If You Paid For It, It's Not News

The Internet has made it easier than ever for just about anyone to have his or her own show -- streaming radio, YouTube, live chats and the like. Couple that with the traditional cable access networks and you have a lot of people on the air, in some form or another.

This is actually a great thing because it allows more access for anyone to broadcast their message.

But here comes the caveat: some of these producers or hosts charge for appearances on their shows. However, if you paid to have your business or organization featured on a broadcast or in a publication, it is not a news organization. The hosts/writers/etc. are not journalists -- and what you paid for was a commercial.

Several weeks ago, we talked about the benefits of publicity over advertising. The very first benefit -- and a really great one -- is that publicity is free. Good Morning America? Doesn't cost a dime. The Today Show?  You don't pay a cent. The list goes on.

These are news programs and journalists don't pay for news. We see or hear about a story, decide it will appeal to our viewers/listeners/readers on some level and we cover it. What we don't do is accept payment for featuring a story because one of the principal elements of journalism -- objectivity -- goes out the window once money changes hands.

It is actually unethical for journalists to accept any type of payment for a story and most -- actually I can venture to say, all -- news organizations have some sort of ethics code of conduct. The New York Times has  an entire section on protecting neutrality in its company ethics policy that states:



35. Staff members and those on assignment for us may not accept anything that could be construed as a payment for favorable coverage or for avoiding unfavorable coverage. They may not accept gifts, tickets, discounts, reimbursements or other benefits from individuals or organizations covered (or likely to be covered) by their newsroom. Gifts should be returned with a polite explanation; perishable gifts may instead be given to charity, also with a note to the donor. In either case the objective of the note is, in all politeness, to discourage future gifts.


So there you have it. What does this mean for you and your organization if you are considering or have paid to be featured in print or broadcast? Well, for one thing, it should be disclosed that guests pay to be spotlighted so the audience is aware.  


Any organization that pays it guests or accepts payments from its guests should not be billed as a news show or publication -- because being on the news is free.

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.

Do Your Homework When It Comes to Giving

An 8.9 magnitude earthquake and tsunami struck Japan
Friday, March 11.

For most of us, disasters like the devastating tsunami in Japan stir compassion and an impulse to help -- and give -- in any way we can.

But there are others who use tragedies to spur the latest scams. While plenty of legitimate nonprofit organizations are collecting donations, beware of fraudulent ones out to steal your money instead of using it to aid victims.

In my home state of Illinois, Attorney General Lisa Madigan released several tips to verify if an entity is legitimately collecting money.

• Ask how much of your donation will go to the charity and how much will be used to pay fund-raising costs. 
• Pay close attention to the name of the charity (or misspelled words in the name).
• Ask questions about the charity. 
• Take caution when giving online. 
• Do not pay in cash. For security and tax record purposes, pay by check. Be sure to write the full official name of the charity on your check—do not abbreviate.
• Request written information.
• Do not donate if the solicitor uses high-pressure tactics, asks for cash payment or insists on sending someone to pick up your donation. 

Another good resources is http://www.charitynavigator.org/, where you can search for an organization if you question its legitimacy.

If you believe you have been a victim of a scam or want to report a suspicious solicitation, log on to your state attorney general's website or contact the office directly.

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

Where is Your Media Plan?

When you start a business or nonprofit organization, typically your business plan is in place -- the mission statement, the goals you want to accomplish and how you plan to do it.

Is there a media plan included?

If there answer is no, then you should get to work on one. Here's why: If you randomly pitch random things to random media outlets, believe me, you will get equally random results.

Last week, we talked about why you should consider publicity for your business or organization and how it can help you. Once you decide publicity is something you want to pursue, you should have a map to get there, much like your business plan, marketing strategy or any other plan.

What is it you want to accomplish through the media -- social and traditional? How will you get it accomplished? What are the costs? What are the benefits?

If you have no idea what the answers to these questions are, you should get the help of someone who does. I'm not talking about someone who took a random journalism or marketing class in college, either, but someone who really understands the field and how to work in it.

Remember the old adage: failure to plan is a plan to fail. This also applies when it comes to media.

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

Why Do You Want Publicity?

You have been working on your business or cause for years now. You know if you can just get your pitch in front of a reporter, it's completely golden for a story.

But have you ever really thought about why you even want news coverage or what it may do for your business or nonprofit organization? It may be time to think beyond the flashing lights.

I have to thank public relations guru Steve Harrison for inspiring this topic. I listened to a teleconference of his a few weeks ago and agreed with every single one of his points about why an organization would seek publicity over traditional advertising.

That's not to say your marketing budget should disappear because all you want to do is ferret free publicity. It just means if you have something newsworthy, consider the fact that coverage can carry a tad bit more weight than paying for ad space. The coverage can definitely be a tool, but is not one to be abused or taken advantage of -- remember that.

However, here are some of Harrison's reasons why publicity can be greater than an ad:

• It doesn't cost anything.
• It gives you and your business/organization credibility. We news folks can dig fairly deep. If you have somehow managed to get past the gatekeepers, editors and fact checkers, you must have a pretty valid project going on.
• It multiplies. You ever notice how a person or organization gets on one news show and is soon popping up on all the shows or in all the papers? In fact, you may hear the person is "making the rounds" on different stations or in publications. That's because Harrison was totally correct when he said that many times, one story can get the attention of more media and it often does turn into a sort of blitz.

