In a May 2007 nationwide survey of broadcasters and reporters, DS Simon Productions asked 79 respondents to grade PR Pros, give insight into how story decisions are made, and address the growing role of management in newsrooms. Here are the results you need to know:
- 56.4% of broadcasters love to be pitched by e-mail;
- 41.3% hate being pitched by telephone, and 27.6% hate being pitched by fax;
- 38.4% think that only 1/3 of PR people are knowledgeable about their programs
- 95.7% of reporters and producers work on stories that appear on their Web site;
- 52.2% said that their station's Web site could be pitched separately from newscasts;
- 95.5% said that their Web site uses multi-media content;
- Only 16% of stations are banned from using third-party video; and,
- Healthcare stories are still the most in demand - 79.1% of respondents expressed high interest in health stories.
PR pros should keep in mind that, when pitching, they need to give the reporter or producer tools to sell the story to their manager. The phone is an important part of an effective pitch, especially if you want feedback. Be aware that stations are increasingly carrying multi-media content on their Web sites that does not air on newscasts, and station sites can be pitched separately, but usually through the newsroom.