Finding and Generating News

PR 313

Dealing with Gatekeepers

You may control the presentation of your press campaign, but you can’t control how it is used by journalists

Media Gatekeepers

Journalists are flooding by PR reps How do you break through the clutter?

Trading Spaces

Put yourself in the position of the journalist What will you respond to? What are the challenges you face?

Some challenges

Limited space Limited time Pressure to be correct Pressure to be “fair and balanced” Desire to tell the “truth” Information overload Competitive pressure

What can you do?

Target your campaigns intelligently Shape your pitch so that it conforms with

what the public and media will respond well to

Be a student of psychology and human behavior

Helping the Writer

By helping the writer/editor acquire the information, the PR person is directly involved in the research for the story In some cases, this can help “spin” the story in a

direction desired by the PR company

Inside the Mind of the Journalist

Journalists look for the following criteria when determining “what is news”

What is Newsworthy?

Timeliness Prominence Proximity Significance

Unusualness Human Interest Conflict Newness

Timeliness How recently did (or will) the event

happen? Live event? The more time that passes, the less

newsworthy a story is

Timeliness

When your client makes an announcement, you must make sure that the information reaches the media immediately Sometimes, you can give the press information

early so that they can prepare the news story in advance “Press Embargo” “Non-disclosure”

Timeliness

Tap into current events and holidays for possible news coverage

Find a hook that links your campaign to the news Example:

Movie download service Movielink gets publicity due to the media’s interest in the timely topic of movie piracy

Prominence Celebrity adds credibility and news value

to a campaign A marginal pitch might get coverage when you

add a well-known spokesperson

Prominence

“One” Campaign Enlisted celebrities to

call attention to the cause

Example

Katie Couric went on a media tour to discuss the importance of getting colonoscopy cancer-screening tests

20% increase in the procedure in the following months after the campaign

Proximity

Does your pitch have a local angle?

Proximity

Statistic: About 70% of all news coverage in business/financial sections focuses on LOCAL businesses

If you are doing a national campaign, customize a local pitch for each regional media outlet

Significance

How does the information impact the audience?

Create a pitch that addresses a concern or need of the audience

Significance

Example: After 9/11 attacks, there

was public concern about safety in high-rise buildings

“High-rise Office Parachute” product got tons of publicity

Unusualness

An unusual event or PR campaign might generate some news interest

Example: “World’s largest

sandwich” event sponsored by Bimbo Bakery (Mexico City)

Unusualness

Example: Amazon.com issues a

press release that promotes the site’s “number one” reviewer

Harriet Klausner has written over 12,000 reviews without pay for the site

Human Interest

Is there an emotional component to the campaign?

If it is “interesting,” then it may be newsworthy

Human Interest

Example: World AIDS Day is Dec. 1 Campaign to raise

awareness might include a personal story of someone impacted by AIDS

Media responds to the “human interest” angle

Conflict Conflict and tension tends to get news

coverage A PR campaign can jump into the

discussion/debate Use caution in these situations

Conflict

Example: Political PR campaign for pro-life vs. pro-choice Your candidate can gain publicity by aligning with

a particular side in the debate

Newness

If it is perceived as “new,” then it is elevated in news importance

Many PR campaigns repackage or reinvent something old into something “new” to gain publicity

Newness

Example: Tide detergent has been

“new and improved” each year for decades

Applying the News Criteria

As you strategize your PR campaign, you should look internally and externally to determine possible news angles to pitch

Internal

Conduct a needs assessment with your client What activities/initiatives/products/services

might be considered relevant to the media

Some Things to Consider

Is there anything new happening? Is there a high-profile personality involved

with a project? Is there anything unusual happening? Is there anything with human interest?

External

Look outside the organization for events or trends that you can tap into

Be pro-active in pitching the media about your initiative – within the framework of the larger news/event phenomena

Example

As a reporter, I often needed a legal perspective for some of my stories

One very media-savvy lawyer made a point to “reach out” to me Gave me her cell number Willing to help me research legal info Willing to give a quote Her career benefited from the exposure I got my quote/credibility

Creating News

A PR person can help to “create news” by understanding what journalists respond to

“Pseudoevents” Contests Polls and Surveys

Develop a Media Campaign Strategy

On the following slides, you will see several scenarios that require you to develop a media campaign strategy

Using the “news criteria” cited in the previous slides, develop your thoughts on how you would deal with the media on behalf of your client in each scenario

Media Campaign Strategy

Your findings should include: Who is/are the public(s) you are trying to reach? How will you reach them?

Develop specific strategies Include a local angle, if possible

What is your message? Include key “talking points”

Scenario No. 1 Lavoris Mouthwash is a

100-year-old brand It was the first consumer

mouthwash However, it is perceived as

stodgy and old-fashioned Sales are down and the

product is no longer carried by most retailers

Develop a strategy that can begin to revive this brand and change public perception

Scenario No. 2

Actor Tom Cruise is having a career crisis

He is getting negative press due to his strange public behavior and some bias toward his religious beliefs

Develop a strategy to help him turn the public perception around!

Scenario No. 3

Motorola was recently given an “F” grade by Greenpeace due to its poor support of recycling

Develop a strategy to help Motorola reverse the public perception that it is not eco-friendly

Scenario No. 4

FIFA (the organization behind the World Cup) is trying to take the sport to the “next level” in the U.S.

Despite massive global popularity, professional soccer is not too popular in the U.S.

Develop a strategy to increase awareness and enthusiasm for the sport

Scenario No. 5

Computer company Dell recently recalled several million laptop batteries due to concerns that they might catch fire

Consumer confidence is shaken in the company

Develop a strategy to win back the trust of consumers