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What is Media Relations?

Media relations, or publicity, is a powerful tool for influencing and changing behavior. It provides critical, third-party endorsement for a product, service, issue or organization. As opposed to more direct forms of communications, such as advertising or direct marketing, communicating through a journalist provides valuable and sought-after credibility that other forms of communications cannot match.

Media Relations involves working with media for the purpose of informing the public of an organization’s mission, policies and practices in a positive, consistent and credible manner. Typically, this means coordinating directly with the people responsible for producing the news and features in the mass media.’ The goal of media relations is to maximize positive coverage in the mass media without paying for it directly through advertising.

Many people use the terms public relations and media relations interchangeably; however, doing so is incorrect. Media relations refer to the relationship that a company or organization develops with journalists, while public relations extend that relationship beyond the media to the general public.

It is possible for communication between the media and the organization to be initiated by either side, however dealing with the media presents unique challenges in that the news media cannot be controlled — they have ultimate control over whether stories pitched to them are of interest to their audiences. Because of this fact, ongoing relationships between an organization and the news media are vital. One way to ensure a positive working relationship with media personnel is to become deeply familiar with their “beats” and areas of interests. Media relations and public relations practitioners should read as many magazines, journals, newspapers, and blogs as possible, as they relate to one’s practice.

Organizations often compile what is known as a media list, or a list of possible media outlets who may be interested in an organization’s information. The media can consist of thousands of magazine publications, newspapers, and TV and radio stations. Therefore, when a “newsworthy” event occurs in an organization, a media list can assist in determining which media outlet may be the most interested in a particular story.

Working with the media on behalf of an organization allows for awareness of the entity to be raised as well as the ability to create an impact with a chosen audience. It allows access to both large and small target audiences and helps in building public support and mobilizing public opinion for an organization. This is all done through a wide range of media and can be used to encourage two-way communication.

Possible reasons an organization may reach out to the media are:

  • Launch of a new product/service
  • Initiation of new factories/offices
  • Financial results
  • Organization sponsored events or awards
  • Launch of organization promotional campaigns
  • Recent disasters, strikes or organizational closures
  • Awards/accolades for the company
  • Visits from company dignitaries/celebrities
  • Involvement in local/community activities
  • Community engagement

A large part of the public relations profession involves working with the media. Public relations seek to garner publicity that benefits a client. Mass media is the preferred channel for reaching out to the public because audiences view media coverage as more credible than traditional advertising or promotional efforts. Therefore, learning how to develop and manage relationships with reporters and editors is critical to your outreach strategy.

Media relations refer to the mutually beneficial relationship between journalists and public relations professionals. One of the biggest benefits for journalists is the easy access to story ideas and sources. As previously discussed, reporters spend a large amount of time and effort gathering information in order to write a story. Working with public relations professionals cuts down on the time needed to look for sources and other information to validate an article’s content. Public relations practitioners benefit from media relations because it secures free publicity and promotion for a client. By using media as a promotional tool, they are able to reach a large audience without high costs.

Though it is more credible than an advertisement or a brochure, getting your message across through the media is much more challenging. How does it work? Here are a few examples of different media relations goals attained for Acme Communications, Inc.

  • Acme is announcing the launch of its newest phone, Plaint, which provides the quickest connection of any other cellphone on the market. Aside from advertising and direct marketing to its current customers, Acme is looking for a placement with a key consumer tech outlet. You email an announcement press release, product fact sheet and photo to John Q. Techie, the editor of The New York Times Circuits section, and follow up with John to offer an interview with the head of new product development, the CEO and a satisfied customer. The following week, a photo and blurb on the Plaint appear in the New York Times, leading to a national bump in sales. Good job!
  • After the launch of Planit, Acme’s third quarter earnings were higher than expected. To announce the news, you schedule a web conference with top business reporters at the wire services, major daily newspapers, business magazines, blogs, business cable news and radio shows. With 20 reporters tuned in, you announce the news, landing an immediate story on Bloomberg News’ website. The story is picked up by Bloomberg radio, cable news and more than 100 daily papers around the company, putting Acme at the top of the day’s business news and achieving a bump in the stock price. Good job!
  • Acme has always been considered a follower of technology, not a leader. To get to the head of the pack, the CEO would like more coverage in Techy Blog X, which consistently announces “the next big thing” before it happens. You know the blogger is going to be at the Tech 1000 conference the following month. You send him an email offering breakfast and an opportunity to meet with corporate representatives and your spokesperson, a top tech futurist at the show. He agrees and the interview leads to the following post: “Acme surprising lead in news from Tech 1000 conference.” Good job!

