A letter from Andrew

For those of you who are new to Newsvetter, a bit of background: I built a unique web-based "vetting" process in 2007 that was designed to cut down on PR spam--poor-quality press releases and misdirected pitches that flood the inboxes of journalists and bloggers every day. The primary objective of Newsvetter was (and still is) to improve the quality of PR-generated news and to share that content responsibly with appropriate parties.

After two years, I have decided to make a few changes:

The new Newsvetter. Newsvetter is no longer a self-service site. The main problem with current self-service PR web tools is that they don't discriminate; in other words, they don't vet their users or their content. And the people who use these tools still don't know how and when to tell an interesting story. They cling to the false hope that these tools by themselves are the secret ingredient for getting someone to read and then write about their content. As a result, PR tools are becoming just another way for people to barrage readers with irrelevant news. The Newsvetter DIY vetting system was also being used in this way, so I've decided to take it offline where it can be guided by experienced consultants instead.

Our consultants: Over the last several years, I have met a lot of people who shared my interest for improving the quality of corporate content. One is Mike Yamamoto, a former executive editor at CNET with decades of experience in both traditional and digital media, who will be advising companies on how to build effective newsrooms and blogs. In addition, Newsvetter has relationships with a variety of Portland-based marketing and creative individuals and boutique firms that can handle a variety of services such as: search engine marketing and optimization, social media marketing and monitoring, pay-per-click campaigns, web development and design, and viral video production.

Our blog: This web site will serve as Newsvetter's new home. In addition to private consulting, we will be blogging about developments in PR and media as well as providing helpful tips on how to get noticed on the noisy and evolving web.

Questions? Please send us an email or give us a call. We look forward to working with you.

Andrew Fowler, Newsvetter founder