The American democratic campaign trail rolls on from town to town, gathering column inches across the globe. In Australia, do we care? Should we care? Colleen Murrell discusses the significance of the campaign with Michael Gawenda, the Director for the Advanced Study of Journalism at The University of Melbourne.

Michael Gawenda was of course the editor of The Age for many years and has recently been their high-profile Washington correspondent. His latest book, American Notebook, examines the current political scene both in Washington and beyond the Beltway.

Technorati Tags: Michael Gawenda, journalism, The Age

New research suggests the use of mobile phones varies dramatically from country to country. Age, financial resources, and the length of time you’ve used a devise, also play a role in differing usage patterns. Users are creative too when it comes to cost, with many having more than one service to make use of carriers’ special cheap text or talk periods.

In this episode of theMediaPod, Ross Monaghan talks with Naomi Baron, Professor of Linguistics at American University, Washington, DC. She’s the author of Always on: language in an online and mobile world, which explores the linguistic and social impact of fixed and mobile communication.

Professor Baron is currently investigating the cross cultural context of mobile phone use.

With emerging technology making mobile phones multimedia devices, Professor Baron warns at just because these services are available, doesn’t mean that all users are making, or will make, use of them. Cost of using these services is often the issue.

For more information about mobile phones see:

The Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association

The Australian Media & Communications Authority

Telstra

Technorati Tags: mobile phones, Deakin University, American University, culture, Naomi Baron, public relations

Deakin University PR student Melissa Wallace delves into the virtual online world SecondLife:

When presented with a challenge or a new experience I’m not one to shy away. That’s why when I and a few of my university friends were approached by our PR lecturers and Belinda Wong from Red Cross about establishing a Red Cross PR campaign on Second Life (see picture right), I jumped at the chance. Having never heard of this new social media before made for an interesting and unique assignment.

Lots of questions and issues arose from this experience. How can the PR industry benefit from the use of new social media? What are the positive and negative aspects of new social media? How can Second Life
and MySpace be used to reach a target audience?
The following podcast looks at the implications that Second Life has on the PR industry. I spoke to Jane McDaid, from Thinkhouse PR in Dublin, Ireland, about how she has found establishing her company on Second Life, as well as running it in real life. I also spoke with two PR lecturers from Deakin University with very different opinions on the use of Second Life as a PR tool.

Technorati Tags: Second Life, Red Cross, Deakin, Thinkhouse PR, MySpace, public relations

Did you know that in Australia radio programmes are available in a range of languages? From Arabic to Ukrainian and passing through French, Spanish and Russian you can tune in to the latest news on SBS Radio. There are two key newsrooms in Sydney and Melbourne, where multilingual journalists work on programmes aimed at their communities.
Colleen Murrell went along to SBS Melbourne and spoke with Magica Fossati (above) to find out what is happening in Italian radio.

Technorati Tags: SBS, SBS Radio, Italy, Magica Fossati,

We live in a digital world. A modern age where almost anything you desire is a mouse-click away: even a career in entertainment.

Once, your typical garage band was confined to the garage and the occasional weekend gig at the local pub. A successful stand-up comedy career would seldom become a reality without a good dose of luck, and being in the right place at the right time.

Now MySpace is the right place, and any time can be the right time. Artists and bands such as Sandi Thom and My Chemical Romance have found success, at least at first, through this online world. All you have to do is set up an account and you’re out there for the world to see.

Deakin student Jemma Bald (above) explores the scene and talks with Geelong comedian Stefan Popovic and Geelong band Intrepid.

For more on comedy and bands on MySpace see:

• Marketing for Musicians: 100 Places to Promote Your Music Online
• Using the Indie Social Community Websites to Promote Your Music
• Cancelled TV show goes to MySpace
• MySpace and Comedy
• MySpace Comedy
• MySpace Music

Technorati Tags: music, comedy, Deakin, Geelong, MySpace, Jemma Bald

Why are employee communication practitioners the “heart and soul” of an organisation, and why do they need a high threshold of pain? Ross Monaghan finds out in this special “employee communication” edition of theMediaPod.

Ross talks with two North American-based internal communication practitioners, David Murray and Ron Shewchuk.

David Murray is the Editor-in-Chief of Ragan’s Journal of Employee Communications. He says the role of employee communication practitioner has never been more difficult. After 15 years of downsizing, he says that practitioners are trying to come to grips with new social media.

“You used to have print, video and photography, now [employee communicators] are dealing with a situation where they are kind of running Rupert Murdoch’s media empire on a corporate communication budget,” David says.

“There are so many choices in terms of media, and there is so much new stuff to learn…ultimately I think it’s going to be a great thing because I think a lot of the new social media is going to help us to great things again, but in the short term it’s been a bit of a distraction - fighting with IT people and trying to learn the stuff ourselves. I think it’s a challenging time for practitioners all round.”

David disputes calls that practitioners aren’t embracing the technology quickly enough.

“I think practitioners are embracing technology as quickly as they can. Remember a communicators job is never done outside this steep learning curve - and there is so much to learn.”

Canadian Ron Shewchuk, ABC, is passionate about employee communication and the importance of more tradition media such as written publications.

Author of “Writing and Editing the Internal Publication”, Ron believes employee communication practitioners are the “heart and soul” of an organisation.

“As internal communicators, everything we say, everything we communicate is essentially defining our organisation and its culture,” Ron says.

“The tone that you set, the words that you use are all creating the culture in which you live and work.”

And communicating well is just plain good for business according to Ron.

“Companies that care about communicating, and engage, with employees do better at business…I think it’s something that gets forgotten a lot of the time. It gets put on the backburner, and there are a range of business issues that take precedence over effective communications, but I think in the long-term employees and businesses suffer because of it.”

