Securing earned media coverage today is much more than press releases and cold pitching. Shrinking newsrooms and a saturated community of stories make for a competitive market that continues to call for strategic storytelling and relentless relevance. To break through the noise, you must think like a journalist and craft a relevant narrative worth covering.
What are journalists looking for today? Jacksonville newsrooms want timely stories that tie into current events, relevant, compelling statistics/reports and characters that bring those issues to life. They want real people whose experiences put a human face on data and policy.
Overall, they’re looking for stories that spark emotion, add local context and give their audience something they haven’t already seen in a dozen other headlines. So how can we help you achieve that?
As the saying goes, you have to understand and play by their rules to be part of the game. Even if your organization’s work is important, a flat story with no human element or fresh data won’t catch a reporter’s attention. We know what newsrooms are looking for, so to earn coverage, we have to deliver it in a way that meets their needs.
For example, a story pitch about a national awareness day like National Family Caregivers Month usually won’t go anywhere. But a story featuring a local family member who is a caregiver paired with state data about the aging population brings it to life. Moreover, a story about paying off debt can be repetitive. But when you tie it with record-breaking numbers and navigating a government shutdown, your original idea is now elevated to a whole new level.
Other tips and tricks to securing earned media also include what kind of visual elements you can provide a reporter. Newspapers appreciate pictures sent along with stories. TV stations need something interesting to shoot. You wouldn’t pitch a food pantry story and then not allow the reporter inside the pantry. You wouldn’t pitch a story about children struggling in school without a few shots of kids inside classrooms. Visuals go hand-in-hand with storytelling.
Furthermore, long gone are the days of planning in advance. Breaking news is always looming, especially in Jacksonville; it’s incumbent on us and our clients to work fast and on a reporter’s schedule. The news of the day dictates reporter schedules. Oftentimes, we must work in their window. This applies not only to the stories we pitch, but also to the stories reporters approach us for, and the latter is even more critical. When a reporter reaches out, it means we’re already on their radar, and any delay or lack of flexibility can cause the opportunity to disappear as they move on to the next lead or deadline.
We establish ourselves as a reliable, responsive source that acts quickly. That’s how we earn their trust – and with that, more future opportunities that we won’t have to chase.
We’re also responsible for the timing of our stories. Staying informed on current events allows us to seize opportunities to position ourselves as experts. This can include responding to tragic events such as shootings or addressing urgent issues like cuts to SNAP benefits.
If the main message you’re getting is “act fast,” then you’re right! News is different every day, and we cannot afford to let any opportunities go. That said, there is still a time and place to schedule stories a week or more in advance. Those opportunities do have value (they’re just sometimes harder to secure), but we still encourage our clients to bring us these stories so we can plan and position them effectively.
To secure earned media, clients need to focus on several critical factors:
- crafting stories with human characters and fresh, relevant data
- tying narratives to current events and broader trends
- providing compelling visuals that bring stories to life
- acting quickly to meet reporters’ schedules.
Responsiveness is equally important. By establishing yourself as a trusted source, you open the door to more opportunities, including ones you won’t have to chase. Whether it’s a reactive story about breaking news or a scheduled feature planned weeks in advance, understanding the needs of newsrooms and delivering value in a journalist‑friendly way is the key to standing out and getting noticed!