How To Get The Media To Cover Your Story

There are two big misconceptions that a fair amount of business professionals hold about the media and their attitude towards those in the public relations field. The first misconception is that the media despises anyone in public relations. Some people tend to think that journalists or other news writers prefer to dig up all their stories from scratch, and not get ideas from outside sources. The second and opposite misconception about the media is that they are lazy, and simply print press releases sent out by PR groups word for word. It is thought sometimes that the media runs stories or news about a particular company in hopes of getting more advertising dollars in the future. In actuality, the media recognizes public relations simply as a part of their field. Many times, public relations efforts bring about many interesting opportunities and stories for media folk, and the media does not avoid using nor actively seek out public relations material. There are a few things that you can keep in mind when putting together material for release to the media. The number one most important thing is that the job of an editor is to find interesting and pertinent material for their audience. Think about it this way: you write an ad and decide to place the ad in a few national newspapers and magazines. Your main interest is that the ad is catchy and convincing to the readers of those publications. You are not concerned that the magazine or newspaper editors will like the ad, because it's not up to them-- you paid for the placement. But, when submitting material for public relations purposes you have to keep in mind that the material has to suit both the editor and the reader. If the editor finds your work acceptable for both the publication and the intended audience, you are well on your way towards a great public relations relationship with the media. So, the media are not much different from anyone else that you might find out and about in the working world-- they are just doing their job and trying to get material together. Keep their needs, the reader's needs, and you needs in mind, and your PR skills will be top notch.