Analytics Quiz

o Prominence: Primary

 Target is the main focus of the coverage.

o Tonality: Positive

 Positive financial articles should be scored Positive

o Prominence: Secondary

 Target is not the main focus of the story; however, is discussed substantively and is more than a mere mention. Therefore, Secondary is the correct prominence.

o Tonality: Positive

 Since the article is not only discussing the fact that Target has a new CFO, but characterizes the new CFO in a positive light, this story can be scored Positive.

 However, had this story just mentioned that the CFO has moved to Target and factually

lists out their employment history, this should be scored as Somewhat Positive or

Neutral.

o Prominence: Secondary

 Target is not the main focus of the story; however, is discussed substantively and is a key

player/bystander in the coverage. Therefore, Secondary is the correct prominence.

 However, if the article had emphasized the Target aspect of the story, e.g., if the headline

had been “Second Target Armed Robbery in June Has Shoppers Spooked” – you would

have to score the topic as Primary.

o Tonality: Somewhat Negative

 From the information provided, the tonality score should be Somewhat Negative. Target is an

unfortunate bystander in the story, and not at fault, but this is certainly a negative situation.

 Again, if the story took a different approach, such as discussing how the lighting in the

parking lot is insufficient, then the tonality would definitely be downgraded to Negative.

Prominence: Mention

 As Target appears in a list of top 100 companies, without additional discussion, the correct

prominence for this story is Mention.

 If Target had been one of the top 10 companies spotlighted in greater detail, the correct

prominence score would have been Secondary.

o Tonality: Positive or Very Positive

 Since the article is superlative in nature – discusses Target as a “best” company – this story

should be scored as Very Positive.

o Prominence: Secondary

 Target is not the main focus of the story; however, is discussed substantively and the quote in the story adds perspective and dimension to the coverage. This type of coverage falls outside our definition of mention, so Secondary is the correct prominence score.

o Tonality: Positive

 Quotes/organizational perspective in coverage will skew positive; in this case, since the CEO

discusses a positive/successful business strategy, the story should be scored Positive.

 Sometimes, if a quote is reactive in nature, it will skew positive, and offset a negative

score by upgrading it to neutral. For example, if this article had been about how Target is

among brick and mortar store that are on the brink of extinction, and the CEO was

commented on how they are diversifying their sales strategy by playing up online

marketing to drive online sales, the correct tonality score would have been Neutral.

o Prominence: Primary

 Based on the information provided, the story appears to have focused on Target’s philanthropy. On this basis, the correct prominence score would be Primary.

o Tonality: Positive

 This is positive all around; not Very Positive though. To be scored Very Positive, the story would need to much more dramatic – perhaps noting that Target has donated more than any other business in the community to the Boys & Girls Club.

o Prominence: Mention

 The PRWeek story mentions the Target keynote as part of a much bigger recap story;

presumably the mention was in passing. Therefore, Mention is the correct prominence score.

o Tonality: Somewhat Positive or Positive

 Being invited to give a keynote at a major industry conference is to be viewed as a thought

leader. On this basis, the story will skew Positive. In the absence of detracting commentary, the

tonality score should be Positive.

o Prominence: Primary

 Target is in the headline, and a main focus of the story. The article not only states the fact that the meth lab was on the store property (in which case Target would be more of a bystander in the story), but goes on to describe Target’s negligence in the matter.

o Tonality: Negative or Very Negative

 Since Target is at fault in this story, the score can be no better than Negative.

 Had the story included some mitigating comments from a Target spokesperson on the issue, or if the story explained that Target had conducted a thorough background check/drug screen and the employee was found to have no prior criminal record, it is possible it could be upgraded to somewhat negative.

o Prominence: Mention

 Target is not a main focus of the story; economic development in Milwaukee is. Target is

mentioned as one of many businesses slated to open – assuming the article did not talk about

Target in any detail, the correct prominence score is a Mention.

o Tonality: Somewhat Positive

 Since this story in a way talks about growth (a new store), the tonality score should be somewhat positive. If there were any additional context directed at Target specifically, such as commentary about the sleek design of the Target store, then it would be Positive.

o Prominence: Mention

 Target is mentioned in passing in the story; the correct prominence score is Mention.

o Tonality: Neutral

 There is no tonality expressed towards Target in the story; the correct tonality score is Neutral. The writer does not appear to offer any commentary on the previous summer job that would reflect on Target in any way. If the writer had expressed a view that it was a great summer job, or that it helped her in her career, then the story would be positive. If the writer had expressed that it was a miserable summer job, the story would be negative.