KUOW Public Radio’s Post

What tells us most about the likely intentions of stakeholders? A. Scanning the factual news as published by media or B. how the 'news' is actually perceived by stakeholders. Think about it. It is easy to simply assume that media consumers accurately read entire articles, understand them, remember them and act upon them. But reality is different. You know. What really matters is how the news is perceived in the eyes of the beholder. Taking a closer look at voter beliefs in the recent US elections makes that case very clear (thank you Ipsos!). Voters with distorted perceptions of the real news behaved very differently from people who aligned with factual news. With consequences. This is no different in a corporate context: only what remains within the minds of stakeholders matters, drives their behaviors. At StakeholderWatch we recently started such monitoring of perceived news/content. That is different from monitoring attitudes and intentions: it's about uncovering what stakeholders (think they) heard or read about a firm. Looking through their own biased set of glasses, reading only headlines, filling in the blank spots themselves. That provides an entirely different picture. And of course, we provide daily delivery 🙂

Unbiased news is not popular in our polarized “click-bait” society, where many get their information from cable and social media echo chambers. I prefer watching C-SPAN these days, rather than the talking heads on cable news. The fundamentals of media literacy can help ensure we are consuming reliable information. Always check the direct source of the information if it is being reported or relayed second or third hand, and bear the following questions in mind: 🔹Who else reported on an event in a community, a speech by a national leader, or a decision by a state leader? If no one else did, be wary. 🔹Does the place or places we turn to for news and information list its owners and run corrections? If not, consider those places more akin to propaganda than journalism. 🔹Do sites we draw upon concentrate only on one issue? Here, too, beware. They may have an agenda other than fact-based reporting. 🔹Does the news source prioritize information that triggers a powerful emotional response? If so, think twice about continuing to go there, or at least consider that they may not provide objective reporting. Chances are the platform is trying to hook you. #civility #democracy #CSPANnerd

NOT ANOTHER POST ON LIQUID DEATH !!? Is there really anything to learn here for marketers who haven’t had the opportunity (and won’t have any such opportunity), to use death metal to inspire their positioning?   This post is to point out there really is, and it’s a build on all that well-founded advice to be Distinctive. I have put this thought in a booklet - just so I can use as many pictures as words. A few pages, but not too much text... I promise! Keen to know if you think this notion of “emotive clarity” I’m suggesting might help marketers aiming to be distinctive across all their touchpoints? Note, I’m not so much suggesting emotive clarity as a “law”, more a useful “lens”. (I know Mark Ritson is sick of hearing about Liquid Death, but IS an advocate for "relative differentiation" - so this perspective on one means to achieve that should be of interest to those wondering "how?")   Check out the booklet here: https://lnkd.in/g64RMJpY   #Differentiation, #Distinctiveness #LiquidDeath #KantarAustralia #BrandStrategyUnpacked Byron Sharp, Mark Ritson, Tom Roach, Drew Spencer Leahy, Dan White, Dom Boyd, Graham Staplehurst, Irene Joshy, Jonathan Sinton, Jon Foged, Jeannie Duhigg, Mary Kyriakidi, Myles George, Carol Horsley, Lindsay Gorton-Lee, Insights by Kantar

A popular thought I've seen circling on social media the last couple days has been about online echo-chambers and our "media bubbles" fed to us by the algorithms contributing to the shock and division around this election. While this certainly seems true from what I've seen, I feel like this conversation can't be had without also acknowledging the rising number of news deserts. The 2024 State of Local News report found that in the last year alone 130 papers shut down and readership of some of the largest newspapers in the US lost 2 million readers. When local news disappears, the most convenient place to find it is on social media, where lots of people already are. When kids aren't taught where to find verified news, they find it where they're already hanging out online on social media. Why waste time looking for something different when what they have already mostly works? When folks try to find accredited news organizations, and it's trapped behind a paywall and they're already worried about the cost of gas and groceries because they come from a poor community or they need every dollar for medical costs, they're going to just go to social media and all its misinformation instead. If we want to take on the social media bubble, we have to address the fact that it's also the easiest and cheapest (money and time) way for most people to get news. How can we ensure factual, data-driven news gets to everyday folks with the same ease, in ways they don't have to spend time or money to find it themselves? #SocialMediaBubble #NewsDesert #EchoChamber

