Learning to Drive a Stick and Other Life Lessons:

April 10, 2018October 7, 2021 / Kelly Frank / Leave a comment

I can’t remember a time when I didn’t want to be just like my sister Anne. She’s that combination of classic and cool. I have often likened her to Princess Diana when describing her to people. That’s how I see her. I have been asked to share our story but there are so many to share and this one with cancer is more than the sum of us. So if you will indulge me, let me just share a few things I have learned from my time with Anne:

(Note to Anne- please forgive story number one– I am doing this chronologically)

When I was a little girl and my parents traveled overseas she exposed me to my first high school party. I was so freaked out! I wouldn’t have had the courage to have a party at the house, not then and not in my teenage years. It was the kind of party you would see in movies, complete with broken furniture, drunken teenagers, soap-filled pool and mini-dramas. The party came and went and none were too worse for the wear except Anne.

Lesson Number One: When you are hiding the evidence, hide it all. She forgot the bag of empty beer cans in the trash on the side of the house. Sure way to get busted by mom and dad.

My sister got her first car when I was just in grade school. It was a yellow TR-7 my parents painted white. It had fuzzy sheepskin seats (and I can still remember how they feel). I thought it was the coolest thing ever. She never hesitated to take me for a ride. Most teenagers don’t want their little sister tagging along. It made me feel important. When Anne came back from THE Ohio State to visit us at home in California for the first time I remember being really excited to see her. I was the only other girl at home with 3 brothers so having her back was always a good thing! She came around the corner into the family room wearing jeans, an Ohio State sweatshirt and these brown loafers–I know, sounds like a real fashion plate right? All I remember thinking was how collegiate she looked and how cool I thought that was. I was fixated on the shoes though. It wasn’t long before I was out scouting for the same pair with Anne and mom in tow.

Lesson Number Two: Always be kind to little kids, it makes an impression even in the smallest of tasks.

When I was 17 and learning to drive Anne had a white Honda Civic stick shift. She was 24 at the time and we were then living in Columbus, Ohio. She took me out one afternoon to teach me to drive her car. It will never translate well in this story but anytime I tried to shift from 1st to 2nd gear the car would begin to jerk back and forth, back and forth sending us flying forward and then flying back, forward then back. About the 3rd time this happened we couldn’t stop laughing. It was the kind of hard laughter in which you can’t speak and if you’re lucky you won’t pee. Well–laughter like that makes it hard for the 24 year-old to explain to the 17-year old how to get out of the rock and shake maneuver. Eventually we did, I learned to drive but I think I left the transmission all along Muirfield Drive.

Lesson Number Three: When life gets rocky, laugh hard and push though.

Anne didn’t always have the best of luck with her health. In fact in her twenties and thirties she had such severe endometriosis, there was uncertainty as to her ability to have a baby. I remember quite vividly walking with Anne through a parking garage as we were going to see our brother Billy’s newborn baby girl Emily. I jokingly asked Anne when she and Mike were going to get started. It was then I learned they had been trying and had been for a long time. I remember thinking how tough it must have been to go into that hospital- maybe it wasn’t- but that was my thought at the time. Anne didn’t flinch. She was loving and supportive as always.

Lesson Number Four: Celebrate the happiness of others and carry yourself with grace even in times of doubt. (I’m happy to say Anne and Mike now have three incredible children.)

As a young adult, I went through some tough years not really sure of who I was and where I was going. After a particularly rough period, my sister called me up and suggested I move up to Washington D.C. with her for awhile. You might be thinking…no big deal? Well, she was 6 months into her marriage and living in a one bedroom apartment…but I needed help and they didn’t hesitate. That time was pivotal in making me who I am today. For 6 months, I slept on their couch bed in their living room while they allowed me to find my way.

Lesson Number Five: Be generous. You never know when your act of kindness will save a life.

When I was 25, I was struggling with a career decision. I was working with family in the television business. It was a great experience but I wanted to do more. My sister was an Executive Producer working for the CBS News affiliate in Washington D.C. I called her up and we talked about an opening at the NBC station in Columbus where I was living. She told me about the job and encouraged me to apply. It was that conversation with her that made me believe I could do it. When I interviewed, it turned out that the Executive Producer there had been mentored by Anne. When I identified myself as Anne’s sister, she said, “Well if you’re Anne’s sister, you get it—that’s all I need to know.” I remember thinking how cool it was that someone would say that and what a testament to my sister. Since then, I have been lucky to have a very successful career in this demanding field. I now am an Executive Producer at the world’s news leader, CNN. I can say unequivocally: This would not have happened without my big sister.

Lesson Number Six: Share your life lessons when you can, don’t be afraid to give advice and always encourage the dreams of others. You never know when your act of wisdom will change a life.

In 2004, I went through a pretty devastating break-up, the kind where you are not sure how you are going to make it from one day to the next. I needed to do something. I had never been to Paris but somehow knew it would be my favorite city in the world. I decided to save some money and plan a trip even if I was going alone. Because my sister is just a bit awesome she managed to talk her husband into letting her out of wife and mom duty for a week and come with me to Paris. It was a week filled with massive carb fests, plenty o’wine, strange men resembling Neil Diamond crossed with Mr. Bean (some stories are best kept in the vault), shopping, all-nighters and laughter. Lots of laughter.

Lesson Number Seven: Broken hearts can be survived and travel is better with a sister.

Cancer.

I had just finished spending the holidays with my sister and her children in my home in Atlanta. She had to leave early to go home to Milwaukee to watch the Rose Bowl in Wisconsin. (Her husband is an alum!). The next day she had a routine doctor’s appointment that included her mammogram. I didn’t know all this until over a month later when she called me one night and was a bit more serious than she is in our normal conversations. She made a point of telling me she needed me to stop watching TV and really focus. So I did. She was calm and direct and she said, “I have some news and I’m just going to say it—I have breast cancer”.

Stage One. Triple Positive.

