Local television broadcasters are increasingly challenged by the disruptive impact of new technologies. The concept of families gathering around the television to watch the 6 o’clock news exists only as a nostalgic memory in the age of having instant access to news stories and video clips on our PCs and mobile devices.

  The Project for Excellence in Journalism’s annual media report shows a steady decline in local news ratings in all day-parts.  The 2009 results revealed that early evening newscasts dropped 1.7%, late was down 6.4% and morning news was down 5.5%. It’s a troubling trend for local broadcasters, which has been evident for some time.

  When the project’s researchers asked Americans to name the journalists they most admired, comedian Jon Stewart ranked number four. That may be a disturbing fact for journalism’s purest but perhaps it’s an indicator of a overall cultural shift in the way we now choose to experience the news.

  Comedy is playing a more significant role in the political process. During the 2008 primary, all of the major candidates appeared on Saturday Night Live. The program was clearly instrumental to the rise of Sarah Palin’s public profile. And while they are often accused of being overly liberal, SNL took a jab at the mainstream media for its pampering of Barack Obama during the presidential debates.

  These facts make many in the journalism profession shake their heads in disgust. However, I’m suggesting we should be inspired by these trends rather than dismayed. Specifically, local broadcasters ought to be actively engaged in finding their own Jon Stewart-type personalities in their communities. I’m not suggesting that newscasts change their entire formats to become comedy shows. However, a lighthearted segment or two that takes a satirical look at local headlines would liven up an otherwise predictable and failing format. This is particularly true if local news has any hope of attracting the younger demographic of viewers who show little interests in their broadcasts.

  Our other mainstream media institutions also stand to benefit by not taking themselves so seriously.  Newspapers in search of readers have perhaps forgotten that many of their loyalist fans turn directly to the comics section. Again, I’m not suggesting that news would by and large be better presented as entertainment. Rather, we should be mindful that as journalists, first and foremost, we are storytellers and that humor can be a highly effective tool in telling stories with great substance.

  Let us not forget the legacy of newspaper humorists like Art Buchwald. Of course, his level of talent is somewhat rare. Perhaps that’s because a comedic sense is not a skill this profession openly seeks to cultivate?

  Network news is another venue where there is a highly predictable “one-note” approach to telling stories.  Andy Rooney’s contributions to “60 Minutes” serve to balance the hard-hitting journalism that rounds out the rest of the hour. However, to attract younger viewers networks will have to experiment with fresher approaches. 

  MSNBC is experiencing ratings success with “Countdown with Keith Olbermann,” which strikes a healthy balance in its presentation of the day’s events. User-friendly brevity, pithy writing and humor are complemented by interviews with intelligent guests who provide context for the stories.

  The reality is that much of the news has become so complicated and daunting that it often requires a dose of humor to help us digest it. Jay Leno and David Letterman are arguably as relevant as their network’s news anchors, in terms of their impact on political discourse. The late night hosts’ jibs and jabs are what we share with one another the morning after. Many have come to depend on Letterman’s top ten as much as what is on page one.

  In the case of Jon Stewart, his secret weapon is his refreshing and authentic honesty. He’s willing to call it like he sees it, rather than offer another homogenized account of the news. There are no sacred cows on the “Daily Show.”  He even jabbed tech icon Steve Jobs recently, over Apple’s strong-armed response to Gizmodo.com’s public dissection of the forthcoming G4 iPhone.  That’s the essence of Stewart’s appeal; his unpredictable ability to tackle the truth, even when it may involve taking on a public figure or product he admires.  

  Local broadcasters need to take note. It’s not that viewers lack interest in local news, it’s that they’ve grown tired of the conventions that are so overly used in its presentation. Give us at least a portion of the news in a manner that is distinctive, challenges the status quo and makes us think.

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The headlines continue to report more doom and gloom for the media business.  Newspapers in particular suffered tremendous losses this past week with the shutdown of Denver’s 150-year-old Rocky Mountain News, and the Philadelphia Inquirer joined a growing list of publications making a mad dash for bankruptcy protection.

Meanwhile, it appears that the broadcast business is also on life support.  MediaPost’s Diane Mermigas reports that Barclays Capital and J.P. Morgan nearly doubled their forecast decline in overall TV station local and national spot revenues to a negative –15.5% for 2009, warning it could go lower. Other analysts predict that profits at CBS will decline 65% to 70% as revenues fall 35% to 40% this year.

