PhilanthroMedia » Live Video

Congressfolk and Cameras

Susan Herr — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 16:23:16 +0000

For the second year in a row, PhilanthroMedia was invited to cover the release of the Middle Class Scorecard for our client, the Drum Major Institute for Public Policy. Last year, representatives who received ‘A’s’ were willing to stay for a brief recognition event. This year, they had come off the floor from a vote and wanted to pick up their plaques and scoot.

In a flash, we reorganized our original plans and started shooting individual interviews. In little more than a half hour, we questioned more than 13 members of Congress on what they were doing to advance policies benefiting the Middle Class. (Below you’ll find one from Rep. Marcy Kaptur on how JP Morgan Chase has taken advantage of the financial crisis.)

What Pm was blown away by was the fact that folks who said they didn’t have time stay for a ceremony, did end up waiting for their chance to get in front of the video camera. Within hours we loaded the best on YouTube.

Often we evaluate the need for video coverage by the number of “hits,” but simply having cameras at your event can transform the way participants respond. We’re not saying it’s not a little cheesy/creepy, but Congress members aren’t the only ones who like to get caught on camera (and might be willing to say something compelling about your issue for the opportunity).

PM Interviews Majors, NY Times Takes Note

Susan Herr — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 16:48:45 +0000

“Instead of writing a report or issuing a critique or counting the number of times that the presidential candidates have talked about cities, we decided that the voices that really need to be heard are the mayors’ themselves. “

That’s Andrea Batista Schlesinger, head of the Drum Major Institute for Public Policy (DMI), commenting in the New York Times (December 14, 2007) on MayorTV, a web video series PhilanthroMedia proudly produced at her request.

With support from provided to DMI from The Nation, PhilanthroMedia’s president, Susan Herr, traveled the country over ten days capturing exclusive interviews. As a film crew of one, Susan simultaneously shot and conducted the interviews. Then she uploaded the videos to the web, enabling NYC-based DMI staff to script footage conveying perspectives offered by these urban leaders.

According to Susan “Andrea isn’t content to pitch the news media and passively wait for them to respond — she’s out generating top-notch coverage that speaks directly to her audience and becomes worthy of highly-coveted coverage from the Times.”

During the U.S. Conference of Mayors held in Miami in May, DMI conducted an additional 12 interviews with mayors, bringing the number of mayors interviewed to 23. From Boston to Buffalo to Atlanta to Miami to LA to Rochester to Gainesville – MayorTV served to challenge 2008 presidential candidates: Start talking about cities.

In addition to coverage in the New York Times, Pm footage was also featured in an episode of UpClose with Bill Ritter, produced by WABC New York, when he interviewed Andrea about MayorTV.

Making News Break for You

Susan Herr — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 17:01:52 +0000

This year, the Drum Major Institute for Public Policy invited PhilanthroMedia to join the “rapid response” team it establishes each year to advance progressive analysis of the President’s State of the Union address.

Our interview, conducted with DMI’s Andrea Batista-Schlesinger, was posted to YouTube within hours of the address. The summary (2:18 minutes) has garnered more than 3,600 hits on DMI’s YouTube channel in the five months since. While it initially harnessed a news peg to capture viewers, it continues to provide cogent, user-friendly access to DMI’s perspectives on Administration policies.

Are you waiting to be invited into the newsroom to comment on issues of importance to your constituents? Are you taking advantage of the tools that now enable you to make your own news? Pm is here to help.