Changes

'''Medialink Worldwide''' (commonly referred to as '''Medialink''') refers to itself as "a global leader in corporate media communications services," connecting corporate clients with news industry producers. [http://www.medialink.com//_aboutuscorp.htm] Medialink boasts proprietary databases used in audience research, while a partnership with the [[Associated Press]] puts the news releases of Medialink clients on the desks of most United States' television news editors. Medialink claims credit for having pioneered the [[video news release]].

"By leveraging relationships with news organizations, Medialink rapidly alerts and disseminates clients' news to every major newsroom in the United States. Similarly, international distribution relationships enable Medialink to reach virtually any audience, in any country, through any news medium. Each year, Medialink generates tens of thousands of broadcast news airings worldwide reaching billions of viewers, listeners and readers on media as diverse as ''[[CNN]]'', The ''[[New York Times]]'', ''[[ABC]]'', ''Sky News'', ''The'' ''[[Washington Post]]'', ''[[BBC]]'', ''Bloomberg Radio'', ''[[AOL]]'', ''Yahoo!'' and ''China Central Television'', the national television station of the People's Republic of China," Medialink states in its 2003 annual report. [http://ccbn.tenkwizard.com/filing.php?repo=tenk&ipage=2730069&doc=1&total=&attach=ON&TK=MDLK&CK=0000812890&FG=0&CK2=812890&FC=000000&BK=FFFFFF&SC=ON&TC=FFFFFF&TC1=FFFFFF&TC2=FFFFFF&LK=333399&AL=333399&VL=666635]

Medialink makes no pretence that it is neutral when it comes to helping its clients. "Whether a situation calls for expert counsel during a high-profile litigation crisis or an ongoing campaign to introduce a new consumer product or defeat proposed legislation, Medialink is an integral member of the client’s strategy team," Medialink states in its 2003 Annual Report. [http://media.corporate-ir.net/media_files/NSD/MDLK/reports/AR_03.pdf]

"As the media world assesses new ground rules, producer Medialink Worldwide says 'branded journalism' is the best way to advertise in a splintered market," reported the television industry news source ''Broadcasting & Cable''. According to the article, this includes [[video news releases]] stations are paid to run, a practice referred to as "secured placement" or "marketing public relations." Moreover, "secured VNR buys are much more cost-effective than conventional ad buys." An average "secured" VNR costs $15,000 - $25,000 to produce and $10,000 - $50,000 for airtime, as opposed to the cost of an average 30-second TV commercial in 2003 of $372,000 to produce and $5 million - $20 million for airtime. [http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA513090.html?display=Feature&referral=SUPP]

The ''Broadcasting & Cable'' article continued, "Medialink’s latest experiment is another spot that [CEO Larry] Moskowitz calls 'a bona fide newscast'; it’s scheduled to debut soon on national cable networks. Unlike pseudo-newscasts produced in the past by Medialink and its competitors, a new three-minute 'newscast' features legitimate news." During the three-minute newscast-advertisement, "the company’s logo will appear over the shoulder of the show’s news anchor, and its brand will be clearly identified during the segment." Moskowitz said, "It’s back to the future. It’s just like the old John Cameron Swayze newscasts for Camel cigarettes," referring to [[NBC]]'s "[[Camel News Caravan]]" that aired from 1949 to 1956. [http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA513090.html?display=Feature&referral=SUPP] [http://www.metnews.com/articles/reminiscing080102.htm]

In June 2005, Medialink hired "the well-connected [[Public Strategies, Inc.]] as its [[lobbyist]]," reported ''O'Dwyer's PR Daily''. It was the first time Medialink had hired an outside lobbyist.

Medialink retained PSI "to keep an ear to the ground" on discussions and proposals regarding VNR labeling before the U.S. Congress and [[Federal Communications Commission]], according to CEO [[Laurence Moskowitz]]. Heading the Medialink account are PSI's [[John Krueger]] and [[William Moore]]. Moore is the former chief of staff to Rep. [[David Price]], a founding member of the Congressional [[Future of American Media Caucus]] established in April 2005. [http://www.odwyerpr.com/members/0627medialink.htm] (The Managing Director of Public Strategies, Inc., Jeff Eller, is also a member of the U.S. Newswire Advisory Board.) [http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=82939&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=741937&highlight=]

