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Charlie Traffas
Charlie Traffas has been involved in marketing, media, publishing and insurance for more than 40 years. In addition to being a fully-licensed life, health, property and casualty agent, he is also President and Owner of Chart Marketing, Inc. (CMI). CMI operates and markets several different products and services that help B2B and B2C businesses throughout the country create customers...profitably. You may contact Charlie by phone at (316) 721-9200, by e-mail at ctraffas@chartmarketing.com, or you may visit at www.chartmarketing.com.
What's New
2010-02-01 08:42:00
Of pinheads, puppies, Presidents and publications
Answer: I am always glad that you ask. This month, in a “semi-strategic” attempt to get Bill O’Reilly of FOX News to change some things he is doing, before it’s too late, I would like to share with you an e-mail I sent recently to the New York Times OP ED Department; I will tell you about a scam we found ourselves in last month; some comments about a couple of Presidents; and finally I will tell you about some changes coming here at The Q & A Times “Journal.” First, my e-mail to the New York Times… Dear Mr. O’Reilly, I have tried to send you messages for quite some time, attempting to get you to change some things you do that I and several others think are improper. Thus far I’m batting a thousand, as you have disregarded every one of them. Because your pride causes you to spend much of your time reading the New York Times and other publications…knocking them instead of spending more time looking inwardly at yourself…I thought sending this to them and getting them to print it might catch your attention more quickly. We will see. If it matters, I am conservative in my political views. According to the polls you announce frequently, I represent the beliefs of many if not the majority of Americans. As a group, we have been most fortunate that FOX News has given us a “voice”, for without it…life would be much different. There are not that many places to see and hear support for things like a smaller government that works for and on behalf of the populace; a strong national defense, at home and abroad; black and white fiscal responsibility so that spending is stopped and the deficit and debt are attacked; controlling all of our borders in sync with our laws; lower taxes for business; and appreciation for the free enterprise system our country was founded upon. It appears however, that this “voice” may be short-lived because of some “pinhead” actions on your part. Webster’s defines “pinhead” as a very dull, foolish or stupid person. Ironically, I have to believe this describes you much of the time, Mr. O’Reilly. An adjustment is in order. I think you are quite often a “pinhead” because: 1. Many times you are ill-prepared to discuss many of the topics you take on. Example: Most recently, you talked with Brit Hume about the primary race in Florida for governor on the Republican side between Rubio and Crist. You led off your discussion with him saying, that you wondered if the Republicans could ever become united again. “Look what is happening in Florida,” you said. “They are fighting among themselves.” Britt Hume looked puzzled that you were so naïve. He said, “It’s a primary. That is when each side is supposed to present their views. Then, once there is a winner, the party unites.” Realizing your mistake, you made some kind of “foolish, backing out” comment, trying to get away from the subject. You then moved onto another subject you were ill-prepared to talk about. Much of the time, the only thing you seemingly prepare for is your “Talking Points” memo at the front of your program. The rest of the hour you “wing” it, with your loud-mouthing, anger, pride and “cons.” I will give you credit for the Talking Points Memo you presented on the evening of February 2, 2010. It may have been your best ever. It was masterfully written and presented. We all know you can do good work. You’ve done so many times in the past. It’s just that lately, you have been “falling off the wagon” way too many times, much like your recent interview with Rod Blagojevich. I and many others happen to feel that he’s slime, but he still gets his day in court. You harangued him viciously trying to get him to tell you things he couldn’t tell you because of the charges against him. You claimed you were just asking his opinion. You then continued to mock him for failing to answer in other segments of your show. What’s wrong with you? Whether or not he answers a question from you doesn’t change your life one iota. It means HIS freedom. Do you care about anyone but yourself and getting some kind of a story, no matter how you get it? 2. Many times you “con” viewers into thinking you’re for the “folks.” Sir, most of the time you are no more for the “folks” than Mark McGwire was for the fans during his career. He “conned” them for years. He was for himself, just as you are...much of the time. 3. Many times your pride and ego will not let most guests you bring on talk and make their point without you interrupting them. The other night, you interrupted Dick Morris four times in the first 90 seconds after you asked him a question. You never allowed him to say more than a few words without interrupting him, for some ill-prepared, self-serving comment you felt you had to make. The clips you’ve been playing