May 9, 2012
by Andrea Gillespie, Account Executive, Business Wire Chicago
With Chicago being the third largest media market in the US, many national media contacts call The Windy City home. Whether their beat is the entire Midwest or specific industry groups, knowing who’s who in the Chicago national media scene can earn you more placements. In April, Business Wire hosted some of these national news gatekeepers to learn what types of pitches stand out and how to get national attention for your company or client.
Based in NPR’s Chicago Bureau, Cheryl Corley travels primarily throughout the Midwest, covering issues and events from Ohio to South Dakota as a National Desk reporter.
Pitch tips:
- Cheryl is interested in stories that have a national or at least a broad Midwestern scope. If a story is too focused on one specific state or city, she will refer the person to the local station.
- Because of the radio format, she is not as interested in video. Adding still photography is helpful to create interest in your pitch, but no attachments.
- The librarians for NPR are frequently called upon by NPR correspondents to do research for stories, so they are good contacts to have. They regularly scour and post queries to social media sites for experts.
Jason Dean, Chicago Bureau Chief, The Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones Newswires
Jason Dean oversees coverage of subjects including economic, political and cultural developments in the Midwest; national education issues; the agriculture and foods business; the airline and aerospace industries; and key financial exchanges.
Pitch tips:
- Jason prefers personal pitches – just plugging his name into an email that went to a large group of people doesn’t fool him.
- He also suggests doing research to identify which WSJ/Dow Jones reporter covers your industry. The Chicago Bureau does not cover all Chicago companies. For example, Chicago tech companies are covered by the San Francisco bureau.
- Pitch visuals. With every story they cover, they consider what type of video component can be added to it. While they prefer to shoot their own video, it’s helpful to include a link to b-roll or your spokesperson in action in your pitch. He requests links only – no attachments.
Andy Fies, Producer, ABC News
Great crowd at the BW Chicago event!
Andy Fies is one of two producers based in ABC’s Midwest Bureau covering stories for World News with Diane Sawyer,Good Morning America, Nightline and ABCNews.com. His primary area of responsibility is news of national interest from the nation’s heartland.
Pitch tips:
- Andy is interested in covering stories from all Midwestern companies, but he is mostly drawn to those that show how people on the street are being affected. They want to put a personal view into every story they cover.
- As ABC recently merged with Yahoo! News, consider the digital version of your story. This means photos and visuals of your story are necessary.
As an editor in the business news section, Greg Stricharchuk works with reporters and helps conceptualize and edit their stories. He’s also specifically responsible for the Sunday business section.
Pitch tips:
- While you can copy Greg on your pitches to reporters, it’s best to read the paper and know who writes about your topic. Pitch them directly first.
- Greg is mainly interested in publicly held companies – not so much private companies or organizations, unless they are starting an industry trend or obtaining significant funding.
- Don’t pitch experts 2-3 days after a story breaks. Oftentimes, stories are starting to form days before the actual news breaks. Get your expert pitches to the appropriate editor before that happens.
- Remember that the Tribune is comprised of six newspapers, online sites and TV stations. Pitches that show how the story can cross all mediums are typically well-received.
Thanks again to all of our clients and the communications professionals who were able to join us.
For more upcoming local Business Wire events or to see what’s coming up in our award-winning webinar series, visit our events page or follow Business Wire events on Twitter, hashtag #bwchat.
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Business Wire, Business Wire Events, journalism, Local Newsrooms, Pitching, Press Release Tips, Public Relations | Tagged: ABC News, Andy Fies, Business Wire, Cheryl Corley, Chicago media, Chicago Tribune, Dow Jones, Greg Stricharchuk, Jason Dean, media relations, media relations tips, national media, NPR, pitching tips, PR, Press Release Tips, Wall Street Journal | 
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Posted by Amy Yen, Marketing Specialist, Business Wire
April 17, 2012
by Shawnee Cohn, Media Relations Specialist, Business Wire/NY
Shawnee Cohn
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but what about a thousand hits? Defined as “graphic visual representations of information, data, or knowledge,” infographics are more likely to be shared via social media than your standard text article. Therefore, both journalists and PR professionals are taking notice of this visual phenomenon. (Need some examples? Take a look at this slideshow from Mashable).
