P.O. Box 2378, Boston, MA 02107
Phone: 617/929-3000, Fax: 617/929-2813
Whether you're pitching a story with a national flair or have ties to the New England area, the features section of the Boston Globe makes for a great opportunity to break through the intimidating ways of newspaper journalism.
We had no problem reaching Mary Jane Wilkinson, deputy managing editor for the features section. She told us routing stories to the Globe's beat reporters is the way to pitch this section. "Since the Globe is a big place, [PR professionals] can feel free to call me with any questions," Wilkinson says.
Among her advice:
- Add a local twist to any story you're pitching;
- News meetings are in the morning, so try calling between 10 a.m. and noon;
- Don't call and ask if they got your press release. "We get several hundred pieces of mail each day; it's hard to know off-hand which one is yours," Wilkinson says.
- The best way to pitch is to contact the beat editors. Here's a list of who's who in features: Fiona Luis, food/home editor; David Mehegan, book editor; Scott Powers, arts editor (don't call on Thursdays); Nick King, living editor.
The protocol for pitching is either snail mail or fax with a follow-up phone call.