on the Bold Fresh Tour are mostly on the “why bother” side. Do you have any idea what being humble means? At your first event in New York, you had to talk about how much money you make, compared to Peter Jennings. Your comments were foolish. If this is what your Bold Fresh Tour is…again...why bother? Do you really think the “folks” want to pay big ticket prices to sit and watch two people who are not comedians, attempting to be, and failing miserably? There is no “meat.” What is the purpose of the Bold Fresh Tour? Did you ever think it might be a good idea to plan this before the events take place…or do you think you are so “hot” it doesn’t matter? Beck would have been far better off going out by himself rather than dragging you along. Sure, you will say that you’re selling out. The true test is to ask those in attendance if they would ever pay money to see something like this again. If they wouldn’t...it’s another “con.” Most every night you have to talk about your ratings; recently, the fact that 49% of those polled trust FOX News more than another other News organization. I hate to break it you Bill, but the very poll you show says “News organization.” That might describe other programming on FOX News, but that’s not what you do. You do “Opinion Programming.” Your show is not included in that poll. Sir, I’ve been in the media business longer than you. There are some things you should touch on periodically, but you do not run them into the ground. Ratings are one of these things. Like General Patton said, “America loves a winner, and will not tolerate a loser.” People feel good they are watching FOX News, and that the program they choose to watch is watched by most viewers, making them somewhat a winner; but you nullify much of that with your boasting and prideful, selfish demeanor. 4. Like your Bold Fresh Tour, many times you actually think there are people who tune in to watch you be a comedian. Sir, a comedian you are not. I have been watching you for more than 10 years. The handful of things you have said that are either clever or funny would fit, double-spaced on the back of an index card. Just because Dennis Miller is a comedian, doesn’t make you one. Have you ever heard of playing the “straight” man. By the time Dennis is finished with his seven syllable words, and you have made a fool of yourself trying to get a laugh, there is little material left for the viewers to consume. Question: How often does it happen in a segment, when you have little time to get it in, particularly with the FOX ladies, do you spend the majority of it trying to be cute all the while talking over your guests? Answer: Way too often. When you realize the time for the segment is almost up, you hurriedly try and shut everyone down…but no one has said anything but you…and what you’ve said has no substance. You say you interrupt people because you have to get the segments in. And you think segments like these have value? 5. You seldom control your actions in a discussion or interview. You think talking over and/or louder at someone, or with anger, is going to win the debate. I had an English Literature professor in college say, “What you don’t say is much more important than what you do say.” Have you ever heard that keeping the “mystery” in a relationship keeps the relationship alive? Just as quickly as viewers were won over by you in the old days, they can be won over by someone else today. You’re making it easy for someone to take them. There’s little mystery in you when you do this. Most every viewer expects to get just what you give them…ill-preparedness, loud-mouthing, angry and hot-headed rhetoric, accompanied by an arrogant and prideful persona. If you don’t already know…let me tell you…viewers are not tuning into watch YOU, nearly as much as they are tuning in to see and hear what your guests have to say in a properly prepared “seed bed.” 6. Many times you are a convenient” journalist. You loosely use the word journalist when it serves you. Sir, a journalist is much the same as a catalyst in chemistry. A catalyst causes a reaction to occur without entering into the reaction. You are not a journalist. You do not present fair and balanced reporting. It is so obvious when you all of the sudden, stick up for the other side that you just “nailed,” either that day or a day or two before. It’s like you say to yourself, “Gosh, we’ve coined this ‘fair and balanced’ reporting thing. I better say something for the other side, even if it is stupid and foolish.” There ARE journalists at FOX…you’re just not one of them. When you have them on your show…you interrupt them much of the time. Your style is rubbing off on others. Laura Ingraham has become nearly as bad as you in interrupting. I can understand this; however, it has become the only way she and the others can hold a conversation with you. They talk fast and try to get in as much as they can before you talk over and interrupt them. 7. You again, in an ill-prepared manner, following the Massachusetts victory said, “The left is done. The far left media is done. America has spoken. The country is moving to the right.” 