Morningstar to Distribute PR Newswire Content on its Asian Investment Sites
HONG KONG, Jan. 14, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Morningstar Asia, a subsidiary of independent investment research firm Morningstar, Inc., today announced it will distribute press release content from PR Newswire, a global provider of marketing and communications solutions, on Morningstar's investment websites in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, and other Asia-Pacific regions. "We're pleased to augment our investing content with relevant Asian company news provided by PR Newswire to broaden the scope of investment information our users can attain from our websites," said Nick Cheung, chief executive officer for Morningstar Asia. Joshua B. Cohen, vice president, content licensing and distribution for PR Newswire, added, "We are glad to extend our reach within the financial community in Asia through our agreement with Morningstar Asia and the readership of the five investment websites that Morningstar Asia provides." PR Newswire's press release content will be accessible on the home page of Morningstar's Asian investment sites in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, and other Asia-Pacific regions. About Morningstar Asia and Morningstar, Inc. Morningstar Asia is a subsidiary of Morningstar, Inc., a leading provider of independent investment research in North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia. The company offers an extensive line of products and services for individuals, financial advisors, and institutions. Morningstar provides data on more than 385,000 investment offerings, including stocks, mutual funds, and similar vehicles, along with real-time global market data on more than 8 million equities, indexes, futures, options, commodities, and precious metals, in addition to foreign exchange and Treasury markets. Morningstar also offers investment management services through its registered investment advisor subsidiaries and has approximately US$195 billion in assets under advisement and management as of Sept. 30, 2012. The company has operations in 27 countries. About PR Newswire PR Newswire is the premier global provider of multimedia platforms that enable marketers, corporate communicators, sustainability officers, public affairs and investor relations officers to leverage content to engage with all their key audiences. Having pioneered the commercial news distribution industry 58 years ago, PR Newswire today provides end-to-end solutions to produce, optimize and target content -- from rich media to online video to multimedia -- and then distribute content and measure results across traditional, digital, mobile and social channels. Combining the world's largest multi-channel, multi-cultural content distribution and optimization network with comprehensive workflow tools and platforms, PR Newswire enables the world's enterprises to engage opportunity everywhere it exists. PR Newswire serves tens of thousands of clients from offices in the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region, and is a UBM plc company. (C)2013 Morningstar, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Media Contact: Cecilica Chung +852-2973-4655 cecilica.chung@morningstar.com
PR Newswire DC Relocation Notice
Dear Customers, As part of our ongoing efforts to serve you better, PR Newswire is relocating its bilingual overnight Beijing editorial team to Washington DC, starting Jan. 7, 2013. This decision has been made based on numerous factors, and we firmly believe that this move will benefit you 365 days a year. Importantly, even though we’re moving, we remain just as connected to you, as though we had never moved. You can still reach our editors at their usual Beijing number (+86-10-5953-9511) without incurring overseas charges, which will be covered by us. Alternatively, if you are based in the US and would like to contact us directly in DC, we now have a local number that you can dial - +1-201-360-6800 - between 8:00 am and 7:00 pm Eastern Time. Similarly, please continue to send your press releases to cnhubs@prnewswire.com and our bilingual editors will contact you to confirm the details as soon as possible. We are confident that this move will only impact you in a positive manner, and we'll still be working around-the-clock to ensure the very best service possible. We'd also like to take this time to thank you for your continued support, and should you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at: cncs@prnasia.com . Regards Client Services Team PR Newswire
PR industry booms despite tough times
SHANGHAI,Sep 24,2012/South China Morning Post/Deals may be drying up for bankers, but that is proving a boon for their spin doctors in Hong Kong and Shanghai. As a financial journalist, I have been getting more and more invitations to events and pitches to do interviews. When I asked public-relations people the reason for the sudden flurry, they pointed to two factors. Firstly, now that bankers have fewer deals to work on, they have more time to meet the media and promote themselves, aiming to burnish their banks’ corporate images, as well as catch the eye of potential clients. Secondly, clients typically pay PR agencies fees for their services on an annual basis. So, if say the weak market environment is crimping the number of new products a bank can launch this year, then to get its annual money’s worth, it might push its PR agency to come up with other profile-raising “story ideas”. Ninan Chacko, the chief executive for PR Newswire, agreed with the theme of those observations. “Consumers are demanding to know more about the organisations with which they are considering doing business, whether that’s purchasing a widget, donating to a cause or investing in a stock,” Chacko said. “In order to keep consumers informed and to remain top-of-mind with existing ‘buyers’ as well as potential new ones, organisations, even financial institutions, are looking to establish a more robust picture of themselves.” In fact, some bankers know how to play the PR game well. They know that when you are the face of your company in the media, headhunters will see your name in the press, learn about your expertise and, maybe, offer you a job in the future. So, all of this helps explain why PR firms are busy recruiting to serve old and new clients against the tide of weak financial markets that have their banking clients laying off staff. But as a financial journalist, it’s a bit sad to see many PR firms poaching from the media world, which they regard as a natural talent pool. Early this year, London-based Brunswick grabbed Christina Pantin, a regional editor with Reuters, to take up a senior position in its Hong Kong office. More recently, SPRG, one of the largest independent PR firms in Hong Kong, lured Iris Fu, a former chief reporter at the Hong Kong Economic Times, to join its finance team so it can serve more financial industry clients. Even within the PR industry, keen competition is fuelling an already high turnover rate. PR veterans say that globally the annual turnover ratio for a major PR firm is about 30 per cent. This year, however, the rate is above 50 per cent at some firms in Hong Kong. And Shanghai is turning into a real PR battleground. Brunswick opened a Shanghai office late last year and at least one more British PR firm is mulling a move to the mainland’s financial capital. But it’s not all happy days. Firms that relied too heavily on business related to the now moribund initial public offering market are busy repositioning themselves.
PR Newswire Announces Significant Upgrade of China Online and Social Media Monitoring Platform
SHANGHAI, Dec 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- PR Newswire, the premier global provider of corporate communication services, today announced completion of a major upgrade of its new China Online and Social Media Monitoring (CMM) platform. New features in the upgraded CMM include keyword reset and tag-based data screening, providing users with more accurate, timely, detailed and intuitive media monitoring results. Please visit http://cmm.prnasia.com for more information or to sign up for a trial. China Online and Social Media Monitoring CMM users will benefit from four improvements after the upgrade: Keyword building in line with natural context and enhanced accuracy of monitoring. The upgraded keyword system is fully aligned with natural context and includes "AND", "OR" and "NOT" commands, allowing monitoring results to filter out non-relevant content for enhanced accuracy. In addition, with the unique keyword system, only one phrase is needed to get accurate monitoring coverage and results, rather than the previously required four or five more complex phrases. For this reason, CMM far outperforms other monitoring products, which charge based on the number of keywords. New addition of a data center and tag-based fast sorting function, significantly reducing data screening time. As a highlight of this upgrade, the newly added data center interface allows users to perform tag-based sorting based on their own input, finding the information that is truly relevant to their needs through targeting data screening conditions. This tag-based monitoring can significantly reduce the time needed to manage and screen the output, considerably improving the efficiency in handling monitoring results. Detailed sorting of monitoring results based on industries and geographies to better serve a variety of users. PR Newswire has established and maintained a large media database for many years. This upgrade allows for a more detailed and in-depth analysis of the database, making CMM currently the country's only monitoring tool that can segment results according to the type of media, type of industry and region, meeting users' monitoring needs across various industries and geographies. Upgrade of features for both daily and weekly reporting, so that reading results is both more intuitive and more customized. The new version of daily newspaper monitoring focuses more on the practicability and intuitiveness of the results, allowing users to easily and quickly browse the day's major news events. The weekly reports focus more on intuitive presentation of standard analysis indexes, allowing for a higher level of clarity of each week's monitoring results and data fluctuations, so that users can quickly know and grasp changes. Currently, CMM has many large corporate and institutional customers, including Air China, IKEA, Renren, Bureau Veritas China, the United Nations Development Programme and The School of Management, Zhejiang University. CMM has been well received by clients, as it enables media communications and monitoring in a more accurate, convenient and timely manner. "Since CMM was launched in June 2012, we've made some improvements by consistently listening to and analyzing users' needs and market trends," said Yujie Chen, managing director for PR Newswire in China, "The upgraded CMM has increasingly become a monitoring product that truly meets users' needs. The upgrade transforms CMM from a data collector into an insights hunter, in keeping with the media monitoring service trends in a big data environment." He continued, "PR Newswire has been committed to innovation with users' needs in mind and has led the revolution in corporate communications with advanced technology. The upgrade of CMM and the strong market response have enhanced our confidence. PR Newswire will continue to provide higher quality services for companies and institutions with a focus on corporate communications." About PR Newswire PR Newswire (http://en.prnasia.com) is the premier global provider of multimedia platforms that enable marketers, corporate communicators, sustainability officers, public affairs and investor relations officers to leverage content to engage with all their key audiences. Having pioneered the commercial news distribution industry 58 years ago, PR Newswire today provides end-to-end solutions to produce, optimize and target content -- from rich media to online video to multimedia -- and then distribute content and measure results across traditional, digital, mobile and social channels. Combining the world's largest multi-channel, multi-cultural content distribution and optimization network with comprehensive workflow tools and platforms, PR Newswire enables the world's enterprises to engage opportunity everywhere it exists. PR Newswire serves tens of thousands of clients from offices in the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region, and is a UBM plc company. For more information, please contact: Selina Cui Senior Marketing Manager PR Newswire Email: marketing@prnasia.com
OTC Markets Group and PR Newswire Announce Enhanced News Distribution through the OTCIQ.com Portal
NEW YORK, Nov. 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- OTC Markets Group (OTCQX: OTCM), the operator of Open, Transparent and Connected financial marketplaces for 10,000 U.S. and global securities, and PR Newswire, the global leader of innovative marketing, communications and investor relations solutions, today announced a strategic partnership that will provide OTCQX, OTCQB and OTC Pink companies a seamless and cost-effective way to broaden the dissemination of company news and information to investors and mitigate SEC risk. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110719/NY37427LOGO) (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121127/NY19125LOGO) PR Newswire has integrated its news distribution service with OTC Markets Group's OTCIQ.com, an IR and business intelligence portal for OTCQX, OTCQB and OTC Pink companies. This integration enables OTCIQ.com subscribers, including SEC reporting companies, to comply with disclosure requirements by providing convenient access to the tools needed to communicate timely information to analysts, investors and the media. This new premium offering gives OTCIQ.com subscribers the ability to maximize the distribution of their news through PR Newswire's expansive network, including local and national media outlets, websites, online databases and Reg. FD compliant news portals, as well as through the OTC Disclosure & News Service network of broker-dealers, market data providers and financial websites. "The integration of OTCIQ.com with PR Newswire provides OTCQX, OTCQB, and OTC Pink traded companies with an enhanced news distribution service and single point of access to distribute news and information and meet disclosure requirements," said R. Cromwell Coulson, CEO of OTC Markets Group. "This new feature will streamline the communications process for companies and better enable their investors to efficiently analyze, value and trade securities traded on our marketplace. We are always looking for ways to improve the transparency and connectivity of our platform." In December, PR Newswire will further this integration by feeding the press releases of OTCIQ.com subscribers to the OTC Disclosure & News Service. As a result, companies will have the option of using OTCIQ.com or PR Newswire to distribute press releases. OTCQX companies that were previously required to upload their press releases to both interfaces will now also have the option to choose one platform for news distribution. "The seamless integration of our distribution portal within OTCIQ.com helps OTCQX, OTCQB and OTC Pink companies overcome two of their biggest challenges - greater capital markets visibility and simplified shareholder communications workflow," said Liam Power, Senior Vice President at PR Newswire. "OTC Markets Group is keenly aware of its issuers' needs and we're pleased they have embedded PR Newswire as the solution for companies to reach investors, engage with media and continually drive their financial brands." To learn more about the expanded news dissemination service and to see pricing, click here. About OTC Markets Group Inc. OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM) operates Open, Transparent and Connected financial marketplaces for 10,000 U.S. and global securities. Through our OTC Link® ATS, we directly link a diverse network of broker-dealers that provide liquidity and execution services for a wide spectrum of securities. We organize these securities into marketplaces to better inform investors of opportunities and risks - OTCQX® - The Intelligent Marketplace for the Best OTC Companies; OTCQB® - The Venture Marketplace; and OTC Pink® - The Open Marketplace. Our data-driven platform enables investors to easily trade through the broker of their choice at the best possible price and empowers a broad range of companies to improve the quality and availability of information for their investors. To learn more about how we create better informed and more efficient financial marketplaces, visit www.otcmarkets.com. OTC Link ATS is operated by OTC Link LLC, member FINRA/SIPC and SEC registered ATS. Subscribe to the OTCQX RSS Feed About PR Newswire PR Newswire (www.prnewswire.com) is the premier global provider of multimedia platforms that enable marketers, corporate communicators, sustainability officers, public affairs and investor relations officers to leverage content to engage with all their key audiences. Having pioneered the commercial news distribution industry 58 years ago, PR Newswire today provides end-to-end solutions to produce, optimize and target content — from rich media to online video to multimedia — and then distribute content and measure results across traditional, digital, mobile and social channels. Combining the world's largest multi-channel, multi-cultural content distribution and optimization network with comprehensive workflow tools and platforms, PR Newswire enables the world's enterprises to engage opportunity everywhere it exists. PR Newswire serves tens of thousands of clients from offices in the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region, and is a UBM plc company. Media Contact for OTC Markets Group: Saskia Sidenfaden, Director of Corporate Communications, OTC Markets Group Inc., +1 (212) 896-4428, saskia@otcmarkets.com Media Contacts for PR Newswire: Rachel Meranus, VP Marketing & Communications, PR Newswire, +1 (201) 360-6776, Rachel.Meranus@PRNewswire.com Meryl Serouya, Marketing & Communications Associate, PR Newswire, +1 (201) 360-6009, Meryl.Serouya@prnewswire.com SOURCE PR Newswire Association LLC; OTC Markets Group Inc.
UBM plc strengthens its PR Newswire business
UBM plc today announces that PR Newswire has acquired the outstanding 50% share in its Canada Newswire (CNW) business from the PA Group Limited (PA Group) for cash consideration of £30.1m. Following the transaction, UBM will retain its 17% interest in the PA Group. Established in 1960, CNW is the leading newswire provider in Canada, distributing approximately 90,000 wire releases per year. It is also the country’s largest investor relations webcast provider and a leading regulatory filing agent. In 2011 CNW generated revenues of £30.8m. UBM has fully consolidated CNW’s results reflecting its direct and indirect ownership of 58.5%. The acquisition will not directly affect reported consolidated revenue or operating income. The transaction will eliminate the non-controlling interest in CNW profit which in 2011 was £2.3m. Full ownership will enable PR Newswire to implement an aligned commercial, product development and infrastructure strategy across its North American business. Alignment is expected to result in incremental revenues in Canada by providing customers with access to PR Newswire’s full range of product offerings and by enabling the two organisations to work together in accelerating the trend towards higher engagement products. Cost savings from the integration of the businesses and technology platform are expected to be broadly offset by restructuring costs in the balance of 2012 and 2013. The return on this investment is expected to exceed UBM’s cost of capital in 2013 and subsequent years. Ninan Chacko, CEO of PR Newswire, said: “PR Newswire and CNW have enjoyed many years of close collaboration. By bringing the two companies together, we will be able to better serve our customers in Canada and around the world. Customers of both companies will see many benefits, not the least of which will be expanded distribution capabilities, social and mobile integration and growth of our multimedia capabilities. The current management team of CNW will remain in place to drive the integration and capitalise on this revenue opportunity.” David Levin, CEO of UBM plc, said: “We have enjoyed a long and fruitful partnership with the PA Group. I am delighted to accept the PA’s invitation to join its Board of Directors.”
NewsR.in Announces Partnership With PR Newswire India
NewsR.in, the online news portal for India and Indians abroad, has entered into an online partnership with PR Newswire, the global leader in innovative communications and marketing services. The deal will feature newsR.in making PR Newswire's content available to its audience and using PR Newswire's global online reach for its company announcements. "PR Newswire is a global leader in the field of content distribution and engagement and its content will bring significant value to our Indian audience," says Dr. Marc Pinter-Krainer , founder & CEO of newsR.in parent company One News Page Ltd. "As we establish our market presence in India, having such a beneficial partnership in place with a market leading global distribution company will help us to drive our growth." "NewsR.in is an innovative news portal," says PR Newswire India's Group Sales Director, Gautam Paul . "It offers the Indian online audience valuable access to a plethora of information, and we are pleased that PR Newswire's content is included on the site." The newsR.in branded news portal was launched in April 2012 by U.K.-based parent company One News Page Ltd. One News Page was founded in 2008 and services markets in the English, German and Spanish languages across Europe, America, Asia and Australasia. In 2011 it served 14 million users. NewsR.in displays news content and videos from hundreds of trusted media sources, easily searchable in one place. The addition of PR Newswire's content has added yet more depth to the site's news offering. For further information, please visit http://newsr.in About newsR.in newsR.in is a news portal aimed at online users in India as well as Indians abroad. Offering original news coverage and syndicated content including news video clips from over 200 Indian news providers, newsR.in offers comprehensive coverage of Indian news in English language. The newsR.in website is accessible free of charge at http://newsr.in. newsR.in also has a twitter account at http://twitter.com/newsR_IN and a Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/NewsR.in. About One News Page Ltd One News Page Ltd is a British media firm which runs a family of news portal websites across different countries, including newsR.in. About PR Newswire PR Newswire www.prnewswire.co.in is the premier global provider of multimedia platforms that enable marketers, corporate communicators, sustainability officers, public affairs and investor relations officers to leverage content to engage with all their key audiences. Having pioneered the commercial news distribution industry nearly 60 years ago, PR Newswire today provides end-to-end solutions to produce, optimise and target content - from rich media to online video to multimedia - and then distribute content and measure results across traditional, digital, mobile and social channels. Combining the world's largest multi-channel, multi-cultural content distribution and optimisation network with comprehensive workflow tools and platforms, PR Newswire enables the world's enterprises to engage opportunity everywhere it exists. PR Newswire serves over 40,000 clients, distributing 1500+ releases every day from offices in India, the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region, and is a UBM plc company. Media Contacts newsR.in / One News Page Ltd Dr Marc Pinter-Krainer Founder & CEO Email: marc@onenewspage.com Tel: +44(0)1273-730-785 http://www.onenewspage.com/ PR Newswire Garry Durston Marketing Communications Director EMEAI Email: Garry.durston@prnewswire.co.uk Tel: +44(0)207-454-5115 http://www.prnewswire.co.uk
One News Page Ltd Announces Partnership with PR Newswire Europe
Leading global online news portal, One News Page, has entered into an online partnership with PR Newswire, the global leader in innovative communications and marketing services. The deal will feature One News Page making PR Newswire's content available to its global audience and using PR Newswire's global online reach for its company announcements. "PR Newswire is a global leader in the field of content distribution and engagement and its content will bring significant value to our global audience," says One News Page Founder & CEO, Marc Pinter-Krainer . "As we continually expand our market presence, having such a beneficial partnership in place with a market leading global distribution company will help us to drive our growth." "One News Page is a highly valuable global news portal," comments PR Newswire Europe's Product Director, Bill Leask . "The value and expansive reach of One News Page's operations are in keeping with our own global vision." One News Page Ltd was founded in 2008 and services markets in the English, German and Spanish languages across Europe, America, Asia and Australasia. In 2011 it served 14 million users. It displays content from a plethora of sources, easily searchable in one place via its websites. The addition of PR Newswire's content has added yet more depth to One News Page's news offering across its sites. For further information, please visit http://www.onenewspage.com/ About One News Page Ltd One News Page Ltd is a British media firm which runs a family of news portal websites across different countries. The sites feature original news coverage and syndicated news content from major trusted news sources around the world. The One News Page portal provides users with a powerful search engine to locate relevant news coverage easily. Users are referred to the source website directly by clicking on a news headline. Optional free member registration provides access to news archives, live news alerts by email, news book marking, and more. Access to all One News Page sites is free of charge. One News Page Sites: • Global > http://www.onenewspage.com (English Language) • United States > http://www.onenewspage.us (English Language) • United Kingdom > http://www.onenewspage.co.uk (English Language) • Australia > http://www.onenewspage.com.au (English Language) • India > http://newsr.in (English Language) • Deutschland > http://www.newsdeutschland.com (Deutsche Sprache) • Global > http://www.paginanoticias.com (Idioma español) • España > http://www.paginanoticias.es (Idioma español) • México > http://www.paginanoticias.mx (Idioma español) About PR Newswire PR Newswire http://www.prnewswire.co.uk is the premier global provider of multimedia platforms that enable marketers, corporate communicators, sustainability officers, public affairs and investor relations officers to leverage content to engage with all their key audiences. Having pioneered the commercial news distribution industry nearly 60 years ago, PR Newswire today provides end-to-end solutions to produce, optimise and target content - from rich media to online video to multimedia - and then distribute content and measure results across traditional, digital, mobile and social channels. Combining the world's largest multi-channel, multi-cultural content distribution and optimisation network with comprehensive workflow tools and platforms, PR Newswire enables the world's enterprises to engage opportunity everywhere it exists. PR Newswire serves over 40,000 clients, distributing 1500+ releases every day from offices in India, the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region, and is a UBM plc company. Media Contacts One News Page Ltd Dr Marc Pinter-Krainer Founder & CEO Email: marc@onenewspage.com Tel: +44-(0)1273-730-785 http://www.onenewspage.com/ PR Newswire Europe Garry Durston Marketing Communications Director EMEAI Email: Garry.durston@prnewswire.co.uk Tel: +44-(0)207-454-5115 http://www.prnewswire.co.uk
PR Newswire Enhances Mobile Capabilities of Multimedia News Release (MNR) Service
Beijing, Aug. 17, 2012 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- As a world-leading provider of corporate news distribution, PR Newswire has recently enhanced its Multimedia News Release (MNR) service. Using the latest technology of HTML 5, the enhanced MNR makes it possible to show multimedia news content via various browsers supported by iOS and most of the Android platforms. The enhancement will not only expand the coverage of multimedia news distribution on mobile devices, but also enhance mobile consumers' news reading experience. With the development of Internet technology in the past few years, online users have been engaged with more and more video content, making it a fundamental and one of the most important elements in news distribution and marketing. Following this trend, PR Newswire offers MNR service in order to combine text-only news with multimedia content, including videos, pictures, customized background, hyperlinks, file downloads, social media sharing tools and call-for-action buttons. Various types of corporate news content will reach different news websites and journalists so that more target audiences can be engaged in online search engines and social networks. So far, PR Newswire's MNR service has helped many clients such as Adidas, Mercedes-Benz, Johnnie Walker, Tourism Australia, Gates Foundation, Lego, etc. to engage a huge number of audiences. In the past few years, online surfing and information collecting via mobile devices has become an everyday habit for many news consumers. Thus, PR Newswire has developed its independent iOS App to make it more convenient for consumers and journalists to read news from PR Newswire on their mobile devices. As mobile platforms are now becoming essential channels for many online video audiences, PR Newswire updated its MNR service to follow this trend so that more consumers are able to read multimedia news in a prompt, convenient and comprehensive way. To experience this world-class corporate communication service, simply click the following link on your mobile device: https://www.multivu.com/mnr/57274-loreal-paris-colorist-perfect-hair-shade-mobile-app Meanwhile, PR Newswire Asia's official website has also added a feature video display module, granting much more impressions of the video content embedded in MNRs. "According to PR Newswire web analytics, compared to the text-only press release, there is a 77 percent increase in average online views per press release when multimedia elements (e.g. video, picture, hyperlink, file download, customized landing page, etc.) are added," said Brent Li, PR Newswire's Senior Multimedia Product Manager. "Therefore, we encourage companies and organizations to make use of PR Newswire's MNR service as much as possible. Now, PR Newswire's MNR service smoothly extends to mobile platforms and fulfills a much wider coverage." About PR Newswire PR Newswire (http://en.prnasia.com) is the premier global provider of multimedia platforms that enable marketers, corporate communicators, sustainability officers, public affairs and investor relations officers to leverage content to engage with all their key audiences. Having pioneered the commercial news distribution industry 57 years ago, PR Newswire today provides end-to-end solutions to produce, optimize and target content - from rich media to online video to multimedia - and then distribute content and measure results across traditional, digital, mobile and social channels. Combining the world's largest multi-channel, multi-cultural content distribution and optimization network with comprehensive workflow tools and platforms, PR Newswire enables the world's enterprises to engage opportunity everywhere it exists. PR Newswire serves tens of thousands of clients from offices in the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region, and is a UBM plc company. Media Contacts: Contact: Brent Li: +86-21-61370206 Will Zheng: +86-10-59539535 multimedia@prnasia.com
PR Newswire and Alibaba Enjoy Successful Partnership
Partnership aided export-oriented firms in expanding into overseas markets BEIJING, Aug 10, 2012 /PRNewswire-Asia/ --PR Newswire and Alibaba International Business Operations have recently concluded a cooperative agreement that signaled the first time the two companies had partnered to help China's export-oriented enterprises expand into overseas markets. As part of the cooperation, PR Newswire offered a series of overseas promotional services for up to 100 of Alibaba’s premium clients, with press releases and photo distributions the focal point. The agreement received an enthusiastic response from those firms lucky enough to take part. Executives from a number of Alibaba's clients were immediately interested upon hearing about the partnership with PR Newswire, asking for details and actively seeking to take part in the initiative. In return, PR Newswire offered a specially customized support system that was designed to help companies that were less experienced in international communications. This comprehensive set-up included English-language press release templates ranging from announcements on the location of one’s booth at an upcoming tradeshow to new products, awards and partnerships. For those clients interested in including high-resolution images in their announcements, PR Newswire also offered the opportunity to have these images display on the Reuters Sign in Times Square, New York. The sign, which soars 23 stories into the sky above Times Square, receives more than 1.5 million impressions per day. In addition, communication consultants at PR Newswire contacted each and every firm directly to offer consultative services and provide suggestions on the best ways to promote one’s news. Results from this cooperative effort already show that the press releases, distributed to PR Newswire's largest US circuit, which includes over 7,000 traditional media and almost 6,000 websites, are generating the right kind of results. Firms using the service have already reported having received inquiries from potential customers soon after their press releases were distributed. Vivienne Li, director of sales for PR Newswire in China, said, “In the same way that our China-based customers seek to expand their market reach domestically, they are also paying an increasing amount of attention to overseas media coverage. The distribution of a press release is a key element in any communications strategy, especially when expanding into foreign markets, and we're delighted that the deal with Alibaba led to such great results for the companies issuing announcements through us. PR Newswire currently serves over 1,800 organizations in China, and through this cooperation, we have enjoyed helping companies with less experience in improving their branding efforts in international markets.” “To help more Chinese exporters conduct promotions in overseas markets and assist Chinese enterprises in becoming bigger and stronger through cooperation with more third-party partners is one of the ways in which we deepen the level of services that we provide to our customers,” said Chao Du, Alibaba International Business Operations strategic partnership director, when commenting on the success of this partnership. The two companies also confirmed that they were actively seeking new opportunities to work together again in the future. About Alibaba International Business Operations Alibaba International Business Operations (www.alibaba.com) is one of Alibaba Group’s seven major business groups with a focus on helping small businesses around the world go global through e-commerce. Formed in July 2012 as a result of the consolidation and upgrade of the Alibaba.com international marketplace and AliExpress, Alibaba International Business Operations aims at creating the go-to English-language platform for cross-border trade and purchases between any two countries as well as helping small businesses worldwide expand to overseas markets. As of March 31, 2012, Alibaba.com had 27.3 million registered users from more than 240 countries and regions and showcased 2.4 million supplier storefronts. About PR Newswire PR Newswire (en.prnasia.com ) is the premier global provider of multimedia platforms that enable marketers, corporate communicators, sustainability officers, public affairs and investor relations officers to leverage content to engage with all their key audiences. Having pioneered the commercial news distribution industry 58 years ago, PR Newswire today provides end-to-end solutions to produce, optimize and target content -- from rich media to online video to multimedia -- and then distribute content and measure results across traditional, digital, mobile and social channels. Combining the world's largest multi-channel, multi-cultural content distribution and optimization network with comprehensive workflow tools and platforms, PR Newswire enables the world's enterprises to engage opportunity everywhere it exists. PR Newswire serves tens of thousands of clients from offices in the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region, and is a UBM plc company. For more information, please contact: PR Newswire Marketing Tel: +86-10-5953-9598 Email: marketing@prnasia.com
PR Newswire Unveils Agility; New Platform Integrates Media Targeting, Monitoring, Real-time Engagement and Industry-leading Content Distribution
BEIJING, June 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- PR Newswire, the leading global provider of innovative marketing and communications solutions, unveiled Agility, the first fully integrated communications and workflow platform to combine powerful media monitoring, media targeting and real-time engagement tools with industry-leading content distribution capabilities—all from a single dashboard. Agility, which currently has more than 300 active early adopters, allows marketing and communications professionals to free themselves from the disparate platforms they currently use, and now seamlessly target, engage with and monitor traditional media and social influencers through one integrated dashboard with a single login. Agility helps these professionals glean actionable insights into who is saying what about their brand, how influential these people are, where these conversations are happening and to engage these influencers in real-time. “Communications professionals must now be able to identify and target, listen to and monitor their audiences in real-time, and then create, curate, and distribute content across traditional and social channels to generate ongoing awareness and positive conversations around their brands,” said Ninan Chacko, chief executive officer, PR Newswire. “Executing all of the above on Agility’s singular platform saves time and helps users to quickly work in real-time to cull insights from social conversations, and turn them into actions that impact business. Agility addresses the needs of this agile marketing and communications environment like no other platform can.” VP & Lead Analyst Chuck Richard at leading media research and advisory firm Outsell, Inc. sees four differentiating indicators of future media leaders. “The winners will deliver workflow integration, embed pervasive analytics, improve the ROI of marketing services and tap emerging global growth markets,” according to Richard. “Agility incorporates elements of all four.” Unique to all other communications platforms in the market today, Agility combines the largest global media database of more than 700,000 traditional and social media contacts; a sophisticated monitoring technology that provides precise, as well as relevant related results; seamless access to an organization’s own social channels; email capabilities to engage audiences in real-time; and direct integration with PR Newswire’s superior content distribution network. “Agility is an extremely intuitive platform that will make communications professionals much more efficient and effective in their jobs,” said Marian Salzman, chief executive officer, Euro RSCG. “The level of intelligence around a brand or topic that can be uncovered using Agility and the ability to react to this intelligence in real-time, combined with the seamless access to PR Newswire’s distribution services, is what makes Agility stand apart.” As part of the global media database, media monitoring technology and real-time engagement tools, Agility also provides: More than 300,000 updates to contact records made each month by PR Newswire’s dedicated media research team More information per individual contact - social profiles, photos, latest tweets, Klout Score - than any other provider Deeper insight into information relevant to what you’re looking for through the best guided navigation in the industry Unparalleled level of relevancy in monitoring results uncovering trending topics and people associated with your search The best intelligence around what’s being said and by whom about your brand across traditional and social media Deep analysis of key performance indicators, such as media volume, in order to highlight channels that are the most effective means to convey messages The simplest to use dashboard interface in the industry that will get you up and running in mere minutes and provide intuitive paths forward, making it easy to accomplish your goals Straightforward flat-fee pricing with no hidden data or usage fees For more about PR Newswire's Agility platform, click here. About PR Newswire PR Newswire (http://en.prnasia.com) is the premier global provider of multimedia platforms that enable marketers, corporate communicators, sustainability officers, public affairs and investor relations officers to leverage content to engage with all their key audiences. Having pioneered the commercial news distribution industry 58 years ago, PR Newswire today provides end-to-end solutions to produce, optimize and target content -- from rich media to online video to multimedia -- and then distribute content and measure results across traditional, digital, mobile and social channels. Combining the world's largest multi-channel, multi-cultural content distribution and optimization network with comprehensive workflow tools and platforms, PR Newswire enables the world's enterprises to engage opportunity everywhere it exists. PR Newswire serves tens of thousands of clients from offices in the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region, and is a UBM plc company.
PR Newswire Launches China Online and Social Media Monitoring Platform
CMM offers extensive monitoring of print and web-based media, blogs, forums and social media in China BEIJING, June 20, 2012 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- PR Newswire today announced the official launch of its new China Online and Social Media Monitoring (CMM) platform. The platform has been designed to allow marketing and communications professionals to get ahead of the curve and learn exactly what is being said about the things that matter most - be it their brands, products or services, or those of their rivals – through traditional, online and social media channels. With comprehensive and easy-to-interpret reporting, the data allows users to evaluate the effectiveness of their marketing and communications strategies, while also highlighting areas where additional focus is needed and potential crises forming. With over 520 million internet users and over one billion mobile users, China has the largest online population in the world, as well as one of the most active. For those organizations planning to be successful in China, a strong online presence is essential, and while regular communications through traditional mediums like press releases are the perfect way to build exposure and generate shareable content, it's now becoming just as important to understand what happens after that. What are people saying about your brand? What are people comparing your latest product to? Do people even like it? These are essential questions that need answering, and CMM offers a simple and cost-effective solution that collates all that information in one easy-to-access platform. PR Newswire China Media Monitoring (CMM) CMM’s key features include: In-depth monitoring across 21 key industries: CMM provides comprehensive monitoring across nearly 100 news sources followed by Baidu and Google’s news portals, the online versions of 300+ major print media, major blogs, online communities and forums, as well as SINA and Tencent's microblog platforms that currently have around 300 million users each. Crisis management alerts: CMM provides automated alerts when there is any sign of negative reporting by media or negative blog or microblog posts from Chinese netizens. This is based on a detailed interpretation of the patterns of Chinese media reporting and an analysis of social media user habits, helping organizations identify potential public relations crises and respond to them in a timely manner. Keyword and headline monitoring: CMM provides unique keyword and headline monitoring that helps organizations evaluate the effectiveness of press releases and media coverage of staged marketing events, while also offering a side-by-side comparison of up to four groups of results, providing insight into how the online population is reacting to a recent announcement or product launch, etc. Key data on influencers connected to keywords: CMM compares and analyzes the frequency of keyword usage and the profiles of associated users on microblogs and across online media. Analyzed data includes proportion of “verified” users to total users, geographical and gender distribution, activity and impact. Automated reporting options: Automated email reports keep relevant stakeholders up to date on what is being said. CMM allows for the comparison of historical data, generates weekly, monthly and annual graphical reports and minimizes the manual effort normally required by users to create, set up and interpret reports. "CMM has been well received by clients who have been given early access to the tool during out beta testing, including Air China and United Nations Development Program, bolstering our confidence and belief that this platform will prove to be a valuable tool for a wide array of companies," said Lynn Liu, product manager for PR Newswire's CMM. "If organizations want a monitoring platform that can simplify an often complicated process and that can allow their marketing and monitoring work to be readily quantified in a way top executives can appreciate, CMM is an ideal choice." "What distinguishes CMM from other services of its kind is the level of expertise and experience that PR Newswire brings to the table. PR Newswire is a global leader in multimedia platforms that allow marketers and corporate communicators to leverage content and engage with stakeholders, and all that experience we've gained over the years has gone into ensuring that CMM is a practical and useful tool that will aid organizations in better understanding the sentiment of Chinese consumers and the media," said Yujie Chen, managing director for PR Newswire in China. "If you want to be successful here, you can't afford to make rash decisions and jump to conclusions. CMM allows organizations to navigate potential pitfalls and make informed decisions about what the right next step should be." Visit http://cmm.prnasia.com to sign up for a trial and immediately experience the benefits of CMM. Alternatively, non-Chinese speakers can connect with us directly to learn more. About PR Newswire PR Newswire (http://en.prnasia.com) is the premier global provider of multimedia platforms that enable marketers, corporate communicators, sustainability officers, public affairs and investor relations officers to leverage content to engage with all their key audiences. Having pioneered the commercial news distribution industry 58 years ago, PR Newswire today provides end-to-end solutions to produce, optimize and target content -- from rich media to online video to multimedia -- and then distribute content and measure results across traditional, digital, mobile and social channels. Combining the world's largest multi-channel, multi-cultural content distribution and optimization network with comprehensive workflow tools and platforms, PR Newswire enables the world's enterprises to engage opportunity everywhere it exists. PR Newswire serves tens of thousands of clients from offices in the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region, and is a UBM plc company. For more information, please contact: Selina Cui Senior Marketing Manager PR Newswire Email: marketing@prnasia.com SOURCE PR Newswire
China's Media Landscape - PR Newswire Issues New White Paper
BEIJING, May 18, 2012 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- PR Newswire today issued a new white paper that provides essential information about the media landscape in China, as well as tips for building successful communications strategies and media outreach programs. Designed specifically for companies looking to learn more about China that may not currently have a presence here, the white paper, titled "Navigating China's Complex Media Landscape," is a must-read for marketing and communications experts interested in learning about what drives the world's most populous nation. Breaking down China's complex media landscape into bite-size segments, the white paper provides useful and usable information about how to navigate both traditional and online media in China. Confusing and contradictory at times, Chinese media can also be summarized by their fast transformation, and while traditional media still play an important role, online media are becoming more and more influential. The white paper includes: A detailed breakdown of both traditional and online media, with an emphasis on the power of traditional media and the growing impact of social media and new technologies; A comprehensive list of Do's and Don'ts for marketers and communicators; Tips for writing Chinese press releases, building media relationships and getting noticed online; and A selection of case studies highlighting international companies that got it right. "The goal of the white paper is simple. We want to provide companies with a clear and concise picture of China's media landscape and how best to navigate it," said Lee Green, Director of Operations (Asia) at PR Newswire. "We hope that the knowledge we've gained over the last decade, since PR Newswire first opened its Beijing office, will help guide companies as they look to crack what can be a very complex industry, and we're also delighted to be conducting a three-part webinar series on 'Understanding China' that runs in connection with this white paper." "Navigating China's Complex Media Landscape" -- Download Free White Paper About PR Newswire PR Newswire (http://prnewswire.com, http://en.prnasia.com) is the premier global provider of multimedia platforms that enable marketers, corporate communicators, sustainability officers, public affairs and investor relations officers to leverage content to engage with all their key audiences. Having pioneered the commercial news distribution industry 57 years ago, PR Newswire today provides end-to-end solutions to produce, optimize and target content -- from rich media to online video to multimedia -- and then distribute content and measure results across traditional, digital, mobile and social channels. Combining the world's largest multi-channel, multi-cultural content distribution and optimization network with comprehensive workflow tools and platforms, PR Newswire enables the world's enterprises to engage opportunity everywhere it exists. PR Newswire serves tens of thousands of clients from offices in the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region, and is a UBM plc company.
PR Newswire Partnering with The International Business Times
The International Business Times, one of the world's leading business news organizations, has recently launched a new Press Releases section that features PR Newswire content. The new section, which is available on the main IBTimes.com page in the services section, includes our full US feed, including the display of images. Customers will soon begin seeing their content on IBTimes.com in ReleaseWatch reports. International Business Times is a fast-growing online business newspaper, comprising of 16 country editions and published in 10 languages. Launched in 2005 and reaching over 10,000,000 monthly unique readers globally, it is one of the most popular websites in the world. IBTimes' global headquarters are in New York City.
PR Newswire Opens Hangzhou Office
HANGZHOU, China, December 22, 2011 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- PR Newswire formally opened its Hangzhou office for business on December 22, 2011. The Hangzhou office is PR Newswire’s fifth office in mainland China since entering the market in 2002. PR Newswire already has offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Chengdu. The new office provides businesses and organizations in Zhejiang and surrounding provinces with global information dissemination services, helping them enhance brand awareness in China and abroad and attract investment and partners. Zhejiang is one of most economically dynamic provinces in eastern China. Over the past decade, businesses of all types and sizes across the province, especially those in private and foreign trade sectors, have witnessed phenomenal growth. As a result, their demand for dissemination of news and information concerning their products, services and activities has been increasing. More and more companies seek to communicate effectively with consumers, investors and partners across China and abroad through the distribution of news releases and the disclosure of information in target markets. Beyond the simple act of informing the world at large of their activities, the use of news distribution services also serves to promote sales and attract investment by improving brand awareness. PR Newswire, with years of experience and expertise in the dissemination of business information, has already added many customers in Zhejiang province and surrounding areas including Shanghai, Jiangsu and Anhui. Hundreds of companies and organizations, including Honeywell, Suntech, Hundsun, Wahaha, Geely, Chery, New Century Hotels & Resorts and UBM Sinoexpo, have built a bridge to communicate with the world via PR Newswire. Yujie Chen, managing director for China at PR Newswire, said: “On the one hand, the establishment of the Hangzhou office demonstrates that PR Newswire is very optimistic about the economic development and market prospects of Zhejiang province and surrounding areas; and on the other hand, even more importantly, it will help us better provide high-quality information dissemination services to local firms. We will work together with companies and organizations in the province and surrounding areas, to become the accelerator that will allow them to compete internationally. PR Newswire will continue to expand operations and investments in mainland China, allowing the voices of an ever growing number of Chinese companies to be heard through the network of PR Newswire.” PR Newswire’s new Hangzhou will be directed by Ms. Fen Yu. Ms. Yu has extensive experience and expertise in business information distribution, marketing communications and investor relations. She has worked in PR Newswire’s Shanghai office for several years, during which she handled the relationship with key clients including TUV SUD, Shanda Games, Taomee, Doin, ShangPharma and Hertz. About PR Newswire PR Newswire (http://www.prnasia.com, http://en.prnasia.com) is the premier global provider of multimedia platforms that enable marketers, corporate communicators, sustainability officers, public affairs and investor relations officers to leverage content to engage with all their key audiences. Having pioneered the commercial news distribution industry 57 years ago, PR Newswire today provides end-to-end solutions to produce, optimize and target content -- from rich media to online video to multimedia -- and then distribute content and measure results across traditional, digital, mobile and social channels. Combining the world's largest multi-channel, multi-cultural content distribution and optimization network with comprehensive workflow tools and platforms, PR Newswire enables the world's enterprises to engage opportunity everywhere it exists. PR Newswire serves tens of thousands of clients from offices in the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region, and is a UBM plc company.
PR Newswire Mourns the Passing of John M. Williams, Pioneer & Innovator in the News Distribution Industry
New York, Nov. 26, 2011 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- John M. Williams, former executive vice president of PR Newswire and a pioneer and innovator in the media and communications industry, died November 22, unexpectedly. He was 66. Mr. Williams joined PR Newswire in 1986 as a senior vice president, responsible for all sales and marketing across the United States. In this role, Mr. Williams built a sales organization with a regional management system that focused on superior local customer service. He is credited as being a pivotal player in transforming PR Newswire into a cutting-edge distributor of information to the media, general public and financial community. PR Newswire Mourns The Loss of Visionary John M. Williams A true visionary, many of Mr. Williams’s ideas were ahead of their time. In 2001, Mr. Williams, an early advocate of transforming the discipline of communications from a one-way monologue into a two-way conversation, introduced the first-ever transaction-oriented press release, the T-Button. Early adopters saw the benefits of adding immediate transactional and commerce opportunities to their press releases, but the market as a whole wasn’t ready for mass adoption. A decade later, the industry has transformed completely. With an uncanny ability to determine where the next big opportunity would lie, in early 2002, Mr. Williams lobbied PR Newswire’s parent company, UBM plc, to invest in China through a joint venture with Xinhua Financial Network. Ultimately taking over the sales and marketing operations of the newly created Xinhua PR Newswire and spending the majority of his time in Beijing, Shanghai and numerous other parts of China, Mr. Williams created the foundation for what is now a wholly-owned and thriving part of PR Newswire’s global operations. Mr. Williams was a native of Dunkirk, N.Y., and grew up in a newspaper family. His father was editor of the Dunkirk Evening Observer, which his family founded in 1882. After he graduated from Syracuse University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and journalism in 1966, Williams worked at the New York Daily News metro desk. He had gained a commission in the U.S. Air Force upon graduation and was called to active duty shortly after joining the News. Williams's first duty assignment took him to George Air Force Base in California where he served as information officer for the 479th Tactical Fighter Wing. Within a year, he was selected to be part of a new squadron sent to Vietnam in 1967 to study the combat effectiveness of a short-range attack jet fighter. While there, he assisted in documenting the combat effectiveness of the A-37 short range fighter airplane during close air support missions in the Mekong Delta and Central Highlands of Vietnam. He was awarded the Bronze Star in 1968. He ended his military service in 1970 with an assignment to the Space and Missile Systems Organization in Los Angeles. Returning to journalism, Williams worked for United Press International in Los Angeles and New York for several years, assisting in covering a variety of stories including the Charles Manson murder trial, the infamous San Fernando Valley earthquake in 1971 and other forms of mayhem particular to those cities. He joined Citibank as a public affairs officer in 1973, leaving five years later to become CBS Inc.’s director of corporate press relations. Mr. Williams spent some time at PR Newswire competitor Business Wire before leaving to join PR Newswire where he spent almost 25 years. The outpouring of gratitude, accolades and love that covers Mr. Williams’s Facebook page is testament to the impact he had on so many people’s lives. Mr. Williams’s colleagues remember him as an inspiring leader. Ken Dowell, EVP, PR Newswire: “John redefined our business as a service business. His vision for PR Newswire continues to impact the way we do business today.” Dave Haapaoja, SVP, PR Newswire: "John was an inspiration to whole generations of PR Newswire employees, including myself. His energy and enthusiasm attracted hundreds of people to the communications industry and many of them are still involved today.” Dave Armon, former president, PR Newswire: “He had a keen sense of knowing where the economic levers of power would change globally and what opportunities lied within. He was way ahead of his time.” Rachel Meranus, VP, PR Newswire: “There are a few things about John that were constant: his heart was huge, his passion for life enormous, his intelligence abounded, his generosity of spirit tremendous and his love of teaching spared no one. He was a fiercely loyal person and fostered loyalty amongst those with whom he worked. John challenged each of us to do better, to think bigger and to be the best that we could be.” A selection of the outpouring on Facebook: “John led with passion seeping out of his pores. He had a heart of gold and taught me so much. He'll truly be missed and I'm grateful for how he has touched my life.” “Friend, mentor and father figure to me and so many others. We will miss you but will always remember your passion and contributions on both a personal and professional level.” “You will be greatly missed. You listened attentively & celebrated my effort to think outside of the box, which gave me the confidence to share my ideas with others.” “Thank you for touching us all John. You led by example instilling values in us along the way. The world lost a great man this week. RIP.” “Thank you for all the passion you inspired in so many and for your leadership, unbridled energy and long friendship.” “It's safe to say that John Williams packed more living into those 66 years than most, meaning the gap he leaves in the universe is bigger than usual. JW, you have been and will be sorely missed.” “John's passion and conviction is an inspiration. Intimidating at first, but a heart of gold underneath. He had a significant and positive influence on so many and will be missed.” Mr. Williams is survived by his wife, Donna Manke Williams of Plymouth, Mass.; and two sisters, Julia MacLeod Williams of Richmond and Sarah Williams McCrane of Poquoson, Va. About PR Newswire PR Newswire (www.prnewswire.com) is the premier global provider of multimedia platforms that enable marketers, corporate communicators, sustainability officers, public affairs and investor relations officers to leverage content to engage with all their key audiences. Having pioneered the commercial news distribution industry 57 years ago, PR Newswire today provides end-to-end solutions to produce, optimize and target content – from rich media to online video to multimedia – and then distribute content and measure results across traditional, digital, mobile and social channels. Combining the world’s largest multi-channel, multi-cultural content distribution and optimization network with comprehensive workflow tools and platforms, PR Newswire enables the world’s enterprises to engage opportunity everywhere it exists. PR Newswire serves tens of thousands of clients from offices in the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region, and is a UBM, plc company. SOURCE PR Newswire
PR Newswire Releases Study on Social Media Adoption by Companies in China
-- More than 77% of the companies interviewed have started microblogs, mainly to fulfill their needs in the areas of content marketing and multimedia communications services -- 87% of the respondents use social media on a daily basis; microblogs and mobile applications are quickly gaining popularity among businesses -- Companies are increasing their investment in new media communications; 68% of Chinese companies recognize the role of social media in winning new clients and increasing product sales -- In the past 12 months, corporate investment in new media talent has doubled. It is expected to double again in the next 12 BEIJING, Nov. 18, 2011 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Since the beginning of 2011, new media has experienced extremely rapid development and market penetration, while acceptance and utilization of new media by Chinese companies have become more diversified. PR Newswire undertook a survey among Chinese companies from July to October of 2011 in order to gain an in-depth understanding of the acceptance and utilization of new media by Chinese companies. The survey was conducted among senior executives and marketing/PR/investor communications professionals who were invited to participate through a combination of communication channels including the PR Newswire website, direct email marketing (EDM), microblogging, social media and instant messaging (IM), and collected 1,251 validated questionnaires. 2011 New Media Report Cover The number of followers on your company's social media (including microblog) The information that the companies issued through their new media platform over the past 12 months The impact of social media on companies' product sales, new clients, media pick up and website traffic in the past 12 months The number of full-time staff dedicated to new media communication in the past 12 months and over the next 12 months To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, please click: http://www.multivu.com/mnr/53224-pr-newswire-releases-report-on-the-use-of-new-media-by-chinese-companies Key findings 1. 87% of respondents said they use social media on a daily basis. However, frequency of social media use varied significantly depending on the type of ownership and on the industry, with non-traditional industries and SMEs having the highest acceptance and use of social media. 2. E-mail, search engines and instant messaging remain the most popular ways of using new media in companies. The number of microblog and mobile application users has been growing rapidly, with comparable frequency of usage well above that of traditional media applications such as blogs, social communities and RSS subscriptions. 3. More than 77% of the surveyed businesses have set up formal microblogs, of which half have had their credentials (as the real owner of the microblog) validated by their ISP. Approximately 60% of formal corporate microblogs have less than 10,000 followers. However, a follow up with a random selection of the respondents revealed that most companies are not highly competent in managing their microblogs. 70% of companies still focus on announcements and information sharing through their social media platform, while the number of their followers on the platform is directly proportional to the level of their marketing efforts. 4. Compared to microblogs, social networking sites (SNSs) are far less popular among China's firms and business executives as compared to the mass market, with a usage rate around 30% that of the market at large. Only 20% of the respondents said that they have set up formal pages on social network portals, such as Kaixin001.com and Renren.com. 5. Investment in new media communications by companies has been on the rise with purely and largely B2C businesses having adequate market budgets being more willing to do so. 6. Nearly 80% of the companies surveyed are using social media communications, for the most part, for PR communications, such as improving brand visibility and gaining media attention, however, they are also highly aware of the role of social media in building interactive and marketing relations with clients and consumers, confirming the general trend of the growing integration of PR and marketing in the new media environment. Almost 30% of the companies interviewed said that, over the past 12 months, social media significantly contributed to their increased corporate website traffic, and half of them felt the new media platform had an impact on increasing the number of clients and the level of product sales, but not significantly, while some 20% believed that there is a clear improvement. In addition, 18% said that media pickup has sharply increased. 7. Companies are experiencing an overall increase in demand for new media communications and marketing services, especially from their own staff, for capital investment and in demand for third-party services. New media communication services focused on marketing are in demand by businesses, especially purely and largely B2C businesses. Compared with the past 12 months, demand for new media communications from companies is expected to expand by nearly 50 per cent over the next 12, with the demand for third-party services ranked as follows: event management and word of mouth marketing, creation and distribution of content through new media channels, search engine optimization, creative use of video through new media, new media public opinion monitoring, placement of advertising in new media channels and online crisis management. --New media communication services focused on marketing remain in demand. 8. In the past 12 months and over the next 12, the need for full-time new media communications and marketing staff is in an obvious upward trend, while the engagement demand for full-time new media staff has doubled from the same period of a year earlier. Trend Analysis and Suggestions For companies Competition in new media marketing going forward will focus on content. Companies are advised to create content based on the profile of their audiences and engage in ongoing communication and interaction with their audiences via new media. Companies can select and use professional tools and providers according to their own unique needs, in order to achieve targeted reach on a large scale, and to track, monitor and evaluate the feedback concerning their content, allowing them to use the feedback to continually improve the quality. For third-party service providers Third-party service providers are well positioned to provide comprehensive or integrated result-oriented new media communications services. The survey indicates that although the survey respondents share some points in common, there are many differences in their needs, when looked at according to type of company ownership, industry, size of workforce and available marketing budget, creating opportunities for service organizations with the know-how to serve clients with specific needs across various sectors. At the same time, companies need and are willing to invest in new media communications. They most highly value result-oriented indicators such as brand experience, interaction with consumers as well as marketing which can be delivered through new media channels. For third-party service providers, the ability to provide an integrated service solution covering strategies, content creation, distribution, monitoring and evaluation will be well received by both potential and existing clients. Read full report in Chinese: Click here and register to download Related story: PR Newswire Releases First-ever Report on the Work-related Use of Social Media by Chinese Journalists in 2010 About PR Newswire PR Newswire (www.prnasia.com) is the premier global provider of multimedia platforms that enable marketers, corporate communicators, sustainability officers, public affairs and investor relations officers to leverage content to engage with all their key audiences. Having pioneered the commercial news distribution industry 57 years ago, PR Newswire today provides end-to-end solutions to produce, optimize and target content - from rich media to online video to multimedia - and then distribute content and measure results across traditional, digital, mobile and social channels. Combining the world's largest multi-channel, multi-cultural content distribution and optimization network with comprehensive workflow tools and platforms, PR Newswire enables the world's enterprises to engage opportunity everywhere it exists. PR Newswire serves tens of thousands of clients from offices in the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region, and is a United Business Media company. Media Contacts: Rachel Meranus Vice President, Marketing and Communications PR Newswire +1.201.360.6776 Rachel.Meranus@prnewswire.com Meryl Serouya Marketing and Communications Associate PR Newswire +1.201.360.6009 Meryl.Serouya@prnewswire.com Lynn Liu, New Media Development Manager Email: lynn.liu@prnasia.com Web Site: http://www.prnasia.com SOURCE PR Newswire Association LLC
PR Newswire Waives Distribution Fees for All Releases Related to Humanitarian Efforts in Somalia
Organizations offering humanitarian aid to the victims of the devastating famine in Somalia can distribute their messages through PR Newswire at no charge NEW YORK, Aug. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- PR Newswire is waiving fees on the distribution of news releases through a global crisis package for organizations wishing to communicate their efforts of assistance towards relief from the devastating famine in Somalia. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110719/NY37427LOGO ) "With more than 29,000 children under the age of five dead from starvation over the past 90 days and over half a million other children severely malnourished, the crisis in Somalia requires the immediate attention of any and all organizations that can lend their help," said Scott Mozarsky, chief commercial officer, PR Newswire. "Any organization, whether a PR Newswire customer or not, can use our media and online distribution network to convey their efforts of assistance to inform the greater public and media as well as stimulate support for those fighting for their lives." All non-PR Newswire members can submit a press release by emailing nyhubs@prnewswire.com. Members can utilize the Online Member Center (http://portal.prnewswire.com) or contact their editorial bureau. To view news releases issued by PR Newswire members offering aid, please visit Famine in Somalia (http://latest.prnewswire.com/page/famine-in-somalia). Members of the media can access releases on the public site or on PR Newswire for Journalists (http://media.prnewswire.com/en/jsp/latest.jsp?LATEST&packageid=1031677). About PR Newswire PR Newswire (www.prnewswire.com) is the premier global provider of multimedia platforms that enable marketers, corporate communicators, sustainability officers, public affairs and investor relations officers to leverage content to engage with all their key audiences. Having pioneered the commercial news distribution industry 57 years ago, PR Newswire today provides end-to-end solutions to produce, optimize and target content – from rich media to online video to multimedia – and then distribute content and measure results across traditional, digital, mobile and social channels. Combining the world's largest multi-channel, multi-cultural content distribution and optimization network with comprehensive workflow tools and platforms, PR Newswire enables the world's enterprises to engage opportunity everywhere it exists. PR Newswire serves tens of thousands of clients from offices in the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region, and is a United Business Media company. Contact: Rachel Meranus at +1.201.360.6776 or +1.646.295.5401. SOURCE PR Newswire Association LLC
PR Newswire Opens New Chengdu Office, Expanding the Horizons of China's Western Region
CHENGDU, China, May 27, 2011 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- PR Newswire, the global leader of innovative marketing and communications solutions, held the inaugural China Enterprises Overseas Communications Conference and the opening ceremony of its new Chengdu office at the Sofitel Wanda Chengdu on May 19. This new hub in the western region of China will represent PR Newswire's fourth office in mainland China, following the successes of its Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen bureaus. Planning Bureau of Chengdu Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone and Ninan Chacko, the CEO of PR Newswire together to celebrate the opening of PR Newswire's new Chengdu office. The opening of the new office is the first time a global marketing and communications solutions provider has established a footprint in the increasingly open western region of China, and also demonstrates PR Newswire's efforts to further expand its business and service network across the country. With its leading global corporate communications network and array of professional services, PR Newswire is committed to helping fast-growing enterprises in the western part of China expand their horizons and enhance their competitiveness in the global market by strengthening their brand positioning worldwide and improving their ability to engage with global audiences. Representatives from over 30 local enterprises and government organizations, and more than 20 local media agencies, were in attendance to hear Mr. Ninan Chacko, the CEO of PR Newswire, share his views on the opportunities and challenges facing Chinese enterprises in the field of overseas communications as well as PR Newswire's continued commitment to China. At the meeting, PR Newswire also released a whitepaper on the current trends in overseas communications. The document summarizes the evolution of communications methodologies, including how, over the last ten years, Chinese companies have expanded their reach and methods for engaging with overseas markets. Leveraging PR Newswire's extensive experience and industry insight, the paper also provides advice and reference materials that can assist Chinese enterprises in improving their overseas communications in the ever evolving era of new media and the internet. "As Chengdu continues to open up to the outside world, Chengdu's levels of internationalization and modernization is continuously improving," said Mr. Tang Jiqiang, director at the Development and Planning Bureau of Chengdu Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone during his speech at the event. "A number of Fortune 500 companies have set up operations here, and a multitude of Chinese companies have reached out to the world. The world needs to hear us and it behooves us to get to know the outside world. PR Newswire has built a new communications bridge for us with its professional standards and authoritative voice. We wish PR Newswire Chengdu success and an ever brighter future." The implementation of the government's West Development Strategy has been the driver of change in western China during the last ten years, bringing average annual increases of 11.9% in regional GDP and 23.2% in the region's foreign trade. A large number of companies have entered foreign markets and have successfully competed in this arena. They have made great strides in expanding their overseas reach during the last several years through export trade, investment in the building of factories, contract construction, as well as mergers and acquisitions, among other activities. Nevertheless, the region still has much room for development. The construction of development and free trade zones as well as industrial bases throughout the region has attracted much foreign investment and facilitated the rapid development of the local economy. All these activities require fast and timely information exchanges with overseas markets in order to strengthen communications efforts and build better brand awareness. During the more than nine years since its entry into the Chinese market, PR Newswire has continually been dedicated to helping companies of all sizes across China communicate and engage with their target audiences as they expand into overseas markets. As the only global corporate information distribution agency with a team providing 24-hour support services in mainland China, PR Newswire's fully localized infrastructure is specifically designed to better serve the communications needs of domestic companies who seek to reach overseas markets. During the last several years, over one hundred companies from China's Sichuan, Chongqing, Shaanxi, and Yunnan provinces have bridged the information gap between themselves and the world with the help of PR Newswire. "The opening of the Chengdu office represents another milestone in the growth of PR Newswire's presence in China. But more importantly, it allows us to further understand the communications needs of businesses across China, and provide them with a higher quality of service," said Mr. Yujie Chen, the Managing Director of PR Newswire China during the opening ceremony. "Going forward, we will continue to increase our investments in the Chinese market, making it possible for companies, regardless of their location, to always be at the forefront of the communications field and to assist them as they compete in the international arena." About PR Newswire PR Newswire (www.prnewswire.com) is the premier global provider of multimedia platforms that enable marketers, corporate communicators, sustainability officers, public affairs and investor relations officers to leverage content to engage with all their key audiences. Having pioneered the commercial news distribution industry 56 years ago, PR Newswire today provides end-to-end solutions to produce, optimize and target content - from rich media to online video to multimedia - and then distribute content and measure results across traditional, digital, mobile and social channels. Combining the world's largest multi-channel, multi-cultural content distribution and optimization network with comprehensive workflow tools and platforms, PR Newswire enables the world's enterprises to engage opportunity everywhere it exists. PR Newswire serves tens of thousands of clients from offices in the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region, and is a United Business Media company. SOURCE PR Newswire