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David Poland

By David Poland poland@moviecitynews.com

DP/30 Is Ready For Nikki's Close-Up

DH ADVISORY: Deadline Has No Publicist
By Nikki Finke | Friday February 19, 2010 @ 3:18pm
I think someone out there is punking the news media by offering me as an interview. Neither I nor Deadline.com has ever employed a publicist.
==============
From: Public Relations [mailto:pr@hollywoodlife.com]
Sent: Friday, February 19, 2010 12:05 PM
To:
Subject: Hoping To Connect: Pre Oscars Interview – DEADLINE.COM
I wanted to introduce myself, I am now representing the MMC Corporation – which includes hollywoodlife.com by Bonnie Fuller, movieline.com and the one and only Deadline.com.
With Oscars right around the corner, I wanted to know if you would be interested in having one of the leading voices in the entertainment industry, Nikki Finke and or Mike Fleming, become involved in pre-Oscars coverage for any upcoming stories.
I think Nikki Finke would be perfect for your radio show, particularly, pre-Oscars coverage. Nikki is the leading voice in the entertainment industry for breaking news, for her insider perspective and for her ability to tell the story behind the story before anyone else. Just for context, Deadline is increasingly being approached as the leading source of information and analysis, particularly on news from Hollywood. One recent example, Deadline was quoted on three separate occasions on GMA for its coverage of the Leno/Conan story.
Mike Fleming would also be a great fit for TV broadcast interviews about the Oscars. Mike recently left Variety as the leading entertainment journalist, and joined the Deadline team. Mike is a great journalist, very well connected and respected in the entertainment industry.
Nikki and Mike are both experts on the Oscars. What makes them stand out is their “connectedness” in the industry. Their range and depth of knowledge is incredible. If you have room for experts who bring these points of difference, I think they would really connect well with your audience.
Please get back to me with your thoughts, and or any questions. I encourage we follow up with a phone call.
Best,
Margo
(DP Note: I have confirmed that, in fact, Margo does work for Jay Penske, though she is normally a fashion publicist.)

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9 Responses to “DP/30 Is Ready For Nikki's Close-Up”

  1. www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=541562892 says:

    I’d pay to see a DP/30 with Nikki Finke… just to see if you two can be in the same room for 30 minutes without killing each other. (This is Edward Douglas BTW if you can’t tell by my Facebook ID)

  2. Triple Option says:

    Is this at all common practice? And in so announcing her availability would it be expected that whoever contacts her for an “interview” then be expected to pay her for her expertise?

  3. Joe Leydon says:

    Triple Option: This is a fairly common practice, though money is not the point — exposure is. For example, at University of Houston, the PR folks routinely draw up lists of faculty members who can provide good quotes on various subjects for TV or radio or print interviewers. These lists — some of them geared to specific seasons or topics, some of them general — go out to the media. And, of course, when a faculty member is indeed interviewed, it raises awareness of the UH brand. Like, if I’m interviewed by a local TV reporter about Christmas movies, I’ll likely be ID’d as “Joe Leydon, UH Film Studies Professor” or something like that.” Nothing sinister about it.

  4. indiemarketer says:

    Radio interviews maybe, but can she even fit through the door to leave her house to show up for a TV interview?
    Does she have a butter sponsor to lubrciate the doorway?
    Please don’t even start with the visual of a DP with Nikki…talk about never getting an erection again

  5. Gonzo Knight says:

    Scary shit, dudes. Really scary shit.
    As much as I would love someone to tear Finke a new one, the whore should not be given this opportunity to speak UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.
    Back away, DP. Just back away.

  6. Gonzo Knight says:

    Scary shit, dudes. Really scary shit.
    As much as I would love someone to tear Finke a new one, the whore should not be given this opportunity to speak UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.
    Back away, DP. Just back away.

  7. Anthony Breznican says:

    It’s not such a big deal that she had a publicist trying to hustle her some added exposure. I wish my newspaper would do that for its staffers.
    Just kind of funny that she felt obliged to deny it’s happening, like she’s too good for that. Ha ha, toldja!

  8. Cadavra says:

    Far be it from me to defend her, but it IS possible the offer was sent without her knowledge. Several times I’ve been asked about things I knew nothing about because someone was told to talk to me and I wasn’t notified in advane.

  9. David Poland says:

    absolutely, cad.
    it’s never the crime. it’s the cover-up.
    what does it say about a “journalist” when they make a claim with snotty absolutism before they even check into whether there is any truth to what others say happened? it says you are nikki doing business as usual.

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