95% of all guests you have had on your show since have disagreed with you. You unprofessionally, in your hot-headed style, brush them off, make a final comment, and then say what you normally say, “But look…” and move on to another topic…which is your way of saying, “You’re an idiot. I don’t agree with you, but let me get on with another topic because I need to hear myself talk.” Sir, the far right, conservatives and Republicans had little to do with the victory in Massachusetts. All they did was nullify the vote of the far left and most of the mainstream, Democratic vote. The victory was won by the Independents. Independents are not Republicans or Democrats. Independents are not conservatives or liberals. Independents are not the far right or the far left. Independents are not partisan. Independents are just that…independent. They believe in getting the country back on track. They believe in balance. They believe in an equal presentation and stance on values and opinions. You claim to be one. I think you do so it will play with your “con” that you do fair and balanced reporting. If you truly believe that the “folks are not stupid,” as you say, why do you treat them as if they are? 8. Much of the time you take a prime slot and spend a goodly amount of time promoting your own books…and now a tour of the same name. Being in marketing, I would think taking a prime time program and promoting these books, would have caused them to do much better than they have done. I’m sure many authors would like to have something like this for their use. Most see through what you are doing. I wonder, how much time does it take you each evening to search through your emails to find the few that do something to assist in the promotion of these books and your tour? I could go on, but I think you get my point, although your pride will probably stand in the way of your acceptance of the same. Many of those to the far left of center have chosen a style that regardless of what is said or asked on an issue, they immediately blame something Bush said or did, or what some other Republican said or did, and never end up answering the question. Alan Colmes is a master at this. Much of the time, this has become your style as well. If someone criticizes you, you immediately call them a “loon,” “pinhead” or tell them that they need to “wise up.” Quite often you do it with much anger in your voice, a red face and contempt in your facial expressions. This should sell sir…somewhere…perhaps on MSNBC. I understand that you might come after me; but then again, as you say, you dismiss those who criticize you. You call them a “nut case” or a “loon.” Let me help you. You don’t want to spend time on me. In addition to my political persuasion I listed earlier, I am basically a “no one.” I can best be described as a sinner, but one who is trying to sin less; someone who loves his wife, family, friends and business associates; an entrepreneur who has failed more often than he has succeeded; a person with a great deal of respect for business and for making a profit in business; a viewer; a citizen of the greatest country there has ever been; and someone who understands I am always three seconds away from having an aneurysm and becoming worm food…but one who has an immortal soul that will live forever. If you’re going to spend ANY time on this editorial, spend it looking at yourself and seeing if maybe...just maybe...I’m bringing up some things you need to consider changing. You are definitely the leader in your type of programming at your time slot, but again…please don’t call it News. Always call it what it is. It is “Opinion Programming.” The Director of Programming at FOX News has to be a genius. He or she has figured out how to “sell the whole steer,” snoot, tail and all, regardless of how “mislabeled” the cuts may be. He or she has done a masterful job of merchandising. This “blend” is why FOX and your show does so well…not because of your individual performance. If you can stop for a bit from promoting your own books, tour and agendas, take the time to read the book by Jack Trout and Al Ries titled, Marketing Warfare. This book talks about being a leader; being #2; being a “flanker” in the number 3, 4 or 5 position; and being a “guerilla” at the bottom of the market. The two most important things the leader can do to maintain their position is 1) to have the courage to attack themselves, and 2) thwart each and every attempt by the competition to take what they have. Trout and Ries go on to say, “It is ALMOST impossible to lose being number one, but once lost, it IS impossible to get it back.” You are setting yourself up as an easy mark for someone to take what you have. But then, we may not have to worry. Soon, we may read the headline, “Pinhead O’Reilly finally takes down all of FOX News by himself through his arrogance and pride.” I hope not. America needs FOX News…and you…when you do…what you do…the right way. Next, the puppies…last month we took an ad from a supposed Wichita resident, whereby he wanted to give away two registered, AKC Maltese Teacup puppies. We took his information, checked out his local address, and performed other due diligence that we would do with any advertiser. We even built the ad for him. Well, it turned out to be a scam. Here’s how it worked. Because no one had responded to the ad immediately, he would say to those who emailed him, he had to leave town and took the puppies with him. He went to Africa…yes…Africa. He still wanted to give the puppies away but now they would have to be shipped back. If the person wanting them would pay for half of the shipping cost, he would pay the other half. So he would get half of