By the time she had called me, she had already been through quite a bit. The mammogram showed nothing but a very alert tech spotted something that just didn’t seem right. So Anne, being Anne, didn’t tell any of us until she knew the diagnosis. I can’t imagine how scary those days were and I know how scary the days that followed were. Two lumpectomies followed by an eventual mastectomy and now in chemo. My sister is half way through her chemo as I write. There have been a few road bumps but for the most part It is going well and doctors expect a full recovery. She is handling all of this in the way I have seen her handle her life- with grace, class, love and sometimes what I think may be most important: a sense of humor. I invite you to visit my sister’s caring bridge site. She tells her story there on days when she feels up to it. http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/annebrown

One more story about Anne before I go:

Anne is a beautiful woman with big brown eyes and light brown hair. She’s always had a very stylish cut. I would not describe my sister as vain at all but I do know that losing her hair was something that was bothering her. I can relate to that and I think most people can. So as that time was approaching I know Anne was worried, not only about her head but more about her kids and how scary that could be. The morning she began to lose her hair, she called her closest friends over to the house. With her husband and three children and those friends by her side, they took turns cutting, then shaving her head. Anne had been planning this little gathering because she didn’t want to worry her children and thought if she turned it into something fun…they would be ok. They are. And the bonus? So was Anne.

Lesson Number Eight: When you’re feeling anxious, worry is getting you down, boobs are sagging and shit’s falling out on you—call up the ones you love, chill the beer and throw a party.

________________________________________________________________

Author Note: I was going through some old jump drives this week and came across this piece you just read. I wrote it a few years back. I’m happy to report that my sister is 7 years cancer free. True to her nature, Anne is now helping all of us as our mom takes on cancer. Given all of us do not fall far from the tree… there is no doubt mom will be equally victorious.

Life Saver: How your phone could save your child from drowning

August 1, 2015August 19, 2021 / Kelly Frank / Leave a comment

I don’t remember how old I was.

I know I was just tall enough that my hand was by my right ear as I held my mother’s. I remember all the neighbors gathered around on the sidewalk talking in groups. The firetruck and ambulance were very loud. There was chaos. I remember being scared. It was Mrs. Adams’ house. She was my mom’s friend and something was very wrong. I remember seeing a stretcher rolling out from the gate to the ambulance. On it was a little boy being resuscitated. As it turned out, Mrs. Adam’s nephew was found at the bottom of the pool in the middle of a pool party.

That story, however, had a happy ending. He survived and went on to lead a very normal life.

My brother Billy’s nephew was not so lucky. Just a toddler, he died after spending at least 7 minutes submerged in the backyard pool when another child forget to lock the pool gate. He is not alone.

It’s preventable tragedy like those above that led a group of dads to turn our obsession with technology into technology that can save lives. Yep, there’s an app for drowning now. More on that in a moment– but first if you think drowning is no longer a problem in this world — think again.

According to the CDC, 10 people die every day from unintentional drowning. Of those ten people dying every day, 1 in 5 are children 14 years-old and younger. Future inventors, teachers and leaders of the world. Three hundred lives a month — lost to something completely preventable.

So back to that app.

My family just recently built a pool in our backyard. We are outside people, living in the south and a dip in the water can mean all the difference between hot summer misery and saving grace! I am also the mother of a one and a half and three year-old that don’t know how to swim just yet. They love to be anywhere near the water like their mom. Mom is also a tech-geek. So when my mother mentioned she heard about a new app and bracelet for pool safety, I was intrigued.

I started to research and there are all kinds of products on the market but I wanted something that would be tied to my phone. The reason? As a journalist, my phone is never within 3 feet of my hands. (Yes, it’s a problem…maybe a slight addiction but that’s another story, another article).

In my research, I came across iSWIMBAND. I wanted to give it a try so I spent the $40 buying it online to test it out. Given that drowning is still such an issue and protecting our children is tantamount, I wanted to share my experience here for other moms and dads and caregivers. I have no ties to this company, am not being paid for this and the observations and thoughts are 100% my own.

The iSWIMBAND Story

Sadly, the inspiration behind iSWIMBAND was born from tragedy. Three dads got together and created Aquatic Safety Concepts LLC after one of their children’s classmates drowned at a park. The 9 year-old was believed to be under water for 5 minutes. He survived but apparently will deal with neurological problems all of his life. Shockingly, this all happened despite lifeguards, camp counselors and even parents watching the water that day.

The founding “fathers” spent 8 years collaborating with safety professionals and engineers creating safety systems for commercial facilities. Once we became a smartphone addicted world, the dads wisely adopted that technology for people like you and me.

What is iSWIMBAND?

It’s a relatively simple device that connects through your phone via bluetooth. It’s a small package that comes with an instruction book, one monitor, a wristband, a larger band and a clip.

**Mommy Note #1: Don’t even try the headband if you have a normal child 5 or under. It will be on the ground before you know it.

Luckily there is a wrist and a clip option. For my 3 year-old, I called it *jewelry* and made a big deal about her new bracelet! (Laugh all you want- it worked!) I do think the clip was rather genius though for older swimmers who wear goggles or the ability to clip on a waistband, etc.

The technology is pretty simple. You set up an app on your phone, you create a profile for your child and you’re off.

**Mommy Note #2: I’m kind of an organizational freak. I like my apps a certain way and I don’t like clutter. If you have more than one little person in your world, good news: the app can monitor up to 8 of these devices.

One other cool thing about this device that is worth mentioning – it’s not just for the non-swimmer. So it’s not just a tool that sends out the alert the minute it gets wet — UNLESS YOU WANT IT TO. If your child can swim, you can program the device to alert you if there is an unusual lack of motion. I’m not going to break down all the ins and outs, you can read about them here. I am a visual person though so if you are like me, I included a little slideshow for you.

The point is it’s a device not just for drowning prevention but swim safety. I like that. Here’s a look at the device in action courtesy of iSWIMBAND:

In the end, no device is going to take the place of a watchful, focused eye. As moms and dads, we have to be ever-vigilant. Technology is just another tool in the parenting tool box and as hard as this job is– I’ll take it! There will always be critics when it comes to aesthetics (“iSwimband Looks Dorky”) or pricing or motivation and as with anything, the best Mommy Note is to do your research.

I know I always will because I have two very good reasons to.

