canadaeast.com - Spin - Breaking News, New Brunswick, Canada

Downgrading of province's debt rating is disturbing

For this edition of Spin, I would like to focus the blog on how the US media is covering New Brunswick.

I was very disturbed by a story that appeared on Bloomberg.com earlier this week: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601082&sid=afzm7ohRqwF0

The picture the story paints of the state of New Brunswick's finances is shocking. I knew it was bad but this story paints a sobering picture. This reality shows that we are now in a similar financial situation to many former communist countries in Europe and they have been forced to introduce severe austerity measures to cut spending and reduce debt. The ordeal has been bad for their citizens and the image of these countries. New Brunswick now faces the same problem regardless of the spin government officials will put on it: http://www.gnb.ca/cnb/news/fin/2009e1234fn.htm

Let's face it. Record deficits and quickly mounting debt will have a very negative affect on our lives in the future, especially with no real plan from our political leaders to inject new life into the New Brunswick economy. Our population challenges plus this debt will result in such things as higher taxes and/or signficantly reduced government spending in the near future. It is going to happen.

Our province needs to take a totally new direction. This starts by having our political leaders get government finances under control and showing New Brunswickers that there is a clear way for New Brunswick to emerge from the hole that it is now in. Sugar-coating the situation will not work.

Our future and our image depends on New Brunswick getting its financial house in order and doing so in a way that gives New Brunswickers hope.

We must change and we must change now because our children deserve the best future possible and the world is watching us.

I hope to see the day when Bloomberg.com and other US media will be reporting on good news in New Brunswick.

Mark Taylor, a communications specialist and former journalist, is founder of Delora Media.

The CBC and Jacques Poitras are wrong

I was disturbed by CBC's reporting of the recent launch of the For Better Healthcare movement.

The accusation that this group was started by a group of prominent Tories is totally false. Instead, I was the one who started this group because I wanted to bring people together in an effort to improve the healthcare system. The reason for this is easy to explain. I am frustrated with the type of medical care I have received in this province.

For example, I have gone almost one year without a family doctor. I also recently had to wait nine hours at a local emergency room. In addition, I have also heard many horror stories from people about the medical care they have received.

Please don't misunderstand me though. I have the utmost respect for the men and women who work in the medical system and I believe that they do a great job for what they have to work with. I just believe that the system needs improvement and nobody has been improving it.

It is wrong to pay as much as we do for our healthcare system and to not have an influence over how it is run. For example, why should I or anyone else pay for a healthcare system but not have a doctor?

In the 24 hours since For Better Healthcare's launch, I have received many emails from people with concerns and stories that don't paint our healthcare system in a good light. These are from ordinary people and not Tories. Their stories would break anyone's heart.

As indicated on the For Better Healthcare's website, For Better Healthcare welcomes anyone into the group and will promote any good idea for the province's healthcare system. Moreover, there are 160 founding members of this group and these are regular people from across our province. Yes, there are a few Tories in the group because they chose to join due to the merits of the group and not because they influenced its founding. Moreover, Stephen Campbell's column is published on the For Better Healthcare only because of the validity of the points he makes in his article and not because he is a Tory. If he were a Liberal, the column would have been published.

Regarding Jamal Instrum, Jamal Instrum's idea is promoted on the For Better Healthcare website because it is a good idea. This is the bottom line. I encourage you to look at the proposal for yourself by visiting the www.forbetterhealthcare.ca website. If anyone else has a good idea, I would be happy to review it with the other members of thr group.

Again, I would like to stress that anyone and any idea that will help healthcare is welcome in For Better Healthcare.

Please let me be clear in stating that For Better Healthcare is independent and grassroots. The group has been formed because of the poor handling of the healthcare file by government and not because the Liberals are in power.

Finally, the CBC failed to tell you many other things about the story and how they dropped the ball. I'm sure you would be interested in knowing but I will not lower myself to the unprofessionalism certain members of the CBC have shown.

The CBC has got the For Better Healthcare story wrong and they have lost my respect.

I encourage you to get involved in For Better Healthcare and discover what it is all about. You may visit the group's website at www.forbetterhealthcare.ca

Mark Taylor is coordinator of For Better Healthcare and founder of Delora Media.

