Information is flying through cyberspace, instantly connecting people worldwide in a way they’ve never been connected before.

It’s an exciting and challenging time to be in the communications game, particularly when you’re in a fast-paced industry like ICT.

But with hundreds of emails landing in their inboxes each day, phones running hot and press releases arriving thick and fast, how do Australia’s leading IT journalists sort the real stories from the rubbish?

And how can communicators in the ICT arena get their message across to the right people at the right time?

These were the questions on the table at AIIA’s Marketing Forum on Wednesday 20 September at the Vibe Hotel in Sydney.

“There are lots of ways to search out information today,” said Brian Haverty, Editorial Director CNET Networks Australia. “New forms of information discovery are growing rapidly – from podcasts to white papers, from videos to photo galleries, and from case studies to blogs.”

“New media means that news sources are no longer linear,” said The Australian Financial Review’s IT Editor, Mark Jones. “They don’t just come from vendors. And the days of the press release are over.”

Computerworld’s Editor, Sandra Rossi agreed with Jones. “Most journalists are looking for case studies or stories that haven’t been pitched elsewhere. We’re always looking for exclusives.”

But if the press release is past its prime, what new media tools are communicators using?

“Press releases will live on, but information will be exchanged in many other ways,” said The Australian’s IT Editor, Stuart Kennedy, arguing that a press release was often merely a starting point.

“Communications tools are evolving,” said Mark Jones, citing Google as an example, which recently posted company news releases onto its blog, rather than issuing a press statement via the traditional channels.

Some forms of information sharing such as blogging (online diaries often providing commentary on news or a particular subject) and podcasting (distributing multimedia files, such as audio or video programs, over the Internet), which were initially outside the realms of traditional media, are now becoming increasingly mainstream.

Blogs (or ‘weblogs’) are increasingly being used as a means of ‘getting around the filter’ and pushing messages directly to the public. While blogs can be an important news source, some critics worry that bloggers respect neither copyright nor the role of the mass media in presenting society with credible news.

So, are blogs changing the shape of news?

“Just because it’s ‘new and groovy’ doesn’t mean its newsworthy or worth reading,” said Kennedy, pointing to some blogs that are “essentially just press releases.”

As we start to examine how media will be redefined, what will the media of the future look like?

“It will probably look like online newspapers, but more interactive,” mused Brian Haverty.

While today’s new media reflects the ubiquitous nature of the personal computer, digital mobile devices and virtual reality, some things never change.

“In the swirl of press releases and PR hoopla, I do like to be given a decent yarn,” said Kennedy. “A good yarn will always get my attention.”

AIIA's next Marketing Forum will be held on Wednesday 8 November in Sydney. Click here for more information and bookings.

DO	DON'T
Include high quality photographs. “I’ve been in this game for twenty years and the standard of photography hasn’t changed since then,” Stuart Kennedy berated the audience.	Send email attachments or faxes. “They get filed in the bin,” said Brian Haverty.
Provide case studies to give readers a practical example of the business environment.	Forget who is the audience and what that audience needs to know. “Always ask yourself ‘how does what I have to offer fit in with this publication?’,” said Brian Haverty
Offer exclusive stories. “Journalists all love a scoop,” Mark Jones said. “Pitch to one person – not the lot,” said Stuart Kennedy.	Follow up an email with a “did you get my email” phone call. “If we’re interested, we’ll get back to you,” Sandra Rossi said.
Give advanced notice. “Our planning can extend to weeks or even months,” Mark Jones said.	Pitch your story to lots of journalists. “I like a good story pitch – but I like it to be exclusive,” explained Stuart Kennedy.
Call or email early in the day.	Pitch interviews with people who don’t know the local market. “Great white chiefs rarely have anything to say – or anything more than what you could learn from their company websites,” said Stuart Kennedy. “If they are going to do interviews in Australia, they need to be able to say something about the local market.

What a difference a decade makes, suggested Intel’s Director for South East Asia, Australia and New Zealand, Philip Cronin, when he presented to a large AIIA crowd at Adelaide Town Hall on Wednesday 13 September.

Quoting Alan Kay’s famous remarks that “the best way to predict the future is to invent it,” Cronin shared his thoughts on the future possibilities of the PC and the changes that we can expect to enjoy in our everyday lives as a result of ICT. Read more

It’s been a busy few months for the Australian Computer Society (ACS), with a number of major initiatives coming to fruition... Read more

Want another way to identify good graduates… early? Read more

5 October: Sydney - AIIA ICT Corporate Golf Day 2006
11 October: Sydney - AIIA Evening Spotlight Session
13 October: Brisbane - AIIA Luncheon - New Shared Service Agency: what are the implications?
18 October: Melbourne - AIIA's Victorian Government Symposium


Read more

ICT Outlook Forum provides a showcase of the best in Australian ICT research and development. Read more

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