Final Thoughts on A Great Conference

This will be my final post as a credentialed press member of the NCTA’s “The Cable Show.”  As the exhibits close and the out-of-town executives fly away, The Cable Show will have a lasting effect on all attendees and the even the City of Los Angeles.  Downtown LA was the perfect venue for a conference of this large scale and it performed brilliantly from the food served to a variety of space for events and parking.  It was all good; in fact great.  This convention was indeed important to the city and with that, the Mayor even stopped by.  Of course, more important that the venue choice, was the staff that tirelessly worked on this conference for over a year to make sure every “i” was dotted and “t” crossed.  It ran like clockwork – congrats NCTA staff!

The Exhibit Floor was the Place to Be!

The exhibit floor offered attendees a plethora of choice in information, tchotchkes and celebrities. You name it – and it was here. Cloud TV, video streaming, national networks and even 3-D TV.  The CSPAN digital bus was parked on the floor; Indians and their teepees were present at RFD-TV; Larry Flint posed for autographs in the Hustler TV booth and the Kardashians graced the conference thanks to E!

As far as goofy giveaways, the conference is now becoming knows for bags.  Bags were the #1 giveaway item hands down.  Epix had the best – a gigantic over the shoulder vinyl number and then there were the others:  Nat Geo Wild’s burlap number and a patented leather beauty from AETN.  Alcohol and smoothies were continually flowing and star sitings were common all day long.  Ion Television had the best items in my opinion – each day they mixed up their gifts from watches to pedometers to jump ropes. The choices made you stop by once each day. Well done.

Today’s content centered about broadband with NCTA’s President and CEO Kyle McSlarrow interviewing FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski. The early morning exchange was cordial and eye opening in the aspect that these two forces still have a great amount of work to do in making America more broadband literate.   A word that kept being used today was “adoption.”  This adoption is not about orphans, but used when referring to people who need to subscribe to broadband. For America is lagging behind other countries in this area and the more people who subscribe to the service, the better is it for all as that is the way that the percentage of users will increase.

FCC Holds Press Conference at The Cable Show

On a PR note, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski held a special press conference later in the day in which the same was basically reiterated.  But, I found it interesting to observe his media rep, Jen Howard. She stood by his side, stoically, for fifteen minutes. She also announced that there wouldn’t be any follow up questions, I have never seen that practice before – but she didn’t stick to that.

But, basically I did notice something that the FCC Chair kept saying…and I liked it.  He said over and over that we need to “understand problems and try and find solutions. “ Wouldn’t the world be a much better place if we were all in the solutions business!!!

In addition to that nugget, he further stated that he wants to keep the Internet an open source and make sure that it’s safe for use.  He’s all for consumers and allowing them to get information when they want it on the Internet. He also said he and his staff are holding workshops over the net-I’ll have to check that out.

The second session I attended looked at social and traditional media and the panel reflected that with the heads of Showtime, Tivo, Cablevision, William Morris and Twitter waxing eloquent about the subject. The ipad was banted about freely as a game-changer as was the idea that premium content will always be at a premium (pardon the pun.)

When twitter was thrown into the conversation – that’s when it got interesting.  Ari Emanuel from William Morris said that its his job is to make sure he get the most for his clients, including the power that their social connections bring. For instance, Twitter King Ashton Kutcher (nearing 5 million followers) twitter account brings power to products if he endorses something.

NBC Universal Gave Attendees a Night to Remember

Before closing, I would be remiss if I did not mention the stellar party thrown in our behalf last night by NBC Universal. They opened up Universal Studios for a private party for convention attendees that include a concert by Maroon 5; catering by Wolfgang Puck and free arcade play.  It was the closest thing to nirvana. I was finally able to ride “The Simpsons Ride” too. I didn’t win a stuff animal last night, but many did. I didn’t hear of one person who didn’t have a marvelous and memorable time. That gesture sure spoke volumes about the need for LA to host this convention at least once every ten years.

With that and my 900 twitter followers, I am signing off from my duty reporting on THE CABLE SHOW.  A giant thank you for all who made this possible and graciously accepted me into their ranks. I now have to go on a major diet for I ate up a storm these last four days. The food like the conference was filling, fruitful and fabulous!