Now I want to take Harrison's topic even a step further when I ask you to ask yourself if you have considered the potential effects of media coverage.

• Do you have a website where customers/clients/supporters can find out more information?
• If your story results in orders of your product skyrocketing, are you prepared to fill those orders? If your restaurant suddenly sees an uptick in service, do you have the staff to handle it? If donations come pouring in for your 501(c)(3), do you have a bank account, accurate records, etc.? 
• Do you have someone who is a reliable, knowledgeable and well-spoken spokesperson or representative?

Of course, you can't be prepared for every single thing and if a reporter calls you up today to do a story, I wouldn't tell you to refuse because your website is down. However, these tips translate into good media relations practice and can increase the effectiveness of your publicity message. These tips also translate into good business practices, which is the focus of your venture -- publicity should be secondary.

If you get started on this now, when the media does get wind of your golden story, you will be well-prepared.

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

The Cotillion: Introducing Philanthropy to Society

Pamela Pressley
The Cotillion Founder and Publisher

When it comes to getting publicity, nonprofit organizations typically enjoy a great advantage -- the media loves a good cause. In fact, the publisher of one online publication, The Cotillion,, has made the coverage of charitable causes her own mission. Any non-profit, individual or other business actively engaged in the community can be featured on the site. 


I initially spoke with The Cotillion founder and publisher Pamela Pressley in the summer of 2010, when I interviewed her for a profile that appeared on Young Black Professional Guide. Pressley explained the art of "solanthropy" -- giving back to the community through social events.


Pressley recently gave an update on how the the site is doing: The Cotillion has doubled in size since last summer and Pressley is considering ways to use the latest technology to interact with readers, she said. Based in Washington, D.C., the site now also covers charitable happenings in Houston, Chicago, Atlanta and New York.


"I want people to know that we are a motivator and supporter to the non-profit community and we celebrate those who make it point to [do so]," Pressley said. "We generally support those who have a focus on volunteerism, civic engagement, philanthropy and other types of new age charitable giving."

Pressley is planning the site's inaugural Young & Philanthropic Gala this year "that will celebrate those who are leading the way for the next generation of charitable givers," she said. 

Email tips, press releases and event coverage requests to The Cotillion at contactus@thecotilliononline.com. 

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

'Tiny' Nonprofit Reaches Its Goal After 12 Years

So, remember last week when we talked about focusing about your product, service or cause more than your publicity (or lack thereof)?

Consider the 12-year battle of the nonprofit organization, The Promotheus Radio Project. According to Reuters, this "tiny" organization operated a national campaign to get more noncommercial radio stations approved. On Jan. 4, President Barack Obama signed the Local Community Radio Act into law, which requires the Federal Communications Commission to allow more low power stations to access the FM radio dial.

The law could reportedly result in 2,000 new radio stations, beginning in 2013.

Promotheus is a grassroots organization that operates out of the basement of a west Philadelphia church. Nevertheless, the organization's leaders have been tapped to comment on radio-related issues hundreds of miles away, such as Houston and Florida. Check out their In the News section.

The story is a prime example of how an organization's dedication toward its cause resulted in achieving its goals, attracting media attention. That same dedication established Promotheus leaders as expert sources and activists. It doesn't matter how "tiny" the organization is, focus on the bigger picture -- the cause and how your organization can help.

Looking for media attention for your business? Consider Apple status

I was perusing the news stories and blogs -- I often do, I'm a serial peruser -- and a News Stream post from CNN caught my attention.

It was an article about Apple, the electronics hardware and software giant that seems to stay in the news for one thing or another: co-founder and CEO Steve Jobs' medical situation, new products and the like. It wasn't so much the topic at hand that caught my attention -- after all, it is Apple. But the first few lines of the story are what drew my eye, something I frequently tell clients and potential clients.

"I hear it in the newsroom every time Apple announces a product," Kristie Lu Stout wrote."'Why are we covering this? Aren’t we just giving Apple free advertising? We wouldn’t do this for any other company.'"

And there it is.

As a media consultant for small businesses, I tell the truth: it can be a rather tough sell to convince the media to give you coverage because, well, the media isn't about free publicity. We would rather you just buy an ad.

"The sentiment isn’t wrong," the reporter continued. "We probably wouldn’t give the attention we give Apple to any other company. But Apple isn’t any other company.

"Apple is unique because it’s able to project influence far beyond the marketshare it holds. It’s not just journalists and consumers hanging on to their every word: Apple can shape the direction of the entire technology industry."

But when your company has something so great, in such demand and has inspired such brand loyalty as the likes of Apple, the media is bound to notice, again and again.

So, is media attention for your company impossible? Absolutely not. But do you think Steve Jobs and his ilk wake up in the morning and wonder, "Oh, how are we going to get on the news today?"

Well, the company may pay a PR team to wonder, but the truth is that Apple's core team is focused on the product. The company has carved out such a unique place in the market that if the company didn't make the news, it would make the news that it wasn't in the news.

The moral of the story? It won't happen overnight, or maybe over the next year. But focus on your product, your service, making the experience of your company so unique that publicizing your efforts and products is like doing the public a favor.

Strive for Apple status. The publicity will eventually follow.

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