WHAT IS A VIDEO NEWS RELEASE?

This begins a series of backgrounder “Service Summaries“about video, audio and interactive multimedia services, all of which comprise iCD Media’s portfolio of products.

Mike Cavender, executive vice president, is a 25-year career veteran in television news management and production. He’s managed TV newsrooms in Atlanta, Washington DC, Tampa and Nashville and is the recipient of more than 50 awards, including six Emmys, for his work. He’s also a past chairman of the Radio-Television News Directors Association (RTNDA), the international trade association for electronic news professionals.

We are so pleased that Mike recently joined iCD Media as a partner.

Jim Brams: Mike, tell us just what a Video News Release is.

Mike Cavender: It’s simply the electronic equivalent of the written press release. A well-produced VNR uses the same techniques as a well-produced TV story generated by a local station. It provides the TV news staff with the information it needs about the client’s story by using compelling sound and pictures.

JB: Who is the audience for a VNR?

MC: The original pitch of the story goes to producers and assignment editors, who make judgments every day on what to include in their news programs. Sometimes, VNRs are targeted to specialty reporters, like those covering health and consumer beats. Once the decision is made to use the VNR material, the station’s news audience sees either the entire narrated story we provide or selected video and audio that is taken from the original story and rewritten into a shorter piece by the station’s news staff.

JB: What kinds of VNRs are there?

MC: It depends on the nature and complexity of the news story you’re telling. Some stories warrant a fully produced and narrated piece that a TV station can directly insert into its local news program. Other stories better lend themselves to a series of B-roll shots and soundbites from client spokesmen or spokeswomen. [Note: B-rolls will be discussed fully in a future Service Summary.]

JB: What’s key in a VNR?

MC: Localism is KEY! Stations want to know how the story directly impacts their local audiences—whether it’s Atlanta, Albuquerque or Anchorage. It’s very important—both in the pitch and in the material itself—to provide producers with key details as to how the story is relevant to their local market. For example, are local jobs impacted by a company’s decision? Is the medical procedure you’re publicizing being performed on any local patients? If so, who are they and can the station’s reporter interview them? Quality production and effective writing is also very important. The stories need to stand out among the many video pieces which television stations receive every day. Be imaginative and inventive in your approach, whenever possible. That’s also important to the pitch, as well.

Bottom line: A VNR should combine creativity, impact and a sharp eye for detail to create a compelling story to effectively communicate a message. And remember the mantra of most television newsrooms – LOCAL, LOCAL, LOCAL.

JB: How do the TV stations learn that a VNR is available?

MC: iCD Media uses a variety of distribution channels. Pre-scheduled satellite feeds reach throughout the nation. Releasing the story through digital channels, such as the Pathfire system, is also effective because more and more newsrooms now have this technology and, as a result, aren’t confined to receiving a satellite feed at a particular time. And there are growing opportunities for guaranteed placement on regularly scheduled programs such as NEWSWATCH. We work closely with our clients to devise the right mix of distribution channels and pitching approaches.

JB: How can you track whether a VNR was used?

MC: We encode the VNR with Sigma technology, an invisible code that enables iCD Media to know precisely where, when and how much of your story was used by a TV station. We provide that information, which includes audience numbers and equivalent values, to our clients on a daily and weekly basis. We also supplement Sigma with reports from video monitoring services, like VMS and Multivision.

JB: Has VNR usage been impacted by the recent Congressional allegations of misuse of the technique by the Bush administration?

MC: I haven’t seen any decline in station interest level in VNRs when the story is localized, interesting and well-produced. At iCD Media, we strictly follow the guidelines set forth by both PRSA and RTNDA for identifying both the material and the source of the story. Stations deserve—and respect—that honesty. In the long run, it helps us all.

JB: Thanks very much, Mike.

For more information about how a VNR or other broadcast vehicle could be used in your PR plan, contact Mike Cavender, iCD Media, LLC, 1000 Windward Concourse, #475, Alpharetta, GA 30005. Call or e-mail Mike at (678) 762-1717 or mcavender@icdmedia.com .