No respect for women, no respect for citizens, where are our values?

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What happen when we became one of those countries that we “Free” from their Police states oppressor system ? When a body of our Society believes that they are above the LAW we are in trouble as a whole society, when Citizens are treated in a way that is against what we fought and keep fighting for around the world, something is really wrong. Cases that depict acts of armed kidnapping, assault, battery, menacing and official misconduct by our own POLICE departments we just became another rogue state.

Reading all what happen in NYC during the Occupy Wall Street One year PACIFIC demonstration, it amazed me the number of women that were brutally beaten by the honorable police of that city.  I was going through the TV channels seeing how people demonstrated in the so called 3rd. world countries, the middle East, and how women and young men were there, even throwing stones to the Police, and couldn’t see a SINGLE one where several policemen took a single woman to the floor and beat her like a criminal, just for not agreeing with bank’s greed and exercising the right that we have in this country to speak and show our point of view.  It seems the NYPD thinks otherwise, they even went after the so called “legal observers”… and then we complaint why in other places of the world, a “pacific demonstration is brought down by Police” … Even the US Media, will see this perfectly ok, except if it happens in another country, then they will cry that they are barbarians and we should bring their governments downs for NOT allowing free speech and freedom to demonstrate publicly.

Something that is tough for me to understand.  It seems they have a bipolar vision of reality.

Then this morning I am watching and then reading about the Police in Aurora, CO stopping cars in the middle of the street, then at gun point bring all passengers out of their vehicles, women, kids, teenagers, older citizens, under the assumption that one of them is a criminal.  Probable cause they are arguing, so it always poses the question if they were just “fishing” or they had a description of the bank robber, then why not only take men that had a similarity to the description. Or in this case they have no description of the bank robber ? This means they could have stop anybody ? Just like in any of those countries that we so much criticize becasue they have no freedom and there are NO laws to protect citizens?  When I was much younger we used to say that in the US the rule was that it was better to leave a criminal in the loose than to EVER bring an innocent into the Police ordeal… it seems now that we are all under a “police state” just like the one we all fight so much when the Soviet Union was a super power.  Where are our values ?

When the Chief of Police of Aurora, CO., say that removing 40 people from their cars at gunpoint, handcuffing and detaining them it is not extreme. Chief Police of Aurora, Oates went on to state to a local newspaper, that although he was sorry for detaining innocent people, he felt the ends justified the means… I wonder if that is true, then anything is now valid under the assumption that we are protecting society.  But isn’t this same Chief of Police the one that couldn’t, wouldn’t, didn’t stop a massacre at a movie theater ? Where was he at that time? why he was not “vigilant” of the safety of Aurora’s citizens ? Maybe because there was no “money” involved?  Police seem to be eager to defend anything related to money : Bank money in exchange for 2 hours of having a teenager handcuffed? If this teenager had been my son, I dont know where all that would have ended.  Just think that because of the Colorado laws, some of those citizens actually have the right to “bear arms”, so this could have ended in a battle between Police endangering my family and me defending it….

Dave Perry, Editor at the Aurora Sentinel, writes :  ”We cannot, under any circumstances, allow the police or military to round people up, detain and handcuff them, unless cops have a valid and compelling reason to suspect they’ve committed a crime. This kind of policing is what the Fourth Amendment was created to prevent”. I recommend reading his article.

peace officers don’t conduct themselves this way; gang members do.

“Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.”
– Thomas Jefferson, Memoirs of the life and writings of Benjamin Franklin, (1818)

@beck “… isn’t it up to us the citizens to temper the actions of our city officials.  As a community our apathy is the real crime here.

Somehow we have come to believe that monetary damages from lawsuits
is the way to communicate our disapproval.  This approach only seems to
sting their ego’s since they seem to have unlimited supplies of our
money.
“

engagement, brands and where are the real marketeers

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It is funny how nobody talks anymore about “engagement” of the audience, how that happens (through content) and then association of a brand with the content creates a “transfer of the good association or engagement” to the brand or product itself. In discussions with a very smart friend of mine, canadian, head of the largest TV shopping channel over there, I found several points of discussion.

