E-Mail Survey: PR Pros: Offbase When They Rely on Electronic Routes?
Snail mail isn't as dreaded as PR pros might think, according to the results of a survey by Thomas Rankin Associates. The East Greenwich, R.I.-based marcom firm reports that e-mail isn't the darling business execs have made it out to be, with 94 percent of editors still preferring a hard copy that arrives by snail mail.
More than 150 journalists at trade publications were sent surveys, in November 1997, about their pet peeves and preferences and 30 percent responded. Other findings include:
- More than 60 percent of editors report receiving more than 100 news releases in an average week;
- Two-thirds indicated that less than half of what they receive is relevant for their publications;
- 75 percent use less than half of the releases they pile onto the "relevant" stack; and
- Even though almost all editors will occasionally answer follow-up calls concerning releases and pitches, more than half find they are "never" useful.
(Thomas Rankin Associates, 401/884-4090)
E&P Poll: U.S. Editors Not All Impressed with Peers' News Coverage
It has often been considered a sad state of affairs when members of an industry don't give their profession high marks. And a recent Editor &Publisher survey signals that all is not rosy in the newsgathering field if you asked those working in it.
E&P reported that 47.9 percent of newspaper editors (167 editors and 88 publishers responded to an E&P poll conducted in conjunction with the Technometrica Institute of Policy and Politics in December 1997) feel newspaper coverage is shallow and inadequate; and 55.7 percent said press coverage is too cynical.
Only 13.7 percent believed that newspaper reporting has improved during the last five years, and only 38 percent are convinced that newspapers will be better by 2002.
If you're trying to cultivate relationships with newspaper editors on the regional level, we see this as a perfect segue: Discover where they think their coverage is lacking and see if you can provide resources/background/news to help them close those perceived performance gaps. (E&P, 212/675-4380)
Reaching the People: The Internet: A Remedy For New Marcom Efforts
Find/SVP reports that more than 43 percent of all U.S. adult users of the Internet are interested in health and medical information, so healthcare communicators need to keep this in mind when they're brainstorming PR/marketing tactics for the Internet.
The Net allows you to educate constituent audiences without relying on filters like the press.
But Find/SVP also points out that the largest "healthcare retriever" group is comprised of users ages 50-59. It would be wise to gear your information for them. (Find/SVP, 800/346-3787)