John Cicale of Deptford, New Jersey writes: “I invented and produced the Glare Eliminator, with my own money. It’s a reusable static cling headlight window tint that cuts glare from your driver’s side window. It clings to the inside of your window, and when you’re finished with it, you simply peel it off, place it… Read More
Why food bribes work with broadcast media
The Milwaukee Brewers are off to a good start this year–yet another reminder of how using food to entice reproters to cover your story works. While Harley-Davidson was welcoming several hundred thousand bikers at its giant 100th anniversary reunion in Milwaukee several years ago, popular afternoon drive-time talk show host Mark Belling opened his show… Read More
Getting the mainstream media’s attention for an ethical business campaign
Shel Horowitz of Frugal Fun in Massachusetts asks: “In June, I started a campaign to change the business paradigm–to create a climate where ethical business is the norm. I see this as a 10-year effort, and I have a background in both marketing and organizing. This is not the first time I’ve attempted to do… Read More
May sweeps month not a good time to pitch TV news
If you’re pitching your local TV stations and not having much luck this month, it might be because we’re in the middle of May sweeps. Newsrooms everywhere are broadcasting their big investigative stories designed to boost the all important Nielsen ratings. Unless your pitch is time-sensitive, hold off pitching for another few weeks. Use this… Read More
Please, no boring press conferences
Why do I call them boring news conferences? Because during my 22 years as a newspaper reporter and editor, I can’t remember attending one news conference that wasn’t a waste of time. Once, when I worked as an editor, I remember getting a call from a PR guy who screamed at me over the phone… Read More
How an author/therapist piggybacked onto runaway bride
As I was writing last week’s tip about how to piggyback off the runaway bride story, my friend Barbara Bartlein was doing just that. Barbara, a professional speaker and author of the book “Why Did I Marry You Anyway? –12.5 Strategies for a Happy Marriage,” saw all the attention the Runaway Bride was getting and… Read More
Child Safety Stories
The happy ending to the story of the 9-year-old girl who escaped from her kidnapper in San Jose, California begs for follow-up story pitches on anything dealing with child safety. Schools, law enforcement agencies, non-profits, and companies that make safety equipment should pitch anything related to: –Technology that keeps children safe –Statistics on missing children… Read More
Interview Journalists
When a reporter calls me for a telephone interview, I seldom drop what I’m doing and start answering questions immediately. I always try to buy time, even if it’s just 5 or 10 minutes, and I ask if I can return the call if they’re not on deadline. Not one reporter has ever refused. The… Read More
PR pros still far behind with blogging
When I attended the Media Relations 2005 conference in San Francisco April 10-12, one the things that surprised me most was that the PR profession doesn’t take blogging as seriously as it should. There was only one panel devoted to blogging and RSS feeds. And I sat at a table with PR people who told… Read More
CEO Profiles
Every PR person dreams of his or her company’s top executive gracing the pages of the newspaper, the darling subject of a flattering profile. But that’s not the dream of the reporters doing the interviewing and writing these stories. At a panel discussion entitled, “Beyond Puff Profiling,” at this year’s Society of American Business Editors… Read More