I've just posted Episode 21 of the Talking Communications with Farrell Kramer podcast, titled "Press Release Video."

It looks at a feature just launched by PRWeb that allows customers to embed video in their press releases after uploading it to YouTube, Google Video or Yahoo! Video. My guest is Jiyan Wei, the PRWeb Product Manager at Vocus, the parent of PRWeb.

This is a neat new feature and opens a world of possibilities for communicators looking to use video as part of the overall marketing/PR mix.

Just a quick note to let you know I'll be speaking Monday at The Cable Show '07, a major cable industry conference in Las Vegas, on the topic of new media and communications.

Specifically, I will be participating in a panel called "Thoroughly Modern Messaging: Reaching Customers in the Digital Age." The topic:

Now that new media is the reality, digital communications tools are indispensable assets for reaching out to customers, leveraging media coverage, channeling employee messages and projecting your company's ideas and image to the outside world. Gain new perspectives from a panel of professional communicators on what to do -- and what to avoid -- in applying new media digital communications strategies.

Today, we launched a new version of the fkcblog site. If you are reading this through a feedreader, I urge you to come visit.

There are a number of new features on the site in addition to a new, more modern look. Here are a few:

• fkcblog is now fully integrated with all the main sites of our firm, including farrell kramer communications, the talking communications with farrell kramer podcast and the fkc newsmaker interviews podcasting service. This means you can search all of our combined posts and episodes on communications together!
• tags have been introduced in a new way, with a tag cloud on the sidebar of the blog. You can see what's been written about and, of course, click on a category and read all the relevant entries.

I wanted to share a story I just had published in the February issue of PR Tactics titled "Blog basics: Writing online is much easier -- and enjoyable -- than you might imagine."

In it, I address the concern of many businesspeople that blogging sounds like a great idea ... but they're worried about the writing process. Here's an except:

The point these folks are missing is that blog posts are not newspaper articles, magazine pieces or essays. Blogging is its own medium, less demanding in terms of the written word, yet perhaps more powerful in the conversations it can create. It's worth examining the differences.

You can read the whole story here (PDF).

I just wanted to let you all know I'll be speaking at the Social Media 2007 conference in Atlanta on January 31st.

My presentation is titled POD-ERGIZE YOUR PR!. Here's a link to the agenda and a short excerpt from the write-up on my talk:

Clearly, podcasting lives on the cutting edge of new media technology. Far more than just a vehicle for listening to music, it is as powerful a tool for public relations as has come by in a long time and can be used to complement and energize any PR program.

But how?

All of us at farrell kramer communications would like to wish you a Happy Holiday season and a terrific New Year!

In keeping with the trends we've seen in communications this year, we've posted a short podcast holiday greeting (1 min, 22 sec). Please click the play button above to listen.

The prior post titled "Google Search -- The New 'Paper' of Record" represents our 100th post on FKCBlog.

I started this blog on Dec. 22, 2005, with the idea of building a "vibrant marketplace of ideas" for clients, friends and colleagues in the PR and communications worlds. Today, we have multiple authors, numerous commenters and have added a sister podcast, Talking Communications with Farrell Kramer. I believe we have taken some big steps toward that initial goal.

Thanks to all of you who are subscribers and readers of the blog. Please feel free to post comments and join in the conversation as we move into 2007 and beyond.

I'd like to invite all FKCBlog readers to visit a new site we've been working on for a little while now:

NewsNosh.

NewsNosh is an online business news source directory that is searchable by industry and type of entry.  If you're looking for blogs on investing, for example, you simply choose "investing" under category on the homepage and "blog" under type.  The database will return a list immediately.

FKCBlog is in the running for the MarketingSherpa best PR blog award.

(UPDATE -- MarketingSherpa has updated its voting link, which was broken, and extended voting until Monday, June 26.  Please vote here.  I've also fixed the link below.)  

Since my first post on Dec. 22, 2005, I've tried to make FKCBlog a place where those passionate about communications could go for both practical advice and news on important trends in the PR, IR and news media worlds.

That was 54 posts ago.  It's been a great experience for me, and I hope a useful venue for you as well.

I'm pleased to officially announce the launch of FKC Newsmaker Interviews, a new podcasting service that allows organizations of all sizes to begin podcasting quickly and easily.

(To view the press release, click here.)

As readers of FKCBlog know well, I'm very bullish about the power of new media distribution platforms as a component of effective communications programs.