The Retail Council of Canada, is conducting their annual symposium and going through all the key note conferences, the only I could find that is relevant was this one:

Why Local Matters
Peter Kvarnstrom, Vice President, Glacier Media Group
The presenter will review just how community newspaper publishers engage their readers by delivering highly relevant, compelling and unduplicated content. The resulting high level of reader engagement is leveraged on behalf of all advertisers by providing this highly conducive environment to deliver their message within.

That is the essence of “engagement”.

Last, I found it funny that no marketeers talk these days about the old concept of GRP’s or TGRP’s. Now that media convergence is a reality, shouldnt we go back to the concept that the media doesnt matter, it is how you “get” to a person with your brand and how many times, disregard of the what was the specific media?

Marketeers need to go back to the basics.

WE step away from the measurement and the concept that ONE person needs to hear a message through different channels, same message, different iterations according to each media, and for each product or service the number of times is what becomes very, very important. For marketing to convince me to modify my consumption pattern needs to be able to deliver me the same message for a number of times, during a limited period of time.

I found this in a french site, maybe have been already a translation but I like it

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Myth # 1: The social marketing? easy to commit an intern to take care

Because social networks are primarily a history of conversations, the person responsible for your participation in Web 2.0 is seen as the face of your business. It is required to discuss with your community to share information with them, answer their questions, promote your company image, but also to extinguish any bad buzz … So this is a heavy responsibility for managing your image? Give your community management responsibility to a person who has the shoulders is crucial to ensure a good social media marketing strategy.

Myth # 2: Social media marketing requires enormous skill

There are actually networks of techniques that work better than others, a social media etiquette to follow and mistakes to avoid. However the skills required for success in your social media marketing strategy are essentially human and not so rare that in the sense that it is really a communication or BtoC BtoB, but rather interactions HtoH (Human to Human). A few words of command: listening, creativity, kindness, sharing …

Myth # 3: Social media marketing is not for the old

Not true! Demographic data on users of social networks most popular move at high speed. Today more than ever, older surfers flock to networking sites and join the conversation. More importantly, the growing use of social media has experienced its largest increase in the portion of users aged 50 and over, that growth is increasing the average age of socionautes. The use of social media is not only not a question of age, but more experience is an advantage for “sociomarketeurs” on channels where the sharing of KM is essential.

Myth # 4: Social media marketing is free

And no sorry! Although recent studies show that nearly half of firms in the social sphere said that social media has allowed them to reduce their marketing costs, the social media takes time and although most of the tools are free, remember sure the time is money.

Myth # 5: Social media marketing has rules too strict

You can not really talk about rules, but rather principles that are not complicated to understand. From the moment you understand that social networks, in essence, can serve as a one-way communication, you understand the basics. Yes there are rules, but most are still being written in a universe where there is plenty of room for your creativity.

Myth # 6: The social media marketing advertising will only serve my interests

Another misconception. Certainly we have seen that many rules are still being written, however there are certain principles that you can not ignore. It is quite normal that you want to reap the benefits of your social sphere, otherwise we will not talk about marketing. However to achieve this we must respect this sphere. How? By showing your community that you’re not here just to advertise your box, but to give him your value and your humanity. If you do not want to put a bullet in the foot, being overly self-promotional attitude is not recommended for your social media marketing strategy.

Myth # 7: The Social Media Marketing provide immediate results

Of course stories abound on the Web buzz, you may be quickly disappointed if you expect results too fast. A characteristic of social media is that you can establish interesting relationships while developing your power of influence. This takes time and method, and allows you to get lasting results. In trying to go too fast, you may not only be ineffective, but most likely you got the wrong strategy because of overly optimistic goals.

Myth # 8: Social media marketing is too risky

It is true that some industries are more at risk than others. Participation in social networks and sharing information in public requires great caution. It is therefore important to consider the specifics of your industry and keep control over the information you share. Does this mean as far as avoiding social marketing channels you turn away? No. In fact you should remember that customers, journalists and others talk about your business on social networks, the real risk to you is to ignore these conversations.

