Archive for category: The Great Debate

Since 2006, the number of freelance writers has increased more than 300 per cent and today, freelancers produce more than 70 per cent of magazine content in the USA. With this in mind, can a publication be effectively run with just a team of freelance journalists?

“YES” says Will Rankin, Freelance Editor, Diners Club Middle East

Most freelancers have great experience across a diverse number of fields and topics… staffers can become stale and jaded quickly, writing about the same topic day in and day out

As long as there’s an editor to report to, it is my view that a team of freelancers can definitely run a publication. Of course someone needs to chase the freelancers and pull the magazine together, but I know a number of publishers who not only employ freelancers, but also rely on them. Now, I can only recount my own experiences, but I’m currently freelancing, and work across a number of titles as an editor, employing a number of different writers.

From a company point of view, there’s no need to worry about office costs, visa costs, medical care, holiday pay or gratuities, so farming the work out to freelancers makes an awful lot of business sense, especially to a start-up.

I bring more than two decades of journalistic experience to a publication, the sort of experience that doesn’t come cheap, were the company looking to employ me full-time. Compare my ability and experience to a fresh graduate staffer, and I really believe I represent a better option. Most freelancers have great experience across a diverse number of fields and topics, bringing livelier copy and a wealth of experience to publications. Staffers can become stale and jaded quickly, writing about the same topic day in and day out.

One of the joys of freelancing for me is the sheer diversity; one day I’m writing about oil field technology, the next compiling a hotel review. I have rarely stuck a full time job for more than two years. Journalists – at least the best ones I know – tend to be people who don’t like a job that is strictly nine to five; who work best when the mood strikes them, and who, yes, quite often enjoy late night libations, even if they are couched as press events.

Freelancers can sit at home, working in their underwear while still coming across as extremely professional. Put me in a tie, make me work nine to five, and my work will surely suffer. Freelancers also have more freedom to navel gaze, to come up with better feature ideas, and to think outside of the box. 

“NO” says Radhina Almeida Countinho, Associate Director, TRACCS UAE

Freelancers may have the skills and the ability to do the work but you still need someone who is dedicated to the job full-time

There’s an important distinction in the way you classify a freelance journalist – is it someone who is on your books regularly on a freelance contract – as in, physically not sitting in your office but pretty much tied to you anyway by a regular salary and job responsibilities, or someone who pitches and gets commissioned on an ad hoc basis? The distinction in my opinion is a crucial one because although the work culture has evolved and is definitely one in which freelancing is becoming more the norm than the exception; can a publication run purely on ad hoc freelancers? I don’t think so.

If one thinks that all you need to run a publication is a bunch of intelligent individuals armed with notepads, telephones, multimedia skills and a laptop, it’s an unfair simplification of the journalistic process. For smaller publications and those that don’t cover sensitive issues, perhaps the freelance model may work, but for more serious publications, institutional backing plays a big role.

Well-established, respected titles still hold clout and get staffers opportunities and access to doors many freelancers wouldn’t be able to get through. True, there are big name bylines that can confidently command any audience they seek, but for the vast majority there are many other considerations. Like safety, for instance. Many news agencies are not comfortable sending freelancers into conflict zones because the risks are too high. The same is true for the journalists themselves. It could be a life and death situation for a freelancer in a hostage situation – an international title holds bargaining power that a freelancer working on his or her own just does not.

Moreover, from a publication’s point of view, a full-time employee is just more reliable and in many ways, more cost effective. When it comes to it, can you pin down a freelancer to sub your work, write those headlines, or make that call when he or she is physically not in your office? The answer is no, and most employers won’t want to take that gamble on a regular basis.

Yes, freelancers may have the skills and the ability to do the work but you still need someone who is dedicated to the job full-time who can keep a check on quality and consistency. And someone who is around when the five ads you thought were turning up fail to show and you need those five pages filled ASAP – that isn’t a job any freelancer is going to be able to help you with at 10.30pm on a Friday night!

After a flurry of sackings in the media industry due to opinions made on personal social media accounts, we ask, should media professionals be able to voice their opinions without the worry of being fired?

