While I’ve been blogging longer than podcasting, I specifically came up with the name, Eat The Lens, for McGrath Comm’s podcast.
Later, I decided to put the blog and the podcast under the same Eat The Lens banner—if you will.
In 2009, I started spending a lot of time on social media, engaging with people who were interested in McGrath Comm’s work.
In the heyday of twitter, I was being asked a lot of quick questions about media interviews, presentations and on-camera best practices.
As a result of this interest, I started sharing daily tips to address my social media follower’s questions.
Prior to that, I had been blogging on topics that required a longer explanation than 140 characters. For example, a follower might ask my thoughts about how a company was handling a crisis in the media. These blogs appeared on McGrath Comm’s website. (We just didn’t call the blog, Eat The Lens, at that point.)
I cover similar topics in the podcast and the blog; it’s your choice… as to how much information you’d like to consume… and which medium appeals to you the most.
If you want more information, and you like to read, then I recommend checking out our blogs. The topics range from Media Training and Presentation Skills tips… to Crisis Comms and Spokesperson Best Practices… to Virtual Meetings and On-Camera Tips.
If you are more of an auditory learner, and want less information, then our Eat The Lens Bite-Sized Tips are for you. They are only 30-60 seconds long. Again, the topics include quick tips about on-camera skills, media training, presentations skills and public speaking.
If you’d like a mix of the two i.e. more information but in a podcast format, then our latest offering, Entrée is for you. Entrée features longer conversations that will give you access or entrée to experts who will help you become a more effective communicator.
Whether you want to listen to quick audio tips… read blogs filled with stories about hard-learned lessons… or you want to listen to 10 minute conversations with experts, Eat The Lens is a great resource to help you improve your communication skills.
Over the years, the name, Eat The Lens, has garnered way more interest than I could have ever imagined. One marketing professional credits me with being ahead of my time with such an irreverent, in your face choice. (Not that I wouldn’t love to take the credit, but I’m afraid my choice wasn’t that intentional.)
Eat The Lens is a phrase, not coined by me, that’s used to describe someone who has great charisma on-camera.
I spent three days scribbling dozens of names in a notebook. (I process information by writing. There’s something about putting pen to paper that helps me brainstorm better than typing when I am stuck.)
On day four, I decided to put my notebook away for a while and take a walk in a forest preserve. I told myself to stop thinking about the name and just enjoy the nature around me.
As often happens when I decide to take a break, my brain takes me where I need to go.
I suddenly recalled my first TV news internship at a local station in Chicago.
I’d worked really hard for three months, putting in about 30 hours a week for free, to get my foot in the door of the television news business. (TV news internships aren’t paid.)
In exchange for that hard work, it is generally understood that the station’s videographers will help you out at the end of your internship by shooting you on-camera (stand-ups) for your resume reel.
During my last week, I was sent to field produce a news conference at city hall. When the videographer was finished shooting, he agreed to shoot a stand-up for my reel.
As soon as I started talking on-camera, I noticed that people turned to watch. I wondered whether I was speaking too loudly, but I just kept going.
When I was finished, the videographer, who was known as a curmudgeon, just shook his head at me.
I felt panicked, thinking I had done a bad job, squandering this rare opportunity to get video of myself on-camera for my resume reel, which I would need to get my first on-air reporting job.
I finally asked, “Was it really bad? Do you have time for me to try again?”
He immediately started laughing and said, “No. It was great! Girl, you ate the lens and you don’t even know it!”
Eat The Lens. That was it! I had found the name of my podcast! And I had that lovely curmudgeon to thank for introducing me to the phrase. And that is how and why I named McGrath Comm’s podcast and blog, Eat The Lens.”
– NOELEEN MCGRATH, FOUNDER & PRESIDENT
Coaching You To Be On Message…. On-Air, In-Person and Online.”
