I’ve been thinking a lot about differences between national and local media lately. The topic has been the subject of my last two posts over on Newsworthy, the readMedia blog, and I’ve been listening intently at the PR conferences I’ve been attending when journalists take the stage for panel discussions. Some have been representing national media outlets, like Slate.com, USA Today, and The New York Times. Others are local reporters for TV networks, metro daily newspapers or hyperlocal web sites. The differences in what these journalists expect from PR people are stark. But more on that later.
First, let’s talk about why solid, locally focused PR gets very little attention among the PR blogosphere/trade press/twitterati. When’s the last time you’ve seen PR Week highlight a kickass local PR success story? Of course, it’s sexier to talk about big brands with big budgets like Coca-Cola, Proctor & Gamble or Intel. Their PR and social media campaigns try to reach as broad a consumer audience as possible, sometimes within a vertical, but usually regardless of geography.
With location-based networking (Foursquare, Yelp, Gowalla) all the rage and talk of hyperlocal journalism reaching a fever pitch, it surprises me that more attention isn’t being paid to local PR. Why is it that the primary discussions in and about our industry are focused on behemoth national or global brands, or even on smaller brands who are deemed “successful” at public relations by virtue of landing stories in national outlets? Do they have a monopoly on newsworthy content?
Hardly. There are thousands of small businesses and non-profits across the country that are doing a bang up job of telling their stories — to the audience that matters to them! If you’re a local organization focused on recruiting volunteers, publicizing events and providing services to a particular county or town, your public relations strategy had better focus on reaching local audiences. That means pitching local media, reaching out to local bloggers and developing a social media presence that local constituents can find and interact with. A hit in The New York Times is great, but you’re far likelier to move the needle on organizational goals if you focus on the channels that your local audiences use to get information.
In many cases, that still means the local newspaper and TV stations. Social media and alternative media have yet to supplant these traditional outlets locally as a primary source of information (according to Pew). Often new media (like local blogs and citizen journalists) take their cues from what mainstream media is writing about, and much of the information that’s shared in social networks originates in traditional media (Pew estimates over 90 percent).
So, reaching local media is key if geography matters to your organization. And fortunately, local journalists want to get your news. This was the main difference that came up over and over again in the journalist panels I’ve been listening to over the last few weeks. Here’s how it would go:
Well-known journalist from renowned national media outlet: “I hate being bothered. I get 955 emails a day. I probably don’t care about your story. I will never cover your groundbreaking or charity event. If you’re going to pitch me, you should read and research everything I’ve written for the last six months. You should tailor your pitch directly to me, and it had better be the absolute perfect story for my readers, and you’d better be able to convey the entire pitch to me in one or two sentences. Don’t send me press releases. Don’t send me any photos or videos or attachments unless I ask for them. And don’t keep bothering me to see if I got your email, because I probably don’t care.”
Small-town journalist from local TV news station: “I want to know about everything happening in this town, and especially how it affects the people who live and work here. I absolutely will cover a groundbreaking or charity event if it’s local and has an impact on residents. When you send me press releases, make sure they’re well-written and have all the information I need. Extras like photos and other documentation can be helpful. Make sure the title of the email and press release convey the key information I need to know. Be responsive when I call for follow-up information or interviews.”
Slight hyperbole, but that was essentially the gist. National reporters are busy and over-pitched, and they get a lot of bad pitches so they don’t trust press releases. They don’t have time for long pitches. They don’t do reportorial journalism, because they don’t have to. They get so many story ideas pitched to them that they rarely have a hard time filling the “news hole” each day.
On the local side, these journalists are also busy, but they rely on local organizations to help them develop content. They are all about reportorial journalism – the who, what, when, where, why of what’s happening in their town. They rely on press releases and PR people to help them find out what’s interesting and important. They are the 75 percent of journalists who say that receiving high-quality, targeted emailed press releases is helpful! And they don’t want “New! Whiter, brighter toothpaste!” press releases, they want to know about local students who complete a peer education program at an area nonprofit, or about a new program of study being added at a local college.
As much as industry outsiders (and the PR industry itself) love to bash on PR and declare that press releases are dead, it’s simply not true when it comes to local public relations. I see so many readMedia clients send solid, relevant, newsworthy press releases every day to local media, and these releases get picked up and their information ends up in front of their target audience. Shel Holtz said it best: “The role of media relations professionals is to inform journalists of their organizations’ news.”
You can talk about revolutions or evolutions or solutions for public relations in the digital age, and trump up fancy PR campaigns from big brands and continue to chase down national media hits. But let’s not forget that a lot of basic, fundamental media relations tactics are still very effective at the local level. If you’re a local organization, isn’t that where you want to be successful?
Hooray! Amy is back :)
Great post. I’d also add that most folks predict that the future of news is *local* – audiences are likely to move closer and closer to niche content that’s highly personalized. Some PR folks want to avoid it as “down market,” which is pretty short-sighted.
Good PR starts with segmenting audiences so that you have a chance to tell multiple stories.
