A hopeful PR practitioner writes,
Dear Uncle Paul:
In hopes of getting a story placed in the local Riverdale Daily Rapids, I offered the home improvement editor an exclusive story on why my dotcom CEO redecorates his digs twice
a year. That was three months ago, and now she refuses to take my calls. What to do?
Signed
Still waiting
Dear Still:
Media relations is an art, not a science. The rules of engagement have to be re-negotiated with each encounter. An offer of exclusivity can be as much a trap as an enticement.
The trick is to know which is which.
Why Offer Exclusivity? Journalism is a competitive industry and "the scoop" is perhaps the only aspect of capitalism that some reporters understand. Gaining an exclusive is a
traditional badge of honor among reporters - it boosts their standing, professional opportunities and salary demands. It can also work as an incentive.
Exclusive stories give a leading media organization time to get the facts and the message right, so that a well-crafted story in an important media outlet can be replicated
after big headlines are made, to the benefit of the client. The exclusive establishes the story for the rest of the media. It is the original source of information.
Won't an exclusive seal the deal? Perhaps, but the story pitch should be part of an overall strategy, designed to further the client's overall objectives and coincide with
your campaign timeline. The reporter's schedule is not necessarily yours. It costs a journalist little to keep you on the hook, while he or she goes off on other errands.
But let me share a little agency trick that is sometimes played. Practitioners -- perhaps seeking to impress their client, or needing to assuage the edgy expectations of one --
may offer an exclusive to a major news organization, knowing the pitch is nothing more than a placeholder. They do not expect immediate action. They are seeking but to satisfy a
client that "a big hit" is in the making.
Are there alternatives to an exclusive offer? Yes. A time-honored way to get good placement of a newsworthy story is to offer it to a single major outlet one or more days
before a release is to be distributed. Or, if trust permits, share a draft of the release with the reporter. This works well when the practioner has developed a working
relationship with a reporter or a local news organization. And it works best with a print beat reporter who can take advantage of the extra time to develop the story, write
sidebars and fact-check back with you. It gives editors more time to schedule a photo shoot and bid for better placement in story meetings. It gives other reporters, particularly
in broadcast, a blueprint to follow. But beware that in a competitive marketplace, this may be regarded as favoritism and can lead to backlash with other reporters.
Are there situations where an exclusive should be offered? Exclusivity serves a lot of practical journalistic considerations: giving time to plan, travel, research and report.
Sometimes a source - or those working for one - create an exclusive relationship to steer the story in a specific direction, in the midst of a media frenzy.
But if exclusivity is the hook, define the terms of the deal. Most importantly, insert an expiration date. Make sure there is concurrence on the news side. And don't offer
exclusivity unless the reporter asks and you gain a clear advantage.
Are there media outlets that demand exclusivity? Just like the local paper may ask for an exclusive in your region, major national media may want the story exclusively on a
national basis. This is particularly true if the story needs time to be put together, due to travel, research and scope. It allows the news outlet to protect their investment and
reputation. Thus, The Wall Street Journal may ask for exclusivity, as will broadcast news magazine programs. In some cases, the scope of exclusivity may only extend to their
medium, or their competitors. The Journal may want to ensure that you have not talked to Business Week or The New York Times. But The Journal may not care if the story has
already run in a local newspaper. A broadcast news program may want total exclusivity in all mediums. This is for you to negotiate.
The goal is to place a story that hits with such power that it quickly spills down the media food chain. The risk is that you have tied yourself and your client to a deal whose
timing you ultimately do not control and a placement that may not publish or broadcast as prominently as you might have been led to believe.
Exclusive Virus
Exclusives can sometimes be tough to identify because a powerful story spreads like a virus -- and that's the whole point.
Exclusivity was the most celebrated part of the infamous Watergate scandal. The primary source, called "Deep Throat," found that he/she could use Washington Post investigative
reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein to leak information advantageous to both sides. Deals were made and promises kept. The arrangement was based on trust, that the reporters
and newspaper executives involved were competent, powerful and credible. To this day, the newspaper has kept its trust; Deep Throat remains an anonymous source.
Such a relationship is not easy to broker; reporters sometimes refuse to write information based on anonymous sources, choosing instead to "double-source" a story. Conversely,
a source may not trust the journalist and offer the same story to another reporter "as a backup." This generally works only once.