The BBC has announced some of its national radio stations, online outputs and digital TV channels may be for the chop. BBC 6 Music and its Asian network are to be taken off the airwaves by the end of next year and BBC online may also be slashed in half by 2013.
Director General Mark Thompson told his staff that quality, not quantity, is the aim of the game – all part of a major strategy review that’s been billed the biggest shake-up in the organisation’s 88-year history.
It’s depressing news for staff at the beeb. The Union says up to 600 jobs are in jeopardy. Many journalists now have to sit and wait to see if their days at Television Centre are numbered.
But what about this talk of “making “fewer things better?” Well, if it goes to plan £600 million will be plunged into higher calibre programme-making. BBC local radio has been told to improve “its quality and originality,” with more investment in local journalism. Nationally, BBC 1 and 2 will be given more cash to grow. While on the web, the BBC will have to provide more links to the pages of rival publishers.
The landscape of the corporation is changing dramatically, and so will the way it works with those outside the walls at White City.
As a TV and Radio Producer, I know first hand that the BBC can be a hard nut to crack when it comes to getting stories on air or online. I consider the quality of much of the beeb’s output to be high already. If more quality is what it’s after, PR professionals will have to follow suit and work even harder to deliver just that.
On the other hand, now may be the time for outlets like ITV and Channel 4 and various other news websites to shine. If that’s the case, more doors may open, and with it, the potential for more PR opportunities in the future.
Times | Big, bloated and cunning
Alastair Harper | Guardian | Why everyone wants to #saveBBC6music
Popjustice | Why a sad day for 6Music could also be a sad day for Radio 1
Johnny Dee | Guardian | BBC 6 Music: axing the station would be massive mistake
Jonathan Harwood | First Post | Axe ‘commercial’ Radio 1, not 6Music, fans tell BBC
Simon Hayes Budgen | No Rock And Roll Fun | 6 Music back on Death Row
Post by Tessa Parry-Wingfield (Producer for TNR Communications)
Tags: BBC, BBC 6 Music, BBC Asian Network, BBC Radio, Channel 4, ITV, Radio, Tessa Parry-Wingfield, TNR Blog, TV
Posted in Broadcast PR, Online, PR, Radio, TV | No Comments »
I stumbled across this fantastic short video by Australian film-maker Nick Fogarty of the photographers collective behind the San Francisco photo magazine ‘Hamburger Eyes’
Click on the image to watch the Hamburger Eyes short film
Hamburger Eyes started off as a Xeroxed handout by brothers David & Ray Potes in 2001. It’s now a much slicker, stylish operation but it still provides a very off the wall look at what an urban photo journal can be. There’s obvious nods to the classic social documentary work of people like Robert Frank, Nan Goldin, Larry Clark, but with a fresh twist, a West coast hipster cool, and more importantly a lot of fun.
“I’m not even a photographer, I’m a painting contractor who has a camera and takes pictures” says member Stefan Simikich.
I think he underestimates himself. What he and his friends create for themselves and document for others is fantastic and Fogerty has captured that perfectly.
Go to the Nick Fogarty website to view his entire portfolio of work from around the world.
Post by Tim Kerr (Director and Head of Photography for TNR Communications)
Tags: blog, David potes, Film, Hamburger eyes, Larry Clark, Nan Goldin, Nick Fogarty, Photography, ray potes, Robert Frank, stefan simikich, tim kerr, TNR, TNR Blog, TNR Communications, Video
Posted in Photography, Video | No Comments »
Amid the sickly romantic gestures and unnecessary displays of public affection brought to us by Valentine’s Day 2010, the world, this weekend, rather complacently celebrated the fifth birthday of YouTube, the mass video-sharing site which has changed the way that many of us live our lives.
For the enthusiasts amongst us, it seems impossible that we could function before the 14th February 2005, the day on which Chad Hurley and fellow Paypal employees registered a URL which would unwittingly become the forefront of the ‘online revolution’. So, was there life before YouTube?
From a consumer’s point of view, YouTube has completely revolutionised the way we view video entertainment. Not only did it pave the way for a bridge between Televison and the Internet, YouTube created its own market entirely; and brought with it the trend of the ‘viral video’.
