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Milking the media for the sake of history



             In unrelated news, if you have cable (I don't even have a
TV), tonight at 9 The History Channel is showing "Wealth and Power:
Innovators," featuring David Sarnoff, H. Ford, T. Turner, and B. Gates,
and, so I'm told by the producers, much of my interview about DS, as
well as 17 photos and two minutes of video from the DS Library.  It's
also playing Saturday, Aug. 5 at 10, and Sunday, Aug. 6 at 5, and then
forever and ever at odd times of day and in multimedia formats.
    Some points to think about in this experience:
    1. The mass media, whether public or private, are constantly looking
for content to maintain or expand their revenue streams.  Think about
pitching the story or stories in your repository to as wide an audience
as possible.  What's your one-sentence hook?
    2. The media also need experts to discuss the subject.  Feel no
shame in proposing yourself while suggesting others.  I charged only for
my travel, not my time in doing the interview, and welcome others'
comments on whether I should have.
    3. As for the interview itself, there was no preparation--list of
questions--and I requested that those dealing with Sarnoff's personal
life be used carefully or abandoned.  I'm still dealing with the family
in developing the library, and there is little documentation on the
private Sarnoff; the producer told me later that he kept the focus on
innovation.
    4. If you haven't already, work out your pricing for different
customers in terms of usage, formats, geographic rights, and associated
research and reference time, even if you don't post them.  Even if you
agree to terms initially, all media will angle for a discount at the end
because individual producers at billion-dollar corporations have an
interest in coming under budget, even if it's a couple of hundred
dollars from a non-profit.  If you're thinking about making a
concession, take a look at their websites to get a sense of just how
many ways they will profit off your materials.  As it was, I gave no
discount, but priced too low to begin with.
    5. Unless you're plugged into scriptwriters and producers,
we--historians, archivists, curators, and librarians--will always react
to opportunity.  Milk it sensibly, think entrepreneurially, and take a
shot at offering a follow-up.  In my case, I'm hoping we can get Sarnoff
on Biography.
    Best, Alex Magoun
--
Alexander B. Magoun, Ph.D.
Director
David Sarnoff Library
201 Washington Road CN5300
Princeton, NJ 08543-5300

amagoun@sarnoff.com
609-734-2636
fax: 609-734-2339
www.sarnoff.com

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