“YES” says Dalia Halabi, Senior Account Executive, Memac Ogilvy Public Relations, Dubai

“Firing someone because of a personal opinion shared on their personal social media account is an overt infringement of their human right”

The Universal Deceleration of Human Rights defines freedom of expression as the right to hold opinions without intervention. Unfortunately, this basic human right continues to be trampled upon, and the recent influx of firings in the media industry is indicative of the bankruptcy of a collective moral compass. With censorship, restrictive press legislation, and the persecution of journalists and bloggers, the media have become paralysed. Should media professionals have to live with the fear of being fired for practicing their fundamental human right?

On the one hand, a cornerstone of journalistic integrity entails objective and bias-free work. Sociologist Michael Schudson defined journalistic objectivity as “faith in facts, distrust in values and a commitment to their segregation.” This suggests that media professionals be considered free bodies that exist as separate entities, in the sense that they should be free from the pressures of government and interest groups. Ultimately, this neutrality is a public service paramount to the effective broadcasting of information and contribution to the public’s overall understanding of news. So, when it comes to respecting the sanctity of their role as opinion leaders, their professional platforms must be completely neutral.

But, when it comes to their personal social media platforms, a line must be drawn. The social media-sphere is a place where opinions run rampant; it is why social media has become such an integrated part of our society. It is a rabbit hole to fall through where freedom of expression is the default setting, empowering us to voice our opinions without fear. An unspoken disclaimer is attached to these channels – that the opinions expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect that of the organisation in which they work. So, firing someone because of a personal opinion shared on their personal social media account is an overt infringement of their human right.

It is important to note however, there are limits. Who can forget the PR debacle of Justine Sacco – her racist comments caused quite the frenzy on Twitter as she mocked AIDs, in what is probably the worst tweet ever. Needless to say, she lost her job, and probably her career. To again reference the aforementioned point that journalists are public influencers, so they have a mighty responsibility to ensure that their opinions remain politically correct and respectful – but this is really a matter of common decency.

In conclusion, it is paramount that journalists’ opinions do not transcend the boundaries of their private persona and infiltrate their work. Regardless, it is their right to express their opinions on their personal social media accounts, without fear of getting sacked, but it is vital that they uphold moral decorum when doing so. As Voltaire eloquently stated, “I do not agree with what you have to say, but I’ll defend to the death your right to say it.”

“NO” says Fatima El Malki, Social Media Manager, Active Public Relations

“Sure you can voice your opinion on personal social media accounts, but be wary of your reputation within this industry and the business professionals you’re connected with”

I’m still cringing at that racist tweet from a PR professional. You know which one I’m referring to. If not, let me help refresh your memory; Justine Sacco, a director of communications for InterActiveCorp (IAC), was embarking on a trip to Africa and decided to share her thoughts on Twitter. “Going to Africa. Hope I don’t get AIDS. Just kidding. I’m white!”. Although her Twitter handle initially wasn’t followed by many, it only took a couple of hours for that single message to shoot across many continents, ultimately getting her fired on arrival in Africa. To make things worse, whilst she was crossing the pond, her tweet became a trending topic with people commenting with the hash tag #HasJustineLandedYet.

Given that it was an open account, sure, it was easier to get her tweet out in the Twitter sphere. However, Twitter allows followers of private accounts to quote tweets as an option to share whatever someone says in his/her private networks, which ultimately makes any message that you tweet shareable on the platform. You’re not as safe as you think on the Internet! Alas, in Justine’s case her reputation as a PR professional was ruined already prior to deleting her tweet upon arrival as a desperate attempt to turn things around for herself.

Now picture yourself starting out as a PR professional or journalist in Dubai. At first, there will be a distinct separation between people who you work with and the ones you can share your most secretive stories with. A couple of months in, you’ll realise how small the media industry is. You will get to know journalists and PRs on a more personal level and after a while, the lines will be blurred. You will add people you know from the industry on your personal social media accounts and share with them whatever you would normally share with your closest friends.