A Friday evening news dump for the ages? This morning, I counseled companies to avoid any proactive non-political, non-breaking news pitching in this insanely crowded news cycle. I stand by that wholeheartedly. Several smart friends (Arielle Eisenberg and Brooke Janousek 🌱) mentioned the opportunity for the Friday negative news drop, a tried and true crisis PR and political tactic whereby an organization discloses adverse news and announcements into the “weekend void”, particularly during holiday and busy news cycles. While this tactic isn’t as powerful as it was before the second by second social media driven news drips, there are some exceptions such as today through next Wednesday show. So long as it’s not involving a politically focused scandal, this is an ideal and unique time to leverage it. 🤫 🤐 Other times include Tues/Weds before T-Giving (lots of airplane travel and disconnectivity), Xmas/New Years week, pre Memoral and Labor Day Fridays, especially in D.C. Given the noise this cycle and the closeness of the POTUS race, it could be a news dump case study. Or it could be so obvious that journalist are on actually the lookout. 🧐 Either way, something to keep in mind, happy weekend ya’ll.

📣Announcing Version 10 of the AllSides Media Bias Chart! Featuring six new sources and strengthened ratings for 10 outlets ahead of the 2024 presidential election. With the election near, it’s crucial to have a clear view of media bias, which can manipulate and mislead. We’ve updated the chart to give you the best resource for navigating the news, cutting through bias, and empowering you to make an informed vote. What’s new: ✔ Added Straight Arrow News (Center and Certified Balanced™ by AllSides), The Free Press (Lean Right), Semafor (Lean Left), Just the News (Lean Right), CNBC (Center), ZeroHedge (Lean Right). ✔ Strengthened our ratings for ABC News (Lean Left),  CBS News (Lean Left), New York Post (Lean Right), Fox News (Right), Newsmax (Right), BBC News (Center), Reuters (Center), The Intercept (Left), National Review News (Lean Right) and Opinion (Right). ✔ Moved Reason Magazine, a libertarian outlet, from Lean Right to Center after the results of a Blind Bias Survey and Editorial Review. 👉 AllSides Media Bias Ratings™ reflect the average judgment of all Americans, not just an elite group. Our ratings are driven by a balance of input from experts and thousands of ordinary people across the political spectrum. Invest in AllSides! Join our WeFunder: wefunder.com/allsides

How might we better make use of the lived experiences and personal stories of journalists and other subject matter experts to build deeper connections with the next generation without undermining journalistic notions of balance and fairness? How might we develop brands that ‘grow up’ alongside consumers rather than expecting those brands to suddenly become relevant to consumers at a point in the future or only be useful at one specific life stage? Download the report. https://lnkd.in/gxntJ2mE

I challenge each of you to consume one or more news sources to the center/more moderate than what you normally consume with an open mind for the next month. I'm convinced that many of our differences in the US are driven by fear and misunderstanding of facts and information. If you need ideas of what to check out, see: https://lnkd.in/ezAf-SbP or https://lnkd.in/esvt7zGC 

📈 Data released this week reveals Australians’ engagement with news is both deep and diverse. 🥕 Fun fact (according to the report), “…more Aussies read news weekly than those who eat vegetables...” ✅ Like vegetables, credible news sources are good for us! 🗞️ Encouragingly, 93% of the Australian population is engaging with general news. 💡Read the full report for more. #News #Media #PublicRelations #EarnedMedia #Communications

In an unprecedented time for society and politics globally, people are most concerned about election outcomes taking their country in the wrong direction. To navigate today’s volatile environment, brands must engage with consumers and other stakeholders based on shared values. Download the full Trust Barometer Special Report: Brands and Politics to learn more: https://edl.mn/4ePtUSn