I agree that people will continue to try and personalize news – both in terms of vertical/subject (self-selecting news about topics that are important to them) and in terms of geography and location. So many media companies, traditional and new, are scrambling to figure out how to develop content that’s hyperlocal – the type of information that has existed among friends and neighbors in the real world but often isn’t readily accesible and searchable online. Local PR pros can do a lot to help get their organizations’ news to local media so it can be covered via traditional outlets and also brought to the web as audiences continue to migrate there for local news. It’s not necessarily sexy, but it’s very important. Thanks for the comment!
Great post Amy!
So much attention is paid to getting clients national news coverage but, let’s face it, for a lot of us that’s only going to happen if something bad is going on. Meanwhile, I can tap into my local network of journalists with whom I have crafted good relationships and get stories covered for the audience that matters most to my clients — the folks who are in the same geographic area and actually care about what that company or organization is up to.
Maybe we need to start a PR-industry news outlet that focuses on local public relations triumphs so we can all pat each other on the back when we land an interview on a small AM radio station or get a nice photo spread in the weekly paper. :)
Thanks, Ari. You bring up a great point – local PR pros typically already have existing (and very strong) relationships with their local media. In many cases, they used to be part of the local media! It’s far easier to pitch a story to someone you know well who trusts you versus pitching to someone you have no relationship with.
Excellent insights!
Having worked with both national and local journalists, I’ve found that there’s a much more mutually beneficial relationship with my local folks. When I communicate with them, it feels more like we’re helping each other, rather than the national or international folks who can sometimes act as though they’re doing you a favor.
In my previous job doing PR and communications work for a large-ish international company, I dealt with national and world journalists often. Some were great, but a number of them were pretty sure of their own importance. Now, as the communications director for a state non-profit, I work almost exclusively with local reporters and I’m grateful for some of the relationships I’ve fostered. It really is a win-win. The journalist gets to tell a great story and we get to reach a wider audience.
I definitely feel the local PR love.
Thanks for sharing your insights from both sides of the national/local fence. Your assessment that working with local journalists is a lot more collaborative and symbiotic mirrors a lot of what I heard at these conferences and panels. The local guys viewed PR people as a resource, and the national folks had a bit of a chip on their shoulder and seemed to be “above” needing help from PR professionals.
A former freelance reporter for local/regional newspapers, a twist is necessary for your thesis. You must consider the difference between staff and freelance. My guess is the national staff reporter and the local freelance reporter don’t want to receive more emails than they already get; but the national freelance reporter and the local staff reporter do want more news ideas.
Far fetched?
That is an interesting twist, and I don’t think any of the journalists I’ve been hearing recently fit the freelance model. I could see where national freelance reporters would be interested in more story ideas, especially since they need to eat what they kill, as it were. But I’m not sure on the local freelance reporter. First, I don’t know how common that is. How many metro dailies, suburban papers, or local TV stations use freelancers? They are probably also less likely to receive press releases since they are not “official” reporters for a local media outlet. So I’m not sure why a local freelancer would necessarily be inundated with story ideas. Interesting idea to ponder, though.
Amy,
I don’t know what’s going on in your neck of the woods, but our local daily paper here in Lansing, Mich. has been slicing its newsroom staff like crazy, and the local weeklies are down to bare bones. Freelancing for print publications is available and if you’re interested in writing for online publications, the potential is even greater, at least in Mid-Michigan. So, it seems to me that finding a way to tap into the freelancer market as a PR pro is going to be key now and well into the future.
Ari
@aribadler
So glad to see someone else picking up on the local trend! I wrote about a similar topic last summer — more focused on local search — but the idea was similar. As PR people, it’s our job to help our clients go where their audience is. If a client is a local, local business, then national media placements — while good for the ego — won’t necessarily reach their customers. Instead of spending a lot of time chasing down a national clip, which may only result in a quote or a small blurb, PR would be better helping a client get local media coverage, and figuring out how to incorporate sites like Yelp or maybe even Foursquare (if appropriate). We can’t ignore the local PR (traditional and online, and not just media relations) in lieu of the “beauty pieces” in national publications.
Good post, Amy!
Heather
@prTini
Thanks for the comment, Heather! I think ego can play a big part in chasing national stories – both in terms of the PR person and the organization/client. If a boss is adamant that their name/mug/quote appears in the WSJ and that’s their measure of success, it can take a lot to convince them why that’s not necessarily going to drive success. Like you said, PR people have to help clients/orgs find the correct audience and get in front of them. In many cases, those who ignore the local media do so at their peril!
Thanks for bringing this up!
During a job interview I had recently, I was asked who my favorite local reporter is. It felt great to be able to rattle off a whole list of them, because I’ve come to know many of them on both a professional and personal level and have a great working relationship with them. Having that connection works wonders for pitching stories and knowing that the reporter is eager for what you have to say, trusts you, and usually calls you first when they’re looking for information. I’ve built these relationships over time, and I hope that know no matter where the future takes me, I’ll have these connections for any place I work.
