Great article for beginning Media Writers
This is a great article a current teacher shared with our class on how to tailor a media pitch for certain journalists. This article addresses all of the important factors to composing a great pitch. It’s important to compose it in a way that will be effective for the particular audience you are trying to persuade. A different professor gave us a great example in class of one of his friends who works in the journalism field. She told him that a friend of hers called and asked if she should just send out a press release if she wants to get publicity for her business. The journalist basically said that this wouldn’t be beneficial because honestly, who cares? She spent time around the business, learning different aspects and characteristics of it as she observed. She found a great way to address the story, in a way that would fit the journalists paper and even went as far as to include a possible outlet for it to appear in as well. The journalist loved it, commenting on how she didn’t think of that herself.
It’s important to keep your pitches short and to the point. Journalists don’t have time or the interest to read lengthy and wordy pitches, they get plenty of them throughout the day. It’s best to come up with a catchy title, a great opening sentence, and include all important information up front. This is a great article for those entering the media writing field. Be sure to check it out.
PR and Media Writing by Ansley Alexander 