Primalmedia Snapshot
Values, Skills and History
Media Communications Today
Media is an evolving word. Originally the plural form of "medium."
The word media today involves many communication conduits (television, radio, print, publishing, and Internet). It involves numerous
formats such as writing an opinion-editorial essay in contrast to magazine feature or an on-air public service announcement. It involves
styles that range from a formal canon in AP Style, Chicago Manual of Style, etc. to more unspoken styles adhered by a company communications
department.
When we think of public relations and marketing we think of "spin," "packaging," and "appearance."
Media communications is similar, but comes from a slightly different paradigm based out of journalism. The idea is more on what
is "newsworthy" - what is timely and relevant that naturally (not artifically) draws press into the picture. What are the primal,
essential, raw elements that exist that can be taken by good storytellers (i.e., writers, reporters, producers, photographers and
freelancers, etc.) who must transmit the news to a specific audience. You can see these distinctions in a marketing plan versus a
communications plan. The former places emphasis on the brand ID, the tagline, and notes potential media venues and conduits. The latter,
the communications plan, however, is focused on the plumbing, that is, to identify all the media conduits existing that
are available, the identification of those mediums most relevant to the client, and measuring the viability of those mediums and styles
to achieve specified objectives.
Primalmedia is an advisory and supporting communications agent. We serve the client's need for effective communication
in finding and employing fundamental media tools to project one's message. The essential elements, the core components,
in communication toward journalists today still come down to good storytelling found in press release generation and
distribution, news and feature articles, fact sheets, media analysis, and in the development of strategic
communication plans.
Philosophy
It's simple: treat your clients, associates, and colleagues in the manner you would want to be treated.
Their success becomes your success. Provide raw creative power, refine it, make it noticeable,
make it subtle, make it successful.
Media Advisor
Wil Simon is a media communications specialist with 17 years of experience. He has worked with many notable companies and organizations
such as MM Publishing in New York, the California Space Authority (CSA), Columbia Memorial Space Center in L.A., the California Space
Education Workforce Institute's (CSEWI) Regolith Excavation Challenge event, Space Information Labs (SIL), Maxit Publishing,
GL Publishing Regal/Renew imprint, California Innovation Corridor/WIRED Grant Participants, Salem Communications Corporation,
Orange County Newschannel (OCN), Venue Security Corporation, KBRT-Radio, Hotline Magazine, WNNE-TV, WNHV-Radio, and
Medill News Bureau in Washington, D.C.
He has served in the capacity of reporter, producer, master copywriter, client manager, communications officer, and operations chief,
and has written and produced news and web articles, press releases, radio and television shows and commercials, promotional materials,
and books. He is an associate member of the National Press Club in Washington, DC.
He holds a MS degree in broadcast journalism from Northwestern University in Chicago and a BA in English and political science
from Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California. He studied for a year in International Relations as well at Claremont Graduate
School in Claremont, California. Wil Simon has drawn from his education to become a versatile writer and communicator. His skill set
includes knowledge of graphic design programs such as Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, and Bryce-Daz 3D Graphics (certification
through Mac & PC Teacher Computer Learning Center in San Luis Obispo, California) along with office-based programs such as MS Word,
Excel, and PowerPoint. He compliments his formal educational base by constantly pursuing a course of self-learning by reading books
and learning new skills.
Currently, he has a science-fiction novel titled, Encasta: The Maker of Worlds being prepared for a publisher.
He loves tennis, football, big cats, small beagles, and studying world history, particularly Near East studies and 19th-20th century
Japanese history. He is a California native and is very familiar with the coastal counties of Southern California ranging from
Santa Barbara south to San Diego. He has also lived and worked in Chicago and Washington, D.C., and spent a few summers
in Colorado visiting friends.
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