In Case You Missed It: April Meeting Recap

On April 18, GolinHarris hosted the Meet the Press Part 1: Print meeting. LA Times staff writer Jean Guccione and Randy Hagihara, senior editor for recruitment, spoke briefly on their personal experiences as journalists and then opened the floor to an informative question and answer session. Below are some of the words of wisdom they shared with the group of over 20 young professionals.

Some things you may already know…

• Keep press releases short but make sure to include all the important information. (Make it as easy as possible for the reporter to cover your story or event)
• Don’t assume reporters always check their email. Call to follow-up.
• When you do call, remember that most reporters are on deadline after 3 p.m. (Try and catch them mid-morning)
• When pitching event attendance, make sure to give a few weeks notice and then follow-up with a reminder closer to the event.
• Always be accessible. Journalists are more likely to start going to you for information if they know you are a reliable resource.

…and some things maybe you didn’t...

• Pitch the morning editor for a better chance of getting placement.
• It’s ok to pitch the same story to more than one reporter as long as you are honest and upfront about it.
• Try pitching a newspapers blog. Your story may not fit into the paper but could be featured in a blog post.
• Sometimes stories in smaller publications get the attention of the bigger papers.
• Too much information to fit in your release? Set up a mini-site that can include pictures, graphics and other details.

What advice can you offer? Post your comments and share your wisdom.