Think Like a Producer | Unknown to Known

Election Day is November 3, and early voting is already underway in Texas. For the next two weeks, election coverage will fill every newscast, every feed and every podcast.Newsrooms aren't only booking political pundits. They need experts who can explain how voting works and what the numbers mean for your wallet, without picking a side.In this episode of Think Like a Producer, I break down how producers book election coverage, and how three kinds of experts can join the conversation:- Election and employment attorneys: can your boss stop you from voting? On Instagram- Economists and financial planners: 3.7% inflation vs. a 3.6% Social Security raise, on LinkedIn- Educators and civics experts: how to research every line on your ballot, on XPlus: why public radio stations write stories about a nonpartisan voter guide, and how to build your content the same way.📰 SOURCES IN THIS EPISODETexas Secretary of State - Important election dates: https://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/voter/important-election-dates.shtmlSeptember inflation breakdown: https://www.usinflationcalculator.com/inflation/us-cpi-sept-2026-inflation-hits-3-7-as-gas-prices-surge/100073364/Social Security 3.6% increase for 2027: https://www.ssa.gov/news/en/press/releases/2026-10-14.htmlTexas Election Code Section 276.004: https://texas.public.law/statutes/tex._election_code_section_276.004VOTE411 nonpartisan voter guide - WUSF: https://www.wusf.org/politics-issues/2026-07-20/vote411-the-league-of-women-voters-2026-online-nonpartisan-voter-guide-is-activated🎙️ Listen on podcast platforms🎓 The Visibility Program: https://oncamready.com/podcast-offer then https://substack.com/@oncamready🌐 Work with me: https://oncamready.comPitch: [email protected] (Affiliate):Record your content with Riverside: https://riverside.sjv.io/09VWrEDiscount Code: OCR15VidIQ (Affiliate): https://vidiq.com/oncamreadyThink Like a Producer, an ON CAM Ready presentation. Monday through Thursday, I break down one news headline so experts can find their angle and produce their own authority.Subscribe for new episodes Monday through Thursday.#ThinkLikeAProducer #Midterms2026 #EarlyVoting #ThoughtLeadership #PersonalBrand

At her very first briefing, the new White House press secretary was asked a simple question: where did you pass the bar exam? Days later, she acknowledged she never passed the bar and never got a U.S. law license. Five days after that first briefing, she was out of the job. This episode isn't about politics. It's about something that happens to every guest in every newsroom: before they book you, they check you. In this episode of Think Like a Producer, I walk you through how producers vet a guest, and how three kinds of experts can use this story: - Attorneys and licensed professionals: why a law degree and a law license are not the same thing, on LinkedIn - HR leaders and recruiters: a live LinkedIn audit, on Instagram - PR and crisis communication pros: how to answer a credentials question, on X Plus: how one follow-up question traveled from the White House briefing room to Hong Kong. 📰 SOURCES IN THIS EPISODE NPR - Press secretary faces questions about credentials: https://www.kpbs.org/news/politics/2026/10/12/new-white-house-press-secretary-faces-questions-about-credentials-after-first-briefing The Daily Beast - Bar membership records: https://www.thedailybeast.com/katie-zacharia-cornered-on-strange-legal-resume-claims CBS News - Zacharia out as press secretary: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-katie-zacharia-white-house-press-secretary/ Fox News - Zacharia dropped after one week: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-casts-doubt-new-press-secretarys-future-after-rocky-white-house-debut MS NOW - Opinion on the lawyer controversy: https://www.ms.now/opinion/katie-zacharia-lawyer-controversy-social-media-posts South China Morning Post: https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3370787/trumps-new-press-secretary-faces-questions-over-over-claim-she-passed-bar-exam-china State Bar of California attorney search: https://apps.calbar.ca.gov/attorney/LicenseeSearch/QuickSearch 🎙️ Listen on podcast platforms 🎓 The Visibility Program: https://oncamready.com/podcast-offer then https://substack.com/@oncamready 🌐 Work with me: https://oncamready.com Pitch: [email protected] Riverside (Affiliate): Record your content with Riverside: https://riverside.sjv.io/09VWrE Discount Code: OCR15 VidIQ (Affiliate): https://vidiq.com/oncamready Think Like a Producer, an ON CAM Ready presentation. Monday through Thursday, I break down one news headline so experts can find their angle and produce their own authority. Subscribe for new episodes Monday through Thursday. #ThinkLikeAProducer #MediaTraining #PersonalBrand #ThoughtLeadership #Credibility