No matter how you spin it the media business is at a critical point its own historical narrative – and is suffering the added insult of having to write its own obituary. But perhaps not… 

Of course news organizations have a moral obligation to report the facts to the public. However, I would assert that they also have an obligation to themselves — to uncover numerous other stories of success that are occurring throughout the media business. 

We all know that headlines have the ability to drive a story, just as well as they report it.  But sharp editorial staffs do more than just report grim facts.  They compel their reporters to dig deeper — to provide balance and context.  Otherwise, they run the risk leaving the public in a state of perpetual hopelessness.  The psychological impact of nonstop of barrage bad news bears a heavy toll. Readers, advertisers and even news professionals can become resigned and start to question why they even bother.

What makes this all the more challenging is understanding that while news organizations are earnest in their efforts to provide well-rounded coverage of others, they are not so comfortable seeking balance when covering their own industry.  Yes, there are legitimate fears about being perceived as self-serving or breaching the public’s trust. But editors must begin to challenge these fears or risk no longer having a platform to explore them.

Newspapers and television, as we’ve known them, may be struggling to survive, but good journalism and popular entertainment will always have a healthy-sized audience. Jeff Jarvis, the noted columnist and media arts professor, continues to chronicle stories of bold new journalism initiatives like ProPublica and Daylife, which are aggressively reinventing the news business. 

Those of us who have spent much of our time in traditional media bear much of the blame for this current crisis. We’ve been late to arrive at the scene of our own story – and hardheaded about acknowledging the facts. 

There is much to learn from similar situations throughout business history. I recall learning in grade school about how the railroad barons lost their massive fortunes.  They were well-positioned to invest in the then fledgling airline industry but chose to ignore signs of its imminent growth. Their grandest mistake was losing sight of the fact that they weren’t in the railroad business; they were really in the transportation business. Henry Ford lost dominance of the auto industry to GM by refusing to offer consumers more than just the standard black Model T.

There have been just as many stories of triumphant comebacks. Having all but missed the PC revolution of the 1990’s, IBM reportedly had just 100 days of remaining cash reserves before Lou Gerstner turned them around. Apple was written off around the same time, until Steve Jobs regained the reigns and led an upward spiral of growth and innovation that still makes his rivals dizzy.

It’s not too late for the media business, if we are willing to meet these mighty challenges with bold and immediate action. With the advent of more mobile devices like Apple’s iPhone and Amazon’s Kindle, newspapers are waking up to the fact that future fortunes will be found online. They’ll recover sooner by being willing to embrace and become fluent in video. People want to see and experience the world in full-motion and if it is presented in compelling ways readers and advertisers will be willing to pay for it.

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I was blindsided when I read that the future of CBS network might be in jeopardy.  Reports surfaced in mid-December that Viacom Chair Sumner Redstone could be forced to sell his controlling interest to pay off massive debts. Then MediaPost analyst Diane Mermigas listed the network among her predicted casualties for 2009. I had to read it twice to make sure I wasn’t missing something.  Surely, this couldn’t be true.

Other analysts predicted there would be plenty of interest in Viacom’s attractive portfolio of cable assets that includes MTV and Nickelodeon. But, “few would want CBS, even at bargain prices.”  Was the sky falling? First the 160 year-old Tribune Company files for bankruptcy protection. Now, nobody would want CBS?

A younger generation may be immune to matters of corporate consolidations and liquidations that seem to take place on a weekly basis. After all, they’re not watching CBS anyway.  But for “old media” diehards like me, this is a major upset.

CBS was the “Tiffany Network” — the house of Edward R. Morrow, Walter Cronkite.  They wrote the rules of broadcast journalism that informed and inspired several generations.  This was the network that pioneered with such series as “All in the Family” and “M*A*S*H,” and before them “The Honeymooners” and “I Love Lucy.”  Of course they also gave us “The Dukes of Hazard,” and “The Beverly Hillbillies,” but it all added to a memorable mix of pop culture entertainment.

I partially jest in suggesting that if given the choice between bailing out the American auto industry vs. CBS, I’d pick CBS.  Entertainment is arguably America’s most significant export.  Plus, if you factor in the music legacy left by CBS Records it is something to consider. The “hearts and minds” of our former enemies have been won because they seek to emulate our culture, which they witness through our entertainment.

