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

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theMediaPod 26 February 2007

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In this weekly PR mediapodcast, Ross Monaghan travels to Sydney to talk with the Director of the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA), Elizabeth Ann Macgregor.

Elizabeth Ann was meant to speak at Frocomm’s excellent PR for a Cause conference in Sydney late last year, but was too unwell to attend. Delegates were disappointed, so she agreed to chat with Ross on theMediaPod.

Also in this program, Ross talks with Belinda Wong, the Australian Red Cross’s Fundraising Officer for the South-West Region of Victoria.

Please note: My airfare and some incidental costs associated with travel for the MCA interview were paid by Frocomm Australia. Frocomm facilitated the interview to allow delegates to the PR for a Cause conference to hear from Elizabeth Ann.
Show notes

0:00 Introduction from Sydney Airport
1:15 Interview with Elizabeth Ann Macgregor, MCA.
22:07 Interview with Belinda Wong, Australian Red Cross.

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theMediaPod 19 February 2007

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If you’re still living in the age of stage coaches, this is the podcast for you. In this first of a series of 13 weekly PR podcasts, we look at podcasts, and examine the benefits for PR practitioners.

We also talk Crisis Communication with the Corporate Communications Manager for Australia’s Civil Aviation and Safety Authority, Peter Gibson.

What do stage coaches, telegraphs and company identity have to do with employee communication? Listen to this episode of theMediaPod with Brad Bellaver and find out.

A North American employee communications specialist Brad describes himself as having an “accidental career” in IT, and didn’t start in the communication business right out of college. He is currently head of internal communications at financial services company Wells Fargo. For the past seven years he’s been in an internal communications functions thanks to the intranet allowing him to bridge from IT to communications.

He describes his work as “helping people in their cubes connect the dots between the organisation and their work”.

Whilst heavily involved in work on the intranet, he describes his current work as sometimes media-based, sometimes not.

Brad has some great insights into employee communications, especially in relation to intranets.

“A big challenge in large organisations is when you have large (intranet) systems – how do you make it simple so that people can find what they’re looking for. That’s the secret sauce for my organisation at the moment – trying find out how to do that effectively,” Brad said.

This is a great conversation between Lee Hopkins and Brad Bellaver. I hope you enjoy it.

Show notes

0:00 Introduction

1:12 Vox Pops & commentary on podcasts

5:07 Interview with Peter Gibson, Corporate Comms Mgr, CASA

11.30 Volunteer opportunities for PR students (for more information see DMG World Media’s website, or contact Ross Monaghan.
18:19 Lee Hopkins talk with Wells Fargo’s Brad Bellaver

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theMediaPod 12 February 2007

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It’s the start of another radio semester at Deakin University’s Journalism Department. And it’s a good opportunity to discover what a life in radio is like. Colleen Murrell caught up with Deakin graduate Emily Hoskins, who is the Breakfast Editor and Morning Newsreader for Gold 104.3 and Mix 101.1 in Melbourne.

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Colleen Murrell talks with radio journalist Emily Hoskins.

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