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Previous: Online Avertising Hits New Highs Are you having trouble getting publicity for your business? Are you an expert or an entrepreneur with a good story to tell, but no reporters want to listen? Do you wonder why your competitors get coverage and you don't? If you're 50 years of age or older, the answer is that some media think you're too old to cover. In their eyes, you're over the hill and of no interest to their readers. What most readers of popular media don't know is that editors are often quite specific in describing what type of person they want their reporters and freelancers to interview. And, it's not unusual for the specifications to include an age range for interviewees. Rightly or wrongly the editors probably assume that's the age group of their audience -- or the age group the publication's advertisors want to reach. And, they probably assume that anyone viewing the publication only wants to see and read about people in their own age bracket. As a result, writers who have to find interview subjects for articles put out requests like these: "I'm looking for entrepreneurs under age 40; I can't interview any who are 50 or over." And perhaps the unkindest wrinkle of all: Writers looking for interview subjects for articles for More magazine, which bills itself as the "magazine that celebrates women 40+" often list 59 as the age cap for interview subjects. Does More magazine (or their writers) think women aren't worth "celebrating" once they turn 60? Like any business, the media needs to focus on their markets. But I can't help thinking that some media need to take a closer look at who their audience is and how old they really are now - and will be a few years down the road. Posted on March 8, 2007 at 11:58 PM | Comments (8)Comments The under-representation of older boomers and those just a few years ahead of them is even more significant when you look at just how many people are in those age groups. For instance, by 2012 (which is just five years away) 19% of the workers in the US will be 55 years of age or older. That’s one fifth of the workforce. Right now, people 50 and over spend $1.7 trillion on goods an services. Is this really a market the media wants to alienate? There are many voices working to gain more awareness or midlife and older strengths and needs - not only in the media ,but also in the workforce. In fact, I’ve spent this week at the Joint Conference of the American Society on Perhaps someday the media will realize what I’m sure the conference hotels and those in the area that got spillover guests realize - that there’s a lot of gold lining the pockets or pocketbooks of people over 50. Posted by: Janet on March 9, 2007 at 12:24 AM I had to take early retirement six months before social security kicked in and gave trying to find a job a real shot while I collected a couple of months of unemployment. I already knew there was an age discrimination wall but I didn’t fully realize how solid it was until I butted my head against it for six months. I now make extra income on the Internet. What I love about the Internet is no one cares what your age is as long as your content is solid. Long live the Internet! Posted by: Jerrold on March 9, 2007 at 1:05 AM Yes, it’s disgusting! I belong to one writer’s group in which members interview each other all the time. There are always age limits (from the editors, of course) listed. I respond, then refuse to give my age. Almost every magazine listing age groups stops with the 60’s. I tell them all off. Posted by: Joyce Megginson Kircher on March 15, 2007 at 12:53 PM There is an upside to discrimination that many people may not consider. Whether it is ageism, racism, sexism or any other “ism,” all forms of rejection provide those in the rejected group clear motivation to ban together in order to establish their own opportunities. Pooling their efforts, finances and skills to show the world that they are to be respected and reckoned with as valuable citizens is the quickest way to overcome any type of discrimination. Unfortunately, most folk still prefer to accept the status quo “as is” and merely complain about how they are being overlooked. Bottom line: Those of us who constantly face some type of discrimination need to learn how to use it to our advantage. It’s just natures way of telling us we are not following the path we are supposed to be journeying on. Posted by: Ollie Mears on March 15, 2007 at 1:56 PM I think I’ll just stop learning, career coaching, writing articles, giving teleclasses because I’M OLD! Who cares about this kind of discrimination? You do, of course, but it only takes one “medium” to recognize and honor you. Give it a shot anyway! Posted by: marilyn j. tellez on March 17, 2007 at 8:59 PM I think you’re missing the point here. It’s not that an entrepreneur can’t get any publicity if they’re over 50 or 60. They can. I know lots of people (including me) who do get quite a bit of publicity. The point, though, is that age discrimination by the media does exist. And, like any kind of discrimination, we should care about it. Posted by: Janet on March 17, 2007 at 11:25 PM I am very glad to see this subject addressed here. For reasons I won’t go into I was not able to get a college education when I was younger. With the support of my husband I started college at 48, stayed on the dean’s list, and graduated with high honors at 50. I was thrilled and ready to take on the public relations world, but every interview was the same process. Send your res & samples. We love your work! Phone interview. We love your attitude, resourcefulness and skill set. Let’s meet. Long stare of shock. “Am I in the right place?” Reply, er..you’re not what we expected. Translation: over 22, no tattoos or facial piercings, I did not liberally misuse the words ‘awesome’ and ‘like’ in all my utterances. How did I make it past the Ice Age and into their offices! Posted by: Jenn Perry on April 10, 2007 at 9:29 AM |
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Copyright 1999-2012 by Attard Communications, Inc. and by the individual authors. |
Ageism, Media, and Publicity
Wow, I didn’t know this was the case. But if I think about it, despite baby boomers being such a huge part of the population, they’re definitely underrepresented.
All in all, you’d think age lends gravitas — the “voice of experience” — but it does seem the only time someone over 50 ends up in the news is if they’re too important to ignore (Sumner Redstone, the Pope), they’re part of a story about baby boomers, or they’re a victim of some newsworthy event.
Hmmm… never really thought about it before. This is going to make me look at the news differently for the next couple of days.
Posted by: Greg on March 8, 2007 at 9:00 PM