Here at Business Wire, we encourage clients to create infographics and include them as Smart News release assets in their press releases. For example, Kaplan Test Prep recently utilized an infographic to summarize their annual survey results. Convio also offered a visual look at the data included within their press release about online giving, and Mashable later republished that same infographic.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
So if you’re a PR professional embarking on the infographic challenge, what do you need to know beforehand? The Publicity Club of New York recently hosted a discussion about these popular visual representations of data. The panel included:
Here are some highlights offered by the experts:
Infographics help us cope with information overload: With the abundance of raw data that is available to consumers today, the average person’s “attention span is declining,” and infographics are an effective way to spark a reader’s interest, says Spurlock. Pachal agreed, stating that infographics are “more clickable” than other multimedia, such as video, which may turn a reader off since it usually requires sound, as well as investing more time to watch. Consequently, including the word ‘Infographic’ in your press release headline is a great tactic to increase your number of hits.
Not all infographics are created equal: If you’re compiling numbers into a graphic, yet those numbers do not relate, the purpose of the infographic is lost, notes Spurlock. Bergmann agreed, suggesting that PR pros evaluate the usefulness of an infographic on a “story-to-story basis.” At the Associated Press, staffers are very interested in interactive graphics as well as animations. However, Neesa pointed out that “not every story renders well into a visual,” and PR pros should be cautious of jumping to the assumption that every poll translates into a legitimate news story. The panelists agreed that pitching an infographic that blatantly promotes your brand is a major faux pas. If your visual looks the least bit like propaganda, any legitimate news organization will be reluctant to post it, as it could hurt their brand value, says Bergmann.
Be clear and concise; editors and readers will thank you: One of the main advantages of creating an infographic is that it allows you to “mold and present information in a way that’s clear to the reader,” commented Bergmann. If you cram too much information into your graphic, you’re defeating its original purpose. Pachal mentioned that your infographic should easily translate to Pinterest, which drives much of the online traffic today. Whether you’re pitching an idea for an infographic or an actual infographic itself, make sure you are presenting “tabulated, nugget-style information,” suggests Neesa. Focus on how you can break the product/idea up; if your information is already organized for the visual staff at a news outlet, this makes their job that must easier. Lastly, stick to the facts, and facts only. The editorial team will vet and research the data you present before they post or link to your infographic, so you must be absolutely sure that your methodology and sampling are valid beforehand.
For more information on the Publicity Club of NY, visit www.publicityclub.org. You can get the latest news with photos/multimedia by registering at www.businesswire.com.
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3 Comments | Media Relations, MRT, multimedia, social media | Tagged: Andy Bergmann, Chris Spurlock, infographics, media relations, multimedia, Pete Pachal, Pinterest, PR, Public Relations, Publicity Club of New York, Shawnee Cohn, Shazna Neesa, social media | Permalink
Posted by Phil Dennison, Senior Marketing Specialist, Business Wire
April 11, 2012
By Michel Rubini, International MRT Specialist – London
In 2007, Rupert Murdoch joked about Facebook overtaking MySpace as the most popular social networking site on the web. Not long after, it was no laughing matter.
While Facebook might not be the best social networking site, or offer the best user experience, or even the most innovative solutions, it has been accepted as the standard by most internet users. Facebook has now reached the 600 million user mark, so it is no surprise that media organisations across the world are looking into ways to tap into this pool of potential readers.
At a recent News:Rewired event (a periodical digital journalism conference) in London, I listened to speakers from some of the world’s biggest media organisations explain how they are facing — and mostly embracing — Facebook.
The most enthusiastic evangelist was Martin Belam, User Experience Lead at The Guardian. Belam explained how their new Facebook application has been hugely successful. The application allows users to share Guardian content easily with their friends, and so far, six million people have downloaded it. One of the most exciting things, according to Belam, is that 54 percent of the users are under 24 – the kind of audience the Guardian has always aspired to reach.
Belam also explained that a younger audience means a younger kind of content becoming popular on the application. He denied there was any danger of a “dumbing down” The Guardian. “To my mind, if we are producing that content anyway – which we do – then why wouldn’t we want it to reach as wide an audience as possible?” he asked.
Belam also noted that there is growing evidence that the Facebook application alone is producing as many views for articles as the guardian.co.uk site, in practice doubling the amount of traffic a story gets.
Liz Heron, former social media editor of The New York Times and current director of social media and engagement with The Wall Street Journal, seemed to agree with Martin. “In the new landscape, the question is no longer whether we do social media, the question is how. How can we make our social media experiences stand out?”
