Blog 3 – Shine Communications: So I tried to post this months ago and found I only submitted a draft (duh) but thought I'd re-post properly today in case there was anything of value to anyone out there!
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The last two or three weeks have been absolutely manic and hard to keep up the blog, but I’ll do my best. Majority of my tasks have been working of media releases from various stories that get flicked through to Shine from all different clients. I get kept on my toes because that are so vast, there is still a lot of aged care clients, plus work with PMH, with FAST a contract employer of BHP Billiton Iron Ore which is confidential work and as is work that we have done with a major home-building company in Perth.
I have been finding it rewarding however to see the press releases that I put together eventually turn into news articles. There has also been more of a chance lately for Ruth to give me some feedback on the work that I have been doing – this is mainly grammar and style things. I knew some of these things would be a problem as I try and jump from journalism and public relations during the week. One tip Ruth gave me was to write up a media release then go away, distract myself with emails or something, before going back to proof reading it.
On quieter days (which doesn’t happen very often believe me!) I flick through Ruth’s files that are full of media clippings etc. One thing that caught my eye recently is a submission that she made on behalf of Uniting Care Homes – one of Shine Communication’s aged care providers – for the 2010 ACSWA Excellence In Care Awards Media Nomination. Uniting Care Homes subsequently won this award, thanks I’m sure almost wholly to Ruth’s efforts. The submission file was full of interesting documents that I thought I would note for further reference. There was a brief letter from the CEO of UCH and then a more detailed submission from Ruth basically commending UCH’s approach to raising awareness for the aged care industry in the media. Then there was a large report that Ruth compiled outlining the media coverage garnered, which greatly centered on the fact that 2009 was UCH’s 60th anniversary year. It is this hook presumably that has allowed UCH to be so successful in recent times with gaining so much media coverage. Around 20 media clippings from throughout 2009 were also included in the submission, plus one radio interview with ABC 720 and a DVD clip from thewest.com.au along with the most recent edition of the UCH newsletter which Ruth also does. The submission was obviously a huge success as it took out the national awards and I think this is a great indicator to me just how much media coverage a public relations professional like Ruth at Shine Communications can derive for their non-for profit clients. You’d be mistaken for thinking that aged care is not a very exciting area that the media wouldn’t be interested in generally, so again this helps to prove that wrong.
This week has also been a success for me in a few ways. Firstly I managed to get a hold of Ruth’s extensive media contacts list after using my own contacts to update it for her, so this is something I plan on keeping forever to help me on any future career path. Plus Ruth has passed on my name to an organization called “Perth’s Art Collective” which is a non-for profit group that works with script and screenwriters in Perth. Some of our best screen exports including Emma Booth (Underbelly) and Elissa Down (director The Black Balloon) have worked with PAC. They are looking for a new PR consultant so I have the gig and will be helping them with a few media releases every month or so, which I’m very excited about.
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