What many may miss is that the legacy media brands were built by people that shared a unique sense of purpose and passion about their work because of the high level of responsibility that came with it. As one of just two or three networks delivering the news and high quality entertainment the stakes were always extremely high.

That’s not meant to diminish the hard work and passion that goes into creating content for cable and other newer platforms. That’s a world I know equally well.  However, “back in the day,” working for one of the “big three” was a true sign of accomplishment.

While in my twenties, I was fortunate to be hired by broadcast veteran Bob Shanks to serve as the west coast producer/director for the CBS Morning Program, featuring Mariette Hartley.  It was among the many short-lived and failed attempts to compete with NBC’s stalwart “Today” show. 

I can recall the day I directed my first live Los Angeles feed into the coast-to-coast broadcast. This was from the same control room and studio where Carol Burnett and Sonny & Cher had originated.  Could this really be happening to me? That session and many more went off without a hitch — but it was a defining moment in my career.

Years earlier, right out of college, I was hired to join the team that launched CNN. Visionary Ted Turner had this crazy notion that people would want to watch 24 hours of non-stop news. The naysayers questioned whether there was enough going on in given day to warrant such a venture?  Today we have three news networks and many still pose that same question.

It didn’t help that we were launching an entire network with a budget that was a fraction of what CBS was spending on its half-hour evening news.  Often brash and rarely predictable, Ted Turner made an unsuccessful bid to acquire CBS in the mid-1980’s.  Say what you will about Ted, but he always saw beyond conventional wisdom and was often right.

Many of the old guard at CBS will admit to being envious of CNN and still regret that they were unable to convince their management at the time to make the bold move that Ted did in launching the network. CBS as the brand behind “America’s most trusted news network,” would have made perfect sense.

But wait. Perhaps it’s not too late to ponder the possibilities. Time-Warner, now owner of CNN, is often mentioned as a likely suitor for the troubled CBS assets. Ted Turner was Time Warner’s Vice-Chairman and biggest stockholder until he stepped down in 2006.  He’s a senior statesman in the media business at this point in his career. But perhaps Ted has one more visionary move to orchestrate: the brokering of a deal that would preserve the legacy of CBS News by merging it into the Time-Warner/CNN family. Plus, TBS, TNT and the other Turner networks would certainly benefit from having the CBS entertainment library.

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But, what about those forces that are closer to home? Self-sabotaging behavior patterns we tend to overlook?

Many of us engage in regular practices that are simply time wasters. If your workdays often leave you feeling unfulfilled, it could mean it’s time to reassess your workflow system. Is the length of your “to do” list realistic or overwhelming? Do you over-promise in ways that cause you to often fall short? How organized are you? Have you streamlined your paper flow or do you often waste time searching for lost items? Are you a “Lone Ranger” or have you enlisted a support team?

I’ve met and coached many successful business people that confess to being aware that they have some of these common patterns of ineffectiveness. They also acknowledge that they’d be a third to twice as effective if they’d commit to altering them, and yet they don’t. Why?

It’s not easy for most people to hear but our behaviors tie into our core beliefs about trust and self-worth. The micro-manager can’t bring him or herself to delegate because of a lack of trust that the job will get done without their strict oversight. This can be a legitimate concern if you’re launching a new initiative, but it can be a nonsensical one when you’re two years into responsibilities that have become routine.

It takes a high level of self-esteem to build a team that may in many ways be more experienced, or smarter, than yourself. However, in truth, it is the only way to really grow. Unless you’re in start-up mode, you should be able to take vacations with confidence.

Have a sit-down with your team and ask for honest feedback about what works and doesn’t work about your management style. Commit to logging all of your workday activities for a week in fifteen-minute increments. Notice patterns that surface that may not be serving you. Do you allow constant interruptions? Or do you set aside focus time – just for yourself? Once you identify the practices that don’t work it’s time to establish and commit to new ones that do work. You’ll discover that the internal forces you can alter have much more of an impact that the external forces you can’t.

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Yes, obviously there are economic factors that impact consumer spending – but don’t let those factors immobilize you. Tough times call for developing fresh and creative ways of marketing your personal brand. You may have to add value with bonus items or other specialties to close more deals.

Some businesses actually fare better in a down economy. Often, it’s because they’ve found a way to appeal to people’s need for comfort and familiarity in times of uncertainty.