To be an effective practitioner, you need a strong stomach, a good heart, and high pain threshold Ron jokes.

“I think that it’s one of the most satisfying and frustrating fields you can go into.

“When you do something really well in internal communication you can make a real measurable difference in the workplace…There is a certain magical quality about being able to connect people.”

Ron’s book “Writing and Editing the Internal Publication” is av ailable online.

His blog, “For your Approval” can be found at http://ronshewchuk.blogs.com/
More information about the Journal of Employee Communication can be found at Ragan.com.

Whilst you’re there, check out the new MyRagan.com site. It’s like MySpace for professional communicators. Well worth joining! It’s still in “beta” stage, but more than 2,000 communicators have jointed already, including me. It’s free, and a great resource for communicators.

Technorati Tags: employee communication, internal communicaiton, IABC, Ragan, David Murray, Ron Shewchuck

Bronwyn Allan takes over this episode of theMediaPod and interviews Ross Monaghan about the use of podcasting in education.

Bronwyn is a year 12 student at Tintern Girls Grammar School in Ringwood, Victoria, and is writing an essay on “the potential benefits and problems of Podcasts in tertiary education”. She approached theMediaPod as part of her research into the topic and decided to podcast the interview as part of the experience (with permission from her parents and teachers).

It’s a great example of how to use technology creatively in education. Rather than just sharing information with just a one, or a small number of people, podcasting research and school work (with permission of course) allows a greater number from around the world to access the information. It also adds a new dimension to study. Rather than just writing about podcasting, using the technology, Bronwyn has actually produced a podcast, and had some fun along the way. Ross and Bronwyn hope you enjoy this special episode.

If you’re an educator or student who has had a similar experience, why not leave us a comment? We’d love to hear from you.

Technorati Tags: public relations, education, podcasting, Tintern

How do you get your first articles published? Are there any secrets out there for new players? Colleen Murrell spoke to three of her former Deakin students - Katherine Wilson (left), Nick Townsend (centre) and Liz Shingleton, who all managed to get their university assignments published. Katherine went on to win the 2006 ‘Sensis Award for Student Journalism’, judged by The Melbourne Press Club. Nick won the ‘Just Super Student Journalist of the Year Award‘, given by the Walkley Foundation. And Liz is continuing to write for ‘Equity’, the magazine that gave her that first crucial break.

Technorati Tags: Deakin University, freelance, journalism, The Melbourne Press Club, Walkly Foundation, Equity

Running a public relations consultancy in a regional area can have it’s challenges, but this weeks guess shows why having a public relations degree from a leading PR teaching university has it significant advantages.

Joanna Stevens (pictured) is the Managing Director and Founder of Premier PR in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia.

According to Premier PR’s website, Joanna “established Premier Public Relations in August 2002 after recognising a
need for a specialist public relations firm that could meet the diverse
needs of rural and regional Victoria”.

PR is still a relatively new profession in regional areas, Joanna says.

“Many business are still trying to grasp what public relations can do for them,” she says.

“There’s also the perception out there that to get good quality PR you have to go to metropolitan areas. So we have the challenge of explaining to our clients that we’re not a regional-based PR firm that does national work, but a national organisation located in Ballarat.”

“We also need to explain to local business that we provide services that you can get in Melbourne, but we’re located next door,” Joanna said.

Also in this podcast I talk with Deakin Univeristy tutor and PR veteran Lee Palmer about the importance of good communication skills.

According to Lee, PR is a tool of management, and communication is a tool of public relations.

As a PR educator, Lee says her goal is for students to take away from university an “ability to express themselves to a wide variety of audiences”.

Show notes

1:20 Joanna Stevens, Managing Director, Premier PR, Ballarat.
5:30 Lee Palmer, PR Tutor, Deakin University, Geelong.

Technorati Tags: PR, public relations, communication, writing, Ballarat, university

In previous podcasts we’ve spoken with journalists in a range of metropolitan and national news organisations. In this mediapodcast I visit the editors of The Warrnambool Standard, and the Murray Valley Standard. Both have interesting observations about reporting in regional areas.

According to Rick Bayne, Editor of the Warrnambool Standard, regional newspapers have a much greater connection with local communities than their metropolitan counterparts.

“Here (in Warrnambool)…everyone knows where I work, so if they want to say something about a story, they let me know about it,” Rick says.

“You have to be responsive to local people, and you have to know what boundaries to set.”

At the Murray Valley Standard, Editor Travis Simmons says that responsiveness to local communities extends into recruiting new from the local area.

“Where possible we try to source journalists locally,” Travis says.

We give locals the opportunity to develop a career at the local newspaper, becuase that local focus is very important to what we do”.

I then travel to Canberra to talk with the CSIRO about the Total Wellbeing Diet book. Sales have exceeded all expectations, but were they ready for the criticism from some quaters?

Finally I talk with Laura Stewart about some volunteer opportunities for Deakin PR students. The Geelong campus’s DRT is looking for some PR help - it’s a great way for one, or a small number of students, to get some practical PR experience before they graduate.

And congratulations to 2006 graduate Cara Ash on being appointed Geelong Football Club’s new Marketing Assistant. It was a hotly contested role, and a credit to Cara who was a fantastic student, and I’m sure will be a great asset to the Cats. Go Cats! Check out Cara’s 2006 podcast with Dave Hughes at NOVA FM.

Show notes

1:23 Regional Newspapers

1:59 Rick Bayne, Editor, Warrnambool Standard

16:15 Travis Simmons, Editor, Murray Valley Standard

28:00 Marilyn Chalkley, Manager Media Liaison, CSIRO

34:30 Laura Stewart, Communications Officer, FRH Group

theMediaPod 26 February 2007