She went on to note that fifty New York Times journalists offer Facebook subscription streams; and that all reporters have been encouraged lately to try Facebook, especially foreign correspondents. The advantage of Facebook, she said, is that it offers great crowdsourcing opportunities and can yield insightful comments and debates. However, the majority of New York Times journalists are still using Twitter. This is due to the fact that most journalists are aware of the dangers of mixing personal profiles with professional lives.
Nate Lanxon, editor of wired.co.uk was very clear about the importance of Facebook. He admitted that for 5 years WIRED had ignored Facebook. That has recently changed. He has now printed a big photo of Mark Zuckerberg which is passed around the office. The person with the photo is the editor of the WIRED Facebook page for that day. The physical presence of the photo has helped the newsroom embrace Facebook in its daily publishing routine.
Lanxon said one of their key discoveries was that having a presence on Facebook wasn’t about driving fans to WIRED, it was about driving WIRED to fans. Lanxon also noted that Facebook follows its own news cycle. Facebook items seem to increase in traffic around the late afternoon and evenings, when users log in to check their latest feeds.
These three examples seem to show a clear shift in how well regarded (and global) news organisations are fully embracing the enormous readership potential offered by Facebook.
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1 Comment | journalism, Media Relations, MRT, social media | Tagged: Facebook, journalism, Liz Heron, Martin Belam, media relations, Michel Rubini, Nate Lanxon, social media, The Guardian, Twitter, WIRED | Permalink
Posted by Phil Dennison, Senior Marketing Specialist, Business Wire
March 28, 2012
by Penny Sowards, Client Services Representative, Business Wire Charlotte
Business Wire hosted a “Meet the Media” luncheon at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel & Convention Center in Durham on March 15. Panelists included Rick Martinez, News Director, NewsRadio 680 WPTF; Rick Smith, Business and Technology Manager, WRAL-TV, and David Bracken, Assistant Business Editor, The News & Observer. Kristi Lee-John, Principal at Crossroads Public Relations, was moderator.
Panelists discussed current trends in journalism and tips on effective pitching.
L-R: David Bracken, Rick Smith, Rick Martinez. Kristi Lee-John, moderator at podium
Important points made during the discussion:
- Make sure someone from your company is available by phone or email at all times after making an announcement
- Keep the lead information at the top
- Have all answers available if possible
- Pitch should always be professional and go to the appropriate reporters
- Subject line on emails should be “to the point”
- The company website is very important to journalists for gathering information
- Blogs are a great tool and have great potential provided quality is there
- Make an effort to contact the media before 3 p.m.
- No jargon-filled releases
The journalists all agreed that press releases are important and relevant in conveying news to the media. Specific guidelines were discussed on what the media deems a good press releases:
- Headlines should be clear and to the point
- The focus of the news should be at the beginning of the release
- Bullet points are a great tool to create a clear and concise message to the reader
- Multimedia and web links are great added features to make the release more informative and interesting.
For more upcoming local Business Wire events or to see what’s coming up in our award-winning webinar series, visit our events page or follow Business Wire events on Twitter, hashtag #bwchat.
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2 Comments | Business Wire, Business Wire Events, Media Relations, Pitching, Press Release Tips | Tagged: Business Wire, Crossroads PR, David Bracken, Kristi Lee-Joh, media relations, News and Observer, NewsRadio 680, pitching tips, PR, pr tips, Press Release Tips, Press Release writing, Public Relations, Rick Martinez, Rick Smith, WPTF, WRAL-TV | Permalink
Posted by Amy Yen, Marketing Specialist, Business Wire
March 13, 2012
by Raschanda Hall, Global Media Relations Manager, Business Wire/Chicago
The purpose of media relations was beat into my head by my college PR professor — she often said, “The goal is to develop mutually beneficial relationships with the media.”
This definition very closely mirrors the Public Relations Society of America’s new definition of Public Relations. Only she never gave me an exact formula for achieving that goal.
So we decided to share our advice on how Business Wire’s Media Relations Team uses networking events and journalism groups to build relationships with members of the media. One thing we’ve learned; while starting these relationships may happen in email or social networks, building them will require more face-to-facing and less “Facebooking.”
Luis Guillen
Networking Events – The Introduction
Ice breaking is an art form but it is not brain surgery, especially if you do your homework first. Luis Guillen, our media relations representative for Southern California, says he researches the media people he expects to see at upcoming events beforehand. “I like sports, so knowing what schools they went to helps me use sports and hometown information to connect.” Luis bonded with several reporters over small hometown familiarities at the National Association of Hispanic Journalists’ convention in Florida this past summer. This led to new media connections he’s further fostered since returning to Los Angeles.
