NMRcast #14

Following the 3rd Thursday event held on the 18th, the last week has seen a flurry of activity in the blogosphere addressing the value (or lack of value) for a social media news release. Chris Heuer, Tom Foremski, and Shel Holtz review the various points different posts have made and how it can affect the develoment of the social media release.  Shel put together a list of the posts they reviewed which can be found on his site (and we encourage you to sift through them all).
NMRcast #14 (29-minutes) can be downloaded (MP3, 13.3 MB), or you can sign up for the RSS feed to get it and future shows automatically. (For automatic synchronization with your iPod or other digital player, you’ll also need a podcatcher such as Juice, DopplerRadio, iTunes or Yahoo! Podcasts, or an RSS aggregator that supports podcasts such as FeedDemon).

A big ‘thank you’ to Shel for hosting and managing the NMRcast for us! If you would like to listen to previous NMRcasts, please check out the For Immediate Release website.

Sphere: Related Content

NMRcast #13

This latest episode was recorded live from the The Third Thursday meeting that took place at Shine SF in San Francisco on January 18, 2007.

Mike Manuel announced the new partnership between the Third Thursday group, SNCR and the Social Media Club and then we delved into the main topic for the evening, the Social Media Release (’SMR’). The panel discussion was led by Chris Heuer, and featured Shel Holtz, Brian Solis, Tom Foremski, and special guest, Joel Tesch from BusinessWire.

The SMR topic fueled quite a bit of conversation following the event, most of which can be followed through Technorati, though I am finding some folks tagged it with social+media+release, others with social+media+press+release so it is not as easy as I thought to round them all up. Which is why we have Brian Solis who did a bang up job in collecting several key points on the topic to get everyone up to speed. Thanks Brian.
You may download the NMRcast here (MP3, 34.6Mb, 1:15:23). You may also subscribe to the Speakers & Speeches RSS feed to get these and future podcasts automatically. For automatic synchronization with your iPod or other digital player, you’ll also need a podcatcher such as the free Juice, DopplerRadio, iTunes or Yahoo! Podcasts, or an RSS aggregator that supports podcasts such as FeedDemon. To receive all For Immediate Release podcasts including the twice-weekly Hobson & Holtz Report, subscribe to the full RSS feed.

A big ‘thank you’ to Shel for hosting and managing the NMRcast for us, and to the folks at Shine SF for opening their space to the group.

To listen to previous NMRcasts, please check out the For Immediate Release website.

Sphere: Related Content

Most people want to ‘get it’: Are you willing to help?

I do get a kick out of the entire dustup over the social media release - very happy to hear people talking about it really, even if some don’t fully understand the deeper purpose and the broader implications. Those progressive, anti-establishment folks screaming that our efforts are co-opting social media are doing the exact thing I expected from them - attacking instead of offering help. This is exactly what I did back in 1994-96 when I launched an interactive agency. When any traditional agency would make a move into interactive, we would, to borrow a term from Stowe Boyd “skewer them”. If you have paid any attention to what I have been writing about the purpose for Social Media Club, you will know that this is one of the main points of what I am trying to accomplish - if you get it, share it. Not if you get it, scream at others who are trying to get it and ostracize them while calling them stoopid.

With some age and experience, has come a bit of wisdom about economic realities and human behaviour. It is only natural to want to be combative and tear down the things we don’t understand or dislike - or to throw out an entire barrel of apples for want of getting rid of a few bad ones. The funny thing is that many ‘pro-people, anti-organization’ folks are completely disregarding the fact that these organizations are made up of PEOPLE! People who want to do the right thing, people who want our help, people who want to get it and make things right.

Regardless, this is finally the beginning of the manifestation of the cluetrain principles in our society, with companies entering the conversation in a real and meaningful way. Yes many will stumble and make big mistakes (which can hopefully serve as lessons not to be repeated by others). Personally, I expected such an uprising long ago - this sort of confrontational approach is what lead to the fall of netiquette and the tighter embrace of greed over good sense. It lead to all sorts of problems with people not getting the point, nor being open to new ways of thinking, because those who really understood what it was all about were dismissive of anyone trying to figure it out - especially those older than themselves. Worse, it limited the potential for having meaningful conversations and made management harden their position rather than engaging in meaningful dialogue and understanding why things were different and how they could engage properly. It made management dismissive of those PEOPLE who really wanted to change inside their organizations rather than supportive of them.

From my perspective, this is about more than whether or not the press release is evolving into the social media release, it is about whether or not people want to find ways to help each other do things right, or if they want to find conflict and enjoy the fight. The dust will perhaps not settle for a long time, but in standing for progress and seeking what is best for the whole of society, I will continue to support the golden rule and do my personal best to stay true to The Four Agreements.

