News & Opinion

Designed to serve the women of the television business community, Women of New York is an off-the-record cocktail and networking event with the most accomplished women of the TV, media and entertainment community. Between the NY and LA editions, this will be the seventh event. Past events have featured some of the most accomplished women leaders engaged in the TV, media and entertainment industry—from Anne Sweeney to Maria Bartiromo, from Glenn Close to Gayle King. This year's event will take place on Thursday, April 24 from 2:00-5:00 p.m. at the Grand Hyatt New York. You can find more information and register for the event here!

What’s trending and popular now is not going to be the new, next, or now by the end of the year – so fasten your seat belts and get ready for where our fast and faster paced social media world is heading this year - not in some unforeseen future!   Dig in and tell us what you think: 1.      Pay to Play The days of free exposure over social media are ending, and the pay-me-now monster has emerged. Almost all major media platforms offer paid advertising, (Snapchat is in the wings) so if you want measurable results – prepare to pay the online piper. 2.      Who’s hot, who’s not – “Web-lebrities” you won’t read about in People Magazine Grumpy Cat, Kid President and Jenna Marbles have become among the most influential people online.  Do you know them? Are you ready to buy a product or service promoted by these 15-minute-of-fame weblebrities? Well get ready, as companies are hiring them as spokespeople (Can Grumpy Cat be a spokesperson?? Hmmm) 3.      Show, don’t tell Visual content has taken on a new life. Platforms like Pinterest, Instagram and Vine are on fire. Got an account there yet? 4.      #hashtag They’re everywhere, even on your TV. The most popular hashtags are changing everyday but we like: #McConelling, #SFBatKid, #Royalbaby and our favorite, #GoldStandard. 5.      +235 million for Google+ The Google + population has skyrocketed to more than 235 million users making it the second largest social media network in America. Take that, Facebook! The users aren’t anybody – they are young, hip and slightly geeky – just like us J. 6.      Videos rule – more folks go to YouTube for info than any news outlet Who’d have thunk that the New York Times, or CNN are no longer news sites with the largest audiences. Maybe it’s because YouTube is so darn easy to search. Videos are, no surprise, what’s hot. Did we mention Snapchat? 7.      Mobile is Mainstream Finally Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile may be bigger than Comcast for delivering video and much more. As smartphones multiply, so does mobile content. That’s why Facebook stock surged this year – since they seemed to have found a way to finally play in this space. Literally. This year, mobile internet usage will overtake desktop internet use.  Still wanna buy another PC? 8.      Social TV is the new Second Screen Tweeting, posting, sharing, tagging and interacting with all your favorite TV shows and with friends during live broadcasts is in!  In fact, Must-See-TV are only the shows that you can’t DVR – it’s the the stuff like like live sports and major series season enders.  When you see your besties talking about their favorite shows in a listical, well then maybe you are in tune with the times. 9.      The lifespan of any Must-Have platform is finite OK – Mark Zuckerberg is pending billions (with a “B”)  to stay current with his audience. But whatever goes up must come down. What’s trending now can change in heartbeat. Just ask how many cable operators were denying the reality of cord-cutting until oh so recently.  Who’s the next Kodak, Farmville or Xerox – you know -- major companies who are yesterday’s news. Well, that’s what keeps it so darn interesting, right?

