Monthly Archives: May 2012

`Oak Park’s Own’ Returns, With Interviews of Jeanette Fields & Marc Stopeck

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Television personalities need not look out, but May has been an especially notable month in my modest local cable television journey.

In 2009, Joe Kreml, the Village of Oak Park’s award-winning TV Manager approached me with the idea of hosting a segment called “Oak Park’s Own.”

We shot three interviews in a seven-month span: two subjects were photographers (Todd Bannor and Stephen Green) and one was journalist/author David Mendell.

I previously blogged about my interview with Mendell, which spun off a feature story I wrote about his book, Obama: From Promise to Power.

Then came an ”Oak Park’s Own” hiatus of more than 2 1/2 years. Along the way, Joe and I kept saying we should really get the ball rolling again. Finally, we did so–and two new segments began airing over the past few weeks.

One was a Q & A with Jeanette Fields, a remarkable 92-year-old who is among those selected as a “60 Over 60″ honoree by the Celebrating Seniors Coalition.

Jeanette Fields during our interview for “Oak Park’s Own.”

You can see that clip here.

The other is a chat with Marc Stopeck, the man behind “Shrubtown,” the long-running cartoon in Wednesday Journal of Oak Park & River Forest.

You can see my interview with Marc Stopeck here or simply click on the clip below.

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For Media Relations, Twitter Is For the Birds–Especially the Early Ones Seeking the Worm

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“Twitter is for the birds.”

So goes the silly refrain–still–from some quarters, including one particularly troll-like alum of my journalism school who I suspect just likes to goad folks into foaming at the mouth.

Having opened a Twitter account four years ago, I have long seen the benefits of the social-media platform, both under my @InsideEdge handle and those of the many clients whose accounts I created and maintained.

Over the past few months, however, I’ve decided to become more engaged with Twitter. And you know what? When it comes to the media relations realm, it really is for the birds — in the sense that the early bird gets the worm (or media coverage).

A prominent case in point: two weeks ago, as I was reviewing my Twitter feed, I noticed that a Daily Herald reporter I had just begun following had posted a few minutes earlier: “Do you know of any suburban business or person involved in the NATO Summit?”

I re-tweeted her request and within minutes, it came to the attention of one of my followers, Mike Collins of J.C. Restoration–a Rolling Meadows, Ill.-based company that Inside Edge PR has worked on behalf.

Warner Cruz, J.C. Restoration’s president, graces the cover of the Daily Herald Business Ledger.

I connected Mike with the reporter via e-mail. One thing led to another and the company, as you can see by the image to the right, is featured on the cover of the Daily Herald Business Ledger’s May 14th edition.

As so often happens, with print wagging TV’s tail, Mike appeared a few days later on NBC5 in Chicago to discuss pre-NATO prepping.
None of it would have happened without being on Twitter. Wait, that’s not enough–after all, just about everybody and their cousin is on Twitter.

The key is being on top of it. Much like a bird survives by being on top of worms.

Special thanks to Mana Ionescu of Lightspan Digital. Mana is a Chicgao-based social-media expert who tipped me off to Muckrack, a great resource for connecting with the media on Twitter.

Within minutes of checking out the site, I began following the Daily Herald reporter and that step led to the Page 1 connection for J.C. Restoration.

If It’s 2012, That Must Mean It’s Time For Joe The Plumber, Act II

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Four years ago, I predicted in this blog that as long as Joe the Plumber was around, he’d have a voice during each Presidential campaign cycle.

My post was headlined, “Hey Joe the Plumber, it’s Just the Start!”

Turns out my prediction was too timid in its vision—in case you missed it, Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher is not only being sought out for his views, but he’s seeking office himself.

Joe the Plumber….now Joe the Politician?

Described as a “Tea Party favorite” in his Congressional race, JTP last week told POLITICO that President Obama has been “blessed by God” to gain the highest office in the land.

Regardless of your political leanings, you have to admit that we live in a pretty intriguing country when a brief, chance encounter at a political event can launch (an as-yet unproven) political career.

What happened in Ohio four years ago can happen anywhere, any time. For example, here in the Chicago area, with some PR counsel and support from yours truly, this is an only half-joking example of what I might do for a budding massage therapy practice:

Arrange for the therapist (or group of therapists) to attend a controversial confrontation (think Occupy movement or a pro-life vs. pro-abortion show-down). Be sure that each therapist is wearing a T-shirt featuring their practice details, including website, and that further proclaims:

“No Matter What Side You’re On, I Won’t Rub You the Wrong Way.”

Then be sure to give both sides equal tender loving care, passing along your business card and promotional offers along the way.

On a related note, shortly after Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was arrested in December 2008, I created a public relations campaign for a Chicago-area hair salon.

Here’s background on that effort for Theresa Charo, which resulted in multiple media placements around her business.