Study the Media to be Effective in Your Public Relations Efforts
Written by PR Etc., Inc.
Published by Rockford Register Star
Monday, June 5, 2006

Have you ever “studied” the media? Sure, we read the paper, listen to the radio in the car, and watch the morning or evening television newscasts to stay up on the news, but few people analyze the opportunities in each media venue.

The media afford us with very specific, ongoing avenues in which to gain some visibility for organizations and/or individuals. The job of a marketing professional is to identify those avenues and leverage them into opportunities.

So, what should you look for when studying opportunities in the media?

• Publications. Check for daily or weekly columns that are identified with regular headlines, such as “Get To Know You” or “Retailers Corner”, etc. Usually, editors and reporters are looking for individuals or businesses to be included in these areas.
• Television. Identify and watch morning, noon, evening and weekend broadcasts to review opportunities. Each television station has several live and taped interview activities in which you can pitch and place your business or executive.
• Radio. Similar to the television stations, radio stations also have several occasions in which you can confirm a guest to talk about a specific issue or event.

Nothing hurts your credibility more than not knowing the media outlet before you pitch them an interview or story. If you are pitching media in other cities, you might first want to order a week’s worth of newspapers or tapes from television/radio stations so you know exactly what opportunities exist.