It is key to recognise how critical it is to keep mum about certain topics you don’t mind sharing with your close friends, but are considered inappropriate within the industry. For instance, you’re attending an awards show on behalf of your client and you’ve spotted a fellow PR agency team acting out. Naturally, you might think this would amuse your friends on Facebook by sharing it, so you do. It won’t do any harm, because you’ve made sure your privacy settings are on lock to protect your messages from the outside world. However, a business professional, say, a journalist who likes to gossip, and who happens to be connected with you on Facebook, spots your latest status update and knows who you’re talking about. It’s out and you’ve offended a whole company! As illustrated in Justine’s case, bad news travels faster than good. This is especially true for us business professionals in the media industry, where we know each other by face.

Sure you can voice your opinion on personal social media accounts, but be wary of your reputation within this industry and the business professionals you’re connected with. Know where the boundaries are in terms of sharing certain things that do unveil information about yourself or others that need to be kept under wraps, or in worse cases, you will end up getting fired.

While press trips are close to extinction for many journalists around the world, they are still offered in abundance in the Middle East. This beckons the question: is economy an acceptable form of press trip travel?

“YES” says Conor Purcell, Editor of We Are Here and Founder of Wndr Media

“In Dubai of course normal rules don’t apply, which is one of the myriad reasons why the standard of journalism here is so epically bad”

A friend once told me a story about her first day in Columbia Journalism School. Her lecturer (a legendary Time editor) placed a brown paper bag in front of the class. Never take the brown paper bag he said; the bag represents the gift, the freebie, the bribe. Why? Because if you take the bag, your judgment is compromised in the e­­­­yes of the reader – and, after all, the journalist’s customer is the reader – not the advertiser and certainly not the PR company.

In Dubai of course normal rules don’t apply, which is one of the myriad reasons why the standard of journalism here is so epically bad. The ubiquity of press trips is just another form of bribery: we will fly you to destination X and you will write a glowing report about destination X. Everyone wins. Well, not everyone obviously. The reader – the person who has to wade through the cliché-ridden brochure copy dross that is the end result of such press trips – they most definitely do not win.

One argument given about the validity of press trips is that as journalism is such a low paying job, these freebies are part of the deal. I would argue that not all journalists are paid badly, and those that make serious money out of the media are the people doing actual work, and not swanning about on press trips with a sense of entitlement, listening to PRs blather on about room occupancy and breakfast options.

The idea that business class tickets should be part of this sordid pact is mind-boggling. The logic of business class is that it lets passengers work on the plane. Have you ever seen a journalist on their way to a press trip working? Are they poring over research notes or coming up with alternative narratives for their articles? No, they are either:

1. Enjoying complimentary beverages.
2. Watching movies.
3. Asleep.

Of course, to prove that the economy/business paradigm has any real effect on the output of such trips, you would have to evaluate articles written by journalists who have travelled in both classes. I am certain there would be little difference in the end product.

So boo hoo, you got an all expenses-paid trip across the world to write an article a hyperactive toddler could type out and you are in a huff because you don’t have enough legroom? The real question here is not ‘is economy an acceptable form of press trip travel?’, it’s ‘are you an acceptable form of journalist?’

“NO” says Sophia Serin, Senior Editor, Emirates Woman Group

“Press trips may sound glam to those who aren’t in the industry, but let’s get things clear from the get-go: press trips are never a holiday”

It’s called business class for a reason people – if you want to get off a 12-hour flight and head straight into a business meeting, don’t fly economy. Flying coach is fine when heading home for the holidays, but when you’re on a business trip – that cabin is your office. I don’t even think there is a debate – you are on the clock, therefore you can’t afford the time to arrive three hours before a flight, to then be sat between a crying child and a snoring man. And you most definitely can’t afford to wait an hour for luggage to arrive when you have to go to a meeting or a fashion show. What you do need is an in-seat power supply, an extra large table for your laptop, a privacy divider and an endless supply of water that doesn’t come in a cough syrup cup.

Press trips may sound glam to those who aren’t in the industry, but let’s get things clear from the get-go: press trips are never a holiday. It’s work, just abroad. It’s as simple as that. My magazines and website largely deal with fashion and beauty, so most of the press trips we attend are not reviewing hotels in the Maldives, but weeks of fashion shows, brand launches and shoots. In addition to 10-hour days, brands expect you to facebook, pin, tweet and instagram every movement (during the day) and then spend the evening with their VIPs – directors, buyers and PRs. So, when 2am rolls around, you often find yourself in bed filing your story for the next day. May the force be with you if the time zone is not on your side and you have to file in-between meetings, shows or shoots!