The New Year has kicked-off on steroids for Bob Gold & Associates. The team has won not one but seven new clients!  Included among the new stars that shine bright at our fast-growing firm are: Adder Technology Adder Technology is a global leader in high performance, IP-based KVM (keyboard, video, mouse) connectivity solutions. Adder is changing the way IP-video and controls are managed. We also delighted to be working with their U.K. agency, and our affiliate, the Whiteoaks Consultancy, to help make a big splash for this innovative tech client at the upcoming NAB show in Las Vegas in April! Channel Master After making a major publicity splash for this company at CES, we have been retained on an on-going basis to contemporize the Channel Master brand. If you are looking to cut your cable TV cord, these guys may have just the answer with their exciting DVR+ which delivers every over-the-air broadcast station and online video services via one free TV listing guide in a simple-to-install set-top box. Deluxe Entertainment Services Our agency has been retained by Deluxe Entertainment Services Group Inc., a global leader in media and entertainment services serving film, video and platforms.  From capture to consumption, Deluxe is a critical partner to every studio and major network. Everest Foundation The Everest Foundation is a 501C3 non-profit furthering the advancement of medical education and research. The foundation helps fund research programs and initiatives at schools of medicine and institutions globally. Beneficiaries range from Keck School of Medicine at USC to Harvard’s Massachusetts General Hospital. Residents Medical This overly zealous group is dedicated to assisting in ACGME Accreditation for hospitals, and providing much needed guidance services to U.S. medical students and graduates. Residents Medical helps match hospitals with top U.S. and international medical students and graduates. SEMrush SEMrush was created by search engine optimization (SEO) and search engine marketing (SEM) professionals for SEO/SEM specialists and provides the in-depth knowledge, expertise and data needed to enable businesses to take projects to the next level. Taliance Taliance is an analytics platform offering solutions specially developed for real estate and other alternative investment firms. Some $200 billion worth of assets are managed by the firm’s offerings.  More than 100 clients in 15 countries have used Taliance to improve their international alternative investment portfolios. Piedmont Investments Piedmont investments is a company that buys houses for cash in Los Angeles, California. As a legitimate licensed resource for those people who need to "sell my houses fast" Piedmont provides all the real information to home sellers including the possibility of keeping the home.  Whether you need to sell from out of state or to stop foreclosure it is best to talk to a California real estate company that has been local in Los Angeles for over 20 years.

Boutique Television Industry-Focused Public Relations Agency Retained By Industry Leader in Products for TV Viewers LOS ANGELES – March 24, 2014 – Channel Master, a privately-owned company that sells over-the-air broadcast entertainment products from antennas to innovative set-top technologies, today announced it has selected Bob Gold & Associates, a full-service public relations agency, to lead its communications program. Channel Master is the leader in consumer television products and solutions, including antennas, amplifiers and its latest product, the 2014 CES-honored, subscription-free DVR+TM. This technology allows viewers to permanently “cut the cord,” and watch and record free HD-quality broadcast TV. The unit is Internet enabled, and comes with a popular complimentary program guide that aids search and recording set-up. The Internet connectivity also allows consumers to stream content from the Internet. “Bob Gold & Associates is widely recognized in the broadcast and cable TV industry for its award-winning work for technology companies like ours,” said Coty Youtsey, president of Channel Master. “We’re confident they will serve as an invaluable partner to us.” DVR+, is the world’s slimmest DVR, equipped with dual tuners that allow consumer to watch local channels, while simultaneously recording another program. The device supports both SD & HD video resolutions up to 1080i and 1080p. Used with an external hard drive, the DVR+ enables creation of home video libraries. “Most DVR technology that already exists on the market still requires customers to pay fees month after month.  The Channel Master DVR+ lets viewers fully enjoy the dozens of free channels available in most television markets,” said Bob Gold, president and owner of Bob Gold & Associates. About Channel Master Inc. Channel Master is the industry leader in over-the-air broadcast entertainment products and solutions, established in 1949 with the U.S. patent for the very first aerial television antenna. Located in Phoenix, Ariz., the company's products are available through more than 200 distributors and thousands of retail stores worldwide. For additional information please visit channelmaster.com. About Bob Gold & Associates Bob Gold & Associates builds and burnishes brands by developing highly-tailored integrated public relations, marketing, and social media programs that resonate to make an impact. The agency’s roster ranges from start-ups to Fortune 500 firms.  Headquartered in Redondo Beach, Calif., the company is represented in Chicago and New York City. Bob Gold & Associates is a co-founder in the Whiteoaks International Network, a global tech-focused public relations agency network with 17 offices in 37 countries across five continents.  For more information, visit www.bobgoldpr.com. # # #  Contact: Linda Haugsted Bob Gold & Associates 310-320-2010 linda@bobgoldpr.com        