We’ve been taught to master our elevator pitch, but sometimes you have to take the stairs. Maryana Bradas, who supervises our entire east coast team of media relations specialists, says:
Maryana Bradas
“Engage in casual conversation,” especially when seated at a luncheon table. “As long as they are relatively talkative your discussion will go all over the place. Both parties will get a chance to talk about what they do and you can tell if you will have a good fit for further connecting.”
Maryana sits on the Press Club of Cleveland’s Board of Directors and attends the Society of Professional Journalists’ regional and national conventions. “As the conversation winds down you can go for the business card exchange. That’s a natural progression.”
The Association of Women Journalists – Chicago(AWJ) has only in recent years established an associate level of membership.
Karen Kring
Karen Kring, past president of the chapter, warns against pitching their members at events:
“Pitching is for when they are on the clock more formally. Turn it around; become the reporter . . . You not only want to know their beat, but what specifically within their beat they are paying most attention to so that you’ll know what kind of information or stories they might be receptive to in the future. If you have a story in mind, ask them if they’d be receptive to your follow up with them later.”
Journalist Groups – Getting in and Standing out
Raschanda Hall
I take an alphabet soup approach to networking. I’m everywhere, all the time. NABJ, PCC, SPJ, SABEW, AWJ, ONA etc. I talk to everybody and give every discussion my properly undivided attention, but to really connect with reporters through journalist organizations you have to put in some work; committee work and chapter board member work. In these roles your work is selfless, and when done right, you build trust and get more immediate access to editors and reporters who can help you when you need it. Now, this won’t save you from a front page crisis, but it could get you the heads-up that it’s coming. An organization I was once involved in turned down sponsorship money from a competitor because they felt the competitor was trying to buy their way into the position I had gained through sweat equity. In that single act my volunteer efforts paid off.
Dawn Roberts is Managing Partner of KD Communications in Delaware. She also serves as Associate Member Board Representative
Dawn Roberts
for the National Association of Black Journalists. It’s a position she is passionate about. NABJ’s annual convention draws thousands of reporters and hundreds of PR people every year. Her advice to PR folks: “Attend media events so that you have an opportunity to meet journalists in person. And volunteer for a media organization. [It’s] a great way to meet journalists!”
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Leave a Comment » | journalism, Media Relations, MRT, Pitching | Tagged: AWJ, Dawn Roberts, IABC, Karen Kring, Luis Guillen, Maryana Bradas, media relations, NABJ, networking, ONA, PRSA, Raschanda Hall, SABEW, SPJ | Permalink
Posted by raschandahall
February 27, 2012
Hosted by Business Wire Florida
Join Business Wire Florida for breakfast and a session with measurement maven, Katie Paine. Paine’s most recent book, Measure What Matters: Online Tools For Understanding Customers, Social Media, Engagement, and Key Relationships, was released last March and will provide a foundation for her presentation. “Measurement isn’t just a buzzword on everyone’s to do list anymore,” says Paine. “With tight budgets and a growing proliferation of tools and techniques to get your messages out there, PR pros are increasingly faced with tough decisions on where to put their resources. Only by figuring out what really matters and then developing specific metrics to measure the programs, can the right choices be made.” This event is FREE for all attendees.
Tuesday, March 6 at 8:30 am EST
Nova Southeastern University
3301 College Avenue Carl DeSantis Building, 3rd floor Sales Institute, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, 33314
To register: RSVP to Julia.Sotelo@businesswire.com by Friday, March 2.
Hosted by Business Wire Charlotte
A panel of media experts will discuss topics including what’s a good story and current trends in journalism, as well as give tips on effective pitching. Panelists include: Rick Martinez, News Director, NewsRadio 680 WPTF; Rick Smith, Business and Technology Manager, WRAL-TV; and David Bracken, Assistant Business Editor, The News & Observer. This event is FREE for all attendees.