If you are not exhausted by the end of your press trip, you haven’t done your job well. This is where the business class seat comes back into play. When my team touch down in Dubai after a trip, I expect them in the office the next morning, fresh and ready to work. Having lounge facilities where they can take a shower, catch up on news, have a healthy meal and check their emails, basically all the things you do at home the night before a new week, is vital. Throw in a flat bed, a dark, quiet cabin and a car waiting at the other end – and they arrive as good as new. Another reason to fly business? Because it’s completely fabulous and leads to upgrades to first. Hello tomorrow.

With social media advertising options becoming increasingly attractive and readily available to marketeers, will this affect traditional advertising in print publications? We ask two media industry experts to offer their opinion…

“NO” says Mark Pickup, Head of Sales, Hello! Middle East, What’s On & Hype 

“whilst we are in the midst of a digital revolution, magazines still provide an engagement that 140 characters on Twitter can never do”

For a lot of people buying a magazine is a thrill. Feeling the weight of the magazine in their hands, ripping open the plastic, flicking through the glossy pages and inhaling that magical smell – it’s a simple treat that never gets old. Handing over money and taking home a magazine is more exciting than clicking a button that says ‘buy’ or ‘Like’.

A magazine is a style accessory. In buying it you are making a statement: “I read Emirates Woman/Hello/Hype – this is who I am. I believe in this brand and this brand reflects me”. A magazine is an emotional attachment. It’s a relationship. People get sentimental about magazines and buy them for years, never missing an issue. Magazines shape people’s youth, their style, their tastes and set a blueprint in place for the rest of their life. People can’t bear to part with them. There are piles of magazines in corners of bedrooms all over the world – people don’t collect Facebook accounts.

New mediums will always appear – TV didn’t kill radio just as DVDs didn’t kill the cinema – and whilst we are in the midst of a digital revolution, magazines still provide an engagement that 140 characters on Twitter can never do.

When it comes to advertising, social media platforms are great for getting instant interest on short-term offers and they also work well as part of a larger marketing campaign. But just like everything, it’s all about balance. With magazine advertising, there is a certain prestige associated with it, and also an instant trust factor for the reader who has grown with the magazine and values its judgment.

With each print magazine’s instant reader reach increased further via its own social media platforms, as well as associated online publications, advertising in print is no longer just one-dimensional. We are able to offer a fully rounded platform.

“YES” says Managing Partner, The Qode

“Smaller brands who in the past may have taken the next step to advertise in print media will most likely take longer to make that transition”

Social media is now deep-rooted in our way of life and has increasingly become an essential part of any brand’s marketing mix. Brands are developing their social media accounts to allow them to engage and communicate directly with their customers, something that traditional media advertising has not allowed them to do. And with the low costs associated with social media advertising and the benefits of retaining long-term Fans and Followers, it is definitely a high priority when it comes to dividing the marketing spend.

Budgets are being re-allocated to accommodate these new mediums, which in turn does mean a decrease in spend on existing mediums like print publishing. Having said that, the role of traditional media is still an essential part of many larger brands’ marketing spend. So does it affect print advertising? I would say yes, as any new form of advertising does take away from another. Will it be a big enough chunk to have a detrimental effect? I doubt it.

For smaller brands, online advertising and social media are likely to be the only forms of advertising affordable to them. Smaller brands who in the past may have taken the next step to advertise in print media will most likely take longer to make that transition. The tendency is to turn to less expensive alternatives like public relations in conjunction with their social media platforms.

Interestingly, many magazines have seen this pattern evolving and having realised the importance of social media advertising. Many magazines are building up their own followers, not only to promote their publications, but also to offer an additional platform for advertisers to gain more exposure and followers – therefore offering brands an additional incentive to keep advertising.

So with print and social media advertising – does one supersede the other? Definitely not, there’s room for both.

