News to You…But is it Really Valuable News to Them?

“I don’t get it,” said the executive.

“I wrote the story, I googled the Editor’s name on the local paper, and I told him where he could find the data I was referring to in that 2004 report, and I even said when he could come and take a photo of our boss.

“You know what….he didn’t even reply.”

This may sound a little glib, and perhaps quite an extreme retelling of a scenario in which an employee tries to secure coverage for what they perceive to be a story…but let it prove a useful insight into PR tactics.

The trouble with attempting to win the attention of the media, is often in failing to honestly and objectively evaluate what the ‘true story’ is, and indeed, whether anyone other than you and your colleagues might care.

Think of it like the person who loves nothing more than to set up a photographic presentation capturing their two week holiday in Madeira. Yes, there may be some nuggets of interest within all the material they’re keen to share with you – but is the entire 600 iphone image catalogue really worth wading through?

Sometimes we have to accept that what’s fascinating or noteworthy to us, might not chime so well with others.

With all that said, there are ways you can ensure you’re considering the ‘newsworthiness’ and ‘readability’ of any piece of media communication you choose to distribute.

1)   Consider the reader – which every editor will do – and ask yourself ‘who will want to read this?’. Is what I am telling them of genuine value or interest?

2)   Provide the stats, the facts or the insight which bring your story to life. Compelling data or context make a story far more likely to have traction.

3)   Give the story a voice of passion and relatability. Sure, you may think the CEO is important to quote, but what about the service user, your client, or the community champion? Is someone else a better voice to be quoted within your news item?

4)   Don’t assume the journalist has lots of time to build your story from the mere crumbs you provide. These guys and girls are busy. It’s your job to include timely sources, provide CORRECT phone numbers and weblinks, or to feature casestudies – not to anticipate that they’ll have thousands of hours to search out the missing information to back up your basic story outline.

5)   Consider how this story is going to land, and how it might visually appear in the final use. What photograph will best tell the story? What format will allow the media to use it in good quality? Again, think about the reader and remember that few people will feel inspired or interested by seeing an image which contains no human element.

6)   Be prepared to be different and to find and form your news in less prescribed manners. You don’t have to simply follow the herd and roll out a story related to an awareness day because it’s just popped up in your calendar or because you did it last year. Be creative. Author your own angles.

7)   Accept when something just isn’t a story, and when it would make more sense to preserve your media relationships and offer them something far more interesting in the future!

Want more help with creating stories for the media? Get in touch with our team.