Thursday, March 15 at 11:30 am EDT
Sheraton Imperial Hotel & Convention Center
4700 Emperor Blvd., Durham, NC, 27703
Business Wire holds dozens of local events every year. We bring local media members and industry thought leaders to your market to discuss today’s most relevant topics, from trends in today’s newsrooms to writing for SEO. Events are usually free of charge to members. For more upcoming local Business Wire events or to see what’s coming up in our award-winning webinar series, visit BusinessWire.com. Follow live updates from Business Wire events on Twitter: hash tag #bwchat
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Leave a Comment » | Business Wire, Business Wire Events, Measurement, Media Relations, Press Release Tips | Tagged: 680 WPTF, Business Wire, Business Wire Events, Charlotte media, David Bracken, Durham media, K.D. Paine, Katie Paine, Measurement, media relations, media tips, Meet the Media, News & Observer, NewsRadio 680, PR measurement, press release analytics, press release measurement, Raleigh media, Rick Martinez, Rick Smith, WPTF, WRAL-TV | Permalink
Posted by Amy Yen, Marketing Specialist, Business Wire
December 20, 2011
– by Shawnee Cohn, Media Relations Specialist, Business Wire/NY
Shawnee Cohn
If you think mobile apps are solely for fun and games, think again.
A recent study conducted by Flurry showed that consumers are spending more time on their mobile applications than on the Internet. The tablet revolution is changing the way in which journalists tell stories, as well as how they prefer to be pitched.
However, PR pros do not have to sit back and wait for their clients to generate media coverage. Smart businesses can ‘go mobile’ by creating their own apps to connect with customers and build their brand.
Here at Business Wire, we launched our very own mobile app so that our news content can be easily accessed from any location.
Leaders in the industry insist that PR professionals must not only learn about mobile app development, but also take advantage of the opportunities it offers to increase brand loyalty.
However, not every application hits a high note, and many have failed in the past. So what is the formula to create a successful mobile app?
Recently the International Association of Business Communicators/NY Chapter hosted a panel covering the ways in which brands can utilize mobile strategy to strengthen their PR, communications and marketing efforts.
The panel featured:
- David Weiner, Digital Media Manager, PepsiCo
- Lou Tosto, SVP Digital & Mobile Sales, CNBC.com
- Sarah Meron, Vice President, Corporate Affairs and Communications, American Express Company
- Adam Carey, Client Services Director, Imano
- Nicole Kuritsky, Senior Manager Emerging and Social Media, Rodale
The group of mobile marketing experts had a wealth of beneficial tips to offer regarding best mobile practices. Here are some key take-aways:
The customer is key: The panelists agreed that positive user reviews are highly influential when it comes to the success of your app. Make sure that your design allows for both a seamless and engaging user experience. Also, keep in mind that including polls and surveys within your app can be a valuable tool to help you learn about your audience.
Ask yourself, “Do I need an app?”: Sarah Meron of American Express notes that brands must consider whether their application creates a new experience for the user, different from that which is available on the original website. Will your iPad app offer value that the customer cannot find on any other platform? David Weiner of PepsiCo commented that brands should first place emphasis on becoming mobile-friendly before beginning the app development process. You might be convinced that your app is the first of its kind, but take a thorough look at the various stores to make sure an app similar to yours does not already exist, suggests Nicole Kuritsky of Rodale.
If you build it, they might not come: Building an app does not necessarily guarantee that customers will automatically rush to download it; thorough marketing and PR efforts are still as critical as ever. Make sure all systems are go before the app is live, and remember to include a link to the app store in whatever marketing materials you release to promote the new development. Adam Carey of Imano also suggests including a casual game within the app to spark the interest of potential customers. But be careful before you try to create the application yourself; development is a complicated undertaking. Partnerships with mobile consulting firms are the “name of the game,” and you “will fail if you try it yourself,” according to Sarah Meron of America Express.
For more information on the IABC New York Chapter , visit www.nyiabc.com. You can also get the latest mobile/wireless news by registering at www.businesswire.com.
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Leave a Comment » | Mobile, new media, Public Relations, social media, Targeting | Tagged: apps, media relations, mobile, mobile PR, PR, Public Relations, tablets | Permalink
Posted by Phil Dennison, Senior Marketing Specialist, Business Wire
October 4, 2011
by Raschanda Hall, Global Media Relations Manager, Business Wire/Chicago
Attending the recent Online News Association (ONA) conference in Boston inspired me to step up my social tech tools game. Christine Montgomery, managing editor of PBS.org and ONA president characterized the recent meeting as ”the intersection of journalism and technology….where members come together to reinvent journalism.”
Journalists have learned their lessons, no longer lagging behind as their audience embraces change. These digital reporters are among a group not only embracing new media tools, but shouting their praises from roof tops.
