Hoping to get one of those highly coveted placements on the morning shows? There's always the option du jour - dress up as an animal mascot or giant mushroom, slap on a
sandwich board touting your URL and hang out on the set outside the show. Maybe you'll score a five-second opportunity to mug for the cameras.
For those preferring a more traditional approach, a recent Publicity Club of New York "Meet the Media" luncheon offered some helpful tips. As usual, producers from the major
network morning shows stressed the importance of knowing each show's audience and format, knowing what you're pitching, yada yada yada. Then they got more specific. Lisa Kovitz,
a managing director with Burson-Marsteller who co-hosted the panel discussion, reports back:
"Today Show" Weekend Edition, NBC-TV
Executive Producer: Kim Bondy, 212/664-5849, [email protected]
Senior Producer: Susan Dutcher, 212/664-6265, [email protected]
The weekend edition of the "Today" show airs on both Saturday and Sunday, hosted by David Blum (a former White House reporter) and Soledad O'Brien, who also hosts "Morning
Blend" on MSNBC on the weekends.
Most of the show is "news driven," meaning producers are looking for stories that anticipate the upcoming week's news or put a particular issue in perspective. For example, a
rise in home heating oil prices might prompt a segment on how to better insulate your home.
Direct all pitches to senior producer Susan Dutcher. Concise voicemails work best. Be sure to provide full disclosure on where your guest might also appear before the show.
Dutcher's work week begins on Tuesday or Wednesday. Worst day to pitch: Friday. Try Saturday, after the broadcast is over.
Keep in mind show planning isn't a free-for-all. Producers work off of a "checkerboard" of stories laid out through the end of the year, although they have some latitude to add
other segments last minute. The show likes to incorporate its outdoor space into on-the-street demonstration segments.
"Fox & Friends," Fox News Channel
Senior Producer: Matthew Singerman, 212/301-3813, [email protected]
The show airs from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. weekdays, hosted by Steve Doocy, Brian Kilmeade (sports) and E.D. Donahey. Segments often feature viewer call-ins and emails; the funniest
are offered to E!'s "Talk Soup."
Singerman says the show's format is generally "looser" than traditional network morning talks, and often features serious political studio interviews. Got a politico to pitch?
You're golden. Other popular segment topics are "news you can use" and "how to find the best..."
Fox's outdoor Sixth Ave. patio is a popular location for "show runners" - i.e., 10 to 15 cut-ins sprinkled throughout the show, featuring quirky demonstrations such as ice
carving, bull-riding or limbo parties.
If you're pitching a celebrity guest, keep in mind he or she will likely be asked to do something other than talk. Kevin Sorbo, for example, played miniature golf in a recent
bit. NY Giants' Tiki Barber learned to tap dance, and Bullwinkle does the weather forecast.
Phone pitches are preferred over email, but make sure you're stating your case to the right person. You can find a complete list of the show's segment producers at http://www.dssimon.com/pcny.html.
"The Early Show," CBS-TV
Segment Producer: Carol Ann Story, 212/975-4112, [email protected]. Fax: 212/975-2115
The show's new format is nearly a year old (PRN, Sept. 18). Hosted by Bryant Gumbel and Jayne Clayson, it also features regular contributors such as Bob Vila (household/fix-
it), Martha Stewart, Bobby Flay and Ming Tsai (food), Dr. Emily Senay, Lisa Birnbaum and Martha Quinn (parenting), Laurie Hibbert (what's new/hot in the marketplace), Ray Martin
(finance), Brian Finnerty (stock market), Dayle Haddyon (beauty/style), Jon Frankel and Hattie Kauffman (national correspondents).
Story's focus is books, authors and publishing. She says she'll find ways to position authors as experts, even months after their publication date, provided the topic is
timely and newsworthy.
Like its counterparts, the "Early Show" has an outdoor plaza, where segments hosted by Mark McEwen are common.
Friday is the worst day to contact the show. Don't call to ask if it's okay to send something - just do it. Snail mail is fine for pieces with a longer lead time; just keep
in mind the show's bookers consider big, fancy press kits a waste of time.
A complete list of the show's segment producers can be found at http://www.dssimon.com/pcny.html.
"Good Morning America," ABC-TV
Supervising Story Editor: Sue Carswell, 212/456-6841, [email protected]
GMA celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. The show is now based in ABC's Times Square studios, where it can accommodate concerts and other demonstration-ish segments.
Co-hosts are Diane Sawyer and Charlie Gibson.
Regular contributors to the show include weatherman Tony Perkins (who often does "job swaps" with interesting people), George Stephanopoulos (politics), Ron Hazelton
(handyman), Emeril Legasse and Sara Moulton (food), Joel Siegal (entertainment), Rebecca Knolls (gardening), Holly Milea (beauty), Dr. Tim Johnson and Dr. Nancy Snyderman
(health), Lara Spencer (human behavior, e.g. features such as "the rudest city in America"), Gregory Hunter (consumer unit), Don Dahler (national correspondent), Andy Serrott
(business), Tiffany Shlain (Internet reporter), Ann Pleshette Murphy (parenting) and Michael Guillen (science).
The booking department covers both breaking news segments and features that are more contributor-focused. A tape department handles field-produced stories.
Every Monday or Tuesday, senior producers review a "story ideas pack" of more than 100 ideas. The best way to reach Carswell is via short, concise email pitches. She loves
new gadgets and is looking for more dish on Internet events - a la the "Today" show's deal with bridal site TheKnot.com. Trend reports and video diaries of interesting people
also are hot.
"The WB 11 Morning News"
Executive Producer: Will (Wilson) Surratt, 212/210-2481
Booker: Renee Harriston, 212/210-2827
The show, which debuted four months ago, airs from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. on New York's WPIX-TV and is holding its own against local competitor "Good Day New York," as well as some
networks. Lynn White and John Muller serve as anchors, with Linda Church handling weather and Lynda Lopez covering entertainment. Larry Hoff contributes "daredevil-type"
stories. Melinda Murphy is the show's "chopper chick" (traffic) and news reporters are Craig Treadway and Kirstin Cole.
The show books two weeks in advance and sports a tone that's informative, but fun. Serious segments are intermittent, although the show focuses primarily on lighter topics -
particularly style bits.
Unless you have a direct relationship with one of the show's producers, pitch ideas to Renee Harriston. Think about story ideas that can be "teased" to add more drama and
color. For example, how might the show's anchors become physically involved in the segment?
Celebrity interviews and profiles of up-and-coming performers are strong bets. Show producers will accept seconds if the morning networks already have covered your celeb, but
if the talent has appeared on "Good Day New York," forget it.
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