• Media on the Move: Week of November 18th, 2019

    Media on the Move: Week of November 18th, 2019

    Job security is at the forefront of the media landscape this month, with Q4 bringing industry-wide cuts to staff, programming and business structure. 

    In November, we saw Hearst Media skirt staff request to unionize with the Writers Guild of America, Bustle reduce their lifestyle and entertainment staff, and The Atlantic bolster its digital subscription model with a subscriber-only app.

    A new report shared by the writers’ advocacy organization PEN America depicts the tension of the current state of America’s local media ecosystem. The report “sounds the alarm about the existential threat facing local watchdog journalism and proposes big-picture solutions for its revitalization.” A major catalyst for the shift, it finds, is the overwhelming focus on digital media with platforms like Google and Facebook draining possible ad revenue away from the news outlets responsible for producing the content these platforms depend on. With only a small minority of Americans actually paying for local news, it’s time to rethink the role of local news — and beyond — in information-gathering systems nationwide.

     

    Fast Company

    Kristin Toussaint, formerly a freelancer, has taken on the position of Assistant Editor for the Impact section at Fast Company.

    Bustle

    The publication made significant cuts to their lifestyle and entertainment staff as well as freelancers in preparation for company restructuring and a site “relaunch” in 2020.

    The Atlantic

    The Atlantic came out with a new, subscriber-only version of its app, which is free to download but brings up a paywall to view stories.

    Huffington Post

    Despite reports that Verizon Media had been seeking buyers to sell off HuffPost, Verizon Media CEO, Guru Gowrappan, announced the media group is not selling the journalism powerhouse.

    Boston Herald

    All podcasts at the Boston Herald, including On the Mend, have been cancelled.

    Xconomy

    Jeff Engel left Xconomy in October after six years with the publication.

    Chief Executive Magazine

    Gabe Perna left Chief Executive Magazine and took an in-house content role at Health Evolution.

    To get the latest media moves sent directly to your inbox, subscribe below!

    Georgina Rupp

  • Out of Office with Senior Copywriter, Rory Nolan

    Out of Office with Senior Copywriter, Rory Nolan

    When he’s not writing copy for various clients, Rory Thomas Nolan spends his time going back in time — as a Revolutionary War reenactor. Rory is the senior copywriter at Matter and has been at the company for over a year. Take a look inside the world of Revolutionary War living history in this installment of Matter Out of Office.

    Q: Tell us about what you do at Matter: 

    A: I’m the senior copywriter for our digital and marketing teams, which means I write for a wide range of creative assets — from websites and emails to conference displays, videos and more.

    Q: What are your passions outside of work?

    A: I try to spend as much time outdoors as possible. Whether it’s hiking New England or traveling out West to explore our National Parks, I’ve always felt most at home in the woods. I also enjoy canoeing/kayaking and ripping around town on my bike. 

    Lately, between sewing projects, I’ve been tinkering with my antique moped. It’s the bane of my existence, but I love it so. 

    Q: What about reenacting excites you? 

    A: I’d say the best part about reenacting is the people. You get to meet all these wonderful, supportive folks from all walks of life — it really opens you up to a diverse array of people you’d never have met if not for the hobby. Everyone’s so eager to share their knowledge and help you grow as a reenactor, which has really helped me learn and evolve so much in the decade I’ve been doing this. Also, I’ve always enjoyed sewing since my halcyon punk rock days. So I get to do that a lot now. 

    Q: How often do you do reenactments? 

    A: I do about one event a month, except in the winter. And I’m traveling to events from New Hampshire and Vermont down to Maryland and Delaware. But if I wanted to, I could do a living history event every weekend. There’s so much going on in the community, you can really do as much or as little as you’d like. But sometimes, it’s nice to hang around town for a weekend. 

    Q: Did you picture yourself doing this as a hobby? 

