Kishor Cariappa » Media http://www.kishorcariappa.com Mon, 06 Feb 2012 04:05:40 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 4 years on Twitter http://www.kishorcariappa.com/2011/10/30/4-years-on-twitter/ http://www.kishorcariappa.com/2011/10/30/4-years-on-twitter/#comments Sun, 30 Oct 2011 14:18:37 +0000 Kishor http://www.kishorcariappa.com/?p=903 Continue reading →]]> I have been on Twitter for four long years now. It has been an interesting journey and I have clocked nearly 32,000 tweets in the process. In Oman, Twitter was an unheard social media entity until a couple of years back, and thanks to the Arab Spring, the medium really caught the fancy of local netizens. In 2011, people jumped into Twitter bandwagon to follow updates on Egypt, Tunisia, Yemen and the likes.

Local tweeps or Twitter users are growing by the day, and tweeting on a variety of topics ranging from technology to traffic updates to food to weather. I do follow quite a few interesting tweeps in Oman, and interact with them on a regular basis. The best thing about Twitter for me is the pace at which the news breaks. It is only later the print, online media and TV channels pick up the leads and go in-depth into the stories. Well, like it happens with citizen journalism, it is always advisable to take breaking news stuff with a pinch of salt due to the credibility factor.

Another good thing about Twitter is that you can engage with like-minded folks who share similar interests like you. Over the years, I have been to many tweet-ups (informal gathering of Twitter users) in Oman. Meeting people offline is a different experience altogether and I should acknowledge that I have met some really nice people and quite a few off-putting types in the process. For many, Twitter becomes an addiction – they are on it from 6am till 12am 24×7. Once they are addicted, they want to prove their worth, attract more followers and end up doing stupid things to be in the limelight. I know some people offline who are active on Twitter, and I must admit that sometimes their tweets sound so unreal and doesn’t sync a bit with their real life personality. It is so easy to fake larger-than-life image on Twitter.

I do like a lot of tweeps from Oman, India and elsewhere who constantly keep me entertained and informed about the topics I like. But, I think blogging is any day better than Twitter in terms of having meaningful conversations with knowledgeable people. Thanks to Twitter, many happening bloggers have either stopped blogging or blogging once in a blue moon just to keep their blog alive. After ignoring my blog for a couple of years, I have now realised that nothing can come close to charm of blogging. It may be old school, but it is still very relevant. Ask Google search.

(My Twitter handle: @KishorCariappa)

]]> http://www.kishorcariappa.com/2011/10/30/4-years-on-twitter/feed/ 4 Press releases 365 days and overkill http://www.kishorcariappa.com/2011/09/18/press-releases-365-days-and-overkill/ http://www.kishorcariappa.com/2011/09/18/press-releases-365-days-and-overkill/#comments Sun, 18 Sep 2011 09:22:11 +0000 Kishor http://www.kishorcariappa.com/?p=852 Continue reading →]]> Although I am in the business of press releases and public relations, I find it difficult to digest the fact that a few banking, telecom and automotive companies in Oman believe in dishing out press releases to local media nearly every day. I always wonder their PR strategy (or lack of it) behind such a move.

Why do companies insist on being in the news 365 days? Here are my guesses:

1.    They give regular ads and it is only fair they take advantage by giving out daily press releases.

2.    They need to keep the customers informed about every important to silly things happening in the company.

3.    They have an in-house PR team, and they need to make full use of their services.

4.    PR services have been outsourced, and the agency has brainwashed the client to be in news daily. The agency does this to justify their huge billing.

5.    Our competitors are in news always, so we better stay ahead of the competition in terms of press releases.

6.    Brand building happens with daily mentions for the company.

7.    Management team of the company wants their photos to be flashed in newspapers regularly.

8.    Reader is a donkey. He/she will read any crap printed in the newspapers/magazines.

As a reader, if a company dishes out daily press releases, I wouldn’t be able to differentiate their important announcement from mundane ones because of brand fatigue or overkill. Why would I waste my precious few minutes reading an 800-word PR on a new car model or a 650-word PR on excitement building over a bank draw?

You might have the best of resources to write press releases or you might be a big time ad spender, but what is the use of press releases if the readers choose to ignore the news?

Dear companies, sometimes step into readers’ shoes. It helps.

]]> http://www.kishorcariappa.com/2011/09/18/press-releases-365-days-and-overkill/feed/ 4 Inspiration http://www.kishorcariappa.com/2007/09/08/inspiration/ http://www.kishorcariappa.com/2007/09/08/inspiration/#comments Sat, 08 Sep 2007 09:23:00 +0000 Kishor http://69.89.31.137/~kishorca/2007/09/inspiration.html Continue reading →]]> Over the past few months, I have been noticing that my Oman-centric posts are being featured in a local media publication, albeit with a heavy dose of re-writing. They are unable in their efforts to douse my ‘personal flavour’ off the posts however hard they try to. Continue to get inspired, guys. I have no issues whatsoever! ]]> http://www.kishorcariappa.com/2007/09/08/inspiration/feed/ 0 Event of the week http://www.kishorcariappa.com/2007/04/16/event-of-the-week/ http://www.kishorcariappa.com/2007/04/16/event-of-the-week/#comments Mon, 16 Apr 2007 13:18:00 +0000 Kishor http://69.89.31.137/~kishorca/2007/04/event-of-the-week.html Continue reading →]]>
A file picture of Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai. (Pic source: AFP)
Bollywood stars Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai are getting married this week, and already media has been reporting extensively on wedding preparations. Terming it a private function, the Bachchans have invited most of the ‘biggies’ for the event. Notable exceptions include Shak Rukh Khan, and Aishwarya’s former boyfriend, Salman Khan!
Well, excluding National Geographic and Animal Planet all other TV channels will have their OB vans lined up near the wedding venue. Go media, go!
]]> http://www.kishorcariappa.com/2007/04/16/event-of-the-week/feed/ 0 Interview@Editors Weblog http://www.kishorcariappa.com/2007/04/05/intervieweditors-weblog/ http://www.kishorcariappa.com/2007/04/05/intervieweditors-weblog/#comments Thu, 05 Apr 2007 11:40:00 +0000 Kishor http://69.89.31.137/~kishorca/2007/04/intervieweditors-weblog.html Continue reading →]]> The Editors Weblog has done a story on the website I am involved with. The reporter had sent me a questionnaire in the last week of February after he got to know that we had won the Gold Award in the Oman Web Awards in mid-February. After nearly a dozen mails to and fro, the story took shape, and was finally published on April 3. I must confess the European scribes are non-compromising when it comes to quality.