Cindy

Poised for the Future

Roberts took the floor sans Chernin at the beginning to showcase his On-Demand wares. He announced that Comcast will now offer a bazillion of choices with his On-Demand service called Xfinity. They are enlarging their film archives immensely and he showed us how you can navigate and drill down to find what the consumer wants.  You can search by actor’s name, genre, film festival and even donate to a cause by choosing a certain piece of content.

I also was excited to see that he mentioned that he is working with the ipad to showcase content. It was nice to hear him recognize that it’s a relevant content distribution point.

He understands good management is not micro-management

Chernin threw out a heavy piece of artillery at the start. He asked what his disappointments have been. Roberts thought he was a bit slow on the dime in the content area.  He wished he had made investments 20 years ago in cable companies like Turner or Discovery.

Roberts thinks that cable has been under-valued in its contributions to the industry.  In addition for being known for sending a monthly bill, cable has made advancements in content. Who wouldn’t agree to that some of TV’s most memorable shows have come from cable companies.

It was a great that Roberts pointed out that one of its shining examples at his company is Frank Eliason, who heads up ComcastCares.  Frank is a rock star in social media and all those involved in the field, know that he is a trend setter who cares for his customers. It was great to hear Roberts’ recognize his contributions.

I have been around Mr. Roberts before at conferences, but I forgot how much I like him and his demeanor.  I like how relaxed he is as a media mogul.  He could be the neighbor next door. He’s not rushed, pretentious nor reek of the Hollywood power stench – even though he is a leader in entertainment.  Maybe it’s because he runs a family company and his dad is still an ever presence.  But, what I could gather from his comments, simply  is:

-He understands that his success comes in taking care of customers.  He is striving to make new devices easier to use for consumers which I say is brilliant. We’ ve got enough to figure out on own and any help that others give us is welcome.  Smart thinking.

-He also is not going to micro-manage NBC Universal. He’s not going to shove their ways down the new company’s throat.  He knows that each channel has its own distinct brand he’ll leave it at that.

-He knows the company has to transform and will and so he has to be constantly changing and he’s open to it.  A company that creates is what he is excited about.

-NBC News is going to be the cornerstone to the company. He is excited about acquiring it and needs to protect it. NBC News he said will help define Comcast.

Chernin did a nice job moderating the conversation. As a former top executive at News Corp., Chernin knew first-hand some of the struggles Roberts and gang will encounter and tried his best to tip his hat to a few – like angering politicians or consumers with a subject of newscast.

It was the perfect way to kick off the convention – and I’m so glad that Roberts agreed. For is there anything bigger than this acquistion at the moment in cable?

On to the next event.

Cindy

Dawn C. Chmielewski and Amy Kaufman’s article “Is Nickelodeon going to give rival Disney the brush off at Kids’ Choice Awards? “in the Los Angeles Times on Saturday, March 27, reminded me about an ugly practice in our business — excluding celebrities from events or shows just because they belong to another company not currently owned by the “said” media conglomerate. For those of you who haven’t experienced this yet in your PR practice, this is a common reality in the world of entertainment PR.

Here’s how it works.  Let say, Ed O’Neill from ABC’s hit comedy “Modern Family” was pitched to be on NBC’s “The Today Show” – well, this pitch wouldn’t have happened, because “The Today Show” only wants NBC celebrities and plus, ABC has their own morning show “Good Morning America.”  The same holds true for late night celebrities.  Seldom, if ever, would you see a non-CBS celebrity on “Late Show with David Letterman” or an non-NBC’er on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.”  And the pockets go much deeper – this also stretches into the programs of their cable sisters.  Even if Ed O’Neill was in a blockbuster movie by an independent studio, he would be seen as ABC’s goods and would guest non-Grata anywhere else.  It’s a fraternity if you will and the Networks run their own private country clubs. They take care of their own and believe me the system is well aware of it.

So if I was given the keys to the media kingdom, here’s the first change I would make – its revolutionary – but I’d open my companies doors and let everyone in – no matter what competing show they were on or rival network or for that matter parent owner.  If a person is in the media, they are allowed in – no questions asked.