Unfortunately, I fear that local traditional media is dying, and there are less and less places for local news to be covered. Our local weekly community newspaper has become a joke (as has the larger daily, but that’s a topic for another day). There is one reporter for the entire community and she can’t possibly cover everything. I will give credit though, as she is always grateful when I send her information – either by release or Facebook, and does her best to follow up. And at least it’s still the place to go to see a local boyscout, athlete, honor student be honored and have their picture in the paper – you don’t get that in the NY Times!
Jessi – that’s great that you’ve been able to develop such strong relationships with local journalists (which will no doubt help you in the future!). I’m not sure I agree with you that local media is dying, however. Maybe in the traditional sense of what we think of as local media (newspapers, TV, etc.) they are suffering, but I see local and hyperlocal news as the next frontier as journalism continues to reinvent itself and make inroads on the web. A lot of smart people are putting tons of resources and money into figuring out how to keep people informed about what’s happening on their street or neighborhood. It’ll be interesting to see how this develops! And you’re absolutely right about one thing: local media is THE place to go to find out about the people you live near and what they’re up to!
Maybe it is because I am a former newspaper reporter turned PR person, but I don’t buy into this whole “local media is dying” thing. I work for a small, private liberal arts college and about 90 percent of our students come from Minnesota and Wisconsin. Because of that, local hits are great.
While staffs have been cut, there are still opportunities to get good hits. Find good stories — real, honest to goodness stories that are interesting, timely and relevant — and get everything lined up for a reporter. If you make a good story as easy as possible for a reporter, there is great potential for success. These reporters are often overworked and with so many stories falling somewhere between we absolutely have to cover it and no way would we cover it, you can build relationships and a track record with reporters that you will get them what they need when they need it.
Jeff, I’m with you – like I said in my comment to Jessi, local news is really important to people, and finding ways to get more local and hyperlocal content online and accessible is a big push for media companies right now (like what Aol is doing with Patch, and sites like Baristanet, for example). We work with a lot of colleges and local hits are very important to them – they want to make an impression in students’ hometowns, where hopefully potential students and parents will read about them!
The second part of your comment is key – doing the work for the reporter. You essentially have to be your own beat reporter now! Developing quality stories, and getting them as close to print-ready as possible so that the reporter just has to do a quick fact-check and add a little bit here and there for context, is a great way to be useful to local reporters and get your organization in the news. Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
Jeff and Amy,
As a former full-time newspaper reporter, it scares me how close to the truth you two are hitting with your philosophy of “do their work for them and you’ll get coverage.”
The decline of professional journalism in this country is frightening and, unfortunately, by the time the masses wake up to what they are losing, there will be no one left to report on what they lost and why. :(
Ari
@aribadler
Not to get (too?) soap-boxy, but I think there’s an overarching myopia within the old-boy PR pat-ourselves-on-the-back-windtunnel that mirrors the mentality of those who embrace chain stores and franchises over mom-and-pops. PR “gurus” (square quotes intentional) see size and economy of scale as success but also while covertly craving reciprocation. (“If I see marvelous things about this PR campaign the folks at Ogilvy did, maybe they’ll say something nice about mine.”) Bigger must be better, they would argue, completely oblivious to the hyperlocal movement which geosocial applications greatly underscores.
McDonald’s may have served billions and billions of people, but any city has any number of local restaurants or diners that are far superior. A good friend of mine runs a beloved and busy bookstore in Oswego. When he started, some incredibly cynical types said: “C’mon, people in Oswego don’t read.” (Alas, I am not making this up.) Others sighed that they would have preferred a Barnes & Noble or Border’s. Why? Cuz bigger must be better? Forget that all this bookstore’s profits stay inside the community, he hires generously in terms of college and high school students and supports any and every community cause beyond what’s expected. But, in the minds of the PR poobahs, he can’t possibly be a success because he’s never opened a chain. Just like a campaign winning over a community can’t possibly be seen as clever as a campaign that wins a small portion of a national audience.
Anyway, great blog post on a subject about which (clearly) I’m somewhat passionate.
Definitely appreciate the passion, Tim! Small, niche and local can definitely work, and in many cases be more effective than a big national campaign. It seems like you’ve definitely seen that with your local bookstore. Hitting the RIGHT audience is more important than hitting a BIG audience sometimes. Thanks for stopping by the blog.
Pingback: Web Feet Integrated Marketing » Blog Archive » The Ticker: The Upshot; Facebook’s global growth; Chelsea Football PR; Email newsletters; Local PR
Amy — I think I’ve said it before in response to another blog post of yours on a similar topic, but I’ll say it again: thank you thank you thank you for putting into words what many of us have also noticed as we continue to work the old fashioned way: building strong local relationships, telling stories, and creating strong communities one person at a time. Your blog is a breath of fresh air and has a place at the top of my blogroll. Cheers, Cam.
Cam, thanks for such a kind comment!