Everyone loves a bargain, especially during tough times. Are their ways you can bundle your offerings or add some freebies that will make them that much more enticing? Try tying your unique selling proposition to the headlines. Offer “Recession-Buster” or “Beat the Oil Price Blues” specials. If you offer workshops and seminars, consider web-based methods of delivery that let you reach more people as less costs. Many businesses are finding it to be twice as efficient to present and transact via the web. Many new solutions now add full-motion video to the mix. The most progressive webinar platform is offered by Adobe Systems.

One of the more common mistakes made by marketers is not creating a sense of urgency. Always give prospects a reason to act now, otherwise they won’t. However, exercise caution in presenting deadlines that are clearly artificial ploys. If your offer is tied to true space or time limitations you’ll have a stronger argument.

Finally, consider taking a break from the financial news headlines – and insist that your support team do the same. Yes, you need to have a basic sense of what’s going on – but you also may be better served by not falling into the rhythm of the times. Breakthroughs occur when people forge ahead in spite of the times.

There will always be naysayers and pessimists willing and ready to tell you what won’t work. You get to choose whether to get caught in that web or to press on.

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But there are subtler and perhaps more damaging factors that caused Hillary to lose. Ones you can learn from in your own personal branding campaign.

First, she failed the authenticity test. Her attempts to portray herself as a “gun slinging, beer guzzling, blue collar gal,” after it was clear that her campaign was in jeopardy, just rang false. Pandering is perceived as desperation. It just doesn’t work.

Second, both Clintons all but validated critics that have always questioned their integrity. They demonstrated time and time again that they would say or do anything to win. Most of us have a moral compass. If you agree to rules you must adhere to the rules, or at least work fairly to have them modified. Not reinterpret them just because the scorecard isn’t lining up in your favor.

In more confident times, Hillary Clinton said Michigan’s votes wouldn’t count, only to later completely contradict that statement. Her recollection of her trip to Bosnia and their continued attempts to defend their version of the story would make you think that the Clintons are unaware of a 1951 invention called videotape. Certainly, they curse its existence.

Third, Hillary allowed Bill to overshadow her stature. Having him so prominently visible out on the trail was a subconscious act of self-sabotage. If we’ve learned anything it is that the former President lacks self-control. There is no longer a Bill Clinton mystique. He faced impeachment with more grace and confidence than he’s shown during this campaign season.

If my comments seem harsh it’s because I’m left deeply disillusioned by their misguided actions. Up until recently, I’d wholeheartedly bought into the Clinton brand despite its blemishes. I’d given Bill a pass on everything, including Monica. But this time he and Hilary went too far. Comments viewed as racially insensitive, whether calculated for limited political expediency or not, could cost them a lifetime of good will within the African-American community.

They’ve added insult to injury by not owning their results. Blaming the media, misogynists or the Democratic Primary process they agreed to are all weak excuses, in light of the facts.

Can the Clintons repair their brand? If, and perhaps only if, they are sincere in their pledge to rally behind Obama will they reclaim some sense of stature. Most will forgive, but few will ever forget.

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First, on a personal level, I wasn’t prepared for the overwhelming emotions I felt as I watched most of the memorial coverage. The outpour of sympathy from world dignitaries and his colleagues was unprecedented for a person that reported on news rather than made it. And yet, for so many years you weren’t a bonafide newsmaker of national note unless you had sat across from Tim Russert on any given Sunday.

Russert was the embodiment of the American dream come true. A working-class Irish kid from Buffalo, New York that made not just good, but really good. When JFK made a rare visit to Tim’s hometown there were few other thirteen-year-olds that could boast that they’d maneuvered their way to actually shake the President’s hand. Was it luck or a foreshadow of destiny? Possibly the spark that ignited Tim’s passion for politics? How fitting that at Russert’s funeral John McCain and Barack Obama sat side by side, unaccompanied by aides and handlers, and in a way we had never seen them before.

So what can we learn about personal branding from Tim Russert? First, the significance of authenticity. Russert was not your chiseled-featured variety newsman. He had a Columbo quality, both in style and manner — and it worked.

Yes, he asked the tough questions – but with a sense of fairness you could always count on. These qualities earned our trust and elevated his broadcast to the “must do” Sunday news show, if you wanted to be taken seriously as a political figure.

Second; his countless expressions of generosity. He was a great father, husband, role model and a mentor to so many. Throughout the memorial coverage dozens of Tim’s colleagues and competitors shared stories of his thoughtfulness. ABC News’ This Week host, George Stephanopoulos shared that on the occasion of his daughter’s birth, Tim sent his family a pillow engraved with her name. Russert was never too busy to forget time-honored traditions and honest gestures of good will.