    A: Honestly, it wasn’t until I participated in my first battle reenactment that I’d ever even considered doing living history and reenacting. But I’ve always had a knack for history, costuming and making my own clothes, so I suppose it was only a matter of time. 

    Q: What does a typical reenactment consist of? 

    A: Most of the largest reenactments are battles — though there are plenty that focus on civilian life and non-combat aspects of the period. But for the battles, the American forces are in one camp, and the British have their own. Throughout the first half of the day, everyone’s busy drilling, mending clothes, cooking, eating, etc. Then, in the early afternoon, we hold the large tactical battle reenactment. Depending on whether it’s a recreation of a real event or a mock battle at a historic site, we either follow a guided timeline of the real battle, or test each other’s tactical abilities to see who will win the day. Afterwards, everyone heads back to camp, cleans their kit, runs guard duty, and preps for dinner. After dinner, we get together to socialize, which often involves music, dancing and…. erm…. merriment. 

    Q: What has been your favorite reenactment experiences? 

    A: That’s a tough call, because most every event has something truly special to love about it. But many of the most memorable events have been run by friends — including stand-out events this year in Rhode Island and New York. Not only did I get to spend wonderful time with some of my favorite people, but each event left me feeling very excited and lucky to be a part of this community. 

    Normally, I do British impression, but the event at Stony Point, NY, was my first time participating as an American. And that crew was so wonderful and helpful, I rode home with a big smile afterwards. 

    Also, shout out to Fort Ticonderoga, which is just a spectacular site with some great people putting on wonderful events. And Hubbardton, Vermont, which is easily the most beautiful site in all of Rev War reenacting. All you can see are the Green Mountains — not a house in view. It really helps carry you to that time and place.

    Matter

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  • 2020 Vision: Ushering In A New Decade in Cybersecurity

    2020 Vision: Ushering In A New Decade in Cybersecurity

    Mid-November marks the unofficial start of “Predictions Season.” In the tech sector, projections, prognostications and predictions were once the domain of the largest and most prominent industry analysts, like Forrester and Gartner. Now, analysts, market research firms, industry insiders, bloggers and vendors of all sizes are all eager to provide their points of view on what lies ahead for the year.

    So, here’s our take on some of the major cybersecurity industry trends to expect in 2020 – with a focus on the human aspects of this dynamic industry. And it just so happens that the theme of RSA Conference 2020, now just over three months away, is “The Human Element.”

     

    The Cyber Skills Shortage Chasm Widens

    The national unemployment rate in tech is about 1.4 percent, and in cybersecurity, it’s zero. Yes, you read that correctly – zero, due the deepening cyber talent deficit. A year ago, the New York Times reported a stunning statistic: Cybersecurity Ventures predicted that there will be 3.5 million unfilled cybersecurity jobs globally by 2021. If that number isn’t staggering enough, consider this: (ISC)2 notes that the amount of additional trained staff needed to close the cyber skills gap is 4.07 million professionals, necessitating a cybersecurity workforce increase of 145 percent globally. These are obviously huge numbers.

    Look for things to get worse before they get better in 2020. As growing cyber tech companies continue to staff up and demand for their solutions and services soar, veteran cybersecurity workers will retire, suffer from burn out, or — per this recent Ponemon Institute survey — change careers.

     

    Alternate Talent Development Paths Emerge

    With our nation’s colleges and universities unable to effectively plug this talent gap, companies will have no choice but to embrace new strategies and programs for cyber talent development. Tech firms – such as IBM, Microsoft, Amazon and others – will create or expand cyber and IT apprenticeship programs to entice high school graduates, veterans or professionals from other industries to enter the field. These programs will also seek to fast track new employees while attempting to ensure they have appropriate skills.

     

    Impactful Cyber Workforce Development Legislation Passes – Finally!

