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Overview  Some 35% of U.S. adults have software applications or “apps” on their phones, yet only 24% of adults use those apps. Many adults who have apps on their phones, particularly older adults, do not use them, and 11% of cell owners are not sure if their phone is equipped with apps.  Among cell phone owners, 29% have downloaded apps to their phone and 13% have paid to download apps.  “An apps culture is clearly emerging among some cell phone users, particularly men and young adults,” said Kristen Purcell, Associate Director for Research at the Pew Internet Project . “Still, it is clear that this is the early stage of adoption when many cell owners do not know what their phone can do. The apps market seems somewhat ahead of a majority of adult cell phone users.” “This is a pretty remarkable tech-adoption story, if you consider that there was no apps culture until two years ago,” said Roger Entner, co-author of the report and Senior Vice President and Head of Research and Insights for Telecom Practice at Nielsen. “Every metric we capture shows a widening embrace of all kinds of apps by a widening population. It’s too early to say what this will eventually amount to, but not too early to say that this is an important new part of the technology

Sales/business development for search engine and social media marketing

Display ad sales rep

Database marketing specialist

Unfortunately for any would-be reformers, that annoyance is no license to quit putting on a show. "Anyone absent from the lineup will be noticed," he said. "They serve as a networking opportunity, are buzz-worthy and help develop more trustworthy relationships with the organization."

While networks try to outdo each other with celebrity appearance and stadium-worthy musical performances, only 4% called the presence of talent "extremely influential" on their decision to attend, their perception of a network or their ultimate investment. Some 42% rated talent "somewhat influential," while 38% called it "not very influential."

Research and data has become an important part of the mix at the upfronts, where networks and web publishers were eager to call out stats favoring their stories. But numbers can be manipulated any way the networks like, Mr. Flood said, and 72% of media buyers and advertisers found the research provided at the presentations only somewhat relevant to their decision making.

While big media conglomerates often emphasize the potential of their entire portfolio during negotiations, media buyers and advertisers care more about the power of individual networks, according to the research. Digital video was the hot topic this year, and on that front media executives agreed with sellers, with 75% saying they expected to increase spending in digital video over the next 12 months, compared to just 1% saying they expected to cut it.

The actual dollar amount going into the digital space is still small compared to TV, Mr. Cohen said. But there's no question money is coming out of broadcast TV, with 26% of respondents saying they plan to decrease the amount they spend on the Big Four networks. In comparison, 35% of those surveyed plan to spend more in cable TV this year.

In what's perhaps a bit of an anticlimax, buyers ultimately rated price as the most important factor. Some 82% of TV decision-makers and 76% of digital decision-makers said attractive pricing is the thing most likely to convince them to spend more. So, networks be warned: It doesn't matter if you have Jay-Z or Kanye West performing if your ads aren't an attractive value.

It’s a sales pitch that’s been working for A+E Networks, a private New York company owned by Hearst and Disney (DIS) that operates a portfolio of cable channels, including History, Lifetime, and A&E. (A+E is the name of the company; A&E is the name of the channel.) According to data from SNL Kagan, ad revenue at A&E grew from $366 million in 2008 to $477 million in 2012. During that same period, ad revenue at History grew from $310 million to $499 million. A+E Networks generates roughly $1.2 billion of profit on $3.6 billion of annual revenue, according to a network source who was not authorized to speak publicly about the company’s finances.

Ad buyers know that over the past year, few companies have done a better job of capturing the fragmented attention of TV viewers. A+E has thrived thanks in part to a slate of reality shows that focus on lifestyles far removed from the office-tied lives of the white-collar, urban strivers who make TV. A+E executives brag that their channels air 18 of the top 50 entertainment shows among adults on ad-supported cable. The current lineup includes Ice Road Truckers (about arctic truck drivers operating in remote, dangerous conditions), Ax Men (logging crews), Swamp People (Cajun alligator hunters), Pawn Stars (Las Vegas pawnshop owners), and American Hoggers (feral pig exterminators in Texas). History recently aired the fifth season of Top Shot, a reality competition in which contestants shoot rifles, handguns, and grenade launchers.

The VW crisis falls into the general PR crisis category of scandals and shenanigans that entail often-shocking revelations about a company. They often implicate specific corporate executives or managers. They can involve any type of aberrant behavior including accounting mischief, safety practices, and sexual activities.

Other types of crisis include: Accidents and disasters. These cover terrorist activities, plant fires and explosions, vehicle crashes, disease outbreaks, and other man-made catastrophes or natural disasters. Corporate crises in this category can be “no fault” for the company or the organization may bear full responsibility. The BP oil spill on the Gulf of Mexico is an example. Product, service or staff snafus.  These are negative customer experiences caused by employees, usually reported on social media or captured by citizen journalists. The category also involves product defects. Antagonistic attacks. These involve online or offline actions initiated by customers, competitors, activists or regulators who have a bone to pick with your business.

While the standard PR crisis playbook can apply to most crises, the Volkswagen emissions scandal is far from typical. It involves intentional government rule breaking, rather than straightforward mistakes involved in other recalls. The wrongdoing almost certainly involves many VW engineers and decision-makers, not just a few people as in many other PR crises.

The emissions test fraud was one of the most egregious examples of corporate misconduct in recent times, perhaps exceeded only by Enron’s financial fraud in the previous decade. Unlike most other examples of corporate maleficence, the emissions test rigging impacts most everyone in the world by causing more pollution. 

The PR Crisis Management Playbook The standard PR crisis playbook calls for corporations to: Follow a previously prepared crisis management plan that defines the decision-making process, spokespersons, outlets to contact, communications channels, and which stakeholders to update. Act quickly. Quickly disseminating information and responding to media inquiries is essential in crisis communication. The first 48 hours are critical. Silence enables speculation and reflects badly on the brand, as media outlets will publish stories and the public will reach conclusions whether the company comments or not. Be open and transparent. Release all the information you have in an open dialogue with the press and the public, using both traditional and social media channels, including the organization’s website and other owned media. Apologize. Delivering an appropriate, timely and sincere apology is a vital part of responding to a crisis. PR and business executives can learn from previous corporate apologies. Quickly cut ties with company employees, employees of affiliated firms or celebrity spokespeople accused of wrongdoing. Make amends. Provide help for any victims and their families. Demonstrate that the company is taking steps to protect the public. Actions speak louder than words in these situations. Monitor the situation. Employ a media monitoring service to obtain up-to-the-minute reports, identify media mentions that call for responses and gauge the effectiveness of  corporate communications.

The corporate messages run on 15-second loops of video or a still image, displaying four advertisers per minute. Those can be changed by inserting a different memory card — like the type used in digital cameras and other media — into the mirror, Heinchon said.