energy and insight, making it clear that the pulse of the publishing world is stronger than ever. As we are always in the mindset of “sharing is caring,” here is some knowledge the Smith team and I gained from the event: 🎙️ Panel Insights:  From our industry friends at Amplify Publishing Group and Forefront Books to new connections like Mia Orlandella from Penguin Random House, the discussions were rich and varied. A standout moment was the Young Publishing Forum, where the focus was on "emerging publishers" rather than "young" ones, emphasizing the rapid professional growth in this field and the value of mentorship and community. 🤖 AI and Publishing:  During the CEO roundtable, AI’s role in publishing was a major topic. It was fascinating to hear perspectives on AI as an "intelligent assistant"—a tool that augments rather than replaces the human creativity, empathy, and intuition essential to forward-looking innovation. 📈 Trend Shifts in Book Selling:  The dynamics of book distribution are flipping. It’s no longer just about what bookstores will accept from publishers, but strategically thinking about which books are pushed to major retailers like Barnes & Noble, Inc. or newer platforms like Bookshop.org. This strategic distribution reflects a deeper niche targeting approach. 📘 Digital and Libraries Evolving Together:  Discussions around digital book buying, especially in educational sectors, highlighted the evolving role of libraries. They're not just physical spaces but are adapting to digital demands with tools like social media and virtual book clubs, enhancing access and engagement. We left feeling a profound sense of community and dedication across the board, from protecting authors' interests to celebrating the human touch in our tech-driven world. The Publishers Weekly U.S. Book Show wasn't just about books; it was a testament to the passionate individuals behind them, restoring our faith in humanity one page at a time. If you want to take a deep dive into more knowledge and actionable takeaways from the event, Olivia Whitlock McCoy and I recorded a special episode of the Smith Publicity, Inc. All Things Book Marketing Podcast. Check out our insightful episode here: https://bit.ly/3KlxSUD. #Marketing #Publishing #Author #Books #Leadership

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