A little newsroom insight can go a long way when you’re trying to garner TV coverage.  The question is:  How do news teams decide which stories are fit for air?  Having worked in local, network and cable newsrooms, I can share some perspective.

Print news drives television news.  Newspapers may be a dying breed, but their headlines still drive television coverage.  Take the news desk segments on NBC’s Today Show, for example.  Those stories are taken directly from newspapers -- often with no original reporting added. 

Ideas for news packages also originate in newspapers.  Producers often read through their audience’s major print publications, highlighting the stories that warrant follow-up coverage or provide appealing visuals.  It is not unusual for producers to arrive at their morning news meetings with a cup of coffee in one hand and a highlighter-filled newspaper in the other. 

Internet buzz increasingly makes news.  The Internet spurs news – from social media’s role in the protests in Egypt to YouTube videos with an unthinkable number of views.  The Internet fascinates some television producers, particularly those who aren’t as Internet-savvy or didn’t grow up with the World Wide Web at their fingertips.  Those who make waves on the Internet often find their stories on the mainstream news.

Interviews with “experts” are the way of the future.  Newscasts once filled with 2-minute news packages have given way to more roundtable discussions and anchor-driven interviews.  In this world of shrinking newsroom staffs, a reporter and producer can easily prepare for a one-on-one interview – and give the audience the “straight from the source” perspective that they seek in the social media age.  Pitching an “expert” may be more effective than pitching a 2-minute package idea.

Battle for airtime: Quirky stories might win out over serious stories.  Television is a medium where visuals are king.  Visually appealing stories often solicited the most rousing reactions in morning news meetings – even if their objective news value wasn’t as great.

Columbo Yogurt was a staple food for CNN’s Wolf Blitzer.  This information might not help PR professionals place a story, but it could help answer the burning question of how Wolf stays on his feet for hours on end.

Just like every other form of media, television news is continually evolving.  What newsroom insight can you share?

Everyone is a buzz with the launch of the iPad2.  Do you have one?  Do you want one?  I’ve heard both sides: those that can’t find its place between their smartphone and their laptop.  And those who sing its praises like they’ve discovered gold.

There’s no question technology changes lives.  There is also no question that what is hot today won’t be tomorrow.  Take a look at this video which was recently shown at a Sony executive meeting.  It will amaze you.  

I contend the iPad has a huge place in our lives – especially our professional ones.  Here’s a few ways you can make it part of yours:

·         Bring videos and collateral materials to life without the boxes and powerpoints. Show your story and make your case to customers, clients or even elected officials.  It is sure to impress.

·         Have the table top at your next conference or meeting and get the audience tweeting, blogging or video chatting in real time to enhance your message.

·         Toss the notepads, postcards, petitions and pens.  A grassroots campaign behind an iPad can reach thousands at an event and mobilize a committed group to hit the streets on your behalf.

With more apps than you can count and access to the workhorse programs your PC made famous, you can actually work anywhere, anytime.  But then again, that wouldn’t be any fun.

If you caught the Super Bowl this year (more specifically for the purpose of this post, the commercials) then you may have seen GoDaddy’s ads. All opinions aside, let’s focus on what GoDaddy was actually pushing – .CO top level domains. .CO domains became publicly available last year but have only recently taken off as a hot commodity in the domain world. This got me thinking about some domain basics to consider when selecting a name of your own.

It’s no secret that .COM domains are in high demand, and by that nature, quality .COM domains are hard to come by these days (unless you’re willing to pay the price).  This is in part why .CO domains seem to be a good transition.

As you know, there have been numerous options for Top Level Domains (TLD) in the past: .COM, .ORG, .INFO however, .CO seems to have a different value.  Similar to .COM domains, they‘re easy to remember and serve as a nice abbreviation in the form of .CO=Company, .CO=Corporation, .CO=Commerce.  For these reasons, a number of countries already utilize this TLD, such as the UK (.co.uk).

With the internet “Gold Rush” of sorts taking place, it seems everyone is out to get the best .CO domains available.  So, here are some things to consider when deciding on your new domain name (which applies to all TLD, not just .CO).

First, short is best.  Not only is it easier to type but it’s also easier to market on print pieces which ultimately leads to more site visitors.  Short domains that are meaningful are hard to come by so be prepared to associate a short domain with some dollar signs.

Secondly, choose a domain that is easy to type.  Avoid using the same letter in a row as it leads to typing mistakes. Typical dashes are not as valuable either because it’s harder to type or users forget the dash (at times taking them to a competitors’ website).

Finally, protect your domain and your brand.  You should always consider reserving your website address for all Top Level Domains if available.  For instance, if you had the domain MyWebsite.com, highly consider MyWebsite.net, MyWebsite.org, MyWebsite.info, and from the beginning of this post, MyWebsite.co.  It is worth the cost of the domains to protect your company and brand.  It’s also smart to consider registering mistyped domains that redirect users to the correct address.  Remember, your goal is to get as many visitors as possible and taking that extra step is just one more way of increasing traffic to your site!

These are just the basics and common knowledge to some but even big name corporations have had lapses when it comes to domains – don’t fall into the same trap!

Happy domain hunting!