For some business executives, media relations is simple: ‘Get me in the NY Times/Wall St Journal/Washington Post.’ However, if the past year of media consumption during COVID-19 has shown anything, it’s the importance of local media.
In most countries, local newspapers and their websites remain the top source of news for a particular town or region, reaching slightly more than four in ten (44 percent) readers weekly, according to a 2020 report from the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism.
The study makes clear that readers continue to value their local newspapers. For example, 39 percent of those surveyed in the US said they would miss their hometown paper ‘a lot’ if it was no longer there. In addition, 30 percent of those surveyed subscribed to one or more local titles.
Social media also points to the value of local news organizations. The Reuters report says 31 percent of readers make it a point to get local news on platforms like Facebook and TikTok.
The Reinvention of Local News
Unlike national news, local news provides accountability for organizations located in citizens’ backyards. And the media business has noticed.
Adweek recently reported that Axios Local, launched in December 2020, is on pace to generate more than $5 million in revenue this year. This year the media outlet launched local platforms in six locations. It plans to expand to eight more.
And while the traditional newspaper may not serve as the primary form of consumption, local news continues to prevail, but in increasingly different formats.
Substack, known for its pointed e-newsletters, written and curated by expert editors, recently introduced a program for local news, announcing a call for hyperlocal writers and editors.
“We recognize the important role local news plays in our society, so we are doing what we can to lift up our community writers and foster a more robust local news ecosystem,” Substack says in an emailed response to PRNEWS.
Substack Local’s intended audience is “local community members or anyone interested in a particular community’s people, stories and happenings,” a company executive says.
“So far, analysts, opinion writers, and curators have been the most financially successful publishers on Substack, but we believe this model has enormous potential for local news as well. News written by community members, for community members, brings us closer together and helps fuel a more open and honest conversation on a local level.”
Best Practices: Local Media Relations
Since local news remains an important part of daily life, it’s essential to review the best ways to coordinate with local media. In short, it’s not terribly different from pitching national media:
- Make sure your pitch is relevant to the reporter’s beat
- Know the journalist you’re pitching and her work
- Craft concise, well-written pitches
- Be a resource to journalists and avoid making them work hard to get quotes and art to bolster a story
In talking with PR pros and local journalists we find both sides say they benefit from frequent communication and relationship building.
Dustin Sternbeck, director, office of communications at the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C., deals with many emergency situations, but also has found a potential for feature stories throughout his tenure. He urges PR pros to contact journalists at off times—not just when news is breaking or you are trying to pitch a story.
“We should be intentional in learning what each is trying to achieve so we can determine ways we can help exceed both our goals,” he says.
Lori Perlow, communications manager for the Camden County Educational Services Commission in New Jersey, who works with many schools, believes that cementing a dependable rapport is essential.
“The best way to develop good relationships with the local media is to stay in regular communication and respond promptly to every inquiry,” she says. “Even if you’re limited in the details that can be shared, reporters want to know that they can rely on you to be in communication during good times and bad.”
During the past year, Sternbeck saw a strong appetite for law enforcement content from all media.
“This is a tremendous opportunity to pitch our innovative approaches to current industry issues, and highlight reform implementation,” he says. “Our team keeps a finger on the pulse of high-interest topics, but also maintains effective relationships with media, to help generate media presence.”
And while journalists may come and go, he believes in taking the time to educate new reporters. There are plenty of topics that are nuanced. Reporters new to a beat often need help learning the industry they cover.
“We have a responsibility to help new reporters understand our agency, the current industry issues, our team capabilities, etc.,” he says. “Our mentality is, ‘How can we help them acclimate to the market or better understand the topics they are covering?’”
Sternbeck also pays attention to new technology and platforms that can contribute to disinformation. When looking at local newsletters or communities on Nextdoor and Facebook, his team implements strategies to ensure accurate information is shared.
Sternbeck says the communication team “leverages relationships with community influencers and stakeholders as well as invests in internal messaging so all personnel can help maximize reach.”
Perlow also believes in staying informed and connected to online groups in an effort to respond to the spread of misinformation.
“Hyperlocal websites and Facebook groups run by residents can be detrimental to the proactive communication efforts of any organization as they are perceived to be authentic and believable–yet [they are] not official communication,” she says. “It’s the 2021 take on worth-of-mouth marketing.”
The Importance of Relationships
Not surprisingly, many journalists share similar points of view with PR professionals about media relations. Fluid, two-way communication provides an important outlet for many reporters.
Patch, the digital platform for hyperlocal news, covers communities—large and small—all over the country. Several managers shared with PRNEWS what they are looking for when it comes to pitches for local news stories.
Dave Copeland, regional manager, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, says he wants to cover stories that have the biggest impact on a community.
“We try to cover what people in town are talking about or, even better, the stories they will be talking about,” Copeland says.
“Our readers want to know what’s going into the vacant storefront (and why the business that left closed or moved). They have hometown pride and they want our coverage to accent what is unique about the place they call home.”
Stories That Help Readers
Similarly, Russ Crespolini, Patch’s North Jersey regional manager, seeks story pitches that have the potential to help readers in the communities his sites serve.
“Will it impact their finances, their schools, their quality of life?” Crespolini asks. “Will it teach them something, will it inspire them to do something? Not to sell them something. If that is the purpose, then purchase an ad.”
Respecting Journalists’ Time
Crespolini also mentions that competency and efficiency stand out when pitching.
“If a release is appropriate, well put-together and valuable, then it rises to the top of the list,” he says. “We don’t have time for ‘some assembly required’ pieces that involve a great deal of time investment.”
Copeland also offers a great tip regarding content communcation professionals can provide when pitching stories.
“Help us get quotes from local people and workers, not just the CEO and the spokesperson giving us a generic statement about the day’s news,” he says.
In terms of developing relationships, Copeland believes PR professionals need to do their research.
“I want to know that you know what I cover,” he says. “A news release about a town we don’t cover on a topic we don’t cover is the quickest way to get on my ‘Deleted List.’”
He adds, “If you can give examples from our recent coverage that can show how your release ties into other topics we’ve been following, that’s all the better.”
Ask the Right Questions
“Apologies in advance if you don’t get a response from me; I read everything you send and I try to respond, but I don’t always have the time to email you when I’m not going to be able to use your release,” Copeland says.
“If you do send a follow up email, don’t ask me, ‘Did you see this?’ Ask me why it wasn’t right for us and what types of releases we’d be more likely to use in the future.”
Crespolini believes a good relationship can mutually benefit a journalist and communication professional, achieving everyone’s goals.
“PR people who understand how outgunned journalists are when they face each day is helpful,” he says.
In addition, “The [helpful] ones don’t send releases in PDFs, or JPGs in Word docs.”
Instead, he says, “They write clean copy that is easy to transfer and modify. And they provide art that is clean and free to use. They make our jobs easier, not harder.”
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Local News Pitching Guidelines
Lori Perlow, communications manager, Camden County Educational Services Commission, provides pitching tips that PR pros should find useful for gaining local coverage.
- First and foremost, read the articles local reporters are writing so you can pitch them stories of interest. If you’re not reading what reporters are writing on a regular basis, you risk embarrassment by pitching an idea they’ve already covered.
- I always think critically as to whether or not a story is truly newsworthy. It’s a risk sometimes as opinions can vary. We may be asked by colleagues to pitch a story that we know isn’t newsworthy, so it’s best to use professional judgement here. I would rather pitch a story and hear no, then not pitch it at all.
- Finally, I only pitch stories when I know the subjects are open to being interviewed and photographed. This helps to make the reporter’s job easier and tells a better visual story overall.