Just before the 5th week of my internship, I was assigned the task of updating the media list. I had to liaise directly with members of the media for updates on the names and contact details of their editorial team. Since effective media contacts is vital for the success of any public relations campaign, I took the initiative and spent a lot of time researching the names and the required contact information from the internet and magazines on sale and then contacted the relevant media to confirm the details.
A press release with the wrong editor’s name or the name incorrectly spelt might find itself in the trash bin hence I called up every publishing company on the media list to double-check and update the names and contacts of their editorial team. Most were very helpful and have responded to my request by agreeing to get back to me with the required information through e-mail.
Not all were co-operative though as an English language daily refused to divulge the name of their editor-in-chief and a Malay language daily never got back to me the details of their editorial team. Unfortunately, calls and emails to the Malay language daily went unheeded and since my internship had come to a close, I was not able to follow-up on it. Despite that, making all the media calls and follow-up emails to to some of the media who have not responded was worth the effort as I finally managed to update many parts of the media list.
Tackling the task was challenging but I gave my best as I understand that an updated media list is important to maintain media contacts. I learned that creating and updating a media contact database is vital for the success of an organization as it is the first step towards developing and maintaining good relationships with editors and writers. I also learned the importance of being courteous and respectful when dealing with media contacts as all contacts with the news media create an impression of you and the organization you represent.
The media contact list, I have been told, needs to be updated every now and then as old editors move on and new ones take their place. A lot of homework need to be done before creating a media list. First, you need to know the audiences of each publication, the names of key editors and their responsibilities. With the right information, you can do a better job of targeting your news to the right media contacts.
2 comments:
I really dislike updating media lists. It is the most annoying task to me, especially when the administration staff are rude and impatient (not the best attitude on my behalf when wanting to work in PR)! I used Margaret Gee's Australian Media Guide to help me with this heinous task, which I found very useful, especially when you are asked to update pages of media contacts. At my work experience, I have been asked to update 'Forward Features Lists' , which goes a step further and actually not only updates the editors and general contact information, but the features that the publication will focus on every edition, so that there is more efficient targeting of media releases etc. I did this mainly via emailing the editors, which surprisingly worked very effectively, and the ones who did not respond I then pestered with a telephone call. I do however agree that updating media lists and keeping them current is incredibly important for the reasons which you have already stated.
A very valid and useful recommendation from Deborah! Feature lists are absolutely brilliant and a great resource. I used them all the time when I was working in nursing - our key industry publications all had a feature calendar for the upcoming year, which worked as a fantastic planning tool. They allow you to pinpoint areas in which you might have specialists - this way you provide an incentive for your 'expert' (who would possibly want to miss a chance to comment on their area of specialty) plus a realistic deadline.
Additionally, you know that you won't have to spend too much energy on selling your story in. If your feature is decent the editor is bound to be very interested in it. Photos are usually another good option to increase your impact (and often thought after by editors).
Overall, this is a great way to build your relationship with key journalists and publications. Years later I am still getting contacted by journalists who are looking for experts or new stories in the field.
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