August 8, 2005

Ooops!

Ken Auletta tells the story of Katie Couric's debut as an on-air personality when she was at CNN. She filled in once for a correspondent. CNN's news chief saw her, said she looked and sounded like a 16-year-old, and said, "I never want to see her on the air again."

The Power of Communications

Auletta goes on to document the power of the Today franchise (it generates about $250 million annually for NBC), and - here's what's really impressive - the power of communicating issues effectively on television:

When Katie Couric did a weeklong series on colon cancer after her husband died of the disease in 1998, colonoscopy screenings increased by 20%.

That is really incredible.

Later in the article, Auletta quotes ABC News president David Westin as envisioning that morning news shows are the future of network news. That is, he thinks that evening newscasts will eventually look like morning news shows.

Among the consequences for advertisers would be that evening newscast audiences would be predominantly women. That might then drive the entire prime time line-up.

Among the consequences for TV watchers would be, "Where do I find out what's really happening in the world?"

Stop the Madness

As if copying GM's "employee prices" promotion wasn't demeaning enough for Chrysler, and then they came up with lame spots with Lee Iacocca and Jason Alexander (what was THAT all about)...NOW they're going to combine Iacocca with Snoop Dogg...spending $75 million on a campaign in which Snoop riffs on Iacocca's "famous" line "If you can find a better car, buy it" by turning it into "If the ride is more fly, then you must buy."

What about (a) coming up with an original idea, or (b) touting the many new benefits of Chrysler automobiles?

She's On Target

One of the smartest communicators in the Charleston area (or maybe any area) is Darcy Shankland, who has taken a throw-away city magazine and turned it into a fat, ad-filled, feature-rich, very popular magazine (way outselling every other popular magazine like Oprah et al in this market).

AND she has added Home and Wedding magazines to the stable; and they are equally successful.

Her formula? My sense is that she trusts her own gut, understands her market, and is true to her instincts. She seems, too, to have genuine respect and affection for the community. She certainly does a good job telling its story.