Weighing in on the big announcement

I’m pretty sure this will be the last word on the subject of how it went when we made the announcement to go online full time, but I’ve gotten some really interesting feedback that I wanted to share. With only a couple of exceptions, the response from people was 100% positive, but a few folks had some advice for me on style points, with which I concur wholeheartedly. The letter below is from Shelly Tabor of BizTimes, and came to me through a LinkedIn group to which we both belong. I am publishing it with her permission.

Hi Jon Anne,

The talk in our office, BizTimes Media (formerly Small Business Times) was that Vital Source was done and the headline on the BizTimes Daily on Monday was “Publishers pull plug on Vital Source magazine”. Our reporters did get the information correct… the second and third sentences of the story correctly state that you are continuing your services and focusing everything to the web.

I’m finding that it is more difficult for people to focus on the positive these days. Publishing is not dead… it is just going through a transition (like so many other industries). To survive and to appeal to a younger demographic, the focus must be web-based.

I applaud you for taking the appropriate steps for survival and growth.

My one bit of advice to everyone is to present information (press releases/ads/commercials) with a positive spin. I didn’t get to see your press release, so I am not saying that you did anything wrong. [Ed. Note: It was “VITAL Publications, LLC to cease printing VITAL Source Magazine”] Using this situation as an example… the first thing you should tell people is that focusing on the web product, planning for the future (and don’t be afraid to add a lot of frill and hoopla)… and then add that you will be discontinuing the print version. I know you are just trying to present the information, but your words paint a picture — and it’s better to paint a pretty one.

The headline of our news report was so glum… you are not pulling the plug, you are simply regrouping and focusing on your future in publishing — a much greener future (both environmentally and economically, I hope)! I wish you much success in 2009! Can’t wait to see the website relaunch!

Sincerely,
Shelly Tabor
Art Director
BizTimes Media LLC — Biztimes.com | BizTimes Milwaukee | BizTimes Events | BizTech Expo | BizTimes Custom Publishing

She is absolutely correct. I wrote the press release from a reporter’s viewpoint, not thinking about it through the lens of how it would be received, and the poor choice of headline was the kicker. I should have led with the good news and maybe some of the flap that’s ensued since the unfortunate MJS brief was posted last Sunday evening could have been avoided. And for my part in all of this, I owe MJS business reporter Rick Romell an apology. While his choice of emphasis did focus on the (albeit marginal) downside of our new direction and he chose to disregard the tone and content of our phone interview, he was working with the information he received . I guess the lesson to be learned is that people use the tools they’re given, and expecting them to interpret the message is not realistic.

Thanks, Shelly (and Cynthia) for telling it like it is. As journalism professionals, we need to keep an open forum of advice and support in order to obtain – and maintain – the highest possible standards.