Shorter Attention Spans Demand Shorter Sound bites
Posted By susanharrow on June 27, 2006
The late ABC Anchor Peter Jennings noted, “I find writing the evening news sometimes very challenging because I realize that what we’re trying to give folks in the evening is black and white when so often I want to give them gray.” That same frustration is only exacerbated these days for media and communicators alike. Bottom line: There is a place for nuance. It’s just a small place.
Attention spans have shrunk to the size of a Nike Swoosh. But one reason why the conservative right is so successful is that they give audiences one side and one side only. It’s simplistic, but it’s clear. While I’m not advocating simplifying issues devoid of nuance, what I am suggesting is that to help your CEO learn the game that gets ink, you must help him or her develop a million-dollar tongue. A large part of that involves delivering concise sound bites the media will use.
Read the rest of this piece about creating sound bites in the Bulldog Reporter.
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