Hurricane Isaias left more than 900,000 homes and businesses without power across Florida, Alabama and Georgia. Now the aftermath begins, and so do the contractor scams.In this episode of Think Like a Producer, I break down Alabama's warning about storm-repair fraud and show three kinds of experts how to use this story to help people and build authority:🔨 Contractors and builders: what to show homeowners on Instagram📋 Insurance agents and adjusters: the first-week checklist for LinkedIn⚖️ Attorneys: the felony law most people don't know about, explained on XPlus: why one state licensing board's press release ran on TV stations from Atlanta to Hawaii, and how to build your content the same way.📰 SOURCES IN THIS EPISODEAlabama warns of contractor scams (WBRC): https://www.wbrc.com/2026/10/09/alabama-warns-contractor-scams-hurricane-isaias-approaches/Gov. Ivey's emergency proclamation (WBRC): https://www.wbrc.com/2026/10/07/state-emergency-declared-40-alabama-counties-ahead-isaias/Isaias landfall and outages (AP via Atlanta News First): https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2026/10/10/hundreds-thousands-without-power-after-isaias-slams-florida-panhandle-alabama/Metro Atlanta outages (WABE): https://www.wabe.org/?p=992343Same story on Hawaii News Now: https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2026/10/09/state-warns-contractor-scams-hurricane-isaias-approaches/Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board: https://www.hblb.alabama.gov/Alabama Attorney General consumer complaints: https://www.alabamaag.gov/🎙️ Listen on podcast platforms 🎓 The Visibility Program: https://oncamready.com/podcast-offer THEN https://substack.com/@oncamready🌐 Work with me: https://oncamready.comPitch: [email protected] (Affiliate):Record your content with Riverside: https://riverside.sjv.io/09VWrEDiscount Code: OCR15VidIQ (Affiliate): https://vidiq.com/oncamreadyThink Like a Producer, an ON CAM Ready presentation. Monday through Thursday, I break down one news headline so experts can find their angle and produce their own authority.Subscribe for new episodes Monday through Thursday.#ThinkLikeAProducer #HurricaneIsaias #ThoughtLeadership #PersonalBrand #MediaTraining

At 8:30 this morning, the Social Security Administration announces the 2027 cost-of-living adjustment. Forecasts say about 3.5%, the biggest raise in three years. By 8:31, newsrooms need experts who can explain it.In this episode of Think Like a Producer, I show you how producers prepare for a scheduled story, and how three kinds of experts can get their point of view in front of people:- Financial planners: turn the percentage into dollars on LinkedIn- Medicare brokers and pharmacists: the Medicare "but," on Instagram- Economists and policy experts: the story behind the number, on XPlus: how independent analyst Mary Johnson became the go-to COLA source for reporters, without working for a newsroom.📰 SOURCES IN THIS EPISODESSA COLA page: https://www.ssa.gov/cola/Announcement date and forecasts - Gray News: https://www.fox19.com/2026/08/26/how-much-are-social-security-benefits-expected-increase-2027-announcement-date-nears/Final COLA forecasts: https://401kspecialistmag.com/final-2027-social-security-cola-forecast-before-the-real-thing-settles-at-3-5/What a 3.7% COLA means and the Part D deductible - Money Talks News: https://www.moneytalksnews.com/social-security-cola-may-be-but-still-not-offset-medicare/COLA vs. Medicare Part B: https://www.moneytalksnews.com/social-security-cola-to-outpace-medicare-cost-but-not-much-else/Mary Johnson's revised forecast: https://247wallst.com/personal-finance/2026/07/28/goodbye-4-7-cola-why-the-latest-estimates-for-social-security-recipients-just-changed/Syracuse study on news creators: https://newhouse.syracuse.edu/news/youtube-overtakes-tv-as-top-source-of-political-news-study-finds/🎙️ Listen on podcast platforms🎓 The Visibility Program: https://oncamready.com/podcast-offer then https://substack.com/@oncamready🌐 Work with me: https://oncamready.comPitch: [email protected] (Affiliate):Record your content with Riverside: https://riverside.sjv.io/09VWrEDiscount Code: OCR15VidIQ (Affiliate): https://vidiq.com/oncamreadyThink Like a Producer, an ON CAM Ready presentation. Monday through Thursday, I break down one news headline so experts can find their angle and produce their own authority.Subscribe for new episodes Monday through Thursday.#ThinkLikeAProducer #SocialSecurity #COLA #ThoughtLeadership #PersonalBrand

How to create expert commentary for the Apple event. Learn to filter through Apple rumors and prepare your analysis for a product launch.When a major brand makes a big announcement, the internet floods with noise. This video is designed for experts who need to cut through the speculation. We discuss how to analyze incoming data, distinguish facts from conjecture, and craft a unique angle that adds value to the conversation rather than just repeating the headlines.Preparation is the key to media readiness. You will learn how to organize your thoughts before you are on camera, ensuring you can respond to new information as it happens. By focusing on your specific expertise, you can position yourself as a reliable source when your audience needs clarity most.Subscribe for weekly breakdowns on how to build authority, and comment below on which tech stories you are currently tracking.Chapters:0:00 Preparing for Tech Announcements1:24 Separating Rumors from Confirmed Facts3:30 Tailoring Your Angle for Your Audience5:49 Leveraging LinkedIn for Thought Leadership7:00 Creative Strategies Behind the CampaignSOURCES AND EXAMPLES:Apple: Official “Welcome Home” Announcement https://www.apple.com/newsroom/in-the-loop/2026/10/welcome-home/AppleInsider: What to Expect From Apple’s October 13 Releases https://appleinsider.com/articles/26/10/08/what-to-expect-from-apples-october-13-welcome-home-releasesJens Schumacher: The Creative Story Behind Apple’s Embroidered Logo https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jensschumacher_welcome-home-my-wife-and-her-sister-ugcPost-7514074025308930048-ciNT/LinkedIn News: Apple Plans to Launch Its First Touchscreen MacBook https://www.linkedin.com/news/story/apple-plans-to-launch-first-touch-screen-macbook-7657604/Think Like a Producer helps experts use the news, add informed analysis and become visible for what they know.#NewsYouCanUse #AppleEvent #ThoughtLeadership