Examples range from the incredible (Straight No Chaser’s ’12 Days’ saw 10 college friends launched into pop stardom thanks to 8 million views of their phenomenal A Capella take on Christmas carolling) and the bizarre (the ‘Keyboard Cat’), to the downright disturbing (Gary Brolsma’s ‘Numa Numa’ truly has to be seen to be believed). These videos, diverse in their nature, share one distinct trait; they have all become ‘viral’, each receiving millions of views from keen YouTube visitors. It’s no surprise then that once YouTube was launched and begun to gain popularity, it wasn’t long before corporations began to experiment with using this viral video trend as a marketing tool. Viral marketing was born and corporate mentality changed forever.
Viral marketing, or a ‘viral campaign’, is defined by the PRCA as “a communications campaign which is designed to exploit the potential of the internet to spread messages rapidly”. A famous example is a video simply entitled ‘Guys backflip into jeans’, which has accumulated over 6 million views since it was first uploaded in May 2008. The video, which at first seems like nothing more than light entertainment, was in fact commissioned by Levi’s, the jeans manufacturer, as a viral campaign for their line of 505 jeans. This is the basis that viral marketing moulds itself on; the videos are much more subtle than adverts – the crazier and more outlandish they are, the more views they will get (cue surfing with dynamite from Quiksilver, HD camera trickery from Samsung and glasses-throwing stunts from Ray Bans). These videos are not created to directly advertise their products, but to encourage interest in the product they are associated with in entertaining and interesting ways.
Certainly, the explosion in social video has significantly changed the shape of our communications business. The debate about where online video fits alongside traditional PR activity is now part of nearly every conversation we have. But then, when you consider that a £3K video we produced for computer game, Rabbids has so far received nearly 34,000 hits on YouTube – just because it’s funny and a bit bonkers – you can see why a lot of companies are keen to give it a go.
From both a cultural and corporate standpoint, it is hard to imagine life without such a useful resource – YouTube has become second nature to almost anyone with internet access. Here’s to another five years of innovative developments from a corporation who have come so far and gained such influence in such a small amount of time.
Post by Bob Palmer (A-level student and currently on work experience for TNR Communications)
Tags: 12 days, Chad Hurly, keyboard cat, Numa Numa, online marketing, online revolution, Online video, PRCA, Rabbids, video content, viral marketing, Viral Video, YouTube
Posted in Online, PR, Video, Videocall | No Comments »
The demand for video alongside photography is increasing and with TNR’s recent merger a new service has been born - ’Videocall’.
In an interview with Tim Kerr, TNR’s Head of Photography, he talks about the huge impact social media has had on the ever changing PR landscape and how capturing a short and snappy video of your photocall can massively increase the coverage your PR campaign achieves.
Video Blog produced by TNR Communications
Tags: online video service, Photography, Press Association, Social Media, tim kerr, TNR, TNR Newsletter, TNR Producers, Video service, Videoblog, Videocall
Posted in Online, PR, Videocall | No Comments »
I moved house recently & one of the joys of moving, especially for someone like me who came of age long before downloads, is boxing up your CD’s.
Depending on how big a muso you are you can have your CD’s in alphabetical order, subdivided by genes, or just wherever you have set them last, but at the end of the day they are all 5×5” and fit into packing boxes same as the next one.
All except ‘Metal Box’ by Public image Limited. Suddenly you have a CD that does not look anything like other CD’s. It is simply a round metal box with the band acronym ‘PiL’ embossed on the front.
Metal Box - Public Image Limited
Nevertheless, despite it is unusual shape and absence of stickers, or inlay booklets, ‘Metal Box’ is arguably one of the best record sleeves ever made.
I say record sleeve, because, having been released in 1979, Metal Box was originally an LP size creation designed by photographer Dennis Morris
http://www.dennismorris.com/index.html
But whether as an LP, CD or iPod image, ‘Metal Box’ still stands out. Here is design that literally is what it says on the tin. The power of simplicity harnessed in the most effective way.
PiL themselves were anything but simple. Created by John Lydon after the demise of the Sex Pistols, they moved beyond the limited horizons of punk, merging rock, reggae, dub and world music to create a complex experimental sound overlaid with Lydon’s dark vocals.