New Listeria recall a new public relations test for Maple Leaf Foods

Maple Leaf Foods has put into action another recall of product because of Listeria concerns. This time the product is wieners:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090224.wmapleleafrecall0224/BNStory/National/home

Watching how Maple Leaf Foods handles this new recall will be interesting. Research has shown that how Maple Leaf Foods handled the last recall helped the company survive the challenge. According to that research, the company's willingness to come clean about what happened and demonstrate that it was taking action reassured many customers and potential customers. Moreover, many people had a positive opinion of Michael McCain because of his actions during the recall. Mr. McCain's handling of the recall also continues to be a hot topic of discussion among media relations experts.

The news media will definitely test Maple Leaf Foods once again and the entire food inspection system in general. However, Maple Leaf Foods can successfully handle the scrutiny with the right preparation and a continued willingness to be as open about what they are doing as possible.

Maple Leaf Foods will never be able to please everyone. However, a clear explanation about what happened before this latest recall and what is being done to address the problem is the right thing for the company and its customers.

Mark Taylor, a former journalist, is a media relations specialist and founder of Delora Media. Visit Delora Media at www.deloramedia.com

Delora Media will host a series of seminars on March 16th in Fredericton. Visit www.deloramedia.com for more information.

Internet media fund proposal wrong approach

The CRTC hearings about a possible new fund for Canadian Internet content caught my attention today.

View this Globe and Mail article to learn more: http://business.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090217.wrCRTC18/BNStory/Business/home

While I'm in favour of supporting the development of Canadian media content, I don't agree with forcing support on all Canadians through what would be a new charge on Internet bills to provide the money for this new $100 million fund.

A better solution would be to explore other ways of contributing to new funds.

Another issue is the quality of Canadian media and I still see a real need for Canadian media producers to improve the quality of their work.

The Internet has changed the media business because it allows people to choice the media they want when they want it. This means that media producers who offer good media content will do well. Canadian media producers must understand this and produce media that people want to consume.

I sincerely hope the CRTC turns down the proposal that is before them for the establishment of this fund. Instead, work must begin on finding better ways to support Canadian media producers that doesn't require Canadians to bail out producers who are not offering the media content that people want.

I also hope the CRTC does not follow through with any other bad ideas that would take away from the experience Canadians have online. The Internet is a place for choice and a place where the best media producers will survive.

Mark Taylor is veteran of the media business and founder of Fredericton-based communications firm Delora Media. Visit www.deloramedia.com

Delora Media will host seminars on March 16th designed to help businesses and not-for-profits grow during an economic downturn.

Job losses at Chronicle Herald a warning to other newspapers

I was saddened to learn of the news today that The Halifax Chronicle Herald has decided let go many of its editorial staff.

I had the honour of working with many of these fine individuals for almost two years and I must say that they are true professionals.

The changes at the Chronicle Herald are a sign that Atlantic Canadian newspapers are now experiencing many of the same problems that their US counterparts have been experiencing in recent years. Atlantic Canadian newspapers must learn from this and adjust their operations to meet the new challenges of the media business and the changing needs of their clients and readership. For example, many Atlantic Canadian newspapers must understand their target market better and offer them a profuct that will appeal to that market.

Let's face facts. The newspaper of the 20th century is not as appealing to people as it used to be. However, many newspapers continue to operate like a newspaper from the previous century.

I am also surprised to see the number of Atlantic Canadian newspapers that continue to do a terrible job of supplying quality local content. I really believe that Atlantic Canadians want quality local content in their newspaper and will buy newspapers that offer this. Some newspapers are doing a good job of providing quality local content but most are not.

Newspapers must also explore other content changes and features such as content generated by members of the public as these types of changes will help move these newspapers forward.

I hope Atlantic Canadian newspapers will learn from their business environment they are currently operating in and pubish a quality product that will ensure a good future for their organization and a quality read for the many Atlantic Canadians who read these newspapers.

Mark Taylor, a former columnist for The Halifax Chronicle Herald, is the founder of Delora Media. Visit Delora Media at www.deloramedia.com

Challenges in the media business offer opportunities

Recent news about newspapers facing finanical trouble in the US and other media challenges reveal the fact that the media business is not immune to the economic problems facing us today. However, these challenges and the changes now taking place in the media business are revealing opportunities for many other businesses.