Bonus: [View the story “The iSwimband Conversation” on Storify]

Notes: This article is a multimedia assignment for my Social Media & News class at the University of Florida. The article was researched by me online, in social media, and through experimentation with the iSwimband. I created the Infographics, the slideshow, and all photography was taken by me. The official iSwimband video is provided courtesy of the company from their media kit. I did have a video interview set up (complete with news crew) with the iSwimband COO who happens to live in Atlanta but he canceled the night before due to unexpected out of town travel. We were not able to reschedule in time to make this deadline. My target audience for this is anyone who swims or has children/family who swim. My focus for viral opportunities/shareability would be the strong mom-blogger contingent interested in safety for their children in these summer months. After some research I would use #PoolSafety #Pool #Drown and #iswimband in my social sharing because most information regarding this topic seems to be aggregated there.

The Awesome Visual-Storytelling-Sharing-Social App You Aren’t Using But Should

June 29, 2015August 19, 2021 / Kelly Frank / Leave a comment

Doing what I do for a living and working towards a Masters Degree in Social Media, I am often asked “What’s your favorite app or social platform?” The typical ones roll off the tongue but in the top three or four, you’ll find Storehouse. I’m always a little stunned when people say, “Store-what?”

Storehouse is the most awesome social app you apparently aren’t using.

When you combine talent that comes from Facebook, Apple and The Daily, you are bound to come up with something not only beautiful but user-friendly. Storehouse doesn’t disappoint. It’s the brain child of co- founders Mark Kawano and Tim Donnelly. They began their start-up in 2013 but didn’t launch the app (only on iOS devices) until January 2014.

I’m not a coder, a designer or a professional photographer so I can’t dive deep into any technical flaws or brilliance but I am a storyteller. With Snapchat, Instagram, Buzzfeed and the increasing presence of video and photos on Facebook, we are moving towards more visual communication at the speed of light. As a journalist, this pulls me to Storehouse.

Co-founder Mark Kawano told TechCrunch “We’re not targeting just photographers; we want to teach everyone that they can tell stories…We want Storehouse to be the really easy way to share and create stories. From photographers…to everyone, this is the shift in visual communication.”

As with all social platforms these days, Storehouse starts with a profile.

While I am a lover of Storehouse, I admit I tend to be more voyeur than participator and creator. It’s such a beautiful experience that I sometimes wonder if what I have to share is worthy. My contributions to date number three: Kelly’s Storehouse: @kfg5Horizons

The process really is quite simple. You import photos and videos. You position them. You choose a title. That’s where the must-dos end. You can choose to add text, captions or just let the pictures speak for themselves. Layouts vary but the best part is that you have options. You can clearly see Kawano’s inside knowledge of Apple as you manipulate your stories. For the end user, the layout options and beauty of the app are flawless.

In Storehouse, you follow and can be followed but note that all you do is public. You don’t have to be following someone to see all their work and anyone can follow you. You can search for people or use the almighty hashtag. Yes, Storehouse wisely aggregates topics using hashtags. Unlike Instagram, Storehouse is built for sharing. You can republish.

There aren’t many Community Rules in Storehouse outside the obvious copyright ones which makes it a space ripe for creativity.

If you need a little hand-holding, Storehouse has created communities to address what it calls “your moods.” It’s a collection of interests you can follow to publish and republish stories from like-minded souls. Take a look:

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Storehouse is not without its critics and the fact that it is not available on Android devices will hamper the start up from maximum reach. That said, I would expect nothing less from the mind of a former Apple designer.

A couple other highlights worth noting. When you publish, you immediately receive an email to the account you set up your profile with. In it is a web-responsive link to your story ready to be shared to all.

The world of Storehouse isn’t just comprised of parenthood, travels and selfies (but you can find that too). It has a little bit of everything and for those who question whether journalism can move with the times, check out this offering from the landmark gay marriage ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court.

Others have taken to Storehouse to share their most intimate moments but in a way that can’t be captured on Facebook or Instagram or even Tumblr. One could argue that albums allow similar aggregation but they don’t allow the user to tell a story. This is where Storehouse breaks from the pack. Take a look at One Last Year with My Father. It’s visual communication at a profound level.

While Storehouse is web-responsive, I strongly encourage you to visit it on your phone or iPad. It was created for those devices and doesn’t disappoint. In fact, given the mass exodus to all-things mobile, it’s quite brilliant Kawano and Donnelly were so mobile focused. It makes sense given the world we live in. Have phone, have camera, will travel, will tell stories.

Author Note (August 2021): Storehouse shuttered in 2016. All employees migrated to Square. I removed all links. It’s a shame. It was beauty while it lasted.

All-Access Pass: It’s Not Just for the VIP Anymore

June 18, 2015August 19, 2021 / Kelly Frank / Leave a comment

Assignment Snapshot: Explain why people in the following roles should use social media – i.e. how would they benefit: Foreign news correspondent. Local beat editor. Photojournalist at TV News.

The All-Access Pass.

It’s kind of a right of passage when you become a journalist. Your photo is snapped. A number is assigned. A logo is embossed. You get your first badge. I remember my first badge with that beautiful, colorful NBC peacock. I felt like a bad-ass! (And don’t think I didn’t try to casually flash that sucker every time I could).

Then you grow up. You see a lot of things. You cover a lot of stories. The badge becomes a necessity, a lifeline, a key in and sometimes a one-way ticket to a swift exit. There are several reasons a foreign correspondent, a beat editor and a photojournalist should use social media but the greatest of all is access. It’s not just access TO the user/reader/viewer but it’s also access FOR the user/reader/viewer.

FOREIGN NEWS CORRESPONDENT

NBC News Chief Foreign Correspondent is Richard Engel. I don’t know him personally but have interacted with him over the years in coverage and find him to be very sharp. His political views are worn on his sleeve at times and he is deemed controversial by many for his public comments on ISIS, Syria and the Middle East in general. He is very active on Twitter and truly worth a follow.

Foreign correspondents broaden perspective for their users by giving them access to places they can’t go. They both expose and enlighten. In the slide show below, you will see a small collection of Richard taking you to places (Everest) you may never see. Additionally, it’s an opportunity for the correspondent to get intimate and if necessary, defend their reporting. You may recall that Richard Engel was kidnapped in 2012 in Syria. In one of his tweets, he talks about that and adds the additional context of linking to his story:

While I can argue a case for social media and the foreign correspondent, I would much rather let the foreign correspondent do it himself! Below is a lengthy but fascinating segment on MSNBC with Richard Engel. In it he discusses what I believe is perhaps the greatest reason that foreign correspondents should use social media: they can affect change. He talks about the power of social media in the face of violent regimes among other things. It only strengthens the point that the foreign correspondent is able to give us access we’ve never had before.

