Posted December 23, 2014
Have you ever contacted the media about a story you thought they would be interested in, only to find it was completely ignored?
If you have, you are not alone. There could be a number of reasons for this. But the most likely is that the journalist, editor or producer you contacted had other options she thought would interest her audience more than your proposal. In other words, you lost out to the competition. That’s the reality of journalism.
But on the bright side, you now have an opportunity. Over the summer months when parliament is shut and most business leaders are sitting on a beach somewhere, the media still need news. A newspaper still comes out every day, radio stations still have hourly news, and the TV networks still need to fill their 6pm bulletins.
That means your chances are now much higher of getting media coverage because there is far less competition for the space.
If you have an idea that is not time sensitive, or something related to the holiday season, contact relevant media. They may well be interested and it would give you some priceless media coverage. Media love things related to topical issues, or thing out of the ordinary.
If you are successful and your approach leads to an interview, remember the media training advice of having three key points to focus on. That way, you will have a strong say in what the eventual story covers. Good luck.
For more on my media training or crisis communication planning workshops, contact [email protected] or 029 200 8555.