I have been thinking lately about the days when I worked as a newspaper reporter. I suppose that I have been feeling a bit nostalgic. There are some things about being a reporter that I certainly don’t miss, and I think that other reporters may share these pet peeves. In any case, if you are interested in learning how to get free publicity, this is how you’d go about it.

It’s not hard to get free publicity, especially if you are trying to promote an event. If you are holding a conference, workshop, or any other event, simply write a short press release with the five Ws (who, what, when, where, why) and send it to the appropriate person — the calendar editor is a good person to send press releases to. Reporters are extremely busy. They may have to go out and report on a fire, a child who drowned in a pool, a murder, or a robbery. I remember that the newsroom was always chaotic! Editors were yelling about stories or shouting directions; reporters were scrambling around. Stacks of newspapers were everywhere. The stress level was super-high. Things may have changed since I left the newsroom, but I don’t that they have changed much. So, to have an amicable working relationship with reporters, avoid these sins!

1. Avoid calling at around 5 p.m. That’s deadline time and reporters hate receiving calls near crunch times unless the sky is falling, the reporter is expecting your call, or you have a change for an article that the reporter is curently writing. When I worked as a daily newspaper reporter, I hated when people called me to tell me about events, especially when I was trying to reach another source (interviewee) to answer a question or fill a hole in my story.

2. Don’t expect the reporter to print your press release. Reporters use the basic information in the press release (time, date, place and names) to write the article.

3. Don’t expect the reporter to come to your events. The reporter may or may not report on your event. You really want the reporter to have the information before the event so that they can publicize it.

4. Don’t send press releases about events that already occured. Events quickly lose the “who cares” angle when they are over. Make sure that you give the reporter plenty of time to report on an event. Send your press release at least two weeks in advance.

5. Don’t give information and then tell a reporter that something is off the report. Honestly, I’ll tell you that editors tell their reporters that nothing is ever off the record. You may or may not see your information printed. Do you really want to take that chance?

6. Never ask a reporter if you could read, edit, or proofread their article before it is printed. Most newspapers have a policy against that, because people tend to want to rewrite the article or change quotes when they read it. I remember that I had to write an article on school and mortgage taxes and I had trouble explaining the financial aspects in plain English. I asked my source to read part of what I had written and asked him if it made sense.

Posted by Claudine in Make Money at Home