OVERVIEW

Community Advertisement is critical for Local Community Businesses and Nonprofit Organizations, but if you don’t know what to advertise or who to advertise with, you are wasting money and time. Join many community-based media and marketing professionals to find out the most beneficial ways to advertise!

 

OBJECTIVES

• Developing Communication Plans to Reach your Target Audience Through Affordable and Free Channels
• How to use Community-Based Media/Marketing Businesses to Leverage your Nonprofit
• Live Interviewing on TV, 3 Different Types of Interviewing, Promoting Events in Community, Event Marketing, Interesting Stories and Interviews when Something Bad Happens
• Creating Promoting Videos with Local Philanthropy Nonprofit Organizations
• Press Release Process and Content, What On and Off the Record Means and Relevant Reporter Information
• Zoom Interviews: How do you Frame Yourself – Lighting, Microphones, Etc.
• Writing Press Releases and How to Get Your Information Out
• Radio Interviewing and the Importance of Having the Same Message

 

AGENDA

8:45AM – 9:00AM

• Welcome: Opening Comments from United Way of NNY

9:00AM – 9:30AM

Alexa Bennett, VP, Marketing and Digital Engagement, Northern Credit Union – Keynote Speaker

• Developing Communications Plans to Reach Your Target Audiences Through Affordable and Free Channels

9:30AM – 10:05AM

Joleene DesRosiers, WPBS Weekly: Inside the Stories, Senior Producer

• How to use WPBS to Leverage Your Non-Profit

10:05AM – 10:15AM – Break

10:15AM – 10:45AM

Jeff Nelson, News Director, WWNY/WNYF/MeTV

• Live Interviewing on Television, Three Different Types of Interviewing, Promoting Events in Community (Event Marketing), Interesting Stories and Interviews when something bad happens.
• Zoom Interviews: How do you frame yourself? Lighting and Microphones, Etc.

10:45AM – 11:15AM

Alex Hazard, Local Lifestyle Host on North Country Television Affiliate, ABC50

• Creating promoting videos with local philanthropy based and nonprofit organizations
• Make sure you love what you do!

11:15AM – 12:00PM

Alec Johnson, CEO, Watertown Daily Times

Chris Brock, Reporter – Watertown Daily Times

• Press Release Process and Content, What On and Off the Record Means and Relevant Reporter Information.

12:00PM – 12:15PM – LUNCH & BREAK

12:15PM-1:30PM – Media & Marketing Panel

Moderator: Timothy Sweeney, Vice President – Intrepid Broadcasting, Inc. (WBLH), TUNES 92.5 & 104.5 FM & President – Sweeney Productions

Panelist: Jeff Cole, WWNY-TV

Panelist: Mark Gaines, General Manager, NBC Watertown

Panelist: Leslie Distefano, Marketing and Development, Samaritan Medical Center

Panelist: Melissa Tousley, TUNES 92.5

Panelist: Alex Hazard, Local Lifestyle Host on North Country Television Affiliate, ABC50

Panelist: Olivia Grant, President, Olivia Grant Creative, Inc.

1:30PM-3:00PM – Breakout Sessions

Mock Interviews (30 Minutes)

• Mackenzie Piatt, 7News Morning/ Noon News Anchor & Producer, WWNY, WNYF, MeTV
• Alex Hazard, Local Lifestyle Host on North Country Television Affiliate, ABC50

Writing Press Release & How To Get Your Information Out (30 Minutes)

• Alec Johnson, CEO, Watertown Daily Times / NNY360
• Chris Brock, Features Writer, Watertown Daily Times

Radio Interviewing – the importance of having the same message (30 Minutes)

• Tim Sweeney, Vice President – Intrepid Broadcasting, Inc. (WBLH), TUNES 92.5 & 104.5 FM & President – Sweeney Productions
• Melissa Tousley, Brand Manager/ Senior Account Executive- Intrepid Broadcasting, (WBLH) Tunes 92.5/104.5 FM & Owner/Photographer of Sarissa Melissa Photography

3:00PM – 3:15PM

• Additional Questions & Comments – Closing

 

ABOUT PRESENTERS

Alexa Bennett, VP, Marketing and Digital Engagement, Northern Credit Union – Keynote Speaker

Alexa Bennett is the Vice President of Marketing & Digital Engagement for Northern Credit Union, celebrating her 10-year anniversary this year. Alexa has over 20 years of marketing, public relations, advertising and branding knowledge in a variety of industries including financial, retail, travel, association and non-profits. She has been named one of NNY Business’ 20 Under 40, the New York Credit Union Association’s 2019 Outstanding Professional of the Year and is a graduate of the Greater Watertown-North Country Chamber of Commerce’s Jefferson Leadership Institute. She also currently serves as a board member for the Watertown Urban Mission.

