Journalism News Sources Shifting in the New Economy

What's the secret to pitching and placing a successful news story? Keep it simple, Salt Lake City journalists agree. The Utah Technology Council (UTC) posed this question at its annual Public Relations breakfast to Paul Foy of the Associated Press, Fields Moseley of KUTV 2 News and blogger Jesse Stay of Stay N' Alive. Even in a highly-challenged and shifting economy, the journalists' basic advice to PR professionals has not changed; 1) keep your pitches simple, and 2) trust the journalists to be doing their jobs.

Moderator Chris Tunis of the Salt Lake Enterprise led an informative and fun discussion. Representatives from television, print, and the blogosphere allowed the public relations and other business leaders to recognize three distinct and important components of the current media world.

AP reporter Paul Foy spoke about not being too technical when approaching a print journalist about a story.

"Tell me why it's news and tell me why it's a good story," he said. "You need to know all the details of your client up front. With the print economy struggling, many journalists are now doing two to three times more stories and their time is now critically important. Don't pitch me without knowing the basics . . . I simply don't have the time."

KUTV 2 Television host Fields Moseley suggested keeping it simple. He also suggested that PR professionals need to think as a TV reporter.

"Ask yourself, ‘is it visually stimulating?' Also, ‘how will this story affect our viewers?'" said Moseley. "My biggest pet peeve of PR professionals is being too overbearing. When we have the story, don't babysit me, just let the story happen, you have to trust us to do our jobs."

According to Utah-based blogger Jesse Stay, the blogging world is different than traditional media.

"Blogs are a more personal form of journalism and a great way to get your brand in front of a new demographic of people," said Stay. "Something to remember with bloggers is that most are business professionals who blog for fun, very few are professional bloggers. Get to know the bloggers you are approaching, sell them something with a ‘wow factor.' Doing this almost guarantees the blogger will give you the write-up you're looking for."

As print, broadcast and the blogosphere journalism continue to merge, it is more critical than ever before to stay up-to-date on the growing trends in the media. The best advice this panel of experts offered is to keep it simple and think as a reporter or writer might think.

Website: http://www.utahtechcouncil.org/

Ad Slogans In Native Tongues Connect To Consumers' Emotions

In our globalized world, consumers are exposed to marketing messages in many languages. But a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research says messages expressed in people's native languages are most effective at triggering emotional reactions.

Authors Stefano Puntoni, Bart de Langhe, and Stijn van Osselaer (Erasmus University, the Netherlands) studied bilingual and trilingual populations in Europe. They tested different slogans with participants and found differences in how the messages were perceived. "Our findings show that, in general, messages expressed in consumers' native languages tend to be perceived as more emotional than messages expressed in their second language," the researchers write.

The authors believe this effect is not due to differences in languages or participants' difficulty in understanding ad copy written in foreign languages. "We find that the emotional advantage of consumers' native language depends on personal memories and the language context in which those memories were generated. Thus reading or hearing a word (unconsciously) triggers memories of situations in which that word played a role…Because consumers usually have more personal memories with words in their native language than in their second language, marketing messages in their native language tend to be perceived as more emotional."

In the course of their study, the researchers found that the effect is more pronounced in women than in men. They believe that women have a stronger memory for emotional events than men.

"We found that, regardless of whether their native language was French or Dutch, native language slogans were perceived as more emotional than second language slogans," write the authors. "All else being equal, it is generally preferable to communicate with consumers using their own native language, as doing so should result in more emotional messages."

Source: University of Chicago Press Journals

Get the write stuff with a free style guide from expert business-writing trainers

Writing is one of the most time-consuming tasks we perform at work. It's also one of the most critical. Meetings come and go. Phone calls are forgotten. But documents and emails last. Yet most people receive little guidance on how to write effectively. And much of what we do receive is misguided or just plain wrong.

To help, Emphasis, the UK's leading business-writing trainers, have published their internal style guide for the first time as The Write Stuff - six steps to written excellence. And they're offering it free to the first 100 readers to contact them.