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/32545640

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

LOCAL BEAT EDITOR

We don’t really use beats in my current newsroom In fact, the beat is a bit of an outdated concept in most TV newsrooms I have been in. I was curious to see if the word “beat” would even come up in a basic google search with a semantic tie to a journalist. This is the result:

As you can see, it pulls from the concept of the police officer’s area of surveillance. There are reporters who naturally gravitate to certain areas they live in but the days of the crime beat, city hall beat and county beat seem to be behind us. The one beat that lives? The Political Beat.

The benefits for a local beat editor include all those mentioned above for the foreign correspondent but I would also add that for this person specifically, it’s a great resource. A local beat editor can narrow their focus, create lists of key influencers in their beat, follow and engage with local organizations and develop relationships. Social media give a local beat editor a multi-directional channel to talk with their users as well. This really applies to all but for local–it can become intimate because most of the time you are working where you live.

PHOTOJOURNALIST AT TV NEWS

When I first got into TV (and I do mean TV) I was working for my father on a magazine style show. It wasn’t journalism. It was infotainment. I learned by spending hours upon hours hanging out with the photographers/shooters. They were incredible. They could see things I never saw. They could look at a vast landscape or a person’s face in an ugly room and find the most beautiful shot possible. I became a sponge. I learned how to shoot, frame, iris up, iris down, rack focus and so on. I learned that a story isn’t much of a story without pictures. (is it any surprise the social media that performs the best is visual?) So I took this knowledge with me when I entered a newsroom, ever-vigilant that a good picture or a good piece of video will always add impact.

For everything I said above, photojournalists should be on social media. They typically are motivated by the visuals not just the facts. They see things others don’t see. They capture the moments that sometimes don’t require any words. They are promoters and advocates of journalism and take GREAT pride in what they do. I’m lucky in that I work with a lot of people who just *get* social media. Fortunately, some of them are photojournalists. I’ve captured two tweets below from Jim Zorn on Twitter and Erin Coker. Erin is just starting to develop her tweet chops but Jim speaks the language well and 99.9% of the time includes a photo.

One thing that hasn’t entered our newsroom yet but I believe should and will: Periscope. There is no one more primed to use that then the photojournalist. When they are on the scene they can live stream using their expert eye bringing people access to what matters. The other aspect of Periscope I like specifically for the photojournalist (and the foreign correspondent) is the ability to interact live in real-time with the viewer as things are happening. Viewers/users can ask questions and perhaps even steer coverage. It’s a whole different level of engagement.

EVERYONE

If you work in a newsroom, you are in the business of information dissemination. In this new media world we occupy, we all have the opportunity to tell stories any way we want. I’m a believer that everyone who works in this environment should be on social media: Producers, managers, photographers, digital staff, on-air talent and so on. Each person plays a role in the craft of storytelling and we all have something to offer the social discussion. We are the all-access pass only this one doesn’t require a velvet rope and a clipboard.

7 INSIGHTS TO SURVIVAL: My Apple Watch, The Me Channel & a Time of Death

May 25, 2015August 19, 2021 / Kelly Frank / Leave a comment

By Kelly Frank

At the risk of sounding old, I took typing in high school. Yes, typing on an actual typewriter. There were computers but I went to an underfunded religious school so typing class was taught on this thing we call a typewriter.

I also remember walking in to my first television newsroom and seeing a teleprompter with a coiled roll of paper and a giant print press under it. We didn’t use it but the fact that it sat in a key position in the newsroom told me its days didn’t precede me by much.

Yep, that’s me. Courtesy of a really cool Google cam at ONA 2014 in Chicago

I also remember creating my Twitter account at CNN in 2008.

I’m fortunate enough to be in a prime spot in my career with a balance of just enough appreciation of where we came from and just enough understanding of where we are going. I’ve heard many colleagues refer to social media as the great disrupter in the newsroom. While that may be true, it still doesn’t change what my chief responsibility as journalist is. Tell you a story.

So about that great disruption? Here are 7 insights for survival:

Digital First Mobile First won’t just be a suggestion, it will be reality Digital first is a very popular expression in television newsrooms these days but very few are truly thinking and doing this way. In order to survive, television newsrooms must not only become digital first by year’s end, they have to think mobile. Consider this from Pew Research Center: 64% of American adults own a smartphone, up from 35% in 2011. Of those, 68% use their phone at least occasionally to follow along with breaking news events, with 33% saying that they do this frequently. 67% use their phone to share pictures, videos, or commentary about events happening in their community, with 35% doing so frequently. 56% use their phone at least occasionally to learn about community events or activities, with 18% doing this “frequently. Any questions?
It’s not a news network, it’s a brand and not all will survive

I have a pretty obnoxious title: Sr. Managing Editor: Broadcast, Digital & Social. My job didn’t exist 6 months ago. It was proposed by me in collaboration with my employer Meredith Corporation, specifically the Atlanta CBS affiliate. They were looking for a traditional Managing Editor. The problem with that is local newsrooms need to take a page from the marketer’s notebook. We are in the business of content distribution. We must evolve beyond the broadcast box into multiple platforms and speak the native languages. Get on board or prepare to sink. I work in a market where the advertising dollar available to television stations is decent but completely hoarded by one dominant station. There are four TV stations in this media market. In 5 years, there will only be two…and this story will play out across markets nationwide. The key to those left standing? Become a brand, not just a place that does TV News.

Forget Engagement Try Marriage

See point 2. Read again. This goes hand in hand. It’s not just a pretty ring and a promise. To become a successful brand, you have to understand that being a slave to Nielsen overnight ratings is a thing of the past. Gone are the days when we told you what was going on and you passively listened. Yet we still program like this is the case. We have to be where the people are. In sickness and in health. For rich or for poor, ‘til the next evolution do we part. I know when I woke up today, I was on Facebook on my phone before my feet hit the floor. I’m not alone.

