Next up in our series finding out how journalists like to work, any issues they have with PRs, how they like stories to be pitched to them, etc, is Jen Bishop, editor and publisher of Dynamic Business, Australia’s highest circulating magazine for SMEs.
1) What is your deadline day?
I have a different deadline every day of the week! We work on a two-month lead time as a rule, and don’t give out deadlines because if we haven’t commissioned something, why do you need to know?
2) How do you prefer to be contacted (i.e. email, phone, fax, post)?
Always my email. Press releases by fax or post end up in recycling and I’m so often not at my desk, phone isn’t a good way to get me. I’m usually really quick to reply to emails and tweets/DMs though!
3) Is there a particular time of day you prefer to be contacted?
Not really.
4) Do you like to meet companies and bosses for coffee/ lunch? If yes, do you have any favourite venues?
Sometimes. I like venues close to my office so it’s less time out.
5) What are your three pet peeves about PRs?
One: Chasing up the press release sent half an hour ago.
Two: Not doing your research and getting my name wrong/knowing nothing about the magazine.
Three: Phoning up and reading off a script (usually the intern).
6) What would the perfect story pitch be for you? And what’s the best PR pitch you have ever had?
The best pitches are those targeted specifically to my publication by someone who has taken the time to look at it.
I get the best pitches from Caroline and Melissa Shawyer from the PR Group because they know exactly what I need and want and they make my life easier by thoroughly thinking something out before they pick up the phone.
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One of the previous month’s biggest stories has been a tragic one – the murder of a Gold Coast police officer Damian Leeding. Shot in the head late in the evening on Sunday May 29, his family then had to make the heartbreaking decision to turn off his life support machine.
The media coverage of the murder and subsequent funeral was extensive with all mainstream print and broadcast media covering the initial reports, the following progress of the officer and then his state funeral on the Gold Coast, attended by thousands.
The sheer scale of the response was huge. The power of the media was used for good as all the major TV stations were asking the public to donate to the Damian Leeding Remembrance Fund for his young family left behind – more than $150,000 has been raised so far, a huge amount for what might have been a small local charitable fund.
But as well as the heartbreak for Damian’s family and the tragic loss for his police colleagues, the media storm surrounding the current crime spree on the Gold Coast has further negative implications.
Local politicians have claimed it’s having an effect on education with foreign students cancelling their courses after seeing the recent stories in the news.
The evaluating committee for the 2018 Commonwealth Games, for which the Gold Coast is a contender, have had to make a statement saying that the crimes won’t affect Gold Coast’s chances of hosting, but it’s hard to see how it won’t.
If we want to help the Gold Coast now to try and stop these crimes happening we shouldn’t be deserting the area in its hour of need but keep visiting in our droves to keep the tourism and surrounding industry buoyant so that people can have gainful employment and less need for the drugs as a result of despair. It’s a simplistic viewpoint, but something worth considering. The media are doing their job in reporting the facts, but it would be good if they can help with the recovery as well.
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Next up in our series finding out how journalists like to work, any issues they have with PRs, how they like stories to be pitched to them, etc, is Cayla Dengate, features editor of free newspaper mX.
1) What is your deadline day?
We write mX News early each morning to be ready on the street by 2.30pm, so our news deadline is about 9am Monday to Friday; however features are arranged weeks earlier. Ideally, we want to know about an event two weeks in advance.
2) How do you prefer to be contacted (i.e. email, phone, fax, post)?
I like to get to know contacts in Brisbane, so a phone call is always appreciated, but email is the failsafe.
3) Is there a particular time of day you prefer to be contacted?
I’m in the office 6.30am-2.30pm Monday to Wednesday.
4) Do you like to meet companies and bosses for coffee/ lunch? If yes, do you have any favourite venues?
I find the best way to meet contacts is at launches and openings. That way, I can meet PRs in their element and hopefully get some story ideas in the process.
5) What are your three pet peeves about PRs?
One: Mobile contact – unless it’s genuinely urgent, I’d prefer work messages to stay on my work phone.
Two: Calling the day of an event – by that stage, it’s mostly too late for mX.
Three: Forced familiarity – it’s not expected for a PR to know everything about every journalist they contact, and it can be embarrassing when they pretend to.
