Following is a Q&A with Rochelle Broder-Singer, editor, SouthFloridaCEO magazine:
By Greg Shemitz
Q: What’s your background as a journalist? What are your responsibilities at SouthFloridaCEO magazine?
A: I have a degree in mass media/print journalism, and have had careers in journalism, technical writing and public relations. I’ve been with this magazine for nearly eight years. I joined as the research director for what was then called Miami Business magazine. With the same publisher, I also helped start LatinCEO magazine. I eventually became managing editor of both publications. Ultimately, we closed LatinCEO and changed the title of Miami Business to SouthFloridaCEO.
Currently, I am responsible for all aspects of editorial planning and execution for the magazine, including the creative department. I also work closely with the circulation and marketing departments.
Q: What types of stories are most likely to pique your interest? What kind of material should public relations people be on the lookout for?
A: The bulk of our magazine covers businesses in South Florida (sometimes known as southeast Florida) — the tri-county area that includes the Palm Beaches, greater Fort Lauderdale and greater Miami. I look for great business news hooks about companies whose annual revenues are $10 million and up. If a company headquartered in South Florida just started a new line of business, or has a new CEO that is taking it in a new direction, just purchased another firm, has seen a 20 percent (or higher) jump in revenues from year to year, or has swung from losing money to making a profit, I want to know about it. But, the CEO must be prepared to do an interview, and to talk about numbers — maybe not profit, but at least about revenue.
Q: What recent projects have given you the most satisfaction or are most reflective of your work?
A: I always direct people to our Web site, but visually you can’t get the sense of a glossy monthly magazine from the site. This month’s cover story (www.southfloridaceo.com/article491.html) is indicative of what we do: it’s a major news hook impacting the revenue and direction of a major company in South Florida. The story has made international news, but the subjects haven’t talked in depth to other media yet.
Q: What industry publications, Web sites and services do you refer to?
A: Hoovers.com, finance.yahoo.com and Web sites for local publications. I also subscribe to a tailored PR Newswire feed.
Q: What do you like/dislike about dealing with PR people? Any tips you’d like to give them?
A: When someone can set a reporter up with a source quickly, provide good background so the reporter sounds smart on the interview, and prepare his or her client for the kinds of questions they should expect to answer, it makes our jobs easier. But when a PR person pitches a story he or she cannot deliver (for instance, no one mentioned to the CEO that she would have to do an interview, or that he would have to talk about sales), it makes us see red. Other dislikes include calling to make sure I received an e-mail, leaving me a voice mail message asking me to call you back but not saying why, expecting a reply to every pitch (I’m sorry, but I get 500 non-spam e-mails a day; I can’t even come close to responding to all of them), and — the worst offense — personally pitching me a story that clearly indicates you’ve never even bothered to surf to the Web site.
Q: How and when do you prefer to be contacted?
A: E-mail, e-mail, e-mail. But I can’t respond to every e-mail (see above).
Q: What’s the best way to send news releases to you? Mail, e-mail or fax?
A: Please send an e-mail. Don’t worry — if I’m not the person it should go to, I’ll get it to the right person.
Q: Do you accept photos/graphics/artwork? If so, how do you want to receive them? Any specific formatting requirements?
A: Please include photos, especially of key players, in high-resolution jpeg format (300 dpi at a minimum of 4×6″ size).
Rochelle Broder-Singer
Editor
SouthFloridaCEO magazine
200 SE 1st Street, Suite 601
Miami, FL 33131
E-mail: rbroder-singer@southfloridaceo.com
Phone: (305) 379-1118, ext. 233
Fax: (305) 379-5039
Web site: www.southfloridaceo.com