Want to get more media engagement? Hire a former journalist.

Last week we announced the arrival of a former award-winning journalist, Conway Fraser who is ExpertFile’s new media advisor. I owe some of our clients for my introduction to Conway. About six months ago, some of our clients were singing the praises of a former journalist with a unique approach to media coaching with a variety of corporate, healthcare and higher education clients.

I had the pleasure of sitting in on a workshop session that he delivered earlier this summer, and was instantly hooked. As the session unfolded, it became obvious that Conway’s approach to storytelling is uniquely enriched by his journalistic experience. I’ve always had a profound respect for reporters who have been in the trenches, producing credible, engaging stories on tight deadlines. While journalists receive some accolades, (Conway has a Gemini-Award for his work in TV, the Canadian equivalent to the Emmys) it remains a craft that is under-appreciated. Journalists are at the whim of the 24 hour news cycle, under huge pressure to file credibly researched stories in record time. And sadly, as the market increasingly moves from broadcast dollars to digital dimes, news outlets are squeezing their journalists even further as too many of their colleagues depart the profession.

While disturbing, this trend is the new reality. While technology is largely to blame for this trend, we can also see ways that technology can help journalists. It’s one of the reasons we created ExpertFile – to help journalists quickly find relevant and credible expert sources.

It’s clear why Conway and I hit it off right away. He was instantly drawn to our platform and the obvious benefits it provides to journalists. We also share the belief that there are even more ways ExpertFile can help them. In his short time with us, Conway has already helped us envision some exciting new ideas for our technology and professional services platform that will benefit both journalists and our enterprise clients who promote their experts to the media. He will also be producing some important content related to best practices here on the ExpertFile Blog that will surely appeal to many of our clients.

There’s nothing quite like having a seasoned journalist with over 20 years experience in national broadcast radio and TV around to keep you on your toes. I can’t wait to see what Conway and our fellow ExpertFilers end up producing together. Please join me in welcoming Conway to the ExpertFile community. Let me know if we can make an introduction!