There are a lot of good points on both sides of the argument, but the finger pointing about ‘you don’t get it’, or ‘getting social media all wrong’ is not going to be helpful for anyone. There is much to be learned on both sides though, and that is the purpose I have for bringing communications professionals together with bloggers, podcasters, journalists, students, non profits and for profits - to learn together, from each other. Yes, there are many who do not understand that the very nature of how we relate to one another as human beings is changing and continue to do things the wrong way. Are these people going to learn more if you call them names and disparage them, or are they going to learn more if you appreciate that they are PEOPLE and give them the respect that they deserve for being human while trying to help them understand how they can do things differently?

I am not going to get into a tit for tat on every post and every point in this discussion because we have a lot of important unfinished business that must be addressed first, but please know where I am coming from and that my goal is to serve as a catalyst for the good cause. Transforming society through the economic engine of business and technology and communications is no easy task, and I am sure there are things I will get wrong, as will each of us, but our intentions are clear and our objectives are probably pretty similar to yours, even when our tactics and approach may seem diametrically opposed.

In the end, ‘getting it’ is an internal shift that we can not easily force on anyone - people have to want to change for themselves - it is an internal realization that what has worked in the past is no longer working. You can bludgeon people into submission to your way of thinking or you can engage in respectful dialogue and make inroads by helping them along the way. In the end, how you choose to approach this world changing mission is your own. In the end, this is my noble pursuit.

This is the second of my weekly columns we are calling “A View From The Middle” - it is still in its birthing phase, so the format might change a bit, but they are generally deeper posts about the important things I see happening, not on the fringes, but in the middle with everyone else. 

Sphere: Related Content

The Social Media Release Under Attack

Earlier this week at Third Thursday, we talked about the Social Media Release and thankfully recorded the next NMRCast, so the full conversation will soon be online.  Stowe Boyd was in attendance and had some very pointed questions, which we felt we answered to a degree, but did not dive into more deeply so as to hear other voices in attendance.  His blog post entitled “Enough Already: Getting Social Media all wrong” was a one-sided commentary that failed to even link to this site or  Social Media Release Blog and has now been picked up by Robert Scoble and others.  Our response was posted over here, so please join in on the conversation and let us know your thoughts…   BTW, if you really want to know about this subject, please read the draft of the requirements we wrote.

Sphere: Related Content

NMRcast #12

In this episode, Chris Heuer, Shel Holtz, Brian Solis and Tom Foremski discuss the entries of Fleishman Hillard and Edelman to the social media news release party; Chris provides an update on the integration of microformats into the social media press releases standard; Tom responds to a colleague’s question about whether journalists want a new type of press release; Chris covers progress toward planning a social media new release summit.You can download the file here (MP3, 12.9 MB), or sign up for the RSS feed to get it and future shows automatically. (For automatic synchronization with your iPod or other digital player, you’ll also need a podcatcher such as Juice, DopplerRadio, iTunes or Yahoo! Podcasts, or an RSS aggregator that supports podcasts such as FeedDemon).

Related items:

• Weblo’s social media release, produced by iStudio and High Road Communications, affiliated with Fleishman Hillard
• iStudio’s blog post about the Weblo release
• Fleishman Hillard’s Ed Lee blogs about Canada’s first social media news release
• Edelman’s announcement of the debut of StoryCrafter
• Edelman’s Phil Gomes offers blog posts—part one and part two—discussing Edelman’s StoryCrafter
• The microformats website
• Tom Foremski’s post, Do journalists want a social media news release? from Silicon Valley Watcher
• Social Media Release Wiki (contribute your case studies)
• The new Social Media Release site, home of the social media release requirements
• Google Groups mailing list for New Media Release discussion (please join!)

A big ‘thank you’ to Shel for hosting and managing the NMRcast for us!

To listen to previous NMRcasts, please check out the For Immediate Release website.

Sphere: Related Content

Social Media Release Blog & Requirements ‘Released’

Just a quick note here that we have started a new Blog to address the progress of the Social Media Release and help practicioners to better understand best practices - ultimately making the most of the emerging standard for the PR industry. Check out the Social Media Release dot org Blog if you are interested and subscribe to that feed to follow updates. While we will still be talking about it here from time to time as a project of Social Media Club, the meat of the conversation will be happening over there and on the related Wiki.

[updated title - 3am typo]

Sphere: Related Content

NMRcast #8 - Social Media Release powering forward

Chris Heuer, Brian Solis, and Shel Holtz discuss the Media Release working group’s progress, cover the role of tags in the Social Media release, and discuss Sun Microsystems CEO Jonathan Schwartz’s letter to the SEC seeking approval for blogs to serve as a channel for material disclosure.

Shel Holtz provides a list of links supporting this podcast on his website, For Immediate Release.

You can download the file here (MP3, 12.7MB), or sign up for the RSS feed to get it and future shows automatically. (For automatic synchronization with your iPod or other digital player, you’ll also need a podcatcher such as Juice, DopplerRadio, iTunes or Yahoo! Podcasts, or an RSS aggregator that supports podcasts such as FeedDemon).