Just imagine – MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow could be included in a “60 Minutes” piece.  Or “Dancing with the Stars” celebrities could appear on “Late Show With David Letterman” or Jay Leno could guest on “Late Night with Jimmy Kimmel.”  Or for that matter, Craig Ferguson could visit with the gals on “The View.”  Better yet, the stars that the kids love would be welcome on the red carpet at the “Kids Choice Awards!”

I really don’t understand this industry insecurity.  It’s dysfunctional and has to go.  The TV industry needs to embrace social media’s world-wide philosophy of sharing your knowledge with others — not holding on to your tools and hoarding your wares.  The open source system has been life-changing.  One cannot but appreciate Google and Wikipedia. They’ve brought so much into our lives.

Even Bart Simpson Gets It!

So if I was Media King for a day, that’s what I’d do. I’d remove all network celebrity restrictions and would not fear that I would lose tune-in by doing so. In fact, I think I’d gain audience share by practicing good will and trusting that I am producing a good product.  Life is about competition. That’s a certain.   But, why do companies have to remain in fear and paranoia of not providing their customers with the best content possible?

Wouldn’t the world truly be a better place?

I’d love to hear your thoughts about these restrictions. Also, tell me what celebrity would you like to see on a competing network show.

One can dream.

Cindy

Entering is so much nicer than exiting.

Some sample Conan exit statements could be:

The recent reorganization of NBC’s late-night schedule has afforded me the opportunity to explore new options.  With my record of entertaining mass amounts of viewers, connecting with the younger demographic and being funnier than my predecessor, my objective now is to locate a position as a host of my own show within a “sane thinking, business savvy” entertainment company.

Or

As a result of the recent merger of  “The Jay Leno Show” and ”Tonight Show Starring Conan O’Brien,” 200 positions were eliminated, including mine.  I am now exploring opportunities that will take further advantage of my extensive late-night comedy experience, as well as my hosting and writing background, in the entertainment industry.

These work for me – feel free to use them  any time Conan and good luck.  Remember never to say “laid off” or terminated! Nor say that you are unemployed.  You’re in transition.

Off to recite my exit statement,

Cindy

Is Fox in His Future?

As one who is familiar with severances of late, I did a little math for I wanted to see how his staff made out for seven months work in Los Angeles.  Basically, his 190 person staff would each receive $41,000 (after taxes) if the $11 million was split evenly among them, which I’ m sure it will not be.  $40k is wonderful and much better than nothing – I mean it was very honorable that Conan fought for them – but their future lies with their former boss and whether or not he takes another job immediately. 

Conan will be fine financially, however, I am sure that his staff is secretly  hoping that he lands  a new gig soon and create another show where he needs to hire approximately 190 people.   If Conan decides to take a few months off and enjoy Los Angeles in the spring time, then their only hope is to attempt to work on one of the shows NBC is producing to fill its 10p.m. weeknight slots.  But, that’s a long shot. 

Also, California certainly doesn’t need another 200 people out of work-so Conan from one person in transition to another – heed this advice:  Get to work as soon as possible, not just for your fans, but more importantly, for your co-workers.  Forty thousand dollars doesn’t go far when you have to pay for your own benefits, rent, insurance, utilities, cable, college loans and cell phone, etc.

(*-I deducted $3 million from Conan’s $33 million severance and $1 million from the staff’s package to account for lawyers fees.  Not being anywhere near this settlement, I am giving a low-ball estimate. It could very well much more that the lawyers get to pocket out of the deal.)

Nothing to Celebrate Now

Pals Again

A Mugshot of a Man in Need of a Publicist

It’s a great time to be a publicist for the harvest field has recently become full with so many influential people and institutions finding themselves caught in potential reputation tarnishing situations.  Just take a look at our current workload.

• Mark McGwire
• Charlie Sheen
• USC
• Harry Reid
• NBC

Need I say more. Publicists are needed in each of the above situations and lives like never before.

In addition to being a benefit during crises, publicists as a whole have much to gain from high-profile situations for it is at these character building times that our craft is treated with the respect it deserves. And, if the publicists that are charged with the above situations do it right, then they will not only bring goodwill to our profession, but also help save the lives of individuals who have been lead astray by either greed, power or a personal demon.

HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY

As a publicist my first counsel is to come clean. I tell my clients if something has been done wrong and especially if it is on the verge of being found out that they need to confess.  That’s why I’m glad Mark McGwire had the saddest day of his life today and admitted to steroid use.  He no longer has to dance around this issue and keep the lie going.