Having said that, I mostly love working with the PR community. Quite a few PRs have helped out mX with last-minute photo requests and contact information!
6) What would the perfect story pitch be for you? And what’s the best PR pitch you have ever had?
While I’d like to say the perfect pitch is one that’s baked into a cupcake, that’s not necessary. mX is looking for stories that directly relate to the 18-35 age demographic. Whether it’s a serious issue or a community event, we want to know why young people should be interested. In terms of photos, we are always looking for a brightly coloured shoot with young, spunky people and lots of props and movement.
There have been some very memorable PR pitches – from an offer to find me my Soul Mate (already taken, thanks) to a photo opportunity with live tigers – but my favourites have to be the illustrated invitations that arrive before fashion week each year. They’re tiny pieces of art that I often keep for years to come.
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Next up in our series finding out how journalists like to work, any issues they have with PRs, how they like stories to be pitched to them, etc, is Alex Tilbury, finance reporter from The Courier-Mail.
1) What is your deadline day?
Deadline is normally every day from 4pm onwards. The afternoon news conference finishes around 3:30pm so that is when the section editors know what they want for the next day. The Your Money section is nationally syndicated across all News Ltd tabloids and is normally done and dusted each Wednesday for the following Monday.
2) How do you prefer to be contacted (i.e. email, phone, fax, post)?
Email is definitely best. I don’t want faxes. I am just dipping my toes into the Twittersphere so even a tweet is good. I check it a few times a day. Follow me @AlexTilbury.
3) Is there a particular time of day you prefer to be contacted?
Please don’t ring any daily newspaper journo in the late afternoon as it is simply too busy to talk. Mornings are always best to call, if you must. As a rule, news conference starts at the Courier-Mail at 9:30, then 10:30am. We are very keen to hear about video/audio options. If you can package a story for an iPad edition (every day at 5am and 5pm), then that’ll work in your favour too. We have to sell our own stories across all the multi-media platforms.
4) Do you like to meet companies and bosses for coffee/ lunch? If yes, do you have any favourite venues?
I definitely like to meet up but I prefer people to come to our office at Bowen Hills. I don’t have a lot of time to get out basically. It’s also very posh in the new newsroom, all renovated and we even have great coffee here.
5) What are your three pet peeves about PRs?
I am constantly surprised when PRs call and ask if you have run such and such story and it may have run already but many PRs don’t actually read the book! Buy the paper, it’s so fundamental. Not every story gets uploaded online. In fact it is only going to get worse when the content online will eventually be subscriber-only. And, don’t ring me and ask who you should pitch a piece to. Start with the Chief of Staff and then contact journos directly.
6) What would the perfect story pitch be for you? And what’s the best PR pitch you have ever had?
Case studies really help, especially in business reporting. Find me a happy customer and it’s an easy way for people to relate. We are definitely not a trade magazine, so nothing extremely single product specific. Be aware of what is happening in the news and in terms of data coming out. New car sales data, retail data, building approvals… all these are hooks to a genuine news piece that highlights your car dealer, shop owner or builder. Think a little more ‘newsy’.
Best pitch… still waiting! Every day is different. I think the best PRs are the ones who understand we are all here just to do our jobs, fill the book and find the best angle for our readers.
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Next up in our series finding out how journalists like to work, any issues they have with PRs, how they like stories to be pitched to them, etc, is Krystal Manson, Drive journalist and newsreader from 101.9 Fox FM in Melbourne.
1) What are your deadlines throughout the day?
3.30pm, 4.30pm and 5.30pm for bulletins at 4, 5 and 6pm.
2) How do you prefer to be contacted (i.e. email, phone, fax, post)?
Email is best.
3) Is there a particular time of day you prefer to be contacted?
For my particular shift before 3pm; between about midday and 3pm is preferred.
4) Do you like to meet companies and bosses for coffee/ lunch? If yes, do you have any favourite venues?
No. There’s no time for that really in radio.
5) What are your three pet peeves about PRs?
One: PR people that call right in the middle of a reading shift or close to news time (6-9am and 4-6pm).
Two: Sending out a release then not having the talent ready to go.
Three: Really looooong phone pitches without taking a breath to let us say NO THANKS!