Sphere: Related Content

Social Media Club London

Chris Heuer will be in London for the XPRL meeting (related to the new Media Release format for revitalizing the traditional Press Release) and will be participating in the first meeting of the London Social Media Club that takes place on Friday, September 15th at the Fleishman Hillard offices at 40 Long Acre, Covent Garden, London WC2E 9LG.   We will start around 5:30pm.

If you are in the area, please plan on joining us for a robust discussion on the future of the Press Release and to establish plans for the club in London!

Sphere: Related Content

Social Media Club Los Angeles!

Much thanks to Sally Falkow of for taking the initiative to organize a Social Media Club meeting in Los Angeles. It is going to be a busy September ahead, but very very very exciting to get things rolling around the country and around the globe. We hope to get some really great feedback on the direction of the organization and continue the conversation about the new Media Release. I will be sharing my findings from the XPRL group meeting in London, and insights from our discussions in New York and Miami.

Social Media Club Los Angeles
Thursday September 28, 2006
4:30PM - 6:30PM

Hosted by Expansion Plus & PRESSfeed
6767 Forest Lawn Drive
Suite 212
Los Angeles, CA 90068

Sally is working on some great technology that helps businesses become involved in the conversation. On the way to the Silicon Valley meeting last month, I had a great conversation with her about her experiences in South Africa and her decision to move to the states. Not only is she bright and insightful when it comes to Internet Marketing and helping companies make the most of RSS, she is an all around great person who I am glad to have met. We look forward to working with her, and other organizers down in LA.

So if you have an interest in Social Media, and live near the City of Angels, come on out on September 28, 2006 and join the conversation!  Help us shape the future of this very important group and discuss the key issues of our emerging field.
PS - That night I will be organizing a Blogger Dinner somewhere in Hollywood and also getting a chance to catch up with my Little Brother James Zinkand (from Big Brothers Big Sisters) who recently biked half way across the country and is now engaged in some pretty interesting entrepreneurial endeavours of his own. He is only 19 and has already climbed Mount Fuji and recently biked half way across the country! It’s good to know that I was able to provide a little bit of positive direction - better to be able to say that we are friends and brothers over 10 years later and 3,000+ miles from home!

Sphere: Related Content

Going Beyond Silicon Valley…

In last week’s NMRCast, I mentioned that I was considering an extended trip to host a few Social Media Club meetings outside Silicon Valley. On Saturday evening, Kristie and I decided that I should commit to the trip and see if providence would really move.

We are still working out the details and are looking for client opportunities, sponsorships and other support, but here is the initial schedule we are working with:

9/13 - Arrive in London, get my bearings and stay with the ever insightful Jackie Danicki
9/14 - Open day of meetings, XPRL Meeting at 3pm
9/15 - Afternoon/evening - Social Media Club London Kickoff Meeting
9/18 - Fly to New York, Social Media Club New York Kickoff Meeting that evening
9/21 - Fly to Miami, Social Media Club South Florida Kickoff Meeting (or on 9/25?)
9/22 - Drive to Orlando for Blog Orlando to hang out with Josh and all the other Disney loving Bloggers out there
9/25 - In Miami for business meetings
9/26 - Fly home to San Francisco in the early evening

In planning for this trip, and discussing Social Media Club operations, it became clear that my original goals for hosting 25 or more Founders Circle Events this fall was overly optimistic. We are still assesing this aspect of the launch plans, but intend to hold true to the spirit of the original idea - to get out into the rest of the world and understand how other people view social media and learn what people want from a Social Media association.

I can not begin to tell you how excited I am about this trip. More details to come later this week…

Sphere: Related Content

Social Media Club Meeting #1 Podcast

This is the podcast of the first public Social Media Club Meeting, held in Mountain View, CA at the offices of Interplast.org.

Listen in on the discussion with Chris Heuer, Brian Solis, Todd Defren, Tom Abate, Sally Falkow, Mark Nolan, Todd Van Hoosear, Jason Baptiste, Lisa Chung, Jenn McClure, Seth Mazow, Pat Meier, Shannon Clark and Kristie Wells.

The meeting started with Chris describing the purpose of Social Media Club and his desired goals of making the club a successfull “Not for Loss” organization. The group then started a discussion on what was needed to bring more credibility to social media creators as journalists and the issue of ’sourcing’ and ‘crediting’ facts. The second half of the discussion was focused on the new Media Release efforts being undertaken by the community to modernize the traditional press release as a Microformat.

There were some great insights from the many different perspectives that were in the room - competing agencies, competing wire services, bloggers, technologists and journalists. As Mark Nolan from PRNewswire commented, “if you create a safe environment with Social Media Club for everyone to come together, it will go a long way towards helping the industry innovate and evolve.”

We hope to be doing that and quite a bit more. Thanks to everyone for coming out, especially those of you who agreed to join the hRelease working group to move from our initial discussions about the Media Release to establishing it as a viable and widely adopted standard. More notes on the wiki about the Media Release Working Group.

Subscribe to this weekly podcast or listen to this episode now: