Video Killed the Radio Star

Cat Rakowski joins FGS this week after a long-running broadcast news career including roles at MSNBC and ABC News. So we asked her for some TV advice. 

Q: Some many big stories are dominating TV – recession, war, the Jan. 6 investigation – how can our clients break through and be heard? 

A: Peg your pitch to those front-page stories, if at all possible. If you’ve tried everything and find yourself stuck, I’d recommend acknowledging that when you pitch. But do it in a way that isn’t apologetic. The news will turn eventually — sometimes in an instant! — and you want to be top of mind when that moment arises. 

Q: Ok, if I have a great angle - any tips for how to land the pitch?

A: Customize your pitch as elegantly as you can. See what the host has been tweeting about and personalize the pitch to them. Consider adding a little joke or a little passion, if appropriate. And then, edit it down to a few confident sentences. I don’t think I ever had a cold pitch that won me over in the fourth paragraph. 
One thing I’d be cautious about is pitching to yesterday’s segment. Unless it’s a hot topic, you may have missed your chance.

Q: Is the Zoom interview here to stay? Or do guests need to be back in studio? 

A: At this point, if you’re going to Zoom, do it right. There’s no excuse not to have a ring light and reliable earbuds with a decent mic. Set your camera to the level of your eye and consider a nice fiddle leaf fig in the background.

It’s not every day we get to share insights fresh from behind the scenes of a major television broadcast. Let’s keep going with Cat, who you can follow on Twitterand LinkedIn. 

Q: What made for a great TV guest you’d want to invite back? 

A: Great guests make it look easy, which it ain’t. They have so much mastery over their topic they can listen actively and engage comfortably in the periphery of what they want to discuss. Audiences can tell right away if you’re there just to deliver a few key words and phrases. 

And being nice to the bookers goes a long, long way, especially when it comes to being asked back. 

Q: Thank you notes and candy grams for all the bookers! And what is the biggest mistake to get a guest on a "do not book again" list? 

Think of a dinner party. You’re the invited guest; don’t insult your host. Disagree respectfully all day long, but watch your tone.

Q: What was your goal each day as you put together Morning Joe? What made for a successful episode in your mind?

A: Joe often said we would never fail if we went smart, and that was a guiding philosophy that brought me clarity and pride over the years. Yes of course, we want the bullseye newsmakers and most incisive analysts. Yes of course, we want terrific conversationalists who can as easily pivot to ACC basketball as to Reagan’s top five speeches. But as long as we programmed for smart, fizzy conversation, we were heading in the right direction.

Democrats’ climate and tax package is racing forward. Senate Democrats remain confident they can start in the Senate as soon as later this week, which could allow them to send it to the House by the weekend. The House is currently slated to return on August 15 to take up the bill.

Here’s what’s happening now and what comes next:

The Byrd Bath process:

• Is ongoing on all sections of the bill, including health care.

• The Senate parliamentarian is reportedly very far along on the process on many sections of the bill.

  • This is helped by the fact that she has previously seen, read and reviewed versions of many of the bill’s provisions.

• Democrats currently expect the parliamentarian to finish all or most of her review later this week.

• The Byrd Bath process could continue on the floor as members raise challenges to underlying language in the bill or to new language is offered on the floor.

Floor timing and process:

• Senate Democrats currently expect to vote on a motion to proceed to the House-passed reconciliation by Friday. 

• Democrats’ timing and pace of the floor process depends on Democrats being confident they have the votes locked down and all 50 Democratic senators being present and voting—something that has been difficult to achieve in recent months.

Floor amendment process:

• Following up to 20 hours of debate, the "vote-a-rama" begins where any senator can offer and has a decent shot at getting a vote on his or her amendment.

• Some amendments will require 60 votes and some only 50 or 51.  

• Even though there is likely to be close to $300 billion in deficit reduction in the bill, amendments that are not deficit-neutral are likely to require 60 votes.