Why did he come out with it now? Who knows, but I think it was because he couldn’t stand the guilt one more day.  As we all know, secrets hurt more keeping them in than in their exposure.  Yes, his reputation has been damaged, but Mr. McGwire can now rest his head on his pillow tonight with a clear conscience for the first time since perhaps 1993.  That’s a long time to keep a lie alive.

Is he in the clear now? No, I believe this is just the start of his healing. He now needs to apologize to his fans and face the music.  He will face some punishment, whether that be never being voted in the the MLB Hall of Fame or having an asterisk by his stats.  He is accountable for his actions and must face the consequences.

And my advice goes for the rest of them too.

Charlie Sheen needs to admit to his anger problems and get treatment. His actions need to match his words. He also needs to financially support battered womens abuse shelters and speak to men about this issue as part of his healing.

Pete Carroll is the smartest man at USC by getting out of the NCAA-violation laden athletic program.  The you-know-what-kind-of-storm is going to hit there and you haven’t seen anything yet.  The flood gates are just opening and the best thing USC can do is silence Mike Garrett, USC’s Athletic Director.  Now is the time for silence from the administration or its time to confess if there have been problems.

Harry Reid’s situation should be over in a few days regarding his racist remarks toward President Obama. He smartly issued an apology before the storm hit him and the President accepted his apology. Case closed. Well done.

And NBC-They have a huge mess on their hands.  They have pissed off their two best talents.  Jay and Conan are having a field day ridiculing the company on air that gives them their pay checks.  With GE soon selling the shop to Comcast, it could be that this lame duck administration is throwing up its hands to these boys who are behaving badly.  They might not care.  But as viewers, we love it. It makes great TV. And well, I think they will continue this outward protest for some time to come…even after the Winter Olympics.

So if you are looking for a job, you might want to think about being a publicist – that is if you like to clean up other people’s messes and don’t mind being expendable until a major poop storm hits.  When the talent is knee deep in you know what- that’s our time to shine. And right now there are a lot of people who desperately need us.  Tiger, do you still need some help?

What’s your spin on this post?

Not in deep water yet,

Cindy

Conan and Jay need to forget about their pride and do the make the best decision for their audiences.

For those of you following the soap opera that NBC has become…Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien are caught in situations that neither of them would have never thought possible.  From the outside, it does appear that they are part of a dysfunctional network system caused by miss-management, bad deals and promises.

By no means do I think that Conan nor Jay are victims nor should be pitied in their situations. The two of them are set for life financially no matter the outcome.  But, this situation that has arisen involves PRIDE and that sometimes is hard to swallow.

If I was either of their publicists the advice I would give them would be the same. Forget about your ego and the best decision to be made is what is best for their audience. Yes, in this day and age, you are only as good as to the size of your following.  Any missteps causing a reduction of fans are costly.

So if Conan and Jay can put aside their differences and their egos for a moment, the best decision for both of them is to stay on NBC.  They need to keep serving their audience base and not disappoint them by jumping ship.  Their audiences know them as NBC personalities and know where and when to find them.  Any changes in that area will only signal trouble for them regarding their broadcast futures.

Yes, it’s pretty crummy how NBC is treating them – flip flopping their schedule and lives like they have…but Jay and Conan must remember why they are successful – it’s because of their loyal fans which keep tuning in.   If they do anything to disrupt that, then I foresee their careers to be short-lived for  no one can not survive in today’s economy with low numbers.

Like social media, the community finds you – you don’t find it.  They join you as a follower or friend because they want to and they have the power to ignore or decline your invitations for friendship.  Once you have a “community” then you are responsible to deliver on the goods you promised them.  You don’t want to upset them for there is power in numbers.  That’s why the first calls that Jay and Conan receive everyday are from the NBC research department on how they’re performing. The number of followers is VERY IMPORTANT.

For forget about what promises were made or feeling like this isn’t fair.  Jay and Conan be thrilled that you both still have jobs and that people still tune in to see you weeknights. Do what’s best for your fans and if you, what comes around goes around – you’ll be rewarded beyond measure.

So swallow that pride.  Admit defeat. And expect opportunities as a result.