Here at Fish, we plan professional development sessions to keep us current when it comes to pitching, writing, storytelling, and more! Most recently, we sat down with CBS Detroit’s Jordan Burrows to get a gauge on the broadcast media’s POV on us public relations peeps. Spoiler alert: they love us! We were lucky enough to have a live Q&A session with Jordan and pick his brain on what he looks for in a pitch. Read below to hear some of the best tips and tricks when it comes to landing a great local broadcast hit for our clients.
- Know when to pitch
- It’s no secret that TV stations are working around the clock to deliver news, which is why it’s so important to reach out at the right time. Morning reporters, like Jordan, can start their days as early as 2:00 a.m., and producers can clock in as early as the night before their morning show even airs (yeah, we were shocked too). Scheduling emails to send outside of traditional working hours at 9:00 p.m., 1:00 a.m. or 6:00 a.m. could be the best way to get your idea in front of the person that you want to read it!
- Keep it short and sweet
- It’s important to keep in mind that the pitch process doesn’t end when we hit ‘send.’ Reporters and producers must then pitch our idea to their executive producers, news directors, and so on to get the story approved for production. Keeping our communication simple and clean allows the media to quickly digest our ideas and put them into play. The better we do at presenting our proposed story angles, the better chance we have of getting a ‘thumbs up’ from the bosses during the morning newsroom meeting.
- Go easy on ‘em
- Everyone’s busy in the media industry. So, the more work us PR folks put in, the less work reporters and producers must add to their plates. That’s why providing multiple sources, laying out interview availability, attaching high-quality visuals and soundbites, and including all relevant information can allow a pitch to be seen as less of an in-depth project and more of a quick turnaround that provides valuable content for viewers. Win-win!
- Location, location, location
- When it comes to local TV, do your research! Make sure the story you’re presenting can resonate with viewers in the DMA you are reaching out to. Know the local audience and recognize what they are looking for in a story. Find creative ways to tailor your pitch to fit the community you are seeking coverage in.
- Follow up
- Did we mention everyone’s busy? That means they may have missed your first email…. or, even the second. Whoops! But rest assured, it’s okay to follow up with media! In fact, they appreciate a nudge, so long as you’re polite.
Guess what our favorite piece of advice is from our session with Jordan? “Pitch everything. You never know who’s gonna see it.”
Happy pitching!