Myth # 9: The Social Media Marketing is a new phenomenon

The explosion of social networks such as Twitter and Facebook are a recent phenomenon, but it is only tools. Social media marketing is remember above all a history of discussions is to influence and this phenomenon has always existed in human interaction. Today this has changed fundamentally is the speed at which information circulates and magnitude can be taken through the many tools of social media marketing.

Myth # 10: The Social Media Marketing can not bring my business

Unless your company is active in a research program top secret, your customers, your employees, your employees engaged in social networks and have much to gain by joining discussions. The fundamental question is not “what is social marketing can bring something to my business? But “What can social media for my business? “The social media can also bring a lot to your business, all about targets and if you want more ideas on what you can actually bring the social media marketing we recommend reading social media marketing and indicators performance.

I promise if I found again the source, will send it later.. but it sounded very good advice..

Owning or not the content?

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So in a discussion i had at the Borrell Local Conference in NY, the subject of shall we as media companies try to be aggregators of audience, no matter where it comes from, or shall we attract more audiences because we own and control the quality of all the content we display , is the way to go?
I believe that marketing is about engagement, advertisers pay to be associated with brands, with othher products rather than just place their ads in front of the consumer. Why if not they will pay for advertisement in the digital world? Instead they could just create their own content and buy traffic to tho sites, no more media to come to for advertisement.
W will have in such world a consumer package goods company also becoming a media company. RedBull is trying to get there, prints more than a million copies of their magazine in Europe! But they keep looking for brands to associate their product… Why?
Simple, i believe that media profesionals have the key to “engage” the consumer with good, curated media.
Other than doing that, there is no reason for us to exist and we become another ad network.

Why Newspapers are becoming the next broadcaster

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Beet.tv did a great job interviewing Sean Morgan, CEO of Syndicaster and John Paton, CEO at Journal Register.
IT is easy to demonstrate that while many “old media” companies have decided to give up and just wont go the extra mile to analyze the strengths and think on what is the execution for taking back the cities they are so embed into.
John Paton points, in his new blog, that it is not easy (just tell that to the people behind TBD.com ) it requires a big cultural change in teh way traditional media companies are run. I even adventure to say that it is time to bring those down and make sure they are emerging with strong strategies copying from JRC their DIGITAL FIRST plan.
here are some links to all these :

on the TND and media companies read http://jxpaton.wordpress.com

on the Video piece watch the video http://www.beet.tv/2011/02/journal-register-ce0-we-will-beat-aols-patch-and-huffington-post-.html

SEcond video on same subject : http://www.beet.tv/2011/02/jrcvideopaton.html

Video interview of Sean Morgan : http://www.beet.tv/2011/02/big-newspaper-chain-scaling-up-video-project-flow-in-the-cloud-no-final-cut-pinnacle-avid-required.html

on full disclosure I have to state that I work for John Paton for several years and I now work at JRC.

Hispanics in the US and Spanish media

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I have been analyzing lately what is happening in the Hispanic market in the US. Consumption of media in spanish seem divided by those enormous amounts of hours dedicated to watch “Telenovelas” and the very small attention to any other media. Of course a big piece of the blame is to the “serious” media that has been downgrading their content to be more like the “stupid box”.
There is today, other than some very good radio shows (ie Fernando Espuelas in Los Angeles, Tsi-Tsiki Felix in Chicago), a lack of serious discussion about the role of the hispanic immigrants in this country.
My media friends from Spain are convinced that any other content that is not entertainment coming from Televisa, lacks a purpose. IT seems that the spanish language and being latino has become a definition for a non-thinking person.
I think it is time for a serious new way of thinking, new technology access, news and information hispanic focused, in spanish, bilingual or even in english, to come up front and starts representing those that have that heritage and we are worried that we are being classified just like the TV : the stupid box !!!!
Have a great weekend.

news vs information ?

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While we were discussing if newspapers should get on the WEB or not, while we were fighting over how Craiglist took over the crown jewles of newspapers; a new phenomenon developed and is about take a larger piece of the newspapers : the separations between News and Information.

