Passionate Blog

Beacon Radio hosts prepare marathon effort for Compton Hospice

BEST of luck to Beacon Radio’s breakfast hosts Fresh and Jo who have thrown their backing behind Compton Hospice's Raise the Roof appeal by taking on a 55 mile walk across the Black Country.

The popular pair hope to cover 11 miles a day on behalf of the hospice which needs to raise £1 million as part of its major refurbishment works.

And the challenge got even steeper at the launch of the appeal, as Jo had an announcement of her own – she is expecting a baby.

Writing Magazine feature: The art of the interview

JOURNALIST Tamsin Oxford recently interviewed Linda for a piece in the current edition of Writing magazine.

It's an article about interviewing and also features Johanna Payton and Anne Wollenberg.

Here's a snippet:

What three things do you believe are essential to preparing for an interview?

To have researched your subject properly, to be in the right frame of mind to be confident the interviewee knows what to expect.

How do you go about sourcing your interviewees?

I have worked hard to build contacts in my chosen areas so I get in touch with people I know or hope will help me and take it from there. These days, I’m also using social media and online tools available more too, so I’ve found people through Twitter and Facebook as well as through blogging, these are different ways of building new contacts and can work well, but I still prefer to then actually speak to the people so I know they are who they say they are. It's important to value contacts once they are made and build relationships with them for the future.

You can find the rest in the current edition of Writing Magazine.

Charitarian: A philanthropy magazine made in China

Photos by Janek Zdarski.

WE are working with an Anglo-Chinese team on Charitarian magazine. So far, we've started work on a blog for this innovative publication that reports on aid for China's most vulnerable groups, as well as including exclusive updates on other aspects of Chinese society.

Janek's photos show migrant children at work and play and are featured in the next issue of the magazine, which is currently being put together.

We can't wait to see the next edition and more of Janek's beautiful images.

Good luck Libby and Deborah - Passionate clients hit the airwaves

TWO Passionate Media clients are all set to be interviewed by BBC Radio.

Libby Sisson of Small Talk will be on Radio Derby to discuss latest reports of how children develop speech, while Deborah Mitchell of Heaven Skincare, is busy preparing for an interview with Radio Shropshire all about how she has helped Dannii Minogue get her smile back, thanks to a bee venom mask.

We're delighted that both ladies are again in the spotlight and wish them lots of luck.   

How we've used Twitter for business - Birmingham Post feature

THINK social media is a waste of time?

Think again.

A number of West Midlands companies are featured in the Birmingham Post today, discussing how they have mastered Twitter as a brilliant business tool - and we're one of them.

Linda wrote more about how we've been able to use social media to diversify and survive here.

Given the choice wouldn't you rather find out how you can use such developments to boost your bottom line as opposed to sitting around moaning about it?

Do let us know if you'd like to find out more, we can work with your team on how you can maximise the use of social media for your business.

Don't forget you can follow Linda on Twitter here and Carol here.

Neil's 'Someone once told me': 'You are allowed to relax you know'

YOU'LL always find him in the kitchen at parties...

This is our new media director, Neil Aitchison, during our recent Someone once told me session.

And what an important message it is too!

Check out Carol's SOTM video here - dubbed one of creator Mario's favourites ever.

And then there was Linda, doing her best again to raise awareness about mental illness. She's not keen on the picture but the audio is powerful.

Various Passionate Media clients and contacts were also captured in pictures, video or sound. Watch this space for a fuller gallery as more are posted on the site.

Double the excitement as our twins blog is featured in The Times

By Linda Jones

I'VE been reading about how PRs are engaging with bloggers lately and some of the discussion has either been sparked by or led to mentions of a recent trip I shared with six other so-called UK 'mummybloggers' to Walt Disney World.

The trip was the subject of a feature in The Times by my fellow member of the so-called Disney Seven, Alice Castle.

You can also see this forward thinking post from travel journalist Jeremy Head and this interesting piece by Manchester's Sarah Hartley.

I'm included because of You've Got Your Hands Full, our blog for multiple birth parents, which has gained more than 11,000 returning readers since being launched in 2006.

Susanna, from A Modern Mother, recently shared guidance for PRs wanting to contact this group of bloggers and I have been meaning to add my thoughts on her excellent post for a while. The one point I disagreed on was that I write for other people, not for me.

The Greatest Freelance Writing Tips in the World: Book, blog and training

THE Greatest Freelance Writing Tips in the World, by Passionate Media director Linda Jones, was published in November 2007 and can be bought in bookshops and from Amazon here.

See a selection of reviews, plus feedback from readers, here.

Listen to a podcast about The Greatest Freelance Writing Tips in the World. A blog was set up to help publicise the book.

There's a round-up of around 20 posts with advice for writers here.

We also run training sessions for freelance journalists wanting to make more money. The following is feedback gained from a London session:

Great course. Up and at 'em now! Anne Marie Flanagan

Time to change: Helping people who've suffered mental distress tell their story

HAVE you seen the Time to Change TV ad yet?

Linda is working with the press adviser for Mental Health Media in the Midlands to help people share their story of how they have been affected by mental illness.

She's in good company as Stephen Fry and Ruby Wax are also speaking out to help end the stigma.

One in four people in the UK are said to have suffered from a mental illness, with depression being up there as the most common.

It's a privilege to be involved in such a campaign and we look forward to helping make a difference, however small.

Quick coverage update - where are our PR clients being featured?

WE were delighted to see a double page spread in last night's Express & Star about Compton Hospice. There was also a piece in The Guardian yesterday reporting on how Musical Minis is helping teachers "spend more time with the children."

Staff at the Haven have been interviewed by local radio, as well as featuring in local papers and news about ETR's jobs boost has also made the pages of the local newspapers. Thanks to Carol's and Helen's hard work, it was also great to see Acutec featured in a large piece in the Birmingham Post.

Following an appearance in the News of the World, a personal finance victory by Anne Skidmore has also been written about in the local media.

Little Blue Dog, who have previously featured in Practical Parenting and Pregnancy, Baby and You have been chosen to be highlighted in The Green Parent, while Linda's book, Divorce and Separation, The Essential Guide, has sparked interviews with Radio WM and Dublin's Country Mix, among others.

TV-wise, in recent weeks we have been pleased to see Compton fundraiser Glyn Marston interviewed by BBC Oxford.

There has been on-going local coverage for Colin Lee Opticians, Cafe Rickshaw and Rodbaston College.

And we have everything crossed for an upcoming piece in a quality daily newspaper about the merits of organic meat after the journalist let us know Clare Barry's produce was "phenomenal."

We'll update on coverage gained for clients as often as we can now, so watch this space for more news of Passionate Media clients making a media splash.