Turning the Tables on the TCA
Filed Under (Business, Marketing, corporate communications) by admin on 11-01-2009
Tagged Under : media, press conferences, reporters, TCA
It is not unheard of that a journalist may switch career paths to become a publicist. However, it is extremely rare for the reverse to happen — that a publicist becomes a journalist. But, due to my good fortune, I was able to sort of sit in their shoes last week twittering away during the cable portion of the Television Critic Association (TCA) press tour and what I learned was invaluable. (The TCA is a bi-annual conference attended by TV critics from the US and Canada. TV networks present content in press conference fashion.)
The most creative session - Important Things with Demetri Martin
I have planned TCA sessions every year since 1985. That’s a long time to be doing something over and over and I still love planning these conferences. Since I’ve been doing these things for so long I sort of felt that I’ve improved them as much as humanly possible, but that’s certainly not the case as I experienced last week. As in life, there are always areas in which we can improve.
Here are some things that I could have never known if I didn’t walk a few steps with critics at the Universal Hilton.
1) First off, give them more elbow room. I have no idea why the small school room tables had to be so close together. Most of us aren’t as thin as we used to be and we’re lugging our computer bags and press kits. Also, large pitchers of water were on the tables and we often dumped them over which could mean death to a laptop if doused.
2) Make sure that the power bars disseminating electricity to the respective tables do indeed have power. I can’t begin to tell you how many sessions we attended that were without power. Many people had to revert to hand notes as opposed to using up their valuable juice. A definite “no no” regarding any conference. It should have been fixed immediately.
3) It was difficult finding the power strips. There seemed to be no sense to where power strips were placed. It would have been a great idea to mark an “X” on the tablecloths where strips that worked were underneath.
4) Seating Charts are a Must! Networks please provide seating charts complete with producer’s names either on the screens or in paper format. I can’t tell you the number of networks who didn’t provide this information in a ready fashion. HBO prepared the best document regarding its panels. The sheet at each desk listed info about the show (premiere date), a list of the panelists and their titles and a brief paragraph about the show. It was the easiest document to follow.
5) For long sessions, please provide for at least one break to “freshen up.” You get what I mean, right?
6) I can’t begin to tell everyone involved what a pain in the “neck” it was during cable to be switching ballrooms four times a day. Just when you get settled in to your “tight” spot, you would have to pack up again and move to another room and start the process all over again. I do understand why we had to move – to allow the next network to set up – but couldn’t they rehearse in another room instead?
7) FOOD SESSIONS – Don’t start lunch or dinner panels until after the main course has been eaten –that is if you want any coverage at all. You can’t type and eat. And eating is important.
(8) Don’t serve food, especially a dinner in the ballroom’s hallway without providing tall cocktail tables. We had two meal events like that and it was extremely difficult eating and holding your bag and well forget about holding a cup.
9) Put thought into your menu. Networks be sure to work with your convention manager to make sure that the meal wasn’t served the day before. Also, instead of looking at the price, check out to see if what you are serving is something that you would want to eat. People are more health conscious these days…don’t serve all fried food. Provide other options. Also, more fruit would have been welcome as opposed to cookies.
Classic Seinfeld on Starz' "Head Case" - Don't Miss Episode
10) Also, if an announcement is made during your event then there should be an accompanying press release. Some forgot about that, no kidding.
11) Seems like Flash drives are the big hit now. All nets need to make sure that you provide them to the critics. Be sure to include photos on the drives for I can’t tell you how many times that I saw critics post photos immediately on their blogs.
The next time I have to plan an event, I’ll keep my “first hand” experience in mind and definitely will walk the floor to make sure that the critics have room to do their job.
At the end the day, despite these small faux pauxs, the element that is the most important is content. That will be my next post on Wednesday.
If you would like to subscribe to my blog to get “my latest content” in your email inbox, you can do so here. Hey, send me your thoughts on the Golden Globes too-I’d love to hear what you thought about the coverage.
Best,
Cindy
This is like that Eddie Murphy-Dan Akyroyd movie “Trading Places,” where you’ve switched roles and now see the world through a different perspective. (I’m calling them and telling them you are infringing on their copyright!) Kudos for the Demetri Martin picture! He’s hilarious.
Go Cindy! This was such an insightful post. Thank you for writing about this.
Hey Cindy, interesting to hear your take on these events from the other side. As the provider of the power strips, I’d like a chance to offer some commentary on it. As a courtesy, we started putting in power strips on a “few” tables just 3 or 4 years ago at the request of a couple of critics who were using laptops at the time. Since then, we now find that power is expected to be placed at every table. During the HBO session alone, I would estimate that there were well over 80 laptops in use in the audience. This is a service that we have never charged for, although the expense of power cords and power strips is not insubstantial in the quantities which are now expected. Here at the Hilton we are dealing with some power distribution equipment that has been in service since the hotel opened in 1983. This means weak or non functioning circuit breakers and very loose fitting outlets. We lost power to portions of the two ballrooms a couple of times during the cable tour, usually thru overloading of a circuit or someone unplugging a main cable with their feet. As far as rhyme or reason to the placement, we try to put power strips between every other row of tables, so you either have one in front of your table or immediately behind you on the floor. Occasionally extra tables get added at the last minute in which case they often don’t get the power strips. When power does go out, as soon as we are informed, we make every effort to restore it, but crawling around under people’s feet in the middle of a session can be pretty disruptive and we usually try to wait until the next break to dig in. It’s often not easy to tell where the power has failed because the laptops are still running and we have to actually ask people if they still have power. Again, may I point out that we do not charge (yet) for the power strips provided in the room. So now you get to see Press Tour from the other side yet again! Good to see you this last week!