Joleene DesRosiers, WPBS Weekly: Inside the Stories, Senior Producer

Joleene DesRosiers is an award-winning, investigative journalist of twenty years. She is currently a producer and director at WPBS in Watertown, and the senior producer of WPBS Weekly: Inside the Stories, a brand new current affairs program that launched in April at the station. Outside of her work at the PBS affiliate, she is an independent filmmaker and screenwriter. Her years of experience in media, production, and content writing recently earned her “Outstanding Public Affairs Program” by the New York State Broadcasters Association for her work on a WPBS docuseries called More to the Story: COVID Business Diaries.

Jeff Nelson, News Director, WWNY/WNYF/MeTV

Jeff Nelson comes from East Hanover, NJ, but is a product of Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Journalism, with a political science minor. He has been honing his skills at 7News for several years now and has been the recipient of several Syracuse Press Club Awards. He became News Director of WWNY/WNYF/MeTV in August 2020. Jeff’s favorite story with the station so far has been a piece on the New Bremen ice harvest, and invests many hours in feature pieces and court cases. Currently, Jeff is the drummer for Merit, a band based out of Syracuse.

Alex Hazard, Local Lifestyle Host on North Country Television Affiliate, ABC50

Alex Hazard is a local lifestyle host on North Country television affiliate, ABC50. He moved to the area six years ago for what he thought was going to be a short-term gig, fell in love with the area, and stayed. Throughout his time here, he has fully embraced all Northern New York has to offer- mostly through involvement in several local philanthropy based organizations.  A few years ago, he made a short-lived career move within the same company to host a daily live talk show in Pennsylvania- but felt the North Country really was home and moved back shortly thereafter. This time he decided to plant more permanent roots and bought a house where he resides in Clayton. You might see Alex out and about at local establishments, in his articles in local magazines, on social media, or in his specials and segments throughout the day on ABC .

Alec Johnson, CEO, Watertown Daily Times

Alec is a news publisher and the fourth generation of the Johnson family to publish the Watertown Daily Times. He has a background in news reporting and editing and worked for a newspaper in Connecticut for eight years before moving home to the North Country in 2018. Alec leads family business that includes five daily papers and five weekly newspapers and commercial printing in New York State.

Chris Brock, Features writer – Watertown Daily Times

Chris Brock has spent more than 3 decades as a reporter/copy editor in the newspaper business. He’s received many awards for news and feature writing and he’s also an award-winning fiction writer. A native of Waddington, his jobs have been at the Massena Observer, the Oswego Palladium-Times, and currently, the Watertown Daily Times.

Mackenzie Piatt, 7News Morning/ Noon News Anchor & Producer, WWNY, WNYF, MeTV

Makenzie joined the news team in June 2017. She graduated from the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University in May 2017. Makenzie was a reporter and anchor on the daily student-run show, ‘Newswatch’ on WOUB-TV in Athens, Ohio. She also served as president of the Radio Television Digital News Association on Ohio University’s campus. Makenzie was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She spent a summer as the video production intern for the Kraft Heinz company. When she isn’t in the newsroom, Makenzie loves to travel, snow ski and spend time with her family and friends.

Timothy P. Sweeney, Vice President – Intrepid Broadcasting, Inc. (WBLH), TUNES 92.5 & 104.5 FM & President – Sweeney Productions

Tim is a proud, local broadcaster and business owner with a strong commitment to the Northern New York community. With over 15+ years in the media industry, Tim has had the fortune of managing radio station(s) both here in Watertown, NY as well as in State College, Pennsylvania where he began his career studying communications/media studies at Penn State University. Tim and ‘Team TUNES’ are highly dedicated to our local community and have been for the last 12 years since the station launch in AUG of 2009.

Melissa Tousley, Brand Manager/ Senior Account Executive- Intrepid Broadcasting, (WBLH) Tunes 92.5/104.5 FM & Owner/Photographer of Sarissa Melissa Photography

Melissa Tousley is a local business owner, and member of the Tunes Team proudly working with businesses and nonprofits organizations in the North Country.With over 11+ years in the media industry, Melissa has enjoyed helping businesses launch creative marketing campaigns and elevate local brands through her knowledge of social media and advertising. Melissa began her studies in marketing and business at the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC. Melissa has owned her photography business for over 11 years focusing on portraits from headshots, personal branding, families and studio sessions in her studio located in the Masonic Temple.