Also, please don’t ask me what questions I’m going to ask or for a copy of what went to air.
6) What would the perfect story pitch be for you? And what’s the best PR pitch you have ever had?
The best story pitches are the ones with the best stories. Don’t waste my time if what you are trying to sell isn’t timely (in the news at the time) or meaty (have some research to back up what you’re saying). I can’t say that I’ve had any amazing pitches, but the ones I usually go for are short, not pushy, and relevant (something I would have likely put a phone call in for anyway).
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By the time you read this, the media phenomenon that is ‘planking’ will have gone the way of Y2K, Napster and Rebecca Black – relegated to the scrapheap of dull irrelevant news from yesteryear.
But if you can cast your mind right back to the beginning of the month, you might recall the social media driven pastime was hitting the news in a big way, especially after the tragic death of an intoxicated Brisbane planker.
Fairfax papers had plenty to say after the incident:
It was a harmless craze just four days ago. Kerri-Anne Kennerley opened her television talk show lying balanced, face-down, on the back of a couch. Karl Stefanovic was lying flat on the Today show desk in front of the cameras.
But early yesterday morning, the ”planking” fad sweeping social networking sites proved fatal. Acton Beale, 20, was positioning himself on a balcony railing seven storeys up in Brisbane when he lost his footing and plunged to his death in the car park below.
Calls to ban the fad came thick and fast. News Limited described the phenomenon as “spreading like a virus around the world” and conservative commentators derided the youth of today and called for reinstated compulsory national service to give Gen Y something constructive to do.
So what gave the planking craze such strong media kudos? Sure 130,000 odd people ‘liked’ the Planking Australia page on Facebook. So what? More than four million people ‘like’ the page for chocolate chip cookies, but you don’t see Karl gorging himself on biscuits on Today, nor do we hear about the “cookie eating plague sweeping the globe”.
The answer comes down to a couple of simple journalistic rules known as news values.
The idea goes that any potential news item can be assessed for newsworthiness based on six or seven key criteria.
These are often defined as impact, timeliness, prominence, proximity, bizarreness, conflict and currency, or some combination of these.
Unfortunately for all of us, planking ticks a couple of these boxes with a big red felt pen.
First is impact. The story ‘grew legs and ran’ after the first death associated with the craze. This was made doubly appetising for media due to two extra factors.
1) The man who died was a young person, i.e. under 30, and;
2) The man who died was under the influence of alcohol at the time (Australia’s binge drinking culture is another hot media topic).
This brings us to the second key media value that planking satisfies perfectly: currency.
The rapid rise of social media has sparked an insatiable news appetite for the phenomenon. This means stories that might be insignificant on their own, for example bullying, infidelity or petty crimes, are given extra exposure whenever the issue is linked to social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter.
Don’t believe me? Consider how often you hear media reports concerning cyber-bullying compared with plain old garden variety harassment.
News values drive all news coverage and this often leads to criticism of media for ‘sexing up’ some trends far beyond what is warranted, while completely ignoring others which don’t fit the necessary criteria.
So, if you found yourself drowning in the sea of planking stories in May, hopefully now you understand a little more about why.
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Next up in our series finding out how journalists like to work, any issues they have with PRs, how they like stories to be pitched to them, etc, is Jayne Munday, journalist from QBR – Queensland’s only dedicated online news source for business owners and operators [QBR is also on Twitter].
1) What is your deadline day?
QBR is an online publication, so stories are uploaded throughout the day (Monday to Friday). Our daily e-newsletter is compiled in the afternoon comprising all the top news from the day and is then sent to subscribers at around 3pm.
2) How do you prefer to be contacted (i.e. email, phone, fax, post)?
Email is usually the best option in case I am conducting an interview or in a meeting. If it’s sitting in my inbox I can always go back to it once I get some down time.
3) Is there a particular time of day you prefer to be contacted?
Later in the morning and early afternoon are ideal for phone calls. The 3pm e-newsletter deadline means my afternoons are fairly busy. However, I am happy to receive emails 24/7 – news never stops!
4) Do you like to meet companies and bosses for coffee/ lunch? If yes, do you have any favourite venues?
