News & Opinion

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

A team is only as strong as their best communicator and working as a unit is what drives any successful public relations agency. The way we communicate internally with our colleagues can affect all aspects of how business flows daily, and if everyone is not talking to each other the desired client results will not happen. Monitoring team members and making sure they are internally communicating properly will keep everyone informed and accountable for their actions. There are many different things that can be done to ensure an office is communicating properly to achieve its desired results. Here are a few suggestions that were made in a recent article about tips for better internal communications: Silence is not Always Golden Have you ever noticed the places people don’t enjoy working are the ones where the minions don’t have a voice? Most of corporate America is like that because the old curmudgeons in the corner suite could give two craps less about the people they presume are doing nothing but retrieving cups of coffee and making copies. Often, if employees aren’t speaking to management, they are all thinking the same thing, “This place — and you — are beginning to suck.” Open and transparent communication is appreciated because everyone has been blessed with a brain full of ideas. Encourage the higher-ups to listen to those ideas. Keeping in the Box Just Keeps you Covered Many employers don’t like to think outside the box, draw outside the lines or dare try something different. And why? Because that’s how it’s always been. And look at them — sure they are stuck in the mud and turnover is higher than the local McDonalds but they are making money. Employees want inspiration. They want to see their managers, directors and grand leaders doing something that can bring about change. Want a team to follow you? Inspire them to do something differently and with purpose. Think about every “revolutionary” in American history. Think they created changed by sitting on their thumbs? Nope. They got up and pointed the way. Lead by Example or They Will Follow Any Schmuck There is an aphorism that I love, “Your child will only follow your example, not your advice.” Take a gander at the picture. Bosses “boss.” Leaders “lead.” Encourage your client to do the better of the two. Words only mean so much. Without action behind those words, you are just expelling gas. And you have more fun farting in the elevator with your employees, you know, in the elevator. To read the full article click here:

70 percent of mobile network operators (MNOs) willing to outsource backhaul; MSOs well placed to partner AMSTERDAM – March 12, 2014 – At Cable Congress 2014 today, Amdocs, the leading provider of customer experience systems and services, released new research that explores the challenges involved in deploying and managing small cell networks, and identifies an opportunity for cable and satellite providers (also known as multiple system operators, or MSOs) to create new revenue streams through partnering with mobile network operators (MNOs) in the rollout of small cells and Wi-Fi networks. The survey was conducted in January 2014 by Real Wireless – the leading independent advisory firm on wireless strategy and small cells – and includes 40 national and large regional MNOs, MSOs and converged wireless/wireline operators from North America, Europe and APAC. The report is available for download here. Key findings include: Small cell rollouts are being delayed: while 70 percent of MNOs surveyed plan to have significant small cell deployments by 2018, the majority predict slow rollout MSOs have the necessary skills and experience for small cell deployment: challenges identified by MNOs in small cell rollouts include project management (65 percent), negotiation with partners (45 percent) and technical aspects (40 percent) – challenges that MSOs are well placed to overcome through their expertise in the installation and maintenance of dense networks in the field MNOs willing to partner: to succeed, 70 percent of MNOs are prepared to use small cell networks rolled out by or owned by a third-party, such as an MSO MSOs need to recognize and capitalize on their small cell expertise: 85 percent of MSOs believe that technical aspects of small cell rollout are different from their normal deployments and as a result only 40 percent of MSOs have plans to support small cell deployments this year. This is surprising given that 70 percent have either already launched or plan to launch public Wi-Fi, which has very similar requirements to small cells in terms of backhaul, power and installation Automation tools will be critical: 85 percent of respondents believe that automation is critical or important for small cell deployment; however 80 percent believe their existing processes and tools are inadequate “With mobile data traffic predicted to increase 11-fold from 2013-20181 small cells represent a critical element of an MNO’s strategy to expand mobile network capacity and improve the overall user experience, yet rollout challenges are causing small cell deployment delay,” said Charles Chambers, managing consultant with Real Wireless. “The research has identified that there is a clear business case for MSOs to partner with MNOs. MSOs have valuable skills and experience that can be applied to small cell deployments and MNOs are looking for these skills. However, for small cell rollout to be successful it’s widely recognized that appropriate workflow and planning tools are required.” “Automation tools such as the Amdocs Small Cell solution address the technical challenges cited by service providers and reduce network design and deployment time and costs,” said Rebecca Prudhomme, vice president of product and solutions marketing for Amdocs. “While this research indicates that there are many reasons why MSOs should partner with mobile service providers to provide backhaul, automated small cell rollout is also important for MSOs as they expand their Wi-Fi footprint and upgrade their Wi-Fi networks.” Visit Amdocs at Cable Congress 2014, RAI Amsterdam, Booth 12a in the Exhibit Hall where Amdocs will be demonstrating the Amdocs Small Cell solution, which provides end-to-end, catalog-driven planning, design and rollout for next-generation networks, including backhaul planning. Amdocs will also be showcasing, for the first time, the newly released Amdocs Smart Cell Placement solution which identifies where to locate small cells based on business value and experience hotspots. 1Cisco - VNI Mobile Forecast Highlights, 2013 – 2018, February 2014 Supporting Resources Download the full research report, “Small cell deployment – is this an opportunity for MSOs?” Learn more about the Amdocs Small Cell solution Keep up with Amdocs news by visiting the company’s website Subscribe to Amdocs’ RSS Feed and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn and YouTube About Amdocs For more than 30 years, Amdocs has ensured service providers’ success and embraced their biggest challenges. To win in the connected world, service providers rely on Amdocs to simplify the customer experience, harness the data explosion, stay ahead with new services and improve operational efficiency. The global company uniquely combines a market-leading BSS, OSS and network control product portfolio with value-driven professional services and managed services operations. With revenue of $3.3 billion in fiscal 2013, Amdocs and its 21,000 employees serve customers in more than 70 countries.   Amdocs: Embrace Challenge, Experience Success.   For more information, visit Amdocs at www.amdocs.com   Amdocs’ Forward-Looking Statement This press release includes information that constitutes forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provision of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements about Amdocs’ growth and business results in future quarters. Although we believe the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, we can give no assurance that our expectations will be obtained or that any deviations will not be material. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause future results to differ from those anticipated. These risks include, but are not limited to, the effects of general economic conditions, Amdocs’ ability to grow in the business markets that it serves, Amdocs’ ability to successfully integrate acquired businesses, adverse effects of market competition, rapid technological shifts that may render the Company's products and services obsolete, potential loss of a major customer, our ability to develop long-term relationships with our customers, and risks associated with operating businesses in the international market. Amdocs may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future; however, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These and other risks are discussed at greater length in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including in our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2013 filed on December 09, 2013 and our Form 6-K furnished for the first quarter of fiscal 2014 on February 11, 2014

In rankings for the week of Mar. 9, Futbol Mexicano Primera caught cricket offside and was the most-viewed program in a list of the top 10 sports programs people Sling. And for the second week “The Walking Dead" scared off the competition sitting atop a similar Sling list of entertainment programs for the week. See the complete lists here: http://blog.slingbox.com/ (Listings are on the right of the blog). Sling Media tracks the top-ranked sports events and the top-ranked TV programs that our customers watch using Sling technology (including Slingbox or through pay-TV providers) on a compatible smartphone, tablet, PC, Mac or another TV. Results are published each week on the Slingbox blog. Rankings also will be announced through our social channels.