Read Tell Show me a story

Video. Video. Video. Sites that haven’t will soon redesign to become all video, all the time. Take a look at your Facebook or Twitter feed. How far before you see a video? Instagram? Tumblr? Even Snapchat is completely built around a shared visual experience. We shoot video, we share video, we stream live video. Let’s face it people: We like to watch! Where there is demand, there will be a supply and the good news for the bean counters — it’s where the money is.

You think it’s all about me now? Just wait. It’s only going to be more about me. Why? Because I don’t need you. I already tailor my social feeds to the sources I want and I’m not born of the generation that only knows digital. I watch my toddler with my iPad and then watch her interact with the rest of the world. She gets pretty miffed when the PBS logo at the bottom of the television screen doesn’t respond to her touch. My point? We are looking at a generation coming up that gets what they want, when they want and how they want it. (Thank you Steve Jobs). Learn how to program the “me” channel now.

REST IN PEACE

As we move forward at the speed of tweet, it is time to acknowledge the pending time of death on two journalism institutions.

Walter who?

I’m a Tom Brokaw kid. If you don’t know who that is, I don’t want to hear it. At one point, he signaled bed time and I would run and hide. Then he became a voice of comfort and authority in a changing and sometimes scary world. Why the world may still need the Tom Brokaws is another article altogether but the bottom line is…the anchor as we know it will soon be dead.

Frank Rich wrote a compelling piece for New York Magazine last month on what he dubbed an “inane institution”. In A Dumb job he writes, “No doubt some Americans of a certain age may still turn their lonely eyes to a patriarchal television anchor during a national disaster, but many more will be checking their phones.” By the time my 3 year-old is 10, the anchor will be nothing but a memory. Personality and emotional resonance replaces authority. People want and crave deeper relationship in an over-connected world and the person sitting on high, delivering information we already know is unnecessary and perhaps even insulting.

The death of appointment news aka the evening TV newscast

I’m calling it. By 2025, the network evening newscast will go the way of the typewriter, the evening edition and that paper-filled teleprompter from my first newsroom: to a museum.

It can be summed up by something I heard just this evening while watching the NBA playoffs. LeBron James sealed the win on Game 3 for the Cleveland Cavaliers against the Atlanta Hawks. It was in overtime and the game was a battle. He fell to the floor as the buzzer blew. He stayed there on all fours. Exhausted. Emotionally spent. It was a sight to see. The old-school commentator said, “This will be a photo that will be all over the place in tomorrow morning’s news. I laughed and thought, “tomorrow morning? Try 5 minutes!” If there is no demand, there will be no supply. In short, there will be no demand for an evening newscast once a certain generation is gone. That time is coming. Coming fast.

NOW A WORD FROM OUR SPONSORS

From the oldest book to the classic rock song, we know there is a time for everything under the heavens. A time for the typewriter. A time for the newspaper. A time for the network newscast. That time will soon pass. While social media may in fact be the great disrupter, I would offer it is only in method.

At the end of the day, a good story is a good story. From hieroglyphics in caves to ink on paper to the printing press to radio to television, we are born to tell our stories. We all need our *once upon a time* to make us feel something.

I still have a typewriter. I also wear an Apple Watch and can tweet at the speed of light (ok, slight exaggeration). My point? It’s a journalist’s responsibility to appreciate where we’ve come from, to know where we are going, and to understand that in the end, it’s about the story. We just have to continue figuring out how to tell show it.

Engagement 101: Lists, Pics & Sex

May 14, 2015August 19, 2021 / Kelly Frank / 4 Comments

Assignment Snapshot: Use social media to source a news article or piece of social media news content that engages you. Why does it engage you? How has the story been told? Consider the written journalism and any multi-media content. Do you recognize story telling techniques as discussed in our lecture?

When in doubt…just turn to sex.

Much of my research and reading for my job is serious. It’s not the “if it bleeds it leads” mentality but sometimes it can be. It’s also politics and corruption and national disaster and train wrecks and police-shootings -and that was just this week. I follow many news organizations on my social platforms from the pinnacle New York Times to what some consider low-brow Buzzfeed, Upworthy and Vice. I do it to be on top of vast amounts of information for work but I also do it for fun. So that brings us to this week’s assignment:

13 reasons every woman should masturbate regularly

In my down time, I tend to gravitate to the lighter side of the info-spectrum. I like edge. I like different. I like things that teach me something I didn’t know-and let’s be real, I like sex! Who doesn’t? So when I was trolling Twitter I came across this little Huff Po nugget and stopped and stayed awhile.

Why Did It Engage Me

This is pretty simple. It’s a straightforward title on a (sadly) taboo topic with a black and white photo that could have come right out of my mother’s 1963 yearbook (minus the book titled: “Masturbate”). Clearly I was not alone based on the 139 favorites and the 109 retweets after only being on Twitter for an hour.

I also read… a lot.

It’s part of my job so when I am not on the clock, I like spoon-fed nuggets. In other words, don’t make me work for it. When I see this social post, I know at first glance, I am going to have a nice, tightly packaged list of 13 reasons I need a little more “me time.”

How It’s Told

Lists are easy. Lists are familiar. We make them to organize and order chaos. They find their way into everything from classrooms to newscasts. (Have you ever seen a morning show that gives you “the five things you need to know before you go out the door?”). In my Social Media & News class we read Jeff Hodson’s 12 Tips For Producing Strong News Stories. The story here captures several of the tips Jeff recommends: It’s interesting and has some color and good quotes (“…a little menage a moi”…C’mon!). It’s clearly structured and organized and in the end it ACTUALLY has expert information. You probably know masturbation feels good but did you know it’s because of dopamine and oxytocin? Did you know masturbation is an actual sleep aid? What about the fact that it’s good for your health?

Is this really news…journalism?

There is no real inverted pyramid here. Huffington Post isn’t fighting for justice (although an argument could be made for feminism!). This isn’t going to clinch a peabody, lead a newscast or change laws. In today’s world though, much of what I call “social news” is about an experience. It makes us feel. It makes us laugh. It makes us smarter. It makes us want to share. A constant conversation in my newsroom is the ever-changing face and the ever-moving lines that define news, journalism and what we do every day. That’s a conversation to keep on having. The one for this week though, is about how to engage. Huffington Post did the ol’ “when in doubt, sex sells.” It did. I clicked…and I now have 13 reasons to engage more often.

