Media General Station Hires Cardboard Cutout

Media General owned WSPA (Spartanburg, S.C) has a new hire in the newsroom and she's made out of cardboard.

The station has hired "Michelle" and according to News Director Karen Kelly, Michelle will be in all the news editorial meetings.

Michelle has two kids (although they don't seem to have names) and she's made out of cardboard.  Kelly wants everyone in the newsroom to gear their stories to Michelle. 

Michelle will be in the newsroom each and everyday (damn! No days off?) and will even be traveling to the bureaus (hope it's not windy on those days).

Here is the internal memo that Kelly sent to the staff about the station's new hire:

Subject: MEET Michelle

Michelle is who you want watching your newscasts, your stories.

She will be in every editorial meeting with us and in the newsroom during the day. She will likely make occasional trips to Greenville and Anderson.  

When you pitch, pitch to her. When you write, write to her.

This is who we need watching in February.

Women 25-54 is her demo.

She has children and she cares about:
Their Safety
Saving Money
Recalls that have impact on her family

Even if you think a story doesn't directly impact Michelle find a way to write it to her.

Give her additional information that is relevant to her.

Post stories and send alerts on stories she cares about.

Not sure how many cardboard cutouts have a people meter, but it seems that WSPA wants to gear their newscast to the cardboard cutout.

Just when you thought this business could not anymore crazy, now cardboard people are running news editorial meetings.

Walter Cronkite just flipped over one more time.