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In the weeks following Sept. 11, the newsletter formerly known as World Airport Week (a PR NEWS sister publication) made some very rapid adjustments. The staff immediately
retooled the content to focus exclusively on security issues, and by November the publication was appearing under a new and timely title: Airport Security Report.
The newsletter goes out to high-end subscribers, typically chief executives and senior executives in the airport management business and in port authorities.
"Prior to Sept. 11, we were pretty much focused on airport expansions and that sort of thing." says Senior Managing Editor Jim Rogers. Today it's all about security, and
especially about efficiency issues related to security.
Content/Contacts
The man who wants to see your pitch is Editor Eric Grasser ([email protected]). He and Rogers are especially keen to give readers
the inside scoop on new technologies that might have some bearing on security issues.
"We are looking at the latest developments in security technology: new applications, new equipment," Rogers says. "We also are in the public-interest sector, following
legislative developments on Capitol Hill.
Take a look at the publication in its new incarnation before hitting the Send button. "We still get queries from firms and agencies pitching us on things like new hot dog
broilers and that sort of thing, the kind of thing we might have used in World Airport Week, but we don't do anymore," Rogers says. If there is not a security hook of some kind,
save the stamp.
Pitch Tips
In fact, you might as well save the stamp altogether, and put down the handset too. For this publication, email is the way to go. "We always say that we prefer to see email,
but saying that and actually seeing it happen are two different things," said Rogers. "I will get email and invariably someone will call me up wanting to talk about the email."
Rogers wants a short email pitch that gets right to the point. And don't forget to include accurate contact information: "You'd be surprised how many times I've received a
great story pitch only to discover the sender did not include his or her phone number.
If you absolutely must call -- which Rogers does not recommend -- call between Tuesday and Thursday to avoid deadlines, and get straight to your point. Make it relevant to the
audience in your first few sentences (skip the company backgrounder).
Comments
Rogers is adamant about seeing a security hook in your pitch - but that hook may be easier to find than it sounds. Got a client who works in an airport? Chances are that client
has security on the brain.
There are a few caveats to consider. First: This publication is looking for substantial stuff only. "We like to think we can provide a level of business intelligence you can't
find anywhere else," said Rogers. Second: Be ready to put a bigwig by the phone. The editors prefer to deal with senior execs. "We are always glad to hear from PR reps, but any
time they can hook us up with a CEO or a CIO or a CFO -- anybody with a C in front of his name -- that is a good thing. We want to talk to the movers and shakers."
In The Pipeline
Security stories aren't going away anytime soon, so keep those technology sources coming. In particular, Rogers would like to hear from people who are taking technology to the
next level -- whatever that next level might be.
For example: The concept of face-scanning biometric recognition software has been around for some time, but it has new legs in the post-Sept. 11 world. Instead of using such
technology to manage access control, there's now talk of applying it to airport crowds to automatically scan for faces of wanted persons.
"We'd also love to hear from people in the consultancy business," said Rogers. "We would love to get differing views and opinions from the people who view themselves as
experts."