Week Two- Monitoring print media, the phone and a hiccup

Watching the papers and answering the phone... and messing it up

14 May 2012 (Monday)

It is a very slow morning. Instead of 30 newspapers I only have 18 to look through which brings my 111 to 129 newspapers. Media monitoring is essential. This is what terms as 'free news' in which news that could be found with ease and not paying a private investigator to dig them out. One only needs to go and by a paper or hear the radio to get the latest. Being well inform brings a bout of advantages as well as backtracking what has happen in the past. Competitors would also advertise out what they have done in media releases of their own and their paid adverts. Government laws passed or bills enacted favoring the education industry will also be published or said out. Protests or even rallies that would effect the said industry would be highlighted. Ignorance is a sin and it must be vehemently avoided. Media monitoring is effective and efficient to keep one prepared for challenges to come. Even better, by monitoring, hardships to the company has a higher chance to be foreseen.

I have finished all the newspaper clippings of the day and managed to get 12 articles archived. Now I have been confirmed of given authorization to answer phone calls should Ian or Marcella are unavailable. I feel nervous again... Taking calls on behalf of the department... SQEEEEEEeee...

This is so exciting.... but it feels anti climactic because there are no calls today.

Besides that, I tied up all the newspapers and now it is ready for the recycling person to come by and take it away.

I went through the media release archaives to get a better insight on how Curtin is positioned before Nicholas gave me another job which is to align the photo albums. Taking this opportunity, I look through all the pictures as I work and I find them educational, exciting and enlightening. Here at my hands are the visual history of Curtin University Sarawak and they are full of stories.

After that, another task is allocated to me. Marcella ask me to look through the news clipping to search for any news regarding the Diploma of Business and Diploma of Ocupational Health and Safety. Than we are to scan and fax them over to whoever that wants them. I work slightly overtime until Nicholas says he's going back. So, much information to sift through and if Nicholas did not say to return home, I might have stayed the whole night there flipping over the files. I really do enjoy the work.

15 MAY 2012 (Tuesday)

The morning is still the same and I have looked through 18 newspapers putting 129 to 147, only grabbing two articles. I got my first phone call for the day when Marcella and Ian went out to meet several Ministry of Higher Education personnal. First thing, it is recommended to know how to greet the person calling. Have a pen and paper ready to take down particulars.

1) Say hello.
2) Ask who they are.
3) Who they are looking for.
4) Purpose of calling.
5) Any messages you can take for them.
6) Get the phone number.

This checklist is what Ian told me after I mess up my first call. It is a harrowing experience. I was extremely flabbergastered at my tongue tied behaviour. Do not panic or be nervous. I did that. Concentrate on the call. I did not get the message down properly due to me being worried if I had followed the textbooks correctly when answering the phone and it is embarrassing. 

Reflecting back today, I learn there are many ways to answer the phone and it is better to choose one which I am comfortable with instead of following the textbook from other previous PR units. As an after thought... take a deep breath and relax. It's just a phone call. I thought I would be fired as I had read in the previous textbooks in the other PR units, but it is a silly thought. I feel so bad the whole day because I messed up one phone call and Ian reassures me it is no problem at all when I apologise to him for my foolish mistake. The phone call was from PETRONAS and something about a RSVP to an event of sorts. This will be with me... FOREVER!!!
 

I have been allowed to observe a meeting between Ian, Nicholas and Flynn with Curtin Consultant Service. It is an enlightening experience on how they wanted to do a rebranding and generating additional funds for CCS to use. Beyond that, they discuss how they would acheive that but that's their plans not to be told out in this blog.

16 MAY 2012 (Wednesday)

The day begins with 9 newspapers on my desk bring my total to 156 in my print media monitoring duties and I have collected 6 articles.

I have gathered: (As of 16/05/1012)
7 Media Releases
21 Indirect Advertising
6 Brand Advertising
1 Feature Article
3 Events Advertising
2 Job Application
1 Perth Media Release
1 Tender Advert
1 Congratulatory Advertisement

I also learn today each department within Curtin Sarawak has their own well kept database and access are restricted to their own departments. At first it would seem strange, but when I ask I got vague answers from everyone within the room. I assume it must be they do not want people from other departments stealing hard thought ideas or concepts. It is logical to secure their files from being seen, especially when there are certain projects still underway. Throughout the day, I read through the whole media releases from 2006 until 2012. So far I am at 2011 and reflecting back, I have read how media releases should be written for various agendas and this is extremely educational and I am honoured to be given a chance to learn such information.

Remember, if you have access to the databases, I would recommend all our fellow interns to look through them all one at a time, prioratizing on which is more important. Only do this when all duties are done and there is nothing for you to do for the time being. Just go the extra mile and work hard. Read, ask and take the initiative to learn. In the databases, there are loads of information that has been used, so learn and read them as much as possible. This will also help you all in doing your duties better as the more informed you are of the company you are working in, the better you will serve and anticipate your workload. The added knowledge will help you work faster and complete those duties better. Knowledge is power, guard it well. Not only that, use it well.

End Blog Report of half of Week 2

Being a good sport - Part 2

After all the data entry, photocopying, lecture drops and flyer runs the best part of my job has come along! Planning events for University Games, I am so excited!  Uni Games as they are more commonly referred to are held each year in a capital city in Australia where each of the major universities compete in various sports and disciplines.

This year the games are in Adelaide, South Australia from the 23^rd to the 28^th of September.  After doing lots of the nitty-gritty stuff the last few days, my next task includes planning an information session, planning a fundraiser event at a nightclub, promoting these events and making sure they run smoothly.  I am thrilled because it is the first time during this experience I will be able to have a bigger role in the decision making about these events.

Honestly the biggest challenge I have had so far is learning how to make a good poster! It sounds really easy but to get it looking like a proper poster and not a primary school finger-painting is not as easy as I thought it would be. Other than that the response has been quite good so far, luckily for me Uni Games has quite a reputation in itself so I have not really had to try too hard to get our publics interested.  The only hard part about the reputation is most students see it as a cheap holiday with their mates, to drink party and be merry.  Essentially that is a part of it, but we also want to win some sporting events as well.

My next challenge will be to curb the reputation a bit, make it more about quality sporting than just partying.  I will be working with the Elite Sporting Manager next week to discuss strategies and see if we can snare any state or national players to give Curtin a fighting chance.

Until next time,

Jade Fairbairn