Newspapers, magazines and other media businesses are seeking to cut costs as they struggle with revenue challenges. This reality opens up the opportunity for other businesses to reach their market and increase their exposure by providing the media organizations with the content they need. This can be done in many ways and the key thing is to understand what each media organization needs.

There will be big changes in media as the economic downturn progresses and the face of media will change across the world and at home. It's in the interest of every business to understand this and get prepared to take advantage of the opportunities that are coming.

Mark Taylor, a former journalist, is a communications specialist and founder of Delora Media. Delora Media is a Fredericton-based public relations firm specializing in marketing, communications and business development. Visit Delora Media at www.deloramedia.com

2009 will reveal some interesting news stories

A new year is almost upon us and I am quite certain that 2009 will reveal some interesting news stories.

The collapse of the economy has to be one of the biggest news stories of 2008 and I'm sure that it will continue to be a gripping news story in 2009. I'm also sure there will be many other fascinating stories at home and abroad ranging from event coverage to the actions of certain celeberties. One of the most interesting things about watching these news stories will be observing how the people in these stories handle the media and media attention.

The media and media attention can be a very difficult thing for people to handle well but it must be done. A negative experience with the news media or negative media attention can inflict severe damage on a person's well-being or that person's business. Therefore, a person who takes the time to prepare for future encounters with reporters will benefit from this effort.

Reporters are people who are always looking for a good story that will interest the audience of the news media organization they work with. The organizations they work with are also businesses who are looking to make their audience happy and grow that audience.

One of the best things you can do is pay close attention to the media you consume. Look for the stories that are covered in the news and how those stories are protrayed. This will give you the knowledge you need for encounters with the news media. It's also good to establish relationships with reporters so that you can get to know them better.

I also encourage you to seek the advice of a communications or media relations professional.

All of this work will pay off when your turn to be in the public spotlight comes.

Mark Taylor is a former journalist, public relations specialist and founder of Delora Media. Visit Delora Media at www.deloramedia.com

Federal Liberals need a good communications team

The foolishness of this past week in Ottawa was tough to watch and one of the worst moments was the televised address by Mr. Dion.

Let me make it clear that I am not a member of any political party. I am a political observer.

I have to say that I don't understand what the Liberals and Mr. Dion's office were thinking when they decided to go to air with that pathetic tape. They should have sent nothing in instead of that piece of garbage. It really looked like it was thrown together by a high school student and it only hurt Mr. Dion's ability to connect with Canadians.

The Liberals talk about rebuilding the party. It is clear that the first thing they need to do is get their communications under control. It has been horrible since Paul Martin entered the election campaign of late 2005-early 2006. Once the party's communications team is replaced and the system is repaired, then maybe the Liberals will have a chance of forming government again.

The incident also highlights the need for any organization or company to take communications seriously and act accordingly as not doing so will only hurt the fortunes of that organization or company and the people who lead them.

Mark Taylor is a veteran journalist, columnist and communications specialist. Mr. Taylor is also founder of Delora Media. Based in Fredericton, this marketing and communications company offers eveything from media relations training to communications strategies. Visit Delora Media at www.deloramedia.com

What will newspapers look like in the future?

I am turning things over to you this week.

Newspapers are going through a time of change as the Internet grows in popularity and many media organizations decide to end the print editions of their publications.

I believe newspapers will decrease in numbers with the best newspapers surviving by changing their content to meet the new demands of the reader. I also believe that the electronic editions of newspapers will continue to improve as media organizations better understand the public.

What do you think newspapers will look like in the future?

Mark Taylor is a veteran journalist, communications specialist and founder of Delora Media. Visit Delora Media at www.deloramedia.com

The Obama message

I came across this interesting blog post made by another blogger regarding what she thought President-Elect Obama did right in his election campaign:

http://www.mangomediacaribbean.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/11/5/Top-Five-PR-Reasons-for-the-Obama-Victory

I'd be interesting in knowing whether or not you agree with this view. It is an interesting view and it highlights key areas everyone should focus on when trying to connect with the public through the media.

Mark Taylor is a veteran journalist, communications specialist and founder of the Delora Media marketing and communications company based in Fredericton, New Brunswick. Visit Delora Media at www.deloramedia.com

Delora Media will hold communications and marketing seminars in November and December in various New Brunswick communities.