the shipping charges sent to him but he would never send the puppies. We immediately alerted The Sedgwick County District Attorney as soon as we received the first call from one of our readers. This is all we know at this time. If we find out more information, we will let you know. We want to apologize for any inconvenience to anyone, and will do our best to take even greater precautions in the future to avoid something like this happening again. A couple of comments on Presidents…I have thought for quite some time, that President George W. Bush ended the last years of his presidency in a way that would firmly secure him as being the worst President we have had in more than 34 years. Well, I was wrong. President Obama, if he stays his present course, will take over that spot, hands down. Most unfortunate for him...and us…is that he will do so while being very intelligent, a nice guy, passionate and a great communicator. His problem is not as much that he is governing from the far left. His problem is that he has no experience in managing anything...not even a lemonade stand. No one would do, what he has been doing, if they had management experience running anything. First he campaigned as a centrist, or one just to the left of center. He’s governing about 3,000 miles to the left of that. He is not doing what he said we would do. He makes decisions...and regardless how ill-advised they might be...he sticks by them, when it is obvious he should rescind and/or modify the same. He doesn’t know how to say he’s wrong...or that he’s sorry. He has broken nearly every campaign promise he has made. Although his experience was questioned repeatedly throughout the campaign, we didn’t make it nearly a big enough issue. The mistakes that he is making are almost all management related. You can not tell those you are trying to lead one thing, then do another. You can not make 4 stops in one week promoting jobs as the thing our country needs to focus on more than anything...after spending a year on other issues and not even mentioning jobs...then switch back to health care the next week on 4 stops, saying passing “something” is more important than anything right now and not even mentioning the “jobs” message from the week before...then the next week talking exclusively about cap and trade and not mentioning jobs or health care. He’s all over the board! If you differ with him, you are evil and anti-American. Ask any employee what he or she wants from his or her manager. The first thing is fair and honest compensation and benefits. The second thing is consistency. No one wants to be led by someone who is herky-jerky, with a Jekyll and Hyde, defensive persona. President Obama has an idea as to what he wants to accomplish, but other than trying to deliver a “Cross of Gold” speech in front of some crowd, on TV, daily, where he comes across as “Big Hat No Cattle”...he has no idea how to make it happen. He reminds me of someone in quick sand who continues to flail away and sink further and faster. His approval rating is now less than 44%, Congress’s is at 26%, the country is more divided than it has ever been. Everyone on the right hates everyone on the left...and vice versa. Nothing is getting done. For crying out loud...we need a manager...we need a leader...someone with experience…not someone who is learning on the job. A leader...a manager...someone who commands respect...could get this nonsense stopped. No matter what happens in the November mid-term elections, we’ve got three more years of this. If the Republicans even things up in Congress, or take control, what good is it? We will be right back into this “swamp” of still getting nothing done because we have no leader...no manager...commanding enough respect to stop this insolent, uncivil, inefficient, partisan behavior. What lesson should we learn from this? If we EVER, as a country, again elect any person, that has not had management experience in running a business (that’s right a business...that has to make a profit, and not some kind of government-funded, political action committee or neighborhood watch group), whereby his or her job depended upon the meeting of objectives dictated by a Board, Senior Management or Administration (i.e. sales, profit, share of market, image, awareness, inventory turnover, average ticket, traffic, etc.), in a legal, ethical and moral fashion, while maintaining the morale of his employee force …we should have to put up with whatever it brings us, and be rendered mute by God from that point forward. Now, for my last item. The Q & A Times will begin its 10th year of publishing with our May issue of this year. Time has passed very quickly. It seems like just a week or two ago I was talking to the late Kerry Grey (former President of Associated Advertising), asking him what he thought about a publication that would be totally Q & A, that would deal with information and education on products and services from both sectors...business and consumer. He replied, “Charlie, people of the world cannot get enough information and education. The more you give them the more they want, particularly if it is JUST information and education…and not commercial information intertwined within. It then becomes “vintage public relations” and very powerful. A by-product of this need for information and education is the fact that people will spend more time reading Q & A than any