One of the best ways to generate publicity for a product, service, cause or issue is to find a reporter who has experienced a problem that’s related to the story you want to pitch. It’s called finding a reporter’s hot button and sometimes it happens purely by accident. Publicity Hound Carol Adams of Charlotte, North… Read More
Media Relations
Stop calling news conferences
A reader wrote this week and asked: “We are looking for some advice on when to send a media notice to our contacts announcing a press conference. A week prior to the press conference? Two days? Or is it best to hit them a couple of times?” The Publicity Hound says: Why do you think… Read More
Find your way into weather stories
The 10 tomato plants in our garden, including two heirloom tomato plants, are wilting. And the basil just sits there looking helpless. If this newsletter is late today, it’s because I’ve been in the garden for the last several days giving a hearty drink to the green beans, beets, carrots, radishes, peas, spinach and three… Read More
L.A. Times changes editorial pages
The L.A. Times, in yesterday’s editions, announced a variety of changes to its editorial pages. Next week, it will announce the introduction of “wikitorials” — an online feature that will let readers rewrite Los Angeles Times editorials. Letters to the editor and opinion columns are a terrific way to promote your product, service, cause or… Read More
How PR people can help Capitol Hill reporters
Gwyneth Shaw, the Baltimore Sun’s Capitol Hill correspondent, is always on the lookout for a new angle on legislation or a study. In this article by PR newswire, she offers tips on how the public relations community can provide useful content for reporters like her by offering timely studies or experts.
Contact info for L.A. radio stations
If you want to get booked as a guest on a Los Angeles radio station, check out LARadio.com, a subscription site that gives you access to news about L.A. radio stations, behind-the-scenes bulletins and breaking news, night-before headlines delivered to your email box, more than eight years of archived columns, more than 1,000 email addresses… Read More
Every author should hear this media panel
If you’re going to New York City next week for the BookExpo America convention, don’t miss Steve Harrison’s media panel on Saturday. I’ll be there. I attended this last year when it was part of the convention, and it was one of the highlights of my trip. A panel of top-tier print and broadcast journalists… Read More
Tips on how old media can survive
Today’s Wall Street Journal has a great section titled “how Old Media Can Survive in a New World.” It’s loaded with tips from experts on how the traditional newspaper, television, music and advertising industries can survive. The section is worth keeping. Some of the tips will probably come to pass. And it will help you… Read More
Clear pronunciation needed for a stint on NPR
Among the most loyal listeners of National Public Radio–ready for this?–are taxi cab drivers in Washington, D.C. and probably those elsewhere through the United States. Many listeners who are non-English speaking immigrants say that NPR and public radio in general give them the best information and the clearest diction on American radio. They appreciate NPR’s… 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