Media Relations

Most media relations pros have a favorite way of connecting with writers. How about building relationships with media staff whose names rarely appear on bylines, such as editors? A veteran editor provides insight in this brief Q-A as we get ready for the PRNEWS Media Relations Next Practices Virtual Event Dec. 8-9, 2020.

We visited the web site of Newark Symphony Hall (NSH), the Garden State’s largest arts venue and one of its oldest. The first thing we saw is that NSH is closed for COVID. So, try getting support for arts-related projects when performances are suspended. Yet that’s the assignment for women-owned Violet PR, which won what seemed, on first glance, a dubious victory, to represent NSH.

It’s not an easy time in general. Perhaps more so for media relations pros, who are pitching against several dominant stories and an eclectic pastiche of other items. Still, PR pros are nothing if not resourceful. The best are finding opportunities in the crowded field. Here are a few on November 19, 2020.

There’s no definitive way to pitch. Some prefer to send out news to as many content providers as possible and see what sticks. Other media relations pros opt for pitching a few time-tested journalists. As we get ready to discuss these topics and more during PRNEWS’ Media Relations Next Practices Virtual Event (Dec. 8-9), Deshundra Jefferson, chief strategic communications officer with Credit Union National Association, gives us a look at her pitching philosophy.

Too many PR pros continue to conduct media pitching with the “spray-and-pray” approach, using a long list of media contacts that might be way out of date and contain the wrong information for content creators. Instead, a smaller, hand-crafted list is a better bet. Here’s a step-by-step method for creating such a list.

Millions will enter polling stations and vote for the next president. While many of us have watched this election closely, few have considered PR’s role. Whether used positively or negatively, all candidates

A traditional view of PR sees success as dominating news cycles with as much buzz as a brand or celebrity can generate. Former VP Joe Biden is not doing this. Instead, he’s allowing his opponent, the president, to do most of the talking. Kglobal VP Jenny Wang explains why this tactic is working well for the Biden Harris campaign.

Earlier this week, Johnson & Johnson announced it had paused “further dosing in all our COVID-19 vaccine candidate clinical trials” due to an “unexplained illness” in a volunteer. One day later, drugmaker Eli Lilly paused its clinical trial for an antibody treatment. For PR pros, messages related to the race to find a vaccine and treatment serve as a natural experiment in healthcare communication.

Media relations guru and PR coach Michael Smart discusses a terrific lesson for communicators from Disney executive chairman Bob Iger’s autobiography. Smart says the relationship between Disney’s top communicator Zenia Mucha and Iger, which is based on honesty, sometimes brutal honesty, is the model we need to emulate.

Technology has invaded the world of media relations, allowing PR pros to send press releases and other announcements easier and quicker than ever. Still, a recent PRNEWS webinar emphasized the human factors in media pitching, including building relationships with journalists through phone calls and empathy.