Sundays won’t be the same without Tim Russert and neither will the political season. Let us learn by his example. The important things in life aren’t found in the achievements we’re taught that symbolize success but rather in simple expressions of thoughtfulness and service to others.

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In the past we may have interpreted the course of our lives as being controlled by fate. In this age, we’re more likely to at least consider it possible that we play a significant role in how it all “turns out.” But how much of a role?

Most of us have experienced the frustration of wanting our life results to more closely match our mental pictures of what we think they should be. We want what we want when we want it. Anything less provides us with evidence that perhaps we’ve been conned into thinking that we could actually have what we set out to achieve.

Being successful at Branding Yourself, or any other endeavor for that matter, most certainly requires that you challenge familiar ways of thinking – and acting. You can’t expect different results from doing the same things.

However, I’ve come to a new understanding on this subject. With age I’ve had to learn to allow for the unexpected. Life rarely turns out exactly as you envision it. There is almost always a surprise ahead that you can’t anticipate. A chance encounter can lead to an unexpected business deal or a sudden shift in the economy can bring about undesired obstacles.

Focusing on your intention rather than current circumstance or a specific end result allows space for the unexpected. You can be very clear about fundamentals of what you’re up to and at the same time accept that there are likely to be detours and even shortcuts along the way.

Being rigid is what gets us in trouble. It causes us to misinterpret and invalidate our results when they don’t fit our pictures. Consider perhaps that there is a grander view that you can’t now see. Make peace with uncertainty. It’s an overused phrase, but there is great value in “trusting the process.”

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Individuals and businesses often fail because they refuse to alter their approach in times of uncertainty. Travel agencies weren’t prepared for the advent of consumers having easy access to online booking. To succeed they’ve had to focus on areas where personal service is still an essential in the successful coordinating a trip, like group travel.

Similarly, the economy and the Internet are greatly impacting the fields of training, professional speaking and consulting. Rising costs are resulting in smaller budgets, as companies reduce their spending on expensive conferences and trade shows that require air travel and lodging.

Webinars and other less costly methods of electronic communication are becoming more commonplace. Participants log in rather than fly in and participate from the comfort of their home office, often while wearing their pajamas.

If you’re marketing your expertise to prospective clients in today’s economy, wait no longer on planning and implementing a strategy that involves video. Whether it’s a single streaming video greeting on your website, an entire series of video vignettes that you can email or a full-length program that you distribute via DVD – you’ll find that video is among your best calling cards. It allows you to concisely and professionally articulate and present your unique proposition to prospective clients in a compelling manner.

Strive for authenticity over style in your video presentations. Get comfortable with the camera lens and connect with your audience. Work with a company that will provide you with measurable data that track the results of your video marketing campaigns. Play close attention to what works in terms of response rates and sales conversions.

In all circumstances, remain flexible and willing to toss out what’s not working in favor of a fresh approach.

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Individuals and businesses often fail because they refuse to alter their approach in times of uncertainty. Travel agencies weren’t prepared for the advent of consumers having easy access to online booking. To succeed they’ve had to focus on areas where personal service is still an essential in the successful coordinating a trip, like group travel.

Similarly, the economy and the Internet are greatly impacting the fields of training, professional speaking and consulting. Rising costs are resulting in smaller budgets, as companies reduce their spending on expensive conferences and trade shows that require air travel and lodging.

Webinars and other less costly methods of electronic communication are becoming more commonplace. Participants log in rather than fly in and participate from the comfort of their home office, often while wearing their pajamas.

If you’re marketing your expertise to prospective clients in today’s economy, wait no longer on planning and implementing a strategy that involves video. Whether it’s a single streaming video greeting on your website, an entire series of video vignettes that you can email or a full-length program that you distribute via DVD – you’ll find that video is among your best calling cards. It allows you to concisely and professionally articulate and present your unique proposition to prospective clients in a compelling manner.

Strive for authenticity over style in your video presentations. Get comfortable with the camera lens and connect with your audience. Work with a company that will provide you with measurable data that track the results of your video marketing campaigns. Play close attention to what works in terms of response rates and sales conversions.

In all circumstances, remain flexible and willing to toss out what’s not working in favor of a fresh approach.

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