Wednesday, January 2, 2013

How the News Works



I've said it before.

Getting in the news is free -- and if you paid for an interview, it's not news.

Though you may pay a strategist or publicist or PR person to craft your pitch or press release or press kit to pique a reporter's attention. nobody pays the reporter to cover your story -- except their own publication. Because it's the reporters job

There are a few points worth reiterating here:

  1. Reporters are bound by ethics laws that prohibit them from taking money from you. If money changes hands, the objectivity goes out of the window. Any gifts, even for holidays or to show appreciation, usually have a very small limit. This means you cannot pay someone for media coverage.
  2. If you pay someone to publicize you, write the script because it's an advertisement. There are lot of of e-shows and such that charge money. If that's the case, please tell them that you should get to submit questions and answers, because you have essentially paid for a commercial.
  3. Do your research before you try to submit your own article. Some media outlets, but not all, let you submit your own information for coverage. I've seen newspaper in smaller markets or towns that will print your press release as is or let you actually submit an article. But larger ones typically want their own reporters and photographers to cover the story. Do the research to be sure the media outlet you're targeting accepts submissions. 
The moral of the story? The media is a great tool and one that you can tap into -- if you know how to pitch your story correctly -- without a charge from them.


Bridgette Outten is a journalist and media consultant with The Write Vision Group, Inc. With a background in print media, she has written thousands of articles for newspapers and online publications. At The Write Vision Group, Bridgette consults with nonprofits and small businesses about how to get their programs and efforts in the news. Meanwhile, she blogs on all things journalism.

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