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Mastering Press Releases: Tips for Reaching Overworked Journalists

Discover the secrets to crafting successful press releases that cut through the noise and grab the attention of busy journalists. Learn essential strategies, such as keeping it concise, considering timing, and appealing to the "What's In It For Me?" factor. Improve your pitching skills and increase your chances of media coverage.

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Mastering Press Releases: Tips for Reaching Overworked Journalists

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  1. Making Success Pitches Matthew Simon, KTUU-TV Channel 2 News To Overworked Journalists

  2. Overworked?What’s Our Day Like? • 9:30-6:30: 8 hours to put together a stellar story • 9:30-10:30: Assignment meeting • 10:30-3:00: 4.5 hours to: set story up, travel to story, gather elements (shoot the story), social (Facebook & Twitter,) get a web version done, transcribe & write • Yes, I do write all of my own stories • 5pm Story due for editing by 3:00 • 6pm Story due for editing by 4:15 • And one more thing…

  3. Multi Media Journalist

  4. Your Pitch…

  5. Take Away… • How to create better, more effective press releases • Learn WIFM • Make your folks look great

  6. The Press Release • Please, please don’t call to ask if we got your release – we did • The key: ONE page press releases • KISS: Keep It Simple – Too many details hurt the cause • If we want more information – we’ll call you • Timing of event: Keep our deadlines in mind • 10 AM has a much better chance of getting covered & will be a better story

  7. The Press Release • Make sure we get it with plenty of notice • Events take logistical planning; ie: getting mics set up • If we get a release right before something happens, chances are you wont be covered • Except if it’s BREAKING NEWS • Make sure all people involved with your event have been cleared to be on TV…Including owners of venue

  8. The Secret: Think Like A Reporter • Not just pitching to the reporter: but producers and a whole management team • They want a great, visual, teaseable story • They want to know how it will look, sound and feel on TV • They want us to be able to successfully pitch that in one to two sentences • In other words, they want a WIMF

  9. What’s In It For Me? • Emotional Connection- How will this story impact an Alaskan’s life • Cost – not just financial, long term consequences, health effects, could this happen to someone I love • Personal Safety – people want to feel safe- help us quantify crime stories • Characters- compelling people tell stories- officials don’t. good story telling focuses on feelings. • Location – where event takes place • Impact On Key Demographic- find out who’s watching what shows on our channel…how they can relate to the stories we tell

  10. Emotional Connection

  11. Location, Location

  12. What We Need From You • Please respond quickly – or be honest that you can’t • Call back when you say you will • We will go on TV and say you’re not respond – believe it or not responsible journalist do not like doing this • If you’re in town, put someone on TV, not the phone • When not to pitch: know when TV Newscasts are on • Give us people who can talk in real people talk • Don’t show favoritism, (except the reporter) • Once you give us an idea – we’ll chose the angle • Call us out on mistakes (Steve MacDonald)

  13. Making Success Pitches Matthew Simon, KTUU-TV Channel 2 News To Overworked Journalists

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