The 60-page guide contains the very essence of good writing and is packed with practical advice. To get your hands on a copy, email tessa.gooding@writing-skills.com.

Can Obama's New Requirements Keep Pace with English Language Learner Student Needs?

As President-Elect Obama transitions into the White House, one major area of focus is the state of education in the United States. While many changes are planned with respect to the No Child Left Behind Act, a key focus area is the graduation rates of English Language Learners. In his comprehensive plan to reform education, Obama believes that schools should be held accountable for the success of their ELLs.

Proper teacher training is vital to the success of this program for the Obama administration. However, there has historically been a disconnect between teacher preparation programs and what it really takes to teach students who are learning a second language.

"When teachers are initially trained in their undergraduate degree program, there is often little, if any, emphasis on teaching English Language Learners," stated Anne Swigard, president of Educational Training Specialists (www.elltraining.com), a teacher training company that has instructed thousands of educators nationwide in the techniques to successfully work with English Language Learners. "Teaching English Learners is different from teaching students in the mainstream, and requires a different skill set."

Swigard stated that if teachers, through no fault of their own, are ill-equipped to engage and teach these students, the United States will continue to see high dropout levels among ELLs. She believes this will translate into a further drain on already-strained social programs, in addition to producing an under-prepared future work force.

With the population of English Language Learners continuing to grow, it is imperative that the education system of the United States ensures the success of these students. However, according to an article published by the Los Angeles Times in July 2008, the drop out rate in the Los Angeles Unified School District has grown to 33.6%, which is stated to have been largely attributable to the increase in Latino immigrants and English Learners.

In New York, the four-year English Language Learner dropout rate was 29.4% statewide, as reported in a memorandum, Systemic Crisis for English Language Learners, written by several members of the Coalition for Educational Excellence for English Language Learners.

Swigard is convinced that proper teacher training, coupled with a commitment to understanding how English Learners learn a second language, can decrease the drop-out rate amongst their ELL population.

As a leading expert in the training of teachers of ELL students, Swigard maintains that in order to be effective with English Learners, teacher in-service training programs should include:

• Best practices for English Learners 
  
• Theoretical principles related to language acquisition 
  
• Brain research 
  
• Gold-standard research, like Classroom Instruction that Works (Robert Marzano, et al) 
  
• Cooperative learning 
  
• Elements of effective instruction 
  
• High levels of participant (and thus, student) engagement 
  
• High-interest literacy instruction and activities for struggling readers and writers 
  
• A method for immediate reflection and application in the classroom environment
  

Swigard's thematically-based, copyrighted training programs, 'From Many Nations to One' and 'Around the World in 15 Hours' include the above components and fulfill the requirements necessary to address national standards, along with proven methods to reach the ELL student population.

"Our teacher workshops and inservices are very innovative and interactive, and are delivered by educators who have worked with English Language Learners on a daily basis for many years," said Swigard. "Unless a teacher can mentally rehearse and practice what is taught under the guidance of a qualified professional, and know exactly when and why to employ new strategies in the classroom, the techniques will not be engrained in his or her daily teaching regimen. Without change, English Learners will continue to fail to graduate, and the cumulative effects for the United States will be devastating."

Title Capitalization In The English Language by Carsten Cumbrowski

Titles of blog posts and web pages are very important. It important to make the title appealing and interesting at the same time, because it is usually the first thing people notice when people see your post or web page in the search results of search engines, feed readers (blogs) and news aggregations.

Interesting about titles in the English language is also the fact that they follow different capitalization rules for the words used in the title compared to the capitalization rules of regular content.

A simplified but wrong rule is to capitalize every single word in the title. It does look awkward in most cases, independent of the fact that it is just wrong to do it that way.

Using gut feeling is one way a lot of people do it, but following the specific rules that state which word needs to be capitalized and which word does not is probably a better way of doing it.

