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Why Blogs Won't Replace Press Releases – or Publicists

Steve Rubel recently wrote "Blogs are the New Press Releases." He's a great guy, and very knowledgeable, but he's wrong. Traditional and new media journalists – bloggers -- want scoops. It's scoops that help differentiate one writer from another. No self-respecting journalist wants to get the same story everyone and her dog also got. Press releases -- and blog posts -- by their very nature, go to everyone at once.

Blogs, like press releases, are just tools in the marketing arsenal. They're not going to replace pitch letters, phone calls, briefings or personal relationships.

What's dead -- and good riddance -- as I wrote in 2000, is the traditional press release It went the way of the buggy whip when journalists started reading them on their computer screens. The best alternative then, and the best one now is personal contact.

Blogs are one of the best mediums yet for background, opinion, illustration, positioning and explanation. But they are not the end all and the be-all of communication and I'm getting pretty sick of reading all the hype about them.

Categories: Blogging and Moblogging, Commentary, Dead Tree Journalism, Digital Journalism, Internet PR, Media Relations, Press Release From Hell, Public Relations

BL Ochman | Jun 28 05 7:28 | TrackBack (6)

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Hallelujah! I completely agree... like the dot com frenzy, not EVERYONE should have a blog and they are utterly overhyped. One tool out of many in the communications grab bag and nothing will replace personal contact.

Posted by: Barbara at June 29, 2005 10:47 PM

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The press release is dead. NOT. from Marketing Roadmaps
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About BL Ochman

B.L. Ochman, Managing Director of Emerging Media for WPP-owned Proof Integrated Communications, has been helping Fortune 500 companies strategically incorporate new media into their marketing mix since 1996.

She contributes to Ad Age Digital Next, Mashable, Business Week and others. On Twitter, she is @whatsnext.

She is co-founder of the pet lovers' site and blog, Pawfun.com - where you can create and send free photo e-cards of your pets and create a variety of great products featuring your pet’s photo.

This is my personal blog, where I share my own thoughts and opinions, which do not represent the views of Proof or its clients.

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Why Blogs Won't Replace Press Releases – or Publicists

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