Our next SWIM session focuses on the blogosphere and we would like know a little bit more about Arkansas bloggers. If you are a blogger and live in Arkansas, please email Emily (ereeves@stoneward.com) and I will respond with a link to our short survey. Thank you.
I accept the challenge presented by Blake’s Think Tank, and present my opinion as to why it matters–specifically in Arkansas media–that more women are online than men.
Who are our key media communicators and influencers online in Arkansas: men. And yet a good portion of their readers are likely women. How easily do you think those readers could be swayed to read a female writer who was delivering quality information with a woman’s style of communicating (more friendly, likely more unbiased, a focus on the details in addition to the big picture, incorporation of back-story making the entire piece more personal and personable)? My opinion is that it would only take one strong female media personality online to convince female readers to switch.
Women (across the country and in Arkansas) make the majority of household decisions: what to purchase, where to spend the money and how much to spend. (The only area where they don’t rule when it comes to purchasing power: beer.) More time is going into researching online before buying. And, the opinions of “people like me” are the most trusted. Local media are missing the boat by not touting a female opinion leader in their online spaces. Women want one in Arkansas. And, I am not just talking about mommy-bloggers. Or political gurus. Or movie reviewers. Or business influencers. But we do need all of those. We need to have representatives for women in all stages of life and backgrounds in Arkansas communicating through our media outlets online.
Quality matters. And, personality matters. Men have figured this out. The few women that I have found writing online for our media in Arkansas are conveying neither. Women: tell us who you are and why we should listen to you. Then, deliver on that by providing quality content. You will get the readership. And the men will have to stop ignoring our presence in Arkansas.
Stone Ward hosted the finale of our Energy Efficiency Arkansas television commercial shoot with Archie Bell and the Drells at the Peabody bar. Among our honored guests: Max Brantley, of the Arkansas Times, and Mark Stodola, our esteemed mayor. Thank you, both, for attending our event. Fun times!
Congratulations on the 25th anniversary. I am proud that Arkansas has a respected business publication, and I appreciate the news and features in the weekly editions of Arkansas Business. Thank you for your contributions to the state and its business population.
I am writing to respond to 25th Anniversary Edition’s list of “25 for the Future.” I was stunned by the lack of female representatives on this list: 3.5 women and 21.5 men (half designations for the #22 split). Surely someone noticed this unbalanced distribution as the selections were made (using what I have to assume was the official criteria of “likely to impact the state based on their family wealth and position, and others have just exhibited a spark of potential”)?
I don’t believe that finding future-thinking women with a “spark of potential” would have been difficult. Women make up 51% of the state’s population. The Women’s Foundation of Arkansas has an Emerging Leaders program. I work with many bright and talented women in business around the state everyday. Chamber leadership programs are conducted around the state and include both men and women.
Please understand that I do not think that the men on the list are undeserving of the designation. Most of the honorees certainly deserve the recognition. I am simply disappointed by what comes across as an old-fashioned point-of-view about business and leadership, rather than the progressive one I know this state aspires to achieve.
Coming soon to Ms. Adverthinker: profiles and interviews with women who will shape Arkansas’s future.
Sincerely,
Ms. Adverthinker
UPDATE: Arkansas Business has pointed out that they included a list of “25 Women Leaders” in the 25th Anniversary Edition as well. While this is a good thing, this does not counterbalance the “25 for the Future” list; if anything, it is the counterpart to the “25 Living Legends” (a list including only one woman, which is understandable as it is representation of the past). In this 25th Anniversary edition, the “25 for the Future” was given prominent placement, which is, of course, why it will receive the most criticism. I maintain my opinion that the balance men to women on the “future” list is severely lacking.
As I noted above, Arkansas Business is welcoming your feedback, which is impressive. Tell them what you think of the lists.
It is hard to pick up a publication these days without there being some story on the “green movement.” New construction is one way in which companies can join the green movement and it turns out, old buildings can be green too. In Sunday’s New York Times, there was an article on how existing buildings can be “greened”: “As more companies look to reduce waste, along with the carbon imprint, they find that their buildings are one of their most immediate opportunities. For their efforts, they typically get a healthier, cleaner work environment, improved efficiency and lower operating costs, all of which can help attract tenants and employees. A 2006 Green Building Council study found that by retrofitting buildings, owners can save 90 cents a square foot annually, on average, in energy and other costs and earn back their investment in 2 to 2 1/2 years.” With continued high-profile coverage of the opportunities, surely more companies will start implementing efforts to reduce their strain on the environment.
The green movement continues to gain momentum in Arkansas as well. Not only do we have the Clinton Library and Heifer International leading the way with commercial buildings, but there are also a growing number of “green” residential developments planned in Arkansas, as reported in our Arkansas Democrat-Gazette this week. Arkansas is more progressive than people think:
Arkansas is really stepping up as a leader in green building!
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