5 Tips for Pitching a Story to News Media

News outlets get bombarded with story ideas daily. How do you get noticed among the hundreds of emails that media professionals receive? Let’s start with not emailing everyone on your distribution list.

Here are five things to do when you want a news outlet to cover your story.

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#1 Stop Emailing Everyone

As a recovering journalist(is there a support group for that? Oh wait, yes, public relations associations, and they are fantastic!), I was on the receiving end of those emails mentioned above. I was even a journalist at a time when some people used the phone and called you or – hold on to your stamps – mailed a letter to the TV station. I’ve dated myself… let’s forget I said that.

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We are human beings. While technology has improved our lives significantly, it has also allowed us to click a button and check a box. Don’t get me wrong; not every story pitch is worth a phone call or a personal outreach and sometimes a broader distribution makes sense. But there are benefits to having just one news outlet (the right one) report on a story. Exclusives are gold. And you can follow up on pitches; just don’t become a stalker.

#2 Make It Worth Their Time

Why should a journalist (which ultimately means their audience) care about your story? Ask yourself that every time. Is it worth their time? Why should they/their audience hear your story? Does it reveal something the reporter’s readers/viewers/listeners find interesting or help them somehow? Is it a timely, local angle to a national story? Do you have some revealing data that shows a shift in support for a local initiative?

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And don’t forget to point stories toward a particular journalist who might cover those types of stories, i.e., the launch of a new mental health program at your clinic at a time when access to that type of service is scarce = health care reporter. Do you know any health care reporters? No? Read on.

#3 Build Relationships

Even though they magically appear on your TV, in your car radio, or on the byline of the lead story in the paper, they are people. Journalists want to build relationships in their communities. As a public relations professional, you can help them, and they can help you. Journalists have airtime and columns to fill. You are another set of eyes and ears for them. A journalist (like that health care reporter I mentioned above) would much rather hear directly from someone they know and trust in the community than receive a generic email.

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How do you do that? Offer to meet for coffee for an informal discussion about the types of stories they like to tell and learn more about them and their story process. Do that before you “need” to tell your story; it makes it much easier when you have that pressing deadline.

#4 Visuals. Visuals. Visuals.

Everything is online these days. Like TV reporters, your local print and radio reporters also care about more than just the words. A picture (and even better a video) is worth a thousand words; every news outlet that posts on its website or social media channels wants visuals.

At a recent Public Relations Society of America gathering with news media representatives, a radio reporter told me she wants a voice to that statement you sent her. Even if it’s just you reading it. A TV news producer said they want to know what visual elements you have upfront. A print editor said they would always consider submitted photos if they can’t attend a particular event.

#5 Real People

Have more than just your executive leader or that tech expert ready for interviews. Yes, they provide context to the story and are great, but the real meat and potatoes are with ‘real people’ who bring the story to life. For example, if your story is about a press conference/ribbon cutting for a new accessible playground, have a family identified who will share why the new park is life-changing for them and the community leader who helped secure public funding. The family shows a real example of the new playground equipment’s impact.

Now, you could pitch that story (exclusive) a few days in advance of the ribbon-cutting ceremony to your new friend (relationship), so they have time to film the family (real people) playing at the playground (visual) and highlight new data recently released on the growing need for accessible playgrounds in the country (worth their while). The moral of the story: the ribbon-cutting press conference shouldn’t be the only story you tell.

Pretty. Little. Bow.

If you need help with bringing all of these elements together for your organization, give us a call (or email).

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