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Social media newsroom: a blog by a different name
Today Bulldog Reporter’s Daily Dog, a nice little PR-biz news site, brings us a story about Eastwick Communications’ new “social media newsroom.”
Where to start? Well, I’m not Todd Defren of SHIFT Communications, but if I were, I’d be throwing heavy objects at people. Two and a half months ago, Todd wrote about SHIFT’s social media newsroom template, another positive kick in the ass to follow up SHIFT’s sharp little social media news release template from a year ago.
SHIFT’s social media newsroom is awesome. Eastwick’s is weak. Eastwick got a nice little write-up from Bulldog Reporter (”republished news release,” anyone?) that included not even the slightest reference to SHIFT’s template and, more importantly, without any mention of the overall lame-itude of this “newsroom.” It’s just a collection of links presented in a blog-like style. In fact, it appears to be a simple WordPress installation (don’t try breaking in; that’s not nice).
Now, that’s not a bad thing. In fact, it’s great. A slick, easy, cool way to post, archive and share Eastwick’s clients’ coverage and its own. My problem is this (and maybe I’m expecting to much of the world, here): They wrote a big, fancy (traditional) news release about this “newsroom,” and that news release only contains one hyperlink — at the end, in the boilerplate, to Eastwick’s home page. Not even the “newsroom.” Then they use the phrase “By utilizing the Eastwick service…”
“Utilizing”? “The Eastwick service”? Holy self-importance, Batman. What’s ? God forbid we write like real people talk. And “Eastwick service”? What exactly is the service? Remembering the WordPress login info?
I’m not saying that anybody who doesn’t anything “social media” needs to tip his or her hat to SHIFT communications. Nor am I saying this “newsroom” of Eastwick’s is a bad idea. They’re right when they say it will increase visibility and provide RSS capability and all that jazz. But the blow-hard news release, the focus on the allegedly new “service” rather than the strategy behind it, the entirely unjournalistic effort by the Bulldog “Reporter”…it’s a bit much.
Maybe my frustration boils down to this: This is a social media newsroom. This is just a link blog.
Digg fights for our right to copy
To catch you up: Somebody posted on a Web site a bit of code that enables geeks to circumvent copy production on HD-DVDs or Blu-Ray discs. The Digg community got involved. Shit flew.
The Advanced Access Content System is an organization that “helps ensure that content is secure across devices and media while it maintains the highest standards and flexibility.” That is to say, they don’t like the circumvention of copy protection. The groups founding members, mind you, are companies like Sony, Microsoft, Disney and Warner Brothers.
Michael Ayers, chair of the AACS’s business group, said, “[A] line is crossed when we start posting keys and tools for circumvention.”
Nuh uh, stupid head. I line is crossed when illegal copies are made. It might be tough to stop, but that’s the nature of the content business. Deal with it. Besides, there are legal uses for circumventing DVD protection, and you shouldn’t assume all of your consumers are criminals.
I’m in PR. When PR Newswire sales guys tell me they’re visiting companies, helping them understand how news distribution on the Web works, how to incorporate social media into communication efforts, etc., do I say, “Hey, bitch. You can’t do that”?
No. Because I’m in the service industry, and that’s the nature of my game. I have to provide better service. Like, “Yeah, they’ll help you figure out plenty of ways to use PR Newswire. I’ll actually help you figure out public relations.” You’re in the content business, which has its risks and its rewards. Slap people who illegally steal your intellectual property. Then go home and hug your kids (who, by the way, probably didn’t pay for the stuff on their iPods). And please, for god’s sake, quit trying to say that digital “rights” management garbage makes for a better “experience” for the customer. That’s maybe the biggest load of shit I’ve ever heard.
By the way, on the AACS’s Web site, there’s a news item that says:
In response to attacks against certain PC-based applications for playing HD DVD and Blu-ray movie discs, Advanced Access Content System Licensing Administrator, LLC (“AACS LA”) announces that it has taken action, in cooperation with relevant manufacturers, to expire the encryption keys associated with the specific implementations of AACS-enabled software.
Consumers can continue to enjoy content that is protected by the AACS technology by refreshing the encryption keys associated with their HD DVD and Blu-ray software players. This refresh process is accomplished via a straightforward online update.
Translation: Because we have given the phrase “royal asshole” a whole new meaning and assumed all of our customers are of a criminal nature, you can’t play these discs until to get our little update. You already bought the content, but we don’t trust you with that. By the way, we’ll be checking your hard drive for illegal scans of the magazine you just bought, too.
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Copyright © 2008 Unjournalism. Content by Mike Keliher.
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