1729 H St. NW Washington, D.C. 20006-3901; 202/887-6400
Kiplinger's (1 million plus) is known for its deft handling of personal finance issues as well as the aggressive way it stays on the pulse of consumer news. Although it takes on the ubiquitous news story (social security debates; the Year 2000 dilemma), its editorial content is refreshingly pragmatic - i.e., you can find out what investment terms really mean. Editors dread the pitch that comes over the phone, and these journalists spoke to us via Ma Bell only to ensure that you buff up your PR savvy.
SECTIONS: Mutual Funds Coverage involves broader investment stories and very little economic analysis - what the editor calls "macro stuff."
EDITORS: Associate Editor Steve Goldberg Fax: 202/331-1206
DAYS TO CONTACT/DAYS TO AVOID: Kiplinger's is a monthly magazine and its editorial crunch time is the middle of the month or the third week into the month. Lead time is one month to several hours.
METHODS: Goldberg wants releases and news to come by snail mail or fax. You'll have just as much luck trying to send your pitch by mental telepathy as you will picking up the phone and dialing 11 digits.
COMMENTS: "PR people are incredibly valuable when real news is breaking and they let us know," Goldberg says. "But then there are those ones who send me off-topic items (such as a corporate annual report) and off-target missives over and over.... And then there are the calls: 'Did you get our letter?' and my answer is always 'Yes, and I read it or threw it out.'"
SECTIONS: Credit Fraud, Identity Theft and College Loans These might appear to be broad categories, but when you consider Kiplinger's purist view to stay true to news for the consumer, you'll better understand its editorial product. Coverage in this realm isn't just analytical - it's tactical. Kiplinger's will take an issue that's been in the mainstream media (such as Internet security) and cover the what this means for the average citizen angle.
EDITORS: Senior Associate Editor Kristin Davis Fax: 202/331-7255
DAYS TO CONTACT/DAYS TO AVOID: Goldberg wants releases and news to come by snail mail or fax. You'll have just as much luck trying to send your pitch by mental telepathy as you will picking up the phone and dialing 11 digits. But lead time is three months.
METHODS: Davis gets hammered with so many phone calls and cold-call pitches that she's no longer "polite."
COMMENTS: Davis' coverage might touch on the influence of the Internet, but she doesn't cover technology and shouldn't receive hardware and software news. Also, she'd rather read a press release than a specially-tailored letter that attempts to "fit things in a box."
Editorial Contacts At Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine
Main Number - 202/887-6489
Editor - Theodore Miller 202/887-6489
Executive Editor - Kevin McCormally 202/887-6489
Senior Editor, Kids and Money - Janet Bodnar 202/887-6489
Managing Editor, Technology, Shopping - Mark K. Solheim, 202/887-6489
Assistant Managing Editor, Health, Fitness - Rosemary Beales Neff, 202/887-6489
Senior Associate Editors -
- Kristin W. Davis, Colleges, Credit, 202/887-6489,
- Manuel Schiffres, Investments, 202/887-6489
Associate Editors -
- Robert Frick, Investments, 202/887-6489,
- Steven Goldberg, Investments, Mutual Funds, 202/887-6489,
- Ed Henry, Cars, 202/887-6489,
- Kim Lankford, Life Insurance, 202/887-6489,
- Elizabeth Razzi, Real Estate, Taxes, 202/887-6489
- Ronaleen Roha, Small Business, Legal, Social Security, Retirement, 202/887-6489
- Marc Schulhof, Taxes, 202/887-6489
- Kenneth R. Sheets, Stocks, 202/887-6489
- Melynda Wilcox, Lifestyle, 202/887-6489
Senior Reporter, Banking - Joan Goldwasser 202/887-6489