Journal Register Company (www.journalregister.com)

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The Register Citizen (registercitizen.com), Serving Torrington, CT

Business
Arturo Duran to lead digital efforts at Journal Register Company

Monday, August 9, 2010

YARDLEY, Pa. – Arturo Duran has been named executive vice president, digital, for the Journal Register Company, parent company of The Register Citizen, Litchfield County Times, New Haven Register, Middletown Press and Connecticut Magazine and a number of weekly newspapers in Connecticut.

Duran will report directly to CEO John Paton, who took the reins at Journal Register in early 2010 and has rapidly transformed it from a traditional print-focused newspaper company to a local media company that puts “digital first” in its approach to news and advertising.

Duran, until recently the CEO of Spanish-language publisher impreMedia Digital, will be responsible for coordinating the company’s digital strategy and business development initiatives as they relate to its digital efforts.

Duran is considered a leading executive in the digital world and has a strong track record of success. He was, until recently, the chief executive officer of impreMedia Digital a company he grew from the ground up establishing innovative, value-creating partnerships with companies like MySpace, AOL, PBS and MTV.

He is a former executive of CanWest, AOL, Polaroid and Unisys, where he served in different capacities and was responsible for operations in the U.S., Canada, China, Europe and Latin America.

Journal Register Company is a leader in local news and information serving 992 communities in 10 states. The Company’s 324 multi-platform products reach an audience of nearly 14 million people each month. For more information visit the company website at www.JournalRegister.com.

URL: http://www.registercitizen.com/articles/2010/08/09/business/doc4c5fee459b2ce434772297.prt

© 2010 registercitizen.com, a Journal Register Property

Roger Ailes and the destruction of Journalism

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While reading the NYT today, came with the interview to Roger Ailes http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/10/business/media/10ailes.html?scp=2&sq=Fox%20News&st=cse , amazing that somebody charge so small for a job that is being unappreciated by many : $23M a year to destroy journalism….
Of course you have to love the idea that the best line in his resume is that he is not from Columbia School of Journalism. Of course that will talk to the quality of journalism that is today practiced at

If you analyze what Fox news has been converted into, is more a shouting match, who is the one that has a stronger voice, not the reason that prevails.

It is easy to do comedy or drama… a much tougher task is to do real journalism…

Healthcare

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So, my daughter, who is 24 and she is a full time student has her health insurance through her school. it happens to be Aetna.
She had a small accident that ended up being an ACL (knee) and she went to the hospital in NY city where she goes to School… big surprise, after a couple of hours waiting ( well that is ok, it was the ER and hers was not a life threatening problem), doctor comes in, she get the usual questions and for my surprise, no X-rays or MRI, when I ask, he says, we can not order this because the insurance company wont pay for it, it has to go to a specialist, then he may order it, but it is not easy, typically the insurance companies want at least a 3 month period for this type of injures, then if you don’t get better, order and MRI, it is too expensive to do it for everybody.

So my recommendation to her is, go to Massachusetts, Boston is the city where she grew up, and where all her doctors are, plus they have universal health care. She went there, she got an appointment with her doctor, then specialist and MRI same day !!!

So when people ask me if I am in favor or not of a government run system, my answer is always the same : i don’t care who runs it, as long as it is universal and it is not done for profit. Being int he hands of private bureaucracies or government ones, I prefer the latter. Private corporations are driven by greed, who do you think took the decision that my daughter had to wait several weeks to have a MRI taken ? a Doctor or a management person ? yes, you probably are right guessing as I , that it is a “policy” issued by management, not by doctors. Government bureaucracy is not moved by greed, you may even get a person that understands that you are not feeling ok and that you want immediate attention to your problem with the best medicine and technology available. Government policies tend to be based on human concerns and not on cash concerns…

Single insurance for all ? tell me who has chosen their own insurer working fro any company ? what happens is my daughter has to stick with whatever insurance company her college decided, not the one she wanted, so come on… let’s be clear, more than 50% of US citizens, employed and paying a health care plan through the company they work for have NO choice on their insurer, it is chosen based on financial considerations, not on freedom of employees…

So, who do prefer ?