ABOUT PANELISTS

Timothy P. Sweeney, Vice President – Intrepid Broadcasting, Inc. (WBLH), TUNES 92.5 & 104.5 FM & President – Sweeney Productions

Tim is a proud, local broadcaster and business owner with a strong commitment to the Northern New York community. With over 15+ years in the media industry, Tim has had the fortune of managing radio station(s) both here in Watertown, NY as well as in State College, Pennsylvania where he began his career studying communications/media studies at Penn State University. Tim and ‘Team TUNES’ are highly dedicated to our local community and have been for the last 12 years since the station launch in AUG of 2009.

Jeff Cole, 7News This Evening Anchor, WWNY

After 14 years of waking up the north country as anchor of 7News This Morning, Jeff Cole began anchoring our 6 p.m. evening news on May 1, 2017. A West Carthage native, Jeff chose to return to the North Country to work with the very people he grew up watching on television at a station that has a 60-year, storied-history of on-air excellence and community commitment.  He’s added to WWNY’s journalism merit by being honored with awards from the Associated Press and NYS Broadcasters Association.  And from Jeff’s creation of a Habitat for Humanity project on what was once his family’s business/land, called “Braman’s Block,” to emceeing several fundraisers, you can understand how he feels it’s important to be involved in the community.  Outside of the TV station, Jeff enjoys being outside to go kayaking, hiking, working out and then relaxing by the pool.

Mark Gaines, General Manage, NBC Watertown

Mark is a Copenhagen native with over 20 years of experience in the broadcasting world. He was the General Manager at Stephen’s Media Group for nearly 11 years and transitioned into the same role for NBC Watertown in 2016. Mark was also a Board Member of the Greater Watertown North County Chamber of Commerce for 10 years, and in 2015 was the Chairman of the Board. Since 2018 he has been on the North Country Family Health Board.

Leslie DiStefano, Marketing and Development, Samaritan Medical Center

Leslie DiStefano is the Director of Communication and Public Relations for Samaritan Medical Center and its affiliates.  She is responsible for the oversight of marketing, media relations and communication for the system. Prior to this role, she was the Marketing and Communication Director at Jefferson Community College, the Online Communication Coordinator and Webmaster for Samaritan and Director of Corporate Support for WPBS-TV.  She received her M.B.A. from Clarkson University in 2004 after earning her B.S. in business administration from SUNY Potsdam in 2003.  She moved to the Watertown area in 2005 and has been involved in the local community as a current member of the North Country Family Health Center board, the Race Against Poverty initiative, and the former Watertown Jaycees.  She is married to Christopher and they have two young children, Vincenzo and Maria June.

Melissa Tousley, Brand Manager/ Senior Account Executive- Intrepid Broadcasting, (WBLH) Tunes 92.5/104.5 FM & Owner/Photographer of Sarissa Melissa Photography

Melissa Tousley is a local business owner, and member of the Tunes Team proudly working with businesses and nonprofits organizations in the North Country.With over 11+ years in the media industry, Melissa has enjoyed helping businesses launch creative marketing campaigns and elevate local brands through her knowledge of social media and advertising. Melissa began her studies in marketing and business at the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC. Melissa has owned her photography business for over 11 years focusing on portraits from headshots, personal branding, families and studio sessions in her studio located in the Masonic Temple.

Alex Hazard, Local Lifestyle Host on North Country Television Affiliate, ABC50

Alex Hazard is a local lifestyle host on North Country television affiliate, ABC50. He moved to the area six years ago for what he thought was going to be a short-term gig, fell in love with the area, and stayed. Throughout his time here, he has fully embraced all Northern New York has to offer- mostly through involvement in several local philanthropy based organizations.  A few years ago, he made a short-lived career move within the same company to host a daily live talk show in Pennsylvania- but felt the North Country really was home and moved back shortly thereafter. This time he decided to plant more permanent roots and bought a house where he resides in Clayton. You might see Alex out and about at local establishments, in his articles in local magazines, on social media, or in his specials and segments throughout the day on ABC .

Olivia Grant, President, Olivia Grant Creative, Inc.

Olivia specializes in videography, product photography, and social media content creation. Olivia has worked with various NNY companies as well as national brands like LL Bean and 310 Nutrition. Olivia started her NNY based business with a goal to help businesses craft purposeful and positive narratives through creative content marketing.