So you
have something you want to say, and need a big audience to say it to? Whether it’s a product, an upcoming event or
an idea – broadcast media gets the message out.
However,
every television station and most radio stations handle a great number of press
releases every day. How can you get your
message to the people making the decisions, who will let you share that message
on their station?
Contact early
Some
daily shows set up interviews up to a month in advance, while weekly programs
might schedule months in advance. Be
sure to give the station time to fit you in.
Be informative
You’ve
heard of who, what, when, where, why and how?
These are all questions you should answer in your message.
Be accurate and grammatically correct
Before
you send off that letter or email or pick up the phone, make sure you have all
the details down. That means having the
date, time and location set before promoting an event, or confirming the price
and name of a product. Be sure to re-read what you’ve written before you press
the send button – or have someone else read it for you.
Be quick about it
The
average producer or editor doesn’t have a lot of time to go through everything
that comes through a newsroom. Deliver
your initial message in no more than one page.
Get the point across first
Everyone
knows that a festival will include x, y, and z – something to do, something to
see, something to eat. Everyone knows a
location has a geographic address. Share
what makes yours different at
Go to the right person
The
receptionist at the front desk will likely be happy to see you, but he or she
probably won’t be able to make the decision to put you on the air. While contacts with television anchors and
radio personalities are important (they usually have a say in programming),
it’s the producers and editors who control what content gets through.
Be persistent, but don’t pester
Remember
that whole lack of time issue? The last
thing anyone in a newsroom needs is someone demanding an answer. Make sure your pitch gets in early, send a
reminder if you don’t hear anything within two weeks of the scheduled date, and
accept “not right now” as an answer.
Don’t be boring
Are you
engaging? Can you quickly share your
message without confusing the audience?
Practice talking about your message – and don’t be afraid to choose the
best spokesperson in your organization to spread that message about.
Two minutes is better than no minutes
With the
press for more content and the hectic nature of local interview programs, many
producers are limiting interviews to as little as two minutes. Just like your pitch, be succinct – and
gracious.
Always be gracious
While
the air is free, it costs money to put something on the airwaves – or cable,
satellite or the internet. You’re asking
for free time in a medium that charges by the 30 or 60 second spot. Be sure to thank the people at each station
for having you on. They’ll remember the
kindness.
Who to ask for: Don’t ask for:
Affiliate
TV Assignment editor Station manager
(CBS,
NBC, Morning show producer News director
ABC,
FOX) Noon show producer Program
director
News
anchor
Non-affiliate
TV Assignment editor Station manager
with
newscast Feature
producer
Community
access Program director Station manager
Radio News desk (if station
runs news) Station manager
Morning
drive producer Production
manager
Evening
drive producer Program
director
Specific
show producer DJ on the
air
Newspaper City editor Managing
editor
Features
editor Publisher
Features
reporter Circulation
desk
Internet/ Content editor
Websites Writer
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Be kind.