However, like all good photographers Dennis Morris had the ability or the intuition to condense wide stories and concepts into single images. Born in London, he had been selling pictures to the newspapers since the age of 11. By 17, he had blagged his way into documenting Bob Marley’s UK tour and then became the closest thing the Sex Pistols ever had to an official photographer before working with Lydon on Public Image Ltd.
After PiL he became Art Director for the new Island Records label and later a recording artist in his own right before returning to photography.
Lydon recently reformed PiL after a break of 17 years for a UK tour, hopefully encouraging other people beyond house movers to look again at their back catalogue and Morris’s icon design.
John Lydon of Public Image Limited performs on stage with PIL at the 02 Academy in Brixton, London
Post by Tim Kerr (Director & Head of Photography for TNR Communications)
Tags: CD, Dennis Morris, metal box, music, Photographer, PiL, Public Image Limited
Posted in Photography | No Comments »
Browsing through The Guardian’s recent online picture galleries, I came across a quite interesting selection of images of our Queen and her sartorial choices throughout the decades -
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/gallery/2009/dec/02/queen-elizabeth-fashion?picture=356273678.
Being one of the most photographed women in the world ever, we see how over 8 decades she has taken on some of the subtle and not-so subtle styles of the times.
Two year old Princess Margaret (seated) with her sister Princess Elizabeth aged seven. Press Association Images
A family stroll in the country in 1942 shows how the future Queen of England is growing into a young lady – see how she has already adopted the much loved headscarf.
Away from the turmoil of the Second World War, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth walk in a field with their daughters, Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret (right).
The recently crowned Queen Elizabeth II inspects the guards in 1953
All these outfits are what you would expect from a young Royal and Queen, but then the 1960s happened….
Queen Elizabeth in the 60's
The 1970s and 1980s saw the Queen’s wardrobe choices reflect the fashions of the time, perhaps playing a bit safe but still taking on the colours and styles of the era.
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip 1986
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip on the Great Wall of China in 1986
A reprise of the headscarf in 2002
Queen Elizabeth 2002
In my house on Christmas day, we didn’t sit down to watch the Queen’s speech just to see what she had to say – it was also the guilty pleasure of seeing what she was going to be wearing that year….
Queen Elizabeth giving the nation's Christmas Day speech 2009
Post by Nicola Charalambous (Account Manager, Photography for TNR Communications)
Tags: Fashion, images, Photography, Queen, Queen Elizabeth
Posted in Photography | No Comments »
As a Producer you never really know what each day will bring – a whacky TV shoot or maybe a more serious, hard-hitting Radio campaign. But when I got a call from FocusPR, I knew this project would be a whole new kettle of fish – or in this case a giant bowl of punch.
Courvoisier cognac – together with food architects Bompas & Parr – had decided to flood a room at 33 Portland Place in London with 4,000 litres of punch by some remarkable feat of engineering. They opened the event to Londoners who could come and taste the cocktail and even row across it, if that’s what floats their boat!
What’s more they wanted TNR to film the spectacle and get online media coverage of the event’s launch. But a unique idea and visually exciting material is always a recipe for video success, especially when you add ex-Blur guitarist Alex James into the mix, as Courvoisier’s ‘Taste Consultant.’ I was excited about jumping on board the campaign.
So, after many phone conversations that went a bit like this…..“a giant bowl of punch, which can serve 250 thousand people….Alex James floating on top of the cocktail?” I was off with my cameraman into the great unknown.
Things were about to get even more interesting. When we got there we were told to scrub our hands (hospital style), don a hair net and a butcher’s apron, and enter the “Courvoisier Architectural Punch Bowl.”
Alex James sits on a raft in a 4,000-litre Courvoisier punch bowl, at the VIP launch of the Courvoisier Architectural Punch Bowl exhibition. Matt Crossick/TNR Communications
Then the man of the moment arrived. It was certainly the first time I’ve ever interviewed a celeb while wearing a hairnet (Alex James was not wearing said hairnet, but a cooler version reserved only for famous people).
It was movie magic – a big lake of booze, dry ice, fancy dress, giant remote-controlled pieces of fruit and Alex James floating around on a massive inflatable slice of orange.