Working with journalists

As with any professional relationship, there are do’s and don’ts to be aware of when developing relationships with journalists. Take the time to research reporters or bloggers to identify those who will help you achieve your organization’s publicity goals. Once you’ve found an appropriate journalist or blogger, think carefully about how you plan to pitch your story to the individual. Avoid gimmicky or hyped-up press releases; they may catch the reporter’s attention, but for the wrong reason. Also avoid jarring language such as “urgent,” “must read,” or “extremely important,” even if you need to secure media coverage quickly.

Pitching to the media

Simply contacting the media will not guarantee coverage for your client. You have to persuade the journalist that your story idea is newsworthy. Public relations professionals typically pitch to reporters, editors, bloggers, and social media influencers. Pitches can take place via email, phone calls, and increasingly through Twitter. The channel you choose for your pitch depends upon the intended individual’s preference.

Pitching is a skill that requires creative thinking, persuasive communication skills, and knowing how your story idea benefits the reporter and the audience. Your pitching skills can improve with time and practice. You will feel more confident reaching out to reporters if you write pitches regularly.

Before pitching

Before you send an email pitch or call a reporter, it is important to have a solid understanding of your key audience. Carefully examine the interests, preferences, media consumption behaviors, and key demographic information associated with that group. Then you can more accurately select which media outlet will help reach the target audience.

Go where your audience is located. For example, as you conduct research about your target audience, you might learn that members read blog posts more than news articles. Therefore, reaching out to bloggers could be more beneficial than targeting news reporters. Place your message or story in media outlets that your intended audience frequently visits or reads.

One of the most common complaints from journalists about public relations pitches involves the use of mass emails. Generic pitches sent out to anyone and everyone come across to reporters and bloggers as careless and can compromise your credibility among media professionals. Remember, reporters are going to look at how your story will appeal to their specific readers; therefore, your pitch needs to be strategic. Failure to keep this in mind may result in a rejected pitch or no response at all.

Before you pitch to a particular media outlet, be sure to research which specific writer within the organization can help you target your audience. Each reporter covers a different topic, or “beat.” Reading some of a reporter’s previous stories will give you an indication of whether he or she is the right person to cover your story. Let’s say your client is a restaurant that wants to publicize the opening of a new location. A reporter who covers food topics and brands, lifestyle topics, or the restaurant industry would be the most logical choice to write your story.

Writing the pitch

Now that you’ve done your homework on the audience, media outlet, and specific writer, pay close attention to how you craft your pitch message.

The subject line is especially important if you’re using email. It needs to be creative enough to catch the attention of the writer; however, avoid exaggerated phrases or visual gimmicks such as all capital letters. Do not use generic headlines such as “Story Idea” or “Cool Upcoming Event.” Try to create a headline similar to one the journalist might use in writing the story.

Next, address the reporter or blogger by name and begin the body of the pitch. State why you’re writing, and provide some information about yourself and the company or client you represent. Next, summarize the lead of the story. Writing in this manner resonates with some reporters, as it is the style they are accustomed to. You also can start the email with a catchy line that will hook the journalist, but be careful not to overdo this. Reporters and editors do not like flowery or gimmicky language because it sounds more like a hard sales pitch than a public relations pitch. Continue with the pitch by providing important details about the story and talking about why it would be interesting to the media outlet’s audience. Doing this indicates that the story has news value, which is very important in pitching. Toward the end of the email pitch, state when you would like a response, indicate when you plan to follow up if necessary, and offer specific help. Be sure to thank the reporter or blogger for his or her time.

Don’t feel discouraged if the person does not respond immediately. Journalists are extremely busy, and sometimes they simply overlook emails. If necessary, send a reminder email by the follow-up date you mentioned in the first communication.

This date depends on when the story should hit the press. If you pitched a story that needs to be published relatively quickly, you may want to follow up no later than two days after sending the initial pitch. If there’s more flexibility in the desired publication date, you may indicate that you will follow up within a week. If the person still does not respond to your pitch, move on to another outlet, reporter, or blogger who can help you accomplish your publicity goals. It is important to also consider timing; for example, do not make a follow-up call at 4:55 p.m. on a Friday when the journalist may be getting ready to head home for the weekend.

Grammar, punctuation, tone, and spelling are important when writing email pitches. Some journalists have admitted to not responding to a pitch that contains grammatical and spelling errors. Reread your message several times to check for errors.

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