Friday, May 04, 2012

Banikarim vs. the famous Gannett Blog rumor mill

Chief Marketing Officer Maryam Banikarim's just-published nine rules for new media includes No. 4: "Don't be afraid to share the process":

The public wants to know when you hear a rumor, when you have confirmed it, and they want "in." When we share the storytelling with our audiences, it creates a new pop-up community around that story–and rich engagement to go with it. Bottom line: Transparency rocks.

21 comments:

  1. Rumors debase everyone involved.

    I get the irony vis-a-vis this blog. But USAT and the community newspapers are not glorified blogs. They are supposed to be reliable news sources; that is, you can rely on responsible journalists to check stories out.

    I have never worked at a newspaper where it was OK to publish rumors. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the rationale was that rumors are destructive to the respective parties and to the credibility of the paper.

    And what about libel?

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  2. They want us to repeat rumors.
    The people who run this company must have stepped off a spaceship.
    Bottom line: Where in the truth-telling business, not bullshit production.

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  3. I'm going to be referencing this rule a lot in the future.

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  4. She's so full of shit it's stunning!

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  5. Thankfully, no one is going to take her seriously and start doing any of the drivel she mentioned.

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  6. Rule 4, Banikarim and the Story it tells to Gannett’s Audience:

    • Employees quickly heard rumors she was ill-suited for her role.

    • Her every self-promotion and lack of results at Gannett appears to confirm it.

    • Employees, desperate for growth, wanted in on that discussion since her arrival.

    • Ensuing discussions around it have been rich and engaging.

    Bottom line: Transparency does rock, the question is when will Gannett’s board process and act on it as it’s clear the patience of a majority has run thin.

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  7. 2:15,
    Forget the board. When will Gracia see it? Or is she just so unaware of what a CMO should be doing that she doesn't question it?

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  8. Maryam has inured herself as Gracia's fasion and spiritual advisor and the cool girl. it doesnt matter that she cant actually do her job.Gracia wont admit she was wrong. Not her style. Remember what she told shareholders? We have the right team!

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  9. It always stinks from the head down.

    And Martore smells just as bad as Banikarim.

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  10. I'm not a Maryam fan or from corporate but I think the response here is a bit ridiculous.

    I read this to mean that reporters should use (relatively) new tools like Twitter, Facebook, Cover It Live, etc. to get readers involved in the reporting process. This can mean letting readers know you're checking out a rumor, responding to their questions or letting folks know when the story changes or you have some additional context to add.

    I can't speak for other sites but at mine there's far too much whining about new technology that can actually make reporters more credible with readers - and yes, sell our product: information. The days when reporters simply wrote stories and expected that to be enough are over. "Getting readers involved" is now essential to relevancy.

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  11. OK...I follow the Gannett blog on a regular basis...as a previous AD who fought tooth and nail for every dollar to increase revenue for Gannett...the tipping point was 2006 and all hell broke loose...like a group publisher (who has since retired...and the rumor was she had a nice sized bottle in her desk) pounding on my desk demanding revenue during a two minute 'meeting'. But the trend has been to eliminate the core of the ad departments, reduce the quality of the news team through layoffs, and hope that things improve.

    Reviewing the latest ABC audit for the newspaper I lived for, the circ is down 50%?...really?...instead of 44k Sunday homes the number is now 20K?...really?...it is shocking...it is a slippery slope that SOMEONE needs to recognize...so sad that the EBIT is driving the future of a company so many have worked hard to be successful...and then
    what is telling at the top, the pay and bonuses are growing...and who is this chick in charge of USA Today's advertising?...Question: How many clients does she make sales calls on each each week?...my thoughts are that at the number should be 20...and Starbucks doesnt count...

    So sad that GCI forced out the sales folk like Don Stinson and others who knew how to bring results. At times he was frank and honest with me, but it was a true team effort. He NEVER pounded on my desk and walked out. He gave us tools to do our sales jobs effeciently...but then he probably didnt have a bottle in his top drawer.

    I'm so sad.

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    1. He also never had to sell against the web or any new media. Nice guy who liked to preach about sales reps learning math do they could sell packages. Good, not great. Don't anoint him, keep it real.

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    2. Not correct. The framework he built for ad sales was brilliant ... and worked. Don and his group went after money from national auto dealer groups that spent virtually all their money on TV. He also built the first sales training programs for web sales.

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  12. I read her rules. What exactly qualifies her on Los or new media?

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  13. I read her rules. What exactly qualifies her on Los or new media?

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  14. The Big Journalism Professor5/05/2012 1:26 PM

    2:15 is my new hero! As for MaryAm, maybe a "Journalism 101" refresher would be in order - we don't report rumors. We chase them and check them, but until they're verified, they don't land in an article, excuse me, in content.
    I'm on board with social media and have used it to find some great sources. But I have a problem Tweeting the specifics of what I'm working on or what I'm chasing. It may be great "inside baseball" for our readers , but there is the risk of giving the competition a leg up on what I'm working or or the angle I'm pursuing. And that is not going to happen.
    It maybe all be in reach", but I'm not about to make it easy for my competition to grab it first.

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    1. Another journalist stuck in 1972

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  15. An executive of a major media company is suggesting that publishing half-truths and lies is her idea of good journalism.
    This should be a career ending move for our Chief Marketing Officer.

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  16. 3:10 nailed it. she should be forced to resign.

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  17. Oh my she really is clueless.

    There is no place for snake oil marketers in a legitimate newsroom.

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  18. We are all marketers now, right Maryam?

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