Making The List Is Flattering

Phil Harvey of LightReading has put out a post that highlights some of the aspects of what is going on in the changing game of journalism.

In the post he highlights a bunch of people I consider friends, colleagues, peers, and chose to include me, to which I say, “I’m flattered.” You see, I never got into the media world for the sake of doing things the way conventional media folks worked, and from day one have worked to be an agent of change in how the various publics are made aware of things they needed to know.
This dates back to 1974 when I had my first job, hand delivering press releases and compiling stats for the Philadelphia Wings a Pro Lacrosse team.
A few months into the season I was asked to file radio reports. Was I a PR guy or news reporter? I was both.
This continued when in 1976 the Philadelphia Flyers asked me to work for them promoting youth hockey.
In 1978 while still working for the Flyers I began writing for the Philadelphia Journal covering high school sports while being a copy boy as well. I was 18 years old and I learned a lot. I got a few bylines, but I was still pitching stories to other reporters from other papers and hanging out with them after hours at Doc Watsons.
In 1979 Joe Eichorn, a sports director of a local radio station asked me to serve as color commentator on high school hockey games with him. I was still running the Flyers youth hockey operation.
As the years went on, through 1988 I was part journalist, part student, part PR guy and national sports leader for USA Hockey (AHAUS), so yes, I’ve always walked both sides of the street, as have many others. In 1998 Ken Rutkowski asked me to be his co-host on the World Technology Roundup, now the ‘Net’s longest running daily news program on technology. I still maintained my consulting practice.
In 2002 a local newspaper asked me to begin writing a wine column after 17 years of writing online about wine. I still drink wine and have friends who make it. Some of us are just more open about it.

When I started this blog, as previously stated, it was to:

1) Help the mainstream market reporters better understand VoIP (CHECK)

2) To become visible enough to be asked to speak and moderate at conferences (CHECK)

3) To get new clients for my agency (CHECK)

4) To meet and make new friends (CHECK)

These goals had their roots in what I did starting in 1974. At every step of the way I have always had those four goals either known or implied, and by being open about it, made it easier to have others self select me, and in turn given me the basis to self select who I read, whom I associate with, and who we represent and stand for.

Since all four goals have been met I have no plan to stop. A blog remains the strongest marketing tool anyone can use to establish and maintain credibility. It has also been a springboard at helping others in the blogosphere grow and prosper. I’m happy to be able to help them through link love and without personal monetary gain. They know who they are, and no names need to be mentioned. But I can go to sleep at night knowing that helping others still is a part of my own DNA.

As a blogger I’m willing to correct things when my facts may be one sided based on my viewpoint. Comments are moderated, but other than SPAM I tend to approve everything. This is a far cry from many a traditional media outlet where getting corrections or amplifications out requires more brute force than getting reporters of the level of Walt Mossberg or David Pogue to review a product. Lastly, I also have regularly expressed transparency in my blog and refer to clients in my blog and highlight that fact. In some ways my being so transparent about who my agency works work with keeps some other perceived competitor companies from wanting to keep me informed. That’s the case pointed out to me by one peer in the PR world. While I don’t agree with him, I respect him for the position he has taken.

In the end, this all comes down to who you are, what your values are and how you live your life.