Most people probably heart about these rules and had them as subject at one point in time at school. The people who had it in school can consider this information a "refresher", especially if it has been a while since you learned it.

The Rules

In titles of songs or albums and band names, blog posts or articles, the standard rule in the English language is to capitalize words that:

1. Are the first or the last word in the title

2. Are not conjunctions ("and", "but", "or", "nor"), adpositions ("to", "over"), articles ("an", "a", "the"), or the "to" in infinitives.

Conjunctions

Correlative conjunctions are pairs of conjunctions which work together to coordinate two items. English examples include for, and, nor, but, or, yet, and so, both ... and, either ... or, neither ... nor, and not (only) ... but (... also).

Subordinating conjunctions, also called subordinators, are conjunctions that introduce a dependent clause; English examples include after, although, if, unless, and because. Another way for remembering is the mnemonic "BISAWAWE": "because", "if", "so that", "after", "when", "although", "while", and "even though".

Adposition

An adposition is an element that combines syntactically with a phrase and indicates how that phrase should be interpreted in the surrounding context. "Adposition" is a general term that includes the more specific labels preposition, postposition, and circumposition, which indicate the position of the adposition with respect to its complement phrase. Adpositions are among the most frequently occurring words in languages that have them. Examples: of, to, in, for, on, with, as, by, at, from

Articles

The words: the, a and an

Infinitives

The infinitive of a verb is its basic form with or without the particle to. Therefore, do and to do, be and to be, and so on are infinitives.

Conclusion

There are always border line cases so I would not worry about it too much, but it helps with the decision if or if not a word in the title should be capitalized if your guts took time off right at the time when you are finalizing a great post or article for your blog or website.

Carsten Cumbrowski is an author of articles about numerous different subjects, but writes primarily about internet marketing. He is also a blogger who writes for ReveNews.com and SearchEngineJournal.com. More Articles by Carsten Cumbrowski can be found at his website Cumbrowski.com.

Communications Expert Dianna Booher Brings Grammar Back

Let's say someone's walking around the office with bad breath. Or they're interviewing for a job with a piece of spinach stuck in their teeth? People would wonder why they don't tend to the problem. Bad grammar is just as noticeable and offensive. It represents the user unfavorably to the world.

Worse, it can kill their career. A poorly written cover letter, website, or presentation can blow someone's chances at creating a great first impression, getting a job offer, sealing the deal, retaining a client, or nabbing that promotion. Bad grammar can not only limit someone's job trajectory but also their social standing.

The good news? Business communications expert Dianna Booher, author of "Booher's Rules of Business Grammar: 101 Fast and Easy Ways to Correct the Most Common Errors" (McGraw-Hill, November 2008), assures readers they can correct deficiencies in a matter of a few hours.

"Our technology is also contributing to the demise of good grammar," says Booher. "We get sloppy in text messages and tweets, and it becomes harder and harder to remember the rules when we need them."

However, there's still hope for all the victims of pesky pronouns, verb-related blunders, and punctuation perils. In "Booher's Rules of Business Grammar" the author identifies the top 101 mistakes made in emails, presentations, and conversations every day. With funny examples and to-the-point memory tips at the end of each brief chapter, Booher picks apart common mistakes and gives readers the ammo to put them back together.

Readers will learn to cut the fat from their copy, dump their doublespeak, get rid of the grammar gremlins, and write and speak like the professionals they are.

Whether they decide to skim it for a minute or study the whole book in a few hours, readers will use "Booher's Rules of Business Grammar" to set themselves apart as expert communicators.

Website: http://www.boohersrules.com/

The Run-on Sentence: From Here To Eternity by Jean Fritz

If you find your sentences filled with commas, and they wend from one topic to another, then you, like many people, may be guilty of writing run-on sentences.

The run-on sentence is annoying. The run-on is boring. Most important, utilizing run-ons in your work is a sure-fire way of losing your reader.

