12.24.2006

Top 10 Funniest ProNet Queries by Journalists in 2006 INTERVIEWING


Top 10 Funniest ProNet Queries by Journalists in 2006

INTERVIEWING MR. DOG
Originally uploaded by AMICHAELMURRAY.
If you work in media relations, you may know a little about PRNewswire s ProfNet service. Journalists make 100s of requests everyday looking for experts on everything from dieting to nuclear war.

Lane Buschel and Justin Kazmark of Morris+King public relations firm had a great idea to release this list of interesting, and funny (for the most part), queries from PRNewswire s ProfNet service that were made over the past year.

I can identify with the survey about Barbie (#6).

10 Funniest ProfNet Queries

10. Naked Workouts New York Times (US)
I'm doing a story on nude sports that is, people who exercise in the buff (i.e., in college you see 'naked lacrosse' and such). A strange question, I know, but are there any health or physical benefits to this? No phone calls, please. I'm a freelancer.

9. NON-EXPERT: Lemonade and Kidney Stones First for Women (US)
I'm looking for women (ages 25-50) who drink lemonade to relieve pain associated with their kidney stones. If interested, please e-mail me a summary of your experience and photo as soon as possible. 06:00 PM US /Eastern JUN 08

8. MEDICINE: How To Fight Against Indestructible Head Lice Univision (US)
Lice are becoming indestructible. Scientists believe that 80 percent of the bugs are immune to over-the-counter lotions. They found lice were untroubled by the chemicals permathrin and phenothrin, found in popular bug-busting brands. The experts say the process of natural selection means the insects have developed a resistance to the lotions. The findings will not just leave children, parents and teachers scratching their heads. It will almost certainly start a scramble to discover a lotion to do the job better. How to fight against head lice now? We won't make phone calls or interviews just need experts to tell us by e-mail how to prevent pediculosis and which treatment is effective against head bugs. 01:00 AM US/Eastern JUN 22

7. TODAY/BEHAVIOR: Shrink Star Magazine (US)
I need a shrink to read something a woman wrote and tell me what they think it means.
03:00 PM US /Eastern JUL 20

6. BEHAVIOR: Barbie Mutilated? Exit Weekly (US/NJ)
Ever own a Barbie? Or maybe your sister did. Recent reports have concluded that many children do not regard Barbie as their idol, but rather something to be destroyed or defaced. Have any keen memories of destroying your Barbie or a sibling's? Share. Bonus if you're from New Jersey, our local area. 03:00 PM US /Eastern JAN 04

5. NON-EXPERT: Know a Jerk? Author (US)
Tell me about the biggest jerk you know personally, in 200 words or less, for inclusion in a book proposal about the villains in our lives. Go ahead and vent. Names will be changed. 12:00 PM US /Eastern FEB 21

4. CHARITIES: Equine Charities Horse Illustrated magazine
For Horse Illustrated magazine, I'm writing an article on equine charities throughout the world; what they are about and what issues they are currently tackling. Nov 02, 2006 18:11 PM EST(America/New_York)

3. LIVING: Got Poop? News Journal (US/DE)
What's with all the pooper scoopers? Is this the end of civilization as we know it, or what we've always longed for? A lifestyle reporter with Delaware's largest daily seeks serious and not-so-serious experts to talk about the explosion of personal services, especially the pooper scooper type. No phone calls, please. 06:00 PM US /Eastern JUL 03

2. FEATURES: Plumbers and Paparazzi Photographers Unite First for Women
For an article that is not strange in the slightest, I need to speak with both a plumber or anyone who knows how to unclog a toilet, and a paparazzi photographer or anyone else who spends time trespassing. I'm happy to answer questions about the article and would love to have something set up by the end of the week. Nov 17, 2006 05:00 PM

1. BOOSTER: Ob/Gyn, Tech Guru, Dog Trainer First for Women
I'm working on a story where I'll need an ob/gyn, a tech guru and a dog trainer to comment on very specific situations in their area of expertise (tips on how to tell if a woman is pregnant without asking, how to ensure e-mail gets sent to the right recipient, and how to teach your dog not to jump on others). Deadline is this week. Thank you in advance to those who respond, but only the three who most fit my needs will be contacted. Nov 01, 2006 12:11 PM EST (America/New_York)

Photo by A MICHAEL MURRAY


kamichat@yahoo.com (Kami Huyse, APR)

Save The Net
Jeff Pulver finally lost his temper and is launching a Viral Marketing Contest to Save The Internet. I will follow up this activity and comment on it later. Of course the whole issue is currently very US centric and DC centric, but one should be aware of these issues globally, because sooner or later (I think sooner than later) we will have a similar discussion also here in Europe. I fully support Jeff in this regard, so I simply post here his full blog entry:

Ok, I am officially putting my money where my mouth is. I am initiating a Viral Video "Save the Net" Marketing Contest.

I am fed up with the current wave of soundbites, platitudes, ads and marketing flooding the airwaves that profess to speak for the advancement of the Internet and communications. These ads are influencing the U.S. Congress and governments around the World as they write the rules that will shape the future of the Internet and communications.

But, where is the voice and message of the Internet community -- the Internet innovators, entrepreneurs and enthusiasts -- in this world-changing discussion? We are primarily sitting out the battle, or perhaps comfortably blogging and Monday-morning quarterbacking on the sidelines. Sure, we'll be able to point to our blogs and do a big "I-told-you-so" if the rules ultimately prove to undermine the promise of the Internet. But, we will not be justified in our criticism if we don't at least try to affect a positive result.

Rules have to be written to enable us. If we do not participate in the debate, if we do not transform the messaging, the rules will not be written with our best interests at heart. And, frankly, we will have no one to blame but ourselves. We have to take over the messaging, both within the corridors of power and within the public zeitgeist.

We need soundbites of our own, messaging of our own. We are allegedly the revolutionaries of the Internet and communications. Shouldn't we be the ones revolutionizing the way advocacy is done and communicated in the 21st Century? Shouldn't we be the creative forces verifying that the medium is the message? Who better than us to harness the enabling power of the Internet to bring our message to legislators, to policymakers, to the public? Let's throw away the old rulebook and try to think outside the box to send a message to Congress from the global community of Internet innovators and enthusiasts.

We might not have the lobbying muscle, money, resources, or connections of the entrenched players in the communications debate, but we surely have the individual and collective will and creativity to transform the debate.

Here is my pitch:

We need to harness your individual genius and our collective genius (for isn't it the collective power of the Internet that makes it so remarkable?) to save the Internet, and we are willing to pay and give you eternal glory (or at least glory for as long as the Internet lasts).

Send us short, creative ideas -- videos, flash ads, other Internet-based gimmicks -- that you think might effectively communicate to government that they must write rules to enable us the Internet innovators to transform the Internet and communications experience.

I send out this call to arms to all you next-generation Internet-based Scorseses. I even send it out to all you potential Ed Woods of the Internet. (Who knows where genius will strike?)

The prize and glory goes to whoever comes up with the message (viral video ad or other creative marketing tool) that we use to spread the word and save the Internet. In order to be eligible for the prize (and also to ensure maximum impact during the great policy debate, both in DC and around the globe), entries must be submitted by June 6, 2006. Please refer to the Save the Net Contest Rules to enter.

The contest starts today and will run until June 6, 2006.

Let the battle to save the Internet begin!


Richard