In August 2006, Medialink announced a new partnership with [[ClipSyndicate]], a "next-generation online video advertising and content syndication platform." The press release said the partnerhsip would allow Medialink "to distribute informational video clips produced for corporations and organizations, preceded by video advertising, commonly known as 'pre-roll' or 'in-stream' spots." [http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20060809005625&newsLang=en]

The videos are described as "informational" and "about two minutes in length," indicating they are [[video news releases]] or similar products. The press release says Medialink will "provide source disclosure and contact details for viewers to learn more about the product, service or issue profiled in the clip." It also lists Medialink's current options for distributing "broadcast and broadband content" as being "broadcast and cable television spots, venue-based media, digital cable video-on-demand, and online distribution such as search engine marketing (SEM), podcasts and RSS feeds, and web syndication." [http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20060809005625&newsLang=en]

Part of the art of a [[Satellite Media Tours|satellite media tour]] is not making the 'interview' appear too much like a commercial. The Vice President of media relations at Medialink Worldwide, Lidj Lewis, told ''PR Week''. "TV interviews only last a couple of minutes, so multiple mentions of a product or service will only make your message sound overly commercial and anger the show's producer, which may make it difficult to schedule interviews in the future." [http://www.prweek.com/uk/search/article/519511/gaining+exposure+proper+disclosure/]

Medialink's media relations head, [[Lidj Lewis]], called the deal "an ideal fit for our news and information packages," adding that it "will substantially enhance the content and service offerings of both organizations, and lay the groundwork for future collaborations across all media." Future possibilities include a "co-branded radio series serving the sponsorship base of both companies." [http://www.odwyerpr.com/members/0404medialink.htm] [http://www.prwatch.org/node/3545]

In March 2007, Medialink announced a new project, "[http://www.prnewsonline.com/digitalpr/ The Digital PR Report]," launched jointly with [[PR News]]. A press release described the project as a "one-of-a-kind microsite dedicated to providing PR professionals with communications strategies surrounding Web 2.0, from video-based PR campaigns to leveraging brands within online communities." The release quoted Medialink's senior vice president of corporate communications, [[Mary C. Buhay]], as saying, "As audiences seek more relevance and greater control in their media consumption, Medialink is empowering public relations professionals to appreciate their modern roles as content providers and publishers in a what is rapidly becoming a disintermediated world." [http://www.emediawire.com/releases/2007/3/emw511320.htm]

==Personnel==

Medialink's management is comprised of:

*[[Laurence Moskowitz]] (Commonly referred to as Larry).

*[[Andrew Schmertz]]

*[[J. Graeme McWhirter]], Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Medialink was incorporated in Delaware in 1986 and is listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market (under the symbol MDLK).

==Clients==

"Clients also include virtually every major [[PR firm]] in the United States and the United Kingdom," the company states in its 2003 annual report to the U.S. Securities and Stock Exchange Commission. PR firm clients include [[Burson-Marsteller]], [[Hill & Knowlton]], [[Ketchum]], [[Edelman]] and [[Weber Shandwick Worldwide]]. [http://ccbn.tenkwizard.com/filing.php?repo=tenk&ipage=2730069&doc=1&total=&attach=ON&TK=MDLK&CK=0000812890&FG=0&CK2=812890&FC=000000&BK=FFFFFF&SC=ON&TC=FFFFFF&TC1=FFFFFF&TC2=FFFFFF&LK=333399&AL=333399&VL=666635]

708 Third Avenue <br>

New York, NY 10017<br>

Website: http://www.medialink.com

*[[Medialink Public Affairs]]

*[[Bryan Cave Strategies]]

*[[Video news releases]]

*[http://www.prnewsonline.com/digitalpr/ The Digital PR Report], a joint project of Medialink and PR News.

*"[http://www.odwyerspr.com/members/0317vnr_new_standards_transcript.htm Transcript to VNR Teleconference]", ''O'Dwyers PR Daily'' (sub. req'd.), March 17, 2005. Also available publicly on the Center for Media & Democracy website, [http://www.prwatch.org/node/3374#comment-179 here].

*PR Newswire, "[http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/prnewswire/25626/ PR Newswire Acquires U.S. Newswire; Transaction to benefit government, private sector public information officers]", Media Release, October 2, 2006.

*Press release, "[http://www.emediawire.com/releases/2007/3/emw511320.htm PR News and Medialink Launch Digital PR Report Online]," Medialink and PR News via eMediawire, March 15, 2007.

[[Category:Fake News]]