PR professionals use a plethora of tactics to get client information to journalists ranging anywhere from one-on-one meetings to press release blasts. Journalists, on the other hand, receive hundreds of requests a day and it is important to stand out among the clutter. The content of a press release is what helps inform and influence decisions the reader makes in requesting more information from you. Everyone has their own style, some better than others when crafting a release which could be why so many go unanswered or are immediately sent to the trash bin. It is important to remain unique in your writing, but it also vital to remember some of the basic guidelines that will bring attention to your hard work. A recent article about crafting catchy press releases was a great refresher on the information that captures a journalist’s attention. Here are a few takeaways: Don’t over think the content When brainstorming for a release, we write down all the ideas that we think will be a homerun with the reader. The fact is that journalists aren’t really as impressed with what you’re pitching as your bosses are. Remembering this forces the writer to strive for an interesting angle for a release. Keep it to one page The body of a release should fit on an 8 ½ by 11 sheet of paper. Although there are endless things we could say about our clients, this is not the place for an essay on the product or event. Think of the release as bait to get a journalist attention and based on the short precise information they will want to call you requesting more information. The headline should be direct Using the clients name and the problem they are solving in the release is the most direct way of saying what your release is about. Journalists and other readers use headlines to determine if they are going invest the time to read more or if they should move on to the next message. Clouding the message with wordplay or witty remarks only delays the moment of realizing what the release is all about. List contact info up top Many writers put their contact information at the bottom of a release thinking it will be seen after the release is read, but if journalists do not fully read the release they will never see that information. Putting contact information at the top lets the journalist know who they are talking to incase a call back is desired and does not force them to search for missing information. These are just a few of the tactics that were mentioned in the article about crafting a better press release. Can you think of any that have helped you get a response from journalists? To read the full story click here:

ISS Flight Director to Lead Spacecraft Operations for EchoStar Subsidiary ENGLEWOOD, CO, Mar. XX, 2014 -- EchoStar Corp. (NASDAQ: SATS), a leading global satellite services provider and developer of hybrid video delivery technologies, today announced that former NASA Flight Director Jerry Jason has joined EchoStar Satellite Services, L.L.C. (ESS), a wholly-owned subsidiary of EchoStar Corp., as vice president, spacecraft operations and engineering. Jason will be responsible for all flight operations, engineering and analysis of EchoStar’s fleet of 23 owned, leased and managed spacecraft, and will also manage the telemetry, tracking and control systems infrastructure. He will report to Derek de Bastos, chief technology officer of ESS. “Jerry brings a wealth of spacecraft operations experience to EchoStar,” said de Bastos. “His expertise will be instrumental in strengthening and growing our operations organization as we continue to expand the EchoStar fleet.” Jason joins ESS from the NASA Johnson Space Center, where he served 18 years in the Mission Operations Directorate. During his tenure, he was a flight controller for more than 30 Space Shuttle missions and, for the past 6 years, was a flight director for the International Space Station (ISS). As flight director, Jason was one of the few select individuals responsible for real-time operations of the ISS and successfully completed the ISS Expedition 23/24 missions and two automated transfer vehicle (ATV) resupply missions. About EchoStar EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ: SATS) is a premier global provider of satellite operations and video delivery solutions. EchoStar's wholly-owned subsidiary, Hughes, is the world's leading provider of satellite broadband services, delivering network technologies and managed services for enterprise and government customers in more than 100 countries. Headquartered in Englewood, CO, with additional business units world-wide, EchoStar is a multiple Emmy award-winning company that has pioneered advancements in the set-top box and satellite industries for nearly 30 years, consistently delivering value for customers, partners and investors through innovation and outstanding quality. EchoStar's contribution to video technology continues to have a major influence on the way consumers view, receive and manage TV programming. EchoStar's consumer solutions include HughesNet®, North America's #1 high-speed satellite Internet service, Sling Media's Slingbox® products, and EchoStar's line of set-top box products for the free-to-air satellite and terrestrial markets. For more information, visit www.echostar.com

Mistakes happen on a daily basis in life and in the public relations industry. Usually when these mistakes are made it is often the most simple tasks that are the first to be fumbled. Picking ourselves up from these mistakes can be a challenge in itself too, but this is how we grow professionally. Being aware of the mistakes we make is the easiest and best preventative strategy, but identifying some of the most common mistakes made by PR professionals will help avoid potential pitfalls as well. A recent article about the common mistakes made in the PR industry highlighted some of the actions people are guilty of, from interns all the way up senior management. Here are some of the mistakes to avoid professional pitfalls. We are pitching the “news” to journalists There are two different forms of news pitched in the PR industry. One is the information fed to us by clients and the other is information that we might not think is newsworthy at all. Making sure the stories we are pitching are more than just information about our client will garner better consideration than just a fact sheet. Know the person being pitched Many of the times when we pitch someone via email or phone the recipient is just another name on a media list. Doing research to make sure the person being pitched covers applicable topics will help increase the odds of a placement or coverage. Not getting a response can be discouraging and is usually the result of not doing research before pitching. Watching the news keeps us informed Even though we are constantly monitoring the news, it may come as a shock to find out how much of that information is actually retained. Our days can be so busy that we forget to pay attention to the sources of our desired success. Public Relations is not a nine to five job and we should always be learning something new. Start paying attention to the news more and you may be surprised how your success rate goes up. To read the full story click here:

  Adder to Unveil its 4K Capable Solutions Los Angeles, March 4, 2014: Adder Technology, the leader in high performance, IP-based keyboard, video and mouse (KVM) connectivity solutions, will be demonstrating the power and flexibility of its end-to-end IP workflow across the broadcast chain at the NAB Show in Las Vegas. In addition, the company is launching 4K capable solutions on its booth, SL10105. In conjunction with Stagebox, developed in part by BBC Research and Development, Adder Technology is transforming its booth to demonstrate how IP technologies enhance each stage of the broadcast production chain. The booth will be divided into four sections, including the studio, where Stagebox technology will work with Adder products, the control gallery, post production and grading along with transmission play out. “Our engineers will demonstrate our key products and 4K capability at the show. Live content captured in front of a green screen using cameras and Stagebox technology, will then be fed into a virtual studio. The Stagebox transmitter sits on the back of the camera and sends the feed over low bandwidth IP to a receiver in the control room. Management of the virtual studio workflow takes place in the AdderLink Infinity environment, giving access for control to any allowed user on the network,” says Tim Conway, vice president, Adder Technology. “The entire workflow, from ingest through to transmission, is completed over an IP network.”   The company is also launching 4K capable KVM products at the show including the 4K DisplayPort extender – based on the AdderLink XD522. A simple  firmware upgrade makes the device capable of extending 4K signals, which means that existing XD522 products already in the field can be upgraded by customers. “We’re looking forward to NAB – firstly working with a company like Stagebox that has a series of products perfectly complementing our own in the broadcast space; and secondly to demonstrate the power of IP and the synergy it has with 4K,” concludes Conway. Visit Adder Technology at booth SL10105 at NAB from 7-10 April. About Adder Technology Adder Technology is a leading developer and thought leader in connectivity solutions. Adder's media networks, extenders and keyboard, video and mouse switch solutions enable the control and distribution of IT systems around the world. The company distributes its products in more than 60 countries through a network of distributors, resellers and OEMs. Adder has offices in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, China and Singapore. Adder’s user base includes markets such as Retail, Financial, Industrial, Medical, Broadcast, Air Traffic Control, Digital Signage, Military and Server Management. Adder manufactures products under its own brand as well as for a number of OEM customers and its products are marketed and supported by a global network of resellers and distributors. For more information please visit www.adder.com.  

CEO Michael Willner Also Named to Prestigious “Digital Hot List”    NEW YORK, NY – March 13, 2014 – Penthera, a provider of intelligent portable video software solutions for TV networks and content distributors, is the top TV Everywhere/Authentication solution provider in the CableFax Digital Tech Awards competition. The award honors Penthera’s Cache&Carry download-to-go software, which enables content owners and distributors to offer truly portable video content to TV viewers. Consumers can watch their favorite programs even when they are not connected to a reliable, high-speed Internet connection. The publication also named Penthera CEO Michael Willner to its “Digital Hot List,” the members of which included executives from the most innovative technology, programming and content delivery companies in the telecommunications sector. The CableFax Digital Awards (formerly known as the Best of the Web Awards) honor the outstanding websites, digital initiatives and people in the industry that are driving the digital media revolution.  The finalists are “the forward thinking tech gurus who continue to revolutionize cable technology” with their products, campaigns and partnerships. “We are delighted with this public recognition of our hard work, supporting cable operators in their initiatives in video mobility,” said Willner. “You will be hearing even more from Penthera in the near future.” About Penthera Penthera is a software development and licensing company delivering intelligent solutions to transfer content and data to mobile and other IP-enabled devices efficiently.  The company has developed innovative business-to-business solutions for entertainment companies including content producers and owners, television networks and multichannel video distributors.  The company also provides direct to consumer content delivery services for a wide array of mobile devices. For more information, visit www.penthera.com