I am always willing to build better working relationships with PR people and Queensland companies – it just depends on my work schedule. Daily deadlines can make it tricky to leave the office.
5) What are your three pet peeves about PRs?
As a business journalist I welcome the contact from PR people. While I can’t say I have any ‘pet peeves’ as such, I do prefer follow-up calls/emails to wait a few days once the initial email is sent.
Knowing about the publication (whether it is online or print) is always a plus, as it shows you have done your research.
6) What would the perfect story pitch be for you? And what’s the best PR pitch you have ever had?
While no one pitch in particular stands out, I can say a one or two page press release with a photo attachment usually catches my eye when checking emails. A visual component is always good to accompany an online story.
It’s also a bonus if the news is given to me before it hits the mainstream media. Being a daily publication means I can get the news out to readers in a timely fashion.
If the ‘hard’ news is made clear in the first two paragraphs it is also more likely to get picked up.
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Next up in our series finding out how journalists like to work, any issues they have with PRs, how they like stories to be pitched to them, etc, is Simon Sharwood, Editor of My Business magazine – the monthly magazine for ambitious business owners.
1) What is your deadline day?
My Business goes to print on the third Thursday of the month, so I am generally flat out in the week before that date.
We also publish daily online.
I also edit another magazine, Government Technology Review. It goes to print in the last week of even-numbered months.
2) How do you prefer to be contacted (i.e. email, phone, fax, post)?
Phone. I keep being told about the importance of conversation to build relationships – and then people send me an email. I like to be called because it’s more effective than email and a lot more personal too.
3) Is there a particular time of day you prefer to be contacted?
Just call. I’ll either answer or you’ll go to voicemail 😉 But I am a good caller-back, nearly always same day.
4) Do you like to meet companies and bosses for coffee/ lunch? If yes, do you have any favourite venues?
Yes. I’m honestly happy to meet over a plate of vegemite sandwiches, because I value information more than I value hospitality. If you’ve got a good story to tell, I’m far happier to hear it at a bus-stop than I am waiting for a meal to arrive at a posh restaurant. Please don’t think I’m churlish about hospitality: I just prefer rapid exchange of ideas no matter what environment it takes place in. And I don’t have the time for long lunches or stunts that involve hovercraft rides.
I prefer to do things in and around North Sydney, where our office is located. Travel time is a killer. The Local Café is as good as any. And To’s Malaysian [3/181 Miller Street, North Sydney NSW 2060, (02) 9955 2088] makes the best Har Mee soup this side of KL.
5) What are your three pet peeves about PRs?
One: PRs who pitch without ever having read publications I work on and therefore make nonsensical, time-wasting, pitches.
Two: Emails that aren’t personalized, or that are forwarded. Even Spam manages to name me, so emails that start “Hi” or “Dear Journalist” are less professional than Spam!
Three: Being invited to events later than other media. This often happens when PRs cannot get a decent turn-up at an event, so they turn to their B-list in the hope of getting enough people in the room to impress the client. Journos know when this happens: we’re pretty well networked people.
6) What would the perfect story pitch be for you? And what’s the best PR pitch you have ever had?
A perfect pitch would tell a story that I’ve never heard before, one that is full of surprises and interesting people who generously share experiences that my readers will find interesting and so educational they cannot imagine why no-one has ever told them about this before.
I’m yet to get the best pitch ever.
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Public relations certainly isn’t all about media relations, but it is a major element. Knowing how to pitch stories and how to build relationships with journalists is a crucial part of our success.
One thing to think about is whether to pitch by phone or email. This can come down to personal preference, the nature of the story, how well you know the journalist you’re pitching to, the time of day. It’s not a broad brush approach, so think about this for every pitch you make. Journalists are more and more favouring email over phone calls, which can disrupt their day much more. Also, in this modern age of social media consider using services such as Twitter to pitch. There’s certainly skill in pitching a story in 140 characters and it’s direct and much more immediate.
Here are some other key things to bear in mind.
1) Know your story: this may sound obvious, but can you sum your story up in two or three sentences or a few bullet points?