Editors Weblog is published by the World Editors Forum (WEF), the prestigious forum for journos world over. Infact, WEF is the organisation for Editors within the World Association of Newspapers (WAN).

Here is the link for the story:

]]> http://www.kishorcariappa.com/2007/04/05/intervieweditors-weblog/feed/ 0 What’s missing? http://www.kishorcariappa.com/2007/03/17/what%e2%80%99s-missing/ http://www.kishorcariappa.com/2007/03/17/what%e2%80%99s-missing/#comments Sat, 17 Mar 2007 09:04:00 +0000 Kishor http://69.89.31.137/~kishorca/2007/03/what%e2%80%99s-missing.html

This job ad appeared in a local weekly a few days back.

]]> http://www.kishorcariappa.com/2007/03/17/what%e2%80%99s-missing/feed/ 0 Crime sells http://www.kishorcariappa.com/2007/02/21/crime-sells/ http://www.kishorcariappa.com/2007/02/21/crime-sells/#comments Wed, 21 Feb 2007 11:10:00 +0000 Kishor http://69.89.31.137/~kishorca/2007/02/crime-sells.html Continue reading →]]> For UAE news, I regularly check Gulfnews.com. But, surprisingly, I notice their “Nation” section on the homepage is loaded with crime-related stories most of the days. I have a high regard for the kind of journalism they practise in this part of the world. But why highlight crime? I guess, like everyone else they believe that crime sells!

Screenshot of homepage on February 21, 2007. Check the four headlines under ‘Nation’.

]]> http://www.kishorcariappa.com/2007/02/21/crime-sells/feed/ 0 Consolidation, TOI style http://www.kishorcariappa.com/2007/01/25/consolidation-toi-style/ http://www.kishorcariappa.com/2007/01/25/consolidation-toi-style/#comments Thu, 25 Jan 2007 11:47:00 +0000 Kishor http://69.89.31.137/~kishorca/2007/01/consolidation-toi-style.html Continue reading →]]>
Image source: Arun

The Times Group has launched a new Kannada daily with the name – The Times of India. Well, the daily is limited to Bangalore city initially, and depending on the success, it will be published in Mysore and Mangalore. The new daily is supposed to be the translated version of the English newspaper, and reorganised a bit to suit the Kannada palette.

Last year, the Times Group had acquired Vijayanand Printers, which was successfully running three newspapers – Vijaya Karnataka (Kannada daily), Usha Kirana (Kannada daily) and Vijay Times (English daily). Vijaya Karnataka was the No.1 Kannada daily then, and even now maintains the same position. Usha Kirana was discontinued by the Times Group some months back for lack of revenue, and there is a strong rumour that Vijay Times will be shut down very soon. Reason – Vijay Times was getting quite popular with a circulation of around one lakh, and it could pose threat to reigning king, Times of India.

The Times Group is planning to start a tabloid on the lines of Mumbai Mirror in Bangalore. Now, with English and Kannada No.1 dailies under their grip, the group will try to monopolize the market so that the second and third players are left in the lurch. ]]> http://www.kishorcariappa.com/2007/01/25/consolidation-toi-style/feed/ 0 Newspaper Headlines http://www.kishorcariappa.com/2006/10/04/newspaper-headlines/ http://www.kishorcariappa.com/2006/10/04/newspaper-headlines/#comments Wed, 04 Oct 2006 08:49:00 +0000 Kishor http://69.89.31.137/~kishorca/2006/10/newspaper-headlines.html Continue reading →]]> I have a fetish for catchy headlines. The headline — Moon eclipses Shashi Tharoor – in today’s DNA, sounded very apt. I like the headlines on The Telegraph and The Indian Express, who have a knack of coming up with brilliant stuff. Check out this gem from The Telegraph when the Reliance Group was divided between Ambani brothers. I just can’t forget it. ]]> http://www.kishorcariappa.com/2006/10/04/newspaper-headlines/feed/ 0 Wacky Ad Shapes http://www.kishorcariappa.com/2006/10/01/wacky-ad-shapes/ http://www.kishorcariappa.com/2006/10/01/wacky-ad-shapes/#comments Sun, 01 Oct 2006 09:02:00 +0000 Kishor http://69.89.31.137/~kishorca/2006/10/wacky-ad-shapes.html Continue reading →]]> Check out any popular newspaper, and you will see advertisements with crazy shapes all over the place. Though I agree that advertisements are the bread and butter of a newspaper, I do believe a publication must preserve its aesthetic value. In your efforts to please the ad guys, you will end up antagonizing the loyal readers with those crazy layouts and readability issues.

Some samples:

Source: Newsdesigner.com

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