I Masterminded a David Letterman Kidnapping Plot… (According to Google)

October 15, 2014August 19, 2021 / Kelly Frank / 14 Comments

I remember the day back in 2005 quite vividly. I was working for the NBC affiliate in Phoenix as an Executive Producer. I walked in as I normally do every day and went straight to my desk. When I arrived, I saw it covered in AP wire copy. Yes! Clearly something important was upon us if my desk sit covered in printed wire copy.
I soon started to read about how I masterminded a plot to kidnap David Letterman’s son and nanny. I was under arrest and in big trouble. Right there in black and white: “Kelly Frank planned to hold the boy and his nanny for a $5 million ransom”.

My colleagues were highly amused but if you Google Kelly Frank today–that is what you will find. That…and apparently I am one hell of a professional team mascot! So much so—I teach other mascots how to shake, shimmy and do their silly string thing without getting canned.

Now clearly I am not a criminal or a professional mascot (although the latter would be pretty cool!) All kidding aside though, being aware of who you “are” out in the digital landscape is crucial. It doesn’t take much for an employer, prospective employer, friend, boyfriend, wife or colleague to find out what you left in your online wake. Luckily I am very tuned in to this. I knew what I would find when I googled myself because I do it often. I also set Google alerts to my name. I work in a high-profile field where your reputation isn’t just about you–it’s about the network you represent. I take that very seriously.

Now that I am married, I use Kelly Frank Green and I am happy to say…no celebrity stalking or mascot twerking to speak of. Googling Kelly Frank Green yielded exactly what I thought: my social media library. Here’s a brief slide show:

Aside from my social media footprint, there is the expected search services and directories to find “Kelly Frank Green”. I also looked through the search results that came up under News, Shopping, Video and Images. Video revealed my vine account and a “day in the life” video shoot at CNN. It was for an event for my alma mater:

The Images search results were a mix of pictures I took, posted or pinned along with some that have nothing to do with me:

Googling my email address produced similar results. The findings only extended about three-quarters of the page whereas my name went into a second page of results. This surprised me a little in that I use this Gmail account for many things. Clearly it is very public if I have it on this blog and it is associated with all my social media.

I also looked at the News, Images, Shopping and Videos for these findings as well. No news on News is good news! There was nothing under Shopping or Videos. The Images results were similar to those under my name. Interestingly enough, classmate Angela Cook came up “below the fold as you can see below. We are friends on Google+ and that seems to bump up her ranking! (Oh Google…you do like yourself!)

Googling yourself is a good practice to keep every month or so. It doesn’t matter what you do for a living, reputation management is something we should all take seriously. So stalk yourself now and then. Check profiles from the “public” point of view. Check in on what various groups see or what lists you are on. It’s important…you never know when you will find you are a twerking, silly string-slinging mascot or worse…a celebrity-stalking convicted felon.

kellyfrankmugshot — Kelly Allen Frank ~ Convicted Felon

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The experience above is chronicled for my Web Research Methods class for the University of Florida Masters Degree program specializing in Social Media. As always…this exercise is purely academic.

Down the Rabbit Hole: My Trip Through Second Life

October 1, 2014August 19, 2021 / Kelly Frank / 8 Comments

We looked at Digital Ethnography this week for my University of Florida Masters Degree program specializing in Social Media. For an assignment, we had to spend at least two to four hours in Second Life. This exercise is purely academic…

I’m a beach gal. Born in southern California, my childhood is threaded with moments spent swimming at Newport, Santa Monica and Huntington Beach. When I was in Junior High, my family took our first big vacation together to the island of Oahu. I fell in love with Hawaii and as an adult have had a handful of occasions to return with friends and my better half.

It’s not just an island, it’s a lifestyle. An awesome one too.

So I was pleasantly surprised to discover that my journey down the rabbit hole of Second Life was not a beach-less one. In fact, I could visit some of the greatest beaches in the world– and I did. My adventures extended beyond the sand in my toes though…

Meet SloanFierce

My alter ego

* 26 years-old, Aspiring singer

* Waits tables by day, sings in clubs by night

* Only child, parents are dead

* Single

I’m sure there is some psychology to who I chose and what she does but I really wasn’t focused on that. I was more about getting in and checking out this world.

Where I Went & Who I Met

If you have never been to Second Life, it is alarming at first because you just get dropped on an island. When I first arrived, I was surprised by how self-conscious I suddenly felt. Then again, I was dropped right next to a naked man who literally kept running into me. (Possibly a fellow student learning their way?!)

I was worried about interacting with others and proper etiquette. Being able just to function in Second Life is a little challenging at first but once I learned to move and fly, I was off.

I changed my clothes but that was a process and a half. I am sure it was because I was new but there were just so many options. Too many if you ask me. So I checked out the categories for newcomers. I entered “The Shelter” where people were friendly and willing to help. There were several bulletin boards teaching basic instruction and of course, shopping.

The Shelter…a safe haven for new citizens

From there, I wanted to go exploring to places I have been and places I have never been. I wanted to see just how “real” the experience would be. First stop: Miami Beach. It was exactly as I recall Miami Beach to be…complete with the constant thump of techno music. Next stop: Rio ~ A place I have not been.

A trip to Rio

I walked around and talked to some people but I don’t speak Spanish and found that most people did during the time I arrived. I ended this trip into Second Life at Machu Picchu. I have never been there and always wanted to go. I flew around for perspective and walked a lot. I hung out with the Sherpas and alpacas. It was fun but certainly not the real deal.

I logged in the next morning to round out my experience. I spent $10 to buy $2500 Linden to see what a commerce experience in Second Life entailed. Upon completion of the transaction, which I did via PayPal, I was immediately informed that there had been market fluctuations in the Linden and a credit would be applied to my account (Nice touch Second Life).

