PR pros will be interested to know that last Sunday May 16 was the celebration of World Communications Day. As a backgrounder, World Communications Day was established by Pope Paul VI in 1967 as an annual celebration that encourages us to reflect on the opportunities and challenges that the modern means of social communications (the press, motion pictures, radio, television, and the Internet) afford the church to communicate the gospel message.
While this started out faith-based, those of us in communications know it actually has no borders. And with this, our thoughts go to our friends in media.
How have they dealt with the many changes and challenges that have come their way? How has the pandemic changed their perspective on their choice of stories? As PR pros, we would be interested to know how this has impacted on media relations.
In an article by Nicole Schuman on prnews.online.com, we see how Muck Rack, the PR management platform, tried to make sense of a chaotic year by releasing its fifth annual State of Journalism study. The survey of 2,500 writers from January 11 to February 8, 2021 “shed light on how they choose stories to write, use social media, and work with communicators.”
Muck Rack cofounder and CEO Greg Galant acknowledges that “from the pandemic to widespread layoffs, to concerns about press freedom, 2020 was a challenging year for journalists and the industry as a whole. But it also reinforced the vital role journalists play in our society, especially in times of crisis.”
It may surprise us that in the survey, Muck Rack Finds the Fundamental Rules Still Apply to Media Relations. Galant adds that that their study “shows a remarkable level of resilience among journalists, and it also reveals the opportunities for PR pros to become more effective supporters of journalists.”
And the key to good media relations is putting ourselves in the place of journalists. Here are some tips from the survey, which are applicable here as they are in the United States:
- Understand how journalists work. According to the Muck Rack study, the average journalist tends to work three or more beats and writes five or fewer stories each week. Likewise, just 25 percent of those stories result from pitches. This makes journalists very busy, as they not only write, but do research and explore story leads.
- It’s in the name. It’s always good for PR pros to make sure the information they send are correct, particularly in addressing journalists. Do we get their names correctly and spell them properly? Muck Rack found 21 percent of journalists trash pitches due to a lack of personalization.
- Make it short and sweet. Schuman says that “despite 2020’s many changes, the study emphasizes that journalists continue to appreciate brief, relevant pitches. This is especially so since many reporters face increased workloads due to the pandemic’s downturn and shirking newsrooms.”
She adds that “a whopping 91 percent of writers prefer pitches of fewer than 200 words. They also appreciate a minimum of follow-ups in their inbox.”
- Get creative. In the study, “most journalists believe companies need to update how they share information with media members is outdated. It certainly appears there are opportunities for PR pros and vendors to update information-sharing methods.”
- Get connected. It may surprise you that despite all the digital innovations, “94 percent of journalists said e-mail remains the No.1 way to connect with them. Phoning is the least popular, with just 10 percent preferring it. So, even if you may want a friendly chat, save the small talk for quick ping over Outlook.”
- Timing is everything. Likewise, “journalists’ preferred timing of pitches has not changed. The majority [57 percent] choose Monday as their preferred pitch day; 68 percent prefer receiving pitches between 5 am and 12 pm.”
- Look at what journalists need. According to the survey, the vast majority (86 percent) find academic subject matter experts and CEOs (74 percent) the most credible sources. Making them available will help most stories, says Schuman.
- They like it straight from the source. The survey likewise reveals that “journalists find brand communicators [55 percent] more credible than agency PR pros [34 percent].”
- Select your social. The survey reveals that “social media continues to influence reporters: 76 percent of journalists find Twitter their most valuable social platform; 45 percent consult a company’s social media when reporting about it.”
PR Matters is a roundtable column by members of the local chapter of the United Kingdom-based International Public Relations Association (Ipra), the world’s premier association for senior professionals around the world. Millie Dizon, the senior vice president for Marketing and Communications of SM, is the former local chairman.
We are devoting a special column each month to answer the reader’s questions about public relations. Please send your comments and questions to askipraphil@gmail.com.