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A publicists battle cry

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Rossana Weitekamp

A public relations expert summarizes the key issues facing publicists in their efforts to communicate with journalists. Specifically: (1) Publicists feel pressure to distribute news immediately without proper planning, (2) Less experienced publicists are often tasked with unchecked distribution lists, and (3) Agencies believe they can convince reporters of any story without tailoring the message to their interests. As a result, journalists erect barriers like full voicemails and secret email addresses. The expert calls on public relations professionals to address this issue by changing internal practices, educating clients, and properly training junior staff to avoid practices that lead to reporter backlash.

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A Publicist's Battle Cry Fellow publicists: It shouldn't surprise any of us. A New York Times reporter had finally reached a breaking point about unsolicited email, prompting his battle cry to other journalists in today's newspaper: "If you don't want your name in these media databases, write to these people at Cision, at Vocus, a BusinessWire, at PR Newswire." (He actually missed a few key services, but who am I to squeal?) Every publicist is well aware that journalists receive tons of unwanted PR email. They also know that, very often, little is done at a grassroots level to enforce a correction to the problem. Why aren't we addressing the needs of one of the most important resources in the public relations industry? This article is my own battle cry to stop this practice, but let's understand first why it's happening: 1) Publicists are often forced to produce results yesterday. Many times, and for even more reasons, publicists are forced to distribute news without optimal planning/sufficient time. They are pressured to produce results immediately - or their competitor will do it for them. 2) Media relations is left to less experienced publicists. Younger publicists are often left in charge of distribution lists that are unchecked by a senior colleague; 3) Agencies honestly believe they will change the reporter's mind. There are dozens of ways to sell a story, so why can't an selfchilling, iceless cup be sold to a business reporter? It can, but you must spin that cup's story to match the reporter's interests, which requires the time and planning that don't exist in Point #1. As a result of these practices, reporters take a reactive stand by adding yet another layer to block communications with us. So now, we're now up against a reporter's full voice mailbox; a secret email address that they maintain for only their most important resources; their refusal to answer their phone, and many other techniques I'm sure. But two wrongs, as they say, don't make a right. Reporters will be missing pertinent emails to avoid the hassle of the spam overload and sadly, the risk of missing a great story is worth it for them. All publicists suffer because of these indiscretions, so I'm waging my own call to action: change needs to happen from the public relations side - not the media's. It needs to happen on an industry-wide scale before we lose the ear of the news media. We need to teach our clients, formulate our PR strategy, and train our junior publicists to recognize the practices that result in reporter backlash. The industry needs to do its due diligence before sending any reporter a press release. Let this be our professional mandate.

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A publicists battle cry

  • 1. A Publicist's Battle Cry Fellow publicists: It shouldn't surprise any of us. A New York Times reporter had finally reached a breaking point about unsolicited email, prompting his battle cry to other journalists in today's newspaper: "If you don't want your name in these media databases, write to these people at Cision, at Vocus, a BusinessWire, at PR Newswire." (He actually missed a few key services, but who am I to squeal?) Every publicist is well aware that journalists receive tons of unwanted PR email. They also know that, very often, little is done at a grassroots level to enforce a correction to the problem. Why aren't we addressing the needs of one of the most important resources in the public relations industry? This article is my own battle cry to stop this practice, but let's understand first why it's happening: 1) Publicists are often forced to produce results yesterday. Many times, and for even more reasons, publicists are forced to distribute news without optimal planning/sufficient time. They are pressured to produce results immediately - or their competitor will do it for them. 2) Media relations is left to less experienced publicists. Younger publicists are often left in charge of distribution lists that are unchecked by a senior colleague; 3) Agencies honestly believe they will change the reporter's mind. There are dozens of ways to sell a story, so why can't an selfchilling, iceless cup be sold to a business reporter? It can, but you must spin that cup's story to match the reporter's interests, which requires the time and planning that don't exist in Point #1. As a result of these practices, reporters take a reactive stand by adding yet another layer to block communications with us. So now, we're now up against a reporter's full voice mailbox; a secret email address that they maintain for only their most important resources; their refusal to answer their phone, and many other techniques I'm sure. But two wrongs, as they say, don't make a right. Reporters will be missing pertinent emails to avoid the hassle of the spam overload and sadly, the risk of missing a great story is worth it for them. All publicists suffer because of these indiscretions, so I'm waging my own call to action: change needs to happen from the public relations side - not the media's. It needs to happen on an industry-wide scale before we lose the ear of the news media. We need to teach our clients, formulate our PR strategy, and train our junior publicists to recognize the practices that result in reporter backlash. The industry needs to do its due diligence before sending any reporter a press release. Let this be our professional mandate.