The run-on works in one instance - if it is part of one of your character’s personality. For instance, if you are writing dialogue spoken by a typical teenage girl, run-ons would be acceptable ("Well, we went, you know, to the mall, and, like, we tried on some clothes and makeup, and then Sheila saw this really cute guy in The Gap, so we went over and like, started talking, and ..." you get the picture.)

Curing a mania for run-ons may be a simple as implementing an outline for your work. Break each topic down into logical, organized subtopics and details. Relegate each thought to a single sentence. When a topic or subtopic requires further discussion, create unique sentences containing each of these details (or group related details) after your lead-in sentence.

If your topic ultimately branches out to other major topics, reference those topics in your initial paragraph, but address them in other paragraphs (or chapters.) This acts as a "teaser" to your audience, leaves them wanting more, and motivates them to read on.

These instructions sound like high school stuff, but I recently edited a college-level text written by a Ph D that was fraught with run-ons. The subject matter was economics. The combination was deadly from the standpoint of maintaining consciousness. So for the sake of your readers, form a working relationship with semicolons and periods, and leave run-ons to the Valley Girls.

About The Author
Jean Fritz is the owner and chief editor for JMT Publications (http://jmtpubs.tripod.com), a company specializing in helping self-publishing authors get into print. For more information on self-publication or to subscribe to her free newsletter, Writers' Notes, visit the JMT Publications website.

Online Written Mistakes Increase

In a search of business services websites last month; copywriting agency, The Writing Stable found, on average, thirteen spelling errors per 100 pages and 134 mistakes on every 1000 pages. Does this matter? Usability expert, Jakob Nielsen's research states that reading from computer screens is 25% slower than in print; mistakes slow readers down further.

In the constant race to achieve higher search engine rankings, businesses are continually refreshing their web page content, however, it seems that spelling and grammatical errors are also on the increase. In a search of business services websites last month; copywriting agency, The Writing Stable found, on average, thirteen spelling errors per 100 pages and 134 mistakes on every 1000 pages. Does this matter? Usability expert, Jakob Nielsen's research states that reading from computer screens is 25% slower than in print; mistakes slow readers down further.

"Getting it right does matter!" says The Writing Stable Managing Director, Sue Johnston. "Many people will turn their backs on a company that makes spelling and grammatical mistakes in their marketing material because it gives a poor impression. It's a bit like walking into an untidy shop or restaurant - it simply looks unprofessional."

The proliferation of in-house content management systems means that many businesses rely on in-house personnel to update their web pages. Most content management systems don't automatically check for spelling and grammatical errors - which means publishing mistakes is extremely easy. Worryingly, spelling and grammatical errors are often a sign of a fake website set up by fraudsters, as pointed out in The Times last month.

"Fraudsters may have perfected web technology but they rarely master written English. Phishing e-mails and fake websites often contain spelling mistakes or poor grammar."

Words are the currency of copywriting agency, The Writing Stable, who have seen an increase in web projects over the last 12 months. Nearly 40% of enquiries are from businesses needing help with online marketing materials and a further 8% are from web development agencies needing to outsource the copywriting to specialists. Delegates on copywriting training courses at The Writing Stable also frequently seek guidance on web content - most are already writing for the web.

When asked about the importance of the web for business marketing, Johnston concludes, "When it comes to first impressions, mistakes can really queer your pitch. Businesses need good quality, well written content to differentiate themselves - now more than ever in the current economic climate."

"Overshare" -- 2008 Word of the Year

"Overshare" is the name given to TMI (too much information), whether willingly offered or inadvertently revealed. Both a verb and a noun, it is a new word for an old habit made astonishingly easy by modern technology.

More than you wanted to know. Those personal, overly-detailed revelations of … (fill in the cringeworthy blank) are really more than you wanted to know. But in an era of online social networking and instant digital broadcasts, this type of unsolicited and often embarrassing communication is an inescapable sign of the times.