Day Two was a little stranger. I decided to explore what I will call the darker side of Second Life. I went to the Adult sections to a place called Hathian. It was a bit much. You walk down a gray and black maze with various billboards advertising sex toys, pornography…even brutal S&M depicted with photos of black and blue women. The corridor ends with an elevator that takes you down to The Crack Den. The Crack Den was a whole different city scape with fires burning in abandoned cars, prostitutes on every corner and an occasional home. I walked into one and was promptly told to get the hell out—it was private property. So I did. I also got the hell out of The Crack Den! (Slide Show below ~ Warning: Adult Content)

From there, I went to Temptations Resort. Bad Idea. Not even worth discussing.

I checked out Featured Events, more new citizens places and even walked the streets of Italy. In the midst of all of this, the system kept crashing and pushing me out. I logged back in and when I did, I was dropped in the middle of what I will call Naked Land. Take a look (and this is with some creative cropping for a safe-for-work image):

I still don’t know where I was. I asked what was going on and mentioned I had just been dropped here. That was met by laughter from other SIMS. I was told it was “rolling restart day” and that many SIMS were restarting which can affect the Second Life experience.

What Do I Think of Second Life

I have mixed opinions on Second Life and in the end, it all comes down to the intention of the user. I can see so many benefits from many areas I explored. I went to Indiana University. I climbed a beanstalk. I went to the John King experience and lived like a pirate. I walked the streets of France and refreshed my ear to the sound of my second language. I revisited Bondi Beach…a place I have been to in real life…and recalled pleasant memories. I see the educational value of Second Life with its ability to pull in people to learn and discuss. I see the imagination stimulation for a child to climb a beanstalk or be a pirate. I see the possibility for someone without means or sick or unable to travel to explore real places and have some rich experience.

I also see the Rabbit Hole. I put earphones on and immersed myself in it. There are so many little touches that enhance the experience drawing you in deeper. Native languages are spoken in the background when you travel somewhere international. Music and ambient noises compliment the location: NPR plays in the background while touring a nuclear plant, HawaiianRainbow.com plays the ukulele while you stroll Oahu. People are having intimate conversations and when you move near, you hear every word. I even witnessed a marriage proposal. When you capture an image, your avatar snaps a photo and you hear the camera. When you chat with someone, your avatar types. The beaches come complete with crashing waves, porpoises squeaking and the crunch of the sand.

I didn’t spend a great deal of time in the seedier side but I can see where curiosity would pull in someone who has never tapped into that environment. The sex and crime and grit feels very real because no detail is spared. It is rare that my eyes left the screen. When I am working or surfing, I often get distracted and look up or out the window. In Second Life, I found this didn’t happen. When I finally logged off and looked up, my eyes hurt, I was tired. There were many nice people but it just all seemed too much. It is just real enough to be sad.

So What of SloanFierce?

By the end of my journey through Second Life, I was ready to return to real life. I’m very aware though that the naked man and the newly engaged couple and the pirates are still inside there, living their lives. Just like Sloan ~ my personal alter ego and tour guide. So I did what any responsible girl would do. I plopped her down in the sands of Hawaii, left her with the meditative crashing waves, singing dolphins and the sweet sounds of the ukulele.

Power to the She…& to the SEO

September 3, 2014August 19, 2021 / Kelly Frank / 12 Comments

Assignment Snapshot: Pick a favorite multinational company and create a list of 10 keywords you think should be associated with that company and its products. Do a Google Search of those keywords and see where in the results (if at all) you find the company you selected. Go to the company’s site and review their coding to see if any of the words you selected appear on their homepage

If you know me, have read this blog at all or seen some of my discussion posts for the Social Media Masters Program at University of Florida, then you know I am an aspiring yogi. It started after the birth of my first child when I was very overweight and fighting the baby blues. I’ve written about this journey in the Namaste section of this blog so I won’t dive into it here. Part of that journey though, was discovering the Athleta brand. They are yoga clothes for normal people like me. While in my head I may look like this:

The reality looks more like this:

SO WHAT IS ATHLETA?

According to Athleta, they are Gap Inc.’s premier fitness and lifestyle brand in the rapidly growing women’s active apparel market. Athleta offers high-quality, stylish, and functional apparel, footwear, and accessories across a wide variety of sports and fitness activities, including crossover apparel and casualwear. Athleta products are found online, in stores, and through catalogs. Athleta, the premier name in women’s fitness fashion, values inspiring an active lifestyle from yoga to running to cross-fit. Athleta values motivating others and tapping into our collective power as women. Their slogan or tag line is Power to the She. Athleta was founded in 1998 in Petaluma, California. It started as a catalogue business that grew into online sales and was purchased by Gap Inc. in 2008 for $150 million. Since Gap Inc. acquired Athleta, they have opened over 80 brick and mortar stores. (as of September 2014)

Ten keywords or keyword phrases for Search Engine Optimization:

Womens fitness clothing
Womens yoga clothing
Discount yoga clothing
Womens fitness fashion
Yoga clothing
Running clothing
Athletic clothing
Yoga pants
Sportswear
Yoga brands

I performed a Google search of each keyword phrase. The gallery below shows each result (click on image for larger view):

Athleta chooses to pay for Yoga Brands, Yoga Clothing, Womens Yoga Clothing and Athletic Clothing. Priority appears to be expansion and fighting the perception that they are only a yoga brand based on their purchase of the top spot, left rail for the keyword phrase “Athletic Clothing.” They still clearly emphasize yoga based on these searches and you see they paid for a top right rail spot for the keyword phrase “Womens Yoga Clothing.”

In reviewing their homepage, some of the keywords appear directly on the page visible to all. First, in the title of the site captured above the URL (see below) you will see “Womens” “Yoga Clothing” and “Run Clothing”.

The words “Fashion” and “Sport” also appear on the homepage. Looking at their site, they are really focused on performance, style and versatility. If I were going to redo my list, I would consider adding these in but with clothing or fashion also included.

In looking at the site’s HTML and alt tags, I found the following (click to view larger image):

Under metadata the description reads:

“The ultimate performance apparel for women. Shop Athleta yoga clothing, running clothing, swimwear & more online and in stores. Clothing designed and tested by and for women athletes.”

