Re: News Story Pitching - Call & Blab?

From: Kate Kaye <kate_at_lowbrowlowdown.com>
Date: Wed 25 Oct 2000 07:17:19 -0500

KEITH LACY <keithl_at_vistatec.ie> WROTE:
> Often when you find the editorial team for a magazine
> on their website, there is just a list of names so you
> have an important decision to make. Who do you mail?
> Should it be the editor? The editor-in-chief? ...And
> what about these online PR agencies/services that
> distribute your story for you, they always tout their
> close links with certain publications but how good are
> they? Has anybody had any experience with them?

I've come at this situation from both perspectives --
as an editor and a story pitcher. If the publication
lists a number of different editors and you'd rather
not send out more than one mailing, try a middle-tier
editor, as opposed to the big chief (who may have less
to do with the daily operation). Check out who's
writing the stories, too. If someone is on the
editorial staff and writes regularly, they most likely
have clout when it comes to determining story topics.

As you may realize, journalists are bombarded with a
daily onslaught of emailed press releases, most of
which promote make-news, in order to essentially
establish some sort of brand recognition over time. A
lot of times, the stuff that comes in through PR firms
highlights new executive hires or pushes hyped-up
versions of the same old product offering. If you're
familiar with the publication in terms of the subject
matter and voice, and you think that your pitch could
really make a good story, pick an editor (obviously if
one covers an appropriate section, choose that
person/s), make a phone call and send an email if
there's no response.

There's no doubt that having an experienced PR
professional is ideal. However, there's a big
difference between an in-house PR person and someone
who may represent several accounts from an outside
firm. As an editor, I can't tell you how many phone
calls I received from marble-mouthed PR reps who
sounded as if they were reading directly from cue
cards. And I won't begin to get into the abominable
misuse of grammar and misspellings I encountered in
press releases. If you hire a PR staff member or firm,
just remember that these folks are the ones making that
crucial first impression. And let me tell you, it can
be indelible.

In the end, consider the fact that the majority of
people who gravitate towards careers in journalism
usually try to maintain some integrity; they'd rather
not consider themselves as easily influenced by PR
firms or company reps. So, most don't appreciate
pitches that only promote a company and/or its latest
product or service. They are much more apt to respond
positively if there's a tie-in to recent events going
on in the industry in question. A little persistence is
a good thing -- just approach the pitch in the same way
that you'd like to be approached. In the end, like
anything, it all comes down to the decision-maker's
openness and, of course, timing.

Kate Kaye, Freelance Writer
kate_at_lowbrowlowdown.com
The Lowbrow Lowdown, Commentary with Bite
http://www.lowbrowlowdown.com





Received on Wed Oct 25 2000 - 07:17:19 CDT