In August this year, 13-year-old New Yorker Ruby Karp posted a blog on Mashable, with the title: “I’m 13 and None of My Friends Use Facebook”. Just under two months and 52,000 shares later, media industry experts have been forced to consider the notion that without teens, Facebook’s future is limited. Teens aside, there are even more pressing questions for business users to consider when targeting the consumer (or business) markets. With the ever-increasing presence of unsolicited advertising, the universally unpopular timeline ‘upgrade’, privacy concerns and now paid messaging, the question we ask is this: Has Facebook had its day?

“YES” says Joe Akkawi, Managing Partner at Paz Marketing

“While I’m not advocating that people walk away from Facebook, it’s quite evident they no longer reign supreme on the social media front”

There’s no denying that Facebook continues to grow despite the numerous challenges and issues it has faced. Can we comfortably say though that Facebook remains the behemoth it was one or two years ago? Recent numbers and studies show other social networking platforms overtaking Facebook in a multitude of areas, primarily user acquisition and business growth. Kuwait as a prime example has shown that Instagram is now the preferred platform of choice for businesses to grow and sell their products – all the way from high-end products to selling Sheep for Eid (http://instagram.com/sheeps_sell).

Facebook’s move to monetise Instagram also demonstrates the heat that the platform is facing in terms of generating solid revenue from its own channels. It is also a clear indicator that they are looking for other business streams.

Facebook has come under major scrutiny surrounding its privacy concerns, affecting work productivity and the psychological effect on its users. A recent study from the University of Michigan found that the use of Facebook leads to declines in moment-to-moment happiness and overall life satisfaction in college-aged adults. Additionally, small businesses can easily become disheartened when comparing themselves to global brands running campaigns at a level that takes a tremendous amount of strategy, resources (both internal and external) and expertise. Platforms like Instagram can alleviate such issues.

On a purely business front, a 2012 Forrester study analysed 77,000 online transactions over a two-week period and found that less than 1 per cent of transactions could be traced to social media compared with 40 per cent from organic or paid search (which Google dominates). It also highlights the fact that the number of U.S. retailers with Facebook-enabled checkouts plummeted from 63 per cent in Q4 2011 to just 6 per cent in Q4 2012. That’s a 57 per cent drop in transactions.

While I’m not advocating that people walk away from Facebook, it’s quite evident they no longer reign supreme on the social media front. Other platforms such as Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest and Google+ have proved resilient and are showing tremendous growth coupled with solid numbers on customer acquisition. Just because some businesses are successful on Facebook, it doesn’t mean it’s the only – and correct – channel for you.

Contact Joe Akkawi at joe.akkawi@pazmarketing.com or follow him @joeakkawi

“NO” says Tahani Karrar-Lewsley, CEO & Executive Editor at Menar Media

“Facebook now connects more than 1.15 billion people each month, and they are already thinking about connecting the next five billion”

Facebook has become an indispensable part of our lives. Those who suggest the world’s largest social networking site has had its day, just need to look at the numbers. Yes, inevitably some people close their accounts, but many more people join. Often those who leave sooner or later realise how disconnected they have become and quickly return.

Just six months ago the latest industry statistics showed Facebook took lead position compared to YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn and others with just under one billion people signed on. The latest figures put total Facebook users at 1.15 billion, up 15 per cent – or 150 million users – in just six months. This is a clear sign that this social network is not dead and indicates it is on a rapid growth phase.

For almost ten years, Facebook has been on a mission to make the world more open and connected. This mission was reiterated by Mark Zuckerberg himself in August, when he announced Facebook now connects more than 1.15 billion people each month, and they are already thinking about connecting the next five billion. This is despite the vast majority of these remaining people in the world not even having access to the Internet.

Today, only 2.7 billion people are online – a little more than one third of the world. This figure is growing by less than 9 per cent each year – a remarkably slow growth spurt considering how early we are in the Internet’s development. Even though projections show most people will get smartphones in the next decade, most people still won’t have data access because the cost of data remains extremely high.

But that can be bypassed as industry players make Internet access more affordable by making data delivery more efficient and helping businesses boost Internet access by developing a new model to get people online.

Another vote of confidence is Facebook’s increased development in mobile platforms, adding better functionality, apps and ads. This is particularly important for the Middle East, as recent Google research has ranked the UAE number one in global smartphone penetration, at 73.8 per cent.

Contact Tahani Karrar-Lewsley at info@menarmedia.com or follow her @menarmedia