media power
2015: CHOOSE YOUR MEDIA WELL Looking back at 2014, it isn’t hard to draw the conclusion that the Czech media has been one of the most dynamic industries in terms of mergers, acquisitions, movers and shakers. Publishing houses changed ownership; reputable journalists left established newsrooms to test their chances on the open market; new titles were launched; new hopes emerged. For media-savvy leaders, this is both an opportunity and a reason to watch your media back much closer. Here is an overview of a few of the most important events that occurred on the Czech media market last year: z Complete redesign of Lidové noviny (spring) and Mladá fronta Dnes (October) following the Mafra acquisition by Agrofert in 2013; z Disappearance of the Ringier brand from the Czech market following the acquisition of the publishing house by Czech News Center (CNC) of Daniel Křetínský and Patrik Tkáč. Enforcement of the Blesk brand via expansion into financial and gas distribution services. z Launch of the online television DVTV by Daniela Drtinová and Martin Veselovský under the Economia publishing house (May). At the same time Economia ended the publication of its specialized titles Bankovnictví, FP-Finanční poradce, Finanční management and HR Management. z Launch of publishing house Echo Media (March) by Dalibor Balšínek, former head of Lidové noviny. The online portal was backed up by a print weekly in autumn. z Launch of the monthly Reportér (September) by Robert Čásenský, former head of Mladá fronta Dnes. z Launch of the weekly Téma (October) by Mafra Cristina Muntean is a professional communications advisor, media trainer and coach. She has more than 12 years’ experience in Czech, Romanian and international media. In August 2010, Cristina founded Media Education CEE, a Prague based premium PR advisory and training agency. Her clients are top managers, diplomats and public officials who aim to make their voice heard in their community. In June 2011, Cristina was elected president of the Czech PR Klub and in January 2012 elected chairwoman of the Marketing Committee of the American Chamber of Commerce in Prague. Cristina speaks Romanian, French, English and Czech and can be reached at cm@mediaed.cz.
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z Departure of Ondřej Neumann from Ekonom and launch of investigative reporting server Hlídací pes. The project was joined at the end of the year by Robert Břešťan, formerly Ekonom’s main commentator. What does it mean for your media relations? If you try to put some meaning on the rapid events on the Czech media market for your own communications strategy, here is what you should consider. Both new and established titles and media houses are hungry. They are hungry for unique content and they are hungry for your advertising budgets and partnership resources. What does it mean concretely? 1. More pressure on strategic media partnerships. As new titles need to survive and old titles need to show their new owners that they deserve a chance, you will face more pressure on putting your money where your mouth is and support the media outlets financially or through other resources (such as distribution channels). The lines between genuine and partnership media content will remain or become even more blurred. 2. More pressure on unique content generation. If you have any skeletons left in your closet, now it’s the best time to pull them out and decide what to do with them. The probability that a reporter might knock on your door and ask you about it is higher than ever before. Rookie and established reporters alike will strive to show the society that they have a legitimate role under the sun and that they deserve support. There is little in stopping a good reporter from the scent of a good story. We can also expect that, with the return of sounder economics, more investments will be made into journalist education, particularly in the field of social media research and communication. What does it mean for you personally? In the light of the media context above, here is a list of steps to consider this year: z Be very, very careful what you post on social media. As more reporters join and share information on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and the like, we can expect that more stories will be grounded in reckless social media communication. z Learn to speak in front of a video camera with full confidence. Not only because you might get an invite to DVTV and stand the fire of some of the most reputable interviewers on the Czech market, but also because video communication is become more and more part of our daily lives. z Learn to express your ideas shortly, powerfully, in written. Since LinkedIn launched
Photo: Archive
its blogging feature for everyone in February 2014, the platform has become a power engine for knowhow sharing among experts worldwide. It is prone to become so in the Czech Republic as well. Being able to write quickly and attractively means you being able to make a difference and set the stage for your next career move. z Learn to manage your image and reputation in line with your life vision and goals. If there is one thing I healthily recommend to all my clients, it is to clarify their direction in life as soon as possible. How can you know which path to take if you don’t know where you’re going? It works the same way in strategic communications. If you don’t know why you communicate in the first place, any small effort invested into know-how sharing feels like pulling a tooth. As soon as you realize that your communications activities – writing, blogging, accepting media requests and / or being active on social media – are a founding block to your career and life, your approach on communications will feel completely different. Last but not least: do only what matters. Don’t hesitate to quit or ignore platforms that are not in line with your life vision and goals. It is the harsh truth, but no one can possibly manage every single new communication tool in a powerful, consistent and professional way. Particularly if you’re managing your image and reputation on your own, choose well. Your voice, once out, is there to stay and you will want to be proud of your deeds long years from today. By Cristina Muntean české znění naleznete na našich stránkách www.leadersmagazine.cz
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