"Overshare," the 2008 Word of the Year at Webster's New World® College Dictionary, is the name given to "TMI (too much information)," whether willingly offered or inadvertently revealed. It is the word for both the tedious minutiae on personal websites and blogs and the accidental slips of the tongue in public (or even private) situations. Both a verb and a noun, note Webster's New World editors, overshare is a new word for an old habit made astonishingly easy by modern technology. It is yet another product of digital advances that allow people to record and transmit their lives - in words, videos, and graphics - to anyone with Internet access, friend or foe.

So what or who defines an overshare? If oversharing really is "too much information," how much is too much, and does that make the term necessarily pejorative? Ah, say the editors, Webster's New World usage citations indicate otherwise. On social networks online, oversharing becomes an art form. Sharing just the right amount of history otherwise deemed too personal can lead to just the right amount of encounters with compatible people. Sociologists weighing in on the subject are split. Some see it as a healthy quest for intimacy in an all-too-impersonal world while others deem it troublingly narcissistic. The debate itself has spawned or highlighted many other new terms like "Documentation Generation," "Look at Me Generation," "co-rumination," and "navel-gazing." Blogs, vlogs (video blogs), and online journals provide persistent public display of overshares that can be both artful and alarming.

For other top candidates for Word of the Year at Webster's New World, visit its website at www.newworldword.com.

Learn English In Intense Bursts

Learn English much faster through occasional bursts of intensity.

Research shows that the fastest way to learn is to alternate periods of intensity with periods of slow and steady effort. Each approach can be successful, but when alternated, they create synergy that accelerates the learning process.

The Effortless English Club recommends 30 day periods of intense study, every 3-4 months. During these intense study periods, students are encouraged to focus on input activities only-- in other words, they only listen and read. There are no speaking activities and no writing activities.

Periods of intensive input are vital for mastery of the English language.

Specifically, the company recommends that students listen and read for 4 or more hours a day, for a length of 30 days.

The company’s recommend plan is as follows:

1. Listen 2 hours a day to audio English lessons. Focus on interesting lessons that you enjoy.

2. Listen 1 hour a day to English language movies. Watch only one scene per week. First use subtitles to learn new vocabulary. Then listen and read the subtitles at the same time-- do this 5-15 times per scene. Finally, only listen to the scene-- 15-30 times.

3. Read easy English novels 1 hour every day. The company recommends novels for children. You should not need a dictionary to understand the novel.

Following this intense system for 30 days will accelerate your English learning. Grammar, vocabulary, listening, and speaking will all improve very quickly.

When the 30 day intensive study period is complete, return to a more relaxed pace and study just 1 hour a day.

AJ Hoge, Director of Effortless English, says, "Students who follow this system get excellent results. You will be surprised at how quickly you improve."

Website: http://effortlessenglishclub.com/

Conducting Successful Interviews for Stories

Bloggers, journalists and other writers often need to interview experts for their stories. Access Consulting (http://www.AccessConsultingInc.com), a copywriting firm that serves national and international corporations, today released an article that offers tips on conducting great interviews.

The article, titled "15 Tips on Interviewing an Expert for a Story," can be accessed at http://www.AccessConsultingInc.com/interview-tips.html. A PDF version of the article is available for download at the same page.

"A good interview lifts a story out of the ordinary," said Arun Sinha, president of Access Consulting. "But to be effective, the interview needs to be well planned and executed. There's more to it than simply sitting down and asking questions."

The article presents 15 tips on specific behaviors that result in productive interviews. One tip, for example, advises keeping questions short. Another reminds the interviewer to transcribe notes as soon as possible after the interview.

As writer and president of his company, Sinha has been interviewing corporate executives and subject-matter experts for years. "This article distills the best practices I have learned over the years. Using them has brought me excellent results," he said.

Sinha's interviewing advice can benefit writers who are creating pieces such as stories, newsletter articles, corporate profiles, white papers, management biographies, research reports, case studies and speeches.

Only about 500 words long, the article is concise yet thorough.