The digital society we live in today is paved with numerous roads that PR pros can use to help clients voice their message or shape the public’s perception. A website’s comment section is a fork in the road that can present interesting predicaments. Negative comments and false information can ruin the efforts of a PR pro. So the question remains: Should PR pros engage in comment sections? A recent article featuring points and counterpoints on this topic revealed some insight to how this question should be answered. Here are some of the valuable takeaways from the story: Jeffrey Zack, manager of strategic communications programs for RF Binder, disagreed with engaging people in comments sections. He wrote that there are a variety of options to carry out your client’s message. Comments sections are among those options but are riddled with people just looking to rant on a subject. Though he asserted that comment sections should be avoided, Zack did note that if information is incorrect, comment sections are a good place to set the record straight. PR pros should consider other approaches before rebutting in the comments section, though, such as requesting a correction if the information is incorrect. The argument in favor of commenting, written by Paul Rand, Ketchum's chief digital officer, pointed out that PR pros should be allowed to clarify or correct wrong information in the comments section. Letting this incorrect information sit on the Internet would be a mistake. Rand points out that comments should be left only if it makes strategic sense. Forming responses to comments should be done cautiously. It is vitally important to not get worked up over irrational, negative, and sometimes even violent comments. You cannot stoop to the commenter’s level, because what might be a witty comment back could risk your image and or the image of your client. To read the full story click here:

PR professionals will be the first to tell you that their job description has nothing to do with marketing and those responsibilities are left to the ‘marketing department’. In today’s highly competitive world marketing sits across all functions of business. If you run your own business this will become a daily task that is just another requirement to turn a profit. A recent article about essential marketing skills everyone should know revealed some tactics that even PR professionals should know to elevate clients to the next level of success. Here are some of those tactics: 1. Understand the 80/20 Rule Everyone’s heard of the 80/20 rule, but you may not realize how important it is in the world of marketing. Also known as Pareto’s Principle, in business the rule tells us that 80 percent of your sales come from 20 percent of your customers. The actual percentages may vary, but essentially it means that you have to recognize where your profits come from and specifically target those customers. Your marketing and advertising budget should take account of this, or you will be wasting time and effort. 2. Customer Segmentation Taking the 80/20 Rule a step further, you should understand the different types of customers you deal with and tailor your approach to them. There are hundreds of ways you can segment customers, and only you can decide which is right for your business. For example, you could segment customers based on their age, how they trade with you, their average monthly order, or even their geographical location. Once you have segmented your customers into groups, you can develop strategies for the best way to deal with them. 3. Social Media Marketing Just a couple of years ago social media marketing was seen as a passing fad. Sites and services like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are now part daily life, and they are incredibly powerful marketing tools if used in the right way. Social media can be used to identify and market to very specific customer groups for very little cost. Sites like Facebook allow you to develop conversations with customers and prospects, and you can capture feedback and ideas in an instant. Social media allow you to develop your company’s brand and to establish yourself as an expert in unique and interesting ways. To see the full story click here:

There are many different roles PR professions must fulfill on a daily basis to keep clients and bosses satisfied. One of those roles that may not be immediately realized is that of salesperson. When we pitch the media we are convincing them they should take the time to read our copy. Releases that are picked up tend to offer solutions for readers instead of demanding something. A recent article about how to effectively pitch journalists revealed ways of increasing the odds of getting a response on press releases. Using these suggestions could be better than wondering if the release was even seen at all. Journalist’s phones ring several times an hour with calls from publicists asking something like, "Did you receive the press release I sent last week?" Journalist’s usual response is "I receive several hundred pieces of mail a day. If you sent it to me, it's probably sitting in my in-basket." That is the response on a good day. Responses could also be negative and discouraging. There are a few PR professionals who instead of telling journalist their woes and outlining what they demanded of them they thought to reframe the issue. They anticipated potential problems, and, best of all, they came up with solutions. In other words, they take the time to explain how they can help journalists. There is no "You owe it to My Theatre Company to support our new show." It is "Here's how this story will help/entertain/inform your readers." They didn't expect that the journalist owed them anything. Successful PR pros are always selling their client. If readers are going to invest their time in your writing, they must be convinced it's going to be worthwhile. First, you have to get their attention. The best way to do this is, almost always, is to tell a story. Stories are everything to readers. They provide context and make the dull interesting. Second, you have to focus on what the reader wants to learn. This may not be the same as what you want to write, but if you don't give the readers what they want, then they're not going to read. This is all may seem like a lot of work, but it will make your writing more interesting to your readers. If you want your words to stand out among the millions that are published every day, then you have a duty to be interesting. To read the full story click here: