In the UK we clap the National Health Service employees every Thursday for their selfless work on the frontline to battle against the COVID-19 virus. Well, I’m all for clapping, raising a glass, calling three cheers, whatever to the trade and tech media – worldwide.
Why? Because while the national media – the UK and U.S. have the most ‘in your face’ examples – opted to use constant coverage of the death toll and on who broke lockdown rules as clickbait or a weapon to beat governments, they ignored the general mood of the working public who are desperate to know about progress on vaccines, how countries are getting back to normal, what flights are operating, who has lifted lockdown and whether they will have a business or a job after this.
Not surprising then that an opinion survey in key global economies found their media’s response to the epidemic was judged to be worse than their governments’.
In contrast, it has been a breath of fresh air to see the trade and tech press standing proud and tall. They set out to provide useful content to their readers by helping businesses understand ways to deal with the crisis.
For example, when the U.S. government invoked the Defense Production Act to enable companies to swap to manufacturing kit for the pandemic, they ran articles on the regulations and requirements to help manufacturers make the change. Following the announcement of lockdown and social distancing they ran articles on how to offer remote servicing for customers in a multitude of industries, keeping in touch by video, etc. The list is legion.
When IBA clients, from the beginning of the pandemic set out to offer similar support to customers, IBA stood ready to publicize the help by offering interviews, case studies and ‘how to’ articles to trade and tech journalists and editors across the world. The uptake was fabulous! Thank you from us and thank you from your readers.
Judith Ingleton-Beer is CEO of IBA International.
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