Don't Feed The Journalists

LAF Note: I asked one of my favorite journalists, Chris Ortiz (Founder and Editor over at StuffJournalistsLike.com) to guest blog on modern day journalists and how we as PR pros can work with them. He’s a smart guy full of great information that is always challenging me – so, for those on Twitter, follow him here.

Don’t Feed the Journalists
Christopher J. Ortiz/editor of StuffJournalistsLike.com

But if you do, they might actually show up to your events. The modern-day journalist (liberalis scriptoris) is a very particular and unique species. Unlike their ancestors, today’s journalists do not enjoy being the king of the media environment. They have been dethroned by a new species – the blogger.  Journalists are sensitive creatures but with a lot of care and attention, they can make great pets for PR folks.

To understand modern-day journalists (and have them cover your story), it’s critical to observe them in their natural habitat – the newsroom. There you can watch journalists interacting with each other. For those in the PR field, it’s important to note the newsroom’s hierarchy.

There are the beat journalists, who live at the bottom of the newsroom’s food chain. Above the beat reporters are the desk editors. Desk editors are the gathers of the newsroom pride. Desk editors gather the news bits for the journalist and send them off to report the news. Above desk editors are a mass assortment of editors with their own offices. These editors tend to keep away from the daily gathering of news and unless you are a very very important member of your own pride, they probably won’t see you and will just send you to a desk editor.

PR folks who want a journalist to cover their story need to keep in mind journalists are fastidious and temperamental creatures. They don’t react well to taking orders (ask any nighttime editor) and don’t respond well to change (see the Internet). To get a journalist eating out of the palm of your hand and using the litter box, it’s critical to gain the trust of the creature. This is done best by praising the past work of the journalist. Example phrases include, “I love that piece you did about school lunches,” or  “Your story about the new quilting club was very interesting.”  This helps lowers the
journalist’s guard. Once this is done, the journalist is more likely to approach you and your press release.

In order for the journalist to take the bait, PR folks must dress up the press release as something the journalist might be interested in – much like in the way you put your dog’s medicine inside a treat so it will eat it. Tell the journalist you heard of a really cool event and he or she is the first person you thought of to call. Never mind that you have made 15 calls to other journalists.

When your journalist arrives at your event, make sure to express your gratitude and make the journalist feel comfortable. And this is super important – make sure to feed the journalist, even if it’s leftover Chinese food and stale crackers.  Remember, much like stray cats, journalists will return to you if you feed them. During the event, journalists like it when you direct them, ideally by the hand, to all your talking heads to get quotes and statements. This saves time and keeps the journalist from having to squint at nametags.

After your event has taken place, insure the journalist has everything he or she needs for the story. The spelling of important names, copies of speeches and most importantly, an idea of what the event was actually about.

And that is the guide for taking care of your journalist. Just remember journalists and PR folks form a symbiotic relationship. One wouldn’t survive without the other. (LAF Joke: Much like the Lion King, let’s all sing the Circle of Life.)