One interview. One reporter. One media organization. Yet I'm told people are hearing it everywhere and across multiple media platforms. This reality shouldn't be a surprise for anyone and yet...
It often is.
Some politicians get this - that's why a single weekend campaign appearance by a leader in Cloverdale (an hour's drive from Vancouver) might get an unexpected amount of national coverage despite its size.
No more than a hundred people turned out to this October 2019 campaign stop by Justin Trudeau. By my count, there were only two or three reporters. Yet these photos, and the video I took, were shared across the country. Let's look at how and why. How - one radio reporter (yours truly) uses Twitter to share video and photos. Those photos get posted on the station's website (also the website for the company TV station) which means the images are fair game for the company TV stations, radio stations and social media channels in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Ottawa, Kitchener, Halifax and more. Why - it's a weekend with little other news and the featured person is easily recognized and part of a timely, national conversation.
It's a lesson that goes far beyond corporate synergies - video, sound clips and quotes can be picked up by wire services, other media companies, bloggers, non-media websites and an endless number of other content sharers. The right hashtag makes it easily accessible to anyone.
The simple thing in play here is content amplification. It's something that applies to any compelling piece of content - which, although subjective, can pick up on the traditional news determinants of 1) fame 2) the unusual 3) timeliness 4) impact or 5) proximity.
With fewer journalists and media organizations and a consumer demand for proof, we can expect to see this grow. There are lessons to be learned - interviews matter more than ever and planning is vital. A few things to factor:
1) If an interviewer is from a traditional media outlet, know or ask where else their stories are seen or heard (radio, TV, web, social media posts)
2) Are wire services likely to pickup their stories? If so, what is the potential of that reach?
3) Is the content 'evergreen' and can it last in digital forms for weeks, months or years from now? Is that a good thing or a dangerous thing?
For the most part, a communications plan that incorporates this awareness can use such realities for beneficial purposes. As for being caught be surprise - this only happens when the power of media is underestimated. Geography and size don't matter. Our world is interconnected. Knowing how to manage your message given these realities can be a great advantage and something to be truly embraced.
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