10 Rockefeller Plaza, Suite 820
New York, NY 10020
Phone: 818/526-7000
It's hard to track down the producers of this entertainment and news-driven show. We found that their schedules are grueling, making for a tough pitch opportunity. Once we got them on the phone, however, the good news followed: producers welcome pitches and look for leads and story ideas from PR specialists. Coordinating Producer Clay Smith says the stories must be celebrity-driven, but the staff loves breaking news, so feel free to contact them the day of an event. Smith and Producer Ann Lewis are the best contacts since they are the producers who have the final word in booking a show.
You also need to know the producers for each beat before courting the attention of the Access Hollywood staff. Spokeswoman Noelle Brown says because it's a daily show, producers have very limited time to speak to their PR counterparts. The show is taped between noon and 1 p.m., PST, so refrain from placing calls during that crunch time. Since they are prepping for the show beforehand, mornings aren't good either; the best time is after 2 p.m. PST. This makes it difficult for those on the east coast, since it's usually about 7:30 EST before the producers return calls. The staff prefers faxes to 818/526-7127. Beat producers include: Mike Mandala, segment producer for music; Laurie Kantor, segment producer for TV; Peter Hammond, segment producer for movies; and Jeff Fassino, news producer.