As the editors of PR NEWS, we've always been slightly jealous of our editorial peers who are featured in our weekly Media Insights. They get a chance to offer PR practitioners
the scoop on how, what and when to pitch them, and as a result, they get more targeted, worthwhile information for their readers.
This week, in order to appease the little green monster - and, more importantly, offer you more information on how to get your company's PR efforts in print - we offer the
inside scoop on pitching PR NEWS:
Content/Contacts
PR NEWS has a 58-year history of offering high-level analysis of the PR industry. We cover strategies for doing better, more effective PR - whether it's media relations, crisis
management, marketing communications, employee relations, financial relations or interactive communications. We run weekly feature stories; a weekly media insight; a case study
with soup to nuts on a given public relations campaign; plus briefs and other industry news items. PR NEWS also has a roster of expert columnists who offer industry insider
information on their areas of expertise.
We receive hundreds of great pitches every week, and unlike many publications, we love hearing from the PR community. To get in touch with PR NEWS' editorial staff, call or
email Peggy Stuntz, editor, at 301/354-1762 or pstuntz@pbimedia.com. She'll disseminate news to writers as appropriate.
Pitch Tips
Although we're thrilled when we hear PR agencies are thriving, we're always disappointed to tell them we can't cover new business wins. There simply isn't enough space in the
publication.
Instead, pitch us the story of a fabulous campaign you've recently conducted for an established client (perfect for our case study section), or let us know about trends you see
in the industry so that we may cover those trends (and your executives) in a feature story.
Because PR NEWS' readership is largely high-level corporate PR executives, we try to feature as many corporate PR experts as possible.
In terms of delivery, we prefer to receive pitches by email (we're ashamed to say we lost control of our fax machine months ago). Follow-up calls are fine, but do try to offer
a different angle, or more in-depth information in a follow-up call than in the release (don't call to find out if your email made it to us). Finally, don't contact Senior
Managing Editor Jim Rogers with news for PRN. Rogers handles dozens of PBI Media publications and will filter the news right back to Stuntz.
Comments
PR NEWS goes to press on Thursday of the week before the issue date. Our copy deadline is Wednesday afternoon. Stuntz will still take calls on Wednesdays and Thursdays, but
she's perkier on Fridays and Mondays.
The pub accepts bylined articles, but on a limited basis, and only if they are offered as exclusives to PR NEWS. Articles should be around 600 words, highly strategic and
exceptionally well-written, and a photo of the author should accompany the pitch.
PR NEWS also runs ongoing features which are dependent on your pitches: Email brief pitches for How'd You Get That, our look at how PR pros achieved the impossible when
pitching the media; and On Budget, a brief feature on methods PR pros have implemented to keep campaigns on or under budget, to pstuntz@pbimedia.com.
In the Pipeline
Coming up in PR NEWS: A feature story on what to do when journalists are covering your industry, covering your competitors - and not covering you; a feature on pitching online
journalists, whose work is more important than ever as more Americans begin to rely on the Web for their news (email popeyesmith@comcast.net); and our special measurement issue, with everything from feature stories to briefs focused on PR measurement.
For more special issues, see our editorial calendar, http://www.PRandMarketing.com/mediakit/index.html.