Three Key Takeaways: Journalists Give PR Pros Inside Look at Their Workflows at May Event
Four local journalists came together for an engaging panel discussion at a recent PRSA Nebraska event to give public relations professionals an inside look at how they and their newsrooms operate, how they prefer to receive pitches and press releases from organizations, and how a PR pro can catch their attention.
The discussion featured Julie Anderson, medical reporter for the Omaha World-Herald; Karla James, morning co-host and reporter for Walnut Radio in Fremont, Neb.; Sarah Klinger, news director for KETV; and Shannon Longworth, executive director of digital news and content for News Channel Nebraska. The event was moderated by Brandon Bartling, senior manager of communications and public relations at Scooter’s Coffee and PRSA Nebraska social media chair.
The full panel discussion was filled with insights from the receiving end of a PR pitch, but in case you weren’t able to join us, here are three key takeaways from the discussion:
Takeaway #1: Relationships Matter
Who you know at a news organization and how you cultivate that relationship can be the difference between a story getting picked up and a pitch going unnoticed.
“If there is a story that you really want to get out there front and center, it’s picking maybe one person to build that relationship with as the media professional, too, instead of blasting it out as one big press release,” Klinger said.
Even if reporters don’t necessarily follow a traditional beat, they will build relationships with key contacts to get information or check in to find a good story. “It’s a lot of keeping in contact with people, sources, people that I know,” Anderson said. “Every once in a while, I’ll check in with a few different people and say, ‘hey, what’s going on?’ And a lot of that will generate stories.”
Takeaway #2: Newsroom Structures Vary
Some news outlets operate with a full newsroom, like KETV and the Omaha World-Herald, while others operate on smaller scales. News Channel Nebraska’s newsroom has staff positioned across the state while James is filling every role in a newsroom in a single morning.
“I collect the news, I write the news, I broadcast the news, and then edit it on the website,” James said. “If I get the information that I need, I’m usually the one digging it up just by myself.”
The group reached a consensus that, regardless of the size of the news organization, pitches and press releases are best sent to the newsroom’s general inbox as well as a single reporter. That way, it’s on the full newsroom’s radar while also being offered to an individual reporter who could take lead on the story.
Takeaway #3: Newsrooms Continue to Evolve
As news organizations shrink, newsrooms and the public relations field have adapted to new ways of doing business. The panel agreed that Zoom interviews are likely here to stay, for better or worse, and smaller organizations get a lot of value out of media kits with graphics, audio, and/video assets available for use. The group also recommended keeping your press release short, sweet, and to the point. You could even consider using bullet points to identify the key points.
“I would say that press releases do still have value, but maybe not in the traditional structure,” Longworth said. “We are just skimming for the who, what, when, where, why. We are not reading any of those [fluffy] words that are making things sound exciting because everyone’s pressed for time in our industry.”
Join us at our next PRSA Nebraska event. Keep an eye on PRSANebraska.org for the latest event announcements. Join PRSA Nebraska as a member to secure a discounted rate on any future events.