2) Make it relevant: why should a particular journalist care about what you have to say? Even if you’re working from a news release that has been approved by the client you can vary the pitch and pick out different elements according to who you’re talking to. And don’t forget about the ‘extras’, e.g. interviews, exclusive additional content, photos, etc. Be targeted
3) Do your research: use media databases such as MEDIAtlas (paid-for) and MediaSync (free) to find contact details and the right contacts, but also try to look at a publication or website, listen to a radio station or watch a particular television show – know who covers what, what’s been covered on your topic recently and whether a particular journalist always wants exclusives
4) Respect deadlines: if you’re calling a journalist always check whether it’s a good time to talk, you don’t want to launch straight into a pitch if they’re on a deadline; it won’t be appreciated
5) Get to the point: even if a journalist says it is a good time to talk, make sure you get to the point (this links back to knowing your story) – they haven’t got all day; some journalists will receive many calls and hundreds of emails a day
6) Be professional: be friendly but don’t be over-pally if it’s the first time you’ve spoken to someone. With the first contact you have no credibility and no history, so it will take time to establish this
7) Don’t spam: similarly, consider whether a story really is relevant to someone, if you’ve made a media list using something like MEDIAtlas make sure there aren’t duplicates in the list so you don’t call or email someone more than once
8) Be available: if you’re pitching a story make sure you’re around and ready to deal with any requests or follow ups from journalists otherwise you could miss out
9) Follow up with caution: if you’ve sent an email pitch, don’t just follow it with a call saying “did you get my email?”, consider whether you can offer anything else – what justifies your follow up call? Perhaps in your email you can say “I’ll call in a day or two to get your feedback, unless I hear from you beforehand” – at least then you’ve given a warning!
10) Know when to give up: sometimes a story is perfect for someone, and you know it, so you keep trying, but sometimes you will be flogging a dead horse of a story so you need to know when to call it quits. If your story isn’t flying, think about why and what you can do to change this in the future, it’s our job as PRs to advise our clients of the best course of action after all
If you’re planning a long and illustrious career in the PR industry it’s vital to understand how the media works and how to work with the media. Think long-term relationships and making friends. If you do a journalist a favour, turn around stories quickly and efficiently, pitch the right things to the right people, you’ll make a good name for yourself and journalists will, in turn, listen to you.
What do you think? Are you a PR with a journalist pitch story to tell? Are you a journalist with strong opinions about how PRs pitch stories to you (this is most of you, surely?!)? Do you have anything to add to this? We’d love to hear from anyone with advice or anecdotes.
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Over the coming months we will be approaching a few top Brisbane and Queensland journalists, as well as a few specialists, to find out how they like to work, any issues they have with PRs, how they like stories to be pitched to them, etc. First up is Fiona Donnelly, Queensland taste Editor from The Courier-Mail. (And yes, we know it’s technically 8 questions.)
1) What is your deadline day?
I file every Wednesday for the following Tuesday. If you’re sending releases for taste, the general rule is the longer the lead-time given, the better the chance that I’ll be able to use something. Feel free to send a follow-up email closer to the date, if you haven’t heard anything back.
2) How do you prefer to be contacted (i.e. email, phone, fax, post)?
Email is always best – unless it’s urgent.
3) Is there a particular time of day you prefer to be contacted?
If you’re emailing – email anytime! If you’re phoning, please don’t call me on Monday (it’s production day for taste).
4) Do you like to meet companies and bosses for coffee/ lunch? If yes, do you have any favourite venues?
Happy to meet anyone, anywhere – as long as there’s a scoop in the offing.
5) What are your three pet peeves about PRs?
Generally I don’t like being called by PRs to check if there’s any interest in an email/event – if you’ve sent the email, the odds are I’ll have received it and if there’s interest I’ll certainly phone or email for more information.
6) What would the perfect story pitch be for you? And what’s the best PR pitch you have ever had?
Haven’t had any stand-out pitches from PRs – the pitch really isn’t the important aspect for me. If your information is timely – i.e. if it’s provided to me before the marketing emails and press releases are sent out generally; and if it’s of interest to The Courier-Mail taste reader, then it’s a good pitch!
Next up in our series finding out how journalists like to work, any issues they have with PRs, how they like stories to be pitched to them, etc, is Jen Bishop, editor and publisher of Dynamic Business, Australia’s highest circulating magazine for SMEs.