But are PR people are listening? We hope so. The PR community would benefit by getting familiar with the new media tools described below. Take a look.
Tumblr
Tumblr has been around, but tripled its audience in the last year to more than 28 million blogs, igniting new interest. People are ready for the next big thing and Telegraph.co.uk says Tumblr is “to weblogs what text messages are to email – short, to the point, and direct.” Reporters love that Tumblr rewards original or unique material. Posting the most interesting information from a story is a great way for them to repurpose content. Fun and lively photos are great “Tumblr bait” and often get reblogged and shared.
PR APPLICATION: Brands using Tumblr include Huggies, General Electric and J.Crew. Does your organization have great photos sitting in a boring photo archive? Recycle that content and create a Tumblr feed. Do your clients have great quotes in their press releases? Share them on Tumblr.
Storify
Changing the way reporters find sources and incorporate social network content into their online news stories, Storify allows for better story telling by helping the “writer” to easily drop in content from social sites like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Flickr. Melanie Eversley of USA Today used Storify to recap her lasting lessons from the National Association of Black Journalist’s convention in August. The Bay Area News Group tapped Storify to cover Obama’s town hall with Linkedin employees.
PR APPLICATION: PR people strive to share great stories, too. Your next op-ed piece could look completely different using Storify. Right now we see it being used for sharing resources, but imagine creating a page about a product and dropping in selected customer feedback from Twitter, YouTube and Facebook–then sending it to all your networks.
Brand Pages on Google+
If Nike says it’s gotta be the shoes, Google would say it’s gotta be the circles. The excitement around the Google+ branded pages results from the idea that engaged brands might see better ad tracking, better search ranking on Google and the ability to create segmented target audiences into circles on Google+. This feature is not available yet, but Google says brand pages are coming soon.
PR APPLICATION: Brands could create unique messages and use this enhanced targeting for reaching segments of their consumer base, i.e. women or men, baby boomers or gen y’ers. They could have conversations with their industry reporters and their internal experts.
And last, but not least…Failure
I know what you’re thinking: failure isn’t a tool, but it is.
If you spend too much time thinking about the why, and the ROI you may never try anything. To borrow a tweet from @mbgelman:
“Sometimes it’s quicker and easier to try something than it is to debate about trying something.”
PR APPLICATION: More companies should reward failure – or at least the attempt at innovation. Failure breeds better ideas. Are you doing anything new and exciting with your communication outreach? More wisdom from an ONA attendee @christopherwink
“When you do something groundbreaking, it won’t be comfortable.”
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Leave a Comment » | Business Wire, journalism, Media Relations, MRT, Resource Sites, social media | Tagged: Business Wire, how-to press release, media relations, Press Release Tips, social media | Permalink
Posted by raschandahall
August 23, 2011
by JoAnne Hirsch, Senior Client Services Representative, Business Wire Denver
Business Wire Denver recently hosted a media breakfast, “Who’s Covering You Now: What Newsroom Cutbacks Mean to Your Company and How to Pitch Stories to a Shrinking Newsroom.” The media panel discussed the changing landscape, best practices for pitching and the impact of mobile.
David Sloan, Account Executive for Business Wire Denver, moderated the panel, which included (L-R):
- Gil Asakawa, Manager of Student Media, Journalism & Mass Communication, University of Colorado
- Greg Nieto, News Reporter, FOX31 and KWGN, Channel 2
- Patrick Doyle, Senior Editor, 5280 Publishing, Inc.
Tight budgets, shrinking newsrooms
Nieto responded to seemingly endless media consolidation by finding a silver lining. ”I have a lot more leeway to bring stories to the table,” he said. “When we have editorial meetings they used to ask for five or six story ideas and that number has probably grown to about 10.”
Asakawa added that in recent years the Denver Post has shrunk drastically, resulting in reporters juggling multiple kinds of stories. One of the biggest changes, he said, has been the PR community’s outreach to social media and individual bloggers.
Know your audience, do your homework
The panel was unanimous in the sage-old advice to PR pros: despite technology, it’s all about the relationship. ”Watch some of the program on TV and see where your topic might fit in,” counseled Nieto. Doyle requested no attachments in email pitches and Asakawa advised: “Find new hooks and plan new hooks every year so you have something to go to the media with.”
Nieto offered a lesson in selling reporters on your story: “When I pitch a story I’m already thinking about the hook. What’s going to be the tease? A pitch should be multi-layered. The more ammunition I have, the better opportunity it’s going to stick and someone in the editorial meeting is going to assign your story.”