The metadata description is formatted well for SEO based on some of my choices. Below you will see the keywords that Athleta uses in the metadata above. The bold ones align with my choices above :

Athleta
athletica
womens yoga clothing
swimwear
running clothing
athletic clothing
workout clothing
exercise clothing
swimwear
tankini
bikini
one piece swimsuit
yoga pants
yoga tops
running tops
running shorts
skort
golf clothing
tennis clothing
special sizes
petite sizes
plus sizes
tall sizes
organic cotton
tights
yoga tights
run tights

They wisely use a common misspelling of their brand “Athletica”, the importance of which was discussed in lecture this week. Given the look and layout of their homepage, I would also consider adding performance wear and athletic style to keyword phrase choices.

Overall, based on this metadata and my Google searches, Athleta does a nice job capitalizing on SEO for the customer they want to target.

For me, the love affair is about comfort and price. I’m not a size zero and I want to practice without being half-naked. Athleta clothes accomplish this for me and I’m grateful for that.

Rise Above the Noise: An Integrated Marketing Proposal for BullHorn Media

August 5, 2014August 19, 2021 / Kelly Frank / Leave a comment

Let’s face it. There is a lot of noise in the world. Like this. Tweet that. Share This. Choose us. Pick me.
The bombardment is never-ending. It’s hard to be heard in a 24/7 world without dissolving into a sea of white noise.
Want to rise above the noise? That’s where we come in.
We’re BullHorn Media…we amplify your image.

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If I were writing the story of BullHorn Media, that is how I would begin. Today’s consumer is savvy. They don’t want to be over-marketed, under-sold and spinned. They want an authentic experience but they want to know they are in the hands of experts. They want personal attention with professional results. BullHorn Media is uniquely positioned to do just that.

BullHorn Media is twenty plus years of experience in videography, production, design and story-telling. It is the brain child of Mark and Lisa LeGrand with roots dating back to the early 90s. What started out as a husband and wife team capturing love stories flourishes decades later as a full-service production company serving corporate clientele. Don’t let the humble beginning dissuade you. It shows what hard work can do.

One of the visionaries behind BullHorn Media is an award-winning craftsman. Mark LeGrand has been repeatedly recognized for his talent and creativity in editing and video production. What makes Mark excel is his never-ending desire to learn in an ever-changing technology driven world. He has a thorough understanding of the latest equipment ensuring your desires are not only met but exceeded.

The people of BullHorn Media do not have a “been there, done that” attitude. Each project is unique. Every client is an original. BullHorn Media leads the way because the minds behind it understand vision comes from never settling. BullHorn Media takes pride in your event the same way you do. Whether it is a black tie affair for a thousand or a convention for three thousand or an intimate speaker series for executives, BullHorn Media will amplify your image to the level you seek.

Bullhorn Media has the experience. BullHorn Media has the tools. BullHorn Media has the technology.

You may be thinking, “Yea…but so do the other guys!”

True. They probably do. What they don’t have though…is the personal touch.

BullHorn Media is designed to give each client a unique attention often missing in today’s world. They are with you from inception to completion. This one-on-one philosophy is a core value of BullHorn Media and they stand by it. It’s who they are. Amplified.

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Target Audience

BullHorn Media is unique in that it can provide services to a wide variety of clientele. It’s target audience is anyone looking for that extra-added wow factor that only comes with a personal touch including but not limited to:

Small private or public businesses in and around or traveling to Orlando, Florida
Professional Associations in and around or traveling to Orlando, Florida
Non-Profit Organizations in and around or traveling to Orlando, Florida
Leadership and Training Organizations in and around or traveling to Orlando, Florida
Convention and Meeting Planners

BullHorn Media can:

shoot your commercial
recap that special leadership event you worked so hard to imagine
capture that perfect tutorial for your audience
enliven your marketing material to a new visual level
memorialize that special key-note address for those who could not make it…or those who just want to live it again

The BullHorn Media target audience is technologically savvy, forward-thinking and evolutionary but appreciates the quiet values of originality, authenticity and story-telling.

Interviews, speaker series, event summaries, meeting recordings, conventions, conferences & fundraisers…it’s not about the size, it’s about the personal touch. Amplified.

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Why use an Integrated Marketing Communications Strategy?

BullHorn Media is in the business of image but there is nothing surface about their service. People need to know that.

Who wants to be a king without a kingdom?

The purpose of this Integrated Marketing Communications proposal is to provide recommendations on how to reach new customers while maintaining brand voice, brand vision, brand value and message.

Let’s be real. Small businesses are often resource-challenged. That’s why IMC is a friend. Marketing guru and social media influencer Steve Olenski constantly writes about Integrated Marketing in Forbes. No, wait…Correction: He preaches and rants! Question the method if you want, but not the message. It is solid. He’s a believer in IMC and wants everyone to get on board.

In one of his latest offerings, Olenksi points out that a recent study revealed 65% of marketers are not giving consumers what they want. 65%! So that tells me that 65% of businesses are NOT giving customers what they want.

To capture the personal touch and one-on-one experience core to their values, BullHorn Media must understand what their customer wants. There is a lot of noise coming at all of us non-stop. People don’t have to search far to find what they are looking for. BullHorn Media needs to be a part of the conversation.

Or settle for being part of the 65%.

Companies are still operating in silos. Integrating the message of BullHorn Media to a solid, consistent and defined brand makes it easier (and cost-effective) to spread your reach to the channels your customers live and work in.

BullHorn Media must live where their customer lives.
BullHorn Media must listen to their customer.
Only then, can BullHorn Media rise above the noise.
Integrating your marketing accomplishes just what you seek to provide: AN AMPLIFIED IMAGE.

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Final Thoughts

Creating an Integrated Marketing Communications Plan can be overwhelming when you read a proposal like the one I have presented. (Especially when it is accompanied by a dozen others!) Don’t let it be. Once you get the structure in place it can be very rewarding and even fun to keep the content going. Most important though, it’s worth it. Your customers are out there and on these channels. You need to be where they are to stay relevant.

You have a business with brand message: Amplify Your Image. When that is your brand message, you need to walk the walk.

Amplify YOUR Image.

Rise Above the Noise.

Social Chatter & Other Observations

Kelly Frank Green: Storyteller. Communications Executive. Leader.

Kelly Frank

Learning to Drive a Stick and Other Life Lessons:

Rise Above the Noise: An Integrated Marketing Proposal for BullHorn Media

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