We edited a fantastic video of the launch (if I do say so myself) which generated plenty of online interest. I may not be wearing a hairnet again in a hurry for a shoot. But it’s not the first time – nor I suspect the last time – I looked daft in the line of duty.
Post by Tessa Parry-Wingfield (Producer for TNR Communications)
Tags: Alex James, Blur, Bompas & Parr, Courvoisier, Courvoisier Architectural Punch Bowl, Focus PR, Media, media coverage, Multimedia, Online, PR, Punch Bowl, TNR Communications, Video
Posted in Online, Video | 1 Comment »
Video and photography come together in new social media video service
Today (Monday, 11 January) the Press Association’s communications consultancies, TNR and PA Photocall, will merge to create a ‘one-stop-shop’ for broadcast, online and photography PR services, all from a journalistic perspective.
The two consultancies are fully owned by the Press Association, the UK’s news agency, and are based at their headquarters in London. TNR Communications specialises in TV, radio and online PR whereas PA Photocall offers the unique opportunity to hire Press Association photographers for PR events, from which the best images are sent immediately to the Press Association Picture Desk to be considered for the News Wire.
To mark the fusion of the two consultancies under the name, TNR Communications, the company is launching a new social media video service. Taking advantage of the massive explosion in online video communication, ‘Videocall’ will bring together the two team’s photography and video expertise in one package. An experienced videographer will work alongside a Press Association photographer, to capture video footage of a photocall in order to edit a 90-second clip for instant upload to video streaming sites, creating an immediate and highly visual record of the event.
Managing Director, Claire Southeard, said of the announcement:
“TNR and PA Photocall have worked together very closely for three years, developing both their reputations as providers of PR services with editorial integrity. However, the opportunities presented by our merger take us into a different league, not only because it brings together the talents of two very experienced and creative teams into one multimedia consultancy, but also because we can now offer a fully comprehensive range of communications services from our unique position at the heart of the Press Association.”
Tags: Broadcast PR, communications, communications consultancies, Media, PA Photocall, Photography, PR, Press Association, Radio PR, TNR, TNR Communications, TV PR
Posted in Broadcast PR, Online, PR, Photography, Radio, TV, Video | No Comments »
Well, Well, Well… A first for the charts, reality TV and, according to Scott Mills, for radio one, this Sunday a PR campaign unlike any other beat the odds to topple the X Factor from its four-year throne. And I must say, despite my personal dislike for Rage Against the Machine’s single, I’m certainly a fan of the epic achievement by the two unknowns and their Facebook Crusade to get their point heard.
This protest didn’t involve big bucks, it didn’t employ gimmicks… it just had two passionate individuals whose sentiments, as it turns out, were shared with far more punters than could ever have been anticipated. Yes, I was invited to the group. Yes, my friends and colleagues were all discussing it and yes, I couldn’t help but have an opinion, even though a 90’s metal group wouldn’t normally interest me a great deal. But the sheer pace at which this protest gathered momentum was difficult to ignore.
They took on the PR machine that is X Factor very publically, unapologetically and staggeringly, successfully.
Through Jon and Tracey (“Jon-cey”?), social media has proved itself to be more widespread, more influential and more empowering than any of us could have thought possible.
Zack de la Rocha of the band Rage Against the Machine performs during an anti-war concert during the Democratic National. Press Association Images
The aim was to get RATM to number one at the expense of the eventual X Factor Winner – whoever that was. The method was simply to start a conversation and invite dialogue, on an open, free platform. The achievement was a Christmas number one, a job offer from Mr Cowell himself, but more importantly for those involved, a sense that justice was done.
Whether you picked the winner or not, even if you feel embittered by the thought of Joe Mcelderry’s crowning glory being snatched away from him, the run-up to this year’s Christmas number one was one of the most exciting chart battles we’ve had in quite some time. Furthermore, for someone who works in the industry, Sunday at just before 7pm was one of the most exciting moments of my career when the British people proved just how powerful social media really could be…
Post by Elizabeth Herridge (Project Manager for TNR Communications)
Tags: Christmas Number One, Elizabeth, Elizabeth Herridge, Facebook, joe mcelderry, Media, PR, Rage Against the Machine, Simon Cowell, Singles Charts, Social Media, X Factor
Posted in Online, PR | No Comments »
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