Regarding timing, the journalists recommended keeping production schedules and editorial calendars in mind. A monthly magazine works far in advance, with editorial calendars set a year out. Newspapers have a more timely window. “You need to know that to get in the Friday section it’s done at most papers by Tuesday,” said Asakawa.
Mobile technologies a game changer
The panel agreed that mobile is here and the future is uncertain. “If I’m out on a story they have me shoot a little tease with my Droid that we’ll send to our website,” said Nieto. “Over the past three years there’s been a huge push to write our Web script. I find more and more I get feedback from people who read my scripts from across the country who haven’t viewed the broadcast. That’s fascinating to me.”
For more upcoming local Business Wire events or to see what’s coming up in our award-winning webinar series, visit our events page or follow Business Wire events on Twitter, hashtag #bwevents.
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Leave a Comment » | Business Wire, Business Wire Events, Editors, journalism, Media Relations, Pitching, Press Release Tips, Public Relations | Tagged: 5280 Publishing, Business Wire, digital, Fox31, Gil Asakawa, Greg Nieto, how to pitch media, KWGN, media relations, media relations tips, mobile, mobile news, Patrick Doyle, pitching tips, PR, pr tips, Press Release Tips, public relations tips, University of Colorado | Permalink
Posted by Amy Yen, Marketing Specialist, Business Wire
August 18, 2011
by Kai Prager, Media Relations Representative, Business Wire/Frankfurt
As Greece grapples with its economic crisis, the fallout of uncertainty impacts not only its financial markets but the media outlets that cover them.
Freelance journalist Thimios Kotronias says Greek media’s biggest problem is financial shortfall. “Greek media struggle to survive,” said Kotronias. “The majority are owned by businessmen whose main activities are irrelevant to the media industry. They use profits from their main activities to support financially the media they own.” With the Greek economy in shambles, profits are down across all sectors and thus resources for media outlets are shrinking.
Add to that decreasing sales and lack of advertising revenues at the properties, and you have a difficult position, said Kotronias.
Many believe the quality of news coverage has suffered. A writer for Lambrakis Press, who did not wish to be identified, remarked that “When a country is in a crisis, the first thing the government does is try to lower the quality of information so that people don’t take matters into (their own) hands. And because of the dramatic drop in advertising revenues, journalists have to keep advertisers satisfied. In some cases, advertisers actually decide the content of the articles.”
--Associated Press Photo
Others, like Costis Stambolis, the managing editor of Energia.gr and a contributing editor to the Financial Mirror, disagree.
“So far the quality of content has not been affected in the major media but there is a lot of emphasis on the coverage of financial-political issues to the exclusion of other topics,” noted Stambolis.
Aris Chatzistefanou, who has worked for a number of major Greek publications, believes that tightening media budgets results in a lack of research.
“Many TV stations had to stop all travel abroad while they are more often using tools like Skype for their live broadcasting,” Chatzistefanou said.
But the main problem relates to the decision by many media organizations to rely on inexperienced young journalists who work without insurance, benefits and for little pay, said Chatzistefanou.
Greek journalists face a PR challenge as public opinion has shifted, leaving mainstream media as the second most hated group of people in Greece–after politicians, said Chatzistefanou.
“During big demonstrations in Athens, people shout slogans at the media or even specific news anchormen and anchorwomen,” Chatzistefanou recounted. “Just a few weeks ago a famous journalist from SKAI television was attacked by citizens.” Some journalists are said to use bodyguards in their public appearances and are characterized as “parrots of the government,” he said.
In such an environment, the newsworthy, well-written press release is appreciated, said Stambolis, and can provide valuable source material for overworked journalists.
“A well-written press release is always welcome,” he said, “especially if it has news content which is unique and not easily accessible from here (Greece). Most journalists take note of the press release and search further on the story and other times they just publish it ‘as is’ if it fits with the rest of the media content.”
Costis Stambolis is the managing editor of Energia.gr, contributor to the Financial Mirror in Cyprus and executive director of the Institute of Energy for SE Europe. Thimios Kotronias is a freelance journalist and writer for EJC Online Magazine and for the Dutch I Am Expat website. Aris Chatzistefanou is journalist, author of three books, editor in Chief of The Press Project and co-creator of Debtocracy.
More information can be found on his web site.
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Posted by Monika Maeckle
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