other type of editorial, and as you know, time spent with media is the number one thing a media owner tries to accomplish. I think it would work great.” That was in the Fall of 2000…almost 10 years ago! I think Kerry was very good at lots of things...among them was his being a visionary. I think of him and thank him often for his counsel and advice. The following is commercial…but maybe when a publication begins its 10th year of publishing, a bit of it can be allowed, especially if it is identified as such up front. We still have yet to find another “stand-alone” publication on the planet that is totally Q & A. We like to think of ourselves as a “hard copy Google.” Q & A features…if used by other print media…are most always a one or two-page segment, and most of the time, these publications make the Q & A blatantly commercial. These features should (journalistically speaking) have a banner on the top and bottom saying “Paid Advertisement” because that is what they are. If a business stops and takes the time to provide information and education about a product, service or concept…without trying to sell the target something…it is most effective for inducing good will from the target to the presenter, his firm, company, institution, product, service and/or concept. Kerry knew this all too well. It is surprising that more publications do not run Q & A columns, for as Kerry said, and Roper Starch (a 150-year old, print research company in San Francisco) has confirmed for more than 50 years, if done properly, it is the number one type of editorial for getting people to spend their time reading. People, on the average, spend as much as 250% or more time reading non-commercial, Q & A editorial than they do any other type of editorial, albeit Main News, Local News, Sports, Religion, Social, Classified or any other type. According to studies done by the Radio Advertising Bureau, annually since 1975, the average time spent reading the daily newspaper is only 14 minutes, with half the time spent reading the ads, including the classified, and the other half the time spent reading the editorial. The average time spent reading a weekly newspaper is 26 minutes. The average time spent reading a monthly newspaper is 36 minutes. Q & A causes people to spend as much as 250% more time reading than other types of editorial. This makes the time spent reading The Q & A Times in the hour to hour and a half range. This time spent reading leads all print media…and the biggest reason why we have become the only pure, public relations’ media in the state. About now, I should be talking about what’s coming. So, in keeping with our Q & A format, please allow me to do so. Question: What can we look forward to from The Q & A Times in the future? Answer: We hope…a lot. First, we’ve changed our name just a bit. We are now The Q & A Times Journal. Why? We feel this ever so slight change positions us for moving more into the business to business (B2B) sector, while maintaining our strong commitment and presence in the business to consumer (B2C) sector. We will seek to have more of a balance of both B2B and B2C articles in the future. You see, there are thousands of people in businesses that are just as interested in information and education in regards to products and services for their businesses, as there are thousands of consumers who are interested in information and education in regards to products and services for their personal use. There is no reason why we cannot address both in the same publication. After all, when a businessperson drives home at night, he/she IS a consumer. We mail to more than twice as many businesses as the only other business publication in the area, and to businesses not only in Sedgwick County, but also to businesses in Harvey and Butler Counties as well. We will mail to even more of them in the future. Our Q & A features are not commercial, as there is never a mention of the business’s name, products or service; and the features are most always void of pronouns, such as “I,” “We,” “Ours” and “Us.” And, every advertiser gets an opportunity for a Q & A without having to pay for the same, relative to information and education about his/her products, services, concepts or industry Lastly, our advertising rates are but a fraction of that of what the other publication charges. So too is our annual subscription…which is only $12 per year. With that in mind, here is an offer we hope you will consider. To lead off this new focus, and as we move towards a more subscriber-based publication…for a limited time…by using the pink coupon on the front page, along with the application on Page 3, you and/or your business can save $5 off this price and assure you get your copy mailed to you each month, for the modest amount of only $7 per year! That’s more than a 40% savings, and works out to less than 60 cents per month. I guess if what we provide is not worth that, we probably should not be looking towards our 11th year of publishing, huh? We hope with what we’ve learned, what we’ve been told, and these changes, we will become an even bigger part of providing information and education to all types of consumers and businesses in the Greater Wichita Area, than what we have been in the past. With your continued support…which we will thank you for in advance…we will do our best to make this happen.
 
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