Month: March 2019

Celebrities have the power to influence the popularity of social media platforms

In an era where celebrities are idolized and in some cases, worshiped, everything they say or do is taken as law by their fans.

If a celebrity doesn’t like a certain food, neither will their fans. If they buy a certain kind of car and talk about how luxurious it is, chances are their fans will want to buy one of their own, even if they can’t afford it. The same applies to social media use, as celebrities have recently spoken out against one of the most popular social media platforms of the generation: Snapchat.

Rihanna and Kylie Jenner are among the celebrities who have had something to say about the social platforms, with most of the focus being on Snapchat. Rihanna has a legitimate gripe with the company, as it posted a story asking users if they would rather slap Rihanna or punch Chris Brown. Given Rihanna’s domestic violence incident with Brown, her displeasure with the company comes as no surprise.

“Now SNAPCHAT I know you already know you ain’t my fav app out there!” Rihanna said in an Instagram post. “But I’m just trying to figure out what the point was with this mess! I’d love to call it ignorance, but I know you ain’t that dumb!”

With those comments came a decline in Snapchat’s share price. Rihanna used Instagram, arguably Snapchat’s main competitor, to bash the company and urge her fans to delete the app. Jenner did the same by simply stating that she never even opens Snapchat anymore and questioned if anyone else did.

I understand the outrage of Rihanna’s fanbase over the Snapchat post and for those who love the artist, but Jenner simply saying she doesn’t like the app resulting in it being deleted and its stock dropping as a result is ridiculous to me. Personally, I would never be influenced by what some celebrity says about an app. If I like the app, I’m going to use it, whether Kylie Jenner likes it or not.

I side more with Neil Patel. Both apps are great to use and I continue to use them as such. Instagram and Snapchat have different audiences and people use the platforms to tell a different story. The way I see it, my intent is to keep using both Instagram and Snapchat as I have been. No celebrity is going to be able to tell me otherwise.

The Bender Group comes to Seton Hall

Beginning at 5:30 p.m. on March 26, Seton Hall journalism and public relations students will have the opportunity to learn from Hayden Hammerling and possibly Stacy Bender, as The Bender Group comes to campus to speak in Nursing room 105.

The Bender Group is a well-respected PR firm that has been in the industry for nearly 30 years. Bender is the CEO of the group and individually, has been honored with numerous awards and accolades for her work in the field. Bender’s portfolio of clients is an impressive one, as she and the firm have represented a handful of high-profile clients over the years.

The Bender Group is coming to speak at Seton Hall on March 26.

Joining Bender at the forefront of it all is Hammerling, who specializes in the social media aspect of the company. Some of Hammerling’s work on social media including digital marking, where he promotes the company in an effort to attract new clients and grow its brand. In doing so, Hammerling has helped the group reach new heights.

In today’s climate, adaptability is key. The Bender Group started out as a traditional PR firm, but has since evolved into a multi-faceted company Bender and Hammerling have mastered audience engagement, marketing, and promoting their clients, which makes them the ideal group to speak to aspiring journalism and public relations students at Seton Hall.

Instagram and Pintrest: Photojournalist’s best friend, Photographer’s foe

With so much emphasis being placed on print media and the written word, photojournalists often fly under the radar. With the focus being on photography first and words second, photojournalists don’t have many ideal platforms to share their content. However, with the emergence of Instagram and Pinterest in recent years, photojournalists finally have a place where they can shine.

Social media networks such as Twitter and Facebook are comparative to print media. While photos are used on those networks, the written word is the focus of the content. With Instagram and Pinterest, photography is the focus. Ranging from amateurs to veterans of the field, photojournalists employ the use of those two photo-centric networks to make their work stand out. Both networks are also free to use, making them all the more accessible and easy to use.

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Instagram has impacted the photography field and the ability of photojournalists to get their content noticed/Photo via The Verge

While Instagram and Pinterest have proven to be unique, they have also been threatening to a field outside of journalism. For years, professional photographers have been employed to provide print and digital media outlets for their content. With the emergence of photographers on Instagram and Pinterest, professional photographers have kind of fallen by the wayside in terms of their ability to produce unique content and sell it to news organizations. Why pay for a product when similar-quality photos can be found on Instagram and Pinterest for a much lesser price? In some cases, those photos are even free as long as the photographer’s Instagram or Pinterest page is credited.

Instagram and Pinterest have certainly been positive developments, but they have also put professional photographers in jeopardy — especially the freelance ones. Those who are employed for photography companies such as USA TODAY Sports Images are safe and do not have to worry, as their photos are exclusive to that network and will be used by all of the writers in the network. However, freelance photographers now have their backs up against the wall in terms of finding work. Instagram and Pinterest have created an interesting dynamic within the field.

Reuters comes to Seton Hall

Beginning at 5 p.m. on March 5, Seton Hall journalism and public relations students will have the opportunity to learn from Reuters journalists Barbara Goldberg and Gina Cherelus, as the two come to campus to speak in Nursing room 105.

Reuters is an international wire service that has about 200 offices around the world and over 2,000 journalists employed. Both Goldberg and Cherelus come from Reuters’ New York office.

Goldberg began working at Reuters in 2011 and currently serves as a national correspondent for the wire service. Before accepting a position at Reuters, Goldberg worked as a freelance writer and reporter for ABC. She has also been employed by the Associated Press and United Press International. Before getting her start in the industry in the 1980s, Goldberg studied at St. Lawrence University in New York.

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Barbara Goldberg and Gina Cherelus of Reuters are coming to Seton Hall on March 5/Photo via Wikipedia

Cherelus, on the other hand, has been working at Reuters since 2016. Relatively new to the industry, she graduated from Florida A&M University with a degree in broadcast journalism.

Both Goldberg and Cherelus will bring a wealth of experience and knowledge. Some questions I will have for them include how they got their start in the journalism industry, how they value social media in their profession, how they have seen the journalism and public relations industries evolve over the years, where the two industries are trending and what are their most memorable experiences from their time working as journalists.