    Earlier this month, the Harvesting American Cybersecurity Knowledge through Education Act (HACKED), was introduced. With support from both parties, it is quite conceivable that this legislation will pass in 2020. This will enhance existing science education and cybersecurity programs in NIST, NSF, NASA and DoT, and incentivize the recruitment of educators while creating clearer paths to aspiring cybersecurity professionals. As is often the case with new legislation, the burning question is what impact will it have in the coming year?

     

    Cybersecurity Training and Learning Becomes The Hot New Employee Benefit

    Innovative, new, improved training programs will become more pervasive as employers grapple with the aforementioned talent shortfall, and their employees will look to become more valuable, marketable (read: better paid) and prepared for new, more challenging jobs in tech and cyber. A few examples are the “Certified Ethical Hacker” certification programs from organizations like EC-Council  and Carousel Industries, and schools, including Miami Dade College. These comprehensive trainings in Ethical Hacking and Auditing help employees and prospective employees/students increase their knowledge, skillsets and proficiency in addressing modern security threats.

     

    2020 Will Be “The Year of the MSSP”

    Managed Security Services Providers (MSSPs) augment or solely provide the outsourced management and monitoring of security devices and systems. They offer a flexible model for the delivery of these services, helping enterprises which lack the in-house resources to protect themselves against increasingly bold and sophisticated cybercriminals. The term “MSSP” does not always roll of the tongue, nor will it ever reach mainstream awareness as other four-letter acronyms or names, such as ESPN or AARP. However, 2020 will bring a broader and more acute understanding of – and appreciation for – the increasingly important role MSSPs play in helping address the cyber talent deficit.

    In this sector – expected to reach $47 billion in the next four years – five trends will come to fruition:

    • The big will get much bigger (Accenture, CenturyLink, DXC Technology, IBM) as enterprise customers pursue a flight to safety and scale.
    • MSSPs of all sizes will have a bigger bullseye on their back, with cyber attackers increasingly targeting the treasure trove of personal information they are tasked with protecting for large groups of customers.
    • Firms not traditionally well known in cyber, like AT&T and Comcast, will continue to acquire smaller security innovators and further fortify their service offerings.
    • One of the larger “pure play” MSSPs, such as Optiv, will complete a successful IPO in 2020.

     

    That’s how we see 2020 shaping up. What trends or developments are you predicting? Let me know. 

    Tim Hurley

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  • Matter Communications Named a 2019 Top Place to Work by The Boston Globe

    Integrated PR Agency Recognized for Award-Winning Culture, Benefits and Values.

    BOSTON – November 18, 2019 – Matter Communications — a Brand Elevation Agency specializing in PR, social media, creative services and digital marketing — has been named one of the Top Places to Work in Massachusetts in the 12th annual employee-based survey project from The Boston Globe.

    Top Places to Work recognizes the state’s leading workplaces, voted on by the people who know them best — their employees. The survey measures employee opinions about their company’s direction, execution, connection, management, work, pay and benefits, and engagement across organizations of all sizes. Organizations are placed into one of four groups: small (50 to 99 employees), medium (100 to 249 workers), large, (250 to 999) and largest (over 1,000).

    “This is the fourth time Matter has been honored by The Boston Globe, and our 10th overall ‘best place to work’ win,” said Matter founder and CEO, Scott Signore. “There’s a lot of credit to be shared amongst our teams in every office for creating such a collaborative, fun, meaningful culture — one that really sets Matter apart.”

    Since Matter’s inception, it has embraced the core values of integrity, inclusion, innovation and responsibility. From communicating honestly and openly, to creating a diverse, supportive work environment, Matter delivers success in its work and supports its surrounding communities. Employees are encouraged to volunteer regularly through a robust agency-wide “Helping Hands” initiative, and take part in a range of fitness and wellness activities. Matter’s highly collaborative team environment enables individuals to grow and succeed through in-depth training programs, mentoring and internal award programs. Matter ensures employees have the resources and support to deliver high-quality work in a positive environment.

    “The companies that make our list are more than just decent employers,” said Katie Johnston, the Globe’s Top Places to Work editor. “They make work fun, and they make their people feel cared for. Some of them even help employees realize dreams that go beyond their assigned role at the company.”

    The Top Places to Work rankings are based on confidential survey information from nearly 66,000 individuals at 323 Massachusetts organizations, collected by Energage (formerly WorkplaceDynamics), an independent company specializing in employee engagement and retention. From offering progressive benefits to empowering employees to help drive the company’s direction, each winner excelled at making workers feel integral to the company’s success — all while creating a fun, supportive work environment.

     

    About Matter Communications

    Matter is a Brand Elevation Agency, unifying public relations, social media, creative services, and search and digital marketing into strategic, content-rich communications campaigns that inspire action and build value. Founded in 2003, with six offices spanning North America, Matter works with the world’s most innovative companies across healthcare, high-technology, consumer technology and consumer markets. For more information, please visit: https://www.matternow.com.

     

    About Boston Globe Media Partners LLC 

    Boston Globe Media Partners, LLC provides news and information, entertainment, opinion and analysis through its multimedia properties. BGMP includes The Boston Globe, Globe.com, Boston.com, STAT and Globe Direct.

     

    Contact

    Matter

    Sara Pudvelis, 978-518-4535

    [email protected]

    www.matternow.com

    Matter

  • Matter Communications Adds UniFocus to Robust B2B Technology Client Roster

    Integrated PR Agency to Help Workforce Optimization Company Achieve Business Goals

    BOSTON – November 14, 2019 – Matter Communications — a Brand Elevation Agency specializing in PR, social media, creative services and digital marketing — has been named the agency of record (AOR) for UniFocus, the industry leader in workforce optimization. Through a specially curated program, featuring media relations, awards, events and content, Matter will help cement UniFocus as the leading authority in the space.

    “We were looking for an agency that would bring new, exciting ideas to the table,” said Chief Marketing Officer of UniFocus, Denise Senter. “Matter’s creativity and proactive efforts on the media front impressed us all around — I couldn’t ask for a better agency partner.”

    UniFocus’ labor management solutions give managers in service industries the tools they need to significantly reduce labor costs while improving service quality. With UniFocus, brands get advanced technology that enables managers to forecast, plan and schedule with precision in a fraction of the time, coupled with expertise and training to help managers expand their skills in labor management and productivity.

    In addition to promoting the company’s solutions, Matter will also leverage speaking opportunities, awards and events to amplify UniFocus CEO, Mark Heymann’s thought leadership. By staying on top of labor trends, laws and regulations news, the team will promote Heymann as a key source for commentary in national business press publications.

    “Our decades of experience in the technology space gives us the insight required to establish UniFocus as a leader in the market,” said Matter President, Mandy Mladenoff. “Our team sprinted out of the gates, capitalizing on our strong relationships with trade and business press contacts to secure high-quality opportunities for UniFocus. I’m excited to watch our partnership thrive as we continue advancing UniFocus’ goals.”

    With more than 180 professionals across offices in Boston and Newburyport, MA, Providence, RI, Pittsburgh, PA, Boulder, CO, and Portland, OR, Matter is one of the fastest-growing public relations, social media, creative and digital marketing firms in the country. Matter has won 12 “Agency of the Year” accolades in the past three years and has been recognized as a best place to work.

    About Matter Communications

    Matter is a Brand Elevation Agency unifying public relations, social media, creative services, and search and digital marketing into strategic, content-rich communications campaigns that inspire action and build value. Founded in 2003, with six offices spanning North America, Matter works with the world’s most innovative companies across healthcare, high-technology, consumer technology and consumer markets. For more information, visit the Matter website.

    About UniFocus

    UniFocus is exclusively dedicated to providing the Hospitality, Service, Retail and Healthcare Industries with the most comprehensive Workforce Management systems and Financial Management tools available. UniFocus’ Resource Management suite of hosted applications provides Budgeting, Revenue, Labor Management and Time & Attendance capabilities. Additionally, UniFocus offers a complete suite of guest and employee perception Survey Solutions, and mystery shopping evaluations. These products are focused on improving both top- and bottom-line performance, as well as the guest experience for the properties of UniFocus’ partners. All of UniFocus’ products and services are currently in use in over 100 countries worldwide. For more information, visit www.UniFocus.com.

    Contact

    Matter

    Sara Pudvelis, 978-518-4535

    [email protected]

    www.matternow.com

    Matter

  • Matter Communications Caps Banner Year in Video with Hatch Award Win

    Client Video Work Clinches 33 Honors in 2019

    BOSTON – November 5, 2019 – With video accounting for more than 85 percent of all internet traffic in the United States, it’s imperative marketers include it in their communications strategy. To best arm brands with content that reaches their target audiences, Matter Communications— a Brand Elevation Agency specializing in PR, social media, creative services and digital marketing — works with companies across industries to create award-winning videos to help outpace competitors. In 2019 alone, the Matter video team won a total of 33 awards for client work, including a recent Gold honor at the prestigious Hatch Awards.

    “I’m incredibly proud of the fantastic recognition our video team received this year,” said Matter’s Executive Producer, Tim Bradley. “Our goal is to show our clients’ stories in a riveting way that captures the imagination, creates dialogue and ultimately drives results. These award-winning projects are an excellent representation of the compelling work we do.”

    With projects ranging from brand anthem videos to motion graphics explainers, the team’s videos won platinum, gold, silver and bronze honors across eight award programs. Top winning projects include:

    • Monotype, This is Helvetica Now
    • CureDuchenne, Braver Together
    • La Brea Bakery, 30th Anniversary
    • MassTLC, Leadership Awards 2018 Kick-off

    Other projects include videos for Cisco, RSM, Serrala, MassTLC, Mama Rosie’s, Threat Stack and Vyasa Cortex. The award programs Matter received accolades from include:

    To see the full list of projects won, click here.

    “This is Helvetica Now is our highest performing video to date. And despite the incredibly tight turn-around we faced, Matter made the process efficient, organized and enjoyable,” said James Fooks-Bale, Senior Director at Monotype. “I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Matter for any company looking to create powerful, memorable videos for their brand.”

    Video content adds value at every stage of a buyer’s journey. Matter’s in-house team, stacked with videographers, producers and animation pros, crafts creative, high-quality content designed to inspire and drive action.

    “Winning the Hatch Awards —on top of being recognized by seven other distinguished award programs — is a fantastic way to close out the year,” said Principal and CEO of Matter, Scott Signore. “The fact that we offer unmatched video and integrated marketing services sets us apart from our competitors, enabling us to create unique programs that position our clients for success.”

    In addition to creating branded content for companies across a variety of industries, Matter’s video team will be on site and offering video packages for upcoming tradeshows and expos, including NRF, CES, RSA, HIMSS and ShopTalk. Whether it’s a booth tour, customer testimonial, executive keynote, or product demo, high-quality video production is required to both promote and preserve it.

    With more than 180 professionals across offices in Boston and Newburyport, MA, Providence, RI, Pittsburgh, PA, Boulder, CO, and Portland, OR, Matter is one of the fastest-growing public relations, social media, creative and digital marketing firms in the country. Matter has won 12 “Agency of the Year” accolades in the past three years and has been recognized as a best place to work.

     

    About Matter Communications

    Matter is a Brand Elevation Agency, unifying public relations, social media, creative services, and search and digital marketing into strategic, content-rich communications campaigns that inspire action and build value. Founded in 2003, with six offices spanning North America, Matter works with the world’s most innovative companies across healthcare, high-technology, consumer technology and consumer markets. For more information, visit the Matter website,

     

    Contact

    Matter
    Sara Pudvelis, 978-518-4535
    [email protected]
    www.matternow.com

    Matter